The MBA Exchange

What can MBA applicants learn from today’s political candidates?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:07:00 GMT

Online media, TV and newspapers are filled with stories about the fierce competition among various candidates for the office of U.S. President. This is a knock-down, drag-out battle for the ages.

A campaign for business school admission has much in common with a campaign for public office. Both contests are zero-sum games with clear winners and losers competing for a finite number of seats. The combination of information, competition and emotion can be overwhelming at times. And, ultimately, the decision as to who is admitted or elected is a highly subjective one, beyond the control of the candidate. Regardless of your political persuasion, we believe that there are some valuable lessons for MBA applicants to learn from the political contest for the hearts and minds of voters. So, what are some takeaways that we believe could be helpful to b-school candidates?

“Answer the question that is asked – and more”
When the admissions committee asks you a question, whether in a set of essays or during an interview, you have both an obligation and an opportunity. Don’t ignore what is being asked since doing so will be considered as evasive. And don’t constrain yourself by answering only what is asked; seize the opportunity to tell your story, and present your most compelling point of difference.

“Be assertive but not arrogant”
If you don’t believe in yourself, why should the adcom? Describe your past, present and future with confidence. Show how you’ve made a positive difference for yourself and others. Take pride in your tangible accomplishments. But always do so with a measure of humility and appreciation for the mentoring of superiors and the support of colleagues.

“Balance big-picture thinking with attention to detail”
Describing your candidacy in broad, vague terms conveys that you’re trying to hide a lack of real substance. Likewise, providing excessive details and minutiae sends the message that you’re a small thinker without leadership potential. B-schools want students who are both strategic and tactical. So provide solid examples that show both sides of your brain.

“Know and address your audience”
The admissions committee that will determine your fate tends to be ”moderate.” They don’t receive a bonus for accepting applicants who are outside the “middle 80%” of admitted applicants. They favor future MBAs who are neither boring nor boastful. So, your challenge is to convince them that you would both benefit from and uniquely contribute to the program if accepted. Help them see what they will gain by having you in the class, and what they will lose if you are rejected.

“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”
Just like political candidates who lose individual state primary elections, being turned down by one b-school doesn’t mean that your MBA campaign is over. The priorities and preferences of each MBA program are different. So, be sure to target any school where you would be happy to attend if it’s the only one to admit you. This is the best way to produce a set of alternatives from which you can choose.

“You can run but you can’t hide”
Mistakes and failures are rarely showstoppers as long as you explain them early, show an appropriate degree of disappointment, and illustrate how you used the learning that resulted in order to grow, develop and achieve positive outcomes going forward. All of us – even MBA admissions committees – are mortals who have dropped the ball on occasion. You can score major points with a b-school by being candid about a time when you fell short of expectations but learned from it and prevailed in the longer term.

“Negative is always negative”
Complaining about an unfair boss, griping about a lost deal, whining about a bad grade, or rationalizing a sub-par GMAT won’t win you any points with business schools. Stuff happens. So, why not take the high road and emphasize how you transcended disappointments, made bad situations better, and created new opportunities out of adversity? That’s what leaders do.

B-school admissions can be as stressful and unpredictable as public elections. But if you plan, prepare for, and run the kind of race that has proved successful for others, then your chances for success will increase exponentially. One of the first steps in any campaign is to get early feedback on the viability of the candidacy from experts -- before the campaign begins. The MBA Exchange is here to help you test the waters with a free evaluation of your chances for admissions success.

Is it "too soon" to start your MBA admissions campaign?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:07:00 GMT

If your answer is yes, then you’re missing a major opportunity.

Are you among the young professionals planning for an MBA who are currently thinking along these lines?
•    “The new applications aren’t published until summer, so I’ll begin around July."
•    “I’m not applying until 2014, so why get started this year?”
•    “I’m a really good writer. Three months will be plenty of time to complete my applications.”

Those are among the comments that we at The MBA Exchange hear from individuals who don’t yet understand or appreciate the realities of top-tier MBA admissions. In fact, the only good reason to postpone your business school admissions campaign is that you’re not convinced you’re ever going to apply. Otherwise, each week between now and the application deadlines offers valuable chances to make your eventual candidacy more competitive, compelling and successful.

So, how can the early bird gain an advantage over the procrastinators? Here are 5 ways that you can start to build your winning edge now:

1. Get to REALLY know the MBA programs
Most business schools do a good job these days of informing applicants about their offerings. The volume of official blogs, adcom Tweets, Facebook pages, email blasts, webinars, etc., can be overwhelming. If you’re considering several different MBA programs, following their online communications can be overwhelming. So pace yourself by spreading your research over time, tracking trends, and digging a little deeper than other applicants.

2. Make better decisions about jobs and activities
The period between college graduation and MBA application is critical to your candidacy. The company that you join, the role that you accept, the mentors you pursue, and the non-work organizations where you affiliate help define how you’ll look to business schools. If you take the time to understand what strengths and traits the top MBA programs value most in their students, then you’ll make choices that improve your chances for admission.

3. Initiate relationships with key influencers
Raising your profile with individuals who can endorse your MBA candidacy before you apply is a very worthwhile effort. However, getting the attention of anyone in a b-school community during the summer before you apply will be difficult. And then, during the fall before Round 1 and Round 2 application deadlines, first-year students are immersed in classes. Second-years are focused on recruiting. Administrators and faculty are fully engaged with current students.

In other words, if you wait until just a few months before you apply to make contact with key influencers, you will be too late. The period from February to April is ideal for campus visits. The campus is more relaxed and the weather is better for travel. As part of our Comprehensive Consultation, we guide our applicants on how and when to make and sustain contact with individuals who can directly impact your MBA chances. And don’t forget the significance of selecting and cultivating the best possible recommenders! What if the individuals you have in mind today decide that they can’t or won’t endorse your b-school candidacy? If you wait until a few weeks before the deadlines to approach them, you may not have any options. You need to develop a “Plan B” for cultivating other recommenders – and that takes time.

4. Reflect on your past and present before the future arrives
Scrambling to recall the details of your personal, academic and professional profile is very risky. In all likelihood, you’ll have to reach out to friends, family and former colleagues for specifics. Don’t wait. And don’t disregard the importance of goal setting. Every b-school wants to know your long-term and short-term career goals. By allowing time for online research, informational interviews and other exploration, you’re going to make a much more convincing case when describing your future plans.

5. Stuff happens: allow time to adapt and respond
There’s no way to predict when an unexpected change might accelerate or delay your MBA admissions plans. Health issues. Family problems. Company restructuring. New job offers. When such factors enter your life, you need to be ready. So, have your MBA admissions campaign thoroughly planned as early as possible. You can always modify your core plans, but having to start from scratch – while facing external pressures and distractions – is not a formula for admissions success.

Even if you get started today, you have less than 9 months until Round 1 deadlines for the best business schools. What’s the first step? We suggest a free, expert evaluation of your candidacy so you know exactly where to focus your time and efforts.

Tick, tick, tick!

Achieving MBA admission is more about "Why" than "What and How"

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:30:00 GMT

Fact: Most applicants to top business schools are qualified for admission. Their GPA and GMAT scores fall within the “middle 80%” range. The resume, recommendations and essays say wonderful things about what the applicant has accomplished. They present a credible, attainable post-MBA goal.

Those seeking admission to b-school come from a variety of interesting backgrounds – personal, academic and professional. In framing their candidacy, most go into great detail in describing what they’ve done in school, on the job and in the community. And most share facts about how they’ve reached this point in their careers, overcoming various challenges and seizing particular opportunities to achieve results. The apps are completed and submitted. Some individuals are admitted, most are rejected, but none ever learn exactly why that was the result of their campaign.

So, what is the “X” factor that culls the herd? What aspect of the candidacy enables the admissions committee to say yes to one person and no to another whose credentials may be even stronger?

A wonderful 18-minute TED presentation by author Simon Sinek, as well as our 15 years of business school admissions success, prompts us to believe that the most significant difference among MBA applicants is not “what” they’ve achieved, or “how” they’ve accomplished it. Rather the biggest point of difference is “why” they have done what they’ve done. Revealing the inspiration, vision, raison d’etre behind their past actions and future plans is the best way to differentiate and elevate a business school candidacy.

Ironically, many individuals don’t even try to address this topic in making their case for admission. Perhaps they don’t know or have never thought about “why.” Maybe they don’t feel that the admissions committee really cares about or would understand their motivation. Or is it just too personal and private of an area to communicate to a faceless admissions committee?

Regardless of why you, as an applicant, might be reluctant to share the “why” behind your candidacy, if you’re serious about gaining admission, it’s a must. Arguably, the best way to start is by focusing on the “why” behind your post-MBA goals. Ask, and answer, the question: Why do I want to do something different from what I doing now? Not only will this exercise help make your essay about career objectives more compelling, it will also open the door to examining “why” you chose the path that has brought you to this point.

At The MBA Exchange, we’ve made this discovery a key component of our Comprehensive Consultation. Guiding, pushing, pulling and encouraging our clients to understand and articulate the “why” behind their past, present and future has helped them to more effectively present their unique candidacies and thus maximize their chances for admission. We invite you to start by telling us about your “what and how” through a free evaluation of your candidacy. Then, as your resource and partner, we can help you explore and identify the all-important “why.”

“The Ultimate, Super Top Secret, A-to-Z, Insider’s How-to Guide to Guaranteed, Slam-Dunk, MBA Admission”

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:29:00 GMT

Sound too good to be true? It is.

Amazon.com lists over 200 paperback books for sale on the topic of “MBA admissions.” Furthermore, the websites of various admissions consultants promote their own self-published guides, DVDs, etc. It seems like every week, there’s a new publication being touted on how to get into top b-schools.

The titles are quite alluring, with liberal use of terms like “insider” and “secret.” Some authors are veteran consultants, while others are relative newcomers. Although such publications can be very attractive to eager applicants and very profitable for the authors, there are five reasons why you’ll never find such a book coming from The MBA Exchange:

1. Your candidacy is different.

The differences among applicants in terms of the professional experiences, personal traits and values, and career goals are dramatic – and are too valuable to be diluted or homogenized by following directions in a book.

2. Every business school is different.

While each school seeks the strongest possible students, their process for evaluating candidates is highly subjective and varied by school. Selection criteria reflect each program’s unique culture, wants and needs. So, taking a one-size-fits-all approach to building and presenting your candidacy by following a book that instructs everyone to emphasize “A” is not going to endear you to an admissions committee that is looking for “Z”.

