The document provides information about creating a long-term MBA admissions plan. It discusses the current MBA admissions climate, creating a 12-month plan, and services provided by the admissions consulting firm mbaMission. The document outlines specific steps applicants can take over the next year to prepare their applications, including taking the GMAT, strengthening their academic profiles, gaining leadership experience, visiting schools, and applying during the first two application rounds. It emphasizes creating a detailed long-term plan to manage all aspects of the application process.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
Creating Your Long Term MBA Plan
1. Creating Your Long Term MBA Plan
Jeremy Shinewald
Founder/President, mbaMission
Be sure to visit mbaMission new Facebook Page at
www.facebook.com/mbaMission. For every 10 people who “like”
our page, until we reach 500 “likes”, we will randomly select one
person to receive a copy of our Long Term Planning Guide.
March 22, 2011
2. Table of Contents
1. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
2. Creating My Long Term Plan: No Time Like the
Present
3. Creating My Long Term Plan: My 12 Month
Calendar
4. mbaMission/Q&A
4. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
A Bubble Builds “Easy, Easy…”
2007–2008 Application Year 2008–2009 Application Year
Application Volume Application Volume
HBS: 15% Increase HBS: 24% R1 Increase, down 5% overall
Tuck: 15% Increase MIT: Record Volume, Decrease in R2
Wharton: 20% Increase Tuck: Application Volume is Flat
MIT: 30% Increase Cornell: Decrease of 14%; Ross R2 Down
Mortgage Crisis Mortgage Crisis
Applicants Seeking “Shelter” • Cautious Applicants
Internationals Increasing Internationals Decreasing
Increase in Indian/Chinese Apps. Difficulty Obtaining Loans
European Applicants
Aging of Baby Boomers Aging of Baby Boomers
Need for “Replacement” Talent Boomers Are Not Going Anywhere
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5. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
The Bubble Slowly Deflates
2009–2010 Application Year
Mixed Reports on Application Volumes
NYT Reports on a “flattening out” and “slow down”
Difficult employment climate for MBAs/Challenging to get loans
2010–2011 Application Year
Opportunity Knocks
Easier to get in/easier to find jobs
2011–2012 Application Year
Looking Up?
Job picture is not robust, but improving
Banks are back on campus
Consulting firms never left campus
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7. Creating My Long Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
■ Under-graduate ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in All
Grades/ Essays, Resumes, Interview, Essays Essays and Components of
Academic Rigor Recommendations and Recommendations Application
and Interview Recommendations ■ Class Visits and
■ GMAT Scores Networking
► Professional
Trajectory
► Community and
Volunteer Activities
► Personal
Accomplishments/
Experiences
► Career Ambitions
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8. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Prepare for the GMAT
Enroll in a Class Now!
Nine-Week Class + Four Weeks of Study = May 30th(?) Test
May Need to Take the GMAT Two or Three Times
The Crucial Question: What Should My Target Score Be?
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9. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Bolster Your Academic Profile
Enroll in a Winter/Spring Course
Recover from Poor Academic Performance
Establish Academic Competencies
New York: NYU, Baruch, Fordham, Rutgers, Pace
Calculus, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Accounting
The Crucial Question: What Constitutes a Good GPA?
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10. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Engage in Community/Leadership Activities
Community Service: Why?
Community Service Is Not a “Sentence”
It Is Not Too Late: 7 Months of Impact
The Crucial Question: Do I Have Enough Leadership Experience?
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11. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Advance Personal Goals
An Aspect of the Process that Is Fully in Your Control
Unique Opportunity to “Own” Your Story
Take advantage of existing opportunities
CFA
Marathon
Publication
Travel/Languages
The Crucial Question: Is This Even Relevant?
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12. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Get to Know Your Target Programs
Reputation/Prestige Rankings vs. Reality
Location Urban Campus vs. College Town
Class Size Intimacy vs. Anonymity
Teaching Method Lecture vs. Case
Core Curriculum Mandatory Core vs. Flexibility
Recruiting Target Firms Come to Campus?
Specializations Marketing, Finance, International?
Alumni Base Size, Depth, Loyalty?
Facilities Modern vs. Antiquated
Professors Teaching vs. Research
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13. Creating My Long-Term Plan
What Are My Next Steps? Academic
Abilities
Leadership
Experience
and Potential
Interpersonal
Skills
Diversity/
International
Experience
Mutual “Fit”
with Target
Program
Get to Know Your Target Programs
Reputation: Business Week #1 Reputation: Business Week #14
Location: Chicago (3rd in USA) Location: Hanover (“college town”)
Class Size: 550 per class Class Size: 240 per class
Teaching Method: Flexible Teaching Method: Case Emphasis
Core Curriculum: No Core Core Curriculum: First Yr. (1 Elective)
Recruiting/Specialization: Recruiting/Specialization: Consulting
Finance Only? Only?
