Category: MBA

If you’ve been exploring your MBA options for a while, you’ve probably ran into a number of admissions consulting firms. Why would someone use such a service?

While it is true that many business schools have excellent admissions teams that are very approachable and helpful, it is also beneficial to seek additional professional help to create your best MBA application.

A good analogy would be working with a real estate agent. If you’d like to sell your house, would you hire your own representative to help you present your assets in the best possible way, or would you work directly with the buyers’ agent who has their best interests in mind?

The difference between speaking with an admissions officer from a business school and speaking with an admissions consultant is the diversity of information you’ll be getting out of the conversation. An admissions officer is focused solely on his or her program – and rightfully so!

They know their programs inside out and their goal is to attract as many candidates as possible. On the other hand, admissions consultants have more in-depth knowledge of many MBA programs, can give you a rundown of multiple business schools, and will discuss your potential fit.

Does this really make a difference?

Working with an admissions consultant is especially worthwhile if he or she has worked for a business school prior to joining the admissions consulting firm. There is simply no substitute for that practical experience of reviewing real MBA applications, interviewing candidates, and making real admissions decisions.

This real business school background, combined with experience interacting with a large volume of candidates and tackling many MBA applications, will allow your admissions consultant to make the best recommendations for you personally, whereas the recommendations from the admissions officer at a business school would be around his or her school. As a candidate, you deserve to have options!

How could an Admissions Consultant help me?

As a good coach, an Admissions Consultant will gain a deep understanding of your personal story, will provide honest feedback into your strengths and weaknesses, and will help you position yourself in the best possible way.

Demonstrating fit is one of the toughest part of the application process. Whether you want to switch your career or simply enhance it, you must demonstrate the “fit” with the business school’s strengths and values.

We’ll be talking a lot more about “fit” in future blog posts, but here’s a small preview:

There are two types of fit: functional and cultural. A functional fit is all about your career goals and what the school has to offer. A cultural fit is more about your personality and your soft skills such as team work, open mindset etc. Working with an admissions consultant will help you understand different schools’ cultures, determine the ones that would be the best match for your aspirations, and showcase your skills to the admissions committee.

What if I’m not sure what I want to do?

Working with an admissions consultant is especially helpful if you are not yet sure what type of school or program to pick. MBA or Master’s degrees at top business schools are a large investment of time and money. Making the wrong decision could cost you dearly.

For this reason, every Admissions Consulting engagement begins with a strategy session. Your admissions consultant will outline the advantages and disadvantages of certain programs in different business schools around the world and will make recommendations that are aligned with your career goals.

Approaching your school selection in a strategic way is especially important now because business schools, regardless of the strengths of their programs, are working hard at attracting diverse candidates. A school may be offering a very finance heavy program, but a candidate with a nontraditional professional background could still be very attractive, because he or she will bring different perspectives to the MBA program.

As you already may know, by now, learning in the MBA programs is based as much, if not more, on peer learning, as it is on academics. If you’re targeting top business schools, your admissions consultant will not only help you make smart school selection decisions, but could help you highlight your “non-traditional” skills that could put your application on top of the pile.

Is there anything else I’ll gain?

The other bonus for working with an admissions consultant is getting access to “insider” tips. This is especially true if your consultant worked at a top tier business school prior to becoming a consultant. He or she can make recommendations on how you could best position yourself based on what kinds of candidates the business school may be looking for at that moment.

The other area where candidates need a lot of help is references. You might be thinking that you have no control over this part of the application. While it is true that your recommenders must write the recommendation letters themselves, you could still influence the process by selecting recommenders that know you from the perspective of skills you need to highlight on your application, and then coaching them to discuss these skills on the recommendation letters.

What are some of the biggest mistakes candidates make?

Many candidates apply to multiple schools. One of the biggest mistakes you could make is to create one application and simply change the name of the school. While all business schools look for similar qualities from candidates, each school is unique. Your job as a candidate is to find how you fit with the school’s offerings and tailor your application to differentiate yourself from the competition. Your admissions consultant has exposure to many business programs, will help you make your research easier, and will ensure that your applications are targeted to each of the schools you apply to.

What is the biggest factor that influences admission decisions?

Last but not least is the admissions interview preparation. It’s been said many times that the interview is often a make it a break it part of the application. Ace the interview, and you could not only gain admission, but also become a top candidate for a large entrance scholarship. Bomb it – and you could kiss your admission chances good bye, even though your application may have been stellar!

