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Executive Assessment 101
26 March, by PersonalMBACoachIn recent years, the Executive Assessment has grown in popularity. While the GMAT and GRE remain the two more widely accepted MBA admissions exams, many top business schools have started to welcome the Executive Assessment test.
Wondering if the Executive Assessment is the right option for you? Below, Personal MBA Coach explores how to prepare for the Executive Assessment and what sets it apart.
What Is the Executive Assessment Test?
The Executive Assessment, also referred to as the EA, was originally designed for experienced professionals interested in pursuing advanced education. Therefore, it is most often used by those applying to Executive MBA programs. In recent years, however, some full-time and part-time programs have started to accept the EA.
The 90-minute exam aims to assess the skills and knowledge of experienced professionals and evaluate business school readiness.
Test takers receive results for each section of the Executive Assessment: Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning, as well as a total result ranging from 100 to 200, which is determined by the results on the three sections.
While all Executive Assessment score percentiles are not released, a score of 150 is about the 64th percentile. The test results are valid for 5 years and available for reporting for up to 10 years.
How Does the Executive Assessment Differ from the GMAT and GRE?
Candidates can take the Executive Assessment test up to four times – twice at the test center and twice online. Further, the Graduate Management Admission Council does not permit you to cancel your scores.
That said, if you do not want your EA scores sent to your target schools, GMAC suggests that you do not select any schools or programs before your appointment. You can instead add more schools or programs to a score appointment afterwards. There is no limit to the number of programs that you can select.
The Executive Assessment is also a shorter test, so if you have limited time, you may want to explore whether the EA could be right for you.
What Should Executive Assessment Prep Entail?
Personal MBA Coach offers customized one-on-one Executive Assessment prep. In fact, we were one of the first companies to provide Executive Assessment test preparation services.
If you are wondering how to prepare for the Executive Assessment, we find one of the best things to do is to write out a study plan so you can stick to a schedule. Be honest with yourself in terms of how much time you can dedicate to studying.
We strongly encourage test takers to familiarize themselves with the structure and content of the assessment. With 30 minutes to complete each of the 3 sections of the test, time management is a must. Completing practice tests with a timer can help you get comfortable with the 90-minute timeframe. For more test prep tips, check out this blog.
Personal MBA Coach EA tutor Nikhil gives the following advice:
When it comes to the EA or GMAT Exam, success is dependent on addressing 3 equally important steps: knowledge gaps, timing/question strategy issues and “careless” mistakes. Many students and tutors fall into the trap of focusing exclusively on the first – knowledge gaps – and feel frustrated when scores don’t improve. Given the competitive nature of the EA exam, all students end up learning the theory but what truly differentiates the best students is that they also focus their preparation on systematically developing tools to pre-empt traps, minimise “careless” mistakes and identify shortcuts to problems.
If you are looking for guidance, our dedicated Executive Assessment tutor can provide you with the skills necessary to ace the exam. Our Executive Assessment MBA private tutoring sessions are currently conducted remotely via Zoom, Skype and our whiteboard sharing software. As with all of Personal MBA Coach’s services, satisfaction is guaranteed with our Executive Assessment prep.
What Schools Accept the Executive Assessment?
Currently, Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua, INSEAD, London Business School, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, NYU Stern, UCLA Anderson, UVA Darden, Wharton and Yale SOM are among the top programs that accept the Executive Assessment test for EMBA candidates.
Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua, NYU Stern, Georgetown, UVA Darden, UCLA Anderson, CMU Tepper and Texas McCombs also accept EA scores for full-time MBA applicants.
Looking for help with the test prep process? Whether you are studying for the GMAT, GRE or EA, Personal MBA Coach is here to help you reach your goals. Visit our tutoring services to begin raising your score today!
The post Executive Assessment 101 appeared first on Personal MBA Coach.
The post Executive Assessment 101 first appeared on GMAT Club.
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Guide to the Executive Assessment Test
26 March, by PersonalMBACoachIn recent years, the Executive Assessment has grown in popularity. While the GMAT and GRE remain the two more widely accepted MBA admissions exams, many top business schools have started to welcome the Executive Assessment test.
Wondering if the Executive Assessment is the right option for you? Below, Personal MBA Coach explores how to prepare for the Executive Assessment and what sets it apart.
What Is the Executive Assessment Test?
The Executive Assessment, also referred to as the EA, was originally designed for experienced professionals interested in pursuing advanced education. Therefore, it is most often used by those applying to Executive MBA programs. In recent years, however, some full-time and part-time programs have started to accept the EA.
The 90-minute exam aims to assess the skills and knowledge of experienced professionals and evaluate business school readiness.
Test takers receive results for each section of the Executive Assessment: Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning, as well as a total result ranging from 100 to 200, which is determined by the results on the three sections.
While all Executive Assessment score percentiles are not released, a score of 150 is about the 64th percentile. The test results are valid for 5 years and available for reporting for up to 10 years.
How Does the Executive Assessment Differ from the GMAT and GRE?
Candidates can take the Executive Assessment test up to four times – twice at the test center and twice online. Further, the Graduate Management Admission Council does not permit you to cancel your scores.
That said, if you do not want your EA scores sent to your target schools, GMAC suggests that you do not select any schools or programs before your appointment. You can instead add more schools or programs to a score appointment afterwards. There is no limit to the number of programs that you can select.
The Executive Assessment is also a shorter test, so if you have limited time, you may want to explore whether the EA could be right for you.
What Should Executive Assessment Prep Entail?
Personal MBA Coach offers customized one-on-one Executive Assessment prep. In fact, we were one of the first companies to provide Executive Assessment test preparation services.
If you are wondering how to prepare for the Executive Assessment, we find one of the best things to do is to write out a study plan so you can stick to a schedule. Be honest with yourself in terms of how much time you can dedicate to studying.
We strongly encourage test takers to familiarize themselves with the structure and content of the assessment. With 30 minutes to complete each of the 3 sections of the test, time management is a must. Completing practice tests with a timer can help you get comfortable with the 90-minute timeframe. For more test prep tips, check out this blog.
Personal MBA Coach EA tutor Nikhil gives the following advice:
When it comes to the EA or GMAT Exam, success is dependent on addressing 3 equally important steps: knowledge gaps, timing/question strategy issues and “careless” mistakes. Many students and tutors fall into the trap of focusing exclusively on the first – knowledge gaps – and feel frustrated when scores don’t improve. Given the competitive nature of the EA exam, all students end up learning the theory but what truly differentiates the best students is that they also focus their preparation on systematically developing tools to pre-empt traps, minimise “careless” mistakes and identify shortcuts to problems.
If you are looking for guidance, our dedicated Executive Assessment tutor can provide you with the skills necessary to ace the exam. Our Executive Assessment MBA private tutoring sessions are currently conducted remotely via Zoom, Skype and our whiteboard sharing software. As with all of Personal MBA Coach’s services, satisfaction is guaranteed with our Executive Assessment prep.
What Schools Accept the Executive Assessment?
Currently, Berkeley Haas, Chicago Booth, Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua, INSEAD, London Business School, MIT Sloan, Kellogg, NYU Stern, UCLA Anderson, UVA Darden, Wharton and Yale SOM are among the top programs that accept the Executive Assessment test for EMBA candidates.
Columbia Business School, Duke Fuqua, NYU Stern, Georgetown, UVA Darden, UCLA Anderson, CMU Tepper and Texas McCombs also accept EA scores for full-time MBA applicants.
Looking for help with the test prep process? Whether you are studying for the GMAT, GRE or EA, Personal MBA Coach is here to help you reach your goals. Visit our tutoring services to begin raising your score today!
The post Guide to the Executive Assessment Test appeared first on Personal MBA Coach.
The post Guide to the Executive Assessment Test first appeared on GMAT Club.
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Answering Your GMAT & GRE FAQs
26 March, by PersonalMBACoachAre you planning to apply to business school in the 2024-2025 application cycle? Now is the perfect time to begin your GMAT or GRE preparation. (If you are wondering if the executive assessment is an option for you, check out this Executive Assessment 101 blog!)
If you have not already begun studying for the GMAT or GRE exam, take this opportunity to sign up with one of Personal MBA Coach’s tutors so that when the round 1 deadlines roll around, you have one less thing to worry about!
Even if you already have a strong GMAT or GRE, you want to make sure that you are fully maximizing your potential, especially if you are hoping to get a scholarship!
To help you get started, below are the questions Personal MBA Coach is asked most often about the GMAT and GRE.
How Important Is the GMAT/GRE?
While these MBA admissions tests are just one part of the MBA application process and are not the be-all and end-all, they are very important. Further, the GMAT or GRE score will play a more important role for some candidates than for others. If you are applying with a low GPA or from a field of study that is less analytically intensive, your score (particularly your quantitative scores) will be key to showing that you can handle the academic rigor of an MBA program.
Additionally, if you are applying from an overrepresented applicant pool, differentiating yourself with a strong GRE/GMAT score will be even more important.
