Visiting Campus

We’re getting a lot of questions these days about campus visits, in particular, “should I or shouldn’t I?” and “If I visit, when should I go?” Below are some frequently asked questions about visiting schools:

Does visiting a school help my chances of admission?

Technically, no. While the admissions process is quite subjective in nature, it does try its best to present a level playing field. This means that a university cannot give extra “points” to those applicants who have the money and/or time to visit a school. Imagine the advantage that local applicants would have over out-of-town or international applicants!

Visiting a school will help in that first-hand experience will allow you to approach your application (in particular essays and interviews) with that much more awareness, knowledge, sincerity, and passion. If you can get to know a school just as well by attending information sessions and talking to students and alumni/ae, then that’s fine. For many people, seeing the school in person, sitting in on a class, and having dinner or going to a party with current students make a world of difference in how they feel toward a school; this energy then gets channeled into the essays and interviews.

Having said that, visiting a school may have some subtle effect on the selection process for schools that are outside the top 3 or 5. For example, it really won’t matter to HBS one way or another to hear an applicant talk about how he’s proved his passion for HBS by visiting the school. However, for many schools that often lose their admitted candidates to rival universities, knowing that you are committed enough to visit their school may send them a positive message…

When should I visit my target schools?

Ideally, if your work schedule allows it, you would visit once schools are in session (back from summer vacation) but before you submit your applications. In this way you can take maximum advantage of the school visit to help you make final decisions about which schools to apply as well as to express your interest in the essays.

One thing to consider also is the interview policy of the school. Does your target school allow you to sign up for an interview? If so, this will be a great thing to do while you are visiting. If your school interviews by invitation only, then you’d need to decide if you want to visit before you apply, or wait until you get an interview invitation (which is not guaranteed) to schedule a trip, or be prepared to make two trips. Regarding interviews: if you are out of state or overseas, you should be able to have the option to interview locally with an alum or over the telephone should you get selected for an interview.

And what if the only time you have available to visit is after your application deadlines? In this case, it might make better sense to visit once you’ve received your decision notifications. School visits are also very helpful for candidates trying to decide which school to attend. Once you’ve been accepted, your school will schedule an “Admit Weekend” which is like a post-admission recruitment event; now they are trying to convince you to attend their school over another.

How should I set up my campus visits?

The best thing to do is to visit your target school’s admission website and sign up on-line or call the admissions office. Check to see what they are offering and when (most schools offer tours and information sessions year round, but class visits and lunch with students during limited periods). Find out about their interview policy as well and see if you can conduct an interview while you are there.

Can you simply visit the campus on your own or by coordinating with friends and contacts at the school? Of course. However, the school won’t necessarily know that you will be coming and it is always a good idea for the admissions office to have a record of your visit.

Since this post is getting long, I will write separately later in the week about how to make the best use of your campus visit.

Steps You Can Take Now to Begin the Application Process

The application process can be overwhelming especially if you are an international applicant unfamiliar with the higher education system abroad. Add a full time job and perhaps family responsibility to your workload, and you will soon find that you have little time to do everything that you need to do. It’s therefore imperative that you begin the application process as early as you can. To simplify the process, I’ll write down a list of things you need to pay attention to starting now, whether you are applying for October, January or March deadlines!

Things to Do

• Narrow down a list of schools to which you want to apply

The only way you can do this is to RESEARCH thoroughly your target schools.

Internet: Start with school websites and register your name with each school. You can do this by creating an account (if the application is already available) or by signing up for information (if the application is not yet available). Once you are in the school’s database, you will automatically begin receiving e-mail updates about information sessions, application deadlines, etc. Read student and admission blogs. Listen to podcasts and anything else that the school offers on-line.

Information Sessions: Find out about and sign up for information sessions, receptions, and graduate school fairs (e.g., those sponsored by the MBA Tour). Large prep schools like Agos in Tokyo will often host visits by admission representatives so you should check with those institutions as well.