3. The myth of the admissions “insider.”

It may feel very comforting to read the advice of an author who actually worked in MBA admissions at a top business school. However, that knowledge is limited to one school and one point in time. The validity and accuracy of an author’s admissions-office recollections diminish with each day that passes since they worked at the school. So, what is the most meaningful credential for an admissions consultant? Independently verified proof of performance in actually helping applicants gain admission to their targeted schools over time. An “outsider” with a track record for results is a resource worthy of your trust, confidence and dear dollars.

4. Once it’s published, a “secret” is no long secret.

Even if a book somehow, some way – miraculously – captured The Secret to MBA Admissions, the fact is that you’re one of thousands of applicants who are now reading and using it. And, for best sellers, thousands of other applicants read it and used it in previous years. Admissions committees easily spot applicants who build their applications around the same book. In fact, admissions officers could very well have read it themselves at the beach last summer! Not much of a secret now, is it?

5. You deserve the 1-on-1, personalized advice that you paid for.

Applicants who engage a consultant to help develop and present their MBA candidacies -- and pay hard-earned dollars for this individualized guidance – deserve personalized advice and insights that are not shared with thousands of competing applicants who bought a $15 book or DVD from the same expert. When the identical strategies and tactics that you -- as a contracted client -- receive are already public, the efficacy and ethics of that counsel is diminished. The “competitive edge” that you rightfully expected to gain as a client is no longer your edge. Our clients know that there won’t be any other applicants who look and sound like them.

So, for those 5 reasons and more, you won’t see a book or DVD coming from The MBA Exchange. Our sole focus is helping a relatively small number of highly dedicated applicants to discover and leverage their uniqueness, align their candidacies with the priorities of each targeted school, and maximize their chances for admission 1 on 1. If this philosophy and approach appeal to you, then please introduce yourself to The MBA Exchange. Allow us to provide a free, personalized evaluation of your business school candidacy.

Sprint or Marathon: How will you run your race to the MBA application deadline?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:38:00 GMT

There’s only a month left until Round 2 deadlines at most top-tier business schools. Even if you haven’t started preparing your applications, it’s very tempting to go for it. After all, your work experience isn’t going to change over the next 10 months. Your undergrad GPA can’t be improved. Your GMAT score is decent. Your personal activities are what they are. And you’re only getting older. So, you might as well make a dash for it, right? Ready, set….

Not so fast. The reality is that a hastily prepared application that presents a good but not great candidacy is not likely to impress the admissions committee. They don’t care that you’re rushing to apply because of how busy you’ve been with work and other activities. The ad comm will you judge based on what you present and compare you to other applicants who worked on their apps for months.

Why not just lob in an application in January and see what happens? You can always reapply in October, right? Well, by submitting an imperfect or incomplete app now that’s likely to fail, you’ll be “anchoring” your candidacy in the eyes of the business schools. The opportunity to actually improve your positioning and presentation in the future will be constrained by what you’ve told them about yourself in the original app. And yes, they will check back.

So, why not apply in Round 3 this coming spring? That’s certainly an option as b-schools like to add diversity to the incoming class by cherry-picking admits at the end of the application season who complement those applicants already accepted. However, the more selective and prestigious the school, the higher the yield, so only a few seats will remain available after Rounds 1 and 2. Furthermore, in terms of reapplication strategy, a Round 3 applicant is sending a message to the admissions committee that attending their program was not a passion or priority the first time around.

Your goal is not just applying, it’s getting accepted! With that in mind, as you consider running a “sprint” to the January 2012 deadline rather than a well-planned marathon to October deadline, ask yourself these 5 questions:

Over the next 10 months, could I:

Elevate or expand my professional profile by initiating a new project or solving a lingering problem?
Improve my academic profile by earning an “A” in an extension course or adding 20 points to my GMAT score?
Strengthen my personal profile through some international travel or a leadership role in an organization?
Deepen my relationships and raise my profile with current members of the b-school community?
Distinguish my post-MBA goals through more extensive research, conversation and reflection?

If your answer to at least 3 of those questions is yes, then make the smart choice. Approach your MBA admissions campaign as if it was a marathon, not a sprint. Planning, training, preparation, and perfection are possible only if you allow yourself the time to do so. And if having an expert coach could help you do your best, that’s why The MBA Exchange is here. Start your “race” to business school admission today with our free evaluation of your MBA candidacy.

Fact vs. Forum: Choose your admissions consultant via due diligence rather than anonymous chatter

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:36:00 GMT

Strange that some MBA applicants still rely on anonymous online comments when making one of the first and biggest decisions impacting their business school success -- the vetting and selection of an admissions consultant.

Sure, there’s an initial sense of comfort and camaraderie when chatting with apparent peers who, like you, seem to be struggling with the anxiety and ambiguity of applying to b-school. But who is really behind screen names like PoBoy27, Lucy Tunes and TechnoTom2 so eagerly volunteering their “wisdom” on popular forums?

Are they successful past applicants who actually worked with a specific consulting firm and graciously want to share their experience? Are they competing applicants trying to confuse rivals with misinformation? Are they consulting firms posing as applicants in an effort to undermine other firms? The only certainty is that you don’t know who they are or why they’re commenting. So, reaching conclusions and making choices based solely on random chatter is more than risky. It’s dangerous.

If you want to determine whether a given consulting firm is The One for you, then go directly to the source, ask all of your toughest question, make “apples-to-apples” comparisons between firms, and only then commit. Reach this decision like you would any financial investment -- after thorough, objective due diligence:

1.    Contact the head of the consulting firm for a 1-on-1 dialogue. Is he or she professional, credentialed and passionate?
2.    Consider their published service description. Does it fit your specific needs and priorities at a competitive price?
3.    Require the backgrounds of all potential lead consultants with whom you could be paired. Which possible match adds the most value and instills confidence?
4.    Get personalized, preliminary feedback on your background and potential. What do they think of your chances for admissions success at your targeted schools?
5.    Verify the firm’s promises and published claims about performance and satisfaction via credible independent sources like professional associations, CPA reports, and identified past clients. Trust only sources that you can confirm as legitimate.

This is your future we’re talking about. The stakes are much too high to rely on “whispers in the dark." So, turn on the lights, get the facts, and make a truly informed decision for yourself.

Is your MBA candidacy “too common” or “too unique” to succeed?

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:09:00 GMT

Are you a Wall Street analyst… or an elementary school teacher? Do you live in New York City… or Lilongwe, Malawi? Did you attend Princeton University… or University of Phoenix? Is your background too similar to other MBA applicants… or too different to gain admission to Harvard, Wharton and Stanford?

The reality is it doesn’t matter. Top-tier business schools are always looking for those individuals who have achieved excellence, demonstrated integrity and revealed potential. Over the past 15 years, The MBA Exchange has helped nearly 3,000 MBA candidates succeed, not despite their background but rather because of it. We’ve worked with individuals from more than 40 industries and sectors, nearly 80 countries worldwide, and 70 of the Fortune 100 companies. You name it, we’ve seen it. Just take a quick look at our client profiles. From farmers to venture capitalists. From Afghans to Venezuelans. From Wal-Mart execs to solo entrepreneurs.

Applicants with profiles that look similar to the “typical” MBA student need to dig below the surface and show the ad comms the real substance of their thoughts, feelings, vision and accomplishments. Likewise, those individuals with very distinctive profiles must help the b-schools see and understand the “MBA-relevance” of their actions and impact.

A thorough, thoughtful and strategic application process is the only way to go. That’s why we start every client engagement with a discovery process that drills down and then builds up. We help applicants find and mine those attributes that make them similar to successful MBA students as well as those that distinguish them from the pack.

So, as you contemplate whether admission to a top-tier MBA program is within your grasp, don’t let perceived sameness or differences distract or discourage you. Understanding and then leveraging those attributes is essential to achieving your dream of a b-school education. The start of that process is a free, objective, expert evaluation of your MBA candidacy – past, present and future.

Which MBA or EMBA is Best for You? Find out at The Economist Fairs!

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:59:00 GMT

Are you considering applying to top MBA or EMBA programs? As you pore through dozens of business school websites, do you find yourself wishing for more direct interaction?

There may never have been an easier or more effective way to determine the right program for you than The Economist Fair for MBA applicants on November 9 and 10, and for Executive MBA applicants on November 11.

Follow the links to sign up for these free events. Then, no matter where you are in the world, you can log in to chat with alumni and admissions officers, learn more about what the participating programs offer, and watch an array of videos and webinars. Even if your top choices are not present, you still have a great opportunity to learn about b-school in general and to gain confidence in presenting your candidacy. Tap into the enormous benefit to be gained from interacting with experienced MBA and EMBA program reps, learning more about admissions, and refining your profile.

And be sure to contact us at The MBA Exchange -- before, during or after the Fair -- for a free evaluation of your MBA or EMBA potential. No matter which program you target, we can help you maximize your chances for admission!

"What Did You Say?" Here's help for non-native English speakers targeting top US b-schools

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:39:00 GMT

The MBA Exchange has established strategic alliances with a number of service providers who complement our MBA admissions consulting work. We’re pleased to highlight the offerings and capabilities of these allies. Accent reduction coaching is a timely resource for consideration as you await the arrival of business school interview invitations.

As you prepare for admissions interviews, you’re likely to focus on the content and delivery of your responses. You’ll highlight your achievements, showcase your skills and experiences, and do everything possible to come across as dynamic, intelligent, and resourceful. However, if your first language isn’t American English, and you’re trying to get into an MBA program in the US, you may ruin your chances for admission without even knowing it.

“But I sound just fine … to myself”
Just because YOU know what you’re saying doesn’t mean that the interviewer will understand. Let’s look at a few real-life examples. Think about what the speaker meant when he or she said:

o   “We’re excited about the release of the new virgin.”
o   “We addressed that in the next face of the project.”
o   “There was a big demon for the new product.”
o   “I became the new precedent of our organization.”
o   “It was a eunuch solution.”

These are just a few of the common mistakes that educated non-native speakers of American English make. Avoiding such mistakes and speaking with an American accent can help establish your credibility and even ensure that others feel they can trust you. In a study on foreign accents in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (June 2010), researchers recorded speakers with a variety of accents -- Korean, Polish, Austrian, and Italian, among others -- as well as native speakers with American accents.

