Hello Prospective MBA Students, Thank you for considering the Smeal MBA Program. My name is Varun Verma and I am a 1st year M…
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Hello Prospective MBA Students,
Thank you for considering the Smeal MBA Program.
My name is Varun Verma and I am a 1st year MBA candidate at the Smeal College of Business, Penn State University. Having comprehensively tasted the application process just a year ago, I thought this would be a great platform to connect with YOU- 'The potential MBA aspirant' and to guide you in every possible way in your MBA Application for the Smeal College of Business.
Smeal boasts of a world-renowned Supply Chain program that attracts world renowned companies such as DELL, HP, IBM, APPLE, and WALMART. Moreover, the Institute for the Study of Business Markets (ISBM) at Smeal is the largest marketing research center in the world.
Being an international student and witnessing so many companies coming on campus to recruit is extremely encouraging. Some of the companies that have already been on campus for internships and full-time recruiting are Deloitte, DELL, LG, Reckitt Benckiser and Exon Mobil. Being only 3 months old in the MBA program, the class of 2012 has already started accepting internship offers.
This school also lays prime emphasis on work - ethics. The 'Smeal Honor Code' is an inherent aspect of the MBA experience here at Smeal.
* Smeal offers substantial merit based financial aid to domestic as well as international students. Financial Aid information can be found here: Tuition and Financial Support — Penn State Smeal College of Business
The complete application process and deadlines are explained right here:
Admissions — Penn State Smeal College of Business
International Students may also want to see this link:
http://www.smeal.psu.edu/mba/admission/intl.html
Profile of 2010 Incoming class found at:
Class Profile — Penn State Smeal College of Business
I once again thank you for your interest in the Smeal MBA program. Please feel free to shoot me any questions or concerns you may have. I would be happy to help! You can also touch base with the MBA admissions office at [email protected] or go to the admissions blog at http://blogs.smeal.psu.edu/admissions/
Varun Verma
MBA Candidate - Class of 2012
Smeal College of Business
Pennsylvania State University
Carrie Marcinkevage - Penn State's Smeal MBA Admissions Director has been kind enough to help prospective candidates. In an exclusive interview, she speaks about the expectations from a candidate's application and how can you test 'the fit' in the MBA program.
1.Could you tell me about any big changes you've made to the application process for the coming year?
a.The overall process will be similar to past years, with December 1, February 1, and April 15 deadlines. We are proud to offer some innovations within the application itself. First, we pioneered webcam interviews, and last year our webcam interviews equaled our live interviews. Its a great way to connect if you cant come in person. Next, we added an optional video submission to the application. You can record a two-minute video introduction and include it with your application. Lastly, we are the first business school to confirm admissions essays through a plagiarism detection software. We believe that ethics starts long before you come to an MBA, and we strongly believe in upholding our values of Principled Leadership. The software will help us equitably evaluate all essays the same way, and it frees the admissions committee from looking for ethical concerns so they can focus on looking for the best in every applicant.
2.What are you looking for in the interview and also in the application process? What are you evaluating people on as candidates for the program?
a.The interview helps us fit together pieces of the application, and it gives applicants a chance to present themselves in a way they may not be able to on paper. It can be a differentiator highlighting communication skills and program fit.
3.What makes someone a good fit for a Smeal MBA, as opposed to any of the other MBA programs in the country?
a.A Penn State Smeal MBA jumps in and gets the job done. S/he shows authentic enthusiasm for setting and reaching ones goals. S/he lives by our values of Principled Leadership and is a positive member of the class and community. We want to be proud to call every Penn State Smeal MBA an alum from application to graduation, internship to retirement.
4.What are some of the common mistakes you see in the interview?
a.The most common interview mistakes are two sides of the same coin:
not preparing and over-preparing. Those who dont prepare as if it were a job interview the job being MBA Student at the Penn State Smeal MBA risk rambling, missing the mark on questions, and appearing unprepared to be a future business leader. Those who over-prepare are usually trying to spin the questions to what they want to convey rather than answering thats asked. They oversell their accomplishments and dont contextualize their experience with others. They appear inattentive, condescending, insincere.
