[Program Fitting]這些學校怎麼選?

Q:請幫忙選擇以下15所學校

A:
these schools are drastically different

it depends heavily on your score range and your goals

the focuses of these programs (but not limited to the followings) are totally different--


1． Boston University: general management

2． Babson College: entrepreneurship

3． Boston College: finance and leadership

4． Case Westen Reserve University: academic-oriented general management

5． Temple University (Fox): research-oriented mini program

6． University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (Carlson): generam management and strategy

7． University of Rochester (Simon) (NY): finance management and strategy

8． George Washington University (DC): international management and industry-specific study

9． Pennsylvania State University: supply chain and general management

10． University of Maryland: digital management

11． Syracuse University (Whitman): entrepreneurial market-oriented management

12． Wake Forest University: entrepreneurship, marketing, operation

13． University of California--Irvine (Merage): general management, entrepreneurship, real estate, investment & healthcare

14． University of California--Riverside (Anderson): mini management program

15． American University: accounting and international general management

[Program Fitting]Minnesota Carlson vs. UIUC?

Q: Minnesota Carlson vs. UIUC?

A:
明大是綜合管理學校

從課程編排就可以看出頗有小華頓的氣勢

對general management的各技能均衡程度相當高

招生重視個人獨特性,過去三四年觀察下來很愛招獨特背景的學生

學校華人眾多

有些超大型企業如3M, Target都在明州有地理鄰近性



UIUC一向是超級會計強校

這兩年積極轉型往綜合管理與營銷

學校出了一些世界名人如Jack Welch

因而是美國名氣響亮的學校

對亞洲學生招生友善

對年資的不那麼要求

成績也較有彈性

很愛年輕有活力的申請人

[Personal Branding]developmental needs和weakness有什么区别

Q:
developmental needs和weakness有什么区别

A:
用0到100分来看

数学只有20分叫做weakness

要进步到60分才叫及格

则20分到60分这段叫做developmental needs

除了两个东西指的区间不同之外

因为人不是机器

有太多人性化因素如：个性，意愿，能力，兴趣...等会产生个人差异

每个人都会有某些弱点是无法进步的

例如有些人有惧高症

硬逼他去开飞机可能才刚起飞就晕了

而weakness也不一定是negative

例如篮球场上的身高问题

天生就矮不一定是weakness

反而可以加快脚程在场上穿梭是个positive

但抢板子的时候就成了weakness

并且没有developmental needs

没办法叫他拔高就拔高
所以写这类题目要看仔细到底是问weakness还是问developmental needs

两个讲的根本还是不同

[Program Fitting]大家对chicago的essay 2怎么看？

Q:
大家对chicago的essay 2怎么看？
Option 1
a) Please provide an example of a time when you had to make a choice between two equally important obligations. How did you decide which obligation deserved your attention? b) Did you try and predict other people's reactions to your decision? If so, how accurate were you? Why do you think you were or were not accurate in your prediction? c) Reflecting on this experience, how do you think an MBA from Chicago GSB might have aided in your decision making process?

-or-

Option 2
a) Have you ever made a decision that caused you to go against popular opinion? Please describe that situation and your rationale for your decision. b) Did you feel at any point that people misperceived your motives? Explain. c) In retrospect, how do you think an MBA from Chicago GSB would have affected your decision?




A:
各間學校都有獨特的領導力與作風強項

去過Booth就知道

一進去就是一整面牆掛滿諾貝爾獎得主

在這匯集歷史上頂尖經濟學家之地

除了固有的硬經濟超牛之外

其中一項最強的領導力就是在團隊腦力激盪時"研究各種可能"

跟官網上強調的"Exam every idea."完全密合

也因此在招生時的根本重點

就是問申請人如何證明你有這項"檢視各項可能"的能力

這項能力本身就是一項leadership

因此若申請人對自身領導風格有深度瞭解

立刻可以看出是否欠缺這項"檢視所有可能方案"的領導力,而確定是否有school fit

OPTION 1,2 兩個是因為申請人經歷各有不同

方便讓申請人從經歷中選擇最能發揮自己的情境

但可以輕易看出所問的核心都相同

就是如何reasoning all alternatives to convince others

要直問analytical thinking的全面性以及communication中的persuasion能力

而另外這兩個option各著重在不同方向

option 1是對value的reflection以及independent thinking

option 2是在團隊中的vision, leadership, 以及conflict and relationship management

不管要回答那個option

都是要用同一個事件scenario來作主軸回答各小題

而如何運用Booth GSB的各種課程,教學模式,團隊互動與學生風氣,甚至社團與其他課外活動

還有教學資源中心與各項校內外競賽等等

來找出其中的核心技能,培養自己邁向管理成功

[Personal Branding]G 750, 兩年半經驗轉職,低GPA, top 20?

A:
前三年看过许多相似案例

有人上了前二十，甚至有人上了西北哈佛斯坦福

但大多还是落在二十名边上的学校

Georgetown或Emory就听过好几个

严格说两年半经验在前面牛校算是弱势

虽说今年全球经济衰退估计涌入大批申请人

但根本还是出在申请人的why now

初步条件来看主要有三大挑战

一是还不具备足够质量的经验

leadership能够发挥有限

二是除了为什么现在最根本的还是why mba

需要以长程策略考量来解释

重点不是在为何要换

而是要看why thy timing

第三是大幅度的GPA与GMAT差距会让adcom有两个反应

一是大学时候怎么了

二是这GMAT分数是怎么得到的

committee原则上都是相信人的

但必须要有很合理的逻辑

本科没念好 时间都用哪去了


在年资不够的状况下

只剩这些逻辑点可以解释

需要特别多花心思刻画动机

[Personal Branding]多少年经验对career changer能有多大用处呢？

Q:
多少年经验对career changer能有多大用处呢？MBA不只是general management。

A:
Everything is relevant

even if you switch career, you still need to leverage your experience to the maximum

or you did waste your life

mba is not just a pass

it's a life advancement process

or at least adcoms look it this way

US NEWS2008排名表,另选校问题请教各路牛人,尤其davidlee0222请进

(The article has been modified for Blogger setting.)
Q:
US NEWS2008排名表,另选校问题请教各路牛人,尤其davidlee0222请进

另,路过的朋友请帮忙支招
小弟概况:
本科大陆Top15经济学(xx大学,其实都不知道现在还有没有top15),GPA 79/100
5年政府部门工作经验,从事对外招商引资方面,有一定国际交流经验
Gmat760,Toefl 99
推荐信准备请同级别同事写,因为领导们外语不好不愿意
职业规划是希望毕业进入大公司直接投资部门,5年后回国做Private equity投资(目前essay是这么写的)
目前人在北美明州,准备申请09fall full time MBA

请大家帮我看看职业规划,选校计划可行不?
12月R1, U of minnesota Carlson, Emory(听说去年钱多)
1月R2,U of michigan(梦校), Rice U(Huston气候好), Cornell(博一下)

打算投6-9间选校,可是现在只选了5间,其他不知道如何是好,请指教
首要条件是奖学金,家里条件没有奖明年是读不起了只能再推一年,其次是职业出路和气候环境等等

p.s.明大暂时是首选,可是这里冬天太冷了,现在已经开始下雪了,对我这个南方人真是要命了

谢谢!

A:
严重感谢LZ抬举点名小弟

小弟两肋差刀前来相助


商学院排名原则上以BusinessWeek为主

美国名校与企业一致推崇，并以商业面向本位分析是他们家饭碗

US NEWS的排名主要是一般本科或研究所排名

以及各领域下细分的专业比BusinessWeek精致的多

但因商学院特例，学术质量只是其中一项指标

US NEWS其排名一般研究所学术质量的标准，

对商学院要求工作资历与未来出路的评核较难鉴定

FT的排名有参考价值

但在商学院以美国市场为主流的前提下

FT排名仍无法动摇BW的全球主导地位

虽说BW的排名也有不少面向让人诟病

各主修领域下的细节分析几乎空白

只有粗略四大归类 营销 财务 管顧 创业

各校特性几乎无法体现

只能由文字报导来函盖各校情势

又各校报导多出自学校自发新闻，各说各话

学生前程的自主选择与最核心的课程资源编排，却反而被排名迷思所盖过

但就小弟实地走访十多所top20名校的心得

排名的确高度影响学生竞争力与天才素质

排名越高的学校学生越聪明 资历与领导力越强





GMAT大牛分已经足以盖过GPA

充分证明学术能力与思考智能

又位居政府招引外资要职

五年资历正当中国经济起飞

会有众多惊人故事可以写

并且必定有一些史无前例的创举

找出其中的创新领导故事做小说式的深入视觉化体现

绝对可以挑战前十名校

唯一问题将出在需详细解释为何要往大公司投资部门发展

跟个人的三项生涯动力：Enthusiasm, Personal Characteristics, Professional Capabilities

有何深刻的个人化结合

建议LZ先不用将生涯目标完全限制在投资或PE

回头仔细检视三项生涯动力

由以往资历与三项动能总结后是否仍指向投资

总结内容将会是essay的核心



推荐信需要找目前直属主管或先前直属主管

越级或同级都不具参考效力

因为越级主管对申请人的了解程度并不深入
无法讲出申请人执行项目时的细节故事

而同级并没有对申请人正式进行过专业评核

只会褒不会贬

并且非出自管理角度

权力结构上并不是监督者与任用者角色



LZ还有非常多学校可以挑战,不用限制在明州

若真要走PE

靠LZ的政府要职资历

NYU甚至哥大都可以直申

Fuqua Ross也绝对在挑战名单

明大是综合管理学校,今年掉出三十名外

Emory注重领导力训练

从去年着重的软式领导力训练课程

转为今年的大众化多主修,符合各家口味

还有其他综合财务强校如UCLA，Cornell， UT Austin，Darden，U of Rochester

至于终极强校 芝大,华顿,哈,史,西北,MIT

则需要更强力的综合竞争力与领导力展现

甚至是长期的财务资历积累与热诚

[Personal Branding]請問關於政府背景的申請人(v)

(本文已經修改符合部落格閱讀環境)
請問關於政府背景的申請人
申請時提政令見解有用嗎?
推薦人找高官好嗎?
特殊名校招收政府背景的考量與偏好如何?

1 。有的 重点是要强调您在政策上的见解是否有前瞻性

而又能在这类思考的过程中 能够展现多少领导潜质

又能展现多少creativity

重点是在看思考的“过程” 而不只是看政策总结

2 。 adcom所要看的是推荐人对您长时间而密集的观察

要能够描述出您的细部个性与性格特质

并且需要大量证据支持

因此只有直属主管能有这样的角色与地位

找大官是没有帮助的 反而会让内容精细度降低

3 。原则上各名校都有政要背景出身的入学生

每年都有

华顿甚至有白宫经验的入学生

学校原则上不会有特别理由偏好政府背景

而是要看申请人的生涯规划有多完整

未来有何规划而为何需要MBA课程

有多少证据证明对特别学校MBA课程的fit

学校审核是以holistic evaluation为主
從intellectual capability, proven leadership potential, 及personal quality來審核申請人資格

[Personal Branding]Maryland Essay question

Q:
讨论 请问达人，maryland里有一道
How will you contribute to the legacy of the Robert H Smith School of Business?
legacy of the Robert H Smith School of Business是什么意思啊？跟whay this school是一个意思还是问你的diversity‘啊？

百思不得其解，求指点，谢谢~~



A:
legacy是讲前人遗留下的资产

这道题的意思是，当您未来加入这间学校成为Smith的一份子

您要如何贡献并传承Smith的校园精神

因此首先要了解Smith的校风

数码与创新

自身有哪些共通点能够先与学校产生共鸣

再将您身上学校所没有的特质做加强贡献

因此确实是school fit与value contribution的结合题

贡献可从各种面向

从您的出身背景，语言与市场文化

到您的独特生涯经历

以及最重要的您的人格特质与行事风格

将您的灵魂与学校精神作结合

[Personal Branding]Essay strategy and tips 81110

Whys: Why MBA, Why Now, Why this school
Long-Term and Short-Term Goals
and Persoanl Uniqueness

-You need to go much deeper on your whys

and be analytical, not just emotional expressions with adjectives

use fuctional and skill terms such as "advanced market forcast skills, sharpen negotiation skills, learn pricing strategy and fundamental finance analysis, also quality control on supply chain."

-More specific on your goals, and more details on what you needs

"to thrive my career to senior supply chain manager in 3 years after my mba, I need more strategic mindset on external partnership management, while supervise and motivate my team on efficiency control, also delegate subordinate on bahalf of senior executives, I need xxx MBA's 'Competing Through Supply Chain Logistics,' 'Procurement and Sourcing Strategies,' also 'Leading The Strategic Change Process.'"