If there’s one area where you can’t take your chances it is interview preparation. We’ve seen candidates land “full ride” scholarships and an admission decision made the next day after an outstanding interview. A professional admissions consultant with experience interviewing thousands of candidates while working at admission offices at top tier business schools will thoroughly prepare you for the admission interview, will coach you on how to present your best self, will conduct mock interviews, and will provide you with instant feedback at the end of each interview. A small investment in interview prep almost always makes a huge difference for your chances of getting in – often with a scholarship.

The ever changing game of admissions

Admissions to top business schools are more competitive than ever; schools come up with many creative ways to select the best candidates: video essays, reflection questions, timed essays, unique creative essays, the list goes on…

If you want to maximize your chances of getting into the best schools on the best terms, and have no regrets later, make a small investment in working with an MBA Admissions Consultant – it will prove to be one of the best investments you’ve made in your career.

Schedule your free profile evaluation to see how you you can maximize your career potential.

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Good luck!

Claire Gumus,
Admit Master MBA Admissions Consultant.

The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2016 is out! A very exciting time in the MBA world both for candidates and business school administrations. As we all know, rankings continue to play a crucial role in any candidate’s decision making process. There are various organizations who publish their own rankings; however it is quite well-known that one of the most reputable ranking is the Financial Times (FT) Global MBA rankings.

Why is this ranking well respected?

What makes the FT rankings solid is the strict entry protocol. For schools to be evaluated, they need to meet the entry criteria and they have to be internationally accredited. For instance; for a school to be ranked, at least 20% of its alumni must respond to the FT survey with at least 20 fully completed answers. If you’re curious about the methodology, please check the Financial Times website for further details.

What business schools climbed up the rankings?

For the first time ever, a European school Insead has overtaken top US b-schools and is ranked number 1 in the world (Great news for our students who are now studying at Insead!!!)

It’s an amazing accomplishment for a one-year, non-US MBA program to climb up the rankings, leave the very well-known traditional two-year MBA programs behind, and own the very first spot! When we look at the top five, the top three American business schools – Harvard, Wharton and Stanford, and two from Europe – London Business School and Insead – consistently rank well.

This is a clear indicator that the MBA education has become a truly global experience; the MBA was invented in the US but the competition has become global. The rest of the ranking is also quite interesting. We see business schools from all over the world: from China to Singapore, from Italy to Spain. Insead with its two campuses in France and Singapore promotes diversity better than no one else in the game. The school takes pride in having an international student body and its unique campuses. Surely, it is not as old as Harvard but with its 58 years of history, the school is a strong contributor to the world of graduate business education.

What about Canada?

The US has always been the go-to destination for many international candidates. There are great schools and the list of employers hiring from the top business schools is quite impressive. Canada has also been a popular destination for a lot of international candidates due to its proximity to the US and its friendly immigration policies. For candidates who are looking for good education and work/life balance, Canada is definitely a good choice. For years, everyone has been talking about the bad economy in Europe and how business school graduates struggle to find employment.

What’s unique about European Schools?

However, European business schools have been offering something very unique and convenient: the one-year MBA programs. For many candidates who already have well-paying jobs, the opportunity cost of pursuing an MBA is high. To address the needs of these candidates, European business schools came up with a one-year MBA program format that offered candidates the flexibility to take a year off, get their MBAs and go back to the workforce immediately after.

Naturally, one wouldn’t go to another country to pursue an MBA to simply lock themselves up in a campus library! MBA degree is an intensive “work hard, play hard” experience. What better place to do the MBA than Europe with its endless travelling opportunities and the diversity in the classrooms – a great way to gain a truly global exposure.

What does this mean to me?

It’s too early to judge whether European schools will take over all top spots from their American counterparts, however it’s fair to say that they will remain a strong competition. With European schools climbing up the rankings higher and higher every year, admission into these schools gets more and more competitive. However, it’s all worth it – what better way to make an investment than to pick something that’s growing in value!

Each year, Admit Master students gain admission to top business schools in Europe, such as Insead, IE, IESE, Oxford Said, HEC Paris, etc. Don’t leave your MBA application to chance.

Sign up for a free profile evaluation to see how you could best present your profile to best business schools in Europe and around the world.

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Good luck!

Claire Gumus,
Admit Master MBA Admissions Consultant.

For MBA candidates, doing thorough research is one of the crucial steps in the quest for the best business school. We all know how time consuming this phase could be. One can think simply browsing the school’s website is enough, but judging the school by the website alone is like evaluating a person by only his or her resume.

