Veritas Prep Blog » Essential Guides http://www.veritasprep.com/blog GMAT Prep | SAT Prep | Admissions Consulting Fri, 24 May 2013 16:16:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Four Things That Make Yale SOM Different http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/four-things-that-make-yale-som-different/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/four-things-that-make-yale-som-different/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:11:06 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6460 Yale MBA Admissions GuideWe 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:

“Coopetition”
Many schools emphasize teamwork and a collaborative culture. Yale is a friendly school where generally, people are trying to help each other succeed. The term of art for this is “coopetition” (SOM Professor Barry Nalebuff even wrote a book on it) and you can find it in action both inside and outside the classroom at Yale.

“Raw Case” Approach
Yale SOM offers a unique version of the popular case method teaching style, known as the “Raw Case” approach to management education. Most case method programs use what are commonly referred to as “cooked” cases (or “closed” cases) that are packaged and synthesized before use. Yale SOM has developed its own set of cases which are housed on a multimedia platform and feature the types of open-ended, “fuzzy” source materials that a professional might encounter while analyzing a problem. Sometimes, the opportunity to tackle a “live” case presents itself, for example, when a high-visibility corporate issue is being actively followed in the media. These cases require students to sift through all the data and information to find what is pertinent and what can be ignored. Distilling information is often one of the most challenging aspects of real-world problem-solving, and Yale SOM attempts to teach students how to jump over this hurdle before diving into an analysis.

Required International Experience
First-year students are required to travel to one of several destinations in the world as part of the International Experience Destinations program. (Stanford introduced a similar requirement after Yale launched theirs.) These ten-day trips allow students to study their businesses of interest within another culture and setting. The trip is linked to the spring course State and Society and the year-long Leadership Development Program. This furthers SOM’s long-standing history of maintaining a global perspective.

Diversity
Most top programs have some level of outreach to underrepresented groups (women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans). However, Yale is much more proactive in their diversity initiatives. The new Pre-MBA Leadership program is a fully-sponsored summer session for minority college students, which is designed to introduce them to the MBA experience – and hopefully help them choose Yale when they are ready for their MBA. Yale has also participated in The Consortium, a joint effort among many good schools that offers a streamlined application for minority candidates (though note that Consortium applications have different deadlines, and at Yale, all Consortium candidates are evaluated together, with decisions released for all of them in mid-February).

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to Yale SOM, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert about mapping out your own Yale application strategy. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/four-things-that-make-yale-som-different/feed/ 0 INSEAD Is a Good Fit for You If... http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/insead-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/insead-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:11:07 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6424 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:

You want to work in a multinational company or you want to work overseas
This is a common profile for an INSEAD candidate and its unique program offers obvious advantages to candidates with goals in an international context. It can be somewhat more challenging for graduates to find jobs in the U.S. when coming out of INSEAD, although they can leverage the recruiting resources available at INSEAD’s partner schools like Wharton and Kellogg to gain a “home field advantage” in the job search process.

You have clear goals
With the need to hit the ground running on Day One at INSEAD, students don’t have much time to figure out what to do next. They should have career goals well defined in advance. If changing careers, then the January intake might be a more suitable option, and students need to be prepared to put in extra effort to secure the right internship to enable their transition.

You are headed to work in a family business
Only a few schools have resources devoted to the challenge faced by those taking over a family legacy (ESADE is another). INSEAD has a specialized Family Enterprise Challenge executive education program and faculty such as Christine Blondel have focused their research on multi-generational family business and the successor’s dilemma.

You want to be a consultant
The major consulting firms often recruit at INSEAD due to the quality of its graduates. The preparation you can receive at INSEAD to tackle global issues in strategy, operations, organizational structure, or other important practice areas is comparable to none.

You want to take advantage of multiple programs and opportunities in different countries
With INSEAD’s close partnership with Wharton and Kellogg and affiliations with major business schools in Asia and elsewhere, students are able to study at multiple premier graduate schools all while pursuing their INSEAD degree.

You are flexible and can deal with ambiguity
When applicants don’t even know where they’ll literally be going to school if accepted — Europe or Asia — they need to bring with them a resilience and a willingness to adapt, just to survive the admissions process. One sign of the maturity that INSEAD values in candidates is the ability to roll with the punches and be agile to change. The INSEAD program is so fast-paced and hectic that it might be a burden to someone who is ill prepared.