-your long-term career aspiration needs to come our from your personality and soul

and supported by anecdotal stories and track evidence

"when I was in college club running xx charity event, my classmate Nancy accidentally notified that I was good at logistic details, and I was always good on interpersonal communications. Since then, I focused my career on supply chain management and have been constantly promoted 3 times in 4 years to a department supervisor."

-For your why now, you need to explain clearer about the urgency

"When my VP promoted me to this position and expected me to take bigger responsibility on executive level in 3 to 4 years, I felt empty on corporate strategy and cross-business negotiation, and I don't see the systemetic training in company to prepare me for senior position in short run, so studying an MBA now is a better opportunity cost for me."


-Need to show your uniqueness through your diverse background and personal experiences

and you need to walk adcom through the details with stories, at least 2 to 3 levels down

or you can see most people say the same thing as your statement

it should be like this: "coping with 6 countries across Europe, Asia, and South America shaped my unique personality. The enthusiasm from Brazil partner, the strictness from Japan supplier,and the emotional Euperean-style negotiation experience taught me how to manage unpredictable schedule. One time when I led the outsourcing project with Japanese partner, I....."


-For long-term aspiration, it needs to be realistic and feasible through specific short-term steps.

"When I discussed the outsourcing strategy with my CEO, I felt I could see through his vision with more systemetic on risk management, and also more strategic on competition...To be a supply chain executive focusing on East Europe strategic alignment, I know I'm lack of turing vision into corporate policies, and also I need more social skills on both networking with senior business partners and also time management. Also on capital raising and finance optimization, I need to improve those skills from my short-term goal "senior supply chain manager in Asia regional market first."

It needs to be much deeper from the "invisible motivation," "underlying reasoning," and your "seasoned personality"

[Personal Branding]How about 32+ years old applicants?

Q:
How about 32+ years old applicants? Do I have a chance for top MBA?

A:
Don't worry

32 is very normall age in b-schools

about 1/4 of MBA students in the States are at this age

in the States

the more experienced, the more contribution you can give

and also the deeper you'll learn

also bigger chance to find job (except some consulting jobs require young graduates)

since you're more prepared in career

just try to focus more on your seasoned experiences in application

[MUST READ] Honor from NSHMBA!!! (v)

主旨: Thank you
寄件者: "Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias"
日期: Sat, 十一月 8, 2008 9:36 pm
收件者: davidl@mbacareerfitter.com
副本:
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 | 顯示友善列印模式




November 8, 2008

David Hsin-Hung Lee
MBA Career Consultant
David's MBA Career Management


Dear David:

It was an honor and privilege working with you at the National Society
of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) 2008 Career Conference and Expo. Your
commitment, passion and professionalism made the Resume and Interview Clinic an unqualified success. We assisted nearly 500 job seekers over
2 days with your help.

The evaluations returned to the Clinic reported that recommendations
and advice given by the professionals made a significant difference in
their presentations and job search. You were mentioned specifically in
one evaluation with the following comment, "David Lee was great. He
really helped me remove all the technical jargon from my resume.
Thanks!"

NSHMBA leadership and staff have praised our program as exceeding
their expectations and a testament to the highest standards of the
career services industry.

We thank you for sharing your talent with us. We hope you enjoyed the
experience as much as we did.



Warm regards,


Murray and Rose Mary


Murray A. Mann and Rose Mary Bombela-Tobias
NSHMBA Resume and Interview Clinic
Coordinators
Authors, Barron The Complete Job Search Guide for
Latinos
Principals, Global Diversity Solutions Group- Building High
performance Multi-Cultural
Workplaces
www.jobsearchguideforlatinos.com

[Personal Branding]How to show "why now?"

A:

you need to explain that in your career progress, you have a major bottleneck now that cannot be broken through on your current position in short future

to explain this

the best way is through opportunity cost analysis

you need to show that in short future

the opportunity cost of staying in status quo is higher than studying an MBA

then you'll have a why now


while you'll need to dig deep into your career evolution and future projection

find out what will happen if you keep the current position in short future

and if you choose to study MBA now, what impact will it give you in immediate future

then the why now will emerge by itself

请问下合资金融公司背景申请MBA的问题

Q:
请问下合资金融公司背景申请MBA的问题

A:
it's about what skill set do you possess now

and what skill set you want to learn from MBA

where are you going, and why

even top schools don't limit your background

and there's no rule saying bigger company names are better

since adcoms all know and will assume in your preliminary experience

you'll only execute task in limited scope

the application is all about your self-awareness

and the clarity of your career path

no need to worry what job function can get better chance in admission

since it simply doesn't work that way

as long as you can elaborate your clear needs for specific mba learnings

and show your leadership potential by career track record

adcom will hand pick the true leaders and train them well

你认为TOP20的入学者中有多少人的ESSAY完全真实(2)

and for this reason

applicants always need to explore much much deeper about their own enthusiasms

as well as personal characteristics and professional capabilities

dig out from your life stories

find out how those life changing experiences shaped your personality

and also made you who you are now,

and where you are going in the future

only when you dig out all these clues and details

weave them into compelling and integrated stories and tell adcoms your crystal-clear career directions and qualifications

will they admit you as a promising leader in progress

你认为在TOP20的入学者中有多少人的ESSAY是完全真实?

Q:
你认为在TOP20的入学者中有多少人的ESSAY是完全真实?

A:

For experienced adcoms, it's frankly easy to tell if your motivation is genuine or not

normally in only 15 seconds they can see the inauthenticity

since it has to come out from your career evolution, deep personality, and soul

that's why most schools ask about your career progress to date in normally essay 1

you need to have concrete evidence to support your motivation and career goals

everyone can claim he or she wants to start another Google or Microsoft

the difference is how close did you reach this goal through your career progress

and that's why although people all talk about inflation in the applications

only a handful of true talents get into top schools

just think about this

if everyone can bluff on their applications

why you're not in HBS or Wharton yet?

NYU“友善牛人學校”參訪分享(v)

上周繼康乃爾超熱情牛校一遊之後
隔天去了一趟NYU
跟在學生近距離詳談學校文化
參加由極度熱情的二年級生帶領的info session樓上樓下走一圈
再去上了一門最合時宜的“Risk Management for Financial Institutions”

這回已經是第二次去了
但上次只來看看這個散佈在紐約市中城的商學院到底長什麼樣
年初來的時候是來玩的
沒時間進去聽課，又剛好當時info session不知為何因故取消
所以幾乎沒機會了解深入學校
只記得當時在三樓還四樓的小交誼廳問了兩個老美關於申請建議
從頭到尾正眼也沒看小弟一眼
只說了“ GMAT考七百吧”
就這樣
當時覺得是個拒人千里之外的學校
但或許只是個個案
這趟幾乎完全改觀
是個相當友善而且集聚天才學生的學校

一開始應該是下午三點左右有個學生的休息
在商學院一樓咖啡廳可以跟在校生聊接近一個小時
其中一位儀容整潔的學生剛好就是財務背景
正逢華爾街危機引燃的全球經濟恐慌
這位平易近人的在學生簡短分享他的背景
先前一路都在銀行搞財務跟投資
談到他為何選擇這間學校
一則是他因為家庭因素要選擇紐約區的學校
另一方面則是當初在申請時考量幾間紐約幅元的學校
覺得這間學校從頭到尾的友善態度
以及學生的多元背景
學校的“絕對地理優勢”能夠最近距離浸潤在各大跨國企業總部
早上華爾街開盤可以看到的各大企業巨頭還在電視上發表談話
晚上可以直接來學校跟學生喝咖啡
“It’s a huge advantage that even makes me wonder why people want to study business far away. ”

而問到學校面對這次財務危及首當其衝
身為財務背景的他有沒有面臨什麼挑戰
而學校又有什麼因應措施
他回答到當然許多財務機構戰時凍結全職工作機會
但目前實習機會並沒有減少
而每天會進駐學校徵才的公司依然延續不絕
只是有些洗牌
以往還的一些大銀行可能處理危機分身乏術
而換做是一些以往比較少來的公司有機會來學校進一步互動
而學生每週五固定的career day對學生紮實的訓練
六個deadline不斷催促學生進行resume與interview訓練
可以幾乎保證學生畢業時早已練就成沙場老手
而學校位在企業核心地帶，也讓學校career center能跟企業維繫緊密關係

接下來的info session還沒開場前
辦公室已經擠滿了大約四十位申請人
讓帶領的學生必須要兵分三路才帶的完
小弟趁機問了一下每天這麼多人是正常的情況嗎
學生也相當訝異有這樣的人氣
不過似乎“bigger and bigger”

info session由二位非常熱情的二年級生帶領
對學校充滿極高熱誠
看得出來他們對學校非常滿意
一開場簡單要每位申請人三句話介紹背景
輪完一圈之後學生代表說“see the diversity？ ”
每個申請人的背景真的都來自各方
多數大學都不是念商，因此學校的接納度非常廣

而之後帶我們一邊繞五樓教室
二樓（沒記錯的話）圖書館
又回到六樓社團辦公室
每到一個地方，除了解說學校的豐富資源與設備外
相當高比例師資是白天直接在曼哈頓跨國企業總部就職
下午晚上來學校教書
而學生之間的高度友善情誼
以及學生來自各地的全國性網絡
讓在學生每天繁忙的步調中得到非常充實的收穫
（還沒有完成，將繼續... ）

[Program Fitting]請教留學各國的差異(英,美及亞洲)??

(The article is modified for the setting of this blog .)

請教留學各國的差異(英,美及亞洲)??


People will have a much clearer understanding about the realistic why about either MSF or MBA after working for at least a couple of years

you'll never know which one is better for you before you experience the real job market
and before that, you won't even know if you really need one
keep in mind that after this degree, you'll need to work in this field for the rest of your life

when you see those MSFs or MBAs got jobs after graduation
look further for just 2 more year and see what happens
you'll see most of people switch jobs again
and the same pattern just repeats like what happened before they entered their master studies
the exceptions are those who deeply understand their true passions
and chose their career directions carefully

for country selection
you need to think about long-term
no matter where you choose
think about the global competence, market accessibility, your overall capabilities from the degree and environment, networking
and the excellence of the program
while a half of the learning will be outside the classroom
you'll learn day-by-day about the market competition in the country
compete yourself with those truely competent and capable people in the country
and learn why the country is so strong
the more competent is the country, the more talented people will gather and compete for excellence
it's about can you push up yourself to the limit and compete globally, or just want to find a easy life
most of time the less competent you are, the harder the life will be

one year program is good and bad
good is you don't waste time
bad is you don't spend time on learning
internship can be a great jumpboard, especially for career switcher
after all, it's about your overall competence for long-term
15 years from now, you don't want to feel short when you compete with global professionals

[Personal Branding] UW Foster essay解析

申請時要看整體學校走向與課程特性
並將essay題目交叉貫串來看出申請人是否適合這間學校
是申請人與學校相互的fit
而不只是申請人比武相親 勝者才抱美人歸

而申請人自身的生涯定位與個人品牌主軸
需要策略性的依照學校問題來做最適性呈現
要先從所有題目的綜觀來看出學校到底想從申請人身上看到什麼特質
樓主問到的Essay 2只是接續第一題的延伸
而第一題可以說看得出學校對申請人的生涯清晰度有高度要求
除了各校幾乎都會問的生涯方向長短程目標之外
Foster商學院還更深入詢問申請人的細部學習計畫與步驟
要問申請人自身如何規劃學習方式
畢竟是兩年的長時間密集操練
課程選擇,主修方向,學習生活安排,社交方向,時間安排,實習爭取,校友交流,求職努力
甚至像樓主講的社區團體社團
都可以是學習計畫
但一切都要以申請人的生涯目標主軸
與細部個人化經驗背景甚至性格結合

而MBA學習有超過一半是在課堂外
第二題的校園活動參與
一方面學校要看申請人對自身目標有多清晰精細
能否運用MBO目標管理的方式來訂立參與方向
也同時會看出申請人花了多少心思瞭解學校有哪些活動
除了地理問題能去一趟最好的話
(小弟去過兩次,校園相當優美,而學生也相當的用功,可是秋東風很大常陰雨綿綿)
最好的方式是跟在學生互動
瞭解有哪些校園資源與社團甚至校園演講或交換課程等等可以參與
多半可以從學校網站上直接查到學校組織活動與社團動態
直接寄信給社團幹部或school ambassador詢問學校各項活動狀況
一方面essay將會多出許多school fit的細節可以寫
另一方面也確定學校是否適合自己
而從這題的多元活動參與可以看出申請人本身的主動性與性格熱情
這類題目多半不是草草列出預計參與的社團就了事
而是要連細部參與動機,活動構想,甚至參與深入度與投入時間精力
都要一併陳述,才會讓學校知道申請人的生涯熱情與個人的投入程度

第三題學校的安排也相當耐人尋味
以二選一的方式來暗示學校寧可選擇ethic/dilemma而放棄瞭解申請人成就
隱約顯出要”先做對的事,再把事情做對”的哲學

即使學校的題目走傳統路線
仍可看出這是間高度區域競爭的學校


Essay 1 - GOALS STATEMENT
Please provide an essay response to the following question. Observe the word limit and use a minimum font size of 10. Double-space your response and clearly label the essay with the topic and your full name.

Required for Full-time and Evening MBA Applicants (750 words maximum)

Applicants with a plan for the future and a good grasp of what is expected of them as MBA students are the most likely to succeed as MBA graduates. We know plans change and that people often pursue an MBA to create new career options. That said, we ask that you give us a clear statement of your current career plans. Your essay should answer all the following questions: What do you expect to do immediately after completing the MBA program? What steps have you taken to assess the viability of your post-MBA goals given your experience to date combined with your intended MBA study plans? What do you anticipate will be the primary challenges to achieving your career goals? What is your lifetime career goal? What unique aspects of the Foster MBA Program would contribute the most to achieving your short term and long term goals?



Essay 2 - OVERVIEW
Please provide an essay response to the following question. Observe the word limit and use a minimum font size of 10. Double-space your response and clearly label the essay with the topic and your full name. If you are applying to both the Full-time and Evening MBA program, you will need to submit the appropriate 2nd essay for both programs. Please upload both programs' essays in one document and use a Page Break to separate them.

Full-time MBA Applicants: PLANS FOR INVOLVEMENT (500 words maximum)
We consider a high level of involvement in student organizations, networking and career efforts to be a hallmark of the Foster MBA experience. Please describe your anticipated level of involvement as an MBA student beyond the MBA course requirements. In what specific organizations or activities will you participate? Where do you expect to make the greatest contribution to the overall MBA experience at the Foster School of Business? What aspects of your past or current life provide insights into your ability and willingness to consistently deliver more than the minimum effort required?

注意第一個問題的anticipated level of involvement需要有細部解釋
並且要直接模擬出申請人在學時的參與狀況
而第三個問題會是區隔錄取申請人的關鍵
要申請人對自身生涯歷程與未來方向投射有高度的密合度與一致性
並將生涯的深度見解灌注於校園活動的體驗學習之中
已在貢獻社群的同時能反射出個人生涯的價值


ESSAY 3 - CHOICE ESSAY
Please provide an essay response to one of the following questions. Observe the word limit and use a minimum font size of 10. Double-space your response and clearly label the essay with the topic and your full name.

Required for Full-time and Evening MBA Applicants (500 words maximum)

Answer one of the following:
a. Describe a situation in a work environment that either severely strained your relationship with co-workers or challenged your personal values. How did you resolve the situation?

注意severely strained your relationship with co-workers
soft people skills永遠是MBA的精要
也是真實人生中的成功要訣

b. At this point in your career what do you consider your most significant professional accomplishments? How have these particular accomplishments affected the career choices you have made?

注意第二題的第二小題
如此成就"如何影響您的生涯選擇"

[Personal Branding]MBA Essay advice

http://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?msg=78104.3&webtag=bw-bschools
BusinessWeek B-School Forum上的詢問,完全公開論壇,無須任何註冊即可瀏覽.

Q:
All,

In the "failure" essay I plan on using my experience stuggling to develop my small tech company. I failed at launching the businesses for many mistakes i have made and which I learned from.

Is that a good subject to talk about? I have learned so much about myself and business in general from this experience. On the other hand, I failed in Business? How will the commitee judge that?

I was thinking about using the same subject of Business startup to use in the "Leadership" essay. Which fits bests in your opinion?

Should I use my failure in business in "leadership" or "failures"? I am proud to have invested time, effort and taken a project from paper to reality, and I have learned so much about me and business in general at the same time.

Thanks




A:
There's always a great deal of stuff to learn from an entrepreneurial experience. How to organize your operation, how to build your personal brand and reach your potential clients, how to develop your standard operating procedure, where should you rent the office, how to adjust the price constantly to satisfy the market dynamic, how to sustain your business by stable income cash flow cycle, and most importantly, how to get the capital to build up all these. You'll learn 10 times more if you really "fail" the business and have to kill your own baby--close down the whole operation, also need find alternative job "fast" to pay back your debt before the interests crash you. You may live in hell for the next 10 months.

So the key question is, did you really "fail" in this case and closed down your venture?

If you eventually survived, then it's actually a "success" story, but only lots of take aways that made your much more "seasoned" in business world. Since the lagacy matters. Adcom should be looking for a "true failure" that totally killed you and reborn from hell. If you flunked your last credit in college and was about to be kicked out by school, but you saved yourself in the last minute by showing all hardworks you've done in clubs so that convinced the dean to keep you in school, this is actually a success story. Since if you really "failed," you really got kicked out from school without a degree, no mercy, and you needed to face the reality that had to compete in job market with regular college graduates, and you didn't know how to write your degree in resume since you didn't have one. The experience would totally change you into a different person that needed to find a job with lower requirement, and you needed to study at night for another 3 years after exhausted work in day time. This "failure" experience could turn you into a super competent candidate since you were forced to become a superman to catch up with others, and it totally changed your life instead of just learned some mistakes from staying in school.

So if you have one, the true failure story will be far more compelling for adcom to know how much it changed you to be a more mature person, and also know how did you deal with the consequence.

Hope these help.

David

Great Testimonials from NSHMBA (6)

主旨: NSHMBA Career fair
寄件者: "Gaurav Saneja"
日期: Fri, 十月 24, 2008 10:55 am
收件者: davidl@mbacareerfitter.com
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 顯示友善列印模式

David, It was pleasure talking with you at the NSHMBA career fair. I appreciate your feedback on my resume. As you mentioned at the career fair that you would be happy to assist me in getting a job, I am attaching my resume for your reference. I am open to positions in Consulting, Finance and Operations. If you feel that I may be a good fit for a job in a field other than these, then I will be happy to apply for it. If you need any further information, then please contact me at your convenience at (213) xx-7131 or gauravxxx@gmail.com.

Thank you
Sincerely,

Gaurav Saneja

Great Testimonials from NSHMBA (5)

De: Carlos Nouel [mailto:cxx2009@hult.edu]
Enviado el: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:56 AM
Para: 'davidl@mbacareerfitter.com'
Asunto: RE: Thank you for coming to David Lee at NSHMBA's Resume Clinic

Dear David,

Thank you very much for your feedback on my resume. It was really helpfuland I'm sure that it will help me to advance in my career.
As soon as I have my new version I will send it to you, to see if you cangive me feedback again.

Best regards,
Carlos Nouel

MBA Candidate 2009
Hult International Business School
One Education Street, Cambridge MA 02141
Mobile: +1 617 xxx 4509
www.hult.edu

Great Testimonials from NSHMBA (4)

主旨: RE: David Lee in NSHMBA Resume Clinic, some Chinese are asking about FIU
寄件者: "Sanyo Mathew"
日期: Wed, 十月 15, 2008 10:38 pm
收件者: "davidl@mbacareerfitter.com"
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 顯示友善列印模式

David,
Thank you very much for your help at NSHMBA. I feel very confident about my resume!

Here is information about FIU standings -" We are South Florida's leading business school, with unique expertise ininternational business, entrepreneurship, and a range of financial services-fromaccounting to banking to real estate.

Our location: Miami, Florida.

Our perspective: globalWe focus on business education for an international marketplace and are among thetop international business schools in Florida and the U.S.Accelerated programs for tomorrow's business leaders and entrepreneurs

Our Landon Undergraduate School of Business delivers leading-edge traditional,value-added weekend and early morning, online, and blended programs and aninnovative International Business Honors program.

Our Chapman Graduate School of Business offers flexible, market-driven graduateprograms, including a unique one-year International MBA, a dual MBA and Master ofInternational Business, several part-time MBAs, an Executive MBA, specializedmaster's, and PhD programs.

Top national rankings-unparalleled in FloridaU.S. News & World Report ranks us among the top international business schools inthe U.S. for international business.*

In top 15 for undergraduates (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)*
In top 25 for graduate programs and 4th best among one-year InternationalMBA programs (2008)
Business Week reports we're among the best accredited business schools in the U.S.*
In top 80 for undergraduates*
In top 70 for graduatesFortune Small Business (March, 2006, 2007) cites us among the best colleges forentrepreneurs, offering "some of the most innovative programs for fledgling businessowners."

Financial Times (2006 and 2007) ranks ours as the top Executive MBA program inFlorida."Unless the candidate has an exceptional GMAT score (>680), full scholarships areunheard of! Graduate assistanships are available which could cover anywhere from 30%- 100% of your fees depending on the type of work you end up doing.

As far as intl. students, we have about 2500 such students out of 35,000 which makesit 7% population.

Finally, thus far, I have not heard of any of our graduates from Chapman GraduateSchool of Business not landing jobs.

If you have any additional questions, let me know.

Take care!

Sanyo

Great Testimonials from NSHMBA (3)

主旨: Resume change(s)
寄件者: "Bhavin Shah"
日期: Fri, 十月 10, 2008 5:04 am
收件者: davidl@mbacareerfitter.com
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 顯示友善列印模式

Hi David,
Thank you for reviewing my resume today. I have made changes to my new resume as per
your recommnedations. If you get a chance please review it (I hope u dont mind
it!!).

I will be using my new resume tomorrow at the career fair. I feel much better about my new Resume. Thanx in advance



--bhavin

MBA, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque – Operations Management, December 2008
MS, Electrical Engineering, May 2002, University of Southern California

Great Testimonial from Kellogg Student in NSHMBA!!! (v)

主旨: RE: Thank you for coming to David Lee in NSHMBA Resume Clinic
寄件者: "Veronica Bashbush"
日期: Thu, 十月 16, 2008 12:05 pm
收件者: "davidl@mbacareerfitter.com"
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 顯示友善列印模式

Dear David,
I appreciate all the great advice you gave me. You've added tremendous value to my
resume. This was the first time I learned how to translate my engineering experience
into business terms. Thank you again for supporting NSHMBA and other MBA students.
Sincerely,
Veronica
____________________________________________________________
Veronica Bashbush
vxxx2010@kellogg.northwestern.edu
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University

Great Testimonials from NSHMBA!!! (1)

主旨: NSHMBA--Resume Clinic
寄件者: exxx@nenque.com
日期: Tue, 十月 14, 2008 3:38 am
收件者: davidl@mbacareerfitter.com
重要性: 普通
環境設定: 顯示完整標頭 顯示友善列印模式


David,
Thank you so very much for your help during the resume clinic. I enjoyed speaking with you. I'm sure that you met so many people that it would be difficult to remember everyone. If it helps to tell you, I am the young hispanic lady who lived in Nanjing and Hualien to study Chinese and teach English and whose MBA emphasis is Org Behavior and Human Resources. I hope that you had a great time at NSHMBA, and
again, thank you for your help. It was a pleasure meeting with you.