All top tier business schools have now incorporated Social Media into their marketing strategy and regularly publish Facebook updates, blogs, Twitter feeds and YouTube videos to make your virtual visit more interactive.

Social Media is a great platform for doing school research, especially if you’re overseas and can’t easily visit the campus. If you tap into Social Media channels, you can access YouTube videos of current students and alumni, clips from events held at the b-school, and videos from influencers. Some business schools have even started using vblogs done by current students and admissions representatives.

However, YouTube is only one of the big 4 Social Media platforms. If you’re interested in applying to a specific MBA program, make sure to not only watch the school’s YouTube videos, but also connect on Facebook (where you could see updates and ask questions), follow the school on Twitter to keep yourself updated about the events, guest speakers and case competitions, and check out the school’s LinkedIn page.

LinkedIn is a medium that candidates frequently overlook when doing a school research. LinkedIn is a credible professional network that, among its features, has an awesome tool to help you in your school research: the Groups. As LinkedIn Groups become more and more popular, more people are comfortable sharing ideas and speaking their minds. As a result, LinkedIn Groups have now become a de-facto knowledge depository.

If you take the time to join the right group(s), you can interact not only with business schools, but also with other candidates, as well as with current students and recent alumni. This is a great way to learn what studying at the school is all about, and what kinds of careers the school’s graduates are building – a sure to way to see if the school provides the right “fit” for YOUR career.

Some business schools have even started using their LinkedIn alumni groups as a recruiting tool. If you’re serious about applying to top business schools, make sure to have an updated profile, publish valuable updates, and ask smart questions that can demonstrate your great communication skills to the decision-makers at your dream business school.

LinkedIn can be a very effective virtual networking tool if you’re an international candidate. Some business schools have regional networks for alumni and allow prospective students to participate in the group discussions. What a great resource to use if you’re thinking of applying to a school outside of your country! You can learn from the first-hand experience of the alumni and expand your professional network long before you even start the program.

Thanks to Social Media, doing school research has become easy & fun!

Are we LinkedIn yet?

P.S. You may have heard that school selection is SO important because you only have one shot of doing an MBA degree (most business schools will only allow you to do an MBA once in your life). Pick the “right” school – and you could catapult your career to awesome heights. Pick the “wrong” one, and you could drag your career for years…

Because MBA is a major investment (degrees from some universities could set you back by up to $250,000), picking the right business school for your career is one of the most important decisions of your life. We’ll be coming back to this topic again and again throughout this year. Whatever your favourite Social Media network is – make sure to follow us: on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ to get the updates as they’re published!

Whether you are interviewing for a new job or for admission to your dream business school, the same old rules apply:

• Dress for success.
• Submit a proof-read resume.
• Do your research & prove it!
• Ask compelling questions.

 
Making a good first impression is very important in any interview. More often than not, if you make a good first impression at the beginning of the interview, your answers will be perceived very positively.

It’s your interview day. You dress professionally, have a solid resume and have studied very well for the interview. You answer all the questions with excellent examples, and you’re well poised. The interviewer is done with her questions and asks if you have any questions for her. This is one of the make-it-or-break-it moments in any interview. You can strengthen the positive perception that the interviewer has formed about you so far, or leave her with total disappointment. The caliber of your questions will determine the outcome of the interview.

When I was at Rotman, I always gave candidates a chance to ask their questions at the end or even throughout the interview if they were relevant to the topic we were discussing. Some candidates did a fantastic job and came up with very compelling questions, while some unfortunately “blew it” by asking about the tuition or simply passing up this opportunity because they thought they knew everything about the school – which is practically impossible!

The admissions officers are looking for a good fit; you are also looking for a good fit! For admissions officers it’s important to find good talent, good potential, or a promising candidate. A strong candidate is someone who has a healthy balance of technical and soft skills. It is not enough to have a high GPA and a competitive GMAT score, you still have a lot to demonstrate.

In order to best position yourself to the business school of your dreams, doing thorough research is very important. Thanks to Social Media, finding more about a school has never been easier. You can chat with the school reps or current students on Twitter and Facebook, and even find alumni in your area through LinkedIn. Every business school makes every effort to expand its outreach and have a wide digital presence. There is a common belief that candidates should be careful about their digital profile, but the same goes for business schools as well. Business schools strive to have a current and interesting digital presence to stay competitive and attract the best talent. Take advantage of these online resources and learn as much as you can about the school before coming to the interview!

