NEW FRONTIERS For B-Schools, Opportunities Rise in Africa Once content with distant partnerships in Africa, business schools in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. are now establishing more direct programs on the continent
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Visit BW Online's interactive forums for wide-ranging discussions about management education. Search through over 1,359,000 posts for topics that interest you. Join in today! Here are a few samples of recent messages:
Getting into B-School — Adcoms and Banking
From: loloswims To: All
I know that Banking is an overrepresented group in MBA applications but do Adcoms differentiate between Commerical, Private, Retail/Consumer and Investment bankng? Are these different areas all simply "Banking" with no discrimination?
From: ApplyintheSky To: loloswims
Dear Loloswims,
AdComs certainly know the difference between different types of banking.
That said, what is your real concern here?
Are you concerned that your work experience does not sufficiently differentiate you from other applicants? If that is the case, then don't worry. It is not your job function or title that will differentiate you as a candidate, but the specific experiences that you had in that setting, and he personal qualities that you exhibited. So focus on specifics that highlight those.
Some good advice is whenever you're describing a work experience, think in terms of feelings, motivations and people, and always try to tell a story. If you had to execute a complicated M&A deal, don't waste time detailing the model you built or the structure you set up, but think instead in terms of challenges, team work, thought processes, or positive qualities that you might have displayed. When you start thinking in these terms you will realize that your specific job function is really not that important at all.
Finally, don't overestimate the importance of your current job in your application. Many if not most MBA applicants are career switchers. The point is not what work you've done, but the qualities that have made you successful and will continue to make you successful through business school and in your future career.
I hope this helps.
Good luck on your application process!
Chiara Apply in the Sky
From: Jock4Mba To: loloswims
I thought Adcoms love Banking folks. Banking has provided plenty applicants so adcoms are familiar with function, work and products. Also consider that banking is one of the largest employers for MBA students and attracts high calibre candidates with great grades and work history.
From: loloswims To: ApplyintheSky
I come from Retail Banking and was just concerned that I would be lumped in with all the other IB guys.
From: ApplyintheSky To: loloswims
The short answer is that, for better or for worse, you will probably not be lumped in with all the other investment banking types. And this is true of all finance positions, not just yours.
However, all applicants can benefit from differentiating themselves from the crowd. Rumors abound that MBA programs "love" finance types, but even that can be a double-edged sword. With limited seats available, and AdComs' desire to create a professionally diverse academic class, who gets admitted among a bunch of applicants with similar professional backgrounds can often come down to what feels like a matter of luck.
This is where differentiation comes in. Don't worry about your current job, since that's not exactly an actionable concern -- you're not going to switch careers just for the purpose of applying to school. Instead focus on highlighting your best qualities, whatever they may be.
~The Apply in the Sky Team
Getting into B-School — Couple Applying. Same Writing Style
From: pruiz To: All
My wife and I are applying both to top-5 schools. We are both international candidates and we also have very similar profiles.
Moreover, we have been writing the essays for long time and after many reviews we have influenced each other a lot and no doubt AdComs are going to realize that both applications have the same writing style.
For example, we have sent two different essays to an Alumni that have read them and he quickly realized the similarities.
Therefore, we are afraid to get both dinged only because of this reason. For example, they may think that one of us is influencing the other and writing both applications.
I see some possible ways 1) Go ahead with our plan. This is to apply together and comment in the additional essay that we are married. 2) Go ahead, apply both but saying nothing in the additional essay. The risk here is that they can quickly realize that we are connected somehow, as we have been working in the same countries, and share nationality, among other things. 3) One apply in Round 1, the other in Round 2. This would be a pain as we have finished all the essays... 4) Other?
We don't really know how to proceed. Any thought will be very appreciated.
Thanks
From: TheHammer To: pruiz
Schools can request the GMAT essays if necessary. If the GMAT essays are similar then admissions will probably conclude, as you said, that two people just have the same writing style.
From: JinShil2 To: pruiz
Do the essays have similar content or just similar writing styles?
The latter is fine but the former is not good. Note, even if you paraphrase, you still have the same content.
From: pruiz To: JinShil2
the content (stories, goals, etc.) is different, though as I said we have similar backgrounds and career paths till now, so there are some similarities (ie: we speak both about our experience working/living in country X and in country Y, though in very different ways).
So do you think is fine to go ahead, apply and say that we are a couple? Hopefully they will understand that logically I've read/reviewed her essays and the other way around.
