Ask Jason@沃顿 (closed)

walksnow

Hi Jason, one of my friends will have an on-campus interview next week. Is it possible for her to have a mock interview with you anytime on Monday or Tuesday and get some feedback? I know you will be busy since next week is the final exam week. So it completely understandable if you don't have time for it.

cannedpineapple

Hi walksnow,

Do you mean Mon/Tues on campus or over the phone? Anyway have her contact me directly, and we'll see if our schedules match.

leticiaxut

Hi Jason! Many thanks for your detailed answers and sharing. I do agree with you.It´s more important to consider whether the program fits my goals and my own fit with the program than to simply think of whether my ¨backgrounds¨ fit the program. 

Actually through my experience of helping foreign companies to plan or implement their development strategies in China and to approch potential local partners, I´ve found many frustrated experiences of foreign investors are derived from the lack of understanding or misunderstanding on the local people/culture/legal enviornment/market. The same happens to the local companies when they are looking for foreign investors or expanding their business abroad. Actually what I want to do in the future is to help both of them know a foreign market/culture/people,find the proper development strategies and implement the strategies in a most efficient way.So in short term my goal is to work as consultant and in long term I would like to start up my own consulting business.

I think Lauder program is the most ideal platform which could prepare me for reaching my career goals.Because it not only provides regular&systematic training but also enhances multiculture understanding and a lot more...

Well,I think I've said too much about myself and hope won't make you bothered again

Here come my questions:
1.What do you think are the most important criterias for Lauder Program Admission? Especially compared with criterias for regular MBA.
2.If I wanna go back to China to start my career as consultant after MBA although my application language group is Spanish, does it sound logical to the admission committee? If not, what would you suggest to make it sound more logical?
3.In what areas are Lauder Alum usually engaged in?

I sincerely appreciate your time and patience again. Look forward to hearing from you.

walksnow

以下是引用jelt2359在2009-2-27 11:29:00的发言：
Hi walksnow,

Do you mean Mon/Tues on campus or over the phone? Anyway have her contact me directly, and we'll see if our schedules match.

Jason, thank you so much! She will visit Wharton campus on Monday and Tuesday. So if possible any time on these two days works for her. I dropped you a messege. Thanks again!

mbadreamer12

Jason, sorry to jump in when there are so many questions waiting for you. Would you please help with the following questions?

1. You mentioned earlier that interview is just another data point of the whole application package, then how will the Adcom make decisions among interviewed candidates? Do they revisit the whole package again?

2. How is an interview evaluated? Is what you answer or the way you present yourself more important? 

3. What is an interview report like? Will the interviewer put on general comments like "I recommend/don't recommend this candidate" etc.?

chiyuanl

Hi Jason!

Thanks so much and this is a fantastic initiative! I just wrote you mail but i htink posting here will also benefit others:

1) How to bext maximize campus visit, in addition to the regular class visit/lunch with student? Especially for WLer.

2) Do you suggest schedule for a meeting with ADcom director?

 I will visit Wharton on 19th. Hope I will see you again there!

Thanks! 

cannedpineapple

leticiaxut>
1.What do you think are the most important criterias for Lauder Program
Admission? Especially compared with criterias for regular MBA.
The criteria is exactly the same, save for the language component.

2.If
I wanna go back to China to start my career as consultant after MBA
although my application language group is Spanish, does it sound
logical to the admission committee? If not, what would you suggest to
make it sound more logical?
It sounds logical to me if you want to work with Spanish speakers in China. That being said, again I would suggest that you just focus on communicating your genuine goals. Otherwise, when you're spending an extra 6 hrs a week on classes, more on homework, and paying extra to top it off, you may start questioning why you applied for Lauder if you don't really think it fits your goals.

3.In what areas are Lauder Alum usually engaged in?
All sorts of stuff. There is no 'usual' engagement. In the same stroke, there is no 'usual' Wharton student- people do stuff from international development, education, general management, entrepreneurship, to PE/VC/IB/Consulting/Sales and Trading. Lauder alum perhaps are more likely to be found outside of either their home country or the US, that's all.


mbadreamer12>
1. You mentioned earlier that interview is just another data point
of the whole application package, then how will the Adcom make
decisions among interviewed candidates? Do they revisit the whole
package again?
Yes.

2. How is an interview evaluated? Is what you answer or the way you present yourself more important?
Both are important. Seriously. If you communicate with passion and dedication and sincerity, that will be noted. If you have well thought-out and genuine answers, that too is noticeable. On the flipside the best answers can't save you from a 'rehearsed', unfriendly delivery, nor can a perfect delivery save you from content that is 答非所问。

3.
What is an interview report like? Will the interviewer put on general
comments like "I recommend/don't recommend this candidate" etc.?
Considering that you would just have met your interviewer for 30 mins, "I recommend/don't recommend" is not useful nor credible. Instead what is useful is, "how does this guy communicate? Is he passionate about his goals?" and so on. Unlike a job interview, where the interviewer is typically very important and can make the hiring decision, here it is merely a piece of information- it is simply not useful nor neccessary in the MBA context. Incidentally, for the same reason, recommendations from CEOs that say "I recommend" without any other substantial are not useful either- which recommendation letter doesn't say I recommend? Instead, what adcom is looking for are evidence of your leadership, maturity, competency, etc.

chiyuanl> Sorry I didn't get back to you yet. But thanks for posting here, it does benefit others!
1) How to bext maximize campus visit, in addition to the regular class visit/lunch with student? Especially for WLer.
The key would be to get meaningful interactions with people who will then feel motivated to advocate on your behalf. This may not be easy given 1) the timing 2) not everyone is comfortable putting their reputations on the line for someone they may have just met. But then again that's the exact kind of challenge that a Wharton student should presumably thrive on

2) Do you suggest schedule for a meeting with ADcom director?
No. As I mentioned, even if it's an interview, it is just another datapoint (ie he/she won't and can't walk in and say, let's take this guy now!) and besides, this could just as much hurt as help you depending on what you do/say.

Having said that, Wharton's instructions are explicit in that they want you to not do anything because they are already swamped. Say each adcom has 8 hours a day, subtracting an hour for lunch, and then another 2 hours for the time taken to write good reports. That's 5 hours to interview- say each takes 30 minutes, that means they can conduct at most 10 a day. Now think about how many applicants are interviewing in R2, and you'll realise that 10 a day for them is very few- which is why they need second year students to interview as well. So picture this.. you come along, knowing full well that WLers are not supposed to take up resources that they are using for R2 candidates, and also fully understanding you're not supposed to provide
additional info, even if there is really additional info to be given-
since this is seen as conferring an unfair advantage on you. Nonetheless, you know all this and still insist that you think it's a good idea they give up one of those 10 slots for you, although you've already had your slot in R1... I can easily see how this can be seen as overly aggressive, and indicative of you not being a team player.

But those are just my own thoughts Good luck!

isabelgan

Jas, you r sooo popular! I envy u haha.

vickiyan

Good job, Jason! 

chiyuanl

Thanks Jason! anyway i will visit the school just to make up my mind between W and the other school....yeah, i may not do much aggressive stuff as u mentioned but just get more understanding abt the school =)

Let's see of you have time to catch up!

THANKS!!!