UCLA's Anderson School Releases Application & Essays

The 2007 application website for the Anderson School of Managment at UCLA has gone online. Essay prompts are unchanged from last year.

To access the application, go to:

http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x5544.xml

Tuck Brings CEOs to Strategy Classes

Tuck students will hear about corporate strategy from some of the world's leading executives this year, as more than 20 top officers of companies like Boston Scientific and Colgate-Palmolive give guest lectures to Tuck's second-year strategy classes.

The CEOs and chairmen will speak to the 'Global Strategy and Implementation' and 'Advanced Competitive Strategy' classes taught by Professor Richard D'Aveni, who has advised Fortune 500 CEOs on strategy and spoken at meetings of the World Economic Forum. D'Aveni began including high-profile guest speakers in his classes last year. Speakers included the CEOs of ITT Industries, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Motorola, and Monsanto. The guest speakers were so well received that D'Aveni decided to expand the program this year.

This year's guest speaker schedule includes chairmen and CEOs from Cardinal Health, ConAgra, Corning Glass, Federated Department Stores, Hanover Insurance, Hewlett-Packard (Americas), Office Depot, United Health Group, WR Grace, YUM! Brands, and more. Many of the speakers will also meet Tuck students through small group meetings and lunches and dinners.

Source: "CEOs Visit Tuck Strategy Classes" - press release, The Tuck School of Business (Hanover, NH), August 24, 2006.

Goizueta Essays for 2007

Emory University's Goizueta Business School has published its essay questions for fall 2007 admisisons.

To see the essay questions, go to the appropriate links on Goizueta's admissions webpage:

www.goizueta.emory.edu/degree/apply.html

2007 Application & Essays for Yale SOM

The Yale SOM has released its 2007 application, including essay questions.

A print version of the application can be downloaded for reference purposes from this URL:

http://mba.yale.edu//MBA/admissions/
apply/how_to/pdf/application.pdf

Actual applications must be made through the SOM's online application website.

Owen Deadlines & Essays

Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management has published its application deadlines and essay questions for fall 2007 admissions.

The deadlines are:

First Round - Apply by November 14, receive decision by January 15
Second Round - Apply by January 15, receive decision by March 15
Third Round - Apply by March 1, recieve decision by April 1

Applicants who want to be considered for Dean's Scholarships must apply by the Second Round (January 15) deadline.

Owen's essay questions are available in its on-line application form. To begin an application, go to:

www.owen.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbilt/Programs/
mba/mba-admissions/index.cfm

Tepper Essays for 2007

Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business has released the print version of its 2007 application, including essay questions.

To download or view the form, go to:
business.tepper.cmu.edu/files/
tepper_school_of_business_mbaapp1_0607.pdf

Tepper's online application site is scheduled to go online by September 1.

2007 Deadlines for Cornell

Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management will hold 4 application rounds for fall 2007 admissions, one fewer round than in previous years.

Cornell's deadlines are:

Round 1 - Apply by October 9, 2006 - receive decision by November 17
Round 2 - Apply by November 9, 2006 - receive decision by December 18
Round 3 - Apply by January 9, 2007 - receive decision by March 23
Round 4 - Apply by March 9, 2007 - receive MBA decisions by April 27 and TMO decisions by April 20

Applicants who want to be considered for Park Leadership Fellowships or other scholarships must apply by the Round 3 deadline.

International applicants are advised to apply no later than Round 3, to allow adequate time for visa processing.

Cornell will release its 2007 application and essay questions later this month.

Corporations Work Harder to Recruit B-School Stars

Top U.S. corporations have to work harder to woo and win the loyalty of graduates from the country's top b-schools these days -- and that's good news for a certain type of MBA candidate.

Fortune 500 firms have always recruited from the top business schools. Even during years when the economy was slow and hiring was down, students could count on a number of top corporations sending recruiters to the most elite b-schools to identify and interview up-and-coming management talent.

That task has become more difficult for employers as b-school demographics have changed. More students are selecting part-time, EMBA, or online programs, meaning that potential career candidates are spread across a greater number of schools and programs. Moreover, b-schools are enrolling a larger number of international students -- who may not be interested in U.S. employment, or may not have the visa needed to work in the U.S. -- and younger students -- who lack the work experience that top employers want in addition to an MBA degree.

As a result of these trends, recruiters have had to become more inventive and more energetic in wooing suitable job candidates. Companies are putting on more recruiting events, earlier in the school year. In some cases, students are being signed up during the summer before their MBA program even begins. In other cases, schools have drawn the line and forbidden employers to begin recruiting until new students have had several weeks to settle into their programs and adapt to their classes.

This is good news for MBA candidates who seek a career with a U.S. corporation and who have the work experience and b-school record to draw recruiters' attention. They should be able to count on their MBA investment paying off in attractive internship and job offers -- if they attend a program that recruiters draw from. Grads from less high-profile programs can expect a strong hiring market, too, but they will have to go an extra mile to make contact with employers and to sell them on their potential as managers.

