Archive : Essential Guides

We work with dozens of Yale School of Management applicants every year. Given the school’s tight-knit culture and its strong reputation in progressive fields of study, it’s no wonder that Yale is popular among our admissions consulting clients. What does surprise us, though, is how many Yale applicants don’t really know whether the school is good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they start crafting their applications.

Are you thinking about applying to Yale SOM this year? If so, why? How do you know if it’s really is a good fit for you? More importantly, how do you know the Yale admissions team will think you’re a good fit for the school? Today we present four things that make the Yale SOM experience unique:

We talk to dozens of applicants about INSEAD every year. Our European clients almost always are interested in the program, and among U.S.-based applicants, INSEAD is almost always their first or second choice if they’re interested in earning an MBA abroad. This makes sense given the terrific international exposure that INSEAD students get at the school’s two campuses. What frequently surprises us, though, is how little applicants really know about the school, beyond that fact that it’s a highly-ranked program with a high profile around the world.

Are you thinking about applying to INSEAD? How do you know if it really is a good fit for you? And how do you know if the INSEAD admissions committee will think you’re a good fit for the program? Today we present six reasons why INSEAD may be the perfect school for you to target for your MBA experience. While not all six of these need to describe you, the more these descriptions sound like you, the more likely you are to thrive at INSEAD:

We get no shortage of inquiries from clients about the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which isn’t surprising given that it sits at or near the top of any significant ranking of MBA programs. What’s not to love about an elite, cozy MBA program in the heart of Silicon Valley? Still, we’re often disappointed by how little these applicants actually know about Stanford before they apply. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they begin the application process.

Are you thinking about applying to Stanford? If so, why? How do you know if it’s really is a good fit for you? More importantly, how do you know the Stanford admissions team will think you’re a good fit for the school? Today we present five things that make Stanford GSB unique among top-ranked MBA programs:

We are big fans of the UC Berkeley MBA program here at Veritas Prep. The school’s “Confidence Without Attitude” thrust is one we can really get behind, and it’s that ethos (among others) that makes Haas grads so popular among hiring companies. Haas is also popular among Veritas Prep clients, which is no surprise given the school’s location in the Bay Area and progressive reputation. We know other applicants agree — Haas actually has one of the lowest acceptance rates among all MBA programs in the United States.

Are you thinking about applying to Haas? How do you know if the school really is a good fit for you? Today we present six reasons why UC Berkeley may be the perfect school for you to target for your MBA experience:

When clients we ask our admissions consulting clients which MBA programs they’re targeting, NYU’s Stern School of Business is often on the list. Given the school’s New York location, impressive faculty, and strong ties to the finance sector, it’s no wonder that so many people apply to Stern each year.

If NYU Stern isn’t on your list, then perhaps you should take a step back and research the school more closely. It’s a personal favorite of many of us here at Veritas Prep headquarters, and it’s one that we frequently recommend that our clients research in more depth. Today we dig into four things that make NYU Stern unique among top business schools:

Every year we get countless inquiries from applicants about Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business. Given the school’s tight-knit community and its successful track record in placing grads in high-paying careers, it’s no wonder that so many applicants are drawn to Tuck every year. What does surprise us, though, is how many Tuck applicants don’t really know whether the school is good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they begin the application process.

Are you thinking about applying to Tuck? If so, why? How do you know if it’s really is a good fit for you? More importantly, how do you know the Tuck admissions team will think you’re a good fit for the school? Today we present four things that make the Tuck School of Business unique among top-ranked MBA programs:

We work with dozens of UCLA Anderson applicants every year. Given the school’s strong community and its strength in a number of academy departments, it’s no wonder that so many applicants aim for Anderson every year. What does surprise us, though, is how many UCLA applicants don’t really know whether the school is good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they start crafting their Anderson applications.

