We’re excited to share an update from our former President, Andrew Yang, who left us to found the Venture for America fellowship program. Venture for America Fellows, once selected, work for 2 years in a start-up or growth company in a U.S. city with the goal that they go on to become entrepreneurs. Each class receives $100,000 in seed funding at the conclusion of the 2 years. VFA supporters and board members include Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, and David Lee of SV Angel among many others.

Over the past two years we’ve had Andrew introduce Venture for America, we shared the Time Magazine story about VFA, and we announced their latest Summer Celebration. We even shared that time that Andrew met President Obama!

Now we want to let you know that the application deadline for the 2013 fellowship is rapidly approaching! You can apply here.

Here’s the update from Andrew and Venture for America:

VENTURE FOR AMERICA , FINAL APPLICATION DEADLINE APPROACHING! 

Venture for America  sends young, talented graduates to work for startups in emerging cities (ie. Cincinnati, Detroit, New Orleans, Providence, Las Vegas, Baltimore, etc.), with the goal of mobilizing them as entrepreneurs moving forward.

VFA’s mission is threefold:

To revitalize American cities and communities through entrepreneurship. 

To enable our best and brightest to create new opportunities for themselves and others.

To restore the culture of achievement to include value-creation, risk and reward, and the common good. 

VFA recruits the best and brightest recent college graduates, provides them with training and mentorship, and places them at partner startups to help grow those organizations. This is an opportunity for students who want to learn how to build companies.

The 2013 Venture for America Fellowship consists of the following components:

· Training “ a 5-week crash course in startup readiness, held at Brown University in Summer 2013

· Company Placement “ 2 years of work at a start-up or early stage company

· Programming and Capstone “ Regular assignments, readings, and meetings, including a $100k prize at the conclusion of the program

The final deadline to apply for the 2013 fellowship is February 18th. To learn more, visit www.ventureforamerica.org or email lauren@ventureforamerica.org today!

We invite you to test your GMAT knowledge for a chance to win! Each week, we will post a new Challenge Problem for you to attempt. If you submit the correct answer, you will be entered into that week’s drawing for a free Manhattan GMAT Prep item. Tell your friends to get out their scrap paper and start solving!
Here is this week’s problem:

Is xy an integer?

(1) x is the ratio of the area of a square to the area of the largest possible circle inscribed within that square.

(2) y is the ratio of the area of a circle to the area of the largest possible square inscribed within that circle.

Read more

Here are the free GMAT events we’re holding this week. All times are local unless otherwise specified.

2/5/13– Online- Free Trial Class– 9:00PM-12:00AM (EST)

2/10/13– Online- Free Trial Class– 9:00AM-12:00PM (EST)

2/07/13– Online- Thursdays with Ron– 7:00-8:30PM (EST)

2/10/13– Boston, MA- Free Trial Class – 5:30PM- 8:30PM

2/5/13– Chicago, IL- Free Trial Class– 6:30PM-9:30PM
Read more

ACCESS MBA events provide a unique chance for you to meet Admissions Directors of prestigious MBA programs from around the world on an individual, 1-to-1 basis. Event services can include personalized MBA consulting sessions, a Panel Discussion featuring school representatives, Manhattan GMAT workshops, and more. Plus, every participant will receive a 120-page Access MBA guide. Places are limited for the One-to-One meetings and early registration is recommended, so visit accessmba.com to register and learn more!

Here are some details on three Access MBA events coming up soon. We hope to see you there!

LONDON

Saturday, February 2, 2012
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
GMAT WORKSHOP WITH MANHATTAN GMAT at 12:30 p.m.

Attending schools include:

Ashridge Business School
Cass Business School
Durham University Business School
Esade Business School
Henley
Hult International Business School
IE Business School
IESE Executive MBA
IESE Full-Time MBA
IMD
Kellogg – WHU
Manchester Business School
Manchester Business School Worldwide
MIP Politecnico di Milano
Nottingham University
University of Cambridge, Judge Business School
University of Chicago Booth School of Business
University of Edinburgh Business School
Vlerick Business School

TORONTO

Wednesday, February 13
4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Attending schools include:

Cass Business School
Copenhagen Business School
Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University
Durham University Business School
HEC Montreal
Hult International Business School
IESE Executive MBA
Manchester Business School
Manchester Business School Worldwide
Rotman School of Management , University of Toronto
Simon Fraser University – Beedie School of Business
University of Massachusetts Amherst – Isenberg School of Business
University of Victoria – Peter B. Gustavson School of Business
Vlerick Business School
Western University – Richard Ivey School of Business
York University – Schulich School of Business

MONTREAL

Saturday, February 16
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Attending schools include:

Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University
Durham University Business School
EDHEC Business School
ESCP Europe
HEC Montreal
Hult International Business School
IESE Executive MBA
IESE Full-Time MBA
Manchester Business School
Queens School of Business
Rotman School of Management , University of Toronto
Simon Fraser University – Beedie School of Business
University of Victoria – Peter B. Gustavson School of Business
Vlerick Business School
Western University – Richard Ivey School of Business
York University – Schulich School of Business

Catch up on your b-school news with some of this week’s top stories:

How Hard Do MBAs Work? (Poets & Quants)

Here’s an interesting statistical breakdown of the average workweek for MBAs around the world. Can you guess which continent logs the most hours?