No one can ever safely say that this is the year to go for an MBA, or guarantee that someone's investment in a business school education will pay off. That said, the degree of competition we're seeing to hire MBA talent makes an MBA a more attractive option than ever for candidates who aspire to a corporate career.

Source: "New Talent Identification Improves MBA Recruiting for Fortune 500" - a press release from MBA Scouting Report, dated August 16, 2006, as distributed by Business Wire

More People Signing Up for the GMAT

The worldwide number of GMAT registrations for the first seven months of 2006 is 4.2 per cent higher than registration volume for the same period in 2005, the Graduate Management Admission Council says.

GMAT registration volume inside the U.S. grew by 3.51 per cent. Outside the U.S., volume rose by 5.72 per cent.

U.S. registration volume is higher than it has been since 2003. Some people see this as another indication of renewed interest in MBA programs by U.S. students and professionals following several years of declining application volume.

GMAT registration volume is fairly reliable as a general indicator of upcoming business school application trends. Registration volume tracks the number of GMAT exams that are being scheduled. It should not be read as an indication of the number of people interested in MBA programs, since a single applicant might register for the test several times. However, in the past, a rise in GMAT registration volume has usually been followed by a rise in business school application volume. It's not unreasonable to expect that the current increase in registration volume will be followed by a rise in b-school applications this fall and winter, especially in light of other signs of growing interest in MBA programs.

2007 Deadlines for Yale SOM

The Yale School of Management has released its application deadlines for 2007. They are:

Round I - apply by October 25, 2006; receive decision by January 19
Round II - apply by January 10, 2007; receive decision by April 5
Round III - apply by March 14, 2007; receive decision by May 18

Yale's online application, with the essay questions for 2007, will go online later this month.

Ross and Fuqua Release Essays for '07

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and Duke University's Fuqua School of Business have released their application essay questions for 2007.

Ross' essays can be read online, at:

http://www.bus.umich.edu/pdf/2007_MBAEssayQuestions.pdf

(It looks like Ross forgot to include word limits on its required essay questions this year. In past years, 500 words was a typical limit for Ross essays.)

Fuqua's essays are available at:


http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/mba/daytime/apply/#ess

Application Deadlines for Wharton

The Wharton School has released its 2007 application deadlines. They are:

Round I - Apply by October 12, 2006; decisions released December 21
Round II - Apply by January 4, 2007; decisions released March 22
Round III - Apply by March 1, 2007; decisions released May 17

For more information about applying to Wharton, visit the the School's admissions webpage:

http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/index.cfm

2007 Deadlines for Tepper

Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business has posted its application deadlines for 2007. They are:

Round 1: November 6, 2006 (decisions will be mailed by December 22)
Round 2: January 8, 2007 (decisions will be mailed by March 12)
Round 3: March 19, 2007 (decisions will be mailed by April 30)
Round 1: April 30, 2007 (decisions will be mailed by June 4)

International applicants must apply by the Round 3 (March 19) deadline. Applications received from U.S. applicants after April 30 will be considered on a rolling basis.

Tepper's complete application, including essay questions, will be released around September 1. For more information, go to Tepper's MBA admissions webpage:

http://business.tepper.cmu.edu/default.aspx?id=141024

B-School App Volume "Surged" in 2006, GMAC Says

2 out of 3 full-time MBA programs received more applications for 2006 entry than they did for 2005, the Graduate Management Admisssion Council (GMAC) reports.

This marks a sharp turn-around from the previous year, when only 21 per cent of full-time programs saw application growth.

Applications for part-time and EMBA programs grew from 2005 to 2006 as well. 62 per cent of part-time programs saw application volume grow in 2006, compared to 46 per cent in 2005. 69 per cent of EMBA programs saw an increase in applications, whereas only 38 per cent did the year before.

3 out of 4 U.S. MBA programs received more applications from international applicants in 2006, compared to just 28 per cent in 2005. International application volume was up at non-U.S. schools as well, with 62 per cent of international b-schools reporting an increase in international applications.

A growing number of women applicants are applying to MBA programs as well. Approximatley 64 per cent of full-time MBA programs received more applications from women this year. 47 per cent of part-time programs and 50 per cent of EMBA programs reported a similar trend.

If this trend continues this year -- and employers' continuing demand for MBA grads suggests that it will -- b-school applicants are likely to face more competition than they have in years for the limited number of seats in any MBA class. Increased competition makes it more important than ever to submit thoughtful, well-planned, and well-written essays that will persuade an admissions committee that you're the kind of student they're looking for.

Source: "Business School Applications Jump Across the Board in 2006" - press release, Graduate Management Admission Council (McLean, Virginia), 7 August 2006

More Deadlines & Essays: UNC, UT Austin, G'town

2007 application deadlines and essay questions are available online for the UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School, for UT Austin's McCombs School of Business, and for Georgetown's McDonough School of Business.