They asked native American English speakers to decide whether or not the study participants were “telling the truth.” Even after telling the native speakers not to unfairly judge people based on accent alone, native speakers were still perceived as telling the truth more frequently than non-native speakers. (See http://psychology.uchicago.edu/people/faculty/LevAriKeysar.pdf]

So, what does this mean in terms of preparing for an MBA interview?
If you want to be viewed as credible, it’s essential that you avoid speaking in a way that others may not understand you the first time. If they have to ask, “What did you say?” they may doubt that you are telling the truth -– or they may simply misunderstand and not even request clarification. Furthermore, even if the interviewer understands you, he or she may fear that potential MBA classmates who don’t have an “ear for accents” could have difficulty knowing what you mean when you make comments in a b-school classroom or study group. Increasingly, admissions committees are using the admissions interview to screen applicants for this purpose.

These are risks to your candidacy that no MBA applicant should take -– especially when there’s an effective way to boost your skill level. With professional guidance and focused effort, you can make sure that the MBA admissions interviewer understands your strengths and sees your value (instead of wondering what you actually said.)

Potential benefits go far beyond your admissions interviews
Reducing your foreign accent is important before and after the admissions interview. In establishing relationships with business school students, alumni and administrators prior to submitting your application, you’ll want to convey the most professional image possible in all conversations. The same is true for interviewers with companies selecting MBA students for highly selective summer internships. In these situations, you have only one chance to make a great first impression! So, why not show them -- in the very first conversation -- that you’re a confident, capable speaker of American English?

What’s the next step?
As an optional extension to our Comprehensive Consultation for applicants, we can arrange accent reduction coaching for our interested clients. To request your free, no-obligation 15-minute evaluation and consultation, or just to learn more about these services, please contact The MBA Exchange.

Cool Clubs Part 6: Taking the MBA Experience to New Heights!

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:10:00 GMT

Because growth happens inside and outside of the classroom, and because your interest in a subject deepens when you actively engage in it, the MBA experience is elevated and enhanced when you pursue organized club activities. We've looked at some of the coolest clubs offered at top MBA programs and are highlighting them in a series of blogs.

Dartmouth Tuck

Tuck Case Competition Club
Cold calls giving you the chills? As case studies are a cornerstone of the MBA experience, the Tuck Case Competition Club focuses on making students aware of opportunities to refine their case-crackin’ skills. Members help each other hone their abilities to analyze, synthesize, hypothesize, and every other kind of “ize” you could imagine. Club activities include debriefs by successful teams, useful strategies for getting ready for a competition, and social mixers with the larger Tuck community.

Dartmouth Energy Collaborative
Here’s a jolt for your education! The mission of the DEC is to educate and connect the energy community at Dartmouth and throughout New England. With over 100 members – including students from Tuck, Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College and Vermont Law School – this group organizes educational lectures and lunches and arranges for attendance at technical discussions led by Thayer's Dartmouth Energy Journal Club (DEJC). Throughout the year, DEC invites companies to Dartmouth, hosts events and conferences, and organizes power plants and manufacturing facility tours. DEC members also participate in business plan competitions and provide consulting services. Rubber-soled shoes are optional but suggested!

Tuck African Ancestry Business Association
TAABA asks: “What have you done today to leave a lasting legacy?” This group works to build a sense of community among students of African descent at Tuck. Activities include social events for members and their partners, academic assistance, and opportunities to “use one another as a sounding board for concerns and ideas, both personal and business related.” TAABA members also see it as their responsibility to work with the admissions office to increase the number of African Ancestry enrollees. TAABA sponsors social and networking events with the Dartmouth Black Business Association.

UVA Darden

Turnaround & Restructuring Club
Today’s teetering economy makes this club a natural for MBA students from all industries. Melding Darden’s leadership development, finance, consulting, and general management curriculum, this club has the mission of fostering financial and operational restructuring careers. Members have access to skills development programs as well as professional networking and employment opportunities. Highlights include the New York City Job Trek, opportunities to work with distressed businesses, and collaboration with other professional schools.

Outreach at Darden
At UVA, “giving back” and “paying forward” are more than just buzzwords featured in admissions essays. Darden's community service group organizes activities that leave a positive impact on the world outside of Darden. Members join this club in order to get to know Charlottesville and make an impact, to focus on something OTHER than their MBA for a while, and to grow as leaders. Make time to make a difference.

JD/MBA Society
No, this isn’t another “lawyer” joke. This organization seeks to facilitate, improve and strengthen the experience, profile, and alumni network of the JD/MBA program of the UVA School of Law and The Darden School. This is achieved by creating connections between students and faculty from both programs as well as local law firms and businesses. Okay, so a lawyer and an MBA walk into a bar…

Oxford Said

There are over 200 registered clubs and societies at Oxford University. The best-known of these are:

Oxford Union
Famous for its formal Thursday evening debates, which have been taking place since 1823, these competitions were founded on the concept of Freedom of Speech, in an era when religion and politics were off-limits within the University. Twelve British Prime Ministers have honed their skills in the Union’s Debating Chamber. Members are European and even world champions in competitive debating. So, step right up whether you want to compete at the international level or just brush up on your public speaking skills.

Oxford Entrepreneurs
The Oxford campus is located more than 5,300 miles from Silicon Valley. But for members of this club, the “start up” spirit is in abundance – UK style. OE has as its mission “to encourage and support student entrepreneurship by providing inspiration, education, networking and the chance to learn by doing.” OE hosts compelling events on campus including the Changemaker Speaker Series of lectures. Ideas2Market consists of a boot camp prior to “startup weekend,” then two “Matchup session” can help you find a mentor for your project. Practical workshops and networking events are standard practice in this, the largest student entrepreneur society in the UK, with some 1,200 members!

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request a free evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

MBA Recommendations: It’s more about “What and How” than “Who”

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:39:00 GMT

Recommendations are a critical, often undervalued component of the overall MBA application process. Recs are central to your profile as an applicant because they bridge the facts of your resume and the feelings of your essays. Depending on how well they are developed, recommendations can either add credibility or raise doubts about your candidacy.

Like your transcript, recommendations are a key piece of the application that you really can’t control -- or can you? Careful planning and confident action can lead to recs that add substantial value and help you make a positive impression on the admissions committee. In fact, we feel it’s so important that we help our clients develop recs even before starting to work on their essays.

There are several popular theories abound about who makes the “best” recommender:

Top officers at your company? Having the CEO or Managing Director endorse you might make you feel good, but he or she probably doesn’t really know you well enough to provide specific examples of your key strengths.

Direct supervisor? Most b-schools ask for a rec from this person, but he or she may hold it against you if your MBA plans are perceived as a lack of commitment or loyalty to the job. Some bosses can even be jealous of a subordinate who shows greater career potential or ambition than they do.

A long-time friend? Great for personal insights about you, but probably can’t speak to your professional depth and breadth. Also, ad comms know that buddies don’t say bad things about buddies.

Alumnus of targeted b-school? This is more of a tie-breaker than a differentiator. Almost every applicant knows someone who is a graduate of the MBA program. So, don’t overemphasize alumni status when selecting the best possible recommender. That’s not enough.

So, who do you choose? The best recommender is someone – regardless of title or background -- who knows you personally and professionally and is “invested” in your MBA admissions success. Someone who has the objectivity to assess your candidacy and feels the obligation to help you succeed. To make sure that they choose the right recommenders, we provide our clients with proven selection criteria so they can rank order the potential choices.

Start as early as possible to cultivate a personal/professional relationship with your recommenders. We encourage clients to be candid and straightforward from day one; as soon as it seems appropriate, be direct and ask if they’d be comfortable providing you with a glowing rec. It’s better to hear “no” early in the process while you still have options.

The mechanics of producing recommendations pose another challenge. At one end of the spectrum, your recommender could say, “You write it, I’ll sign it.” At the other end is, “Don’t give me any input, I’ll handle it alone.” Neither of these two extremes is good, and both are risky. The ideal approach is collaboration, and here’s how to achieve it:

Topics and examples. Recommenders tend to be very busy people and probably don’t recall all of the details about the applicant. So, a dedicated recommender usually welcomes such written guidance when presented tactfully by the applicant. We help our clients develop “input outlines” that help to structure this development process.

Authenticity and sincerity. With the outline complete, let the recommender write the rec in his or her own voice. Recs that look and sound too much like your essays raise a “red flag” at the admissions office. And don’t worry about imperfections in grammar or style. Recommenders aren’t being judged by their writing abilities. In fact, a few rough edges here and there only make the recs more “real.”

Bottom line: You’ll never know for sure if your recommendations were the key to your admission. However, if you approach this component of the application strategically and thoughtfully, the outcome is far more likely to be positive. And, if all goes well, someday you’ll be the successful business leader and MBA graduate writing recs for your subordinates!

“Round 2 or not Round 2?" That is the Question

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 05:15:00 GMT

Late September. This is the time of year when eager applicants face a very painful decision: should I rush my applications to make the Round 1 deadline in October or take my time and hit Round 2 in January?

Conventional wisdom says the sooner the better. After all, in Round 1, no seats are filled and there’s no waitlist to consider. Admissions committees are fresh and open minded. And applying in the first batch conveys a sense of urgency, confidence and readiness. All true.

However, the reality is that not every candidacy is ready to be finalized and presented by October. Ask yourself if strengthening your candidacy for an additional three months could help improve your chances for admission:

•    Do I have a promotion or new assignment coming up that would elevate my professional profile?
•    Would prepping for and re-taking the GMAT, GRE or TOEFL help me achieve a score that exceeds the median at my targeted school?
•    Could I accomplish something noteworthy as a leader in one of my non-work organizations?
•    Would a campus visit or additional dialogue with students or alumni be possible?
•    Could my recommendations be even more convincing if I gave recommenders more time to think about my candidacy?
•    Would my essays be more compelling if I had time to go through a few more iterations before submitting them?
•    Am I even applying to right schools? Should I do some more research before finalizing my target list?

If your answer to even a few of these questions is “yes” then you should give strong consideration to Round 2 timing. Furthermore, if your candidacy is somewhat non-traditional (i.e., age 30+, distinctive occupation, unique undergraduate major, etc.) the admissions committees could consider you as an ideal candidate to help round out the incoming class of more traditional admits who they grab in Round 1.