Regards,
Elizabeth Nenque
BYU MBA 2010
Org Behavior/Human Resources

Cornell"超熱情牛校"參訪分享 (v)

上週一到康乃爾MBA參訪
紐約市往西北開四小時半會到這個希臘城Ithaca
很冷,上禮拜去已經零下了
遠遠就會看到一整座山橘紅色的楓葉林有大半都是校區
歐式建築文藝氣息濃厚
可以說是個烏托邦
從入校停車開始就可以感受到,這個世外桃源是個溫馨的大家庭
停車導覽的小姐是個上了年紀的婦女
從小小的詢問亭探了半個身子出來
為了解釋地圖如何繞過施工處到達停車場
還算了”一次左轉,三次左轉”給我聽

來到像城堡的Sage Hall
裡頭是Johnson商學院
一大早八點半已經人滿為患
Admission Office已經擠滿了校園大使跟慕名而來的申請人
繁忙的步調卻充滿人性與親切
還沒見到Office director Michael
已經有學生代表Megan滿臉笑容”超級”親切的詢問是不是要來參訪學校的人
柔軟的身段令人欽佩
見到office director宏亮自信的問候聲親切
和煦卻又令人肅然起敬
很親切的直接幫我把厚外套脫下來掛在衣冒間
確認姓名後名牌早已備妥
另外在塞上一包厚重的商學院介紹
以及別校少見的個人行程規劃
幾點要會到admission office集合
幾點要上課
幾點要跟學生大使會合
一清二楚又對每位參訪者無微不至的照顧

眼看上課時間就要開始
Office director Michael向眾人詢問要上策略課的由一年級生帶領進入教室
要上統計課的由另一位學生代表帶領
一堂課只有一小時又十分鐘,相當短暫
進入教室還沒正式上課
滿滿六七十位學生與教授有說有笑
印度裔女教授有神奇的親和力
才第一堂課跟學生初次見面
就已經像一個大家庭和樂融融
解說課程大綱時令人覺得對學生要求嚴格
卻又合情合理
整堂課內容跟時事結合,並且與學生互動愉快
即使是cold call的緊張壓力也不會讓學生覺得難堪
而學生素質不用知道背景
光從提問與回答的細膩度
就知道大家都經過紮實的工作經驗磨練出清晰思考


下課後學院中庭發現人擠人
居然每天早上有免費咖啡供所有學生”提神”
回到admission office馬上出現新的三四位學生大使
十點多的財務課由另一位一樣充滿熱誠的Neil帶領
有問必達,並且不斷提供在場申請人學院特性與主修方向的建議
隨後馬上進入另一堂財務課程
七八十人的教室擠的滿滿的
教授應該是個歐洲人
上課前走到教室最後一排把大家往前趕
很顯然是對學生上課態度的要求
上課時先放了幾張投影片解說目前的財務危機到底跌了多少
又用幾個概念解釋就長程而言是可以預防的
最後一邊解釋NPV一邊帶學生練習

早上明牌裡有夾一張免費午餐卷
又來了新的兩位一年級生跟大家邊用餐邊聊
感受的到對學校相當有熱誠
思考表達也很清晰
用餐完後到會議室繼續進行info session
直接由這兩位學生解說
主要話題圍繞在學校的超熱情文化
以及同學的高度互助風氣,互相介紹相關背景的同學校友
每年小班制270人互相熟識
第一年上半會隨機分組,背景互不相同互相學習
後半會依照cohort分組,再與不同背景的同學互動
才講到一半剛好有位二年級生敲門進來
問說哪為申請人要找醫藥相關
他有相同背景可以協助
顯示學校真的有非常高度的互助文化及學生網絡
另外提到學校的CMC職涯中心 對學生的就業發展有很大幫助
會依不同專業項目來協助學生找工作

這趟康乃爾行可說大開眼界
前晚開車時凍到開暖氣還不時發抖
想說誰會想來這麼遠的小鎮唸書
沒想到被學校無比的熱情深深環抱
是個令人欽佩嚮往的學校

Deadlines for MBA Class of 2011, Top 10

不好意思沒辦法用表格,各校規格又不一,還請版眾稍用一點眼力...
要申請的版友動作可能要加快了...很多第一輪都要到嚕~

Deadlines for MBA Class of 2011, Top 10 (未依名次排列):

HBS:
http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/applicationdates.html

[b]Application Periods: Application submitted online by 5 p.m. EST/ Notification of the MBA Admissions Board's decision:[/b]
Round 1: October 15, 2008 January 21, 2009
Round 2: January 6, 2009 April 2, 2009
Round 3: March 11, 2009 May 13, 2009

-
Stanford GSB:
http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/mba/admission/

Round 1: 29 October 2008
Round 2: 07 January 2009
Round 3: 08 April 2009
Applications are due by 5:00 PM, Pacific Time

-
Wharton:
http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/apply/overviewapply.cfm

[b]Fall 2009 application deadlines and decision release dates:[/b]
MBA Program
Round: Application Deadline/ Decision Release Date
Round 1: October 9, 2008/ December 22, 2008
Round 2: January 8, 2009/ March 26, 2009
Round 3: March 5, 2009/ May 14, 2009

MBA/MA–Lauder Program
Application Deadline/ Decision Release Date
Round 1 October 9, 2008/ December 22, 2008
Round 2 January 8, 2009/ March 26, 2009

-
Kellogg
http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/Programs/FullTimeMBA/Applying/Deadlines.aspx
Off-Campus Interview Request
- Select the off campus interview request box and submit Part I by…
[b]Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 [/b]
10/3/2008, 12/22/2008, 2/23/2009
(NOTE: Please allow up to 6 weeks after submitting Part I and your off-campus interview request to receive an interview assignment in your local area.
When requesting an off campus interview, please specify your domestic zip code or international city/country to receive a match in a timely manner.)

On-Campus Interview
- Select the on campus interview request box and submit Part I by…
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3
[b]10/17/2008, 1/12/2009, 3/9/2009[/b]

THEN
- Contact the Kellogg Admissions Office to schedule and complete your interview by…
[b]Round 1, Round 2, Round 3[/b]
12/19/2008, 3/9/2009, 4/20/2009
(Please allow 2 business days after submitting Part I to schedule your appointment)

Part 2 Due by 11:59PM CDT: 10/17/2008, 1/12/2009, 3/9/2009
Decision Rendered by: 1/7/2009, 3/30/2009, 5/18/2009
Tuition deposit received by: 4/1/2009, 5/6/2009, 3 weeks from date of admission

-
Chicago GSB
http://www.chicagogsb.edu/fulltime/admissions/index.aspx

[b]Round/ Submission Deadline/ Mid-Decision/ Decision Notification Date [/b]
Round One: October 15, 2008/ November 12, 2008/ December 18, 2008
Round Two: January 7, 2009/ February 18, 2009/ March 25, 2009
Round Three: March 11, 2009/ April 22, 2009/ May 13, 2009

-
U of Michigan Ross
http://www.bus.umich.edu/Admissions/ApplyNow.htm
Full-Time MBA [b]Application Deadlines[/b]
Round I: October 10, 2008
Round II: January 2, 2009
Round III: March 1, 2009
Fall enrollment only; all deadlines for the following fall. International students are encouraged to apply in decision Round I or II.

[b]Notification of Decision[/b]
Round I: January 15, 2009
Round II: March 15, 2009
Round III: May 15, 2009
Requests for admissions decisions before the decision notification dates will not be granted.

-
MIT Sloan
http://mitsloan.mit.edu/academic/index.php
Oct 28, 08/ Jan 13, 09

-
Berkeley Haas
http://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/fall2009.html

[b]Round/ Online Application submitted by/ GMAT and TOEFL taken on or before deadline/ Decision posted, emailed by: [/b]One: November 4, 2008 November 4, 2008 January 28, 2009
Two: December 9, 2008 December 9, 2008 March 18, 2009
Three: January 30, 2009 January 30, 2009 April 28, 2009
Four: March 11, 2009 March 11, 2009 May 19, 2009

-
Columbia CBS
http://www4.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/learnmore/options

Deadlines:
[b]Term: Application Review Period Begins/ Decision Period (once a complete application goes under review)/ Application Deadline [/b]
September 2009 Early Decision: Aug. 13, 2008/ Within 10 weeks/ Oct. 8, 2008
September 2009 (International Applicants): January 7, 2009/ Within 12 weeks/ March 4, 2009*

* Applicants who wish to be considered for a merit-based fellowship must submit a complete application by January 7, 2009. Fellowship recipients for the September class are announced between January and May.

-
Duke Fuqua
http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/programs/duke_mba/daytime/apply_daytime/

[b]Application Round: Application Deadline/ Decision Notification [/b]
Early Action*: October 15, 2008 / November 14, 2008
Round 1: October 27, 2008 / December 19, 2008
Round 2: January 7, 2009 / March 10, 2009
Round 3: March 16, 2009 / April 23, 2009

[Program Fitting]MBA如何上課 (v)

Q:
MBA如何上課

A:
每學期四到五門課,每門課依學分時數每週上課兩到三堂
課前閱讀案例,每堂課前二十頁到五十頁不等
上課時教授依照各專業領域的理論模型為背景
多半以半誘導式引導學生課堂發言,貢獻各相關實務經歷
並依發言參與度計分
因此MBA學生以五年左右經驗為平均值,才能困而學之
每週課前或課後會有指定個人作業,各科目兩頁到十頁不等
各科並同時進行小組專案討論,以訓練領導能力與團隊溝通與合作能力
各科不定時課堂小考,依各教授教學模式而定
少則期中期末
多則每堂都考
各小組合作後組員互相衡量評分,評量內容保密
以激勵學生內部競爭

[Personal Branding] 如何寫出感人的3 accomplishments essay? 又如何展現MBA興趣?

Q:
如何寫出感人的3 accomplishments essay?
又如何展現對MBA的興趣?

A:
若是在寫哈佛這題essay
essay題目的後半是問"why you view them as such?"
可以在故事開頭帶出"另一向重要成就所以重要的原因,是因為同時在進修博士"
這樣若是成就內容能夠超出原始目標期望,並能展現申請人獨特性
就能從多數申請文件中脫穎而出
題目的重點是要體現出申請人的多元領導特質並以證明有能力承受世界級名校的大強度訓練

感動是肯定要的
至於如何寫出令人感動的故事
關鍵在於心路歷程的情景呈現
需要申請人不斷內省挖掘出靈魂精髓
才有辦法感動人心


又如何展現對MBA興趣
不是只有對一般MBA有興趣
而是要解釋為何哈佛
為何華頓
必須要用生涯歷程的結構分析
從申請人的生涯各項經歷累積至今
已經出現躍進瓶頸,
到未來目標之前,除了MBA之外沒有其他大幅進步的途徑
並且要點名申請人自身所欠缺的條件
正是該校的教學重點
才有可能產生完美的school fit

关于 volunteer activity

关于 volunteer activity
Every top school evaluates applicants in different ways. Extra-curricular activities are not an absolute requirement. Everything in your resume and essays is just a mean to prove your leadership magnitude and potential. Some potential leaders may not do anything physical in spare time, but just keep developing business framework in mind and become more mature in intengible ways, and suddenly become super hotshot one day. You can even leverage your life lessons and "learnings" to demonstrate your sophistication and leadership mindset.Hobbies and leisure activities can help demonstrate you as a caring and enthusiastic person.

Q: 推薦人是過去教授、或目標學校的畢業生，有沒有用處？(v)

A:

原則上，MBA招生會以五年左右工作經驗的準管理階層為主要招生群。

因此，推薦人原則上不找教授。

主要原因有幾個：

一是申請人在學期間多半年代久遠，

二是教授與學生的互動主要在學術領域，

並無法實地瞭解學生對於工作時的態度與執行狀況。

即使在學時期，學生有跟教授執行一些專案，

但當時對學生的約束力與動力，並不在於薪資等級，績效表現，與升遷等。

因此，多半不具專業上的參考效力。

除非學生在學時期有異常優異表現，

且此異常表現在學生的職業生涯中，扮演決定性角色，

才會產生參考效力。

而當這種情況產生時，教授是目標學校校友的狀況，則會產生間接影響：

一是教授瞭解學校的風氣與價值觀，

二是學校會盡可能運用校友資源，來提升學校影響力。

但，這樣的影響有限。

審委的主要判斷依據，還是申請人本身的各項專業條件，及領導能力證明。

即便要由校友教授提出推薦，一樣是由推薦內容，來衡量申請人的敬業程度與領導能力。

[Personal Branding]關於四大的工作經驗問題

關於四大的工作經驗問題
(Modified from original article for ethical issue.)
http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=13&ID=340392&page=1


there're a big chunk of applicants have similar backgrounds from big 4
and there're some good reasons b-schools are actually encourging applicants from these backgrounds
application process is less about structuralism
but more about life introspection
leadership is also intrinsic, not extrinsic that given by others
the motivations and competence of devoting your career to big 4
the scope and sophistication of working life
the impact on external world
the extensive communication and human capital management processes
and the personal growing process are the key to "being ready" for advanced business training
it's even a formal shortcut to become a prepared applicant standing by the springboard

the point is to extract the life defining moments from those seeming routines
and clearly define yourself as a capable and visionary professional
that deeply understand the needs and the irreplaceables of particular MBA program

畢業的MBA是否全部高位套牢

畢業的MBA是否全部高位套牢
(Modified from original article for ethical issue.)
http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=340370&star=1#340370

job searching process is a very individualized process
it all depends on personal qualification and fit of particular position under certain corporate culture
even the brand name of top school is only one of the many qualifications
there's no quarentee for your own career in the history
there won't be any in the future either

but no need to be panic or over pessimistic
saying "all foreign graduates" need to face the fate of going back home countries is just exaggerating the situation
personally I must be very grateful to be one of the fortunate graduates who obtain offers from the American recruitors
way before graduation
while not from top school
you'll be amazed when you see the spirit people try their best to survive from the economy
and you'll also understand why a big part of graduates have to go back
there's a reason

[Personal Branding]不長的顧問及創業經驗 高GMAT與低GPA 申請建議

不長的顧問及創業經驗 高GMAT與低GPA 申請建議
(modified from original article for ethical issue)
http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=340332&star=1#3059854


It's a great start to have a high GMAT
it'll in big part compensate the low gpa (while still need to leverage your extra-curriculars during school to balance your academic commitment, since you need to demonstrate the capability of enduring magnificent MBA training)
consulting experience and start-up exp can accelerate your "seasoning" process in the career perspective
If you have a couple of years exp is relatively short in top 15
even you have consulting backbround and entrepreneur exp
there'll be a whole bunch of applicants (probably up to 30%) have exactly the same background with 4 years experience (just have a glance in BW Forum)
either you can leverage other life-defining events to complement your well-roundness and professional readiness
or just literally work for 2 more years to complete the pre-MBA career
there's still a space for due diligence before you absolutely need the MBA
and that's the main reason most schools ask "why now"


Sichuan is a big trick since it's a one time big bang
it's very predicable that tens of thousands of applicants will by all means attempt to leverage it
writing emotional and touching stories when people suffering from such a huge natural tragedy
since the event was so signficant, it'll also be worn out very easily, just like Titanic
while the purpose of this whole applicantion contest is to make yourself stand out
you don't want to make adcom sigh by murmuring "where it comes again..." unless your contribution or life inspiration is so and so out of this world
but if this life engagement is really so important to you, you can even try to view this in some impersonal and wisdom ways


MBA tour is more as an information collection event than as an impression competition
applicants are evaluated by their life inspiration, career evolusion, and humanity weaved down in the whole package
together with the delicate personal fit with particular school
not by any way of creative contact experience
the reasonable process is to collect as much infomation from the target school and same tier peer schools as possible
identify the subtle difference and connect those to yourself personally

[Career Explorer] When should I go for MBA?

