December | 2010 | Ask the Expert

How should you answer the application question: Is there anything else you want us to know? Part 2

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Graduate Management Admission Council

Written by James J. Frick, Director, MBA Admissions, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University

I tend to be very enthusiastic about essays—they present an incredible opportunity for candidates to reflect, share their goals, and articulate a great fit with the schools they are considering! Over the years, I have learned that most candidates don’t share my enthusiasm for essays. As such, I can appreciate that candidates who have already completed multiple essays in an application might not be overly excited at the prospects of writing yet another one. However, I’d like to encourage you to think of this question as a terrific opportunity for you to proactively address concerns the admissions committee may have about your application or shed insight into another aspect of your candidacy.

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Filed under: Admissions Process, Admissions Requirements, Applications | Leave a Comment »

How many schools should I apply to? (Part 2)

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Graduate Management Admission Council

Written by Bill Sandefer, Director of Graduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Freeman School, Tulane University

This is one of the questions I get most frequently. Ideally, applying to an MBA program should be a process of discovery—about you, and about schools that can match your needs and ability.

The first part is considering your abilities and needs. Location always plays a big part in selecting a program. Schools can be very location-dependent with classes, faculty, and other students focused on opportunities in the region. Other schools offer national and international perspectives. Either can be valuable, depending on your needs. Program size and academic quality should also match your abilities and needs. Some people simply work better in small settings or thrive in large groups. Academic quality will determine much of the classroom experience. No one wants to be the outlier in the group, so finding a peer group where you can be part of the conversation and contribute to everyone’s experience is very important. Take the GMAT and take a hard look at your transcript to get a sense where you will succeed academically.

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Filed under: Applications, B-School, Choosing the Right School, School Selection | Leave a Comment »