Links to Kenan-Flagler's essay questions are posted to this webpage:
http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/Programs/MBA/
Apply/requirements.cfm

Kenan-Flagler's 2007 application deadlines are:

Early Action - October 27, 2006 (decisions by December 11)
Round 1 - December 1, 2006 (decisions by February 5)
Round 2 - January 5, 2007 (decisions by March 12)
Round 3 - March 2, 2007 (decisions by April 27)

McCombs' essay questions are posted to this webpage:
http://mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/essays.asp

McComb's recommended deadlines for submitting fall 2007 applications are:

Round 1 (Early) - November 1, 2006
Round 2 - February 2, 2007
Round 3 - April 1, 2007

The McDonough School's essay questions can be read in the .pdf version of its 2007 application:
http://msb.georgetown.edu/images/mba/
2006/07/gtown%20final%20appl.pdf

McDonough's application deadlines are:

Round I - December 1, 2006 (decisions by January 25, 2007)
Round II - February 9, 2007 (decisions by March 29)
Round III -April 20, 2007 (decisions by May 24)

MBA Salaries Rise - So Do Expectations

MBA hiring is hitting a level that grads have not enjoyed in over five years, BusinessWeek reports.

BW cites a survey by WetFeet Research & Consulting that found that over two-thirds of '06 MBA grads received multiple job offers, and that 80 per cent of MBAs had secured jobs by the end of May.

MBAs' salary expectations are rising along with recruiting activity. The average base salary that grads said they expected was $98,650. By contrast, the average value of actual salary offers was only $95,781.

The five most popular employers among this year's crop of b-school grads were McKinsey & Co., Goldman Sachs, Bain & Co., Google, and The Boston Consulting Group.

Source: "MBA Job Market Remains Strong," from "Heard on Campus," by Lauren Lavelle and Janie Ho - BusinessWeek, August 2, 2006

Kelley & Simon Release '07 Applications

Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and the University of Rochester's Simon Graduate School of Business Administration have released their 2007 applications.

Kelley's online application for 2007 will be available in September, but the printed application can be downloaded from the School's website now. Look for the link on this webpage:
http://kelley.iu.edu/mba/admissions/howtoapply.cfm

Simon's online and print applications are available at:
http://www.simon.rochester.edu/mba/apply_now.aspx

2007 Deadlines for Ross & Anderson

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and UCLA's Anderson School of Management have announced their application deadlines for 2007.

Ross' deadlines are:

Round 1- November 1, 2006, w/notification by January 15, 2007
Round 2 - January 7, 2007 , w/notification by March 15
Round 3 - March 1, 2007 , w/notification by May 15

Ross will release its essays early this month. For more information, go to:
http://www.bus.umich.edu/Admissions/ApplyNow.htm

Anderson's deadlines are:

Round 1 - October 25, 2006, w/notification by January 19, 2007
Round 2* - January 3, 2007, w/notification by March 29
Round 3 - February 21, 2007, w/notification by May 18
Round 4 - April 25, 2007, w/notification by June 15

* Applicants who want to be considered for UCLA fellowships should apply no later than Round 2.

UCLA applicants also have deadlines for submitting SAT and TOEFL scores, and for completing on-campus interviews. For more information, go to:
http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/x5544.xml

Goizueta Posts Deadlines for 2007

rpEmory University's Goizueta Business School has published its application deadlines for 2007.

Key dates are:

Round 1 - Apply by November 1, receive decision by January 1
Round 2 - Apply by December 15, receive decision by March 1
Round 3 - Apply by February 1, receive decision by April 1
Round 4 - Apply by March 1, receive decision by May 1

The final deadline for Goizueta's One-Year MBA program is February 1.

Applicants who want to compete for scholarships should apply by Round 3 (February 1).

International applicants should apply no later than Round 2 (December 15). If we remember correctly, that's several weeks earlier than the date that was specified last year. International applicants who think they might have trouble completing their application by mid-December should contact Goizueta's office of admissions and ask for guidance.

International applicants should also look at the "Guidelines for Applicants from India" that Goizueta has posted to its website. Look for the link at the bottom of this webpage:

http://www.goizueta.emory.edu/degree/fulltimemba
/application_process.html

These guidelines explain how Goizueta assesses 3-year undergraduate degrees and go over the criteria Goizueta uses in making admissions decisions. Although the guidelines are (obviously) written for Indian applicants, the information they provide might be useful for applicants from other countries as well.

Application Deadlines and Essays for Darden

The Darden School of Business has released its application deadlines and essay questions for 2007.

Deadlines are:

Round 1 (Early Action) - Complete application and interview by October 19; receive decision week of December 8

Round 2 - Complete application and interview by December 5; receive decision week of February 9

Round 3 - Complete application and interview by January 11; receive decision week of March 23

Round 4 - Complete application and interview by March 1; receive decision week of April 20

Darden has posted the text of its essays for 2007 to this webpage:
http://admissions.darden.virginia.edu/criteriaEssay.htm

We were somewhat surprised to see that Darden has introduced word limits on essay length this year. In the past, Darden simply asked applicants to use their best judgment to determine how long their essays needed to be to say what they wanted to say in them.

This change is a plus for applicants in that it's easier to write an essay when you know exactly how long it can be. It also presents a challenge, however, as the word limits Darden gives are tight -- 500 words for two of the required essays, and just 250 words for one required essay and for the optional essay. This year's Darden applicants will have to make sure that every word in their essays counts.