Bottom line: don’t panic even as your friends and colleagues pull all-nighters to get their apps in next month. Remember, the goal is not applying, it’s admission! Use the next three months to your advantage by identifying and prioritizing ways to truly optimize your candidacy and perfect your apps.

We encourage you to start by requesting a free, expert evaluation from The MBA Exchange.

Social media presence more critical than ever for b-school applicants

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:30:00 GMT

Back in June 2010, when The MBA Exchange announced the first-ever social media audit for MBA applicants, there were some cynics who said, “B-schools don’t really check that stuff, do they?”

Well, in fact, they do!

Kaplan Test Prep's recently published 2011 survey of business school admissions officers discovered the following:

• 27% of MBA admissions officers have Googled an applicant to learn more about him or her; 22% said they have visited an applicant's Facebook or other social networking page for the same purpose.

• 14% of admissions officers who did online research on applicants found something that negatively impacted the application.

This survey, conducted in summer 2011, includes responses from 265 MBA programs, including 16 of the top 25 schools.

Online “vetting” of applicants is a trend that is certain to grow. For instance, a Kaplan survey of undergraduate admissions officers found that a staggering 80% consider social media presence when recruiting students. Surely, the MBA counterparts of those undergrad ad comms will make greater use of social media in choosing who gets the nod among equally qualified applicants.

A former Harvard interviewer says it well in her February 2011 blog post: “Today, your public image is more than who you are in person. It also includes who you are online. It's the new reality, and there's nothing revolutionary or scary about it - but it is important to learn to live with it and manage accordingly.”

So, how would MBA admissions officers, interviewers, alumni, and students perceive you based on your Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter presence? And, remember, it’s not just what you post, but also what has been posted about you — or about others with the same name — that could put your MBA admission in jeopardy. What are some examples of near-catastrophes we’ve discovered and helped resolve so far?

•    An applicant who unfortunately shares the same first and last name as a convicted murderer.

•    An applicant who featured photos on Flickr of himself proudly posing in front of a “shoppe” in Amsterdam’s infamous red-light district.

•    An applicant who boasted on Facebook of his six-figure winnings from online poker – adding with a “smiley-face” emoticon that he had not yet declared this on his income tax return.

•    An applicant who generated a series of Tweets advocating legalization of street drugs.

•    An applicant who had Tweeted inappropriate comments about Haitian earthquake victims.

•    An applicant whose blog featured a music playlist that included several obscene titles.

•    An applicant whose comments in a public forum for MBA applicants openly disparaged two of the b-schools to which he was planning to apply.

As someone eagerly seeking admission to a highly selective business school, could you benefit from a professional audit of your social media presence? The MBA Exchange is proud to be the first admissions consulting firm to offer a specialized, confidential service for MBA applicants. Experienced, online research specialists discover what’s written, where it appears, and how you can mitigate it. They can even suggest opportunities to improve your online presence and thus increase your chances for admission. It can take time — sometimes even months — to transform an online profile from harmful to beneficial. Why not start today? We believe so strongly in the value of our social media audit that we’ve made it a core component of our Comprehensive Admissions Consultation.

For details on this exclusive service for MBA applicants, visit our website.

Learn to think like an MBA before attending b-school

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The MBA Exchange has established strategic alliances with a number of service providers who complement our MBA admissions consulting work. We’re pleased to highlight these firms and their capabilities.

Developed by Harvard Business School graduates, The MBA IQ is a comprehensive online course that enables individuals to “master the MBA lexicon.” This breakthrough learning program covers the following 12 modules:
•    General Management, Leadership, and Strategy
•    Operations Management
•    Marketing Management
•    Quality and Process Management
•    Human Resources Management
•    Accounting
•    Finance
•    Information Technology
•    Corporate Control, Law, Ethics, and Governance
•    International Business
•    Project Management
•    Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics

The MBA IQ platform integrates online content with a printed workbook. Because learning styles are individualized, so is The MBA IQ approach, which employs reading assignments, E-flashcards, quizzes and self-assessments. Completion takes approximately 8-12 hours/week, with total flexibility regarding when and where you study.

Whether you’re planning to apply to a top business school or were recently admitted for enrollment, this program is for you. Designed for individuals from a range of ages, functions and industries, the course is relevant for anyone looking to develop his or her business acumen, at various stages of personal and professional growth:

•    Are you college-age? Maybe you have a liberal arts, engineering or other-non business background and want to build your business knowledge to help secure a better job and pave the way for a future MBA. Use The MBA IQ to prepare yourself in all core areas of business.

•    Already a working professional? If you’re a manager or an employee who wants to build an actionable development plan for work or a future MBA, you can assess your knowledge with The MBA IQ – on either a one-time or an ongoing basis.

•    Do you have a non-traditional background (e.g., military or NGO) and are preparing for a move to the private sector and/or graduate business education? Use The MBA IQ to strengthen your business knowledge base and ensure that you hit the ground running.

Upon completion of The MBA IQ course, you’ll receive a “Knowledge Transcript” documenting your expanded business understanding. So, when you apply to b-school, just provide this transcript to the admissions committee as evidence of your academic readiness for the MBA classroom.

The MBA IQ is a one-of-a-kind resource. As CEO Devi Vallabhaneni explains, “There’s really no comprehensive tool other than The MBA IQ for business school readiness or preparation. No other offerings provide the same academic rigor, support or ease of use." Furthermore, programs like MBA boot camps or “Mini-MBA’s” typically are priced much higher than the current $195 fee for The MBA IQ. Why get less and pay more?

Investing in yourself before launching your MBA education just makes good business sense. The MBA IQ can improve your chances for admission and your preparation for classroom success.

The MBA Exchange encourages its clients to strengthen their academic and professional profile with The MBA IQ. Take the quick, free “MBA Management IQ Assessment” right now to gauge your current business knowledge. Visit www.mbaiq.com to take the assessment, preview The MBA IQ Course features and functionality, and contact The MBA IQ Team to schedule a free personal consultation.

Cool Clubs Part 5: Engaging & enlightening MBA opportunities

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 06:53:00 GMT

UCLA Anderson

Black & Scholes Surf Club: Do people say “Hang Ten!” anymore? Well, if they do then they’re saying it here. This is the club for Anderson students and alums who love to surf. Are you a beginner? Then you'll be into Fall and Spring quarters events that focus on mellow long-boarding waves -- a great opportunity to learn the sport. Winter outings are for the more experienced surfers, scheduled based on swell arrivals. This is your chance to surf Southern California’s most renowned waves at their best! Don't have your own board? The surf club has loaners. Kowabunga, dudes!

Automotive Business Association: Gear head? Then check out one of the newest industry-oriented clubs on campus. The ABA connects students with career opportunities in the field by creating networking opportunities with industry pros. The ABA community is made up of auto enthusiasts who enjoy annual events inclu company presentations, “days-on-the-job,” an alumni mixer and the famed LA Auto Show. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!

Yale SOM

Economic Development Club: Does the roller-coaster ride -- otherwise known as the global economy -- fascinate you? The EDC encourages interest in topics that contribute to economic security, justice and prosperity, both within the U.S. and around the world, including education and workforce development, community space development, environmental and economic balancing. The big annual event is the club-sponsored Economic Development Conference.

Conservative Club: This club seeks to enrich the business education of its members through the intellectual and practical benefits of political participation and strives to expose the SOM community to conservative ideas and concepts. Just imagine: righties and lefties meeting in the middle to engage and learn from each other. Are you listening, Washington, DC?

Sales & Trading Club: Here you'll find a forum to learn about the sales and trading field, network and access recruiting opportunities between members and companies via such events as trading floor visits on major investment banks in NY and Connecticut, on-campus presentations, mock interviews, resume review sessions, summer internship prep, and an alumni recruiting event.

Food For Thought: Got the MBA munchies? Here’s a not-for-profit volunteer-run café operating within the SOM. Proceeds generated through the food and coffee sales support the Internship Fund, which helps students who pursue summer internships in the public or nonprofit sector. Food For Thought gives back to the broader SOM community by providing a great space to meet for study groups and club meetings. Volunteers even get to work a shift, selling and serving customers. Think of it as “Starbucks with a soul.”

NYU Stern

Technology & New Media Group: TANG provides members with networking opportunities with fellow students, alumni and industry leaders; job search assistance, and educational opportunities about technology through events like these:

• New York Tech Trek: Visit the tech departments of Manhattan's most prestigious companies, as well as some of the hottest startups in Silicon Alley.

• Bay Area Tech Trek: TANGers meet with California CEOs and top managers of leading tech and media companies.

• Tang Talks: A series of panels, run by students for students, focused on tech-related topics of importance and interest. Think of it as “TED Lite.”

• Special Speakers: Hear from CEOs and top managers at the forefront of the technology business. Who knows, perhaps even the next Steve Jobs.

• Alumni Events: Mix and mingle with fellow students, alumni and recruiters who are passionate about technology and new media.

Stern in Africa (SIA): A club for all Sternies interested in Africa, SIA offers exposure to business and investment opportunities and enhances awareness of the continent’s growing economies. At professional, educational and social events, you will join thought leaders, industry practitioners, and fellow MBA students to explore investments in Africa and examine its growing importance in the global marketplace. Spring break safari, anyone?

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request a free evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

Cool Clubs, Part 4: Taking the MBA experience to new heights!

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:33:00 GMT

Cornell Johnson

Human Capital Association: Club members -- including students, corporate execs and faculty -- explore HR issues in global business and experience academic and professional development. How? Through collaboration with the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies, the Society of Human Resource Management, the Consulting Club and the Center for Leadership at Johnson. Events include regular speakers, workshops and symposiums, all following the group's stated values of "respect, inclusiveness, passion, integrity and egalitarianism." These are truly "people people"!

BR MicroCapital: Unique among business schools, this student-run organization connects the human capital and resources of Johnson with talented, community-based entrepreneurs, spurring microenterprise development by assisting self-employed individuals in reaching their business goals. BRM partners with a leading community development credit union and the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise to support microbusiness owners. By offering targeted business assistance -- including loans to entrepreneurs -- BRM achieves its goal of supporting local, inclusive wealth creation and economic development. Who could argue with that mission?

Cookin' the Books: This social club, to quote them, "has nothing to do with accounting but everything to do with food and cooking." If you love to cook, want to learn more about cooking, or just have a passion for food then this is the place for you. Here you will pursue your culinary interests while making connections with like-minded Johnson students, members of the greater Cornell community, and local culinary aficionados. B.Y.O. truffles.