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=336321&star=3#3056764

It's not only about age,
and of course relationship is a huge consideration, especially for ladies
29 female MBA is everywhere in the States
the majority ladies studying MBA at this age, so nothing to worry about
a big part of them also bring their husband and kids
singles can have big chance to meet their life partners
since life balance is the ultimate goal for every complete individual, at least for the majority people in the States

but all and all
it's about your career
so here comes the classic question, why now?
or why later? how late?
it's about where and how have you climbed your "career ladder"
what issues and experiences made you here now, in terms of your career
and what's your goals
then after all these situation analysis and goal setting,
what's the "gap" between your current state and ideal goal now?
what can you do about this gap? on efficiency per se
can you do anything about this gap by yourself?
or you need some formal or informal educations or trainings
is that MBA?
what part of MBA do you need?

if you don't take MBA next year,
what'll happen in this period?
will you postpone your career progress?
or will it be more efficient on your career building?
it'll be an yes/no question
since once you clearly analyze your current situation and define your goals
you may realize it's pretty much a strict time frame that shows if you need to take MBA in '09 or either '10
if you run into a situation that seems ambiguous either 09 or 10 can you go for an MBA
you might want to dig deeper on your career assessment
since career is not about 1 year or 2 years plan
it should be organized as a whole
it's connected back to your college or even high school
and thrown over your career and family visions

just calm down and do some retionale for your life
you'll see yourself clearly

[Personal Branding]HBS的Essay topics今天出来了

Essays1. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)2. What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)3. Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.What area of the world are you most curious about and why?What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?Joint degree applicants:1. How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400-word limit)Recommendations1. Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. How long have you known the applicant and in what connection? If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. (250-word limit)2. Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250-word limit)3. Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250-word limit)


A:
可以很清晰的感受到HBS對申請人的leadership appraisal更完整全面
且在細節中移除了可能造成的偏誤
原則上申請人的"leadership"在第一題的accomplishment跟第二題learn from mistake (請留意用字不是"failure"也有關鍵影響)
以及commu/org engagement或是career vision中展現
並能有效減少"leading trouble"
許多申請人為了想impress HBS 而絞盡腦汁寫出稀奇古怪的leadership事蹟
過度強調leadership反而會誤導申請人而成為heroic ego而走偏了
忘記MBA經理人訓練的原意 並造成大家都要當leader而沒有follower的現象
會產生對現實生活的誤導及潛意識影響日常行為
Culture shock也會對一些國際學生或是本土老美有雙重標準
對每位申請人的不同cultural accessibility會不公平
而數千位申請人寫出來的culture shock也多半千篇一律
而並未建立客觀公正的申請人評量
另外小弟個人感受到最主要的細微差別是原本每題都有的key word "defining"字眼拿掉了
這大概個人觀察中HBS今年是最關鍵的差異
也可以顯示出HBS的更臻完美
不再是巨獸壓境非外星人不收
外星人收多了學校也沒剩幾個地球人
先前各題的提問關鍵字前面都有一個惱人的字"defining"
小弟個人以為這個字在某種程度下一直造成申請人將題意與生活哲學過度延伸
在某些情境下強迫申請人都變成怪物
這樣的效果並無法中肯的評量申請人資格
也容易造成失焦 降低了對商業倫理的注意力
而使大家都要變成超人或鋼鐵人
而commu/org engagement個人以為是相當經典的題型
能夠在沒有其他外力的引導下
從essay的切入面向看出申請人的各項人際處理,溝通表達,與問題處理能力
還有最重要的teamwork style及outsider accommodating process
會能夠相當客觀的衡量申請人的全面性與社群能力
甚至能看出申請人的creativity
對全球議題的important字改成curious
也明顯改善了題目原本可能造成的刻板印象
一方面一樣會有leader trouble以及千篇一律
大家講的不外乎地球暖化,能源危機,未開發國家問題或戰爭
再不然就是想辦法牽到中國崛起
原本多元化的本意受到扭曲

而最後的optional拿掉 小弟個人也以為是一項經典思維
在高度競爭的最高學府 所意圖訓練出來的頂尖領導人
必須要能夠在種種現實環境的限制下完成溝通與執行
而不是提出一堆稀奇古怪的理由
或試圖用任意門來走捷徑 (有些申請人或許會利用這個機會表達他跟前美國總統柯林頓的關係,當然這只是一個極端的假設,不過不無可能)
因此在公正客觀的競爭條件下
必須假設申請人不會因為有一個萬能的optional空間就造成條件落差
請留意推薦人題目及雙學位題目都跟前面各本題有完整連貫
並產生交叉效應
從第三人互動角度找出申請人的進步空間與成功特質
並請留意HBS所注重的是完整人格的平衡
professional及personal的調配與權衡
而不是只要求超人成就或工作狂

[Personal Branding]奇妙又一金牌呼之欲出，现在我敢写申TOP25背景了

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=13&ID=320648&page=1

Q:
奇妙又一金牌呼之欲出，现在我敢写申TOP25背景了
一直担心首都比赛因为主办单位受限。
结果刚知道，
原来，
首都“挑战杯”竞赛主办大学组委会正、副主任（现党委副书记和团总支书记）两人均为7年前从学生处、团委两部门推荐我保送硕士未果的改革派老师。
那时我给学校带来了第一个“挑战杯”科技竞赛高级奖，但不幸比赛过程里与时任教务处顶了个牛，毕业证被扣，后一年新校长上任我被平了反并大力支持“挑战杯”，现在校长调任广西自治区副主席，但陈校长的作风已经深深影响了母校（比如校长在后来师弟科技竞赛的时候跟队员吃住一起），学校成为本届首都“挑战杯”创业计划大赛的承办单位。为母校高兴。
所谓三十年河东，三十年河西。
命书说我02-11年行运“石中隐玉”，02-07年阶段是顽石四处碰壁，硬壳四碎。08-11年是石剥玉现，而后可知器斤两成色。今天还看了段杨绛写钱钟书的话：“他年轻的时候是有些狂的，因为他说过，男儿二十不狂没志气，三十还狂不成器（原文是‘没脑子’，我改押韵了）”觉得很是受用，但愿人生也得一如杨绛之女子。
还记得曾经在那个千多人的大礼堂，手一握拳拽紧，就能听到台下黑压压一片里传出的呼喊。即使挫折了，我还是留下一句话：“我一定会回来的。”
人生如戏，巧如剧本。
没想到这么快我就要回去面对曾经的各级师长了，东区仅有两个院士，曾德超，我的第一个导师，学校建校的副校长，在我本科一年级的时候就给予我考验的小小课题，并在大三的时候要我在物理科学和机电技术方向上作一个决断，他希望我在后面一个方向上作出成就，尽管我已经有了多门不及格，他还是为我争取到了院里12个推荐保送研究生资格中的1个。可惜辜负了他。
汪懋华，电院的院士，东区的学术委员会主席。虽然是我的挂名指导老师，实际上在传感器上的指导工作是他带的传感器实验室的李相平老师来完成的。为我争取到了第2次保送推荐，尽管后来传说“教育部不批准”。
工学院前任院长，后任院长，副院长，在本校没有先例的情况下支持了太多。第2次保送不成那次，貌似祸不单行还在马上转入考研考试的前几天里把身份证给丢了，这个时候研究生处长亲自给我做证明我可以参考。很不幸，又辜负了研究生处长。
还有多少事，这里不再提了。
我想过，早晚有一天，我还得面对他们，他们记得，有一个学生，在挑战杯跟最后一门补考巧合地撞在同一天的时候，放弃了这门补考，就是放弃了这年的毕业证，作为学校历史上的第一个挑战杯获奖人，没拿毕业证离开了学校。
那年他还在礼堂说他一定会回来的。
他自己没有想到这一天这么快就到来了，他原以为是几年后，创业成功的一天，他会以比较体面的企业家的身份去重新面对那些支持过自己的师长，当然也让那些极少数玩弄权术的“师长”看到小强没有被他打倒。
那个没资格读研，甚至没资格拿毕业证的小强又站到挫败的原地了。
这次是作为中英创业计划大赛的中国区冠军，首都“挑战杯”创业计划大赛清华大学1号种子队负责人回到这个跌倒的地方。
我欠下的承诺，又可以完成一件了。
——————————————————————————
深夜赶稿。
到此，大体上也可以讲讲我申请美国商学院的基础W/E了，虽然今天来看还是不强，不过我想可以光明正大地说自己是TOP25的申请人了。
教育：985工程大学，机械设计及自动化专业。
GPA：2.4
工作：民企（医疗美容设备行业）5年研发部经理，兼管过生产部，同时4年采购；然后4个月东北销售分公司经理6个月国内销售部副经理（为了锻炼自己的市场能力）工作期间，有个小奖说明有一定业绩，比如xx博览会科技进步奖。
推荐人：中国经济学奖执行理事（同时是07南方周末6大经济人物，作为项目指导老师，也作为投资人）+国内TOP1经济管理学院院长，正常的话应该还可以拿个中共中央政策研究会秘书长的。
特色亮点：首届首都“挑战杯”大学生科技学术竞赛特等奖 第一作者
第五届首都“挑战杯”大学生创业计划大赛特等奖 主创（预期，实际最少为1等，英文翻译都是1st）+首届中英创业计划大赛中国赛区第一名（到伦敦的总决赛还不知道，预期2-3名）以及全国“挑战杯”创业赛
2005年1月出版小说，当月北京海淀图书城排名流行小说TOP1，总榜紧接《联想风云》和《狼图腾》。这个没有奖，所以今年准备拿长篇竞争个“作家杯”文学赛的奖来凑个数。
大学期间的中国画获得大学校内绘画比赛第一名。
高中（省重点，武术传统学校）阶段连续三年武术季评学校第一名（同校有武术体育生和多名获得过少年组省冠军的学生，不过高中阶段没有过高级比赛）——这个没有奖，现在学习有一些富裕时间了，所以想把古老的特长再收拾起来，在首都大学比赛里拿个武术类的奖励。
其他方面准备提高的：要是还学有余力，收拾一下厨艺，中国是第一美食之国，所以我想考个川菜国家三级厨师应该也是比较有特色的。并且当年略有基础，因为很多年前老母管宾馆，对厨艺要求严格，实际上单比某两道擅长菜的话，当时已经超过他们的国家三级厨师了。
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
以上为申请TOP25的初步条件。
如果创业成功并且加注第一期融资1K万基本成局到位，我再把目标提升到TOP15去。

A:
wow~ quite wide-range interests
also pretty splendid in storytelling
albeit not quite sure about the intrinsic significance to your career in the first half
but the general direction is quite correct
while this is only about 30% done
since these recommenders can only play limited role in whether your career or your application
approximately 10% or less
the bigger their titles
the less they'll know about you in person
since they have something more important to do
while the key is still missing
why mba?
where are you going in your career specifically? how do you define your career objectives
how do you find the needed parts of mba? what exactly are these parts
please be very specific, or nearly laser-focused
whereas the 3 most important souls are in a fog
1st is your leadership
why you only have fragmental achievements or awards after these long years? assuming you're climbing your "life" ladder constantly with internal motivations
2nd is your GPA problem
it's significantly lower than a common 3.5
plus the 3rd
your wide but jumpy interests
writing, drawing, cooking, martial art...etc.
it can be translated into energetic extracurricular
but it can also be misinterpreted as major distractions from core business
all these spots need to be evaluated as a whole package
and extracted the underlying significance to refine into the "life impact"
the good news is your first job is highly revelant to your core profession from college
while the inexplicit part is why you have so many "not-so-relevant" job functions all plugged in at the same period? why a R&D manager would "fish around" in operation and purchasing???
this maybe very risky, since either your company had some major problem about job segmenting, or you were messing around
all due my respect and sorry to say all these
it also led to another question that why and how was the entrepreneurship relevant with your career logic here?
it's a relatively good start here
but anything can put your under the gun
especially the first and foremost GMAT is still hanging
top 25? or even top 10? probably
or fall out of top 100? still likely

[Career Explorer]CD达人，小弟需要指点~

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=320610&star=1#2897240

Q:
以下是引用benl在2008-5-1 22:53:00的发言：
我本科211， 专业海洋工程， 有在知名教育机构两年半的兼职教师经历
A:
why?
why from ocean engineering jumped into education?
why ocean engineering
and why teaching?
why part-time?

