UPDATE- THE TIPS FOR STANFORD'S 2009 MBA APPLICATION ARE NOW ONLINE- Please Post Questions or Comments To The New Post-

Stanford GSB 2008 MBA Application Calendar

        Application Received By         Notification Date
One         22 October 2007             24 January 2008
Two         7 January 2008                     3 April 2008
Three     21 March 2008                 15 May 2008

My comments are in red. 

 Stanford 2008 MBA Essays

Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?

This has been Stanford's first question for the last several years, and it is one of the hardest, if not the hardest to answer. It demands introspection.  Before you put pen to paper or finger to keyboard, take time to think about what you value, how you have demonstrated those values, and why you hold them dear.

• Essay B: What are your career aspirations? How will your education at Stanford help you achieve them?
  As a Stanford MBA student, you will be assigned a team of advisors who will guide both your academic experience and your personal development. Your team will include a faculty advisor, a career counselor, and a leadership coach. Use Essay B to help you prepare for your first conversations with these mentors.

• Essay C: Answer 2 of the questions listed below.
  In answering both questions in Essay C, tell us not only what you did, but also how you did it. Tell us the outcome and describe how people responded. Describe only experiences that have occurred during the last three years. (emphasis added)
  
  1: Tell us about a time when you empowered others.

Empowering others is one aspect of leadership. It is clearly an important if not defining quality to Stanford (and Tuck, but that's for a different post.) So when have you empowered others either on the job, in a community service organization, on a sports team, a band...? The possibilities are broad and give you a opportunity to show a different aspect of your background and experience than you provided in A & B or than you will provide in your other C response.

2: Tell us about a time when you had a significant impact on a person, group or organization.

This question is almost identical to last year's C3, which asked "Tell us about a time when you had a significant effect on a group or individual." This year's question includes "organization" so it is slightly broader.

3: Tell us about a time when you tried to reach a goal or complete a task that was challenging, difficult, or frustrating.

Use this question to present a challenge you successfully handled. A PAR approach would work well here, as well as with the other C questions.

In their specificity these questions differ from the open-ended Stanford questions of  years past. and from A . Make sure that you answer all parts of the questions you choose to respond to.  In choosing your questions, select those that will allow you to write essays that complement Essays A & B. Obviously you also want to show throughout your essays the qualities that Stanford values: intellectual vitality, demonstrated leadership potential, and the initiative and individualism that permeates the entire Stanford admissions site.

Essay Length & Format

Your answers for all 3 essay questions cannot exceed 7 pages in total, double spaced using a 12-point font.

Each of you has your own story to tell, so be sure you allocate these 7 pages among the essays in the way that is most effective for you.

We provide some guidelines below as a starting point, but you should feel comfortable to write as much or little as you like on any question, as long as you do not exceed 7 pages total.

• Essay A: 3 pages
• Essay B: 2 pages
• Essay C: 1 page each

Required Formatting

• Use a 12-point font, double spaced
• Indicate which essay question you are answering at the beginning of each essay.
• Number all pages
• Preview each uploaded document to ensure that the formatting is true to the original
• Save a copy of your essays

This year's Stanford's essay have two new questions and also a slightly different format. Stanford provides suggested length for each essay and requires 12-point font and double-spacing for all essays. However it firmly requests that the total for your 3 essays not to exceed 7 pages. This firm limit marks a change for Stanford. In years past, applicants could write up to 14 pages and stay within Stanford's guidelines. Last years, Stanford suggested that 7-11 pages would be sufficient, but allowed those with more to express to say it. This year, honor that limit.

At the same time take advantage of Stanford's flexibility within that limit to tell your story to maximum effect, just as Stanford suggestions. 

For one-on-one guidance through the Stanford application, process please check out Accepted.com's Stanford Application Package or our other MBA essay editing and admissions consulting assistance. Through July 31 Accepted.com is offering an Early Bird Special to MBA applicants: 10% off all essay services. You can start early and save money.

For more tips on writing the Stanford essays, please consider the ebook, MBA BlastOff  by Maxx Duffy and me.

 

I have likened choosing schools based on rankings to decision making after a lobotomy. You should base your choice of  schools on self-reflection and careful research.

Furthermore, many of you (particularly MBA and med students) will need to justify your interest in a given program in your essays and interviews. In addition to providing a necessary foundation for an important and expensive decision, your research will allow you to answer the "Why this School?" question, whether posed in an interview, essay, or both.