B-School Chart of the Week: Most Popular Job Functions by Industry (mbaMission)

This interactive chart from mbaMission is helpful if you’re trying to decide which industry you want to enter and what kind of functional role you want to fulfill.

Get MBA Application Advice From the Trenches (U.S. News Education)

Past MBA applicants reflect on their own experiences and offer some helpful advice for prospective students.

Harvard Tops the 2013 MBA Rankings (Financial Times)

For the first time in eight years Harvard Business School pulled ahead of Stanford Graduate School of Business to top the Financial Times MBA Rankings.

Don’t see your favorite article from the week? Share what you’ve been reading in the comments or tweet @ManhattanGMAT

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Harrison Kratz, Community Manager at MBA@UNC. See the bottom of the post for more information about the author. 

While employed full time, the prospects of continuing your education can seem like a daunting task. Business school can be challenging, yet furthering your education can give you far better career opportunities and the ability to move into managerial positions more quickly. Fortunately, colleges today offer greater flexibility with part-time classes that are offered at night or online; some individuals are even able to attend school full time online while working. Whatever path you deem best for your situation, here are five tips on balancing your school and work life:

1. Don’t overdo it.

Find the course load that fits your situation, not overtakes it. Many colleges offer classes part time, once or twice a week, and online classes give you the advantage of being able to work from anywhere at any time. You may want to take only one or two classes per semester, and while it may take longer to complete your program, it will prevent you from being overwhelmed. Keep in mind: If you plan on receiving financial aid, you usually need to take a minimum of two courses to be eligible.

2. Choose your class load wisely.

In this U.S. News Education article, Menachem Wecker recommends that you balance course difficulty. Stagger your most difficult classes over multiple semesters. If you are taking two courses at a time, opt for a difficult course and one that you can complete with ease. This will make your journey far more comfortable.

3. Communicate your plans with your employer.

Going back to school is meant to further your skills and career, thus making you a greater asset to your company. With that in mind, be sure to gain your employer’s trust and keep them in the loop on your school plans. This will hopefully buy you some leeway at work or at least win you some understanding, but your company may supportive enough to offer tuition assistance. Be sure to explain to your supervisor how your education can benefit the company, continuing education making you more productive and management ready.

4. Don’t neglect sleep and exercise.

You cannot forget to take care of yourself – first and foremost, make sure that you exercise regularly and get adequate sleep. Trying to manage your work and school life can cause you to burn out quickly. Exercising will keep you feeling healthy and alert. Sleep is essential for focus. While you are at it, avoid snacking on junk food while doing schoolwork ” choose nutritious options!

5. Manage your time well.

Become an expert in time management. If you want to be successful in school and at work, you will need to be organized and able to prioritize. Plan specific times to do your schoolwork in order to avoid procrastination. Include your social plans in your schedule, and if you find that you are short on time, prioritize the most important things first. You may have to take a break from some social commitments if time does not allow for them, but in addition to sleeping and eating well, don’t forget to give yourself time to just relax and read a book or watch television. This will help maintain your sanity as you juggle your full-time job and business school classes. Good luck!

Bio: Harrison Kratz is the Community Manager at MBA@UNC, the online MBA program offered through the University of North Carolina. Harrison also sticks to his entrepreneurial roots as the founder of the global social good campaign, Operation: Social Santa. When he’s not working, Harrison switches his focus to great food, watching any sport that’s on TV, all things Disney, and traveling. You can find Harrison on Twitter: @KratzPR.

We invite you to test your GMAT knowledge for a chance to win! Each week, we will post a new Challenge Problem for you to attempt. If you submit the correct answer, you will be entered into that week’s drawing for a free Manhattan GMAT Prep item. Tell your friends to get out their scrap paper and start solving!
Here is this week’s problem:

A computer program generates a single digit by a random process, according to which the probability of generating any digit is directly proportional to the reciprocal of one more than that digit. If all digits are possible to generate, then the probability of generating an odd prime digit is between

Read more

When was the last time you thought that? For me, it was sometime within the past week. I knew that this problem was not beyond my reach! Meanwhile, the clock was ticking away and all I could focus on was the fact that I couldn’t remember something that I should have been able to remember.

That horrible, sinking feeling is universal: we’ve all felt it before and—unfortunately—we’re all going to feel it again. How can we deal with this? Read more

Here are the free GMAT events we’re holding this week. All times are local unless otherwise specified.

1/30/13– Online- Free Trial Class– 8:00-11:00PM (EST)

2/02/13– Online- Free Trial Class– 2:00-5:00PM (EST)

2/03/13– Online- Free Trial Class– 5:00-8:00PM (EST)

1/29/13– Online- Interview Workshop presented by mbaMission– 9:00-10:30PM (EST)

1/30/13– Online- MBA Admissions Myths Destroyed presented by mbaMission-5:00-6:30PM (EST)

1/29/13 – Boston, MA – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

1/28/13 – Evanston, IL – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM
Read more

Here’s a roundup of some of this week’s top business school related articles:

B-School Chart of the Week: Which B-Schools Produce the Best-Performing CEOs? (mbaMission)

Trying to decide where to go to business school? Have a look at where others have garnered great success.

Job Market Improving for Business School Graduates (U.S. News Education)

A new survey reveals that business school graduates’ job prospects are on the rise and are as good as they’ve been since 2003.
Read more