This post orignally appeared on the mbaMission blog.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported on the shifting career balance of Harvard Business School’s incoming Class of 2013. Notably, the class will have a higher percentage of students with manufacturing and technology backgrounds, and fewer students with finance backgrounds. According to HBS managing director of MBA admissions and financial aid, Deirdre Leopold, the school does not run with quotas or targets. It is worth noting that this shift is not all that significant “ the finance industry still has the strongest representation in the class.

mbaMission Founder and President Jeremy Shinewald frequently comments on how candidates erroneously try to game the admissions system. The Journal quotes him as saying, You’re going to see guys who worked on one private-equity deal with an auto manufacturer try to play up their auto experience and look ridiculous. Candidates buy into stereotypes for their target schools and become things they think the school wants. As candidates examine the stats, they should keep in mind that they can only be who they are and that they cannot go back in time and change careers. So, they are best creating an authentic picture of themselves in an attempt to set themselves apart from all others (not just those in their fields).

The two authors of Case Studies and Cocktails, Chris Ryan and Carrie Shuchart, were recently interviewed on The MBA Show. See what they have to say below about dating, relationships, sex, and b-school jargon:

If you want a little extra practice with your Analytical Writing Essays, we’ve just come across a great resource for you. The GMAC is hosting a survey that includes having participants write out two essays. If you are studying for the GMAT, this gives you a great chance to see more sample essay questions as you practice. In addition, the GMAC is giving participants $30 for completing this survey. They’re only looking for 1000 participants, so be sure to sign up soon if you want this opportunity!

You can find out more about the survey here.

This post orignally appeared on the mbaMission blog. Read the introduction below and find the full post here.

Columbia Business School (CBS) whittled its essay questions from four to three to two over the past five years but is now back to posing three essay questions. Maybe the school’s admissions committee felt that, with just two questions, they were not learning enough about applicants? This year, CBS is offering a variety of creative options in its final essay question, giving candidates greater flexibility”and thus greater control over what the admissions committee will learn about them.

Here are the Questions: Read more

This post orignally appeared on the mbaMission blog. Read the introduction below and find the full post here.

The 2011“2012 MBA application season is officially afoot. Harvard Business School (HBS) has just released its essay questions, maintaining its tradition of being the first school to do so each year. HBS usually strikes first in early May, and the other top 15 schools follow suit shortly after, throughout May and even into early June.

The HBS watchers among you will notice two significant changes this year, the first of which is that the school has released almost all new questions. Of the six essay prompts that HBS offered last year, only one remains”the school’s famed three accomplishments essay. The second major change is to a streamlined application that offers candidates few options. For the past few years, HBS has required MBA candidates to respond to two essay questions, allowing them to choose from among four. Now applicants face four mandatory questions, leaving them nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. So, this change could limit your ability to play to your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses. Our analysis of HBS’s essay questions can be found here.

We’ve written a fair amount about various alternative careers b-school graduates can have, like education, fashion, casino management and healthcare. We realize that prospective MBAs interested in these fields might not be traditional MBA candidates to begin with, particularly if they’ve been working in the nonprofit sector. Therefore, this summer, we’re offering our Social Ventures Scholars program, which will give 25 individuals a full tuition scholarship to a special Live Online 9-session course.

The course will begin on June 9, 2011. If you’re interested in applying for this scholarship (a $1090 value) you must meet the following three criteria:

1. you currently work full-time in an organization that promotes positive social change,
2. you plan to use your MBA to work in a public, not-for-profit, or other venture with a social-change oriented mission,
3. you can demonstrate a clear financial need.

If you meet these criteria and would like to apply, you can find the details of the scholarship, including applications requirements, here. You can also contact svs@manhattanprep.com/gmat/ with any questions.

Our friends at mbaMission have interviewed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions Kurt Ahlm. Read the highlights below and find the full post here.

Here are some highlights from the interview:

• Chicago Booth does not employ any quotas in its application review process but looks to enroll a diverse, smart group of students who fit well with the school’s values and culture.
• Ahlm discusses how an application is reviewed at Chicago Booth.
• Chicago Booth interviews 40%“50% of applicants, though depending on the strength of the applicant pool, the percentage can vary from year to year.