I was surfing the blogosphere this evening and came across a post by MBA or Bust on Informational Interviews. MBA or Bust really gets it. He (or she?)  is methodically using these months to prepare for and take the GMAT, research the programs, and visit the schools. I was most impressed, however, with his use of networking to obtain informational interviews and the inside scoop on the programs that he is applying to. Way to go! MBA or Bust can use these insights when answering the Why this School? question.

Informational interviews have other uses in the admissions process too.  If you want to have a clearer sense of what you want to do with the degree -- and many of you should want a clearer idea because you are really very foggy on what comes next -- informational interviews can help you enormously. Just as MBA or Bust is networking with MBA students and alumni, you can network with  those in the positions you aspire to and set up informational interviews. Ask them how they got there. How do they like their work? What is a typical day? What do they like and dislike about their job? What do they wish they would have done differently? What do they wish they would have studied?

In addition to providing you with valuable data and reasons for your critical career and educational choices, informational interviews and the networking that precedes them can lead to internships and jobs. 

But such offers are a bonus. The information itself will add to the insights you acquire from Web sites, books, and school visits to enable you to make informed, intelligent educational and professional decisions.

UPDATE- THE TIPS FOR INSEAD'S 2009 MBA APPLICATION ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE. PLEASE POST QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE NEW BLOG POST.

INSEAD Deadlines for September 2008 Intake

                    App Deadline        Interview Decision    Decision Notification

Round 1        Oct. 3, 2007            Nov. 9, 2007           Dec. 21, 2007

Round 2        Dec. 5, 2007            Jan. 18, 2008        Feb. 29, 2008

Round 3         Feb. 6, 2008           Mar. 21, 2008          Apr. 30, 2008

 Round 4        Apr. 3, 2008            May 7, 2008               June 20, 2008

INSEAD Essay Questions

The questions are the same as last year's and my comments (in red) are virtually the same. 

Each essay topic listed below and in the subsequent pages must be answered.

1. Give a candid description of yourself, stressing the personal characteristics you feel to be your strengths and weaknesses and the main factors, which have influenced your personal development, giving examples when necessary. (400 words approx.)

For a question like this I recommend two strengths and one weakness. If you can choose one anecdote that reveals both the strengths and the weakness, you will have a strong essay.  Don't forget to discuss how these qualities influenced your personal development.

A word on weaknesses. Be honest without going overboard. Don't make up a phony weakness. I attended an HBS info session last year. One of the alumni said that he discussed a "phony weakness" in his essays (required for HBS that year) and his interviewer focused right on it, and basically said, "Come on. What's a real weakness?" He had to get real in a hurry. Take advantage of the essays: Give it some thought and respond with the benefit of that reflection.. For more information, please see "Flaws Make You Real."

2. Describe what you believe to be your two most substantial accomplishments to date, explaining why you view them as such. (400 words approx.)

Try to take accomplishments from different arenas of your life. (But don't go back to high school and earlier to do so.) The accomplishments should show impact, contribution, and for INSEAD at least one should have a multi-cultural flavor.

3. Describe a situation taken from school, business, civil or military life, where you did not meet your personal objectives, and discuss briefly the effect. (250 words approx.)

In choosing the situation, here's a case when you can go back in time a little -- let's say 2-5 years. You can illustrate how you learned from this situation and were able to meet similar objectives next time around.

4. Discuss your career goals. What skills do you expect to gain from studying at INSEAD and how will they contribute to your professional career. (500 words approx.)

This is a forward-looking career goals question. Use the past to set context for your future and show that your goals are anchored in experience. Then explain how INSEAD with its intense, one-year, general management program and strong international focus will help you achieve your goals.

5. Please choose one of the following two essay topics:

a) Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you? (250 words approx.), or

b) What would you say to a foreigner moving to your home country? (250 words approx.)

These two have been part of the INSEAD repertoire for several years. Choose the one that is easiest for you to answer and allows you to bring out a facet of your experience not found in the other essays.  

6. Is there anything that you have not mentioned in the above essays that you would like the Admissions Committee to know? (200 words approx.) This essay is optional.

Take advantage of the optional essay to give them one more reason to admit you. DON'T use it for a grand summary, a restatement of your other essays, or something similarly boring, superficial, and repetitive. A tight, focused essay highlighting something you haven't yet discussed.

Re-application

7. In case of reapplication, please use this page. Your essay should state any new aspects of professional, international, academic, or personal development since your last application. We would also like you to explain your motivation for re-applying to INSEAD. This essay should not exceed 400 words.