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to INSEAD, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. If you’re ready to start building your own application for INSEAD or other top business schools, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/insead-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/feed/ 0 Five Things That Makes Stanford GSB Different http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/five-things-that-makes-stanford-gsb-different/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/five-things-that-makes-stanford-gsb-different/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:11:48 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6332 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:

Class Size
At under 400 students in each graduating class, Stanford is among the smallest of the top business schools in the world — and this makes for a very different experience for the student. While there are advantages in a large class in terms of the vast global alumni network, a smaller class undoubtedly helps students foster closer relationships — not just with each other, but with the faculty, too.

Silicon Valley
Venture capital has its origins on Sand Hill Road, where Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital got their start in the ‘70s — and which runs along the border of the Stanford University campus. The GSB is in the heart of Silicon Valley, and this proximity makes the school a natural incubator for great ideas. And, it means that the quality of guest speakers is phenomenal. It is not uncommon to see the likes of Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) and the founder of Siebel (Pat House) and the CEO of Skype (Josh Silverman) in the classroom — in the same week. This close proximity to so many startups also means that it’s fairly easy for students to set up independent projects and more informal school-year internships than would be possible at other schools.

Innovation
This is big at this school — so much so, that the GSB is engraving it into the cornerstone of the new Knight Center, which is dedicated to “the things that haven’t happened yet and the people who are about to dream them up. ” The focus on innovation is evident in courses such as Contemporary Economic Policy, for example, the content of which changes, as its name suggests, based on the real world; in the past year, topics included the financial crisis, bailouts, and healthcare.

Sustainability and Social Innovation
Given its mantra to “change the world” it makes sense that Stanford wants to attract students who will do just that. Stanford is a leader of its business school peers in the areas of sustainable business and social ventures, both for-profit and non-profit.

International Exposure
Stanford has a similar mix of U.S. and international students to other top schools. However, unique to Stanford is the Global Experience Requirement, whereby every student must undertake a project overseas, in a country where they have never spent significant time, in order to broaden their understanding of global issues from a management perspective. (Only Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business has a similar requirement.) Because Stanford students are encouraged to fulfill their GER in the first year of studies, the entire GSB community benefits when they return to campus and share their experiences with their classmates and professors. Stanford was one of the first graduate business programs to focus on the international aspects of business.

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to Stanford GSB, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert about mapping out your own Stanford application strategy. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/02/five-things-that-makes-stanford-gsb-different/feed/ 0 The Haas School of Business Is a Good Fit for You If... http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/the-haas-school-of-business-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/the-haas-school-of-business-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:11:56 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6311 UC Berkeley (Haas)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:

You’re a little older
Haas is pretty strict about requiring extensive work experience in students. The average age of a Haas student is 28 – though the gap with some other schools has narrowed, and the average age of HBS students is now 27.

You’re interested in the business of technology
Whether you want to develop software, or develop a software company, Haas is a great place to expand your expertise in the areas of product development and product management, the management of innovation, and bringing new technology ideas to market.

You might pursue a career in cleantech
Few other business schools offer any curriculum at all in the field of renewable energy or cleantech, and even fewer have demonstrated a commitment to leading these fields forward into the future.

You’re interested in healthcare
Haas has great support for educating future leaders in healthcare. Berkeley is known for its joint MBA/MPH (Master’s in Public Health) program, and they offer a Graduate Program in Health Management as well. Haas is a natural fit for someone interested in tackling some of the biggest problems facing the world.

You want to start a nonprofit or social venture
One of the strongest business schools for nonprofit management has traditionally been Yale. Haas has similar strengths, with somewhat different emphasis on the innovation side. Someone considering an application to Yale for nonprofit might want to also consider Haas for similar reasons.

You’re a woman or a U.S. minority
As other top schools are doing, Haas is reaching out to women and to underrepresented ethnic groups, through programs and organizations such as the Forte Foundation and The Consortium. Haas hosts a Women’s Workshop and a Diversity Weekend in an effort to spread the word about its programs to these different groups. While Haas does not lower its standards for female or minority applicants, they do seem to be interested in improving the proportions of students in these categories and may give such candidates a closer look.