Your research will help you understand the culture of the business school and its programs. Take all the info you can find, and then do a self-reflection. What are the commonalities? What are some of things you’d like to explore further? Then start asking compelling questions to students and to the admissions officer! It is your chance to get to know the school and the community. Your great questions will also add value to the depth of the conversations with the school and will provide you with additional fantastic avenues to showcase your candidacy. Your comments will make the interview more interactive and memorable for the admissions person. I can speak from my experience: I met with hundreds of candidates during my career at Rotman, and the ones who stuck with me are those who managed to give me a meaningful conversation.

An interview is a two-way street: you will be asked questions and you are also expected to ask questions back. What makes a question compelling? If the answer cannot be found easily, if you make the interviewer think twice before answering, then that makes a compelling question!

Let’s say you met with a number of current students and alumni at various events and had the opportunity to ask all of your questions, and now you feel like you have nothing left for the admissions officer. The feel free to ask the same questions: every person brings a different point of view. And if you find that the answers are similar, then you can conclude that the school has a “tight” culture and everyone’s aligned – what a great place to be if you have the same beliefs and values!

You can also ask about their own experiences and perceptions of the school. Some of the great questions I had were around my experience. Some candidates wondered why I was working at Rotman, some asked me to describe Rotman in 3 words (this was a tough one!!), and some asked me about what I loved about Rotman. I think such reflection questions are a great way to bond with the admissions officer and distinguish you from the competition.

Hope this blog post compels you to do your research and dig deeper to find the best business school that meets your needs!
 
 

Claire Gumus, Chicago

Claire is a professional MBA Admission Consultant with over 10 years of experience in the Education industry, most recently as an Associate Director of Admissions for the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. Claire currently works as an MBA Admission Consultant for Admit Master.

If you’d like to leverage Claire’s connections and expertise and get a competitive edge on your MBA applications to best business schools, please request a free introductory consultation with Claire:

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Claire Gumus has recently joined the ranks of elite Admit Master MBA admission consultants. We’ve asked Claire to share her advice for prospective MBA candidates and help you determine the best time in your career to pursue an MBA.

During my time at the Rotman School of Management, I attended countless MBA fairs in different cities and the following question was commonly asked by candidates from all over the world:

When would be a good time to do an MBA?

Although every individual has his/her own personal reasons to pursue an MBA, I can give you some scenarios to help you make the best decision for yourself.

Is your job too “technical” but you aspire to be a leader in your field?

Did I hear a “Yes”, then it’s time you pursue your MBA. At the Rotman MBA program, I’ve seen a healthy number of students who were engineers by trade and who decided to do an MBA to enhance their soft skills. The MBA education will give you the business background you need to be able to work cross-functionally. It will also improve your soft skills through extensive team work, studying with a very diverse group of other students. For example, at Rotman, the largest full-time MBA program in Canada, approximately 40% of the MBA students come from outside of Canada (30+ countries). Such diversity will provide you with an excellent opportunity to broaden your international perspective through peer-learning.

Do you want to increase your international exposure but your current position does not allow you to work in another country?

If the answer is yes; I think you should consider doing your MBA in Canada. The diversity in Toronto will definitely increase your exposure. The diverse student body will improve your cultural adaptability. In addition, unlike other countries, Canada offers an excellent post graduation work permit program; you will be eligible to work for any employer in Canada for three years upon graduation. Employers in Canada’s largest cities such as Toronto, the most multicultural city in the world, are used to working with international students and will recognize your past experience, which will allow you to build on your career from other countries and not start from scratch to prove yourself!

Are you a new comer who is looking for a smooth transition into a new society?

Again if you choose a top-tier program like the Rotman MBA, you will find a wealth of opportunities the school will bring to you. As a new comer to Canada, choosing a local school will allow you to gain access to local employers for both networking and campus recruiting. As you may be aware of, by now, networking is the key to tap into the hidden job market. The MBA itself is a rigorous education and you don’t want to find yourself taking a day off from classes to have coffee chats in the city. At Rotman, all students take advantage of the close proximity of the school to the employers for their job search strategies. Furthermore, through the guest speaker series, you will have constant access to a great pool of industry leaders who participate in panel discussions and interviews on campus.

Are you an entrepreneur or working for your family business?