Q:
以下是引用benl在2008-5-1 22:53:00的发言：
后对财会金融萌生兴趣
A:
why?
need the specific logic and motivation

Q:
以下是引用benl在2008-5-1 22:53:00的发言：
申请英国lancaster， 未果， 决定明年走北美，因为英国院校有些不要全职工作经历， 转到北美发现好学校要求有牛B工作经历。

A:
why you don't have full time experience?
and why MBA?
need to find out several things
what exactly do you want to do for your career?
what's the relevance and irreplaceability for this career direction?
what the relationship among your 3 career drivers: passion, personality, and professional?
and where is your leadership?
that's the soul of MBA
but only after you can prove your own one
then the school will grant you theirs

[Career Explorer]CMU Vs. Emory full tuition scholarship

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=318066&star=3#2897229

Q:
以下是引用ppeema在2008-4-30 9:38:00的发言：
算了，不要如此激动
这里的人有几个是真正冲着课程去的？无非是想借着学校的名声混几年以后进投行的。
职业生涯？他们不会考虑的。
忘记了几年前所有中国人都学计算机的热潮了吗？

A:
Thank you for reading my postings
just remember
career is yours, not others
and who exactly really got into IB through their school names?
even so, how long did they stay in the industry?
did they really make big money? how much?
how about their rest of life?
and how happy they are?
money can't buy happiness
only when your job itself can make you feel contented
then your soul is awakened

[Career Explorer]读了MBA后成功转行概率大吗?

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=320612&star=1#2897226

Q:
以下是引用cnn222222在2008-5-1 23:24:00的发言：
找工作的时候大家就会发现一般公司都非常看重你之前的工作经历
如果完全不相关的话，也许可以考虑去consulting firm，他们对相关工作背景的要求相对少些

A:
this argument is not complete yet
they don't absolutely require the same industrial background
but they require how you collected all needed pieces for consulting career
it's way more difficult if you don't have clear plan about the collecting process
so far no people can really get in the real management consulting business with irrelevant background
if someone did, please let me know

[Career Explorer]也许是可笑的选择望指正

http://forum.chasedream.com/post.asp?action=re&BoardID=13&replyID=2896840&ID=320594&star=1&reply=true

Q:
以下是引用longbright在2008-5-1 20:45:00的发言：
本人立志从法律行业转行，想去更广阔的职业选择。Why MBA的问题已经考虑清楚，现在疑惑的是摆在面前的职业去向。外资律所工作虽然单调，天天跟文件合同打交道，但收入还不错，三年下来我这土鳖业能有40多万的年收入，但怎奈不想成为办公室的笼中人。

A:
All due respect
so why MBA?
so far no clear motivation about business career switch
and no intrinsic drivers on your 3 career elements: passion, personality, or professional capabilities
no matter how impressive is your background, or what access can you get on your letters of recommendation
your career switch has no clear direction yet
and no "irreplaceablility" about why switch to business
simply put, your "MBA motivation" is not sustainable yet
then you won't have "why top 5" either

You guys can ask me on BW B-School Forum "Chinese Ask David"

http://forum.chasedream.com/post.asp?action=re&BoardID=13&replyID=2877557&ID=318066&star=2&reply=true

Q:
以下是引用iammad在2008-4-19 12:25:00的发言：
呵呵, LZ, 还没决定呢?
我看了楼主在BW forum上问问题了. 我觉得BW上的人都是特别执着于ranking的人, 偏执狂比较多.
我觉得还是去Emory吧. :)

A:
You guys can ask me on BW forum @"Chinese Ask David"
BW Business Schools Forum > For International Students > Chinese Ask David
http://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bw-bschools&tid=75186

it can benefit others globally

[Career Explorer]MBA是否可以半工半读？

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=13&ID=320233&page=1

Q:
[求助]MBA是否可以半工半读？
在CD一直没发过帖，因为犹豫了很久到底该不该去USA读MBA，直到现在还是犹豫不决
读MBA两年算下来需要100W RMB，如果这100W在国内投资的话，可能两年就能收回成本并小赚一笔；但如果读MBA，特别是TOP20之后的学校，回国找个工作，可能要3-5年才能收回成本，加上读书的时间就是5-7年，因此我不太赞同花家里的钱去进行这项投资。
后来我通过朋友介绍，在VA找到一份工作，薪水能够付得起在美两年学习生活的费用，但是我不清楚MBA能否半工半读？
希望朋友们帮忙，谢谢！
P.S. 在Washington附近有哪些TOP50的商学院？

A:
normally it's the VISA issue
the government simply doesn't want foreigners to work
even you can find some part-time job,
the pay is normally $7 per hour
it doesn't help anyway

[Career Explorer]请问四大做税务的工作经验对申请MBA/JD有帮助吗？

http://forum.chasedream.com/post.asp?action=re&BoardID=13&replyID=2894748&ID=320341&star=1&reply=true

Q:
以下是引用moonlite1016在2008-4-30 2:52:00的发言：拿到四大 税务的offer, 本来想考完LSAT直接毕业读JD的, 可我没有任何工作经验,
如果我先工作2,3年, 同时再考一个GMAT, 是否能凭四大的工作经验和 两个考试的成绩
报名美国 Columbia, NYU, UCLA,or Berkley 的 JD/MBA呢？ 四大工作经验的报名者应该很多, Business School 看重这个吗？
2,3年后的事情很难说 , 如果读了JD/MBA四年毕业 出来可能都快30了, 女孩子年龄一大很尴尬的, 而且美国移民也有年龄限制吧？
现在心里真的很苦恼 :(

A:
why mba?
you cannot prove you need it yet
and why JD?
you can't prove it now either
don't pretent you need one
and don't reverse the cause and consequence

[Program Fitting]CMU Vs. Emory full tuition scholarship (3)

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=318066&star=2#318066


Q:
既然楼主发现这么多人投Emory,还问any other thoughts?莫非楼主中意CMU?

A:
these people are not responsible for LZ's life

[Program Fitting]CMU Vs. Emory full tuition scholarship (2)

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=318066&star=2#318066

Q:

cmu tiny scholarship Vs. emory full tuition scholarship. 大家有什么意见，请不吝赐教。谢谢！
本人30出头，金融+能源的背景，MBA之后希望在US做finance（至少先做一段时间），但是对具体的function现在还不是特别确定。
cmu Vs. emory:
1、排名方面。CMU的排名比EMORY略高，CMU在15名左右，EMORY在20名开外。
2、FINANCE方面。CMU的FINANCE好于EMORY，而且CMU的QUANT比较重，这也是我比较喜欢的（就是不知道扛不扛得住）。
3、经济因素。两年下来，CMU的花费大概在USD 130K，EMORY大概在USD 60K，CMU比EMORY高出USD 70K （已经考虑奖学金因素）。本人目前经济状况不是那么良好（顺便对当前的股市表示一下BS）；而且CMU不提供no-cosigner loan。简言之，去CMU的话自己会背负不少的债务，去EMORY无债一身轻。
4、对两所学校的感觉。两个学校的PROGRAM SIZE都不大，对学生的重视程度都不错。就目前自己的体会来看，感觉CMU对学生的重视程度更高（至少表面上看是这样）。自己更倾向于CMU。
5、MBA后的生活地域。没有特殊的要求，哪里有合适的工作哪有我；但是希望生活的地方别太土。
综合来看，CMU在排名、专业、个人感觉、对于找工作的帮助等方面均优于EMORY，但去EMORY可以节约USD 70K。
我现在犹豫的就是：在目前美国经济不景气、且本人手头不宽裕的前提下，CMU优于EMORY的各个方面（尤其是对于找工作的帮助方面），是否值USD 70K？
请大家指教。再次感谢！！

以下是引用WBS2007在2008-4-17 21:13:00的发言：考虑到未来两三年的经济形势，我个人看好Emory，虽然今年排名稍有波动，但长久看后劲十足；


A:
why?
whywhywhy?
and how?
we need the evidence

[Program Fitting]CMU Vs. Emory full tuition scholarship

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=318066&star=2#318066

Q:
cmu tiny scholarship Vs. emory full tuition scholarship. 大家有什么意见，请不吝赐教。谢谢！
本人30出头，金融+能源的背景，MBA之后希望在US做finance（至少先做一段时间），但是对具体的function现在还不是特别确定。
cmu Vs. emory:
1、排名方面。CMU的排名比EMORY略高，CMU在15名左右，EMORY在20名开外。
2、FINANCE方面。CMU的FINANCE好于EMORY，而且CMU的QUANT比较重，这也是我比较喜欢的（就是不知道扛不扛得住）。
3、经济因素。两年下来，CMU的花费大概在USD 130K，EMORY大概在USD 60K，CMU比EMORY高出USD 70K （已经考虑奖学金因素）。本人目前经济状况不是那么良好（顺便对当前的股市表示一下BS）；而且CMU不提供no-cosigner loan。简言之，去CMU的话自己会背负不少的债务，去EMORY无债一身轻。
4、对两所学校的感觉。两个学校的PROGRAM SIZE都不大，对学生的重视程度都不错。就目前自己的体会来看，感觉CMU对学生的重视程度更高（至少表面上看是这样）。自己更倾向于CMU。
5、MBA后的生活地域。没有特殊的要求，哪里有合适的工作哪有我；但是希望生活的地方别太土。
综合来看，CMU在排名、专业、个人感觉、对于找工作的帮助等方面均优于EMORY，但去EMORY可以节约USD 70K。
我现在犹豫的就是：在目前美国经济不景气、且本人手头不宽裕的前提下，CMU优于EMORY的各个方面（尤其是对于找工作的帮助方面），是否值USD 70K？
请大家指教。再次感谢！！

A:
something money can't buy
it works here
CMU will worthe the $
you'll see why when you compare both fin programs
and eliminate the repeated courses
or you can also see Emory's Dean's Message
it's about leadership, not about finance
then the curriculum is designed accordingly
then you'll see CMU emphasizes strongly on quant from the 1st year
which is critical for fin career
but no such privilege in Emory
that's why CMU is more expensive

[Career Explorer]<運動行銷>一問

http://www.chemy.idv.tw/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=200789#200789

Q:
因目标明确想朝向运动行销类别的公司发展，如NIKE、REEBOK等，因此最近在Survey应具备的相关的能力：外语能力是基础条件，相关知识则是加分要件，我的直觉是如果直接到国外去念相关科系，可以一次解决这两个问题，因此有计画去国外念运动相关master。但日前有朋友传了一份以sport marketing为主的MBA report给我看，里面提到了几所学校的MBA，课程会实际去NBA、小联盟等地方实习，甚至有机会参与其中的运作。 我的问题是，若以工作为考量，目标是想进上述我所提到相关运动行销公司，那么选择＜运动相关系所中的sport marketing＞还是<结合sport marketing的MBA>会较容易达成目标？因为两者间的requirement不同，需考GRE或考GMAT也不同，这疑问困扰了我一阵，希望能有大大能帮我解惑！ 另外，因我已有一个国内MBA的学位，若加强英文口说能力，是否也有机会一试这些公司呢？ 谢谢～^^

A:楼主已有一个MBA
要找出为何还需要sport marketing或什至是另一个MBA
另外看到一个小小状况
专业知识才是基本条件
语言只是加分

另一方面跟楼主背景及资历也有高度关联
不晓得楼主如何如此确定运动行销
动机为何
具备或欠缺哪些能力
在这项领域中有过多少资历
而为何已经有了一个MBA却没能进去
不管什么report
别人能进去不代表您也能进去
MBA中的实习只是冰山一角
不会因为想要去某某地方实习而孤注一掷
也不是学费砸了就去的了