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to Haas, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. If you’re ready to start building your own application for Haas or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/the-haas-school-of-business-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/feed/ 0 Four Things That Make NYU Stern Different http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-nyu-stern-different/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-nyu-stern-different/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:11:54 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6260 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:

An agile and responsive faculty, with a focus on research
Stern was quick to move during the global financial crisis. Not only were its professors speaking to the media on a daily basis as the events unfolded, but by the first quarter of 2009, a major collaborative effort by 33 faculty members resulted in 18 policy white papers and a book on the financial crisis, Restoring Financial Stability, as well as a course offered by the white paper authors. In late 2010, Stern published the next book in this series, Regulating Wall Street, which discusses the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act and identifies flaws in this sweeping regulation on the financial industry. Most recently, Guaranteed to Fail came out, blasting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as the underlying culprits of the mortgage crisis and our economic woes. Stern’s faculty are heavily engaged in research of critical issues of the day, and few schools have been so quick to publicize analysis of and policy recommendations for these very significant events.

An oasis for career changers
Stern is considered one of the best possible destinations for those looking to move from one field to another by way of their MBA education. The Industry Mentoring Initiative allows Stern students to apply for a very unique mentoring program that puts career changers into actual companies to learn about a new industry or function and to make strong inroads into that world through networking. It is a competitive application process and one that that requires a clear move from one career to another, but for those students who participate, it can be a lifesaver. The IMI program features tracks in six different industries: consulting, luxury and retail, marketing, media and entertainment, investment banking, and sales and trading. While any business school can serve as the launching pad into a new career, the significant resources available for students at Stern makes this a natural choice for many.

The only top-ranked part-time MBA available in the Northeast
Stern was one of the first graduate business schools to offer a part-time program and they remain the only top program in the region to have one. The next closest part-time option is at Duke, down in North Carolina.

A focus on Emotional Intelligence
While many schools are grappling with the issues that created the economic problems a few years ago and seek to redefine their place in business and society, NYU Stern has focused on identifying the traits of individuals they want to invite into their collaborative community. Stern looks to evaluate candidates’ “EQ” or emotional intelligence, as equally important as IQ, in determining if they will be a good fit to the school.

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to NYU Stern, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. If you’re ready to start building your own application for Stern or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-nyu-stern-different/feed/ 0 Four Things That Make Tuck Different http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-tuck-different/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-tuck-different/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:11:49 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6188 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:

Small classes, personal attention
Partly because of the remote location, and partly because of the small class size, Tuck has a smaller full-time resident faculty (less than 50) with fewer adjunct professors than other schools. However, the small class size also benefits the students, with a student/teacher ratio of about 10:1. The intimacy of the community is also enhanced by the fact that most first-year students live in dormitories on campus. (If you want to see what the Tuck dorms look like, check out the tour on the school’s YouTube channel.) This arrangement is not common at other full-time programs, where students tend to be more spread out, especially those in cities like New York and Chicago. Another novelty at Tuck that fosters relationships among the class? The first-year study groups rotate regularly, rather than remaining fixed, the way they typically are elsewhere.

Dedication to diversity
Tuck’s Minority Business Executive was the first diversity-focused program of its kind. Tuck launched this initiative over 30 years ago, and the school remains dedicated to attracting students across all ethnographic and demographic spectrums. Tuck sponsors a by-application Diversity Conference in the Fall (they cover the cost of attendance for those accepted — and there’s a similar by-application Women in Business Conference as well). Tuck participates in conferences hosted by National Black MBA, National Hispanic MBA, and Reaching Out MBA (for the LGBT community). And, Tuck is the highest-ranked member of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, which is a long-standing program that encourages and facilitates minority candidates for business school. All that being said, Tuck still seems to have trouble attracting minorities compared to some of its peers, with just 19% of Tuckies being U.S. minorities. The proportion of minority faculty is slightly better, at 21% (commendably, Tuck is among the few programs who bother to report this latter statistic). Tuck also adds diversity to the classroom by encouraging international students — and encouraging U.S. employers to hire their international students, through deliberate education to recruiters to demystify visa requirements, and focused outreach on the behalf of these international students.

Emphasis on work experience
While some other business schools in its backyard have been welcoming younger and younger students, Tuck has held steadfast on its requirement for significant work experience prior to matriculation. The average age of a first-year is 28, and not a single person entered Tuck straight from college this year; 100% have some work experience. It’s possible for a college senior to apply to Tuck, though if accepted, it’s also likely that deferred admission would be offered, to matriculate in a few years’ time.