Network: Talk to current students and alumni/ae. They may be sitting right next to you at work. Or you may need to ask friends of friends for contacts. Also see if there are alumni/ae groups in your city that you can tap into. You can also contact the admissions office at your target schools to ask for referrals. Many, if not most, schools offer this service.

Visit the School: This is not realistic for many people living overseas or out of town, but if you can get some time away and can reasonably afford it, a campus visit may be worth your investment. You don’t technically get any “brownie points” for visiting but you should be able to explain more passionately or sincerely your reasons for choosing the school once you have actually seen and experienced the campus.

• Complete any required tests (GMAT, GRE, TOEFL)

You all know this and for many this is the biggest obstacle. Given the competition these recent years, a strong GMAT or GRE score is critical. Five or six years ago it was more common to see candidates with so-so test scores get admitted to top schools; these instances are much rarer now. I am going to generalize here, but I would say that if you want to apply to a top 10 business school, you should aim for over a 660 or 670*. At the same time, if you already have a 680 or 690 and your time is limited, I would recommend working on your application rather than trying to get a 700. A 700 looks pretty on an application but it doesn’t show the admissions committee that you are that more intelligent than someone with a 680. At this point your essays will have more persuasive power so you should devote your energy there.

*My advice would depend on the individual’s situation.

• Decide which deadlines by which you wish to apply (applicable mainly to MBA applicants)

I can’t go into specifics here since my advice would depend on the individual person, but in general you’d need to consider a number of factors like your test score(s) and time availability/schedule. Another point you should keep in mind is the competition from your own firm. If you know there are other strong candidates from your company or organization applying to the same school, you should consider applying in an early round. Ultimately, though, you should only apply when you believe you have put together the strongest application that you could. A mediocre application in the first round (especially when the overall quality is especially high) will be useless.

• Decide on your recommenders

Check to see how many recommenders you will need to write your letters. Most schools require 2 letters while some top schools require 3. Consider the perspectives you will get; will everyone be writing about the same thing? Be sure to give your recommenders plenty of time to prepare your letters. Take them to coffee or sit down with them to discuss your plans and to review your background and strengths. If they will be written in a foreign language, be sure to arrange for translation service. I will write a future post on recommendation letters. (We offer recommendation translation service for Japanese recommendations. Please contact us at admin@revecounseling.com if you need assistance.)

• Check the requirements of each school carefully

While the application process to English-based graduate programs in the U.S., Canada and Europe are more or less the same, each school has different policies and requirements. For example, some schools require official copies of your GMAT/GRE and TOEFL scores by the deadline while others only require self-reported scores by the deadline; some schools ask for official transcripts by the deadline while others ask for them only once you have been admitted. Since ordering transcripts, test score reports, etc. requires time (and unfortunately glitches are not uncommon), make sure you are very clear and organized about what you need to order and submit.

• Begin working on your essays

This will be the most time consuming part of the application process. Do not underestimate how much time you will need! I have been working mainly with Japanese applicants, and it takes my average student (and they are all pretty bright) approximately 4-6 drafts before completing an essay set. This means revising each essay 4-6 times. And when you consider that the average school essay set consists of 4-5 essays, that’s a lot of writing. If you are not a native English speaker and you are not familiar with the application process, I suggest giving yourself 4-6 weeks to complete your first school set. This estimation is based on working on applications while working a full time job and perhaps also studying for the GMAT or TOEFL.

UC Berkeley Haas School of Business 2009-10 Deadlines and Essay Question Analyses

Haas is a great option for those of you interested in learning about innovation within a general management program at a top university. It’s also well known for its diversity and small and collaborative student body. To top it all off, Berkeley is in one of the greatest cities in America! No, Haas is not paying me to say all this but I decided to write something when, talking to some of my new students, I realized that there are a number of people unfamiliar with the Haas MBA program. Some of my most impressive students have gone on to Haas over the last few years (and love it and have done well) and so I have a pretty good impression of the school.