Until recently, INSEAD did not consider reapplications. The key question: How are you better this year than last? What has changed to make you more worthy of the fat envelope?

If you would like help with your INSEAD MBA application, please consider Accepted's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a INSEAD Comprehensive Package, which includes essay editing, interview coaching, consultation, and a resume edit for the INSEAD MBA application.

The transcript from the Michigan Medical admissions chat with Robert Ruiz is now online. An few excerpts:

Linda Abraham (Jun 13, 2007 7:01:46 PM)
Which is more important in the admissions process: the MCAT or the GPA?

RobertRuizMichigan (Jun 13, 2007 7:02:32 PM)
Linda--At Michigan we consider, in this order: MCAT, Science GPA, Overall GPA, Clinical Experience and then....all other aspects of the applicant

ashleyj (Jun 13, 2007 7:12:35 PM)
Can you give us a sense of what your thought process is when you are evaluating applications? What are you looking for? What really makes someone stand out?

RobertRuizMichigan (Jun 13, 2007 7:14:13 PM)
ashley: We are looking first for academic competence (MCAT, SGPA. OGPA) then professional competence/knowledge of medicine as a career (clinical experience/exposure) and then all else. We are looking for the "leaders and best" . Rather than the approach of what we are looking for I would say: What are you offering to bring to our community of medical education?

dilettante (Jun 13, 2007 7:22:48 PM)
I don't know if this was asked before, but...what are the main errors many applicants make in the medical school app process?

RobertRuizMichigan (Jun 13, 2007 7:23:54 PM)
dilettante: Most common error: Trying to "cover all the bases/check all the boxes" and do a little of everything (i.e. research, service, volunteer, etc.) We'd rather you did one or two things really, really, really, well.

tilia (Jun 13, 2007 7:24:08 PM)
What is it that you like to read in a personal statement?

RobertRuizMichigan (Jun 13, 2007 7:25:14 PM)
tilia--I like to read something about what "drives" you, what excites you, what you as a person are about and how this translates to medicine. I don't want to read a summary of what you've done or that you've always wanted to help people since you were two...etc.

I have provided more excerpts than usual because the participants asked good questions and Robert Ruiz did an exceptional job of presenting succinct, candid, informative answers about Michigan Medical's admissions process. However, because of Mr. Ruiz' candor, I really recommend this chat to any and every medical school applicant.

In the words of one participant who posted to SDN after the chat, "That was awesome!"

UPDATE: The Tips For Harvard's 2009 Application Are Now Online- Please Post Questions or Comments On The New Post.

Harvard released this morning the essay questions for its 2008 MBA application. Let the season begin!

HBS 2008 Deadlines

                      Deadline               Notification Date
Round 1     October 2, 2007     January 16, 2008
Round 2     January 3, 2008     March 26, 2008
Round 3     March 12, 2008     May 14, 2008

As I have done for the last several years, I will post the essay questions from the top business schools along with tips for responding to them.

This year's Harvard questions represent a mix of old and new. The structure is new. The first two are required for all applicants. The last 3 provide you with a choice of six questions and you choose 3  to respond to. Choose the three that allow you to show the greatest breadth of leadership, initiative, and accomplishment.  Last year's six required essays have been reduced to five, unless you are applying to a joint degree program, in which case you have an additional essay to write.

Significantly two of the new questions relate to working in a world where business is global. Although I can imagine scenarios where it would be inappropriate for an individual applicant to answer either of those questions, if you have any international exposure I encourage you to answer at least one of those questions.

Keep in mind that as you draft your essays, even as you respond to Harvard's obvious emphasis on leadership,  you want each essay to disclose a different facet of your background, experience, and interests... of you.  Your application mission is to write  so that each individual essay compellingly answers the given question and when combined with the other essays and information found on your application adds to the portrait of  you as an up-and-coming leader and star.

My comments on the questions will appear in red.

HBS 2008 Essay Questions

1.What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

This is practically Harvard's signature question. It has been around for years and it goes to the heart of Harvard's values. It wants highly accomplished students entering its program. It wants leaders.

At least one and probably two of the three accomplishments should show leadership and/or teamwork, with the emphasis being on leadership. I also like to have this essay show some breadth. My ideal would be to have one professional, one community, and one personal accomplishment in this essay, but that breakdown is neither set in stone nor imperative.

2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)

New question. People of initiative err. They must learn from those mistakes to be effective leaders. 

