MBA

It was Samuel Johnson who once made the still-true observation: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” In that quote lies the greatest advantage of the London Business School; its location in one of the world’s great cities. Set just across the street from the lovely green grounds of Regent’s Park, London Business School is postcard-perfect England. Inside the grand Georgian walls, you’ll hear plenty of leading-edge discussions between faculty and students on globalization, strategy and technology. Increasingly, London has gained widespread recognition as the best of all the business schools outside the U.S.And then there is Wharton, one of the very best schools inside the U.S. For years, Wharton’s strength in finance has overshadowed faculty and programs in other departments. That’s no longer true, and hasn’t been for some time. Looked at another way, Wharton is the world’s largest department store devoted to graduate business education: As the business school with the largest faculty and the largest number of elective courses, there is something for everyone here. Top Ten Reasons to Go to Wharton? 1. You want to work for a financial services firm and want the single best degree to do so.2. You want lots of choices in courses, joint programs with other schools.3. You’re not yet sure what you want to concentrate in and want to insure you have a deep dive in virtually any subject.4. You’re up for an intense, competitive culture.5. You thrive in a larger environment and enjoy being a smaller fish in a bigger pond.6. You want to work, live and play in world-class business school facilities.7. You expect to be among the highest paid MBAs in the world.8. You prefer smaller, manageable cities to larger, more congested ones.9. You think Rocky is one of the best pictures ever made.10. Top Ten Reasons to Go to London? It’s by most accounts the best MBA program outside the U.S. and one of the best in the world.It’s all about location, location, location. That is, London.1. You want a truly global experience, with the largest possible percentage of classmates from all over the world.2. You expect to work in Europe, and particularly the United Kingdom, and want to be part of an extremely strong alumni base in the city where many players got their MBA ticket punched where you did.3. You already at least two languages fluently or want to learn to be fluent in more than just English.4. You want the intellectual challenge that comes from being in a completely different environment, yet one where English is still the spoken language.5. You don’t mind paying about 40% more for rent, 20% more for groceries, or nearly 60% more for a meal in a mid-range restaurant.6. You don’t mind traffic, people congestion, overpriced housing, and putting up with the hassles of big city life.7. You love big city life, or at least badly want to try it out, and you tend to dislike small towns in isolated places.8. You love English literature, The Beatles, the whole idea of Royalty, and West End theater.The more detailed differences between London and Wharton?  LeapQuest MBA Admission service includes all elements of MBA applications that consist of: Shortlisting the list of target B-Schools Guidance in building MBA application essay write-ups (how to draft essays for mba application) MBA essay editing and guidance in organizing any other aspect of MBA application. Guidance in preparing CV/Resume MBA Interview preparation service in the event an MBA applicant gets an interview call from a shortlisted B-School Any other related part that is inside the scope of B-School application process Social Media Consulting  LinkedIn Assistance Drafting Scholarship letters Application Form Guidance  Major chunk of the MBA aspirants face a lot of dilemma in deciding whether to pursue their MBA dreams or not. There are a lot of challenges candidates face regardless of the Industry or work experience they come with. If there is something that’s stopping you from proceeding with your plans, Revert with the list of challenges and we’re pretty sure a quick discussion with our team will help you put things into perspective and take a call.   Our team of expert MBA admissions consultants helps you push for more, find your voice, and tell your story in the most compelling way possible. We help current-year and future-year applicants to top MBA programs. Start your journey to MBA acceptance at LeapQuest At LeapQuest, our MBA consultants have helped a large number of applicants convert their dream of attending top schools around the world. Send us an email if you’d like some help with business school selection and application reviews.

