Ask Jon Frank- P69-Q&A:WHY MBA? 7 OVERLOOKED REASONS TO GET AN MBA

JonFrank

As you read this, thousands – yes, literally THOUSANDS – of people are frantically submitting applications to top MBA programs across the globe. Many of them are investment bankers, consultants, general managers, marketing guys… you know, the “typical” MBA applicants. They’ll have a bunch of experience in their field, probably some great leadership stories, and a clear plan for where they’re going with their career. For them, this process (while definitely not easy) is certainly EASIER than it will be for you…
Yes, you. You’re the non-traditional bschool applicant. Maybe you’re a doctor looking at a career change. Maybe you’re an IT guy interested in non-profit. Maybe you’re a mango farmer sick of picking fruit, but you’ve been running the family business for a few years. The point is that you don’t “fit the mold.” You’re coming from a different angle.
The simple fact is that this can be either an advantage or a disadvantage, all depending on how you approach it. Even the mango farmer has MBA-relevant skills: leadership, management experience, teamwork, even problem solving. At the same time, chances are you’ll be short on “finance” experience that those private equity people will have TONS of in their applications. So, what can you do?
Well, the good news is, while you may be non-traditional… you’re not the only one. There are plenty of other people out there getting worried about their background just like you. It’s something we see around these parts all the time. [We happen to love the non-traditional applicant. You’re exciting. You’re different. You’re… a fun challenge.]
Bottom line: there are lots of resources out there for you to forage. And here are a few to get you going:
Applications from Smaller Countries http://admissionado.com/mba/resources/tuesday-qa-applicants-smaller-countries/
Non-Traditional MBA Candidates http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2012/07/18/non-traditional-mba-candidates-how-to-get-accepted
Students With Non-Traditional Backgrounds http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/student-life/nontraditional-backgrounds.cfm


In case these great articles don’t give you enough – or, more to the point, you’re looking for more in-depth analysis from an expert – you can check out our webinar, “Non-Traditional Backgrounds and the MBA Application.” Our overcoming-a-non-traditional-background guru Mandy Tang (who went from working in the fashion closet at a top fashion magazine to an MBA from CBS) will be covering all of the best strategies for you non-traditional MBA candidates.
The one-hour webinar is at 9:00PM EST on Thursday, October 18th. We still have some slots left, so be sure to register now.


Jon Frank

JonFrank

Question:

I live and work in China and am applying to US MBA programs. Do I have to make a campus visit during the application process?

Answer:

We here at Admissionado get this question much more regularly than you may think. Folks from China, India, and other countries who might have never stepped foot on American soil and are spending weeks toiling through the long and challenging bschool application process are nervous about having to spend valuable money and time crossing an ocean or two to spend a couple of days at a school they might not end up getting accepted to. We get the anxiety and confusion, but we’re here to tell you… yes, you should make a campus visit.

Why? Well, let’s get real here for a minute. We hear many people say how they can’t afford to make the trip to a few campuses in the US. You’re thinking of spending many thousands of dollars on a two-year degree program in the hopes of advancing your career, boosting your income, and maybe starting your own business. You’re spending hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars on APPLYING to these programs. If you’re already laying this much cash on the line, why not spend a little more to make sure you do it right?

Setting cost issues aside, just think about it. You’re planning on moving to a country you may have never visited before and spending two years of your life studying, networking, working, socializing, and just outright LIVING in a new place. Don’t you think going there to figure out if it’s even the right fit for you is a good idea? Maybe the climate isn’t your taste. Maybe you get the wrong vibe from the campus community. But it goes beyond that. When writing those app essays or have that MBA interview and they want to know how you will “fit” with the school and the program, having actually set foot on campus and talking to students, staff, and even professors will give you a MUCH better sense of how you belong.

At the end of the day, it’s a small investment and expenditure to really maximize your bschool experience. If you absolutely CAN’T do it, then reach out “virtually” to the campus, talking by phone or online to campus representatives, alumni, current students, and faculty. But if you can do it, you should do it.

– Jon Frank

JonFrank

Everyone’s been talking about the big shakeup at Wharton. Along with a 10-15 minute one-on-one interview session for each candidate, the majority of the admissions interview is now covered in a 45-minute team-based discussion. The adcom is looking at it as, “an opportunity to interact with fellow applicants in a lively and thoughtful discussion about an important, real-world business issue.” Wharton wants to see not just your general business insight and knowledge, but wants to see how you’ll work in the team setting, which is a BIG deal at U Penn.