A friend this week went to her daughter's graduation and quoted the valedictory address,  "In school you learn lessons and then take tests. In life, you have tests and then learn lessons." If you view  your mistakes as experiments, lessons, or tests, you can grow and make sure you don't repeat them. Show HBS through this essay that you are the kind of person who learns from your mistakes.

Again, try to have this question show you making your mistake, preferably in a leadership capacity, and applying those lessons in a sphere of your life not covered by the examples in essay 1 or (ideally) the other essays. In the best HBS applications, each essay uncovers a different facet of the applicant and his or her experience. Together they paint an entire portrait of a dynamic, talented leader with initiative and exceptional ability.

3. Please respond to three of the following (400-word limit each)

1. Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses?

Last year's #3.  A version of this question for many years was HBS' first question.

Anecdotally and briefly describe the leadership experience showing the impact you had as a leader. Explain how it highlights both your strengths and weaknesses as a leader. In defining your leadership style, you should strive to show how it has influenced you in later situations. In those you also want to reveal how you have built on your leadership strengths and mitigated your weakness. That's a lot to do in a 400-word limit. You must write succinctly.

2. How have you experienced culture shock?

A new question for HBS, but a standard at INSEAD. It reflects the growing importance of international business and the need for HBS students and graduates to have experience working with different cultures. When have you, either outside your home country or in your own country, dealt with someone from a different culture and been surprised by their behavior, but realized that it is perfectly normal for their culture? How did you adapt? How did you bridge the gap and successfully complete whatever you had set out to accomplish? What did you learn? 

3. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?

This question was introduced two years ago. At the time, I thought it was going to produce monotonous, boring essays, but it didn't. To my pleasant surprise, I reviewed several HBS #1 essays as part of our quality control program, and they were revealing, excellent essays.

This question reflects Harvard's interest in early career applicants and really gives them a chance to shine. This essay represents HBS' attempt to see patterns over time.  What you choose to include here will obviously vary depending on your experience and the rest of your application, but my ideal answer will discuss  a leadership experience from your undergrad career to show that you are a natural leader with a history of leadership. Remember: HBS wants to develop leaders, not create them.

4. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?

Also a repeat from last year.  And a lot to squeeze into 400 words. This question is as close to a classic goals question as Harvard comes this year. But it's a little different from the typical "What do you want to do and why do you want to do it?" The interesting twist to Harvard's question is "career vision." With Harvard's focus on strategy, Harvard is asking you to develop your career strategy and discuss its importance to you. But don't leave your answer on an entirely theoretical plane. Bring it down to earth with your plan for implementing that vision. In other words writing that you seek "a career leading an innovative enterprise, providing work-life balance, and allowing me the opportunity to contribute to my community" sounds great. But it will also sound a lot like other people's visions. You need to have some idea of how to achieve that vision, define it more narrowly, and explain why it resonates with you.

5. What global issue is most important to you and why?

This broad question is a bit of a trap. If you say that Issue X is the most important issue to you and you have done nothing to advocate for your position, you are hurting your chances of admission. You can be for or against a wide variety of global concerns, but you want to portray yourself as a person of action and initiative. If you declare Issue X as the most important one to you, be prepared to discuss what you have done in connection with that issue.

Keep in mind this sentence from HBS' web site, "While our students' lives and experiences vary greatly, they all share a demonstrated capacity for leadership and a desire to effect positive change. " [Emphasis added.] If you declare Issue X to be the most important global issue to you, how have you demonstrated a desire to effect positive change in regards to that issue?

6. What else would you like the MBA Admissions Board to understand about you?

This essay is a great place to highlight  a side of you or experience not discussed elsewhere in the application. This wild card question is a gift to you from the kindly folks serving on the HBS adcom so you can show another area in which you shine. And yes, if you can demonstrate leadership, do so. Do not waste it on a summary or closing sales pitch.

If you would like help with your Harvard MBA application, please consider Accepted's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a Harvard MBA Comprehensive Package, which includes essay editing, interview coaching, consultation, and a resume edit for the Harvard MBA application.  All are 10% off through July 31, 2007.

Other resources to help you with your HBS MBA application:

• The Consultant`s Guide to MBA Admission, an ebook by Cindy Tokumitsu and me with a focus on Harvard.
  
• MBA BlastOff: 45 Terrific Tips to Launch Your MBA Application to Acceptance, an ebook by Maxx Duffy and me with tips for H/S/W.