If you’re an engineer, you need to approach the MBA application differently.  The question is, if you’re in tech or engineering, how do you position your application to stand out in a sea of excellence? Consider how to get the admissions team motivated about choosing you versus another candidate. Do you bring an unusual academic background, noteworthy distinction in your field or experience in a non-traditional industry? What unique perspectives, characteristics or stories can you weave into your narrative? It’s not just what you do, but who you are, and your ability to convey your uniqueness in a way that’s coherent and persuasive that set you apart. Before you sit down to write, consider seven essential tips gleaned from LeapQuest. 7 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR ENGINEERS AND CANDIDATES IN TECH 1. Avoid industry jargon.Working in the tech industry means you’re steeped in industry-specific jargon – which may not seem like jargon to you because it’s so ubiquitous in your professional circles. Don’t assume that the admissions reader will know what you’re talking about. The technical jargon that might have helped you in a job interview won’t go far in translating your credentials to the admissions office, and it’s a real turn-off. Keep your audience in mind and strip all technical jargon from your application and essays. Likewise, don’t over-focus on the technical aspects of your role in your narrative, because that’s not what’s relevant to what you bring to business school.  2. Lift up your transferable skills.The tricky thing for many engineering applicants is that the role you have and the work that you’ve done may not be directly relevant to the MBA classroom. (Or to your post-MBA career – many engineers are looking to make a career switch.) Step outside your narrow role and take a bigger picture view of the skills and talents you’ve acquired in the job. As you do, reflect on the transferable skills that you’ve developed – in realms like communication, teamwork, leadership and/or presentation skills. This may be quite different from the way you think about your skills in the context of day-to-day demands and not be so obvious at first. Consider the patterns of behavior that flow through your professional performance and how they extend to your engagement in the community, the roles you took on, how you made a contribution. 3. Invest in extracurriculars.What you do in your free time (what little you might have of it) is as interesting and important to the admissions committee as what you do at work, because it sends a signal about the kind of student and alum you’ll be. It’s all too common to see engineering applicants with plenty of undergrad extracurriculars, which then fall by the wayside in the face of 80 to 100-hour work weeks. But your extracurricular involvement is vital, and it’s one element that can really help bring your application to life. “When the admissions committee starts to review a new candidate, especially from a common profile, they often go straight to the ‘Other Info/Extracurricular’ section of the resume,”  “That’s because it’s where they can gain real insight into the type of person they are considering. Business schools are looking for students who will do more than excel in class – they are looking for active contributors to the community.” That said, it’s about demonstrating commitment over time, impact and leadership, not just joining a club or working at a soup kitchen on holidays. Schools would rather see just one or two long-term interests that give them a fuller picture of what makes you tick. Remember that extracurriculars are another avenue to demonstrate your leadership experience—from mentoring others to chairing an initiative.  4. Let your personality shine.Focusing too heavily on work-work-work makes you seem less human. The objective here is to give them a genuine glimpse of who you are, and to reveal a greater dimension to your candidacy beyond your professional identity. To this end, think about why you’ve done the things you’ve done, the events and encounters that have shaped you as a person, your values and attitude toward life. The more personal you can be in terms of why you do what you do, the more interesting and memorable you’ll be – because so few people are. A terrific example is a recent candidate’s 60-second video presentation to MIT. Instead of a breathless recitation of his successes (common mistake), he focused in on just one story from his life – a single encounter – which in the telling revealed a distinctive aspect of his personality. “Frankly, it was an anecdote that might easily be overlooked, if it weren’t for the artful way he used his story to illuminate the personal values and attributes that made him a great fit for MIT,” “What he achieved was a winsome glimpse into what made him unique, and it exuded warmth, sincerity, and authenticity. He even managed to convey a personal ‘ah-ha’ that was both profound and relevant. And what he chose to omit was so intentional and well-tuned that you couldn’t watch his video statement without wanting to meet him. Slam dunk.” 5. Present a coherent career trajectory.There’s a lot more movement in the tech industry than in others like consulting or finance. Top programmers get lured away by competition, and an admission office will be familiar with a higher degree of mobility in your sector. For example, it’s not uncommon to see the software engineer who started at Oracle, then continued at Salesforce before moving on to Uber. What’s vital is to ensure coherency in the career narrative that you share. Rather than being perceived as the ‘hired gun’ with a mosaic of employers, you’ll want to convey that you’ve had the time and opportunity to really take ownership of a project and see it through. Really focus on the impact that you’ve had – and get to it quickly. Go beyond what you did to convey what you learned from your experiences and be able to connect what you’ve learned to what you’ll bring to the MBA classroom.  6. Be a passionate visionary.A bold and coherent plan for your future can