At this point, you’re probably saying to yourself, “How do I prepare for THIS?” Well, we’re here to help out. We’re breaking down the interview premises and offering up sharp insight into how to be the dude who actually NAILS it, instead of the guy who THINKS he did… and doesn’t get accepted.

The team-based discussion is built around the idea that you’re answering two questions to the Dean and Vice Deans at Wharton, and the fact that they’re teeing up the questions you should be trying to answer tells you something. They’re not looking for tangential discussions of business theory or for you to show off how much you know about the future of green tech in Saudi Arabia. This is still an interview, so they are looking to learn about YOU. Let’s take each question individually…

1. The Wharton School is committed to supporting our stakeholders as they acquire and refine the knowledge and skills they need to be successful professionally. As potential Wharton students, what is one key business skill that you think post-business school professionals must have in order to be successful, long-term, in their career?

Kind of like the accomplishments essay, think of this in terms of looking for your greatest hits. Generate a list of, oh, about 5-7 AWESOME skills. Then ready the “coolest” ones… the least obvious ones. For example, some guy is gonna say, “You must have a global sense, of course, in this ever-increasing globalized world!” and will be TOTALLY convinced that he just aced it. Boooooooooring.

There are responses here that have more nuance, more surprise… more “wow” to them. Look long and hard into your “key business skills” that you think lead to long-term success. If you come up with a business skill that you can’t demonstrate that you actually HAVE, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Maybe you’ve got an eye for talent? Maybe the ability to manage failure? Look for things will not only surprise the adcom, but will get them thinking about you in a “real” way, like “Wow, this dude’s got an eye for the future that I didn’t see coming…”

2. The Wharton School’s mission is to enhance economic and social good around the world by turning knowledge into action and impact. What is the most important societal challenge that could be addressed more effectively by the business community today?

Now, is this the world’s most skillfully worded question? Not at all. The way it’s worded, answering which is the most important societal challenge would suffice. Obviously, that’s not all they’re REALLY looking for here. So, what’s the key here?

Someone, and it should be you, who makes a clear argument about how a business approach (in general, not even specifically) would be more effective in solving problem X than traditional approaches. We’re looking for the applicant who put his finger on some aspect of why the business community as opposed to someone else (government, for example) could mount a more robust solution. Define the “societal challenge” and then pitch a business approach that would be more effective than whatever’s happening today.

Generally, the name of the game is positivity. The applicants should always AGREE with one another. “Yes and…” should be your response, even if in fact your comment is quite different. Never disagree, then you can bury someone in a way that’s SUPER respectful. Also, the idea that “a comment” can have two parts is a surefire way to sound smart. Don’t just talk for 20 seconds to make one point… make TWO points in 45 seconds. That’s an easy way to seem thoughtful in a pinch.

Lastly, I would not want to “lead off” in this scenario. Rather than make it sound like you are delivering the info that you have prepared, make it seem like you are interacting. Even if the guy before you said nothing like what you had prepared, the only REAL thinking on your feet should be in making it SEEM like you’re thinking on your feet. Don’t just deliver your information, make it seem like the guy before you INSPIRED you. They say to only prepare for an hour. So…make it seem like you’re doing it as you go. Even if the guy before you plays right into your hand, you might say something like, “Yeah, you know I think that’s a really good point. Just thinking about it now, you know it’s almost like this…” So it seems like you’re inspired by THAT guy. Making HIM smarter, but in fact, you’re just delivering the info that YOU had prepared. Just…cleverly.

Just remember, when you’re seeking your moments to shine in these team-based discussions, be careful not to get ahead by stepping on the other guy. They’re looking for cooperation in the spirit of their classroom environment, and they’re not looking for cutthroats in that arena. Now you’re ready to hit the ground running when Wharton calls up about that interview. For more tips, check out our five things to know about Wharton as well as interview tips from our consultants.

Jon Frank

RitzCarlton

Hi Jon,

I‘m working on Emory's essays and have little clue for this essay topic:
Describe your leadership style and give an example of how you will use that style to make an impact on Goizueta Business School as a student or alumnus. Please limit your response to 300 words.

I guess it's very very easy to go generic and empty for 'leadership style' type of question.
'how you will use that style to make an impact on Goizueta Business School as a student or alumnus' - since it uses a future tense, does it mean that we should write about what we gonna do or what contributions we gonna make while at the school and afterwards? - kinda like 'what contributions you can make for xxx school community'?  then what kind of example fits this question, do you think?

Your reply is deeply appreciated!