Stable leadership
The dean of Tuck, Paul Danos, has been running the show for much longer, about 15 years, than his counterparts at other schools. Many top business schools have gone through transition periods of late (some multiple times in quick succession) as they adapt to changed leadership and find their direction anew. The continuity here — and a leader who has already weathered multiple economic cycles and knows how to keep the school moving forward despite the challenges — can provide advantages for students at Tuck.

Today’s article was clipped from our Essential Guide to the Tuck School of Business, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Take a look if you are ready to prepare you Tuck application. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2012/01/four-things-that-make-tuck-different/feed/ 0 UCLA Anderson Is a Good Fit for You If... http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/ucla-anderson-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/ucla-anderson-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:11:43 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6157 UCLA Anderson 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:

You’re interested in media and entertainment
Few schools have the strength, resources, or connections that UCLA has in the entertainment industry. It’s not just the obvious advantage of the location in the entertainment capital of the world, but Anderson also has ties to industry that make it a natural choice for anyone seeking to enter this high-powered career.

You’re an entrepreneur, or want to become one
The strength of UCLA’s entrepreneurship resources rivals that of the best business programs around. From the variety of business plan competitions to the innovative classes on venture formation and growth, Anderson is a place where startups are formed.

You’re interested in a technology career
If you don’t want to start your own company but you do want to build technology products or work in an Internet company, Anderson can facilitate a new career path. About 15% of graduates move into technology fields, whether up north in California’s Silicon Valley or locally in L.A.

You want a part-time option
Many candidates find value in the UCLA FEMBA program that allows them to keep their job while earning their MBA. While pursuing a degree at the same time as managing the demands of a career (and often a family) can be very challenging, it is worthwhile for those who feel that they cannot afford to take time out of their career to pursue a full-time program.

You are a good student with maybe just an average GMAT score
Anderson is quite similar to NYU in terms of class size and student age, and even some of their programs are similarly focused (media and entertainment being the most notable). However, whereas Anderson has a slightly lower average GMAT (712 compared to NYU’s 715), the average GPA of Anderson students is notched higher, at 3.54, compared to 3.42 at Stern. While candidates often drive themselves crazy slicing and dicing and overanalyzing these school statistics against their own profiles, the bottom line is that UCLA tends to accept those with stronger academic records and is a little more willing to overlook a lower GMAT score (and Stern is the opposite). This is by no means a rule of how every candidate is evaluated, and so if your numbers have a different pattern, you could still find a spot there.

Today’s article was clipped from our Essential Guide to UCLA Anderson, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Take a look if you are ready to prepare you Anderson application. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/ucla-anderson-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/feed/ 0 Five Things That Make Kellogg Different http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/five-things-that-make-kellogg-different/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/five-things-that-make-kellogg-different/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:11:51 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6125 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:

Blended Teaching
Kellogg offers perhaps the most blended teaching approach of any of the top business schools, dividing its course styles into three nearly equal parts: case method, lectures, and team projects — all bolstered by the school’s commitment to experiential learning. The classroom approach at Kellogg can often mirror the probing, theoretical approach of a top law school, as distinguished professors push MBA students to go beyond the rules of business by testing theories and assumptions. Classroom participation is one thing that all of Kellogg’s class formats have in common. The curriculum is constantly evolving with the times and the hot topics of the day.

Experiential Learning
Many elite business schools offer their students the chance to study in the field and to get real world experience, but few incorporate the mantra of “learning by doing” to the extent that Kellogg does. From the number of students who participate in business plan competitions, to the wide range of unique opportunities to create and test new technologies offered, Kellogg allows every student to find a way to put his or her theoretical learning to the real world test. The school offers a nearly unparalleled variety of courses and labs that focus almost entirely on learning by doing.

Social Responsibility
The school has a range of opportunities for students to both get involved in their local communities while also building strong skills for a future career in a social venture or nonprofit. The Kellogg Board Fellows program is an opportunity for students to serve on the board of a nonprofit. Social Enterprise at Kellogg (SEEK) supports those interested in bringing social benefits to the world through business, and the annual Innovating Social Change conference has been running for well over ten years now, which reinforces the longstanding commitment to the community and social good that is apparent at the Kellogg School. Kellogg’s socially-focused culture is also highlighted by the fact that they have a faculty Director of Diversity and Inclusion (Angela Edwards-Campbell), and these values are emphasized throughout the curriculum.