Below, please find the deadlines and essay questions along with my comments in orange:

http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/fall.html

**The on-line application will be available mid-August, according to their website.**

Deadlines (before midnight Pacific time)

Round 1:     October 20, 2009   (decision date: January 27, 2010)

Round 2:    December 10, 2009   (decision date: March 17, 2010)

Round 3:    February 2, 2010   (decision date: April 28, 2010)

Round 4:    March 10, 2010   (decision date: May 19, 2010)

Fall 2010 Essay Questions

Listed below are the supplemental questions, short answer questions, required essays, and optional essays for the fall 2010 application.

Supplemental Questions:  [ I will not provide any comments to the Supplemental Questions as they should be self-explanatory; brief answers and lists are fine here.]

1. If you have not provided a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor, please explain; otherwise, enter N/A.
2. List in order of importance all community & professional organizations and extracurricular activities in which you have been involved during or after university studies. Indicate the nature of the activity or organization, dates of involvement, offices held, & average number of hours spent per month.
3. List full-time and part-time jobs held during undergraduate or graduate studies, indicating the employer, job title, employment dates, location, and the number of hours worked per week for each position held prior to the completion of your degree.
4. Please explain all gaps in your employment since earning your university degree.
5. Beyond the courses that appear on your academic transcripts, please discuss other ways in which you have demonstrated strong quantitative abilities.
6. If you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended or required to withdraw from any college or university, please explain. If not, please enter N/A. (An affirmative response to this question does not automatically disqualify you from admission.)

Short Answer:

1. What are you most passionate about? Why? (250 word maximum)

Haas wants to learn more about you through this question. There is no right or wrong response, and the answer could be something concrete like a hobby or it could be completely abstract, like a life philosophy or belief. Whatever you choose, it should be something that will allow the admissions committee to understand you better. I do have this piece of advice, though: choose something that will balance out the rest of your essays, and it is great if you have something personal to talk about. If you look at the rest of the essay question set, you’ll see that most of the questions ask about career-related experiences. I would avoid saying things like “I am most passionate about working hard” or “I am most passionate about my career”; you want to show that you have some balance in your life!

2.    Tell us about your most significant accomplishment. (250 word maximum)

When choosing a topic for this question, be sure you don’t overlap with the innovation question below (#3) or the leadership question (Required Essay 1). You can select a non-work experience to discuss as well. For example, if you feel that your greatest accomplishment is overcoming a long-term illness or some other personal obstacle, you can certainly use that story for this essay.

3.    At Haas, we value innovation and creativity. Describe a time when you created positive change in a group or an organization. (250 word maximum)

They changed this essay question slightly this year (in the past they asked for a creative problem-solving/solution example); the question seems a bit more open-ended now. Haas is a school that prides itself on innovation, and so likewise they are looking for applicants with the same mindset. What is an example of a time when you took initiative to introduce something new? They are looking for examples of new and creative solutions or ways of doing things. Try to think of a time when you changed something, created or invented something, thought of a new solution (etc.). Discuss how you thought of this and implemented it and briefly what the impact was. 

4.    What steps have you taken to learn about the Berkeley MBA program, and what factors have influenced your decision to apply? (250 word maximum)

Quite frankly, a number of applicants apply to Haas with a personal preference for Stanford. The two schools share many similar qualities, including an innovation-based curriculum, small community, and location near Silicon Valley. Haas needs to be sure that you are sincere about your interest in their school, that you are not considering it simply as a safety net in case you don’t get accepted to Stanford! This is why you are asked here to write a separate essay simply discussing how you have researched their program and how you decided to apply. (Please note this is different from the goals essay in which you explain in more detail how you will use the resources at Haas.) Be sure to mention any campus visits, conversations with Haas students, alumni/ae, and/or staff, attendance at Haas events, etc. And be sure you sound sincere and specific.

Required Essays:

1. Give us an example of a situation in which you displayed leadership. (500 word maximum)

This is a straightforward question in which you have to talk about a time when you took initiative to create a positive impact. The best example should be a recent experience from work, although the most important thing is to look at the rest of your essay set to see what examples you have already used. Make sure that whatever example you use that you show balance and sufficient professional leadership experience.