There is a common misconception that people who own their business don’t need further education. My experience is quite the opposite – entrepreneurs who pursued an MBA degree were often able to improve their businesses dramatically while still studying in school! We live in a very fast paced environment where what is hip today can be outdated tomorrow; it is very important to keep yourself current. If you who are planning on starting a new business, expanding your family business to different geographies or modernizing it, you should seriously look into the programs and resources a business school has to offer. If you choose to join the Rotman School of Management, you will have the opportunity to take classes and learn from industry leaders. Unique to business schools in Canada, the Creative Destruction Lab is an innovation hub that offers various programs and workshops to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit.

These are just some of the reasons why you might decide to pursue an MBA. If you think that you have what it takes to take your career or your business to the next level, it may be time for you to take the next step. Good luck!

About Claire Gumus

Claire is a seasoned admissions professional. She has been in higher education for 10 years in different capacities; from student recruitment and marketing to management. Most recently she worked for Canada’s top business school, the Rotman School of Management. During her time at the b-school, she was responsible for driving candidate growth in various regions: India, China, Canada and the US.

In the last 5 years, Claire has worked with over 2000 MBA candidates, helping them find the best fit and apply to business schools in Canada, the US and overseas. She is often praised for her professionalism, unshakeable integrity and superb listening skills. Claire has an innate ability to understand candidates’ needs, recognize the most important differentiating factors of their personal and professional profiles, and help them develop an appealing story that captivates attention of an admission committee.

In addition to significant experience working as an admission officer for a top business school, Claire has developed an extensive network of admission professionals and consultants all over the world. She currently lives in Chicago, IL and works as an MBA admission consultant for Admit Master. If you’d like to leverage Claire’s connections and expertise and get a competitive edge on your MBA applications to best business schools, please request a free introductory consultation with Claire:

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What are the 5 most important things business schools look for?

GMAT? GPA? Work Experience? Yes, are of these contribute towards the admission decision. Some of these things you can change (for example, the GMAT), some things are harder to change (your work experience), and some things are not possible to change at all (such as your undergraduate GPA).

All of these metrics are a bit of a science of MBA Admissions. But, selecting among thousands of well-qualified students is not just a Science, but also an Art. Today we will discuss 5 things that business schools really look for in candidates, and the 5 questions admission officers will look answers for in your application.

Question #1: Why do you want to do an MBA?

Your career may be going great, you may have an awesome work experience and exceptional academic achievements, but if you can’t explain why you want to do an MBA and how it will help not just you, but other people around you, you probably won’t catch the attention of an admission officer, and your application may be headed straight into the trash bin.

Question #2: Why do you want to do an MBA now?

Once you clearly communicate how an MBA degree is going to contribute to your personal and professional development, you need to explain why NOW is the right time to do an MBA. Here you need to share your vision and extend your “story” into the future, so that the MBA education becomes part of the story of your success.

Question #3: Why do you want to do an MBA here?

Truth be told, so many MBA candidates don’t pay enough attention to this question. Ask any admission director, and he or she will tell you funny and awkward anecdotes about applications to one school that describe why the candidate wants so much to gain admission to a totally different school!

Don’t cut and paste your essays from one school’s application package into another. Do your research, talk to the admission people, meet current students, ask to be introduced to alumni, or go and visit the school! You are about to spend tens, or perhaps hundreds of thousands of dollars on your MBA education – if you can’t explain clearly why you want to study at a specific school, it may not be the right choice for you, and admission officers will see this in your application.

Question #4: Why should we pick you?

You are about to invest your time and money in the MBA education, but the business school will also invest its resources into you, and will attach its “brand” to your name. Are you the candidate who should have the words “My Name, My Dream School, MBA” written on your business card?

Every school has a certain unique culture, but all schools want the best candidates to preserve and grow their brand. What’s so special about you? Think about what you stand for, what is your leadership style, and what is your story, and do your research (or hire an admission consultant) and understand if the business school has a culture that matches yours. Then go ahead and communicate these traits in your application package and at the interview – and you are sure to impress the admission committee.

Question #5: Will you succeed?

Ultimately, your goal is to “wow” the admission committee and show the school that you will not only succeed, but will also contribute to the success of other students in your class. Think of something exceptional that you’ve done that made a real difference in the lives of others and proved you as an awesome leader, a real professional, and a person with high integrity – and make sure your entire application conveys your story (or stories) well.

From the essays, to the resume, via the reference letters of your recommenders, and all the way to your interview – you need to paint a picture of you as the most desirable candidate this business school could ever dream of, and the admission letter is almost in your pocket (or in your mailbox!)

For more GMAT and MBA Admission tips, check out our blog, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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