From: JinShil2 To: pruiz
I think one of the goals in your particular case should be to write essays that are substantially different enough that the ADCOMS won't think you are essentially duplicating the essays.
From: SaMoCU To: JinShil2
Your writing style is your own. If that's similar to your significant other, then that's a byproduct of your marriage. But I don't think it's necessary to change your writing style to seem different. Bschools want to know who you are, and by writing differently on purpose doesn't allow them to get a picture of who you are.
And I believe there are spots in the app for Columbia, and I also believe for Wharton where you can list whether a significant other is applying the same time you are.
I hope this helps.
From: bobdar To: pruiz
I recommend option one. The fact that you are a couple applying to MBA programs together provides something very unique to the ADCOM if you make sure you point it out that way. Some things that come to mind:
1. Your support structure during the MBA program should be very strong as you both will go through the experience together. Elaborate on this. Do you have kids? If so how do you handle the challenge of taking care of them if both of you got into school. What if only 1 of you is accepted and the other isn't - how will you handle it?
2. What do both of you want to do post-MBA? Is it different or the same? Are you planning a joint venture together? If so what advantages does being married to your business partner give you over other business relationships? What disadvantages might there be and how would you handle it? Example - what if you decide to have children or already have children - how will you as a couple handle that along with the business. What if both of you start a new venture - who would be CEO? How would the other person handle it? If you are planning different paths post-MBA - why? Why do two people with similar profiles like different post-MBA paths?
3. Even though you say the two of you have very similar profiles - what's great about this is that even small differences between the two of you should stand out. What are those small differences and can you expand on it? How do those small differences make the two of you different leaders?
Lots of interesting questions to be shared with ADCOM if you call our your relationship up front and write about it in an interesting way.
Getting into B-School — Closing In The Interview?
From: salesguy4mba To: All
Hi All:
As sales people, it's ingrained in us very early on to not only learn how to close a deal, but how to close in an interview for a sales position. For example, after the interviewer as exhausted their questions and you have all yours answered, you close the interview by asking something along the lines of "Based on our conversation today and everything you know about me, do I have your recommendation for the position."
Listening to what my friends tell me me, this is not at all the practice in the finance or consulting worlds. Can you share your thoughts around asking for your interviewers' recommendation in a B-School Interview? Best practices?
Thanks
From: BosMBAasap To: salesguy4mba
It's as simple as this, you don't ask their opinion at the end. That is a sure fire way to make the interviewer feel uncomfortable and mark you down. Just answer their questions well and have some thoughtful ones of your own. No need to go Glen Gary on them, you seem articulate enough to stand out on your without aggressive tactics.
From: salesguy4mba To: BosMBAasap
Thanks for the feedback. Anybody else have some thoughts?
From: JinShil2 To: salesguy4mba
I agree with the other poster and it would be wise NOT to ask how you did. I believe most ADCOMS are trained not to provide any feedback and generally have a poker face. So even if you ask, you probably will get a general "we don't provide feedback" type of answer.
From: deldotto To: JinShil2
That, and asking that type of question seems to scream low self esteem...not a good attribute.
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Africa is many things: the birthplace of man and the crucible of evolution, rich in natural resources yet unable to feed its own people, a playground for warlords, and an epic human tragedy. And now one more: the latest conquest for expansion-minded global business schools. As Alison Damast writes, business schools in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. see both tremendous need and tremendous opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa, where GDP is growing, demand for management education is on the rise, and competition from local schools is almost nonexistent.
In many ways the mad rush to Africa resembles the early days of the b-school colonization of China a few years back, when many schools learned the hard way that planting a b-school on foreign soil is one thing, tending the garden quite another. If Africa is going to thrive, it will need—it does need—the kind of management resources that only a top-flight b-school can bring, so CEIBS, Grenoble, Frankfurt, and others setting up shop on the continent should be applauded. Here's hoping they succeed.
Louis Lavelle Business Schools Editor Bloomberg Businessweek
UCLA Anderson: Admissions Q&A MBA Admissions Director Mae Jennifer Shores explains what UCLA's Anderson school has to offer and what it takes to get in
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The Best Undergraduate B-Schools Undergrad business programs are getting MBA-like respect, and competition to get into them is hotter than ever. Here's how the top schools stack up
B-School Calendar BusinessWeek.com's scheduling tool will give you an idea of upcoming events at B-schools in the U.S. and around the world. You'll find information on admissions receptions, application deadlines, networking events, alumni events, conferences, and much more.
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