The next hot destination to pursue an MBA? Think Canada. With its relaxed study and work rules and cheaper tuition costs, Canada is becoming an attractive destination for international MBA candidates, Canada Is Leading In International Applications. International student applications to Canada have shown an increase compared to the US, where applications have dropped significantly. According to GMAC, MBA programs in Canada are twice as likely to report growth in international applicants compared to the US. For instance, only 32% of US programs report growing international application volumes in 2017. Compare that to 77% of Canadian programs that reported increases in international applications for 2017. What Prospective International Students Are Looking For Outside of politics, experts say that Canada’s quality of education is highly attractive to international students. “It is not just a political thing,” says Gregg Schoenfeld, director of research for GMAC, in an interview with The Globe and Mail. “We have seen a shift away from the U.S. as quality education has been growing outside the U.S., and economic conditions are changing.” Another important aspect is the diversity a school or country can provide. At HEC Montréal, diversity is a key selling point for students. According to The Globe and Mail, international students make up 53.8% of all applications to HEC Montréal’s full-time French and English MBA programs. China and India are the school’s largest applicant pools, but the school enrolls students across 29 different countries. “You have to reach some balance in the group,” HEC dean Michel Patry tells The Globe and Mail. “The cachet of the MBA is important.” The best B-Schools in Canada typically received applications with GMAT scores in the 670-710 range. Now, with would-be Ivy Leaguers applying to B-Schools in Canada as backup options, the range of applicants’ scores has shot through the roof. However, a large number of these applicants get into B-Schools in the US and don’t end up accepting offers from Canada’s B-Schools. As a result, even though the average score of the applicant pool has risen dramatically, the average score of the students who study in Canada’s B-Schools hasn’t seen much of a shift. Fortunately, though, this phenomenon has had no effect on B-School rankings within Canada. The top 10 MBA programs in the country are: Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University Schulich School of Business, University of York Smith School of Business, Queen’s University HEC Montreal Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia John Molson School of Business, Concordia University University of Alberta School of Business DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University Here’s some more information on the specializations available at each of these, their locations, tuition fees, and what it takes to get in. 1. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto Location: Toronto, Ontario Duration: 2 years Average GMAT Score: 658 Concentrations: Brand Management, Business Design, Consulting, Financial Reporting, and Analysis, Funds Management, Global Management, General MBA, Health Sector Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Investment Banking, Leadership and Change Management, Process and Supply Chain Management, Real Estate, Risk Management, and Financial Engineering, Sustainability Rotman has topped charts for decades. Known to be one of the most innovative B-Schools in Canada, Rotman was the first to introduce video essays to its admissions process. The critically acclaimed Self-Development Lab and flexible Internship Program have earned Rotman its stellar record as far as campus placements go. For more details, visit Rotman’s, MBA Page. 2. Ivey Business School, University of Western Ontario Location: London, Ontario Duration: 1 year Average GMAT Score: 670 Concentrations: You can choose from among five areas of focus, and your course will be tailored accordingly. The five areas of focus available are Finance, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Corporate Strategy and Leadership, and International Management. The Ivey Business School is yet another chart-topper when it comes to MBA rankings in Canada. Their in-house career management team is internationally acclaimed for the work it does, which is just made better by the fact that 94% of Ivey graduates switch careers post-MBA. For more information, visit Ivey’s MBA Page. 3. Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University Location: Montréal, Québec Duration: 20 months Average GMAT Score: 668 Concentrations: Global Strategy and Leadership, Finance, Business Analytics, and Marketing. The Desautels Faculty of Management offers a variety of MBA programs, some of which look to integrate other fields of study with the MBA curriculum – like the Law MBA or the MD MBA programs. The McGill Case Competition Association and the McGill Business Consulting Group offer you excellent opportunities to learn in real-world scenarios. For more information, visit McGill University’s MBA page. 4. Schulich School of Business, University of York Location: Toronto, Ontario Duration: 20 months Average GMAT Score: 660 Concentrations: Accounting; Arts, Media & Entertainment Management; Business & Sustainability; Business Consulting; Entrepreneurial Studies; Finance; Financial Risk Management; Financial Services; Global Mining Management; Global Retail Management; Health Industry Management; International Business; Marketing; Operations Management & Information Systems; Organization Studies; Real Estate & Infrastructure; Social Sector Management; Strategic Management. This is easily one of the most recognized names on the list of top MBA colleges in Canada. It is known for being highly student-centric, offering flexible study options so that you can take classes at the Keele campus or at the Toronto satellite campus. The most interesting part for most students is the two-term strategic consulting project where you get to work with clients on real business problems and solutions. For more details, visit Schulich’s, MBA Page. 5. Smith School of Business, Queen’s University Location: Kingston, Ontario Duration: 1 year Average GMAT Score: 650 Concentrations: Consulting, Digital Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Finance, Management Analytics, Marketing & Sales Irrespective of the specialization you choose to go for, the Smith MBA requires you to undertake a mandatory Individual Project Course. As a part of this, you can work with an existing company to help deal with real-world business situations. Alternatively, you’re expected to come up with a new venture of your own.

