Thursday, June 22, 2017

Top MBA Schools breaking the $200K Total Cost Barrier

  • Stanford University is the costliest of all U.S. elite MBA programs at more than $225,000. 
  • The average percentage increase at those top 15 schools between 2016 and 2017: just under 7%. 
  • The median price tag of the degree at a Top 25 school is $185,747, up big from about $171,000 last year, which itself was an increase from about $168,000 the year before.

Schools with a total program cost of over $200,000
  1. New York University’s Stern School of Business, 
  2. University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School,
  3. Columbia Business School.
  4. Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business
  5. University of Chicago Booth School of Business
  6. MIT’s Sloan School of Management
  7. Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. 
Schools with a total program cost of over $180,000 
  1. UCLA’s Anderson School of Management
  2. Yale University’s School of Management
  3. Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
  4. University of California-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business
  5. University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. 


Scholarships
At Stanford, the average yearly scholarship grant is about $35,000. At Harvard Business School, scholarship support to MBA students hit an unprecedented $34 million in 2016, up from $32 million a year earlier. In 2016, UC-Berkeley spread $5.8 million in scholarship money to its relatively small class of about 250 MBAs.

Income boost
According to new figures from the Graduate Management Admission Council, projected median base starting salary for recent MBA grads in the U.S. is $110,000, up from $105,000 in 2016 and an incredible 83% premium over recent bachelor’s-degree holders who can expect to receive a median starting salary of $60,000 in 2017.

Stanford GSB boasts about the $140,553 average salary and the $136,000 median for the Class of 2016; UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, the costliest public-school MBA program in the U.S., promises a 137% increase in salary six to eight years after graduation.

Rising Costs
- UCLA’s Anderson School cost rose 13.6% from $170,982 last year to $194,220
- Wharton up 9% to $218,900
- Duke Fuqua up 9.6% to $184,476
- Harvard up 8.5% to $213,600
- UC-Berkeley Haas up 7.6% increase to $183,342.


Tuesday, June 20, 2017

ハーバード・ビジネス・スクール New MBA/MS in Engineering



Harvard University has announced the launch of a new joint master’s degree (MS/MBA) program between Harvard Business School (HBS) and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).

The two-year, full-time, HBS joint MS/MBA degree for tech leaders will include additional coursework during each January term but give students freedom during the summer to pursue an internship or startup venture, just as the traditional MBA does. It will welcome its first cohort of approximately 30 students in August 2018 and will confer two degrees to graduates, a Master of Science in engineering sciences and an MBA. 



The new program is designed to bridge the divide between engineering and business for aspiring leaders in the tech sector who want to drive and manage innovation throughout their organizations.

The program was created by HBS Professor of Business Administration Tom Eisenmann, faculty co-chair of the HBS Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and faculty chair of both the HBS California Research Center and the recently launched HBS Startup Studio in New York, and SEAS Professor of Engineering Rob Howe, who directs the Harvard Biorobotics Lab and cofounded RightHand Robotics. Together they will serve as faculty co-chairs of the new MS/MBA program.

SEAS, located across the river from HBS, will also be moving the majority of its faculty, students, and classes to a new facility adjacent to HBS in the coming years.

The curriculum
  • 
Students in the new MS/MBA program will begin as a cohort at SEAS in August, completing a two-week intensive System Engineering Course. 
  • The majority of the rest of the first year will be spent at HBS completing the MBA Required Curriculum (RC).
  •  MS/MBA students will continue to meet periodically as a cohort at SEAS during the first year in an Engineering, Design & Innovation Management Seminar and will also complete a Technology Venture Immersion course together during the January term.
  • During their second year, MS/MBA students will split their time between electives at each SEAS and HBS. They will also come together as a cohort for an Integrated Design course during the fall term and complete a Capstone course during the January and spring terms, working in small teams to build and launch a new product.
  • There will not be any summer coursework, giving students the freedom to pursue a summer internship at an established tech firm or startup or work on their own venture.
Who Should Apply?
One of the goals we have with this program is attracting students who may not be interested in either a standalone MBA or MS in engineering sciences. 
To gain admission to the joint MS/MBA program, students must:
  • Hold an engineering, computer science, or related undergraduate degree, with a record of outstanding academic achievement
  • Have at least two years of full-time work experience, ideally in designing and/or developing technology-intensive products;
  • Meet the criteria for admission to both the HBS MBA program and the SEAS MS program.