Michigan Ross

iMpulse Dance Club: Dance away the everyday pressures of MBA life at Ross with twice-weekly group dance lessons in salsa, swing and hip-hop – starting from the first step: no previous experience required! As the club website declares, "if you can walk, you can salsa!" Boost your confidence in social occasions, meet other Ross MBA students, and get a great workout! Finance Foxtrot or Marketing Mambo, anyone?

Ross Mentorship Program: Take full advantage of networking opportunities at Ross while participating in the flow of good will -- and great contacts -- passing from one year to the next. New students are matched with continuing students through formal events and informal gatherings: the buddy system at its best! And you might just end up working for your mentee someday, so be careful out there.

Ross Photography Club: Ann Arbor is a scenic college town, so take advantage of it while pursuing your passion for photography as you pursue your Michigan MBA! Club activities raise the visibility of student work, educate club members, create social and professional networking opportunities, and encourage opportunities for broader community benefits. Say cheese, everyone!

Carnegie Mellon Tepper

Alpha Club: This club stands alone in its dedication to investment management -- ideal if you're planning to pursue a career in asset management or are just interested in becoming a better-informed investor. Alpha males (and females) welcomed. "Bridging the gap" between what you learn in Tepper's rigorous curriculum and real-world investment portfolio management, this club creates networking opportunities as you develop your investment decision-making skills and prepare to make a positive impact upon graduation. As a member, you'll help to manage the Tepper Opportunity Fund – a real money portfolio of US-listed equities, and enjoy guest speakers, trading contests, resume reviews, career guidance, Bloomberg training, and CFA program preparation. A great source of beer money if Wall Street ever settles down.

Endurance Club: No, this isn't about pulling all-nighters before mid-terms. Take your sport to another level as a member of this club by becoming better educated and informed in training and racing techniques. Join fellow club members -- including students, partners, professors and alumni -- as you train and compete in distance sports ranging from hiking and biking to running and swimming. It's not uncommon to see these folks running in Schenley Park, pedaling through urban Pittsburgh, and volunteering in local sporting events to give back to the community.

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request a free evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

A Unique Resource for GMAT Prep

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:00:00 GMT

The MBA Exchange has established alliances with a number of service providers who complement our MBA admissions consulting expertise. We're pleased to highlight these firms and their capabilities in this blog series.

The GMAT is the first big hurdle that MBA applicants face. While we've helped clients with modest GMAT scores to gain admission to top-tier schools, achieving a score above the median definitely makes the application process less stressful and more successful.

There's a wide range of tutors in the marketplace, and one size doesn't fit all. So, we help our clients by analyzing their GMAT needs, goals and learning preferences based on confidential info they provide through our free Test Prep Evaluation.

One of the most distinctive GMAT test prep options we've discovered is GMAT Pill...

Zeke Lee, Founder & Chief Instructor of GMAT Pill says:

Feel like you're sitting next to an expert GMAT instructor

Students come to GMAT Pill when they're looking for a resource somewhere between "private tutor" and "large classroom." They want one-on-one intimacy and the opportunity to ask questions, but can't or don't want to pay the higher price of an in-person, private tutor.

The GMAT Pill video course makes you feel like you're sitting next to an expert GMAT instructor: you can see exactly where his attention is at any given moment. He'll show you exactly what he's looking for -- and what he's NOT looking for -- in your GMAT prep performance. All you need to do is follow along, step by step.

This course is specifically designed for busy professionals who have demanding day jobs and thus can do GMAT prep only on weekday nights and weekends. Such applicants often use the "1-month study plan" to grasp the unique strategies we teach.

Many GMAT Pill students are former clients of big-name tutoring services who still underperform on the GMAT even after paying fees as high as $1,500. Then, they come to GMAT Pill and are blown away by how much they improve on the next test after paying just a fraction of the original amount.

A High GMAT Score Can Help Pay for B-school

Most applicants think that all they need to achieve their goal is a "competitive" GMAT score. However, one thing that many don't consider is that a high GMAT score not only impacts their admissions chances but also qualifies them for merit-based financial aid. Some GMAT Pill students got a HUGE return on their investment in the form of five-figure scholarships! This paid for not just their prep but also the entire first year at b-school!

GMAT Pill satisfies a unique need for MBA applicants, offering a private GMAT tutoring experience -- but for much, much less than they would pay elsewhere. We also allow our students the flexibility to purchase individual sections of the GMAT prep course. Say, for instance, that you're strong in quant and need help only in verbal; we offer you the option to purchase just our verbal package. You can even purchase just the sentence correction "pill" if that's all you want. Of course, the best "bang for the buck" is in our full-package course.

Value Proposition: Less Time, More Points

Another benefit of our program is that 3-6 months of studying are condensed into 28 hours of "thought-process" videos that you can watch online -- anywhere and anytime. You may actually do better by studying less if you learn how to think efficiently the GMAT Pill way. If our student has a question, he or she simply posts it in the comments area below each video and we'll answer promptly. Or reach out directly to me and I will personally assist you myself! (Note: Zeke achieved 98th percentile in just 2 weeks of intense prep using methods of the GMAT Pill.)

We're different from other GMAT services because we show students exactly how we think through an actual exam question. That is, we indicate exactly where our eyeballs go -- how we scan answer choices. In many cases, we show you how to answer the question without even looking at all the answer choices. Acing the GMAT is about "beating the system," so that's what we teach.

Also, our approach is very personal. It's taught from the same instructor throughout all sections. With other courses, you might have one instructor for verbal and another in quant, each with different teaching styles. But with GMAT Pill you get one, fully integrated experience through all sections -- plus 24/7 support.

'Booby Traps' Threaten GMAT Performance

We also focus on thought process rather than just concepts. For the most part, all students have a rudimentary understanding of underlying concepts. But the actual GMAT doesn't test you just on concepts: they try to trick you; they put "booby traps" everywhere and hope you fall into them. If you can't spot and avoid these traps, you'll be one of the losers. So, we teach you a thought process for seeing those traps and steering away so you can focus on what really matters. This will help reduce the amount of time you have to spend on each question, which is a crucial part of the exam.

Is GMAT Pill the Right Rx for You?

What's the best way to find out if GMAT Pill could work for you? Read the testimonials of past users. And check out the free videos at www.GMATPill.com to see how they align with your learning style (i.e., visually inclined students tend to be the best match). If you like the videos on our site, chances are you'll really like what's inside.

GMAT Pill welcomes admissions consulting clients of The MBA Exchange to help them maximize their GMAT potential. Given our expertise, and that of The MBA Exchange, these applicants can then compete for admission to even the most selective business schools.

Cool Clubs, Part 3: Redefining "beyond the classroom" learning!

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:30:00 GMT

Chicago Booth

Mothers at Booth (MaB): Are you a student mother or future working mom-to-be? Greater visibility and information about motherhood during and after business school helps students make more informed and satisfying academic and career decisions. You can do it all! Vibrant family life can be achieved alongside academic and professional success. MaB is aligned with the Chicago Booth Office of Diversity Affairs and partners with other student groups to host select career and life planning sessions. Every day is Mother's Day at Booth!

Audio Booth: For music lovers and music makers alike. If you can sing, play an instrument, have an interest in singing or playing an instrument, or just enjoy listening to good tunes, this club is for you. Take in performances at happy hours and the big Follies show, access a rehearsal and recording space downtown Chicago, and check out Chicago's amazing local music scene from Bach to the blues.

Booth Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (BETA): Maybe you know that you want to run "a company" someday but don't have a clue what business should be. Or maybe you're eager to develop the skills and build the network you need to source, diligence, purchase, manage, and profitably exit an entrepreneurial venture. As a BETA member, you'll learn about entrepreneurship through acquisition and join a community of interested and active peers. Educational events include discussions with industry gurus and opportunities to source and evaluate live investment targets. Hey, you might even spot the next GroupOn!

Northwestern Kellogg

Brew'n Q: Like a good beer, this group is rugged, yet refined with a single goal: "To share with the Kellogg community our passion for all things beer and BBQ." These are the folks responsible for the annual Turkey Bowl, Chili Cook-off, Crawfish Boil and Spring Luau. Look no further than the Brew', Q Club for your chance to pursue your own passion for "the ancient art of the grill and joys of global beers." Calories and cholesterol? There'll be plenty of time for those concerns after b-school.

Digital Shorts: What a crazy cool idea. This club encourages you to make comical digital short films all year long, "celebrating" Kellogg. This is not for professionals, just for folks who want to help make entertaining videos. All you need is an idea and iPhone. Action!

Joint Ventures: Nearly 40% of all incoming students come to Kellogg accompanied by a partner, and if you're one of them then you're already a Joint Venture (JV)! From day one, this club can help your own "JV" achieve a smoother transition to Kellogg Life that lasts all the way through graduation. Social and cultural events, job development and meaningful volunteer opportunities will engage you and yours. This is a place where lifelong friendships are forged.

The Bottom Line: All-male a cappella group that performs pop, rock, classical, and jazz and welcomes all Kellogg men with an interest in singing to join. Not to be outdone, the Kelloggarhythms bring all-women's a cappella to Kellogg! Who needs to watch Glee when you have the real thing right here on campus.

UC Berkeley Haas

Redwoods@Haas: Taking full advantage of the great outdoors, this club organizes a range of get-togethers with their signature event being the Yosemite car camp-out in early Fall. Kayaking, skydiving, camping, expert speakers, and "anything else you have suggestions for we have to capacity to help coordinate. We welcome all suggestions as long as they involve outdoors, adventure, and fun." So grab your sunscreen and go for it.

Haas Leadership Club: For this club, "leadership" is defined as inspiring people to achieve their full potential and go to work together toward a common goal, "stepping up, taking initiative and making tough calls." Club members are united by a shared interest in growing their individual ability to improve and explore facets of leadership in ways that coursework along cannot provide. Interview practice, a leadership lab (in which alumni test club members in real-world scenarios), Toastmasters, Scotch night, and abstracts for business books. Plus unlimited pizza at every event, "all for $10." Who knew leadership could be this much fun?

C4C: The MBA Challenge for Charity draws on the talents, energy, and resources of students from nine West Coast business schools. you'll participate in volunteer events like landscaping and restoration during first-year orientation, bowling and basketball clinics with Special Olympics kids, and fundraising events including Haas-oween, No-Shave November and the annual C4C Charity Auction. Every April, the organization's work culminates at the C4C Sports Weekend. Sounds more like a dozen great clubs within a club. Have fun, do good, enough said.

