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

JonFrank

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!

-- by 会员 sereinsun (2013/1/1 5:18:26)

Hey there!!
Happy new year to you dude!
2 days!!! oh no! I hope you get this message in time. I think that a Q and A can work pretty well for the "fun" personal essays, but my feeling is that for the career essay you should be really staying sober and professional. The MOST important thing here is NOT to be original, but that your goals make sense, that you be ambitious and realistic and logical all together, so I think you should keep it in standard essay format.


Hope this helps!!!



Jon Frank

G750

Hi Jon, do you think whether typos in the application would disqualify me automatically?

I checked everything before uploading but unfornately the online textbox didn't allow copy+paste, so I had to manually input the answers and made 3 typos. Did not spot them until after I submitted. Those are the answers to the online application questions, not the essay or resume.

I heard that the adcom are very sensative and strict about the typo as it shows the slopiness. Wonder if I would have an opportunity at all for these stupid mistakes.

Thanks!

JonFrank

Hi Jon, do you think whether typos in the application would disqualify me automatically?

I checked everything before uploading but unfornately the online textbox didn't allow copy+paste, so I had to manually input the answers and made 3 typos. Did not spot them until after I submitted. Those are the answers to the online application questions, not the essay or resume.

I heard that the adcom are very sensative and strict about the typo as it shows the slopiness. Wonder if I would have an opportunity at all for these stupid mistakes.

Thanks!

-- by 会员 G750 (2013/1/8 14:05:30)

Hey there!
Well, the thing is that the Adcom is not solo picky about one typo, but three can look like sloppiness, as you pointed out. But there's not really much to do about it now. It's not soooooo much of a big deal that you want to point it out, so let's just cross our fingers and hope.


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

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!

-- by 会员 sereinsun (2013/1/1 5:18:26)

Hey there!!
Happy new year to you dude!
2 days!!! oh no! I hope you get this message in time. I think that a Q and A can work pretty well for the "fun" personal essays, but my feeling is that for the career essay you should be really staying sober and professional. The MOST important thing here is NOT to be original, but that your goals make sense, that you be ambitious and realistic and logical all together, so I think you should keep it in standard essay format.


Hope this helps!!!



Jon Frank

-- by 会员 JonFrank (2013/1/8 13:54:35)

Oh gosh. i just saw this and submitted long time ago.

I actually also sent you an e-mail and Lauren from your team said it could be a good idea...

anyways

JonFrank

Question:

Oh no! I just got waitlisted. I’ve heard a bunch of advice about what TO do, but what should I absolutely NOT do?

Answer:

Yeah, the waitlist. It’s not a fun place to be. There’s stuff you’ll want to do – and can do – to improve your chances of getting bumped off the list and into the program. But there are also, as always, plenty of ways for you to screw it up. So, let’s dig in.

First and biggest thing you DON’T wanna do? Go against what they tell you to do. Again, they are judging your JUDGMENT. So if they say “Don’t talk to us,” do yourself a favor and don’t talk to them. Don’t go against their rules; follow ‘em at all costs. If they say, “Dont send us any more recs,” don’t do it. Follow directions. Wharton in particular is a stickler here. Do as they say, folks.

Second? Don’t reach out once a week, or more often than is polite. You know whole “How soon after a date can I call” thing? It’s kinda like that. It’s just annoying if you’re getting to be a pest. Rule of thumb is to reach out every 2-3 weeks at the most. There’s just not much you can do. And do yourself a favor: every time you reach out, try to come up with something COOL that you’ve done. Some kind of update, other than just, “Hey, how are you? Remember me? Good! So… like, HI!”

Third thing is all about striking a balance with the first two. Don’t forget about them and STOP keeping in touch altogether. Prove to them that you ARE interested. Play by the rules, but play the game. Keep ‘em updated – new LORs, all that stuff. Keep in touch, and do it by the rules. Again, play the game, and play to win.

Finally, go visit the campus if you can. Why the hell not? If you haven’t gone yet, what better way to say “I love you” than with a personal visit? Now, this doesn’t necessarily fit the “what NOT to do” bill, but maybe it’s part of the one above. “Don’t forget about them.” Show them you love them, of course. Just not overdoing it, overzealously.

–Jon Frank

JonFrank

Question:

So, I just found out that I got dinged in R1. Should I reapply in R3, or should I just wait to reapply next year?

Answer:

Yeah, this is the bit of the process that nobody reeeeeeally wants to think about. What do you do if you get dinged early on in the admissions cycle? Well, if this is one of your dream schools, the feeling like you want to reapply NOW will be all the more tempting. BUT…

No way should you reapply in the same year. Why? Well, the key to a good reapplication revolves around a single question: “How much have you improved since last time you applied?” Now, let’s get real. How much CAN you improve in two months? Three months, even? Not much, right? Right. So, go back for nine months and come up with some goooooood stuff.