Admissions Process
1] Those interested in this new program must submit all application elements required by both schools, but the entire process will be hosted within the system HBS currently uses to make it as easy as possible to complete. 
2] Applicants will only have to log into one account, submit all of the application requirements for the MBA program—transcripts, essay, work history, test scores—and then open up a connected page where they can submit all of the SEAS required components.
3] Applicants to the joint-degree program will be required to submit an additional essay focused on their tech expertise and experience. 
4] Applicants who advance to the interview round will at that point also be asked to supply an additional letter of recommendation focused on their tech credentials, he adds.

The initial application review process will be the same as it is for all applicants to the MBA program, with a subset invited to interview.

There will be three potential outcomes
1] Admission by SEAS and HBS as part of the joint program
2] Admission into the MBA program but not the joint degree program, 
3] Rejection

Deadlines: 
There will be two application rounds for the inaugural MS/MBA cohort slated to start in August 2018. 
  • The Round 1 deadline is September 6, 2017
  • Round 2 deadline is January 3, 2018. 
  • College seniors can also apply for “2+2” deferred admission to the MS/MBA program. The deadline for those applicants is April 10, 2018. 


Harvard’s new joint MS/MBA program becomes the sixth joint-degree program offered between HBS and Harvard’s other leading schools. Other programs are
a) Joint-degree programs with the Harvard Kennedy School—an MBA/MPP (Master of Public Policy) program 
b) an MBA/MPA-ID (Master of Public Administration-International Development)
c) a JD/MBA with Harvard Law School, 
d) a MD/MBA with Harvard Medical School
e) a DMD/MBA with Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Similar programs:
- NYU Stern School of Business announced this spring a new one-year accelerated Tech MBA program
- Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management offers a one-year Tech MBA program on its Cornell Tech campus in New York City. 
- Stanford Graduate School of Business features two related, three-year dual-degree programs, one combining an M.S. in computer science with the MBA, and a second combining an M.S. in electrical engineering with the MBA. 
- MIT offers a System Design Management (SDM) program jointly offered by its School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management.

For more information see either HBS or SEAS websites. 

New GMAT Test Details: the "Select Section Order"

New GMAT Feature Offers Test-Taking Personalization

There will be significant changes for the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), from July 11, 2017.

Until now the GMAT had a set order: 
1] Analytical Writing Assessment
2] Integrated Reasoning
3] Quantitative, and 
4] Verbal section. 

The amendment made by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) offers considerably greater flexibility, giving test-takers some choice in the order in which they complete these tasks.
The new GMAT feature, officially titled the Select Section Order, was implemented based on research from GMAC.
Along with the aforementioned traditional GMAT order, those taking the exam have the option to complete it in the following additional orders:
Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
GMAC also laid out what the test could look like on its website, with the included optional eight minute breaks:


GMAC will also refresh its test materials and website, which also includes a major change to profile pages that not only reduces the amount of time it takes to complete the exam, but gives test-takers a chance to know their scores immediately after completion.

The modifications to the exam may be a direct result of increased competition from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). In recent years, more and more business schools have begun accepting GRE scores in lieu of the GMAT, with 92 percent of MBA programs now accepting GRE.

Practice examinations available from GMAC will not be available until the end of July. However, those who do purchase a full-length exam from mba.com in the meantime “will be eligible for a complimentary upgrade of GMAT Prep or Exam Pack,” according to GMAC.

For more information please see GMAC. 

Friday, June 16, 2017

2017-2018 MBA Application Deadlines

The main changes so far:

  • The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has moved its round one deadline ahead by eight full days to Sept. 19th of 2017, versus last year’s Sept. 27th date. That puts Wharton more in sync with other school deadlines, including Stanford which has a round one cutoff date that is exactly the same. 
  • Wharton won’t post its essay questions for the Class of 2020 until early summer, and Stanford has already made clear it intends to keep its iconic “What Matters Most” essay in the mix.
  • Columbia Business School, which maintains its early decision deadline and rolling admissions approach without specific release dates, has switched out several essay questions. 
  • NYU Stern has added an emotional intelligence endorsement requirement that allows a colleague at work or a friend to convey a compelling story that demonstrates a candidate’s EQ.
  • Michigan Ross has introduced a new essay format with a short answer section containing three groups of prompts that requires applicants to select one prompt from each group and respond to it in 100 words or less. 
  • At Dartmouth Tuck, for example, the early action round is Oct. 3, with decisions revealed on Dec. 15th. The school also expects applicants to initiate an interview with the school no later than Oct. 31.
  • Notre Dame’s Mendoza School also has an early round deadline for applicants who are strongly committed to the school’s MBA. 
  • Both Wharton and MIT Sloan, for example, don’t expect to issue their new essays until early-to-mid July.