5.And how about in the application, are there any mistakes you see that are common?
a.The most common mistake is not answering questions appropriately and completely. Be sure to answer the question that is asked. Candidates run into trouble here when repurposing essays from one school to the next. It can become so watered down that its not effective for any school. On the flip side, rambling and writing an essay that goes well beyond the allotted space format is also detrimental. The essays show not only your ability to write effectively, but also your ability as a business leader to communicate clearly and succinctly.
6.Can you offer any tips for students working on the essays?
a.Three tips:
i.Express yourself. This is your time to communicate to us your goals and passions, and how you believe youd be a great fit for our MBA program. Take the opportunity to communicate that as clearly as you can.
ii.Be yourself. Genuine, sincere essays and interviews help a candidate shine. Youll do best if you are not trying to be someone else, or the applicant you think we want.
iii.Know yourself. This is at the core of the MBA search process. Only if you truly know yourself can you be genuine and express your goals clearly. Spend the time to learn what you like and dont, where you see yourself, what helps you grow and thrive. And set your MBA sights on the schools that will fit you best. That will shine through in your application and set you apart.
7.How important are GMAT scores when you are reviewing an application?
a.Evaluating academics is a critical part of assessing candidacy for graduate school. The GMAT is very important for three reasons. First, the GMAT is statistically validated as a performance indicator for first-year core curriculum performance. Second, its the only part of the application that can be compared consistently across all candidates. Third, its the most current assessment of your academic potential, since most candidates college performance was several years ago.
8.What makes a good reference for a student?
a.I would much rather read a reference from a manager who knows the candidate well, rather than one from a high-level executive who does not work directly with the candidate. Try to use professional references rather than academic references when possible, as your GPA and test scores already speak to your academic performance. We want to gauge how you perform in a professional environment.
9.One thing that stands out about Smeal is its world-renowned Supply Chain Program. Do you think that this should discourage prospective candidates who are not planning a career in Supply Chain Management ?
a.Every program has special curricular strengths that help it excel. The Penn State Smeal MBA has particular expertise in SCM and also B2B marketing. Our Finance discipline is also widely regarded for corporate finance. While I would not discourage candidates in other disciplines, I believe that those are often the best fit for our relationships with recruiters and future job potential.
10.Do you have any advice for international applicants? How differently are international applications treated when compared to domestic applications ?
a.In general, applying to an MBA program is a competitive process for applicants from all countries. For international applicants, I believe its important to research US business and academic environments to help determine fit. Beyond that, were looking for the same academic, career, and cultural fit from all candidates.
11.Has Smeal made any special efforts to improve its world-wide ranking?
a.We continue to keep a close eye on rankings each year and try to make improvements to the program and student experience that will both improve our students experience, and hopefully then also improve our standing in the rankings. We try to maintain the balance of keeping in mind what the rankings are looking for and doing what is best for our students and the college. One area of particular focus at Smeal that may or may not help us in the rankings-- but one that we believe is absolutely critical for future business leaders is Principled Leadership. We believe that developing executives of character and integrity, who are able to effectively and efficiently lead in good times and bad, and who maintain positivity and credibility throughout, is more important than attaining a high rank in a specific publication. If we know weve done that, and that our students are successfully on the way to the next steps in their careers, then weve met our own metrics of success.
12.Are there any changes to the curriculum recently or upcoming that students should be aware of?
a.n/a
13.One thing that comes up a lot when you think of the Smeal College of Business is that it's a small program. What are some of the pluses and minuses of having a small MBA program?
a.On the plus side, a small program means that you are building a meaningful network of peers. These are colleagues whom youll remember and who will remember you when future business opportunities arise. Not only are you connected to this network, you are also connected to the Penn State network, which has the largest alumni association in the world, not to mention arguably the most active and loyal. Unlike many larger programs, you also have easy access to high-level faculty who are ready and willing to help you.
b.On the down side, theres no room for anonymity. If you thrive in an environment of less attention, this environment does not allow for you to simply observe and fade into the scenery. Also, being a smaller program, we are sometimes challenged in regard to live recruiter attention (ie: recruiters visiting campus). We continually make ongoing efforts to tap into Penn State resources and our own MBA alumni network to connect students to opportunities with companies who many not be able to budget for recruiting travel to a small program.