2.    What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals? How do your professional experiences relate to these goals? How will an MBA from Berkeley help you achieve these specific career goals? (1000 word maximum)

This is also a straightforward question asking about your goals, how your experiences have led you to your goals, and how you believe you will use the resources at Haas to help you reach those goals. Since Haas has a relatively unique curriculum and philosophy, make sure that you convey well the fit between their program and your professional and academic goals.

Optional Essays:

1. (Optional) Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven’t addressed elsewhere. (500 word maximum)

This is a very open-ended question and you may write another essay here. Look at the rest of your essay set; if there is another compelling story which you have not had a chance to tell, please use this space to write it. If you feel the regular essays already represent you fully, then don’t feel obligated to write this optional essay. It is better to leave it blank than to write another essay that doesn’t add significant value to your candidacy.

Reapplicants: Please read the specific instructions on Haas’ website regarding materials to update.

http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/fall.html

Dartmouth Tuck School of Business 2009-10 Deadlines

Tuck has not yet released its application materials/instructions for the coming season but they did post their deadlines. Please see below for some important information about interviewing, especially if Tuck is a top choice for you:

Deadlines (17:00 EST)

http://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/admissions/dates/index.html

                                      Application                           Applicant-initiated Interview to be Completed

Early Action                10/14/09                                 10/14/09

November Round     11/11/09                                  11/11/09

January Round          1/6/10                                      1/29/10

April Round                4/2/10                                      4/2/10

What is Early Action?

According to Tuck’s website, Early Action is a good option for reapplicants or new applicants who consider Tuck a top choice. Applying by the Early Action deadline allows you to find out your decision in December but does not obligate you to attend; you’d still have until January to make your final decision should you be accepted. To hold your space in the class, though, you will need to submit a $3,500 non-refundable deposit.

Interviews

Tuck offers all applicants the chance to sign up for an on-campus interview by the stated deadlines. Spaces fill up quickly, so you should schedule an interview as soon as you decide you want to apply (and appointments need to be scheduled at least 5 days before you wish to conduct the interview). If you are unable to schedule an on-campus interview, the admissions committee may extend an interview invitation after reading your application. In this case, though, there is no guarantee you will be granted an interview. This puts international applicants in a tough position, I think, because it is much more difficult to fly to Hanover if you are overseas. Schools are supposed to treat applicants equally but if Tuck is a top choice and there is some possibility that you could go to Hanover to interview, I would encourage it.

Application instructions and materials as well as interview sign-up will be available in August (mid-August for application and late August for interview scheduling).

Chicago Booth 2009-10 Essay Question Analyses and Deadlines

Please find below the deadlines and essay questions (much simpler this year!) for Chicago. My analyses and comments follow the questions. Despite the unfamiliar wording of some of them, the questions are all fairly basic.

http://www.chicagobooth.edu/fulltime/admissions/apply.aspx

Deadlines

Round 1: October 14, 2009

Round 2: January 6, 2010

Round 3: March 10, 2010

Essays

1. How did you choose your most recent job/internship and how did this experience influence your future goals? What about the Chicago Booth MBA makes you feel it is the next best step in your career at this time? (750-1000 words)

This is a straightforward goals question that asks about how your most recent position is connected to your goals. Note that they ask you how you chose your most recent position, which means you will probably need to explain your overall career a bit as well (in order to explain how you arrived at your most recent post). It is interesting that Chicago chooses to use the word “most recent” and not “current,” showing that they are sensitive to the fact that some applicants may have lost jobs.

Finally, you are asked to explain why Chicago’s program is the best next step for you. As with all schools, you need to show specifically how the features of this particular program will allow you to gain the skills, knowledge and experiences that you will need in order to continue with your goals.