Round 1 Deadlines



Round 2 deadlines


Round 3 and 4 Deadlines

Basic Advice: It's best to apply in the first round when none of the seats in the class are filled. At most schools, early applicants have an advantage over those that complete their applications in later rounds. There are some other reasons why you want to get your app in early:
The ability to receive a scholarship award from the school’s Financial Aid Office prior to the date by which you must respond to your offer of admission.
Ample time to complete recommended quantitative and/or language coursework prior to arrival on campus.
Access to on-campus housing lottery systems at some schools.
Sufficient time to complete the visa application process for international candidates.
Attendance at a school’s Admit Weekends. Sometimes, round three candidates lose out on 

Monday, June 12, 2017

レナード・N・スターン・スクール・オブ・ビジネス Big Change in Application: Pick Six

NYU Stern's 2017-2018 MBA application has undergone big changes and it will now offer two new one-year MBA programs, focused on fashion & luxury and technology respectively. 

1. Applicants can now opt to be considered for multiple Stern programs—the full-time, part-time, or new specialized one-year MBA programs—simultaneously using a single application. 
2. The school has stopped its long-standing “creative” essay—which gave applicants near total free reign to submit whatever they felt best communicated who they are as a person. 
3. “Pick Six” has been introduced in its place—an Instagram-esque opportunity for applicants to use images and captions to tell their stories. 
4. Finally, reflecting the importance Stern places not only on candidates’ IQ but also their EQ—or emotional quotient—the transformed application now solicits an “EQ Endorsement” in additional to more traditional letters of recommendations.

Also
  • The November deadline for the full-time MBA program has been eliminated, leaving only three deadlines: October 15th, January 15th, and March 15th. 
  • The other programs—fashion & luxury MBA, tech MBA, and part-time MBA (for spring term)—will each feature two deadlines, September 15th and November 15th.

Candidates who do opt to apply to more than one program will be required to select a primary program—full-time MBA, part-time MBA, tech MBA, or fashion & luxury MBA—and then provide an additional essay explaining their program preferences—i.e. why their first choice program is their first choice but how more than one option could ultimately align with their career goals. Applicants should submit their applications by the deadline for the primary program they are targeting, and there will be no additional fee for applying to more than one program.

”
Stern’s famous “creative” essay has been a hallmark of the school for more than 15 years, inviting applicants to use just about any means they could think of to express who they are as a person to the admissions committee.

With Pick Six, Stern hopes to provide a little more guidance to applicants and create more consistency in the evaluation process while still offering plenty of freedom of expression. Through Pick Six, candidates get to submit six images—whether pictures, charts, infographics, or artwork—accompanied by six short captions.

EQ Endorsement
Stern’s has long placed a premium on candidates who possess both intellectual and emotional intelligence—what it terms “IQ + EQ.” Applicants will now be required to provide a testimonial illustrating a specific example of demonstrated EQ from someone who knows them well.
While traditional professional recommendations still will be required, the EQ endorsement won’t be restricted to supervisors, as traditionally is the case with letters of recommendation. Instead, they can come from a team member, colleague, or peer—whomever can best attest to the candidate’s emotional intelligence.
  •  EQ endorsers with receive a definition of what IQ + EQ means at Stern and be asked to provide one specific compelling example that demonstrates the candidate’s EQ. U

As before, all applicants will be required to submit a data form, resume/CV, work history form, two professional recommendations, academic transcript, standardized test scores, and essays on each career goals and program fit. 

For more information see the Stern Admissions site. 

アンダーソン・スクール・オブ・マネジメントUCLA Anderson MBA Essay Questions and deadlines 2017-2018

 UCLA Anderson has posted their 2017-2018 MBA essay topic. Anderson only requires one essay (750 words), which remains unchanged from the prior years. An optional essay and re-applicant essay are also available.