14.State College is a small-town. How does that play into the job search for students and also the opportunities that the school can offer students throughout the year?
a.Travel budget for recruiters has become an issue across the globe; thus it is imperative that all programs work through channels such as video-conferencing, LinkedIn, etc. For the Penn State Smeal MBA, this is a familiar challenge and one that we continue to work toward.
Hi varun,
Thanks for starting this thread.
I'm planning to apply for operations and technology management since i'm from telecom/IT background.
It will be great if you can give insight into tat stream.
I'm from India. So is TOEFL a mandatory requirement?
Hi varun,
Thanks for starting this thread.
I'm planning to apply for operations and technology management since i'm from telecom/IT background.
It will be great if you can give insight into tat stream.
I'm from India. So is TOEFL a mandatory requirement?
Hi Sundar,
Yes, TOEFL is a mandatory requirement.
Can you please define operations and technology management ?
Varun
Hi Sundar,
Yes, TOEFL is a mandatory requirement.
Can you please define operations and technology management ?
Varun
Thanks Varun for ur reply.
Reg. operations and technology management, I got confused with wisconsin
sorry 
For the second essay (Imagine it is the fall of your second year in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. You have just completed an interview for your dream job, with your dream company. Write a business thank you letter to your interviewer in 400 words or less.), to whom it must be addressed to? I can write some random name or I need to leave it as
One more thing I wanna know is about the transcripts. Sending a self attested photo copy of my degree certificate and my consolidated mark sheet is enough or they require any other document?
Thanks Varun for ur reply.
Reg. operations and technology management, I got confused with wisconsinsorry
For the second essay (Imagine it is the fall of your second year in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. You have just completed an interview for your dream job, with your dream company. Write a business thank you letter to your interviewer in 400 words or less.), to whom it must be addressed to? I can write some random name or I need to leave it as?
One more thing I wanna know is about the transcripts. Sending a self attested photo copy of my degree certificate and my consolidated mark sheet is enough or they require any other document?
Dear Sundar,
For the essay, you can direct it to any dream employer.If you are unsure, you can direct it to 'The Recruiting Officer'
For the transcripts, you can ask your undergraduate institution to send a sealed envelope to Smeal. If that would take time, you can send scanned copies of your transcripts and send the hard copies later ( these should be attested by you undergrad institution).
Furthermore, please be advised that the FINAL admission decision will be done ONLY once we receive the hard copy of your transcripts.
I hope this helps!
-
Varun
Bloomberg Business week rankings are out :-
Smeal ranks 44.
The Best U.S. B-Schools of 2010 - BusinessWeek
Some advise for incoming students :- AVOID PLAGIARISM
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2010/08/10/smeal_targets_essays.aspx
Hope this helps!
Varun
There have been numerous questions about the Admission Essay Question No. 2 in this year's SMEAL MBA Application:-
Imagine it is the fall of your second year in the Penn State Smeal MBA Program. You have just completed an interview for your dream job, with your dream company. Write a business thank you letter to your interviewer in 400 words or less.)
Some of the key things you may want to keep in mind before you start writing anything:-
-Identify a dream company
This can be a company that you find interesting and would like to work for in future. This company may or may not be a recruiter at Smeal College of Business
-Know your recruiter
The letter can be directed to a specific recruiter you know that is associated with the firm of choice. This can be a fictitious name as well - Remember we are not testing your ability to make names but your ability to relate.
-Position/Role
The position applied for will also drive the overall message you want to convey.
Message from the admissions team:-
The essay is intended to show your professional writing skills as well as your ability to market yourself to a potential employer. We want to see how strongly you want that 'dream job' and how 'focused' you are towards achieving it, and how well you can set yourself apart from other applicants.