JonFrank

Hey there! Good questions you have here… And you are right that you have to totally NOT go generic, but be SPECIFIC. The best place to start is a specific story of yours. What I would ask myself is “What is my greatest leadership experience” and then I would write my whole essay about that experience, because it would help me promote my candidacy the best. Once you have your specific leadership story with your specific leadership achievement, then you draw on those specifics to draw a conclusion. For example let’s say that your specific people has you leading three international teams, maybe your specific strength would be “international leader” and you could show how you would use that to contribute to the school.

Hope this helps!

Jon Frank

JonFrank

Question:

Is international experience more important to European or U.S. b-schools?

Answer:

With so many people from across the globe scrambling to get into both U.S. and European b-schools this time of year, I’m really glad you asked this question. When it comes to MBA programs, all of the best programs expect you to come in with some level of work experience, preferably a few years in which you climbed the corporate ladder and got some great leadership experience along the way.

Now, some people will come in with TONS of international experience, because they were working for a multinational corporation or an import/export company that dealt with international clients on a daily basis. Other applicants, however, might have worked for a domestic finance company or a local manufacturer, and have gotten no usable international experience. So, who’s got the upper hand at HBS, and does that dude have the same advantage at LBS?

To be fair, international experience is a positive at both U.S. and European MBA schools, but when you look at the track records and concentrations of each, you find that international experience is a MUCH bigger deal in Euro b-schools. Why, you may ask? Well, for a few reasons…

First, European b-schools are just fundamentally international. European countries have smaller populations and are closer together, so the student bodies the carry tend to be much more internationally diverse. The vast majority of U.S. MBA students are Americans, while the general demographics in European schools are WAY more varied. Euro programs, both by default and necessity, are more culturally and professionally “international,” so having international experience is a big plus.

In the same way, the European markets tend to be much more intertwined than the domestic U.S. markets, so the schools place much more importance on the idea of doing business “globally.” Most of the Euro MBA grads end up working somewhere other than the U.S., so international experience is a BIG deal to European b-schools insofar that they want you to be prepared to do business where you’ll most likely get a job. You’ll be expected to work “across countries” much more frequently working in Europe, so the European MBA programs get you ready for it.

The takeaway here shouldn’t be that international experience is ONLY important to Euro b-schools – far from it. But when it comes to the advantage, gotta lean towards the European programs… it’s just essential there.

– Jon Frank

JonFrank

While the application requirements for every MBA program are different, the MBA interviews are not. No matter where you go or who you speak to, there’s not much variation in the questions they’ll ask and the responses they’re hoping for. And after spending countless hours writing and editing and re-writing all those essays, that’s a very, very good thing.

Less work for you, right?

So how does one ace an MBA interview, wow the interviewer and guarantee admission into their dream MBA program? Well, to start….

1) Think about your BEST stories. The greatest hits, if you will. Know them inside out, and be able to tell them. Get comfortable to the point where if someone asks you a question with unusual wording, you can quickly adapt your story to accommodate. The only way people get tripped up in interviews is when they are ”stumped” by questions.

The guy says, for example, “describe a time when you did X and Y,” and you cant think of an instance! That’s bad. You don’t want that. Ever.

Come to the table with 3-4 amazing stories. Stories that work no matter what. Stories that, if you need to, you can tailor them to fit the need. You will NEVER be stumped, because you have these great, cool, leadership-oriented stories ready to go. You will tweak them all by 15% or so, to answer whatever questions come your way.

Go into the interview with the stories that YOU will tell–no matter what he asks you. Rehearse them, tell them in different ways, know them backwards and forwards. Don’t MEMORIZE them, of course; you need to get into a conversation, not deliver a programmed response. That’ll just encourage them to TRY to throw you off guard. It (and every aspect of the interview) has to come naturally; the goal of repetition and rehearsal is to make you SO comfortable with these stories that you should be able to ad-lib and tell it in different ways.

2) Get them talking. Adcom folks (especially at places like HBS, Wharton, etc) are notoriously… type A. Self-centered. Get the person talking about himself. The more he/she talks, the better he will feel about the interview. Remember, b-school (and perhaps business in general?) is about hanging out with people, building trust, drinking beers. Get this person talking, enter into a dialogue, make it….normal. Jon Frank, PE’s founder, tells the story that the best interview he ever gave was when he lost his voice with a cold and could barely speak. So he listened. And the interviewer loved him.

Don’t talk too much–you just increase the chances that you’ll say something he/she doesn’t like.

3) Know every stitch of your resume. Some folks will scrutinize the thing and ask you ridiculous questions. Some will ask you walk them through your resume. Just know it cold. Shouldn’t be hard, after all… that thing is a version of your greatest hits. But be familiar with any specific numbers in there in case you get a nit-picker.