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request a free evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

Cool Clubs, Part 2: Extracurricular excitement & diversion for MBAs

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:15:00 GMT

INSEAD

INSEAD Private Equity Club: With over 1,000 alumni engaged in PE across the globe, this organization is mission critical if private equity is your future. IPEC, run solely by MBA students, serves as a forum for those interested in all aspects of the private equity industry. Flagship events are annual conferences in Fontainebleau (the largest PE event hosted by an academic institution in Europe) and Singapore. So, if you're a future private equity associate, turnaround wizard, portfolio-company exec or just an investor, this is the club for you.

OUTSEAD: Cleverly named, this club represents the lesbian, gay and bisexual community at INSEAD. Its mission is to raise education, increase visibility and generate an inclusive atmosphere that reflects a more holistic view of diversity rather than simply diversity along national and gender lines. There are frequent networking events with major consulting firms and investment banks and regular social happenings in Singapore, Fontainebleau and Paris.

Columbia

Green Business Club: Sustainability and business are no longer mutually exclusive! Enhance your preparation and education for careers in alternative energy, green marketing, carbon finance and sustainable investing. As a GBC member, you'll make connections to employers and resources in the private for-profit, public and non-profit sectors. Deepen your understanding of emerging "triple-bottom-line" business issues through events and discussion forums. Then, put theory into action by joining GBC members to advocate for and perform sustainable practice in the Columbia community through campus greening projects.

Eureka! (Greek Club): You have found it! The mission of this unique club is to (quoting from their website here): "promote the Hellenic ideals of humanism, thought leadership, grassroots democracy and community spirit in the context of modern business." Explore the crossroads where personal contentment and intellectual, moral, hedonic, physical and spiritual contentment meet professional advancement and satisfaction. And don't be surprised if they break out the baklava and ouzo every so often. Opa!

MIT Sloan

Happy Belly Club: Gourmets and gourmands of the world, unite! This club's mission is to coordinate events that allow the MIT community to get to know each other over delicious food beyond crowded C-Functions and noisy BHP. You'll be delighted by comfortable and casual events including speakers (like James Beard Award winners), restaurant outings and student-hosted dinners. The chance to explore Boston's most famous -- and infamous -- restaurants will help make your b-school experience unforgettable.

MIT SOS (Significant Others of Sloan): Spouses and partners deserve quality time and attention from their super-busy MBA student. From AdMIT weekend socializing to periodic food & drink outings to Sloan Olympics and outdoor activities, you and yours will find a place within SOS. Friendships formed here can span the globe and will last a lifetime.

Sloan Veterans Association: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard vets, this is your organization. From the development of WWII radar and computers to the creation of modern air-defense systems and the Internet, MIT profs and students have been at the forefront of new military technology. "Building on the strong foundation of leadership veterans develop in the military, we help to propel veterans to new heights in their business careers." Welcoming newly arrived vets as they transition into b-school (and, for that matter, into business), this group is the hub for those with armed-services backgrounds to leverage espirit de corps, customize their career development, and expand their networks.

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request an evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

Cool Clubs, Part 1: Where MBAs create, learn and bond beyond the classroom

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMT

Harvard Business School

Ideas@Work: this non-partisan community of HBS students explores political and economic ideas "that promote human flourishing. Their principles are three-fold: individual liberty, limited government, and free markets." Just don't call them Young Libertarians.

B-School Blades: Where enthusiasm matters as much as talent! Hockey players of all skill levels compete, improve and enjoy weekly practices as well as games and tourneys (including the Dartmouth Tournament), playing "the sport we love." Monthly gatherings including NHL Bruins games. "Check" it out, eh?

Wharton

Yoga & Wellness Club: join this club to find balance within the modern MBA experience through yoga and wellness-related resources "within the Wharton yogasphere." The perfect way to earn your "Om-BA" degree.

Rebuilding Together: the largest community service organization on campus! Members -- undergrad and grad students, faculty and administration -- work together, first behind the scenes to identify local, low-income homeowners then in the field help rehab their homes very spring. That's what we call "giving back" on a grand scale.

Chocolate Club: is a description really needed? Well, you might not anticipate that this club does more than eat. They explore chocolate from many angles -- from harvesting in Africa, to production in Switzerland, to consumption and multiple tastings in club members' homes. The list of events includes: chocolate movie nights, recipes and lessons, "Best of Philly" rankings including a chocolate map, and member-only tastings at local venues. Hmmm... wonder if these Chocoholics ever have mixers with the Yoga & Wellness Club. Just askin'.

Wharton Wings: we love this club's mission statement, which includes, "the thrill of taking flight is uniquely relevant to MBA students, since the years they spend at Wharton will fundamentally expand their professional and aspirational horizons." From introductory flights for novices, to speakers series, to trips to local airports and events centered around the aerospace industry, this club is a great resource for students interested in careers related to aerospace and defense. And perhaps for those whose "bucket list" includes skydiving.

Stanford GSB

GSB Dogs: for GSB dogs, dog owners, and dog lovers! From finding dog-sitters to quarterly off-leash dog parties that allow members to meet the "dogs behind the students." B.Y.O. Alpo.

Epicureans @ the GSB: "Themed" dinners with six to eight students, faculty, or other interesting Silicon Valley residents. Sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate the cultures of your classmates while indulging in the edible wonders of Cali cuisine. More sprouts and avocado, anyone?

I Have a Dream (IHAD): Over a decade ago, IHAD was formed as a mentoring and tutoring program for young students in East Palo Alto. The tradition has deepened and continued; one class of students is "adopted" and followed through high school graduation. "Paying it forward" is more than a cliché with these dedicated future MBAs.

To learn more about each of these schools, and to request an evaluation of your MBA candidacy, click here.

Electrifying Electives, Part 4: More MBA courses that will beef up your b-school experience

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:30:00 GMT

Top business schools set the bar high -- and keep raising it -- by offering innovative, engaging and truly exciting electives courses that augment the core classes. We've been poring through their curricula to highlight -- in a series of blogs -- some of the most "electrifying" of these electives offered.

Yale SOM

Strategy, Technology & War

Crossing boundaries between management, politics and economics, this course offers an integrated examination of technology and strategy in a fascinating, vital field: national security. Key concepts such as technology strategy, macro-organizational behavior and strategic posture are developed to describe the international strategic environment. "Analysis of the changing structure of defense in light of new dynamics, i.e., a second nuclear age, the spread of advanced technologies to China, India, militia groups, etc., network-centric and information warfare, private equity investment in defense and intelligence, and a shifting locus of innovation to lower-tier firms." Forward, march!

Mathletics: Modeling Through Sports

When should a batter take a swing on a 3-0 count? What long-shot college hoops team is most likely to knock off a top seed in March Madness? In Mathletics, you'll immerse yourself in solving sports issues like these via probability models, statistics, decision analysis and spreadsheets. The hidden agenda is to develop your modeling skills by capitalizing on your love of sports and, well, sports betting. Finally, an MBA course that could pay for itself. Enough said.

Competitive Strategy and the Internal Organization of the Firm

Ultimately, what makes or breaks any company is its people. Here, you'll learn to think more strategically about an organization's human resources and how to align a firm's HR structure with its strategic choices in the product marketplace. You'll explore topics including HR policies, compensation and incentives, and organizational structure, and discuss social and legal issues in managing people.

Listening to the Customer

Are you interested in strategy consulting, market research, and brand management careers? Here you'll gain experience in understanding what data -- qualitative and quantitative -- about consumers and markets can help them make strategic marketing decisions. You'll find how industry-leading companies get to the top -- and stay there -- by paying attention to those whose purchases and loyalty define success.

Dartmouth Tuck

Business & Ethics at the Base of the Pyramid

Sorry, no field trip to Egypt. This course is about the world's economic "pyramid." Through case-based discussion, with Professor Maggie Hanson you'll explore how market-based ventures overcome challenges in contexts ranging from environmental conservation to health care delivery, social safety nets to humanitarian and disaster relief. You'll discuss opportunities, challenges and dilemmas attendant with working in very low-income markets. This is a course that "may test traditional assumptions that MBA students make about how society intersects with markets, and raise questions not only of business aims, but also broader questions of risk and responsibility."

Economics of the Credit Crisis

Straight from the headlines of the Wall Street Journal. Take this deep dive into the economics and financial aspects of the current credit crisis, with a focus on the subprime mortgage market, the practices of securitization and regulatory response. With Professor Bob Hansen, you'll gain an appreciation for the way that economists examine a subject, "from our reliance on theory and principles to careful empirical analysis."

Strategy in Turbulent Environments

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto! When change is the norm, as it has become in today's business environments -- driven by technology, demographics, innovation, financial shifts, governmental intervention, or unforeseen crises -- strategies must be dynamic. Here you'll engage in a group project and also explore strategies with Professor Alva Taylor, examining situations ranging from banks to biotech firms to nightclubs. Party on, Professor T!

Oxford Said

Leading Strategic Change

Today's financial markets are troublesome to say the least; however, recessions have occurred every decade or so, historically. The difference this time is the speed of arrival of the problems and the depth and breadth of the crisis. "In this kind of world one does not just need to know about survival but also about the recovery and renewal of organizations as we move through and out of the recession. In these processes, leading strategic change is a key corporate task." Led by Professor Andrew Pettigrew, internationally renowned for his research and writing on leading strategic change, you'll study the leadership of change and the management of performance improvement with an emphasis on turnaround and renewal in turbulent times. With this kind of training, you'll be ready for whatever the future has in store.

UC Berkeley

Opportunity Recognition: Technology and Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley

Whether you're a tech-head, a finance wizard or a marketeer, here you'll gain the core skills needed to identify opportunities that can lead to successful entrepreneurial high-tech ventures. This course closely examines the approaches "most likely to succeed" for entrepreneurial companies in light of markets and technologies, emphasizing creating and executing strategy where there is rapid technological change and limited resources. Watch out, Google and Facebook!

Power and Politics in Organizations

If you're keen to examine "the art and science of influence in organizations" then this course is for you. Organizations are, after all, political entities and power and influence are how things get done. Here you'll learn to diagnose the real distribution of power, identify strategies for building new sources of power, develop techniques for influencing others and understand the role of power in building cooperation and leading change. This course is guaranteed to pump...you...up!

The Future of IT

Here you'll evaluate the strategic options and their consequences and view the IT industry through the eyes of a general manager or CEO of an IT firm. "Evaluate the role of regulatory, technological, economic and market forces in shaping the IT industry structure, value chain, business and operating models, competitive strategy and dynamics, and barriers to entry." Techno-geeks, prepare to be transformed.

Electrifying Electives, Part 3: MBA courses that will rev up your b-school experience

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:15:00 GMT

Top business schools set the bar high -- and keep raising it -- by offering innovative, engaging and truly exciting electives courses that augment their core classes. We've been poring through their curricula to highlight -- in a series of blogs -- some of the most "electrifying" of these electives.

London Business School

New Creative Ventures

Led by lecturer John Bates you'll explore how entrepreneurs identify and analyze the commercial feasibility of creative ideas, turn them into products and services, and take these to market. Consider "value creation" and how it applies to creative businesses -- coping with demand uncertainty and inherent substantial upfront fixed costs. Examine how "creative process" is affected by technological change, explore how and why the culture of creativity matters. In exploring a wide range of issues surrounding creative ventures you'll also consider management issues and gain insight into opportunities in sectors from design to film and TV, from fashion and advertising to music and computer games, and in publishing and the performing arts. Future entrepreneurs, if this doesn't get your imagination soaring, nothing will.

Service Management Field Project in Greece

Talk about going into the "eye of the hurricane." Greece on the brink of financial insolvency continues to be in the headlines, making this block-week course timely. Taught by operations and service management guru Professor Nikos Tsikriktsis, you'll engage in real-life projects for Greek firms in the service sector. Rather than studying operations management you will engage in an actual consulting assignment and, depending on the problems and situations you encounter, you'll draw upon variety of skill sets. In a word, "Opa!"

Going to Market: Managing the Channel and Sales Force

Theories and plans are great, but business ideas are proven only if and when the marketplace says, "Sold!" Once the value proposition is established, then the go-to-market approach -- when and how -- critically determines a company's sales success. With lecturer Anja Lambrecht you'll examine how a well-designed and executed go-to-market strategy can become a major source of differentiation. What does it take to make the critical decisions that define this strategy? The answer requires an in-depth understanding of your customers' needs and then placing a premium on getting it right the first time. Learn the fundamentals on how to successfully design, manage and evaluate a company's channel and sales force management strategy and tactics, then study the interaction of those policies with variables such as branding, pricing, product characteristics and product lifecycle. That's a lot of stars to be in alignment, but when they are, watch out world.

University of Texas McCombs

Innovation and Knowledge Management

"Innovation happens only when knowledge is shared." Research suggests that most large, complex, information-technology intense attempts at knowledge management fail. Professor Reuben McDaniel reveals why this is true and provides options for enabling better knowledge management. You'll analyze strategies to encourage knowledge sharing and examine why smart people with good intentions often fail to use strategies that work. Better to learn and master these valuable lessons now in the classroom than later in the marketplace.

Business Intelligence with Data Mining

How does a smart company know what prospective customers want before even those prospects know what they want? With Professor Maytal Saar-Tsechansky, you'll examine how innovative marketers constantly search for new ways to find and use data. We all know that online retail powerhouse Amazon provides suggestions for new purchases based on a consumer's transaction history, and airlines use customer data to increase loyalty through discounts or merchandise. Moving beyond such transactional data and conventional applications, this course will reveal newer applications of data mining that allow other disciplines to benefit from systematic data analysis. Go for the gold!

UNC Kenan Flagler

Power, Politics, and Leadership

It's a jungle out there, people. What are the various ways that power is used within business organizations today? Here you'll examine advanced leadership issues related to managing your manager, managerial sabotage and succession, changing difficult subordinates, gaining promotions, navigating through office politics, and ensuring a successful career and life. Using live, complex cases you'll develop key principles of leadership. Bottom line: you'll learn how to think and act like the CEO that you intend to become decades from now. It's good to be king or queen.

UVA Darden

Leadership & Diversity Through Literature

Here you'll study diversity and leadership while expanding your literary knowledge. Condensed readings from classics will introduce you to culturally diverse protagonists ranging from Mahatma Gandhi to Virginia Woolf -- icons who confronted leadership challenges much like those encountered today and whose writings continue to influence assumptions about how to manage people. See the world through stories and realize the significance of stories to understand yourself and others. This elective will challenge you to examine classic stories in new ways with greater relevance than you ever imagined. Watch out, Oprah's Book Club!

Establishing Yourself at Work

Here's your "how-to" guide for navigating in the real world. In this elective you'll develop career management skills that help you become a more effective leader in your summer internship or upon graduation. Through examination of films, TV and movie clips this class will raise issues that inspire interactive conversation focused on individual students in the class. Explore critical phenomena about "joining up" such as establishing credibility, learning organizational language and norms, aligning with work groups and teams, managing upward and dealing with difficult personalities. After this course you may well find yourself fitting in and gaining influence more quickly -- and even outperforming your competition. Beingthe "new guy" at work doesn't have to be so stressful.

Markets in Human Hope

Yes, it sounds kind of "out there" but also very engaging. In this elective you'll explore the feasibility of constructing financial markets for firms in the social sector as well as capital markets in countries and regions where they don't currently exist. Examine the role of financial systems and entrepreneurship in economic development and social transformation. Explore constraints on financial markets and on entrepreneurship in the social sector. You'll be introduced to new financial instruments and innovative entrepreneurial initiatives through an historical survey, and be presented with economic development as the design of new financial instruments and "the fabrication of new markets in human hope." Want to make a real difference in the world after b-school? Start here.

The Spirit of the New Workplace

What are the possibilities of human organization? In this course you'll assess yourown core values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations about work. The intention here is to "spark a lifelong quest for learning" about who you are, and how you can best perform and lead others to success in an ever-changing business climate. You'll discover what "work" can be at both the individual and organizational levels. Through group discussions, movement exercises, journaling and free writing -- even guided meditation and individual reflection -- you'll "discover what is true for you and move forward with that knowledge." Even better than a Magic 8-Ball, we promise.

So, are you feeling the energy of these courses? Watch for our upcoming post with even more "Electrifying Electives" from other top-tier MBA programs!

Electrifying Electives, Part 2: MBA courses that will amp up your awareness

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:30:00 GMT

Top business schools set the bar high -- and keep raising it -- by offering innovative, engaging and truly exciting electives courses that augment the core classes. We've been poring through their curriculum to highlight -- in a series of blogs -- some of the most "electrifying" of these electives offered.

Michigan Ross

Organizing for Sensemaking and Meaning

How do people organize and manage meaning -- both short-term ("sensemaking") and long-term -- in organizational settings? Events are typically complex and ambiguous, and therefore subject to interpretation. "For action to take place, the diversity of these interpretations must be reduced. For action to be coherent, these interpretations must embody direction. And for the meanings to be retained, they must be embodied in good stories." Makes good sense to us!

Writing Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs

You'll have an overview of basic business principles and you'll get to write...write...write -- personal biographical statements and product descriptions, value props and industry overview, target market analyses and mission statements. You'll also evaluate business plans and solicitations for funding. Perfect for the quant jocks who silently envy the poets in the class and would also like to be "qual" jocks.

Management Presentations

Not as basic as it may sound. Putting you at the podium, in this elective you will learn to design, develop and deliver effective management presentations. Emphasizing how to make strategic communication choices (to PowerPoint or not to PowerPoint?), improving and expanding your communication style, and adapting to others -- especially your audience -- you'll make presentations by developing outlines, drafting speaking notes, adapting content as needed, and designing complementary materials. Stuff you can put to work immediately to impress the boss at your summer internship or first post-MBA job.

NYU Stern

Managing the Digital Firm

Learn to mazimize the business value of IT investments -- about 35% of all business capital-investment in the US -- that are changing the way people and companies are organized . Hear directly from the likes of management gurus at Google, Microsoft, IBM and Oracle on how to identify the challenges faced by their iconic companies; discover the technologies that will help them meet these challenges; design business processes to take advantage of the technology; and create procedures and policies to implement the required changes. Can you say, "ROI"?

Women in Business Leadership

By examining the "real-life" experiences of successful female execs you'll gain a real appreciation of the potential of women in business. Explore the strategies that organizations can undertake to develop a more diverse and creative pool of leadership talent and analyze the historical, ethical and legal implications inherent in the exclusion of women from power positions. Best of all, this is a co-ed course that's also open to enlightened males.

Corporate Branding & CSR

Marketing and ethics converge? Who knew?? In this study of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the context of corporate branding, look at the corporate need to protect long-term investments in brand image, the emergence of large segments of affluent, ethically sensitive consumers, and the imcompleteness of law and regulation, especially in global markets. Here you can discover how to do good, and do well.

CMU Tepper

Funding Early Stage Ventures

Learn to appreciate the art of the deal -- and see how high-potential transactions get done in the real world. You'll explore the complexities and nuances of creating successful investment transactions for the company, investors and founders starting with an analysis of risk and moving to look at the structure of the VC industry. Understand the process and context in which equity investors make decisions and how and entrepreneur can favorably affect that decision process. Then explore the due diligence process via a real-life case study: you and your team will negotiate the terms and structure of a deal, then compare your results with the actual outcome of the company's efforts. How cool is that? Next stop: Silicon Valley.

Business Acting I

"This is not a course in professional lying." What you will acquire, however, is the ability to communicate what you truly believe in live, face-to-face communication. You'll learn then practice exercises and specific communication tools borrowed from the stage. In a participatory and experiential way, you'll practice live communication in public space and learn empathetic listening and assertive influence. Ready? Action!

Trends and the Future of Manufacturing in the US

Examine the invention and use of technologies that support corporations in crisis as well as those that can improve competitive positioning. Through case studies of major companies in crisis you'll learn how to utilize new or existing technology as a leveraging tool for recovery and growth. Technologies that will be considered include robotics, advanced medicine, novel energy technologies, mobile computing, advances in manufacturing (process and product) and forms of financial invention. A perfect place for non-engineers to discover and celebrate their inner geek.

UCLA Anderson

Using Microcomputers for Strategic Information

How does personal computing support strategic analysis, decision making and management communication? Explore this in case situations in areas including financial analysis, personal information management, small business planning, and organizational design. Personal productivity tools and network resources can enhance organizational effectiveness by furnishing quantitative and qualitative info; you'll see how in this hands-on elective. Ladies and gentlemen, start your iPads!