There are many thank-you note formats out there. One can Google and find myriad templates. If you are following a template, be sure to move away from it enough to include your own experience, words, sentiment, and voice. A big mistake is sticking so close to the template that it sounds like every other applicant's letter. Or worse, it sounds exactly like the original template - showing that the applicant has not applied significant effort nor thought to the letter.
Conclusive Notes:-
- Be professional
- Differentiate your letter and make it as novel as possible
- Keep it concise and to the point
Varun Verma
MBA Candidate - Class of 2012
Smeal College of Business
The Pennsylvania State University
Hi Varun,
Nice initiative!
I am applying for Smeal's MBA. My essays are about to complete. Meanwhile I have a small query regarding Degree Certificate.
My degree certificate is yet with Mumbai University and it will take some time to get from them. Though I have my official transcripts stating I passed in first division. Will there be any issues while applying for Smeal?
Hi Varun,
Nice initiative!
I am applying for Smeal's MBA. My essays are about to complete. Meanwhile I have a small query regarding Degree Certificate.
My degree certificate is yet with Mumbai University and it will take some time to get from them. Though I have my official transcripts stating I passed in first division. Will there be any issues while applying for Smeal?
Hi Sanket,
To save on time and money, you can electronically send the scanned versions of all the certificates as of now ; once you receive your degree certificate, you can mail(post) the complete doc-set to the adcom.
I hope this helps!
Varun
Dear all,
Off late we have been receiving a lot of private messages on this thread. I would appreciate if we can keep all our posts public.
This would help all the potential applicants learn from one another.
Thanks!
Varun
Dear all,
Please find all the admission related events in the attached document.
You may want to attend one of these to help you better understand the MBA program at Smeal.
Alternatively, you can also visit the link : Visits and Events €” Penn State Smeal College of Business
Best!
Varun
Dear all,
Please find the link to the Smeal MBA Employment Reports for the years 2007 through 2009. I hope this helps you while you decide Smeal as your destination.
Smeal Job Market Statistics €” Smeal MBA Student Exchange
For 2010 employment statistics see this link :- http://www.smeal.psu.edu/mba/careers.html/copy_of_stats.html
Also, you may want to check out companies that specifically come looking for international students-
International Students €” Smeal MBA Student Exchange
Thanks
Varun
Hi Varun,
Thanks a lot for the informative posts. I am planing to apply for Smeal. My profile is 650/5.5/116; 4.5 years of work ex ( 2.5 years in IT, 2 years in sales ). Does my profile fit into the smeal?
Thanks
Binu
Hi Varun,
Thanks a lot for the informative posts. I am planing to apply for Smeal. My profile is 650/5.5/116; 4.5 years of work ex ( 2.5 years in IT, 2 years in sales ). Does my profile fit into the smeal?
Thanks
Binu
Hi Binu,
I think your work experience would be a positive driver if you compare it with the applicant pool. Try to show your leadership skills and how you grew as a professional all these years.
I am assuming that you want to specialize in marketing . If that is so , try learning more about ISBM - Institute for the Study of Business Markets at Smeal. It will help you add more meaning to your profile.
Hope this helps!
Varun
Hi Binu,
I think your work experience would be a positive driver if you compare it with the applicant pool. Try to show your leadership skills and how you grew as a professional all these years.
I am assuming that you want to specialize in marketing . If that is so , try learning more about ISBM - Institute for the Study of Business Markets at Smeal. It will help you add more meaning to your profile.
Hope this helps!
Varun
Hi Varun,
I am looking for the SCM Specialization.
Thanks,
Binu
Hi Varun,
I am looking for the SCM Specialization.
Thanks,
Binu
Hi Binu,
Thank you for the clarification. For SCM , you would want to understand how the Center for Supply Chain and Research(CSCR) works in Smeal.
You would also be interested to learn about the Supply Chain management association here at Smeal :-http://www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr
Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) €” Smeal MBA Student Exchange
PS : The SCM concentration in Smeal is ranked 5th overall in the world.
-
Varun
Dear all,
For those of you interested to understand more about the research centers here at Smeal, please go to the following link:-
Research Centers €” Penn State Smeal College of Business
-
Varun