有国内MBA原则上就已经具备进入这些公司的条件
不会歧视本土MBA而非要留学回来不可
语言只会是一个minor concern
台湾是资讯爆炸的所在
本土资源充足足以让您英文吓吓叫
在台湾学不好在国外也不一定学的好
问题不是在去哪拜师
而是如何无师也能自通

[Program Fitting]选校-MBA in Lehigh or Fordham

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=318128&star=1#2876131


Q:
不好意思有个问题想请教大家
我分别上了Lehigh 和 Fordham的MBA Program
可是我现在不知道要去哪家好
Lehigh的排名好像比较好 可是有点小偏僻
我向往纽约的Fordham 可是颇贵的
虽然这两家在MBA上好像没差多少
可是我实在很烦恼到底选哪家好
可以请大家给我一些意见吗
谢谢大家

A:
这两间学校的排名都已超出参考范围

因此即使排名有高低也已不具指标意义

两间学校虽然看似相近

但有满明显的高下之别

各主修方向都互有长短

不过高下也相差有限

主要还是要看您要走的主修方向为何

最好的状况從您的生涯三元素:激情,性格,专业能力

找出您的生涯方向及学习项目

再来配合学校课程

[Program Fitting]请问如果以MC为方向的话 top20里面那些比较出名 (2)

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=317792&star=1#317792

Q:
以下是引用songjiong在2008-4-16 23:51:00的发言：
Depends on which office you want to be. General speaking, top 10 Bschool in USA will give you the opportunity for recruting in US office. LBS, Insead and IMD will do the same to European office. Both of them will help for Chinese office.
One level down, it is always difficult to Chinese to get in top MC's overseas office. For example, Chinese are difficult to get in McK US office no matter you gradute from top 3 or top 10 Bschool. I have only seen 3 chinese last summer out of 300+ summer intern natiowide. So the number of placement in MC is sometime misleading as it does not apply to Chinese.
I sense that english communication and culture undertstanding play a key role here on top of your high intelligence.
* Here Chinese, I mean people who get their bachelor degree in China and have little overseas working or living expernece.

A:
To LZ,
just like in this case
you need to find out why Chinese are so hard to get in
it's absolutely NOT due to possibility
it's about their capabilities
it's not about language and cultural background
and you need to know why
why no one can get into "the U.S. offices"?
why? why? why?
only after you find out why, and overcome all those obstacals and limitations
then MC will consider you
if you want to do MC
you need to make yourself become the impossible one
and create the impossibles

[Program Fitting]请问如果以MC为方向的话 top20里面那些比较出名

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=317792&star=1#317792

Q:
请问如果以MC为方向的话 top20里面那些比较出名？ 谢谢大家 贴出top20的学校 以便在上面标注
因为自己的工科工作背景不大可能在金融方向发展 ，其实自己也没有很大的兴趣 就定了方向往MC 读MBA对选定学校很重要
1 University of Pennsylvania: Wharton U.S.A. 2 London Business School U.K. 3 Columbia Business School U.S.A. 已知是金融牛校4 Stanford University GSB U.S.A. 5 Harvard Business School U.S.A. 6 Insead FR / SG 7 MIT: Sloan U.S.A. 8 IE Business School Spain 9 University of Chicago GSB U.S.A. 10 University of Cambridge: Judge U.K. 11 Ceibs China 11 Iese Business School Spain 13 New York University: Stern U.S.A. 14 IMD Switzerland 15 Dartmouth College: Tuck U.S.A. 16 Yale School of Management U.S.A. 17 Hong Kong UST Business School China 18 HEC Paris France 19 University of Oxford: Said U.K. 20 Indian School of Business India 21 Esade Business School Spain 22 Lancaster University Management School U.K. 22 Manchester Business School U.K.

A:
要做MC
必须要有能力分析自我方向
分析学校优劣
为什么排名会这样排
为什么别家排名不一样
各排名 各有什么盲点跟限制
课程谁强誰弱
哪里强哪里弱
各是为什么
自己有什么强弱项
需要哪些课程来补强
要做哪种专业的MC
需要哪些条件
如果自己的人生都没办法分析
又怎么有能力做MC去分析别人?

[Career Explorer]希望有人能给我点意见,不胜感激!!!

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=317701&star=1#2872076

Q:

我是大四的学生,这年6月毕业,申请到SUNY BUFFALO的MBA,但是听到越来越多人说没有工作经验读MBA不好,现在有人建议我申澳洲会计,达人们,我这种刚毕业的学生适合读MBA吗??澳洲留学好像还没成趋势,去只怕去了澳洲回国没那么吃香...
达人们,我真的很烦恼,在此求助!!
谢谢!!!

A:
都已经有美国MBA念了怎么还会去澳洲呢
美国商学院主力战场
竞争如此激烈 各大排名百家争鸣
有听过澳洲有讨论什么排名吗
MBA跟会计天差地远 没有兴趣会要你的命
MBA非常广
先工作几年才会让你困而后学之
知道什么路适合你 什么路不适合
也才真正知道MBA如何实际应用 还有该用哪些部份
年资越久越吃香
越多好学校要你

[Program Fitting]businessweek的最新mba排名

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=317311&star=2#2870900
Q:
楼上的，你的信息似乎有误。BW的排名并不是只基于employers' feedbacks，完全基于employers' feedbacks应该是Wall Street Journal.
BW的排名方法：
45% - Student Satisfaction Surveys45% - Corporate Recruiter Surveys10% - Intellectual Capital
The intellectual capital portion of the rankings is taken by looking at the number of times a business schools' faculty has published in particular journals. There are also additional intellectual capital points awarded if certain major publications review a professor's book.
另外，BW的排名有一个很明显的缺点（当然也有人说是优点），就是它将以往几次（我不记得具体是几次了，好像是3次）的排名平均了。因为BW两年排一次名，所以如果平均3次的排名，就表示它将6年前的数据也拿来用了。这无法体现出bschool的最新发展趋势，对一些新兴的商学院尤其不公平。
排名这个东西，各有各的道理，参考一下就行了。太执著于此，难免一叶障目，不见泰山。

A:
就是因為這樣的統計方式因此遭來各方詬病
簡單講幾個邏輯謬誤就是只要學校登高一乎請所有學生填滿分
學校名次就會衝高好幾名
對學生出去找工作也好找多了
另一方面雇主不滿意可能是自己公司名不夠響亮招不到學生
但當僱主填不滿意時,BW並不會續問不滿原因為何
另外10%的IC中也有很多過度簡化
例如:評斷論文產出數量及篇幅長度並不合理
一方面MBA是實務管理
大家忙著練習分析案例跟訓練經理人表達就來不及了
誰會有時間去寫論文
反而是會寫研究論文的都是研究型學校
對學生的實務訓練反而沒辦法花時間下功夫
又經理人表達在於精簡到位
越長的篇幅反而可能越兜圈子
但卻在排名上有鼓勵效益
而最主要的課程編排邏輯完整度與學生就業訓練
在排名中完全無法評斷
因此每年成千上萬赴美就讀MBA的學生
即使名校畢業出來也不見得懂得怎麼用
而真正MBA的目的是為了將商業效能極大化
若無法融會貫通,即使哈佛賓大畢業出來一樣無法提升商業運作效能

[Personal Branding]关于MBA的申请，请问下各位前辈

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=316740&star=2#2870870

Q:
大家好，先来报道了。我现在对申请的事情基本不怎么了解，希望大家可以多多指点。申请MBA的话，对申请人本身的条件有什么要求？还有，就是我比较关心的一点，就是有没有奖学金呢？希望大家多多指教。我现在开始准备GMAT,明年入学，来得及么？谢谢了噢

A:
GMAT大概最迟八月就要考了
后面还有一大堆essay要写
要再花好幾個月
GMAT大概只占整体准备功夫的三成
MBA原则上要工作五年
不然一方面念不到好学校
另一方面念出来也不晓得怎么用

[Career Explorer]老爸总说我孩子不懂事，我该如何选择？

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&replyid=2867490&id=316668&page=1&skin=0&Star=1

Q:
老爸总说我孩子不懂事，我该如何选择？（再写几句）
大家帮帮我：去大型国企还是银行金融？
本人国内Top3的本科毕业，念经济，随后去美国读了master in finance,准备回国发展，今年25，现在面临职业的选择：
因为家庭背景的关系，老爸在国内中国电信干，认为这个行当是“金饭碗”，在以后各行业不确定因素极大的时候最吃香，所以执意让我进中国电信发展，做财务管理（当然他也有这个能力把握弄进去），凭着国内名牌大学的背景和美国教育背景，几年内也应该能爬到个不错的位置。但问题是：
电信行业比较不是自己专业方向，自己还是希望去银行或其他金融机构工作，有更大的空间，所以举棋不定，而且是选择外资银行呢还是中资大型银行，如中国银行，建行等？要不就从了老爸？
老爸总说我孩子不知道外面的世界混有多难，所以想在这里问问大家，因为你们都是都是历经风雨的人了，觉得我该怎样选择呢？

A:
The only thing is all of us are not responsible for your own career
so make a very deep consideration
and then take it by yourself

[Career Explorer]我这样的申top 10有戏吗？请牛牛们看看··

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=317491&star=1#317491
Q:

我的背景和别人都不同，所以觉得比较孤立啊···
本科是liberal arts，在读硕士econ mgmt，工作背景政府公务员2年，但不是国家部委，我知道很多商务部的牛人拿到top mba的：（555
IBT 109,GMAT未考，GRE考过了，现在准备GMAT还来得及吗，8月之前考完，每天都能考吗？？
现在有2个选择，请牛牛们看看哪种对今后发展更有利呢？
A. 今年去读UT-Austin的MPA/MBA,不是prof acc的MPA,是public affairs，MPA给我全奖的，但是MPA在美国找不到工作，我想过去了读dual degree mba或者转会计的，然后在美国工作1-2年申请top 10 mba
B. 今年申请top 10 MBA,失败了就再工作一年申请？但是我不知道可能性有多大，我的工作经验和business相关的很少，顶多就是regulation管制企业，或者促进企业发展，比如和奇瑞公司合作促进出口，但都是从政府的角度来看的，我听说biz school喜欢diverse background，我的背景的确不同，但是和finance，banking，IT等的牛牛们比会显得不match吗？

还有个问题是我的政府经验会成为我将来求职的劣势吗？因为没在private sector里做过，将来的雇主会不会要那些以前就在consulting，finance里做过多年的MBA，而不选择我呢？

我是小菜鸟，想今后在美国的consulting，ibank工作段时间，今年快23了，选A的话读完年龄很大了：（ B的话读完26，27当然如果能成功的话～～～
请牛牛们给点建议吧···谢谢～～


A:
目前LZ前10没战很不好意思讲泄气话
主要问题不是在考试成绩或是政府经验
而是LZ本身对生涯方向的选择没有明确依据
即使GMAT冲到750都一样没战
跟工作经验年资没有太大关系
当然目前年资太浅
但主要是这样没有头绪的状况即使多工作三年也没战
一方面是目前没有任何MBA必要性
谁都想找好工作
但这不足以构成MBA动机
想要有战,必须要能证明LZ在"申请前"本身已经有多项领导成就
并有精确未来生涯方向及目标
且非透过MBA完成不可
并且能够透过MBA修行,而产生两倍三倍甚至五倍十倍以上的重大领导能力
要能有这样的明确生涯方向
必须要从生涯三元素找出"激情","性格",与"专业能力"
三项有顺序关系
目前LZ若想要有战
必须要找出激情与性格元素
来抽取出长期生涯方向
专业能力可以培养
然而目前为止的生涯方向跳跃,逻辑模糊
不论是MPA或是MBA都没有明确的必要性及不可取代性

又目前为止还没有任何证据能证明LZ有高度成功领导特质
这样即使GMAT750
也会被关在top20门外

毕业后求职方面,楼主有个致命的心态问题需要解决
就是生涯是由自己开创争取
而不是向雇主乞求施与
即便竞争者有优异背景撑腰
LZ也要想办法不断提升自身能力
来创造职场竞争力
而不是讨论谁做过顾问谁做过高官

其他细部生涯规划与申请方向可以私下讨论

[Program Fitting]Pls give me some suggestion

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=316911&star=1#2870508
Q:
Pls give me some suggestion
April 15th is approaching, i have to make a decision soon. I am a bit torn between the choices, hopefully you guys can give me some ideas.
1. Vandy , 32K/yr
2, Notre Dame, 35k/yr
3, Olin, full tuition
Which school will give me a better chance at landing a decent paid job in the marketing field? Thanks!

