Briefing of 30 Top Business Schools

eeyupyup

INSEAD

Spanning two continents and with a major presence on a third, INSEAD is making strides toward its goal of being recognized as the preeminent international MBA. The one-year general management program operates on campuses in France and Singapore and maintains an alliance with the Wharton School. Given its goal, INSEAD is in search of applicants who bring significant international exposure, academic excellence, and a solid professional background to the table.

The curriculum itself is general management in nature and lasts for 10 1/2 months. There are two different start dates, one which begins in September and another which begins in January. After receiving admittance into INSEAD, students may state their preference for either the Fontainebleau or Singapore campus. In either case, the program structure is the same and students have opportunities to visit the campus to which they are not assigned. The curriculum is divided into five eight-week periods and calls for students to take 15 required courses and a minimum of seven electives. Electives consist of advanced topics in Finance, Accounting, General Management, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, International Business, Ethics, and Running Family Businesses. Members of the January intake participate in a summer internship between periods three and four.

As far as international diversity goes, you would be hard-pressed to find another business school that rivals INSEAD. No one nationality represents more than 10 percent of the student body and less than half come from Western countries, meaning that the "international student" concept is essentially nonexistent. Students are quick to acknowledge this level of diversity as a differentiating factor, as the learning model gives credence to multiple approaches without showing bias to any. INSEAD also demonstrates its commitment to a global mindset through language requirements. Students must be proficient in at least two languages by matriculation and three by graduation. To establish fit, you should incorporate an international perspective in both your background and in your future goals. The admissions committee will closely evaluate your ability to have an impact on global business, so make sure that your story is not entirely nation-centric.

INSEAD views itself as an academic business institution. This is revealed through the large amount of general research that the school produces in addition to the writing of specific cases. Based on this perspective, INSEAD conducts a thorough assessment of your academic background. Specifically, the admissions committee will look at the reputation of your alma mater(s), your performance in the classroom, and your ability to handle quantitatively rigorous courses. If you don't have a numbers-intensive background or have not fared well in such classes, consider taking a statistics or finance course at a community college.

Due in-part to the abbreviated duration of the program, INSEAD tends to accept applicants with at least several of years work experience (more than 45 percent have more than five years). The school believes that students with more professional experience are better able to adapt to the one-year curriculum and leverage it in their career development. Indeed, INSEAD takes career development very seriously, as each student is matched up with a mentor to assist with the process. The school even has teleconferencing equipment readily available so that students can interview with firms who are unable to make the trip to campus. Your challenge is to present your professional experiences in a way that highlights your success in the workplace and your ability to contribute to the classroom. Despite INSEAD’s tendency to accept more experienced applicants, you may still want to consider applying if you are younger, as the school does accept a small number of less-experienced applicants each year. (about 15 percent of students have two years or less). If you fall into this category, it is even more important that you emphasize the maturity dimension and discuss an array of experiences that are academic, professional, and personal in nature.

Teamwork is an essential part of the INSEAD learning model. The school's strength in diversity would be pointless if there was no cross-cultural learning involved. As such, students are assigned to study groups of five to seven in order to heighten the learning experience. Groups are diverse across multiple dimensions including: nationality, professional experience, gender, age, and education. Team members work closely together on class assignments and in some cases even exams. Any cross-cultural team-based experiences that you can discuss will go a long way in establishing fit with the INSEAD mission.

While INSEAD has won international acclaim for its advances in business education, it is not resting on its laurels. INSEAD is actively seeking to expand the size of its program, especially the Singapore campus, and there are even discussions of establishing an entirely new campus. INSEAD has room to expand its program in part due to its high yield (approx. 80 percent), which should allow for more opportunities among applicants. With expansion on the way, potential applicants should consider INSEAD even if they are not linguistic geniuses. If you have a true desire to pursue a global career and are willing to put in work to develop your foreign language abilities, then INSEAD might be the business school for you.

lgravity

eeyupyup老大又回来拉，等的好心急啊。

有london business school的介绍吗？本来只有北美的学校，但看到insead，估计欧洲的学校也有。

LBS关注的人不多啊？

eeyupyup

LBS

Looking for a truly international MBA experience? Most other business schools' international immersion claims pale in comparison to what London Business School (LBS) offers. Incoming students can expect that 80-85 percent of their classmates will hail from countries outside of the UK. That representation tallies up to more than 70 nations in total. Combine that with a language proficiency requirement that calls for students to have a reasonable fluency in at least two languages (including English) and exchange programs with 30 business schools abroad, and you have the makings of an environment that encourages a fluid multicultural dialogue. Indeed, "becoming an international citizen" is one of four themes that LBS's program expresses. The admissions committee will be looking closely to see what type of international citizen you will be, so be prepared to discuss your international and cross-cultural experiences. You can expect a good portion of your interview to be dedicated to this subject.

