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

JonFrank

Question:

How important is my GMAT score when applying to MBA programs?

Answer:

There’s no really “clean” answer to this question, but we like a challenge around these parts, so let’s see if we can give you a pretty good idea.

When b-schools are looking to admit new students, they only have so many ways that they can try to compare candidates to one another to determine who’s the best fit for their program. Now, just because two candidates are coming in with undergrad business degrees and three years of business experience doesn’t mean that you can compare them directly and get a good sense of how they match up. Undergraduate degrees are not created equal (a BA from Harvard and a BA from Hicksville College are NOT the same thing), and even comparing two different people’s “business” experiences can be tricky, depending on what kind of business they were in and what amount and type of leadership experience they gained.

So, what else can an adcom look at to try and compare candidates “side-by-side?” The simple answer is the GMAT. The GMAT is the equalizer, a single test that EVERY MBA applicant can prepare for and take, making it the “fairest” way to take Candidate A and compare him to Candidate B. Now, is the GMAT a perfect way of showing how much you know about management? Of course not. Some (like the guys over there trying to get you to take the GRE) might even say it doesn’t prove anything about someone’s ability to manage. But it doesn’t matter – at the end of the day, if you want to get into business school, you gotta take the GMAT.

Which brings us back to the question: how important is your GMAT score in the application process? Short answer: pretty damn important. The GMAT is kind of like the “first impression” the adcom gets of you before reading your essays, resume, etc. And you know what they say about first impressions… you only get one.

Sure, a low GMAT score can be explained with an essay… because almost ANYTHING can be fixed with a great essay. But, the GMAT is way more important than your undergrad GPA. It really shows the adcom that you’ve got what it takes to handle the workload coming your way in b-school. That you’ve got the chops to take on all that quant work, etc.

So what does that mean for you? Well, if you’ve already taken it and are finding that your score doesn’t measure up to the schools you’d like to apply to, do some test prep (study guides, practice tests, formal prep classes) and retake it. Don’t let one bad day of test taking limit your chances of getting into the best b-school you can. We know TONS of people who have taken the test 2, 3 even 6 times! So give yourself another shot to do better. Besides all that extra time lost to studying (again), you have nothing to lose.

And if you don’t have time to re-take it? Should you forge ahead anyway and apply to a school if your GMAT is lower than their minimum or average? Of course. The GMAT isn’t the end-all, be-all, friends. If there are OTHER parts of your app that are fantastic (great work experience, compelling essays, amazing recommendations, etc) that will make the adcom forget about that GMAT score for a minute, well, that can be a very good thing.

Hope that helps.
Good luck out there,

– Jon Frank

dreamercm

Hi, Jon. Waiting for the decision is uneasy. Could you give some advice about what should I do during this phase?

Should I keep in touch with admission member to show my commitment? Do what kind of additional things chould improve my chance? Or waiting in silence is the best?

Thank you!

piscalab

Hi Jon,

I just graduated from LBS with a masters in finance and not until now when I began to realize I would like to switch careers and probably location as well. Would it be harder to persuade ADcom in my case? Or should I just don't mention I have a masters  at all in my CV? I did graduate from a top 2 school in China.  My work experience is 6 years and GMAT 710 kind of low, but still will try to apply for a few schools this year just to try my luck.

JonFrank

[quote]
Hi, Jon. Waiting for the decision is uneasy. Could you give some advice about what should I do during this phase?

Should I keep in touch with admission member to show my commitment? Do what kind of additional things chould improve my chance? Or waiting in silence is the best?

Thank you!

-- by 会员 dreamercm (2012/12/18 14:25:48)t

Hello there,

I know this is a very very tough moment! Probably checking your inbox every five minutes, right? J
Well, at this point, you’ve pretty much done everything you can, and you just gotta give the schools the chance to give you your answer! So just sit tight and wait for their answer. Contacting them won’t add anything to your application. (maybe if you got some HUGE improvement, like a promotion, you could contact them to tell them about that)

I really hope you get some good answers back from those schools!


JonFrank

JonFrank

Hi Jon,

I just graduated from LBS with a masters in finance and not until now when I began to realize I would like to switch careers and probably location as well. Would it be harder to persuade ADcom in my case? Or should I just don't mention I have a masters  at all in my CV? I did graduate from a top 2 school in China.  My work experience is 6 years and GMAT 710 kind of low, but still will try to apply for a few schools this year just to try my luck.