A:
Just open their curriculum on marketing concentration
you'll see Notre Dame's marketing is fairly blur and limited
many key elements are missing
no consumer behavior, which is the most critical one
no pricing, no marcom tactics, no operation or supply chain integration, no sales and no channel management.

while Vandy and Olin are both well-rounded and competitive
deep consumer insight, solid market research, brand and marcom strategies and tactics, sales negotiation and product innovation, CRM with database marketing, channel management, also digital marketing

Then see their recruiting statistics
although Vandy is quite complete on marketing course design
both Vandy and Notre Dame have only 21~22% work in marketing function
whereas Olin has a 31% in marketing function, with the most decent salary out of three
$89k,
Vandy has a $1373 weekly=$71,396 annually
Notre Dame has a $6,300 monthly in marketing=$75,600 annaully

So Olin will be the best choice, while both overall ranking and tuition compensation are the most attractive

[Career Explorer]请牛人分析我的背景申请北美TOP10的可能性

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=316546&star=4#316546

以下是引用poetfarmer在2008-4-11 9:33:00的发言：多谢各位的指点！简述一下我的背景：１。Ｇ／Ｔ都还没考，但自己英语底子还是比较自信的，一直都是做海外销售。２。本科是原来的华中理工毕业，毕业后在一个国内顶级电信设备公司作技术，工程师。１年后调到国内ＮＯ１的手机设计公司做海外销售，２年till July, 现在的position是海外一区域市场的team leader.我得疑惑主要在：其实个人的最终目标还是创业，但是面临一个创业不确定性的问题，曾经有几个创业项目都因为各种资源的原因没成，所以打算进行止损，干脆加入TOP IB先解决财务自由，当然ＩＢ的经验积累对我将来的创业也有好处。创业的偶像是柳传志，但可惜无法遇到像他那样好的机会，所以想走沈南鹏那样的道路，觉得TOP MBA->TOP IB-> START UP比较具有可行性。ＰＳ鹤蛲砣ゲ渭恿饲寤桑停拢恋男律婊幔芴甯芯鮠iversity非常不够，而且担心Ｉ班的清华老师都是大陆人，可能讲全英文课程无法讲的细致，可能最终只是蜻蜓点水。Ｉ班的前辈也反映过这种情况。请前辈再帮忙深入分析一把，拜谢先。
呵呵　补充一下，本人１年的技术工作有２个月的海外经历。２年的销售ｂａｓｅ在北京，不过海外出差比较频繁。希望加入ＣＤ，分享智慧。

--
A:
講實話 一切要等GT都出來以後才能考慮
什麼事都有可能 不管什麼分數都有例外
不過MBA進的了哪間跟出來要去哪不是看機率
而是看爭取
工程背景要創業 跟MBA中間有哪些關聯
有人創業不需要MBA
有人靠MBA創業
MBA無所不包 您要的是裡面的哪幾塊
為什麼? 而又要怎麼用上

多半在生涯管理選擇中
對創業人士最簡單直接的問題就是
如果不創業您要做啥?
創業是不歸路 所有成敗一人扛
拿自己的錢來燒
不是想進就進的來 也不是想放就放的下
LZ創業的替代道路是top IB
不能完全說不切實際
但還要問其中的關聯在哪
又全世界真正進IB領域的華人一年大約只有一百多人
比進consulting firm還難
即使進去了也只是拿命來換錢
重點是這站上茫茫三十萬人海 幾乎還沒人真正賺到IB的錢
在您連GT都還沒考的狀況下
可能說這一切都嫌太早
當然不是質疑LZ的能力
只是一切都還要等有硬體分數這項最基本的門檻以後
才有辦法進行下一步生涯規劃

[Career Explorer]Suggested line of work?

美國商周商學院論壇上,
有人詢問25歲若未來要念MBA名校
應該選擇哪種生涯路線
這位詢問者有相當不錯的諮詢顧問潛能
但其中有幾項生涯選擇不合邏輯
請見小弟分析如下

http://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bw-bschools&tid=75186


From: davidlee0222
Date: 2008-04-12T00:25:50
Very typical example of MBA career management. It's a global business that not limited to Chinese.
· From: dionusos
·
· Total Posts: 64
· Posted: Apr-10
I'm 25 years old, and I have been an administrative assistant for the past 2.5 years. Last 1.5 years at a health care company. I need to look for a new job that will put me in a better position to get into MBA school in a few years. What positions should I look for?
1) "Analyst" ?
2) IT support (I hope it's not hard to pick up and learn...)
3) Fill in the blank.
I just have no clue!

BTW my target industry for post-MBA work... I am very open to anything, but my top choices are Marketing and Finance.
(cont'd.)
I'm not sure how much more specific I can get than saying I want to be the director of a department at a company, a department that makes decisions concerning Brand Management, advancing and protecting the brand image of the company. Do I have to cite a specific company and product? Okay, well, I want to be the director of the Entertainment Department at Sony and decide how to market the next Playstation console.For example, this console generation had a controversial move that Sony was heavily criticized for--inclusion of the Blu-Ray drive (and the requirement that all game developers use the Blu-Ray disc). This raised the price on the PS3 and caused many to say that the xBox 360 would beat out the PS3. Sony, being much more experienced with hardware than the software giant of Microsoft, would surely take a big hit in their brand image in the console industry if this happened. The Sony Playstation became legendary with its second incarnation, but the name Sony was still not as resilient in console gaming as Nintendo, and Sony couldn't afford to lose out in this battle after so much investment.The decision to include Blu-Ray was risky and overlapped into the high-def media war with HD DVD, but winning over Warner Brothers through exclusive deals secured the victory, and now the PS3 is seen as a bargain way to have a gaming console and a high-def media player all in one.The overlapping of media players and console gaming was done before when Sony decided that that the PS2 would feature the software to play DVD movies. The buggy state of the PS2 DVD player led the masses to speculate that Sony would leave console gaming and movie players as separate markets. But Sony surprised everyone with the PS3.I want to be the guy who makes the decisions on how to market Son'y shoe entertainment products. I want to be one who takes Sony's reputation from "Oh yeah they're generally good, but not the best deal caused they are overpriced" to "Oh yeah, Sony!! They make great hardware like gaming consoles and HDTVs!!! Sure it's a little pricey but well worth it. Better to spend $500 on something you love than spend $350 on something that feels cheap and will break on you."I'll add another example if that helps.Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola have very different approaches to marketing their products. Pepsi Cola embraced non-carbonated beverages (Gatorade, Sobe) earlier, and expanded globally much faster than Coca Cola. Coca Cola was a little stubborn with developing non-carboated beverages, and wanted to concentrate on the market in America . Pepsi Cola's advertisement reacnhed out to the younger crowd, known to drink more soft drinks than their older counterparts. Coca Cola, looking back, realized how conservative their advertisement campaign was, and how it did not appeal to the younger generation. Coca Cola also ran into trouble with some of their bottling businesses, some of which were family-run and could not afford the low margin of profit. Coca Cola was losing the battle so bad, that to eliminate debt, Coca Cola brought back a retired ex-president, who came up with the highly regarded "51% solution" of keeping 51% of Coca Cola's stocks, while taking the other 49% and forming the Coke Company (correct me if I am wrong on the exact names). This eliminated millions in debt by taking advantage of a loophole in the law.So to give you an idea of what I want to do, I DON'T want to be the guy who is charged with coming up with the next brilliant 51% solution, but I DO want to be the guy who helps change Coca Cola's strategy of what types of drinks to develop (do we pool our resources into making new kinds of Powerade, or do we make more carbonated drinks?), and where to market the drinks (concentrate on the United States, or spread it out to Europe? Or the whole world?). In general, I'd like to be the guy who made everyone stop saying "Oh yeah, Coke, my dad drinks that" and instead, start saying "Why would I drink that Pepsi when there's perfectly good Coke right here? Save the Pepsi for your little sister."Again, thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. If there is anyone else out there that can make suggestions despite my vaguery, please do so!

Answer:
From: davidlee0222
Total Posts: 30
Posted: 8:09 PM
To: dionusos
:: Unread ::
18 of 18 75386.18
Reply to 75386.9
Hi Dionusos,
I believe you might be facing several blind spots in your career logic now. First is the reverse logic that you're choosing your career paths based on "pursuing a decent MBA." All due respect but the logic is error by nature. Your MBA should be something supplemental that can significantly accelerate your solid career objectives, not a "goal" by itself. Nobody knows what will exactly happen in future, but at least you need a direction or narrowed options as focused as possible, then you can figure out why you need an MBA and what part of it you'll need. So far these career choices are still all random. You need to find out by your career logic.
It's quite obviously that you have some analytical potential, but that may be misleading since the points you analyzed were the "afterward outcomes" that already reflected by the market, and these were only the surface of the operations and business strategies that either PS3 v.s. 360 or Coke v.s. Pepsi you need to go much deep down at least 4 to 5 levels to see internally the short-term and long-term business strategies, market-orientation, consumer perception and demand, brand strategy, product positioning relates to product portfolio, financial structures, supply chain networks, outsourcing practices, competitive landscapes, operation value chain, channel structures and profit splits, and then "forecast" the market for either profitabilities and stock influencials, so as to execute brand promotion, product selling campaigns, and pricing tactics.
But all of these are not your career pathing considerations. Career drivers are 3 major elements: Passion, Characteristics, and Professional Capabilities. Now although you had such a brillent analysis on market, it still cannot confirm whether the consulting-related jobs will be your career yet, since you need some concrete evidence on your real-world career. You need to prove to yourself that consulting or something else can be your life-long career, even though you might need "a decent MBA" first to get into certain industries like consulting, you have to prove your potential first by solid evidence, whatever it can be, to "knock the door" on these professions.
Another key may be your age and experience that 2.5 years are still too unpredictable to try to "settle down" your career. It'll be a huge risk based on very limited evidence and career track. Some of those evidences may be temporary or even false. You need at least a coule of years to observe and examine your best fit from 3 career drivers. Then see if you need a MBA and how significant it can play a role in your life. We can talk in private to find out your career progress and find out those career drivers.
David
MBA Career Manager
davidlee0222big1@gmail.com

"Chinese Ask David": http://forums.businessweek.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=bw-bschools&tid=75186

[Program Fitting]請教賢拜 : BU IMP (1YR MBA) VS USC IBEAR ( 1YR MBA)

http://www.chemy.idv.tw/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=199923#199923
Q:
USC較BU學費貴了USD 20K ,痛痛痛 考量重點如下: 1.實際課程及師資的品質,希望Focus 在Int'l Mgmt+Acc't. 2.學校及課程名聲、校友支持度 3.畢業後就業的考量((在美國或台灣皆可,工作身分OK) 4.若考慮不就業繼續攻商博(目標加州Top Tier B-School) 感恩 !!

A:
MBA is a terminal degree
it's totally different path from Ph.D

regarding other issues
USC has better reputation, more competitive student body better recognition in Asia, wider and more sophisticated course selection

while BU has decent location for finance and consulting fields
BU also has some close connection with consulting industry
the courses are more fundamental and easier to absorb

请NN们关注一下小offer的选择吧(Full-time MBA)!

http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=13&id=316164&star=2#2862628
Q:

本人二年IT工程师，四年IT项目管理经验，计划转行金融，目前有UF和W&M两个offer；请各位XDJM们帮帮忙吧，根据您宝贵的经验和见地，帮小弟选择一下吧，小弟先谢过了。
一、学校排名
university of florida：学校综合排名47； USnews34； 金融时报64；华尔街6；商业周刊41；福布斯51
William and Mary：学校综合排名31； USnews58；金融时报71； 华尔街17；商业周刊28；福布斯49
二、金融专业排名
university of florida：usnews排名20
william and mary： 无排名
三、奖学金情况：
william and mary：学费在80％奖学金后还需花15000$，另担负健康保险，生活费，和书费等杂费；
总花费大约42,000$；
University of Florida：学费在GA后全免，健康保险全免，两年学校还提供2000$生活费
总花费大约25,000$；
四、其他比较：
college of william and mary地理位置较好，距离华盛顿2.5小时车程，且在DC声誉较好；GMAT平均分610左右；US news2007就业率63.8％；平均薪资84000$
UF，地理位置一般，旅游和农业城市，毕业生多在本州就业，gmat平均分670左右。US news2007就业率80.4％，平均薪资70000$。


A:
W&M is a very market-oriented school
also very career-focused, deep training on leadership and managerial communication
both finance and B2C marketing are extraordinarily solid
they even fly to NYC to visit Blackrock Financial Management
which created private equity fashion and dominates it from the heaven
lots of company visits and guest speakers in almost every concentration
location also great that's driving distance to Washington D.C.
UF is one of the largest college in the U.S.
excellent campus and strong academic and research
while for MBA, it's more traditional approach on program design and lecturing
not as dynamic and aggressive as W&M Mason
but good environment for research
very peaceful geography