Alumni: 42,000 Alumni: Less than 10,000
Facilities: Harper Center (2004) Facilities: Upgrade in 2008
Professors: Research/Teaching Professors: Teaching/Research
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14. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
What Are My Next Steps? Abilities
Experience
and Potential
Skills
International
Experience
with Target
Program
Get to Know Your Target Programs:
Preliminary Steps:
Admissions Blogs
mbaMission Blog
mbaMission Insider’s Guides
Chat Boards
Q&A Sessions
The Extra Mile:
Visit Campuses NOW
Meet with Alumni
Meet with Current Students
The Crucial Question: Fit, Really?
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16. Creating My Long Term Plan
March (Now!)
Start your GMAT Studies
Visit a Target School (or Two or Three)
Start to Advance Comm./Personal Objectives
Pursue Firm Sponsorship
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17. Creating My Long Term Plan
April
Meet with Alumni and Students
Assess Recommenders & Connect w/ “Old” Recommenders
Visit a Target School and Narrow Choices
Complete Informational Interviews
Prepare Your Resume
May
Take the GMAT (Hopefully Once!)
Define Target Schools
Start a Summer Course
Brainstorm and Start Writing Essays
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18. Creating My Long Term Plan
June
GMAT Again?
Do Well on those Midterms
Continue Writing Those Essays
July
GMAT One Last Time?
Meet with Recommenders
August
Complete Coursework
Follow-Up With Recommenders
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19. Creating My Long Term Plan
September
Polish Essays and Seek Feedback
Harangue Recommenders
October
Submit Round One Applications
Visit Remaining Target Schools
Take a Deep Breath
November
Plan Interviews
Evaluate Progress and Consider New Target Schools
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20. Creating My Long Term Plan
December
Polish Essays and Seek Feedback
Interview with Target Schools
January
Submit Round Two Applications
Enjoy Acceptances
Plan Interviews
Waitlist Letters
February
Visa/Scholarships/Reassess Targets?
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21. Creating My Long-Term Plan
“What Is This Session Really About?”
Present to August 2011 (4+ Months!) Aug. 2011 – Jan. 2012
Take a GMAT Class and the GMAT ► Apply to Business School
Bolster your Academic Profile ► Apply to Business School
Engage in Community Activities ► Apply to Business School
Advance Personal Goals ► Apply to Business School
Visit Campuses ► Apply to Business School
Meet with Alumni/Current Students ► Apply to Business School
Connect with and Evaluate Recommenders ► Apply to Business School
Prepare Your Resume ► Apply to Business School
Conduct Informational Interviews or Job-Shadow ► Apply to Business School
Firm Sponsorship? ► Apply to Business School
Prepare Responses to Short-Answer Sections ► Wait for Decisions
Time Management!
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23. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
About mbaMission
Elite Communicators
Unique MBA Experience
Not a Website, a Firm – Our Team is Front and Center
External Validation, Not Arbitrary Success Rates
Already Working for You
Admissions Experience
Complete Start to Finish Package
Blog/Events/Book
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24. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
We will guide you through our “Complete Start to Finish Process”:
Candidate assessment, application strategy and program selection
Brainstorming and selection of essay topics
Outlining and essay structuring
Unlimited essay editing
Letter of recommendation advice
Resume construction and review
Interview preparation, mock interviews and feedback
Post-acceptance and scholarship counseling
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25. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Akiba Smith-Francis, Senior Consultant
Harvard College, Harvard Business School, Kennedy School of
Government
McKinsey & Co.
Board of Directors, Cool Kids Learn and Smith Leadership Academy
Publications: Moxy Magazine
Monica Carpenter-Okrah, Senior Consultant
Harvard Business School
J.P. Morgan
Co-Author, “65 Successful Harvard Business School Application
Essays,” St. Martins Press, 2004
Chief Marketing Officer, HBS Alumni Club of Charlotte (700+ members)
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26. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Lynn Moloney, Senior Consultant
Harvard Business School
Managing Editor at Inc. and Fast Company
Editorial Department at Vanity Fair
Started a marketing consulting firm
Jessica Shklar, Senior Consultant
Harvard College, Harvard Business School (Distinction)
Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Quality Leader and a Senior Vice
President for Chase Home Finance
Extensive Internal and External Corporate Publications
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27. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Every candidate has a unique story to tell.
We have the creative experience
to help you tell yours.
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28. Upcoming GMAT courses with Manhattan GMAT
Upcoming Live Online 9-Session Prep Courses
Live Online Spring D 2011
Tuesdays, March 22 – May 17 9:00 pm – 12:00 am EDT
Live Online Spring F 2011
Tuesdays, March 29 – May 24 10:30 am – 1:30 pm EDT
Live Online Spring G 2011
Saturdays, April 2 – June 4 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT
In Person 9-Session Prep Courses
Offered in: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Austin,
Dallas, Houston, Montreal, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Toronto, St. Louis , London, Paris, and Miami
Visit www.manhattangmat.com to see full schedules
or sign up for a free trial session
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29. Contact mbaMission
www.mbamission.com
Jeremy Shinewald
info@mbamission.com
Free Consultation:
www.mbamission.com/consult.php
www.facebook.com/mbaMission Follow @mbaMission on Twitter
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