MBA Admission for Smarties [Kindle Edition]

Linda Abraham (Author), Judy Gruen (Author)

Book Description

Going for an MBA? Show your management smarts by following this straight-talking advice that will direct you through the MBA admissions maze. Written by two leading experts in MBA admissions consulting, MBA Admissions for Smarties reveals vital, yet often-neglected steps that will save you from the needless disappointment of applying at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons, or to the wrong programs. Part 1 of the book lays the foundation for a successful application by mapping out the key factors to consider before you actually apply. It guides you through clarifying your goals for an MBA – and why it’s essential that you do so. It shows you how to research MBA programs to see if you are a good fit, and then teaches you how to evaluate your qualifications for your target schools. This section concludes by preparing you to choose the right schools for you, taking into account your uniqueness as an individual with a unique learning style. With that strong foundation the book then focuses on presentation – the nuts and bolts of the application process: Essential tips on writing with clarity, specifics and meaning. Key steps to maximizing the impact of specific essay types, such as those that ask about goals, leadership, overcoming failure, and personal influences. Secrets of crafting a strong MBA resume (it’s not a job resume) and gathering outstanding letters of recommendation that can tip the scales in your favor. Indispensable steps to prepare you to shine during your interviews. Finally, a special section with advice for special applicant groups: waitlisted, reapplicants, career changers, military, overrepresented groups and underrepresented minorities, as well as older applicants and younger applicants. MBA Admissions for Smarties is chock-full of specific examples including winning essays, resumes and letters of recommendation, as well as advice from admissions committee directors and other industry experts. If you plan to apply to a top MBA program, this book will become your best friend.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"MBA Admissions for Smarties is a gem of a guide designed to help savvy business school applicants research and pick appropriate schools and present their application in the most compelling way to the admission committees." --Leila Pirnia, Founder, MBA Podcaster

"This is a highly comprehensive book that will be valuable to graduate school applicants and educational consultants alike. Filled with thought-proving questions and tons of examples, it's destined to become the ultimate handbook for MBA admission."  -- Maxx Duffy, President, Maxx Associates

If there is one thing that a prospective MBA student should take away from this book it is chapter 1. The question "what are your goals" should be such a simple thing to elucidate but it is the one question that applicants stumble over time and time again. -- Christie St. John, Ph.D., Sr Assoc. Dir of Admissions, Tuck School of Business.

"This book will help eliminate the initial fears and questions that many prospective applicants have about applying to b-school.  The level of detail allows the reader to use this as a reference tool to complete the perfect application.  Bravo!"--Christine E. Sneva,  Director, Admissions and Financial Aid, Johnson Graduate School of Mgmt.

About the Author

Linda Abraham is the founder and president of Accepted.com, the premier MBA admissions consultancy. She is also the co-founder, first president, and current vice-president of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants. Since 1994, Linda has advised thousands of clients applying to top MBA programs. Her expert personal coaching and editing, as well as the concrete, cogent admission tips she has written on the Accepted.com Admissions blog and in more than a dozen grad school admissions ebooks, have benefitted countless applicants. As a leading expert in grad school admissions consulting, Linda has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Sunday Times of London, MBA Podcaster, Beat the GMAT, GMAT Club, Poets and Quants, and other media outlets and web sites.

Judy Gruen joined Accepted.com as an editor in 1996, bringing broad experience in corporate communications, health care public relations, journalism and essay writing to her work with clients. Together with Linda Abraham, she has co-authored two Accepted.com ebooks: MBA Letters of Recommendation That Rock and Law School Letters of Recommendation That Rock. Judy’s essays on topics both serious and humorous have appeared in dozens of major media outlets and have been anthologized in several books. She is also the author of several award-winning humor books, including The Women’s Daily Irony Supplement.

Product Details

• File Size: 531 KB
• Print Length: 192 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006P2DJ28
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,567 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #13 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Education & Reference > Graduate School

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Guide to get you started September 20, 2012

By GMAT Club (Expert)

Format:Paperback

A helpful and to the point read and will give you a good overview of the application process and answer the common questions but not sufficient to be a power guide.

*** PROS: ***
Section on setting goals
Good self-assessment section
Research (how and where to learn about schools)
Addresses the common questions such as School Visit, R1 vs. R2, How many schools to apply to, etc
Each chapter has a good summary at the end
Goes into how AdCom's evaluate applicants
Writing Principles
15 essay examples that seem current
Very good LOR advice
Good bschool resume tips

*** CONS: ***
Overview of what schools are looking for is a bit weak and the intro is slow.
Specific essay topics section is short
Name - it is hard to take the book seriously
I would love to see more essay examples, esp specific ones or full packages

Best Regards,
BB, GMAT 750, MBA

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised at all the new information! December 7, 2011

By Berlin

Format:Paperback

As someone who has been considering going for an MBA for quite some time, I assumed that I would know most of the content in this book, having done some research on various programs etc. I was quite pleasantly surprised though, to discover that the topics, advice and content in the book were well beyond my expectations, and illuminated many aspects of the MBA admissions process that hadn't even crossed my mind.

Smarties makes you really take a step back and look at the whole picture, with clear, step-by-step guidelines in each area of the MBA application process and specific tips and examples along the way.

I'm really glad I came across this book and would highly recommend anyone applying for an MBA to read MBA Smarties.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful! December 6, 2011

By castudent

Format:Paperback

I found this a really helpful guide-- it really is no-nonsense, straightforward advice. The authors include lots of examples and practical tips. I feel like I have a much better understanding of how to analyze my goals and get started with my applications! It's a great buy and I'd recommend it to anyone preparing for the MBA application process.