Applying to an MBA program without a GMAT score can be a tricky business. Most business schools in the U.S. and Canada require a competitive GMAT score to be considered for admissions. However, that’s not always possible for every applicant. If you are an MBA candidate who’s not great at taking tests or earned a low GMAT score, don’t worry; you’re not out of luck. There are five programs in Canada that will accept your MBA application without the GMAT, as long as you meet certain specific other requirements.. Why choose Canada for your MBA You can expect a high standard of living while in Canada. It’s a country that respects diversity, so irrespective of your ethnicity, you can feel at home in Canada. Medical insurance is usually covered by the government so your health worries are taken care of. There’s life outside the campus as well with a lot of activities in and around as well as a lot of places to explore. International students can qualify to work in Canada after completing their MBA under PGWPP (Post-graduation Work Permit Program). Skilled Canadian work experience acquired under the PGWPP helps in qualifying for permanent residence in Canada. Your spouse may also be eligible to apply for a work permit and work as long as you hold a valid study permit. These are the top Canadian schools that don’t require a GMAT. These are the top Canadian schools that don’t require a GMAT. 1. Queen’s University Smith School of Business At Queen’s University Smith School of Business, you do not need the GMAT if you apply to the Accelerated MBA for Business Graduates program. Ranked by The Economist as the third best business school in Canada, this prestigious program is available in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Ottawa, and Montreal. To enroll, applicants need two years of work experience and an undergraduate degree in business or a related field, such as statistics management, information systems, accounting, marketing, etc. MBA students complete their degree in just 12 months while they continue to work, earning an education that builds upon the fundamentals that students already have. Instead of a GMAT score, this program relies on your application, resume, official transcripts, cover letter, references, and personal interview to decide if you are an appropriate candidate. Applicants are evaluated on their work experience, academic background, and leadership skills. However, if any of these areas are weak, the school may recommend a completed GMAT score to enhance your application. 2. Schulich School of Business – York University At York University’s Schulich School of Business, the GMAT requirement for the full-time MBA program can be waived if you meet specific criteria. First, the student must have graduated from the Schulich BBA or iBBA programs within the last five years. Second, their GPA must have been an average of a B+ or higher. Under these two scenarios, a GMAT score is not required. Ranked by The Economist as the second best program in Canada, the Schulich MBA is known for its flexible study options and extensive selection of specialization options. Students can choose between both full and part-time enrollment and 18 areas of study. Making this a uniquely customizable MBA. Beyond waiving the GMAT, candidates interested in applying to Schulich must have at least two years of work experience and filled out an application that includes three essays, two videos, one resume, two references, and transcripts. 3. Lakehead University Thunder Bay and Orilla, ON At Lakehead University, a GMAT score is not required for admissions to the MBA program if you successfully complete the Business Skills Development Program offered by the Faculty of Business Administration. This six-module program must be completed with a minimum average grade of 70 percent. The full-time MBA program at Lakehead University is one year in length—three terms—and provides students with a comprehensive and integrated knowledge of business and management. Students will develop their analytical, decision-making, and communication skills throughout the course of the program. Beyond the GMAT replacement modules, students must fill out a completed application to be considered. This application includes official transcripts, references, and a statement of academic intent. 4. Thompson Rivers University Business and Economics At the Thompson Rivers University Business and Economics school, MBA candidates are not required to submit a GMAT score. It is a completely optional requirement that is to be used as supplementary information. Instead, to apply, students must focus on demonstrating their quantitative and computing skills through education and work experience. The MBA program at TRU can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students graduate in two years, taking courses in managerial statistics, human resource management, strategic management information systems, and more. Part-time students can graduate in five years, though there is also an accelerated one-year program. To apply to the TRU one-year MBA program, applicants must have completed a three or four-year undergraduate degree with a GPA of at least 3.0. Other application requirements include the TOEFL language test, IELTS test, or completion of the TRU ENGL 1100 course to demonstrate language proficiency. 5. New York Institute of Technology, Vancouver, BC The New York Institute of Technology in Vancouver, BC offers both a Management MBA and a Finance MBA that do not require GMAT scores for admission. Instead, the GMAT is used as supplemental information only helpful if your score is satisfactory. The Management MBA offered at NYIT is highly flexible with classes offered in New York, China, Abu Dhabi, and, of course, Vancouver. It’s an AACSB-accredited degree that offers students leadership and professional experience through coursework and participation in industry associations. Other application information required by the New York Institute of Technology includes an undergraduate degree from an accredited college, a 3.0 GPA, official transcripts, and a completed application. We’re determined to get you the admit you deserve. Our question is, will it be yours?