Are you thinking about applying to UCLA Anderson? If so, why? How do you know if it’s really is a good fit for you? More importantly, how do you know the Anderson admissions team will think you’re a good fit for the school? Today we present a few reasons why Anderson might be a good fit for you:

We work with dozens of Kellogg applicants every year. Given the school’s sterling reputation in marketing, its ability to turn out well-rounded general managers, and its high-energy culture, it’s no wonder that so many applicants aim for Kellogg every year. What does surprise us, though, is how many Kellogg applicants don’t really know whether the school is good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they start crafting their Kellogg applications.

Are you thinking about applying to Kellogg this year? If so, why? How do you know if it’s really is a good fit for you? More importantly, how do you know the Kellogg admissions team will think you’re a good fit for the school? Today we present five things that make the Kellogg academic experience unique:

Every year we work with dozens and dozens of clients who target Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Given its tight-knit culture, growing global footprint, and strength in academic areas such as marketing, it’s no surprise that Fuqua is on many applicants’ short lists. We are often surprised, however, by how many applicants apply to Fuqua without really knowing whether or not it’s a good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they start crafting their Duke applications.

Are you thinking about applying to Fuqua this year? If so, why? How do you know if Fuqua really is a good fit for you? Today we present five reasons why Duke may be a great place for you to spend two years as an MBA student:

When clients talk to us and list the handful of MBA programs to which they’re applying, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business is often on the list. Given the school’s strong academics, impressive alumni reach, and strength in multiple academic disciplines, it’s no wonder that so many people apply to Ross each year.

If Ross isn’t on your list, then perhaps you should take a step back and research the school more closely. It’s a personal favorite of many of us here at Veritas Prep headquarters (and not just among those who went to school in Ann Arbor), and it’s one that we frequently recommend that our clients research in more depth. If any of these descriptions below apply to you, then Ross should also be on your MBA radar:

Among Veritas Prep admissions consulting clients, Columbia Business School attracts more applications than all but several other schools. It’s no surprise, given how many grads Columbia places into high-paying Wall Street jobs every year. What may surprise you, though, is how many applicants apply to Columbia without really knowing whether or not it’s a good fit for them. We always urge these applicants to go back and do their homework a bit more before they start crafting their Columbia applications.

Are you thinking about applying to Columbia Business School? How do you know if Columbia really is a good fit for you? Today we present five reasons why Columbia may be the perfect school for you to target for your MBA experience:

Among top MBA programs, MIT Sloan stands apart for its reputation for producing grads with strong quantitative skills. But there’s a lot more to Sloan than spreadsheets and operations models. If you’re aiming for the top business schools, you will want to take a long, hard look at Sloan. But how do you know if Sloan is a good fit for you? Today we dig into six things that make MIT Sloan different than other top business schools. If you like the way these sound, then Sloan should probably be on your short list of MBA programs:

Technology
Given the strength of MIT and engineering, it’s no surprise that Sloan has a superior offering in the area of tech ventures and IT. Innovation is a buzzword at many top business schools, but Sloan embodies it, particularly in the area of high tech. Support for an entrepreneur in launching a new venture at business school is stronger at MIT than almost anywhere else (schools like Berkeley Haas and Stanford also have extensive resources and are good choices for those wanting to pursue a technology career).

In terms of reputation, Chicago Booth is one of the fastest-rising MBA programs in the world. More and more top-tier candidates now consider applying to Booth than ever before, making getting in to Booth tougher. Over the past several years, we have probably seen inquires about Booth increase more than those for any other school. Booth is hot, and people want to go there. If you’re reading this, then odds are that you’re considering Booth, too.

But how do you know Chicago Booth is a good fit for you? Today we dig into five things that might make Booth an especially good fit for you. Not all of these need to apply to you, but the more these things sound like you, the more likely you are to fit in at Booth and excel in its rigorous learning environment:

Without a doubt, a Wharton MBA is one of the most sought after graduate degrees in the world. And every year we at Veritas Prep certainly get our share of applicants who want to spend two years in Philadelphia. It’s no wonder — very few schools can match its reputation in finance, and in recent years Wharton’s pace of curriculum innovation actually seems to be accelerating.

But how well do you really know Wharton? Today we dig into three things that contribute to Wharton’s unique, high-energy learning environment. If reading about these attributes make you even more excited Wharton, then the school might be a good fit for you: