I have yet to meet anyone who enjoys taking standardized tests. Some may loathe them less than others but no one enjoys the experience. Certainly taking them when the tests have errors or when your competitors have prior access to the questions doesn't enhance the experience.

The New York Times reports that roughly one third of the 2500 students who took the new computerized MCAT last Saturday received a question that made no sense.  During the verbal section of the exam, they read a passage and then needed to respond to questions on that passage; unfortunately they received the wrong questions. Robert F. Jones, a senior vice president at the Association of American Medical Colleges, which oversees the MCAT, expressed regret and assured students that there score would not be affected by that section. One student, who was interviewed, said that the glitch seriously threw off his timing and concentration, and that his overall score would be affected even if AAMC did not count those questions.

The same article notes that at least one student in Seoul, South Korea had the SAT before it was administered to over 300,000 other students.  The Educational Testing Service is investigating the extent of the leak.

Just a final reminder that The Nine Mistakes You Don’t want to Make on an MBA Waitlist. is January's featured ebook. Its featured status also means that it is discounted through tomorrow January 31, 2007 and will go back to full price on Thursday.

The following is typical feedback on The Nine Mistakes You Don’t want to Make on an MBA Waitlist:

"It's absolutely great. I am currently waitlisted in a top school and have been following it word by word till now!" -- Rajul

If you are waitlisted, now's your chance to save on this succinct, instantly downloadable ebook. 

Michigan Ross' The Monroe St. Journal  and MBA eNews from The Haas School of Business both have articles worth reading for MBA applicants:

In "Ross MBA Class of 2009 Taking Shape" Ross Director of Admissions Soojin Kwon Koh lays out the Ross admissions process.  Recruiting, evaluating, and interviewing prospects, and then convincing admitted students to come to Ross is the function of the admissions office. It's busier than ever too. Ms. Koh writes "This year, our Round 1 application volume increased more than 50% over last year. Peer business schools across the country appear to be experiencing growth as well, though in varying degrees."

In "How to Ace the Admissions Interview" Jett Pihakis and Peter Johnson, Co-Directors of Admissions for the Haas Full-time MBA Program, provide tips to help you ace your MBA admissions interview. It doesn't surprise me that the first tip is "Think through the kinds of questions you are likely to be asked, and think about your responses. Practice interviews can be very helpful, but be sure not to over-rehearse your answers." The article is also available as a podcast.

Accepted.com's MBA Admissions Interview Feedback Database exists so that you can anticipate the questions you will be asked at Haas and dozens of other MBA programs. Take advantage of it before you interview and please share your MBA interview experience afterwards.  If you would like to have a practice interview with an MBA admissions professional, please consider Accepted.com MBA Mock Interview

The Financial Times released its 2007 MBA rankings of global MBA programs, or "programmes" as the British write it.

The top 10 for 2007:

1. Wharton
2. Columbia
3. Harvard
4. Stanford*
5. London Business School
6. Chicago GSB
7. Insead
8. NYU Stern
   
9. Dartmouth Tuck
10. Yale SOM

*Stanford and Harvard tied for #3

The Financial Times rankings evaluate schools based on data supplied by alumni three years after graduations. According to the FT, "Three years after graduation, alumni from the classes of 2001, 2002 and 2003 ... report substantial salaries and salary increases."

Not surprisingly given that information, the MBA world is looking rosy at the moment, quite a turnaround from 2-3 years ago. Other  article of interest in this section:

• "New Dawn for the MBA" surveys both the recent increase in application volume and exploding demand for b-schools grads, both from traditional fields like banking and consulting as well as non-traditional fields that entered the MBA market during the post-9/11 slowdown.
• "MBA application trends: It’s no longer just about earning more money" takes a closer look at application trends.

A few highlights from both these articles:

• "The percentage of full-time programmes reporting that the quality of the applicants in 2006 exceeded that of the previous year was 56 per cent, compared with just 21 per cent for the same question in 2005."
• "Both US and non-US schools reported sharp increases last year in applications from foreign students."

Regarding the increase in US citizens going overseas for their MBA, the MBA Tour has launched an MBA Tour of European schools to the US. According to the MBA Tour, "In 2006, 22 per cent of prospective American students were interested in studying in Europe, according to a recent survey conducted by The MBA Tour." I have long felt that Americans interested in a global career, especially if their numbers were a tad south of where they should be for top schools, may have a better opportunity at the elite European schools.

In "Turning to 2008 MBA Admissions" I promised I would soon announce programs for 2008 applicants, and now I'm going to deliver. Drumroll....

I would like to invite all 2008 MBA applicants to sign up for the 2008 MBA Admissions Telethon on February 15 between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM PT (1:30 PM ET - 3:30 PM ET; 6:30 PM GMT - 8:30 PM GMT). What is the MBA Admissions Telethon?

Two hours when 3 MBA admissions experts will be available to answer your individual questions via telephone. Prior to calling in, you will receive a brief, 6-question questionnaire and submit it along with your resume to a designated email address. (No essays, please.) When you call in, your consultant will review the information you provide, and you will have 15 minutes to discuss with him or her your most pressing MBA admissions questions.

Oh, by the way, the 2008 MBA Admission Telethon is free.

You can learn more details and sign up at 2008 MBA Admissions Telethon.