You can find the full interview transcript here.

There is an ongoing debate in the business world about the perfect age for an MBA candidate.  While the average age for first year business school classes is usually in the 27-28 range, some schools are beginning to trend younger (HBS and Stanford among them), raising questions about the best qualities for an MBA applicant to possess, and whether wisdom can only come with age.

Interestingly enough, recent data from the GMAC shows that GMAT test-takers (a.k.a. MBA prospects) under 24 represent the fastest growing age group. At 13.9%, their annual growth rate is nearly double that of test takers aged 24-30, and it hugely outpaces any older age groups.

Does this mean that younger students make better MBA applicants? Not necessarily, says Eric Caballero, a Manhattan GMAT instructor and Sloan graduate. In business school, he argues, you are graded mainly on participation. If you have little to no actual business experience, you might not have as much to contribute to the discussion as your peers, which could ultimately affect your grades.  In addition, a lack of hands-on experience can also affect the size of your rolodex. B-school reputations begin in the classroom, and the better insight you have, the more people will be interested in networking with you. If you are going to be paying for the rolodex, you want to be sure that you can make the connections.

Read more

Here at Manhattan GMAT we are proud members of the non-profit organization AIGAC (The Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants). This association keeps those of us who help prepare students for graduate school to the highest standards. It also makes sure we continue to act ethically, putting the interests of our clients and prospective clients ahead of our own. Currently, AIGAC is running a survey on MBA applicants, so that AIGAC members can gain a deeper understanding of our students so as to better serve them.

As a taste of what this survey finds, last year, it discovered that the median age of MBA Applicants who took the survey stayed constant from 2009 at 27 years old, but the distribution of ages was wider in 2010, with more of both younger and older prospects. The survey concluded that the larger proportion of younger prospects is related to the increase in international respondents and women. Looks like there was a higher diversity of applicants, in terms of age, gender, and nationality in 2010. Will this remain the same into 2011? Help us find out!

And if you don’t want to take the survey just to help us out, you can always do it for the one free iPod Touch and two free iPod Shuffles that are being raffled off to the survey takers.

The survey takes about 10 minutes and can be found here: //surveys.marketpointsinc.com/mba11.asp. Thanks in advance for your participation! This info really helps us make sure we’re tailoring our classes and materials to fit well for you.

This article was originally written for and posted on www.casestudiesandcocktails.com by Chris Ryan

Recently, U.S. News & World Report released its 2012 Business School rankings. The energy and commentary surrounding this perennial event is noteworthy. Stanford GSB muscled HBS out of the top spot, while my alma mater Duke Fuqua rose to No. 12.

While many MBA applicants revere the U.S. News & World Report rankings, others stand apart. The Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell lambasted the criteria used in the rankings, calling the criteria flimsy proxies for educational quality.

No matter whose ranking you prefer, we encourage you to embrace a comprehensive approach to selecting a business school. No doubt your school’s ranking and prestige will affect the potential for cultivating that golden MBA rolodex. However, your ability to execute on said potential will be determined chiefly by your state of mind, which demands a cultural and academic fit.  So once you’ve narrowed down your choices based upon rank, be sure to consider these other factors:

• Location and Social Life: Do you prefer lively urban campuses or smaller college towns, where almost everyone is an outsider and folks band together?
• Cost: Most business schools cost a pretty penny, but keep in mind that tuition and fees are not the only expenses you will be facing.  Be sure to take into account the cost of living in a particular location before making a decision.
• Teaching Methodologies: Harvard Business School uses the case method entirely, but that may not work for everyone.  Sit-in on courses and determine what teaching methods work best for you.
• Alumni Base: When it comes time to apply for that coveted internship or dream job, you’ll need to utilize all your connections. A large alumni base may offer more opportunities, but smaller groups of former grads are often more loyal and more likely to help an MBA from their Alma Mater.

For more advice on choosing a school and preparing for your MBA, check out our article on Poets & Quants. Need something a little more in depth? Part One of Case Studies & Cocktails is all about making the most of your time before B-school.