Great Ideas in Management

In this seminar, you'll hear directly from senior Anderson faculty members as they discuss ideas related to their own research in one-hour formal presentations of ideas and a one-hour discussion followed by an informal reception for seminar members and presenters. Cutting-edge learning plus complimentary wine & cheese? We are so there!

Managing Processes in the Information Age

As a newly minted MBA, you may be asked questions like: "Should this company outsource? If so, which business processes should be outsourced?" and "Can you identify areas where IT could be used significantly to improve our business performance?" Learn how to answer them in this elective. Business leaders bear an enormous burden as they attempt to understand the challenges and opportunities provided by 21st century technologies in order to make intelligent decisions. Having the knowledge and confidence to make tough choices is what this elective is all about. Future CEOs, COOs and CTOs, this one is for you!

P.S. If you're a current MBA student or fresh grad who has taken en elective course that you feel is truly "electrifying" then please tell us about it. Email The MBA Exchange at info@mbaexchange.com and we'll include it in the final blog post of this series.

Electrifying Electives, Part 1: MBA courses designed to shake, rattle & roll your outlook.

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:30:00 GMT

Top business schools set the bar high -- and keep raising it -- by offering innovative, engaging and truly exciting elective courses that augment the core classes. We've been poring through their course listings to highlight -- in a series of blog posts - some of the more "electrifying" of these electives.

Harvard Business School

"Building a Business in the Context of a Life"

You'll want to take this course if you're intent upon pursuing your "life vision" like an entrepreneur goes after a business opportunity: "With relentless passion and without regard to resources not currently controlled." Instructor Janet Kraus is a recipient of Boston's "40 Under 40" and was a finalist of Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year; she's a senior lecturer in Entrepreneurial Management.

"The Financial System in Extremis"

Taught by visiting professor Jeremy Stein of the Economics Department, this course will use the global financial crisis that began in 2007 as a means to study the modern financial system, focusing on the "interplay between a variety of institutions and markets, the resulting fragility and potential for systemic risk, and the ongoing roles of financial innovation and regulation in shaping the evolution of the system." Let's hope it promotes the practice of Chaos Interruptus!

"Entrepreneurial Solutions for Market Failure"

Baker Foundation Professor of Business Administration Joseph Bower (a leader in general management education at HBS for over 40 years) teaches this course focused on a range of goods and services vital to the performance of modern society but that "cost too much and the quality is inadequate." Here you'll examine the characteristics of entrepreneurial activity that enable it to overcome the systemic barriers experienced elsewhere and build a framework to create solutions that are sustainable, profitable and impactful. Finding opportunity amidst the ruins sounds intriguing.

"Contemporary South Asia: A Survey of Intractable Problems and Inovative Solutions"

This survey course focused on problems faced by South Asian countries such as education, health and governance. You'll be immersed in an interdisciplinary and university-wide setting to look at current issues and explore a range of entrepreneurial attempts to solve them. This course is taught by Tarun Khanna – Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor and Harvard's Director of the South Asia Initiative. A true window to the future of this dynamic region.

Stanford GSB

"Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability"

Jointly offered by School of Engineering and GSB, this course affords you a unique opportunity to join a small team and apply engineering and business skills to create solutions for challenges faced by the world's poor. You'll collaboratively design product prototypes, distribution systems, and business plans for entrepreneurial ventures in developing countries. What better learning lab could there be?

"Entrepreneurship from the Perspecitve of Women"

Among the topics you'll cover: How to use networking to advantage. What particular challenges do women founders face in raising venture capital or managing a board of directors? What's the best way to manage difficult conversations and negotiations? And how can entrepreneurial women find balance between their careers and family responsibilities? One student who took this elective says, "I am more likely to consider getting some corporate experience before launching my next company . . . . I realize how the styles, personalities and companies of women entrepreneurs don't have to look a particular way."

"How to Tell a Story"

"Stories" are central in crafting a truly compelling marketing campaign. But a good story is not enough; it must be well told and have a purpose. In this seminar you'll learn to break down the basic elements of storytelling, elucidate the power of the verbal as well as the visual, and explore how storytelling helps build brands and organizations. Once upon a time there was this little company with the silly name Google . . . well, you get the picture.

"The Business World: Moral and Spiritual Inquiry through Literature"

Organized around the interplay of religious traditions and national identities, this course uses novels and plays as a basis for examining "the moral and spiritual aspects of business leadership and of the environment in which business is done." In this elective, literature will be used to shed light on the "cultural contexts of values and beliefs within which commercial activities take place in a global economy." Sounds like Ethics 101 on steroids.

Columbia Business School

"Innovate or Die"

Taught by Jeffrey Harris, this elective looks on the accomplishments and challenges of select entrepreneurs as they struggled to create and implement disruptive business models while introducing new products and services. Each class focuses on a different industry, pulling examples from the worlds of IT, automobiles, finance, retail, government, media and the arts. If you don't leave with a long list of cool startup concepts, then you must have been asleep in class.

"Napoleon's Glance"

This isn't a study of the art of management; instead, with Professor William Duggan you will learn the art of management through strategic intuition – otherwise known as Napoleon's glance – through analytical tools and techniques. A sequel to Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"?

"Social Networks & Social Capital"

Effective social networks are increasingly key to important business outcomes – from finding jobs to building brands, from harnessing creativity to ensuring your organization's survival. In this hands-on elective, taught by Associate Professor Ko Kuwabara, you'll learn to understand, measure and develop key resources, diagnosing one another's own social networks to identify career oppotunities and analyzing corporate networks to ID opportunities like IPOs and mergers. And you thought Twitter and Facebook were just for laughs.

INSEAD

"Your First Hundred Days"

You and your team of fellow managers have just bought a company and assumed managerial control. All contracts have been signed and you enter the "real world," rife with events and crises. Your mission will vary according to the event. "Sometimes you will simply have to state what you as a management team propose to do. At other times, you will actually have to go and do it." Above all, your mission is to react to each situation in such a way as to ensure that the buyout will be successful in the long term. Fun stuff! "Monopoly" anyone?

"Psychological Issues in Management"

Concepts taught will include both time-tested and recent findings, putting you at the forefront of management thinking and giving you the chance to practice and experiment with these ideas. Through class exercises, videotaped exercises, interactive assignments and cases you'll turn concepts into competencies. The course will develop your repertoire of skills in individual effectiveness, emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness one on one, and team leadership. To paraphrase the late Dr. Freud, sometimes a merger is just a merger.

"Blue Ocean Strategy Simulation"

Ahoy there! Instead of competing head-to-head, in this interactive elective you will learn to reconstruct market boundaries and unlock new demand. Understanding how to go beyond competing in existing market space to create blue oceans is critical for leaders in consulting, strategy and business development, and entrepreneurship. B.Y.O Dramamine!

P.S. If you're a current MBA student or fresh grad who has taken an elective course that you feel is truly "electrifying" then please tell us about it. Email The MBA Exchange at info@mbaexchange.com and we'll include it in the final blog post of this series.

There's No Such Thing as a "Perfect" MBA Applicant: Case Study #7

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:30:00 GMT

This is the final post in a series of 7 case studies summarizing the challenges, experiences, and success of business school applicants who in recent years have engaged the admissions consulting services of The MBA Exchange. There's no such thing as a "perfect" MBA candidate, but there are strategic ways to perfect your candidacy.

The featured profiles are:

#1. Low GPA

#2. Low GMAT Score, Qualitative background

#3. Undifferentiated/Technical work history

#4. No international experience

#5. Short work history

#6. Re-applicant

#7. Older applicant

These descriptions confirm that, while most applicants are not "perfect," through well-planned strategies and diligently executed tactics, admission is achievable at schools that they believe are beyond their reach.

If your candidacy relates to any of these case studies, then The MBA Exchange would love to hear from you regarding your business-school aspirations and challenges.

Case Study #7: Older applicant

Applicant Profile for "Luka" (not his real name)

Academic	Computer science major at a top 15-ranked university in the US with co-op proram. Graduated with a 3.7 overall GPA.
Professional	3 years of experience in product development as a software engineer; then promoted to technical leadership role and worked in this capacity for 3 more years. Left employer to launch own software company for 2 years.
Non-work activities	His start-up company is involved in socially responsible ventures and community service initiatives
GMAT	700
Post-MBA goal	Entrepreneurship
Target schools	Harvard, Stanford, MIT and Cornell

The MBA Exchange's Solution

Luka has worked for 8 years and is already in his mid 30s, which is significantly above the median age for full-time MBA program applicants. Admissions committees may consider Luka's candidacy more appropriate for a part-time or executive MBA program. We reviewed our extensive experience with older clients whom we helped secure admission to top MBA programs, and devised the following 3-part strategy to help Luka develop a strong rationale for a full-time MBA program, and demonstrate his ability to contribute substantially to the student community:

Identify and communicate in the "goals/why MBA" essay specific gaps in his skill set that necessitate a full-time MBA, despite the extent of his academic and professional experiences.
In essays and recommendations, describe the specific benefits of the diversity of his experiences.
Meet and converse with many current students and alumni to develop content to substantiate rationale for MBA and how he can add value to the student community.

Applicant's Outcome/Results

We worked diligently with Luka to help him develop powerful essay content that communicated his ability and desire to contribute unique experiences and skills through clubs and the classroom, as a result of the length and depth of his experiences spanning software engineering, socially responsible business, and entrepreneurship. We emphasized the need for him to convey how effectively he relates to colleagues of all ages. We helped him align his strengths with the selection criteria at his targeted schools. Luka was ultimately offered admission to Stanford, MIT and Cornell.

In order to capitalize on our experience and advice as Luka did, The MBA Exchange invites prospective clients to contact us for a free, preliminary evaluation at up to a year before they apply to business school. Engaging us for a Comprehensive Consultation will allow you time and proven strategies to strengthen your candidacy and then to prepare more compelling applications that maximize your chances for admission.

Client Comments

This was my one chance to gain admission to a top b-school! I knew getting into a full-time MBA program in my mid-30s would be a challenge, so I immediately partnered with The MBA Exchange to increase my chances of admission. My consultant brilliantly coached me in how to present a convincing rationale for a full-time MBA at this point in my career, and to position my length of experiences as an asset to a school's community. They made the extra effort to understand me as a person. From recommendations to essays to interviews, my consultant guided me every step of the way -- and into my top choices.

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