While there are many misconceptions about the MBA application process, certain ones frequently rise to the top of the list. LeapQuest would like to bust these myths and help candidates focus on what really matters in the MBA application process 1. You should apply to only a few schools Years ago, applicants may have targeted only a few business schools. However, today my average applicant applies to 5+ schools. The number of strong MBA programs is increasing. As more and more universities are investing in their business schools, candidates have numerous good options to consider. Simultaneously (and not surprisingly), the applicant pool is becoming even more competitive, meaning that countless extremely qualified candidates are rejected each year. While it is true that MBA applications are time-consuming and each application is unique, successful applicants make the investment by applying to additional schools. This strategy ensures they are ultimately successful getting into the best possible school and when working with us, the highest amount of scholarship dollars. 2. Schools want you to tell them how wonderful they are Far too often, we read about how an applicant will leverage Wharton’s “unmatched” alumni network or grow through Booth’s “renowned” curriculum. While all business schools want to know that you are truly interested in their programs, using over-the-top praise is not an effective way to articulate this message. Instead, do your research and thoughtfully share elements of their programs that you are looking to take advantage of. Ensure that these elements are specific to you and make sense relative to your background and goals. 3. Business schools want candidates only with a certain career background While it is true that there are certain career paths for which an MBA is common (e.g. Consulting and Investment Banking), there is no one ideal pre-MBA career. In fact, a unique career background can actually work in your favor. Business schools desire well-rounded classmates and appreciate the unique perspective that candidates with nontraditional backgrounds can bring to class conversations. What’s key is to show how your past experience and perspective can be leveraged during your future career path. 4. There is a “correct” career goal You may be tempted to mention a career goal you think admissions committee members want to hear. Just because it is common for applicants to pursue consulting or investment banking does not mean this is the career path you should aspire to. Admissions committee members want passionate students and well-rounded classes. So write about what you really want to do, provided it is logical and attainable, and articulate it well. 5. You need to fit in everything you have accomplished Many candidates are tempted to throw everything but the kitchen sink into their essays. They are concerned that they will hurt their chances of success if they do not tell admissions committee members everything they have done. However, this is not the case. A few well-told stories that clearly demonstrate what makes you unique will be far more compelling. Show your passions and leadership by sharing how you did a few things exceptionally well. LeapQuest has been guiding candidates through all aspects of the MBA application process with a 84% success rate.The Admissions Counselling Service at Admitem, is an amalgamation of highly specialized and customized services. The student gets assistance in the admission process right from shortlisting the B school till documentation. The essence of our service lies in prioritising purity of intent, with no motive other than to provide the applicant an unbiased and comprehensive service. The first phase of this service is assessment and planning – when we align a candidate’s strengths with the target school selection criteria, isolate his/her areas of concern, and propose a very specific, customized action plan to optimize his/her candidacy.The next phase is the implementation where we work along with the candidate to develop the key components of his/her application such as the resume, recommendation letters, essays, statement of purpose, interview preparation and scholarship letters. We’re determined to get you the admit you deserve. Our question is, will it be yours?

