Want a NOOK? Explore Now
A no-nonsense guide to getting into business school at a time when the industry requirements are evolving and competition is at a record level.
MBA programs are redefining their mission and seeking a new generation of business visionaries. No longer simply about grades or test scores, top schools now look for students with a transformative vision. The MBA Reality Check covers everything from the specifics of the application process to how applicants can position themselves among the crop of tomorrow's business innovators. Through their work with hundreds of MBA hopefuls, Forster and Thomas have shown what it takes to succeed in today's highly competitive marketplace, including:
?How applicants can find their own exceptional story to set them apart
?What to include in an MBA application-and what to leave out
?What b-schools really want to learn about candidates
?How to turn any question into an opportunity to illustrate unique leadership qualities
Prologue: Harvard or Bust xv
Part I Kick-Starting Your Candidacy 1
Chapter 1 Ready, Set… Grow! 3
Chapter 2 Stats, Story, and Experience 9
Three Parts Beat as One 15
Chapter 3 Leadership: How to Live as a Leader 19
Ego Versus Mission 24
Chapter 4 Community Service and Extracurriculars: The Extracurricular Equation 27
Admissions Directors on the Role of Extracurriculars in Your Application 30
The Wall Street Myth: “I Don't Have Time” 31
What You Can Do to “Up Your Extracurricular Game” 35
Chapter 5 Gettin' Busy: Beefing Up Your Leadership Legacy 43
Step 1 Choose Something You Care About 45
Step 2 Isolate the “So What!” 46
Step 3 Reinvention 46
Step 4 Create Legacy 47
Standout Service in a Nutshell 48
Chapter 6 Rec Creation: Help Your Recommenders Help You 50
Recommenders 101 52
Recommender Options for Different Professions 54
Help Them Help You: Create Talking Points 54
Six Surefire Rec Killers—and How to Avoid Them 57
Prepping Your Recommender: The Meeting 59
Letters of Recommendation Versus Letters of Support 64
Two Types of Recommender to Avoid 65
The Illustrated Rec: Alanna's Story 69
Admissions Directors on Recommendation Dos and Don'ts 70
Postscript: I Feel Your Pain 73
Chapter 7 Learning Differences: You're Not Stoopid, the System Is 78
Amy, What You Gonna Do? 81
“Multiple Intelligences” 82
Come Out, Come Out 85
Take Your GMAT Well in Advance 86
Part II Zen and the Art of MBA Admissions Essays 89
Chapter 8 The Career Goals Essay 91
“No Essays by Committee” 93
Goals Essay 1 “OPE”—Other People's Expectations 93
Three Blind Mice 96
Jared's Goals Essay 100
The Archetypal Goals-Essay Structure: A Sonata in Six Beats 102
Goals Essay 2 Passion—Finding Your P-Spot 105
Vinod's Goals Essay 108
Tip Sheet: School Research and Visits 112
Goals Essay 3 Get Real—Leveraging Your Personal Story 114
Chapter 9 The Accomplishments Essay 120
Professional Accomplishments—Beyond the Call of Duty 122
Bradley's Professional Accomplishment Essay 125
Service Accomplishments—Consultant, Heal Thyself 126
Anya's Service Accomplishment Essay 130
Personal Accomplishments—Swimmer's Ear 130
Susan's Personal Accomplishment Essay 135
Chapter 10 Leadership Essays 136
Scenario 1 Queen for a Day 137
Vinod's Leadership Essay 142
Scenario 2 From Boys to Men 143
Sample Leadership Essay 146
Chapter 11 Impact/Opportunity Essays: A Beautiful Mind-Set 149
Ziva's Selzing an Opportunity Essay 153
Chapter 12 Ethical Dilemma Essays 156
Ethical Dilemma or Bummer? 157
What Happens in Tokyo Stays in Tokyo 160
Oscar's Ethical Dilemma Essay 164
Chapter 13 Failure Essays 167
White Men Can't Fail 171
Tommy's Failure Essay 175
What If Admissions Officers Hate Me? 176
Mahmoud's Failure Essay 180
Chapter 14 Background, or “What Makes You Unique?” Essays: It's the Little Things 182
Garrett's Background Essay 188
Chapter 15 The Whimsical Essays, or “If You Were a Tree, What Tree Would You Be?” 191
Part 1 The Completely Random Topic 192
A Few Eye Rollers to Avoid When Addressing Whimsical Questions 194
Shehzad's “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?” Essay 196
Part 2 The Passion Essay 198
Dutch's “What Are You Passionate About?” Essay 200
Part 3 The Open or “Wish” Essay 201
Sadie's Open Essay 203
Chapter 16 What Matters Most: Never Settle for the B-Plan 205
Connect the Themes in Your Life 207
Peeling Back the Onion 211
Gene's “What Matters Most to You, and Why?” Essay 213
Chapter 17 Creative/Slideshow Essays: Finding Your “Wow” 217
Dancing Desi 219
Chapter 18 Culture Shock Is a State of Mind 223
Vijay's Culture-Shock Essay 228
Chapter 19 The Optional Essay: The Dog Did Not Eat Your Homework 230
Other Triggers for an Optional Essay 232
According to Jim 232
Don't Play the “I Can Top That” Game 234
Steps for Building an Optional Essay 236
Jim's Optional Essay 238
Part III Now That You've Hit “Submit” 241
Chapter 20 Interview Skills: Up Close and Personal 243
Interviews Come in Different Flavors 244
Baxter: From Nervous Nelly to Powerful Pro 249
You Are What You Wear 252
Chapter 21 You've Been Waitlisted, or “We Love You, But…” 254
Actions You Can Take to Get Off the Waitlist 255
Anatomy of an Update Letter 256
Profile 1 We Think You're Worthy, but We Can't Remember Your Name 259
Profile 2 We Love You So Much, but We're Not Sure If You'll Even Come 261
Profile 3 We're Madly in Love with You, but Your Stats Are Weak 261
Chapter 22 Reapplications: Guacamole, Meet Lemon 265
Profile 1 You Did Not Demonstrate Quantitative Proficiency 266
Profile 2 You Have Weak Leadership and a Lack of Substantial Extracurriculars 267
Profile 3 You Told the Wrong Story 269
Profile 4 You Chose the Wrong Recommenders 271
Profile 5 You Didn't Differentiate Yourself (You Played It Safe) 271
Epilogue: The Joke's on You 275
Workbook 1 Taking Your Inventory 279
Workbook 2 Your Family Inventory 282
Workbook 3 The Hard Questions 284
Workbook 4 Your Professional Goals 289
Workbook 5 The Impact/Leadership Essay 292
Workbook 6 The Accomplishments Essay 294
Workbook 7 The Background/Diversity Essay 296
Workbook 8 The Failure Essay 298
Workbook 9 The Ethical Dilemma Essay 300
Glossary of Auntie Evan-isms 303
Index 305
This guide to winning a spot in an MBA program is useful and charming - and those two qualities are more closely related than you think. As the title suggests, the book attempts to correct numerous misconceptions applicants have about getting into their target business schools. Some of those myths and self-delusions are pretty tenacious, and education consultants Evan Forster and David Thomas have to be equally pointed to puncture them. That's where the charm comes in. Through vivid narratives of learning experiences (both their own and their clients') and hearty dollops of humor, Forster and Thomas make the arduous process of applying to MBA programs seem less daunting. Along the way, they provide specific advice on everything from how to help the people writing your recommendations to how to fit in the worthwhile extracurricular activities you need to stand out from the crowd. Naturally, getAbstract recommends this sassy but savvy book primarily to those considering graduate education in business, but also to those running MBA programs, to their admissions staffs and to corporate human resources officers who want to help guide their employees' careers.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
A no-nonsense guide to getting into business school at a time when the industry requirements are evolving and competition is at a record level.
MBA programs are redefining their mission and seeking a new generation of business visionaries. No longer simply about grades or test scores, top schools now look for students with a transformative vision. The MBA Reality Check covers everything from the specifics of the application process to how applicants can position themselves among...