Ask Jennifer@Accepted.com: Application-writing advice for the best global B-schools

[bono's]

Hey Jennifer,

• I have been admitted to the Robert H. Smith MBA Program for Class of 2010.
• However, I have not been offered any financial reward.
• Deadline for confirmation of a final decison is in a week.

• Please could you provide any insights into this particular school
• What are the pro's/cons
• What is your knowledge of the career opportunities available here and how difficult it is to fund the education considering nill financial backing.

Please could you help me in making a decision. Your inputs will really help.

Thanks.

[bongarcon]

Originally Posted by bongarcon

Hi Jennifer,

Many thanks for your efforts in clarifying our queries. I have a query, not on the application writing part, but on the admissions follow up part.

I have applied to the Rotman school of business, and have had my interview for the same. Rotman has a rolling admissions calendar, and so there was no fixed date for application submission or decision.

But I had applied in the very early dates, and am yet to hear from the school. The Adcom representative mentioned that I would be hearing from them in a couple of weeks time, which has elapsed and still no response.

Would you be aware if Rotman has a waitlist of students that aren't intimated of either an admit or a reject? If rejected, how soon would the decision be intimated to the student?

Also, how do you suggest I handle this issue? I have already corresponded with the admissions representative many times on this and I don't want to irritate her .

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

Hi Jennifer, I finally got that admit. You can forget that query

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by bongarcon

Hi Jennifer,

Many thanks for your efforts in clarifying our queries. I have a query, not on the application writing part, but on the admissions follow up part.

I have applied to the Rotman school of business, and have had my interview for the same. Rotman has a rolling admissions calendar, and so there was no fixed date for application submission or decision.

But I had applied in the very early dates, and am yet to hear from the school. The Adcom representative mentioned that I would be hearing from them in a couple of weeks time, which has elapsed and still no response.

Would you be aware if Rotman has a waitlist of students that aren't intimated of either an admit or a reject? If rejected, how soon would the decision be intimated to the student?

Also, how do you suggest I handle this issue? I have already corresponded with the admissions representative many times on this and I don't want to irritate her .

Thanks in advance for your inputs.

Bongarcon,
If you have confirmation that they received all of your application, then all you can do is wait. It sounds like they are interested in you - any pressure on your part may just force them to send you a "no." If you experience any promotions at work or additional impact in the community in the meantime, I would recommend you update them with a short email (linking this new accomplishment with your future plans and what you will contribute at Rotman) - but besides that, try to find some way to take your mind off of the application and the waiting and waiting...

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[bongarcon]

Thanks Jennifer. And like I mentioned previously, I finally got their admit.

So, they were interested as you said.

[frensandy]

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for taking the time to answer all our questions. It is indeed very helpful.

I am an applicant from India for MBA fall 2008. I have about 4 years exp in the ubiquitous s/w industry with about 1.5 years of experience as a project lead/module lead. I have a low GMAT score of 610 ( quant - 79, verb - 50 and AWA -4 ), an engineering degree with 70%, good extra curriculars, an entrepreneurial attempt and pretty good recos.

1> What do you think are my chances of getting an admit from the following schools ?

Iowa tippe
Babcock - Wake forest
Univerisy of Texas Dallas
Cox school of business

2> What are the my chances of getting aid/assitanceship from these schools ?

Thanks in advance

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by bono's

Hey Jennifer,

• I have been admitted to the Robert H. Smith MBA Program for Class of 2010.
• However, I have not been offered any financial reward.
• Deadline for confirmation of a final decison is in a week.

• Please could you provide any insights into this particular school
• What are the pro's/cons
• What is your knowledge of the career opportunities available here and how difficult it is to fund the education considering nill financial backing.

Please could you help me in making a decision. Your inputs will really help.

Thanks.

Hi, Bono's. Many of the MBA programs have loan programs through banks in the area, so you can certainly speak to the Admissions Office about that possibility. If you are unsure of whether you will be able to earn a salary to cover these loans when you graduate, you should contact the Career Services office for the statistics about starting salaries and percent of graduates with offers within 3 months of graduation. You are certainly correct to be concerned about this, and I wish you luck in your decision.

Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[Accepted]

Originally Posted by go_for_the_kill

You understood it correctly Jennifer. Thanks a lot.