-- by 会员 piscalab (2012/12/18 14:44:23)

Hey there,

Thanks for dropping us a line… but I’m not 100% sure I understood the question. You just graduted from LBS with an MSF?? Super!!! Now which adcom do you need to persuade? Are you saying you now want to apply to an MBA? It’s no problem to do a MSF and then an MBA (although it’s better if you work a year or two between). If you can clarify me your question, I’ll be happy to help you further, good sir…


JonFrank

JonFrank

Hi Jon,

I just graduated from LBS with a masters in finance and not until now when I began to realize I would like to switch careers and probably location as well. Would it be harder to persuade ADcom in my case? Or should I just don't mention I have a masters  at all in my CV? I did graduate from a top 2 school in China.  My work experience is 6 years and GMAT 710 kind of low, but still will try to apply for a few schools this year just to try my luck.

-- by 会员 piscalab (2012/12/18 14:44:23)

Hey there,

Thanks for dropping us a line… but I’m not 100% sure I understood the question. You just graduted from LBS with an MSF?? Super!!! Now which adcom do you need to persuade? Are you saying you now want to apply to an MBA? It’s no problem to do a MSF and then an MBA (although it’s better if you work a year or two between). If you can clarify me your question, I’ll be happy to help you further, good sir…


JonFrank

JonFrank

If English is your second language, the variety of tenses can turn expressing a simple idea into a series of not-so-obvious choices. You can save yourself a LOT of trouble in an essay, however, by sticking to the active voice.

In the active voice, the subject ACTS:

I called a meeting.
Thomas decided on a start time.
Veronica discussed time management.
In these active-tense sentences the subject (I, Thomas, Veronica) are performing the actions. Let’s contrast that to passive versions of the same sentences:

A meeting was called. (by me)
A start time was decided by Thomas.
Time management was discussed by Veronica.
So what’s the difference? The active sentences are SHORTER, PUNCHIER and CLEARER about who’s performing the action. The passive sentences are LONGER, INDIRECT and the person performing the action is unclear or isn’t mentioned. That’s bad news for applications with tight word limits and where the focus needs to be on YOU – the subject performing the actions.

Sentences in the active voice are more energetic and engaging than the passive voice, so use it whenever possible! They’re also shorter, which can mean the difference between hitting your word count and going over. Though applicants occasionally write in the passive voice in an attempt to sound more formal, this strategy simply dilutes your message with unnecessary words; a critical mistake.

So how can you limit your use of the passive voice?

Look for the word “was” in your sentences – that’s a sign of the passive voice. (The meeting was called…) Be careful, however – “was” is not ALWAYS a sign of the passive voice. (I was writing a report when…)
Look for the word “by” – It’s another telltale sign of the passive voice. (The meeting was called by…)
Keep it simple and direct: Don’t try to impress your reader with flowery language. By sticking to simple structures (subject, verb, object) you’ll communicate your message with minimal interference.
So remember:

Use the active voice for shorter, punchier and direct sentences.
Avoid the passive voice: it bogs down your writing with unnecessary words.
Be on the lookout for “was” and “by.”

Jon Frank

sereinsun

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sereinsun

Hello Jon,

Happy new year!

I know this is very last minute but would really appreciate your opinion on my approach to Kellogg's Essay 3.

I am submitting my application in Round 2 which is coming up in 2 days. I have finished my essays but am still not happy with them. So now I'm considering an overhaul of my essay 3 (I know its very last minute). Essentially, I am thinking about taking all the information that's in my current essay into a exit interview format (Q&A).

Do you think I am crazy for thinking about it now? Do you think the adcom will appreciate this creativity or is this a risky move that will make them think I'm immature/gimmicky/opportunistic?  

I personally think it is a good idea (especially I work in PR and writing Q&A is part of my job, so I'm secretly hoping this would show some characteristics) , but really would appreciate your response!

Thanks much in advance!

sereinsun

Sorry here is the prompt for your easy reference:

Imagine yourself at your Kellogg graduation. What career will you be preparing to enter, and how have the MBA and Kellogg helped you get there? (Please answer in terms of your program choice: One-Year, Two-Year, MMM, JD-MBA)