Global Perspective
A typical Kellogg class is composed of students from 40 different countries. And, another 100 international exchange students come to campus each year, taking the place of the 100 Kellogg students who travel to foreign universities for study abroad opportunities. Beyond this diverse mix of nationality and culture among the student body, Kellogg has focused coursework and experiential learning opportunities specific to the global landscape, such as the Global Lab, Global Initiatives in Management, and a requirement that every student take at least one course with a global focus.

Leadership
As all other top schools do, Kellogg puts a great deal of focus on leadership. The school attempts to elevate good leaders to great ones. One required component in the Kellogg curriculum is the Leadership Core Series, which is a central part of the first semester and involves a community service project. Specific leadership courses (Leadership in Organizations and Values and Crisis Decision Making) bring this approach to the curriculum, while a residence series brings in high-level executives as part of a speaking program to discuss leadership issues and concepts surrounding social responsibility. The Business Leadership Club and the Kellogg Student Association rank among the most popular and important student groups at the school.

Today’s article was clipped from our Essential Guide to Kellogg, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Take a look if you are ready to prepare you Kellogg application. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/five-things-that-make-kellogg-different/feed/ 0 Fuqua Is a Good Fit for You If... http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/fuqua-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/fuqua-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:11:01 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6095 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:

You’ve got some work experience under your belt
Fuqua traditionally prefers that students in the Daytime MBA have about five years of work experience, though there is some flexibility on this requirement for stellar candidates.

You’re a younger candidate who wants core management training
The MMS degree is a great option for those coming straight from college, and the Cross-Continent MBA also sometimes accepts students with a little less work experience (though some years of work experience — and a current job — are definitely required).

You’re interested in a truly unique international MBA education
The Cross-Continent and the Global Executive tracks are both in a class of their own in terms of providing immersive opportunities with an exceptionally diverse cohort. If your career has already put you in the international arena, these are definitely worth investigating. Duke’s focus on global business is evident across all the school and makes the North Carolina campus more diverse than might be expected.

You want to go into energy, including alternative/renewables
Whether you want to go into investment banking or become a sell-side commodities analyst, or you want to push innovations in alternative energy, or you care about sustainability in business, Duke is increasing its attentions in these critical areas and could be a great choice to launch or reposition your career.

You want to go into healthcare
There are few other programs with anything like the depth and breadth of healthcare management available at Duke. For those looking to accelerate their progression in an existing career or someone interested in transitioning over to hospital management, clinical outcomes, or the payer side, Duke’s Health Sector Management MBA and the other educational options are hard to beat.

Today’s article was clipped from our Essential Guide to Fuqua, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. Want to know more? Be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

]]> http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/fuqua-is-a-good-fit-for-you-if/feed/ 0 Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Ross http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/five-reasons-why-you-should-consider-ross/ http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/2011/12/five-reasons-why-you-should-consider-ross/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:11:54 +0000 Scott http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/?p=6052 Michigan Ross MBA Admissions GuideWhen 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:

You’ve been in the workforce for awhile
With an average of 5 years of experience for incoming students, Ross wants to see some significant work history. In fact, the admissions office states outright that it is “difficult to be admitted” straight from college. They generally require at least a year or two of high-quality work experience — preferably a bit more before seriously considering an applicant. Unlike some other schools, Ross will not even accept an application from someone who is currently a college senior.

You’d like to study supply chain or operations
The one-year MSCM degree is not an MBA but it is appealing for certain types of people looking to advance in operations, and it is a unique degree not found at many other schools. Ross also has strong offerings for MBA students pursuing careers in this function.

You’re interested in sustainability or want to launch a social venture
Ross has led the way with socially responsible business and sustainability, with a focus on these issues for much longer than any other school. Ross has a well established track record of educating social entrepreneurs and supporting ventures with a heart. If you want a “green” education, there’s not another school that can easily top Ross.

You’d like to get your MBA while keeping your day job
Ross has some very practical part-time programs, including the Ross Global time-shifted and globe-trotting track which is geared for those doing business in Asia.

You appreciate the benefits of attending a large state school
As a state school, the tuition at Ross is about $5,000 per year lower for Michigan residents, but even out-of-state students will find that the overall bill is less than most other Top 10 schools, and the cost of living in Ann Arbor is certainly less than the cost of living in most cities on the right and left coasts.

Today’s blog post was clipped from our Essential Guide to Ross, one of 15 guides to the world’s top MBA programs, available for purchase on our site. If you’re ready to start building your own application for Ross or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!

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