What Is a Good GMAT Score? What Is a Good GRE Score?
With the new GMAT, the answer to this question is not as straightforward as it used to be. In prior years, we shared how it is becoming less common to see students earn admission to top 10 or even top 20 schools with a GMAT score below 700. However, a 700 on the GMAT converts to a 645 or 655 on the new Focus (now the only GMAT offered). Check out GMAT to GMAT Focus conversion data here.
For the Wharton class of 2025, the average GMAT (old scoring) was 728 and the average GRE was 162 V/162 Q). For Stanford GSB, the class of 2025 average was 738 (old scoring) while the average GRE was 164 V/164 Q). Harvard Business School reported a median GMAT score of 740 (again, old scoring) and a median GRE of 163V/163Q for the class of 2025.
When determining your target GMAT or GRE score, researching average GMAT or GRE scores is a great way to start. While those with a very strong profile, a unique background, or from an underrepresented applicant pool could gain admission with a below-average score, it is becoming less common to see large numbers of applicants succeed with GMAT scores more than 20 to 30 points below average.
In some cases, such as those discussed in the previous question, you may need a GMAT score above the average to be on the same playing field as other applicants.
GMAT vs. GRE for MBA – Which Should I Take?
This question is much easier to answer. Candidates should take whichever test they can score better on. Schools do not have a preference about the two tests, and the GRE has become more common over the past few years.
Personal MBA Coach’s advice is to take a practice test for each and see which one comes more naturally to you. Generally, if quant is a strength the GMAT may be your friend, while those stronger in verbal tend to prefer the GRE.
Further, if you have taken one test many times and have not been successful, consider switching gears and trying the other test. Of course, you will need additional preparation for this new test, but that may be worth the effort!
For more tips on how to choose the ideal test for you, watch this quick-tips video with Personal MBA Coach Founder Scott Edinburgh:
How Many Times Can I Take the GMAT?
GMAT scores are valid for 5 years, and you can take the exam up to 5 times during a 12-month period. There is a lifetime maximum of 8 tests.
Our average candidate now sits for the exam 2 to 4 times, with some giving the test as many as 6 or 7 attempts.
How Many Times Can I Take the GRE?
GRE scores are valid for 5 years, and currently there is no lifetime test limit for the GRE. You can take the GRE exam once every 21 days and up to 5 times within any 12-month period. As with the GMAT, test takers can cancel their score if they are unhappy with the result.
As with the GMAT exam, our average candidate sits for the exam 2 to 4 times, with some taking the test as many as 6 or 7 times.
What about The New GRE?
On September 20, 2023, ETS changed the GRE format. The old format is no longer available. So far, no changes have been made to testing limits or fees, and candidates continue to have the option of taking the test online or at a test center.
The new GRE is significantly shorter, lasting just 2 hours (as opposed to nearly 4 hours). This makes the GRE shorter than the GMAT. There are now 46 fewer Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning questions. There is also only one Analytical Writing essay. Given the shortened test, there is no scheduled break. Finally, it will take less time for the official score to be released—with the new GRE, the official score will be reported within 8-10 calendar days as opposed to 10-15.
How Does Online Testing Differ from The Standard GMAT/GRE Testing?
The GMAT online test is administered using the same time, scoring, and number of items as the test center-based exams. At this time, the online exam is available in all locations, except for Mainland China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Sudan. Like the in-person GMAT, scores are valid for 5 years and count toward the 12-month and lifetime limits.
The GRE General Test at Home is offered everywhere that the GRE is normally available and is available seven days a week around the clock, with appointments available as early as 24 hours after you register. The online GRE has the same content, format, and on-screen experience as the test center-based exam. Your GRE score report will not indicate that you took the test at home, and the retake policies are the same as the test center-based exam.
How Should I Prepare for the GMAT/GRE?
Think about how you learn best and use this to inform your study plan. Personal MBA Coach feels that most applicants do best with one-on-one tutoring, allowing the applicant to target areas where they are struggling the most. For this reason, we offer a variety of one-on-one tutoring packages with tutors who scored in the 99th+ percentile on the GMAT and GRE exams and are graduates of MIT, Harvard, UPenn, Yale, Columbia and more. Check out our advice on how to plan ahead for the standardized tests.
In addition to tutoring services, Personal MBA Coach also offers comprehensive support packages, ranging from 1 to 8 schools. See below for pricing and reach out if you would like to schedule a consultation to discuss these services in more detail.
The post Answering Your GMAT & GRE FAQs appeared first on Personal MBA Coach.
The post Answering Your GMAT & GRE FAQs first appeared on GMAT Club.
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MBA Timeline: Key Target Dates for MBA Applicants
25 March, by stacyblackman- Spring and summer of your application season is for research, test-taking, and application strategy and development
- September and October—Round 1 deadlines
- Early January—Round 2 deadlines
- Late March/early April—Round 3 deadlines. Spring deadlines are ideal for deferred MBA admissions for college seniors and part-time and EMBA programs.
Are you planning to apply to business school in the fall? Once you’ve decided to pursue an MBA, your work is cut out for you. MBA applicants must fit studying for the GMAT or GRE and developing essays with other personal and professional commitments. That’s where an MBA timeline comes into play.
Having a game plan for completing the admissions components within a schedule means you won’t deal with undue stress and sleepless nights. The best way to do this is to put together your MBA application timeline months before your target deadlines.
Are you curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
MBA Timeline: Getting Started
Early spring of your MBA application season is when we recommend starting the research on schools, finding the right fit, estimating admit odds, checking application requirements, and learning what each program has to offer.
“Attend as many admissions sessions and events as you can to get to know the program better and hear from the MBA admissions team, who may provide updates on their requirements given current times,” advises Stacy Blackman consultant Sherry, who has been with SBC for more than a decade after a tenure at Duke Fuqua Admissions.
“Talk to current students and/or recent alumni to become more familiar with the program. Hear their stories, and discuss your short and long-term goals to determine if they are realistic based on their knowledge of the program,” she adds.
Spring is also the time to check the average reported statistics online to calibrate and bolster your academic record. But know there’s always a range with respect to test scores and GPA for every MBA program.
Listen to B-Schooled Podcast #108: Strengthening Your Quant Profile
How Much Time for Test Prep?
MBA hopefuls often ask how far in advance before applying should they take the GRE or GMAT. Also, how much time should they spend on test prep? Our clients usually need 3-4 months for test preparation, depending on how much time they have to study if they’re still working.
Test scores are one variable that allows us to rank potential MBA programs into reach versus reasonable categories. So, we prefer to have several diagnostic test scores or even the actual test score—ideally not later than two months before the application deadlines. Get the test done early to optimize your efforts and to decide whether to engage an MBA admissions consultant.
In an ideal world, separating your test prep from your essays/applications work allows you to focus fully on each and helps minimize the stress of trying to do everything simultaneously as deadlines loom.
Test scores are good for up to five years. When thinking about your MBA timeline, the earlier you start studying and secure a satisfactory score, the better. Keep in mind that there often is some overlap between studying and working on applications.
“Depending upon your goals, I usually advise taking 3-4 months to prepare for the GMAT or the GRE (EA preparation can often be done in less time). Studying a bit each night throughout the week will help you to retain your learnings,” SBC’s Director of Test Prep Anthony Ritz notes.
The weekends are a great time for practice tests or more intensive studying. Candidates shooting for top scores usually study around 100-150 hours.
“But remember, quality is better than quantity. Work to understand each problem and why you got it right or wrong,” he adds. “The goal is to study productively—not just to do a lot of practice problems!”
Don’t miss The New GMAT Focus and Shorter GRE: What to Expect
What to Know About the Different Application Rounds
By now, you know that business schools have two or more application deadlines, or rounds, by which candidates need to submit their application materials. So, does that mean there’s an optimal time to apply?
Round 1 takes place in the fall, either September or October, whereas Round 2 takes place in early January. Round 3, meanwhile, hits in March or April. Some schools have slight differences, such as Early Action deadlines. For top US full-time MBA programs, we almost always encourage candidates to apply in rounds 1 or 2. That’s because there are simply fewer spots open in round 3.
That said, round 3 is perfectly acceptable for some MBA program types. This includes part-time and EMBA programs, EU-based programs, as well as some lower-ranked full-time, two-year US MBA programs. College seniors applying for deferred MBA admissions programs are almost always aiming for spring deadlines (late March and early April).
How to Submit a Quality Application On Time
To achieve this goal, frontloading tasks is a key tool of a successful MBA timeline. Our best admit outcomes are from clients who have plenty of lead time before MBA deadlines to assemble thoughtful and high-quality application materials.
We need a minimum of four weeks prior to deadlines. But it’s ideal to have 2-6 months of lead time before application deadlines. Most of our clients begin work with us on an average of 4-5 months prior to the deadlines.
One of our HBS admit clients emphasized that the application process is a journey. “One thing that helped give me an extra boost of confidence to apply was telling myself that even just the application process itself was a tremendous growth opportunity—a chance to reflect and figure out my future goals,” she said.
“And it truly was a fantastic experience. I feel like a more self-aware person now than before I applied.”
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Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs. From our All-In Partnership to test and interview prep, essay editing, resume review, and much more, we’ve got you covered! Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS.
During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).
During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions.
Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.
Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).
In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.
Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee.
In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB).
Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics.
Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.
Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise.
During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies.
In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.
During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).
During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business.
At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.
Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.</sp ...
The post MBA Timeline: Key Target Dates for MBA Applicants appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting.
The post MBA Timeline: Key Target Dates for MBA Applicants first appeared on GMAT Club.
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Can You Use Your Personal Statement for Multiple Applications?
22 March, by GurufiAs the flowers bloom and spring arrives, many of you are planning your MBA applications. One of the most common questions I get as an MBA personal statement consultant is whether and how to reuse personal statements.
Indeed, applying to business schools is a time-consuming process, often involving multiple application essays to multiple programs. With each institution looking for specific traits and experiences in candidates, it's imperative to craft applications that resonate with each program's unique ethos. As such, it’s vital that you take a thoughtful approach to reusing parts of or entire essays for multiple applications. This blog post will delve into strategies to efficiently manage and tailor your MBA applications, ensuring your efforts are both effective and coherent.
If you’re more of a video learner, check out this presentation we did for GMATClub. It also includes an example of how to use a Stanford GSB MBA application essay for Duke Fuqua. Gurufi has nearly 15 years of experience helping applicants get into top programs. We focus exclusively on personal statements, CVs, and other written aspects of your application, so we deliver excellent products at affordable price points (see our perfect rating on GMATClub!).
Understanding the Landscape
Most MBA applicants apply to 6-8 programs. Given the fact that most applicants are also working professionals, this can constitute a real time commitment. As such, it’s important to apply in a manner that produces excellent results while not wasting time. The approach we outline here not only improves your chances of acceptance but also allows you to target a range of schools that align with their professional goals and personal values. In other words, we seek to achieve maximum results in the most efficient way possible.
The Golden Rules of Application Management
- Individualized Approach
The cornerstone of a successful application strategy is treating each application as a standalone project. This means deeply understanding what each school values, how you align with these values, and how the program fits into your career trajectory. This tailored approach ensures that your applications are not only relevant but also compelling to each respective admissions committee.
- Avoiding the Shoehorn Trap
A common pitfall in application management is attempting to force-fit an essay or personal statement crafted for one school into another's application. While this might seem like a time-saver, incongruent essays can dilute your message and reduce the impact of your application.
- The Art of Repurposing
Efficiency doesn’t have to come at the cost of personalization. Repurposing content across applications is a practical strategy, provided it’s done judiciously. Identifying universal themes in your story that resonate with multiple programs can allow you to reuse content without compromising the bespoke nature of each application.
Practical Steps to Application Mastery
Deep Dives and Brainstorms
Brainstorming is the most important aspect of personal statement writing that most people ignore. There are many ways to do it, but however you do, DO NOT SKIP this step. Begin your application journey with a thorough research phase for each program, focusing on its unique characteristics and values. This phase is crucial for tailoring your application narratives to echo what each school holds in high regard. Also be sure to consider how you fit within the program and what you hope to accomplish.
Crafting and Refining
Start with a comprehensive draft for your first application, focusing on creating a compelling narrative that reflects your aspirations, achievements, and the impact you wish to make. This initial effort lays a solid foundation, making subsequent applications easier to manage.
Strategic Borrowing
With a robust initial essay, you can strategically borrow elements for other applications. This doesn't mean copying and pasting entire sections without thought. Instead, adapt and tweak these elements to fit the new context, ensuring they align with the next school's specific prompts and values.
A Symphony of Applications
Managing multiple MBA applications is akin to conducting a symphony—each piece must be played with precision and care, yet all must harmonize to create a compelling overall narrative. By understanding each program's unique requirements, maintaining authenticity in your narratives, and strategically repurposing content where appropriate, you can navigate the application process with confidence and efficiency.
Embarking on this journey with a clear strategy and an open mind can transform the daunting task of application management into an opportunity to deeply reflect on your goals, values, and the impact you wish to make through your MBA journey.
For more help with your personal statement, check us out at Gurufi.com. Our personal statement editors and consultants have decades of experience helping clients get into top Masters and Ph.D. programs in STEM, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences. Our specialty is helping you craft compelling personal statements that move the needle in your admissions process! For questions, shoot us an email at service@gurufi.com. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
The post Can You Use Your Personal Statement for Multiple Applications? first appeared on GMAT Club.