4) Know your backup plans. Don’t just have a plan B, have a plan C. and D, etc etc. Show these cats that you are gonna succeed no matter what.

“What if you don’t get into b-school?”

“Well, my people love me at work, I will go back and kick ass, take on as many new projects as I can to beef up this and that, I’ll do this and that to boost xx yy and zz, and reapply next year.”

“What if you don’t get that job at McKinsey?”

“Well, McKinsey’s ideal for this and that reason, but there are a bunch of excellent firms where i can get tremendous experience like x y and z. The important point is for me to xxx and yyy. If the job market is unseasonably bad, that’s okay; I can learn xxx by doing THIS instead. One way or another, I’ll keep myself on track to do XXX and YYY in a few years.”

Just show them that you’ve thought everything through, that you’re not depending on 1 thing to create magical opportunities.

5) Practice, practice, practice. In front of a mirror. Record yourself. Get comfortable with your answers. Practice will help you eliminate oohs and uhs, and nervous laughter or weird conversational ticks. Get your answers down to 2-3 minutes or so. Know them in your sleep.

And…that’s it.  You master these 5 things and you’ve mastered the MBA interview. For every single interview. At every single school.

Jon Frank

yiyi00

Hi Jon, your guide in interview is excellent. I've been interviewed by 4 mba schools till now. I deeply felt what you had said was really really...important and helpful for me!

darkdoug

Hey Frank, I have some questions about writing the "Why MBA?" or "career goal" essay, the most important and essential essay for all the schools. Sometimes the career goal essay is divided into 2-3 sub-questions which are required to be answered respectively. Let's take the Emory's question for example:

"Complete each of the following questions. Please limit your response to 150 words each.
-Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this time?
-What are your short term post MBA goals?
-What are your long term professional aspirations? "

Since the 2nd and 3rd question are very clearly defined, it seems that I have to provide all the other related information into the first question, including: 1.my career summary, 2.why MBA?, 3.why now? and 4. why this school? Due to 150 words limit, it is a mission impossible. So the question is: should I mention all these information more or less? OR should I just focus to answer exactly what is asked: why mba? and why now?

Another question about career goal essay is should  I write in a story-telling style? In other kinds of essays such as achievements or failures, it is natural to write a vivid story to show yourself. But I think career goal essays are different. The point here is to tell what you have (a,b,c...) , what you want (x,y,z...) and explain the reasons for that.  So you have to mention many points and organize them properly to make it logical and reasonable. Moreover in the Emory case, the word limit makes it even difficult to tell a story. Am I right about that?

Many thanks as always.

JonFrank

Hey Frank, I have some questions about writing the "Why MBA?" or "career goal" essay, the most important and essential essay for all the schools. Sometimes the career goal essay is divided into 2-3 sub-questions which are required to be answered respectively. Let's take the Emory's question for example:

"Complete each of the following questions. Please limit your response to 150 words each.
-Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this time?
-What are your short term post MBA goals?
-What are your long term professional aspirations? "

Since the 2nd and 3rd question are very clearly defined, it seems that I have to provide all the other related information into the first question, including: 1.my career summary, 2.why MBA?, 3.why now? and 4. why this school? Due to 150 words limit, it is a mission impossible. So the question is: should I mention all these information more or less? OR should I just focus to answer exactly what is asked: why mba? and why now?

Another question about career goal essay is should  I write in a story-telling style? In other kinds of essays such as achievements or failures, it is natural to write a vivid story to show yourself. But I think career goal essays are different. The point here is to tell what you have (a,b,c...) , what you want (x,y,z...) and explain the reasons for that.  So you have to mention many points and organize them properly to make it logical and reasonable. Moreover in the Emory case, the word limit makes it even difficult to tell a story. Am I right about that?

Many thanks as always.

-- by 会员 darkdoug (2012/11/29 16:14:38)

Hey there, great questions!
Well, first of all, when approaching an essay question, you only ever need to answer what is asked. And anything that isn’t asked you can skip. So in the example you gave me, for the first question you only need to answer: 1. Why MBA 2. Why now. No need to get into why our school or your career
history, because it isn’t asked. And this is true for all schools and all questions – always answer what is asked!


In general, you are right that writing essays in story form is often far more effective. However, in this case, the nature of the question is such that you will probably write them out as simple answers to questions. In fact, since the question doesn’t really ask you anything about your career history, you don’t really need to have stories at all… although you should think about how your goals fit into the “big picture” that you are presenting the Adcom.



Hope this help and goooood luck


Jon Frank