1a. FOR REAPPLICANTS ONLY: Upon reflection, how has your thinking regarding your future, Chicago Booth, and/or getting an MBA changed since the time of your last application? (250 words)

In addition to writing the above goals essay, you will also need to, if you are a reapplicant, write this short essay reflecting on your thoughts regarding your future. Unlike reapplicant essays for most other schools, you will not be focusing on listing the various changes in your candidacy since your last application (e.g., increased test scores, promotion). Of course, if appropriate, you should definitely highlight any improvements in your application. However, Chicago is most interested in hearing an honest reflection of how your thoughts have changed regarding Chicago and/or your goals. Are you more focused now? Have your goals changed? If so, why or why not? Ultimately, they want to make sure that you have put serious thought into reapplying, rather than simply repackaging everything to resend.

2. Please choose one of the following (500 – 750 words):

Describe a time when you wish you could have retracted something you said or did. When did you realize your mistake and how did you handle the situation?

This question is basically a failure or mistake question. Chicago wants to know about something that you regret having done. (Now, a common question that I get is, “Can I talk about something that I regret having not done?” The answer is usually “yes” since neglecting to do something is also an action.

The point of asking this question is to see if you have the self-awareness and humility to admit to having made a mistake, and the maturity to recognize and learn from it.

-or-

Describe a time when you were surprised by feedback that you received. What was the feedback and why were you surprised?

This question falls into the same category as the above question. You’ll recognize it as the “constructive criticism/feedback” question that some other schools ask about in essays and/or recommendations. You’re basically asked to describe a time when someone gave you feedback that you did not expect. And while they do not specify positive or negative feedback, given that you are offered a choice of a failure or feedback question to answer, I think it is safe to discuss an episode in which you received negative feedback. (Being surprised at receiving positive feedback could also work; it would all depend on your story.) And while they also do not ask you to talk about how you handled the feedback, I would suggest that you do, in order to provide the admissions committee with the information that they are looking for. You should talk about how you reacted to the feedback and how you reflected on it. If possible, talk about how you have accepted and incorporated that advice. The point of the question is to find out, again, if you have the humility, self-awareness and maturity to learn from mistakes.

Slide Presentation

In four slides or less please answer the following question: What have you not already shared in your application that you would like your future classmates to know about you?

We have set forth the following guidelines for you to consider when creating your presentation.

• The content is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong approach to this essay.
• Feel free to use the software you are most comfortable with. Acceptable formats for upload in the online application system are PowerPoint or PDF.
• There is a strict maximum of 4 slides, though you can provide fewer than 4 if you choose. 
• Slides will be printed and added to your file for review, therefore, flash, hyperlinks, embedded videos, music, etc. will not be viewed by the committee. You are limited to text and static images to convey your points. Color may be used.
• Slides will be evaluated on the quality of content and ability to convey your ideas, not on technical expertise or presentation.
• You are welcome to attach a document containing notes if you feel a deeper explanation of your slides is necessary. However the hope is the slide is able to stand alone and convey your ideas clearly. You will not be penalized for adding notes but you should not construct a slide with the intention of using the notes section as a consistent means of explanation.

This Slide Presentation reminds me of NYU Stern’s Personal Expression question in that it is a creative means of telling the admissions committee something – anything – about yourself. You’d need to look at what you’ve written for the other essays, and then prepare the slides to talk about the other parts of you that you haven’t yet shared. This could include work accomplishments, community work, sports, university experiences, and/or personal experiences. Be sure to make the slides informative and interesting but well-organized. Follow Chicago’s guidelines carefully and focus on the content rather than the artistry of the slides. In the end, you are “selling” yourself, not your technical expertise.

Optional Essay

If there is any important information that is relevant for your candidacy that you were unable to address elsewhere in the application, please share that information here.

This is an open-ended question in which you can talk about something important that you did not have a chance to address elsewhere, including the Slide Presentation. In particular, if you have any unusual or extenuating circumstances (e.g., inability to get a current supervisor recommendation, weak test scores or university grades), this is the place to explain them.