You’re going to work yourself up an entirely new brand over the months. If you don’t CHANGE anything, then you’re the same dude that they dinged, so you have to change your approach. Remember, they’re also judging your judgment. How can someone with “good judgment” possibly argue that, after being dinged a month ago, they are a whole new brand now? A whooole new person, who has improved their app a LOT? Hahaha, no way. NO WAY!

At the very least, if you DO have to apply R3, do it at DIFFERENT schools. Not the same ones; that’d be a BIG waste of time. Pick two or three NEW schools for R3, like one dream, one match, and one safety school. Your “I’ve improved so much” speech will surely fall on deaf ears if you go back to the same schools, so open up fresh opportunities with new programs. Otherwise, step back up to the plate next year.

–Jon Frank

JonFrank

Question:

Well, I’ve heard back from most of my R1 apps, and I got waitlisted at my dream schools. But, I also got accepted into my safety schools. So, what do I do?

Answer:

Oooo, I LOVE this question. Believe it or not, this is the first time we’ve gotten this question from someone who isn’t a client! Time to do a bit of strategy…

What  should you do? Well, if you ask me (and you are), you go to the best school you can get into! You’ve got some (presumably) good schools that want you to attend right now, so put down your deposit at the best safety school you got into.  CONGRATS!  YOU’RE DONE!

Now, you can try to do better.  Send a note to your dream school and tell them the whoooole story.  ”Gosh, I got into all these great programs, like A, B, and C.  But I gotta tell ya, I’d rather go to YOUR school.”

Now, tell ‘em all the COOL stuff that you’ve done since you applied the first time. “This isn’t just me again, this is the ‘NEW AND IMPROVED’ me. And this is why you should take me off the waitlist and offer me a spot…”

Now, keep in touch with them, until the bitter end… that’s right, peeps, all the way to September 1.   “Yep, you remember me!  I’m enrolled now at School C because it’s a great school, but say the word and I can STILL come to your school.  Just say the word, and I guarantee I will go.  Not too late for me, no sir.”

What’s the key here? Use your offer as leverage.  ”See?  I am good enough for ALL these other great schools.  All I need now is YOU to let me in, you can COUNT on me! Put me in, Coach!” Believe it or not, those acceptances to your safety schools are part of your appeal. It’s just like the market: demand increases desirability. Demand for you is going up, so maybe your dream schools will take a second look at you and say, “Hey, this dude’s more badass than we originally thought!”

And, worse comes to worst, you’re STILL in one of your safety schools, so you’re not standing out in the cold with no place to go in the fall.

–Jon Frank

G750

Hi Jon, did you know anything about the requirement of Toefl listening score for a top 10 or top 5 school? I heard rumors that most top schools require minimum 26 for listening and I only scored 25... wanna make sure whether I need to retake to jump the bar. Thanks for the advice!

JonFrank

Hi Jon, did you know anything about the requirement of Toefl listening score for a top 10 or top 5 school? I heard rumors that most top schools require minimum 26 for listening and I only scored 25... wanna make sure whether I need to retake to jump the bar. Thanks for the advice!

-- by 会员 G750 (2013/2/5 11:21:32)

Basically there is no "hard cutoff" score for the sections at all, and one point here and there is not likely to make a difference, so I would say that if your overall TOEFL score is good, then congratulations, you are done with the TOEFL!

JonFrank

Question:

I am really into the idea of going into a European MBA program, but I want to work in the U.S. after that. Does going to a Euro b-school hurt my chances of getting a job in the States?

Answer:

Aw yeah, another great question, and a VERY important one to folks looking into the European MBA programs. They worry that people in the U.S. won’t have heard of their Euro program or won’t have as much cred in the market, even though their school might be the highest-ranked program on the globe. So, let’s discuss.

In all likelihood, going to a Euro b-school won’t HURT your chances, but that’s not really the issue here. What it does bring up is the wisdom of the plan itself. Except for some specific cases, it doesn’t make all that much sense to do your schooling on one continent when you want to work on another, at least in the cause of Europe to the States. Looking at INSEAD, for example, only about 10% of their graduates go to the U.S. to work afterwards. So, as you can see, it’s TOTALLY possible, but I don’t know if it makes much sense (unless maybe you got into a much better school in Europe).

Now, this will also depends on your background. If you are American, it’s likely going to be waaaay easier to return home and find a job. If you are not, on the other hand (especially if you’re not European, either), finding an employer and then getting a visa, etc. is likely to make things more difficult for your short- and long-term plans, which will also weigh heavy on the minds of the adcom at your prospective European programs.

Plus, there are the advantages of being in/around the countries where you’re going to work while you’re in b-school. First, it’ll be WAY easier to find a usable internship opportunity if you don’t have to go globetrotting to get there. Send, and perhaps more importantly, you’ll be on the ground meeting people and building your professional network. If only 10% of your fellow students plan on going to the States to do business after graduation, how much useful networking can you do with them? Now, if you’re going to the U.S. to do INTERNATIONAL business and want to have contacts abroad, the networking thing could still work out for you.

So, the answer to the question really depends on your short- and long-term goals, but taking this particular path won’t necessarily hurt you.

–Jon Frank