It will be great if you could analyze the essays for krannert (purdue). I could not find it on accepted.com.

Okay, go for the kill. Here goes:

1) Discuss your long and short term career goals, how these goals developed, and what you hope to gain from graduate study at Krannert. Limit your responses to no more than 500 words.
This is your chance to show that you have a clear direction in mind and have a solid foundation of business skills that led you to your goal. You will need to be specific about Krannert and how it will help you reach your goals, but just listing courses is very impersonal. Show that you have gone beyond the website to truly understand the Krannert program.

2) The Krannert community is comprised of a diverse student body. Describe an aspect of your personality, things you have learned, skills you have acquired, or life experiences you've had that could benefit potential classmates and will help you contribute to Krannert's diversity. Limit your response to no more than 500 words.

Such an open question will surely make you dizzy, but instead of thinking of it as a curse, revel in that openness and try to figure out what makes you different from the rest of the hundreds of applicants from your industry, country, or background. Share a personal story or two that illustrates those qualities and be sure to show that you are the type of person who takes action and makes an impact in the process - those applicants really prove that they will "contribute to Krannert's diversity."

3) In 250 words or less, describe a character-building event or situation in which your involvement made a significant difference.

Again, this is a personal story - albeit a short one - in which your actions made an impact. The difference here is that you will have grown in the process.

4) Additional Information(Optional)
Please provide any additional information that was not captured within your application. If you feel you've already provided us with sufficient information about yourself, you need not add anything here. (250 words or less)
I'm a big fan of the optional essay, but it is definitely short here. Don't make the mistake of telling them something they will find out in another area of the application, but do make use of this space if you can to share additional insight that demonstrates that you are an active teammate who makes an impact.
Regards,
Jennifer Bloom, CPRW
Accepted - helping you write your best!

From pre-application consulting and strategizing to essay and letter of recommendation editing, resumes, mock interviews, and wait-list tactics - we guide you through the application maze.

[pharmablr]

Hi Jennifer,

Thank you for all the wonderful advice and guidance on this thread.

My Profile:
GMAT: 750 (Quant: 50 - 95% ; Verbal: 42 - 95%)
Xth: 90% (Distinction in Science and Maths)
XII: 80%

Engg in CS: 77% (Distinction each year)

Work Exp: (3+ years)
1) IBM - 1yr in Business Intelligence Dept ( 05 -06)
2) Director in a Pharma company (with the largest capacity in Southern India based Bangalore) (2006 - till now )
- Responsible for development of International Business Division and converting potential clients to actual customers (mainly Honduras and Kenya). Have successfully launched a product in the last year which has now become the fourth largest selling product for the company.
All the team heads: International Business , Manufacturing, Finance, Domestic Sales and HR report report directly to me.
Huge potential in Pharma Industry and the company is rightly poised with ultra modern manufacturing facilities to capture global outsourcing pie in the healthcare industry.

Extra curricular Activities: Swimming, Kung Fu, Youth camps

Awards: Won debates, impromptu speech contests etc

I am aiming for the January 2009 intake @ INSEAD.
However I have no work experience out of home country.



Kindly advise.

thanks,

[Jerrykantrell]

Hi Jennifer,

Well, this is not another 'profile evaluation' request.

Could you tell me what are the B-schools which prefer applicants with higher GMAT\GPA scores in an attempt to get their averages up. I was working in the dreaded Indian software scene for 2 years after which I quit. I am currently working in an NGO. I have been more of an 'extra-curricular' sort of person. So I was wondering if I could manage an admit with a really good GMAT score in a 'decent' US b-school.

Oh wait, it did turn into a profile evaluation request!


Thanks in advance JK

[fgmat]

Thanks Jeniffer for taking such a great initiative...thanks for all your assistance....
I am new to pagalguy.com ....recently went through this link of yours where you are guiding indian students for the application process.....

Here is my brief profile:

Qualifications:


GMAT 750


B.tech

Work experience
Consulting....presently working as Business analyst capacity of American Express...
In total have 3 years of exp as of now....
Presently involved in community services where i m taking care of the education of handicapped children..

Target SCHOOLS as of now:

duke

emory

chicago

darden



Could you please throw some light on what are my chances of getting through these kind of schools..
i m targeting investment banking after my MBA....

thanks!!
-Rohit