First-Time Applicants (Required Essay):
We believe that the best results are achieved when you share success, think fearlessly and drive change. 
1. With this in mind, what are your goals at UCLA Anderson and in your short-term and long-term career? (750 words maximum)
Optional Essay:
The following essay is optional. No preference is given in the evaluation process to applicants who submit an optional essay. Please note that we only accept written essays.
2. Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? Please use your best judgment. (250 words maximum)
Re-Applicant Essay:
Reapplicants who applied for the MBA program starting in 2016 or 2017 are required to complete the following essay:
1. Please describe your career progress since you last applied and ways in which you have enhanced your candidacy. Include updates on short-term and long-term career goals, as well as your continued interest in UCLA Anderson. (750 words maximum)
Please note:
Your essays are the primary way for you to share your perspectives and plans with the admissions committee. The best essays are introspective, genuine and succinct in directly answering our questions and responding to our topics.



2017-2018 UCLA Anderson Deadlines
Round 1
Deadline: Oct. 6, 2017
Decision Release Date: Dec. 15, 2017
Round 2
Deadline: Jan. 5, 2018
Decision Release Date: March 29, 2018
Round 3
Deadline: April 12, 2018
Decision Release Date: May 24, 2018

For more information, see the UCLA Anderson website. 

スタンフォード大学経営大学院(Stanford GSB MBA Essay Questions – 2017-2018)

Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) has revealed its essay questions for the coming admissions season. Applicants are required to respond to two essay questions and given 1,150-1,200 words in which to do so.

2017-2018 Stanford GSB Essay Questions
Essay A: What matters most to you, and why? (750 words)
For this essay, we would like you to:
Do some deep self-examination, so you can genuinely illustrate who you are and how you came to be the person you are.
Share the insights, experiences, and lessons that shaped your perspectives, rather than focusing merely on what you’ve done or accomplished.
Write from the heart, and illustrate how a person, situation, or event has influenced you.
Focus on the “why” rather than the “what.”

Essay B: Why Stanford? (400 words, or 450 words if applying to both the MBA and MSx programs)
Enlighten us on how earning your MBA at Stanford will enable you to realize your ambitions.
Explain your decision to pursue graduate education in management.
Explain the distinctive opportunities you will pursue at Stanford.
If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. 



The Stanford MBA deadlines for 2017-2018 are as follows:
Round 1
Application Deadline: September 19, 2017
Notification Date: December 14, 2017
Round 2
Application Deadline: January 10, 2018
Notification Date: March 29, 2018
Round 3
Application Deadline: April 4, 2018
Notification Date: Mid May 2018
For more information on applying, visit the Stanford GSB MBA Admissions website.

US Business Schools Try to Boost Women Intake for MBA Programs


  • Just 37% of full-time, two-year MBA program applicants in 2016 were women. 


According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 75% of full-time, two-year MBA programs with 120 students or more reported a growth in applications from women in 2016. 
  • At Temple University’s Fox School of Business, 55% of MBA students are women. 
  • At the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, the proportion was 52%.*

Yet women are still under-represented on most full-time MBA programs. And just 37% of all full-time, two-year MBA program applicants in 2016 were women.

  • Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management has experienced percentages of women on its full-time MBA program more typical of US business schools across the board – increasing slowly but steadily from 30% for 2014’s intake, to 32% for 2015, and 39% for 2016.

One major reason for the lack of women is costs. This March, GMAC released an International Women’s Day white paper based on a survey of 5,900 business school applicants.
  • 38% of female survey respondents in the US cited financial reasons as the key reason why they had not yet accepted their admissions offer to business school, compared with 20% of male respondents.

Arizona State University’s WP Carey School of Business is tackling the MBA funding problem head-on. In 2016, it launched its new Forward Focus MBA, with the university covering the entirety of all incoming MBA students’ tuition. Applications jumped from 500 in 2015 to 1,159 in 2016. 
  • As well as boosting numbers of international MBA applicants, WP Carey increased its female MBA population from a plateau of 30% to 43% in 2016.
At WP Carey, the drive to open up more opportunities for women in business comes right from the top. 
  • The school’s dean, Amy Hillman, is one of the few female business school deans in the US
  • The school’s senior leadership team is also predominantly female.

WP Carey is a member of the Forte Foundation, a non-profit consortium of leading companies and business schools devoted to promoting women in business.



Since its launch in 2001, Forte Foundation has dished out $110 million in fellowships to 5,000 female MBAs, bolstering numbers of women in business school.