In addition to demonstrating that you have the ability to be an international citizen, you should also make sure to display fit with the other three LBS learning themes: becoming a leader, becoming an independent thinker, and making things happen. These themes should not be viewed in disparate silos, but rather as intertwined objectives. LBS views leadership in three different ways: being competent and confident across a wide range of functions, being creative and flexible in your leadership style, and achieving results. Think of professional and personal examples that display these leadership characteristics and try to integrate as many of them as you can into your essays.

One of the ways that LBS believes your leadership abilities will be enhanced during the MBA program is through team opportunities. Immediately after beginning the program you will be assigned to a study group of six to seven classmates, in which you will tackle a multitude of group assignments. The emphasis on teamwork is so strong that these group projects are worth approximately 50 percent of students' overall first year grade. In addition to participating in a study group there is an expectation that students will also play leading roles in at least one of LBS's 50 club opportunities. In sum, these experiences allow students to enhance the three LBS leadership characteristics, while cultivating their team skills. To show your willingness to get involved, you might want to pick a couple club opportunities that interest you and mention them in your essays.

Becoming an independent thinker highlights LBS's desire to develop not only business leaders, but also to a certain extent, thought leaders. This is underscored by the fact that LBS is one of the only business schools that has its faculty conduct a majority of interviews. Given this type of interview, it is to your advantage to acquaint yourself even more than usual with the curriculum. LBS is also one of the few business schools that values recommendations that are written bv professors. The interactive LBS learning model benefits most when students have a high regard for the classroom dynamic and for academic preparation. Discussing your view of academics and how it has played a role in your outlook is a great way to display your stance as an “independent thinker.” Ultimately, LBS expects its students to take that academic theories learned in the classroom and “make things happen.”

The "making things happen" theme, a mixture of innovation and implementation, is often expressed through entrepreneurial ventures. The combination of the Foundation for Entrepreneurial Management, Sussex Place Investment Management, and the Gavron Business Centre serve as a business incubator and a capital fund from which students can access valuable capital and resources. Students can also opt to participate in the school's Entrepreneurship Summer School, which allows participants to develop and test business plans through their early stages. At the end of the experience, students present the results of feasibility studies to expert panels for feedback. Participants are then encouraged to further hone their business plans throughout their second year. If you have entrepreneurial ambitions, make sure to bring it out in your application.

One of the centerpieces of the LBS learning model is its Shadowing Project. As part of the project, first-year students are assigned to a manager for a week and are required to observe that manager's approach to leadership, challenges, and colleague interaction. At the end of the week, students record their observations and reflect on the implications those observations have on their professional development. This reflective nature is something that LBS looks closely for in its applicants; the thought being that reflection produces maturity. Indeed, the LBS learning model suggests that the four themes cannot be achieved without reflection. It is therefore imperative that you demonstrate a thoughtful nature in discussing your past experiences. Describing personal discoveries that you gathered from activities and events is a good way to do so.

lgravity

非常感谢！

vickiyan

wennier

好同志

岂一个谢字可表

申请顺利!!!!!

eeyupyup

Darden

Upon visiting Darden, you will be immediately struck by three traits: the stunning campus, the dynamic classroom interactions, and the academic discipline. Each of these traits is rooted in closely-guarded tradition. While many business schools have changed their models over time to keep up with the latest fads, Darden has remained true to the ideals that have kept its students highly regarded as general managers. Your application should clearly display your fit with the Darden philosophy.

The central tenets of the Darden philosophy are based upon the close-knit feel of the school and the respect among students and faculty. Every weekday morning "First Coffee" is held, during which the Darden community sits down and discusses topics that are pertinent to the school. Students consistently rave about the bonds that are formed throughout their years at Darden, and the alumni are among the most committed to their alma mater. Indeed Darden has the highest endowment per alum of any of any business school. Although the class size is growing, the small school feeling remains. If you intend to get accepted, you should indicate your desire to become a member of this community, and provide examples of how you have and would be a contributing alum. A visit to the Darden campus and classroom is a great way to show commitment to the school; just make sure to mention the visit in your application.

The case study method still remains the major pedagogical tool through which the Darden learning model is taught. Professors select students through cold calls to initiate case analysis and then invite the entire class to participate in the dialogue. Students are placed in the role of the decision maker and must have the ability to articulate and defend their positions in an insightful manner. Your ability to contribute to case conversations will most likely be tested during your Darden interview. The interviewer will be evaluating your ability to provide cogent responses, your confidence level, and your professionalism. Your challenge is to position yourself as a candidate who can play both the student and the teacher roles within the case study framework. It should be noted, however, that while Darden is a case study school at heart, it has added other educational devices to its toolbox such as: video cases, articles, simulations, and experiential activities.

While the cases place you in the role of an individual decision-maker, case preparation is conducted in student learning teams. As a student, you would be placed in a learning team immediately after starting the Darden program. Teams are expected to meet every night, so discussing your ability to interact well with others should be an important piece of your application.