The question has been asked for what seems like forever. “What matters most to you, and why?” Most Challenging MBA Applications Of 2020-2021 Among the toughest were the MBA applications at Harvard Business School, INSEAD, MIT Sloan and UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business. School Challenging Essays Word Limit Stanford GSB 1 ‘What matters most to you, & why’ & ‘Why Stanford?’ 1,050 words Harvard Business School 2 ‘What more would you like us to know?’ No word limit INSEAD 3 Seven essays on applicant’s job, career & motivation 2,000 words MIT (Sloan) 4 ‘Submit a cover letter’ & one-minute video introducing yourself 300 words UC-Berkeley (Haas) 5 ‘What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, & why?’ & ‘What do you need to develop to become a successful leader?’ 600 words London Business School Could Require Writing Somewhere between 4,000 and 4,500 Words Sometimes, schools were singled out for having highly challenging applications. That was true of the London Business School. “Beyond LBS’s essays, the program poses an exhaustive array of in-application questions related to academic readiness (400 words), interests and activities (400 words), pre-MBA discussions with friends and family (300 words), LBS connections (300 words), international experience (100 words), and English-language readiness (300 words, where appropriate). LBS applicants are facing 1,000 words via the main essays should they choose to answer the optional essay, 1,500 to 1,800 words via the non-job-related short-answer questions depending on whether they need to answer the English language question, and then up to 580 words for each job entry. “An LBS applicant who has had three roles could therefore end up writing somewhere in the range of 4,000 and 4,500 words. Compare that to the other end of the application spectrum where from a ‘written’ perspective, Michigan Ross requires 400 words worth of essays and has a very lean application, and MIT Sloan requires a 300-word cover letter and also has a very lean application. Rather than becoming excited to channel their stories into a couple of focused essays, most LBS applicants we encounter become downtrodden when they find out how many de facto mini-essays are hiding within LBS’s online application.” The Least Challenging MBA Applications? Of course, applying to any highly selective MBA program is never really easy. Wharton requires two essay questions: “What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?” and “How do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?” it is noted that those generic questions, similar to what is asked of applicants at Chicago Booth, are “the most easily repurposable and standard.” “It’s what can you GIVE to our school and what can you GET from our school.” Michigan Ross Praised for its “Lean Application” All told, Ross is looking for no more than 400 words. One consultant views this in a positive light. “If an applicant is deep into the broader process, they will almost certainly have a couple of already well-developed anecdotes to deliver in Ross’s short answers section and a well-developed “short-term goal / why” statement, which is all Ross really requests.” Not surprisingly, perhaps, some  see it differently. “Ross’ reduction from three essays down to two has also been a little stressful because there’s less room in which to really shine,” Also making the least challenging list are Columbia Business School, Chicago Booth, and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management (see below table). “Columbia, Booth, and Wharton all have similarities and rather generic ‘goals’ essays,” Least Challenging MBA Applications Of 2020-2021 Applicants are finding Wharton’s two essay questions the easiest to answer this year. Also on the easy list are the essay requirements at Michigan Ross, Columbia, Chicago Booth and UCLA Anderson School Least Challenging Essays Word Limit Pennsylvania (Wharton) 1 ‘What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?’ & ‘How do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?’ 900 words Michigan (Ross) 2 Complete two of six sentences, ranging from ‘I want people to know that I…’ to ‘I was out of my comfort zone when…’ & ’What is your short-term career goal & why?’ 400 words Columbia Business School 3 ‘What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years & what would be your long-term dream job?’ & ‘Why do you feel CBS is a good fit for you?’ & ‘Tell us about your favorite book, movie, or song & why it resonates with you? 1,000 words Chicago (Booth) 4 ‘How will the Booth MBA help you achieve your immediate and long-term post-MBA career goals?’ & ‘Use this opportunity to tell us something about who you are’ 500-word minimum UCLA (Anderson) 5 How have events of the past year influenced the impact you would like to make in your community, career, or both?’ 250 words How to interpret this data and plan your application strategy For what it’s worth, let’s see what this data tells us first. While there are several parameters that are already done (e.g. GPA/Employer’s brand etc), a whopping 56% is still within your immediate controls (GMAT, Essays, Interview and Recommenders). Of course, some of them are partly under your control – you cannot really change what you’ve done on essays for instance, but you can articulate and present them in the best possible way. Of these, less than half is GMAT which means there is huge merit in doing a lot of soul searching for the applications. The academic aspects viz. GMAT, GPA, Majors etc form a decent chunk of your profile at 25%. For the endless debate on the chasm between academia and industry, if you cannot do well on your academics, chances still are that you may not get good value out of your MBA experience. This is however only partly true as unlike several undergrad schools, MBA programs put a lot of focus on experiential learning, class discussions, case studies and the likes. Several candidates who work with us are nervous that they don’t have anything on the extracurricular side.