At the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School, the percentage of women in the MBA class in 2000 was around 25%. Now, it’s 34%.

  • For online MBA programs, 43% of applicants in 2016 were women. For specialized business master’s programs in management, marketing, and accounting: 52%. Full-time MBA programs face competition from shorter, more flexible, more affordable programs better suited to an active family life.
At Yale School of Management, 334 students make up the total enrollment for Yale SOM’s class of 2018. 43% are women.


The current MBA class at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management has more women in it than ever before. Kellogg’s latest intake was 41% female.

For more information, see BusinessBecause

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Oxford Saïd Expands New Global Leadership Council & Responsible Business Forum

Like many leading MBA programs in the global arena, the University of Oxford Saïd Business School is continually working to enhance its opportunities for students, professors, and alumni. Most recently, the school expanded its global reach with the establishment of a new Global Leadership Council, which has the goal of advancing the school’s business education model. In addition, the second annual Responsible Business Forum provided a platform for the next generation of business leaders to address social and environmental issues.

Both the council and the forum brought together global companies and educational stakeholders to support the development of mutually beneficial relationships.

Global Leadership Council
The newly appointed Global Leadership Council comprises 28 current and former chairs, CEOs, and C-level executives and will provide independent advice and guidance to the school, helping Saïd and the broader university address the most pressing challenges in business and society.

In a press release, Saïd Dean Peter Tufano explained: “The council will help ensure that our activities remain forward thinking and relevant, to meet our mission of developing leaders with a thorough understanding of business and importantly, its broader role in society.” He added, “We are very grateful to the leaders who have joined the council—their advice and insights will be invaluable.”


The 28-member council consists of leaders from top organizations in both the private and public sectors, including Apple, BlackRock, L’Oréal, McKinsey, UBS, Santander, and CreditEase. Each leader will advise the school on strategy and initiatives that promote Saïd’s global profile, including its relations with the corporate sector, program development, and research.

Ning Tang, CEO of CreditEase and one of the leaders appointed to the council, said in a press release: “I am humbled to be appointed to Oxford Said’s Global Leadership Council and excited to be an active contributor to the school’s mission as it strives ahead. I look forward to working with the global leaders on the council, giving advice and providing insights to help foster forward thinking in addressing the world-scale challenges we face today.”

Sam Laidlaw, executive chairman of Neptune Oil and Gas Limited and former CEO of Centrica, will chair the council. Laidlaw has had a distinguished 30-year career in the energy industry. His previous roles include executive vice president of Chevron Corporation, non-executive director of Hanson PLC, chief executive officer of Enterprise Oil PLC, and president and chief operating officer of Amerada Hess Corporation. He’s also a member of the U.K. Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Group and was a senior director of the U.K. Department of Transport.
Of his appointment as the chair of the Global Leadership Council and its impact on Saïd, he said: “Oxford Saïd celebrates its 21st anniversary this year and it has achieved a great deal in a relatively short time. The new council will help the school build on this success and focus on the trends that will define the future, and the organizations and leaders that will shape it.”
Responsible Business Forum
Oxford also hosted the second annual Responsible Business Forum recently. This event brought together global companies to share their experiences tackling business challenges with Saïd MBA students. Nearly 300 MBA students attended the forum alongside representatives from organizations such as Mars, Dell, and Marks & Spencer, all of whom led case studies and master classes at the event. The forum is a core module of the MBA program and is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the relationship between business and society—specifically, as it relates to challenges in the workplace.
Colin Mayer CBE, Saïd professor of management studies, led the forum. In a news release from the university, he explained: “We need a paradigm shift in this area to change not only business practice but also the intellectual agenda. So long as business education continues to preach the Friedman doctrine [which implies that there is only one social responsibility of business, to increase profits in open and free competition] then we’re in no better position to change practice than in the past. We need to recognize that the management change that’s needed cannot be incidental, it has to be intentional and a core part of business going forward.”

Throughout the forum, MBA students had the opportunity to learn about ways companies have simultaneously created financial, social, and environmental value through various forms of ownership, governance, management, leadership, and measurement.

Maren Mende, an MBA student who attended the event, praised the forum: “What I find encouraging is I’m surrounded by a cohort of students, friends and faculty who feel and think the same way and have the collective power, as we spread out across industries and geographies, to take business on its final step on its journey towards mutuality.”



4 Qualities to Show During MBA Interviews

MBA admissions officers say they like to see applicants display humility and resilience during interviews.