Darden expects its graduates to be leaders in their fields, but it also understands that leadership is learned through a path of progression. Make sure your essays show a progression in leadership and your recommendations highlight your potential to continue growing as a leader.

Darden is also well known for its strong emphasis on ethics. All students are required to take a course on the subject and ethical challenges often arise in cases through out the rest of the curriculum. The Olsson Center for Applied Ethics supports Darden's continued examination of the ethical aspects of business. Don't be surprised if a question on ethics comes up during your interview.

Darden is one of the few schools that doesn't impose word limits on its essays. This is nice because of the added flexibility. However, that added flexibility can also lead some applicants to go overboard, writing essays that quickly lose their focus and clarity. It is therefore extra important for you to ensure that your essays answer the stated questions and do so in a powerful and thoughtful manner. Make sure that your essays are segmented using headers and that any background information provided is only given to support your position. Even though the essays have no limit, admissions members certainly have limited patience.

While some modifications have been made to the Darden learning model to curb excessive work, the academic experience remains intense. Although students don’t take exams on Saturdays, as in the past, the Darden experience is anything but a two year vacation. Perhaps for no other school is the analogy to drinking from firehose more appropriate. There are no days off at Darden, as students spend more time in the classroom than at any other top business school and conquer 13 cases a week on average. Students are expected to enter the program with a background in statistics, economics, and accounting. The benefit from such a rigorous learning model is that graduates truly feel that they’ve received value in return for their efforts. The intensity pays off in preparation. Focus on this benefit and your ability to succeed within the parameters of the learning model, and you will be on your way to establishing a good fit with the Darden tradition.

eeyupyup

Broad School

Over the last few years, Broad (rhymes with "road") has expanded its brand be yond "regional MBA" status. This expansion can be attributed to a quick rise in the bschool rankings and Broad's strength in practical specializations. Students can select from four primary specializations (Supply Chain Management, Marketing Technology, Human Resource Management, and Finance). The Supply Chain Management (SCM) specialization has especially helped place Broad on the map. SCM, which focuses on manufacturing operations, logistics, and purchasing, continues to draw recruiters from across the nation that are looking to optimize their product and information flows. Students may supplement these areas of focus with secondary specializations, which include: Business Information Systems, Corporate Accounting, General Management, and Leadership & Change Management. Referencing your specialization interests and explaining how a background in those areas could support vour career goals should he key components of your application strategy.

Another large asset of the program is its career services function. Broad’s career services group has made extensive efforts to attract a bevy of innovative companies to campus. As a result, Broad students now enjoy an average rate of job offers that is commensurate to or greater than that of other top programs. Some of the major recruiters include: Intel, Gemini Ernst & Young, IBM, Ford, and A.T. Kearney. You should take note that there is relatively little investment bank presence on campus. Along those lines, make sure that your career goals align well with Broad's strengths.

Broad students rave about the school's small size and the access to professors. They enjoy the intimate environment and the close relationships that are developed within the program. Unlike most other b-school programs, chances are that you will leave Broad knowing all of your classmates' names.

Over the last few years Broad has begun to make a name for itself through case competitions. Held around the globe, case competitions allow teams of three to six students to display their analytical, public speaking, and persuasion skills. Broad actively encourages students to participate in these competitions and assists in students preparation for them. The results speak for themselves, as Broad students have come away with high placements in a number of these competitions. If you have any interest in participating in case competitions, bring them up as a great discussion point.

Broad's application is fairly compact in comparison to the applications of other top programs. With two short essays, the Broad application makes it more difficult for candidates to differentiate themselves from each other. As such, it is important that your baseline statistics (GMAT and GPA) are close to those of the current MBA class. This importance has been compounded as Broad looks to improve its baseline statistics in order to continue its movement up the rankings. Therefore, you should utilize the optional essay to address weaknesses in baseline statistics that are five percent below the means.

Overall, Broad is looking for bright candidates who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty while working to solve managerial issues. If you can position yourself as such and hit the mark in terms of GMAT and GPA, your application will resonate positively with the admissions committee.

A few years ago, Broad grads received criticism for their lack of teamwork capabilities. The Broad administration was quick to react and has made strong efforts to introduce team building exercises into the learning model. Today, a large portion of class assignments are completed in teams. From the moment orientation begins, students are placed on project teams and students' skills are continuously enhanced through team building workshops and activities. As part of the core curriculum, students are required to take the course Leadership & Teamwork. This course provides students with an experiential learning opportunity through which they can work in teams under different simulated conditions. The bottom line is that you should present yourself to the admissions committee as a team player who is open to further examination of your team skills.

wwqqdd

很精彩！！

谢谢啦...

Lucky0506

Anything about:

Cornell or Emory?

Many thanks!