Applicants should directly answer interview questions about past failures, MBA admissions officers say. It's hard to succeed in business if you lack the ability to sell yourself. That's one reason why experts say MBA interviews are a critical component of the admissions process.

"We have had cases where an interview evaluation tipped the scales one way or another," says Soojin Kwon, admissions director with the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor.

She says a strong interview evaluation has occasionally changed her mind about an applicant and caused her to shift an application from the "no" pile to the "yes" pile. But she also says that a poor interview evaluation – in rare cases – can lead to a rejection.

Face-to-face communication skills are crucial in the business world, Kwon says; but those skills are hard to measure in the written components of the MBA application, so the interview is key.

Peggy Conway, director of MBA admissions with the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University, says she cannot imagine accepting an MBA applicant without interviewing him or her first.

Conway says she uses interviews to gauge not only whether an MBA applicant would thrive at the Neeley School of Business but also what kind of impression an applicant would make on future colleagues and employers.

"We want students who are going to make an impact," Conway says.

The MBA interview also offers insight into how applicants think and what they care about, says Chad Losee, managing director of MBA admissions and financial aid at Harvard Business School.

“We don’t feel that people need to come in with a life plan already mapped out, but we do like to get a sense for how people think about the decisions that they make," Losee says.

He says MBA applicants who are anxious about the interview process should do their best to relax before the interview by perhaps taking a run or walk, eating comfort food or meditating. "Whatever it is, just make sure you feel as at ease as possible," Losee says.

"I think that’s good advice. And know that on our end, we’re real people. We’re not trying to trick you. We’re just trying to get to know you as well as we can."

U.S. News asked MBA admissions officers to describe key traits applicants displayed during interviews that made lasting impressions. Here are four qualities that resonated with the interviewers.

• Clarity: Applicants who are able to explain their work eloquently to alumni interviewers in other industries often get rave reviews, Kwon says.

For instance, a Ross MBA applicant who was a military veteran received a glowing evaluation for his interview because of his ability to share with his civilian interviewer the lessons he learned during his military experience, she says.

"Oftentimes, candidates think that they have to have this monumental achievement in order to impress the admissions committee, and it's not about the size," Kwon says. "We're trying to understand how you think about things and how you think about yourself."

• Self-awareness: Applicants stand out in MBA interviews when they offer thoughtful reflection about their career, Kwon says.

"It's being able to have perspective about the things that you've done and the import of those things, because there's value in everything that an applicant might have done in their career," she says. "It's knowing how that translates into something that will be valuable in your business school experience, in life and in work."

[Ask these five questions during an MBA admissions interview.]

• Humility: Business school leaders say they appreciate it when MBA applicants acknowledge mistakes when they're asked a question about past failures.

"I don't think you're ever penalized for being open and honest with that question," says Patrick Mullane, executive director of HBX, Harvard Business School's online education platform.

Mullane recommends applicants be natural. He says dodging questions, rather than answering them honestly, during MBA interviews also typically backfires.

Kari Graham, director of graduate admissions at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business, says some of the most poignant interviews she's conducted are ones where MBA applicants described the wisdom they gained from mistakes.

"Those are usually the things that make us better people and hopefully better students," Graham says.

• A personal connection: Showing emotions during an interview isn’t a sign of weakness and could, when real and appropriate, help applicants make meaningful connections with interviewers, experts say.

Graham says she has encountered MBA applicants who cried when describing the profound impact a mentor had on their lives or discussing adversity they have overcome.

"I've had people really, literally come to tears in my office," she says. "What's so beautiful about that is that really breaks down barriers, and it connects us profoundly emotionally to one another."

David Simpson, admissions director at the London Business School, says that a great MBA interview goes beyond discussing an applicant's resume.

“A poor interview is one that just restates facts that could have come from the application form," Simpson says. "A good interview adds color.”


日本精工、留学生支援の財団法人を設立

日本精工 留学を支援する一般財団法人「NSK奨学財団」を設立した。海外の大学や大学院への留学を希望する日本人学生や日本の大学院に留学するアジア人学生を対象に、学費や渡航費、生活費を支給する。学生の留学を後押しすることで、日本の次世代を担うリーダーやアジア地域における人材育成を支援する。

同社の創立100周年事業の一環として4月に設立した。

2017/5/18 23:46
日本経済新聞 電子版