Does an MBA Still Matter? Yyyyup.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the value of an MBA. With the global economy in the crapper, people getting laid off from their jobs every day, and things not looking like they’re going to get any better any time soon, many people out there wonder if it makes sense to fork over $200,000 (and potentially give up 2 years of income) for an MBA.  And yeah, there are very legitimate reasons not to pursue b-school. Trust me, we …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Euro vs. US B-School Applications

QUESTION: In your experience, is there any distinctive difference between the way a traditional European b-school views the application essays versus a US b-school? In other words, do we use a different approach when writing essays, or do we simply go in, guns blazing, everywhere? ANSWER: So… what you’re asking, essentially, is what is the difference between an app for a European program and a US-based one? And the answer is quite simple: Generally, yes, you will “go guns blazing …
Read More

Making a Case (or 5!) for European MBA Programs

Not sure if you’re aware, but there are b-schools outside of the US, friends. And good ones, at that! Programs that are absolutely worth lookin’ into. In fact, for many of you, European MBA programs might even be better than the typical 2-year MBA programs we have here in the states (especially this late in the application game). Why? I’ll give you 5 great reasons: 1) Admissions Can Be Less Competitive (in Some Ways) Look at the stats, my friends. …
Read More

Late-Season Applications and PE’s Biggest Discount EVER

At this point in the MBA application season, things have started to settle down a bit. The madness that was Round 1 and Round 2 deadlines has passed, and now everyone (from our team here at PE HQ to all of you) has a moment to sit back and breathe. And it feels goooood, right? So what now? For many of you, life becomes a game of waiting/constantly checking your email for any sort of update from your target schools. …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Getting an Early Start on your MBA Applications

QUESTION: Hi. I’m interested in applying to MBA programs that start in 2013. I know it’s early and essay questions aren’t out yet, but I’m wondering if there’s anything I can start working on now? ANSWER: Hello there! Great question and one, quite frankly, we wish we got more around here. Too often people come to us for help in the 11th hour, when their apps are due in less than a week! It’s great that you want to be …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: An MBA is (Still) a Valuable Thing

Round 2 deadlines are coming to a close and that means two things: You can finally get a full 8 hours of sleep again. You can finally think about more than Stanford’s ‘What matters most and why.” Exciting, right? Now you have time to think about the value of that MBA you covet, how to make the most of your time at b-school, the secrets of some of the world’s most successful businessmen and women, how to handle Round 3, …
Read More

Wharton Shakes up the Interview Process. What Does This Mean For You?

Unless you’re living in a cave (or, more likely, the MBA application-writing black hole), you heard about Wharton’s big move away from using alum to conduct admissions interviews. And it was some big news. The kind of news that shook the MBA world to its core. The entire internet blew up: Why would they do that? What does the interview process look like now? What does this mean for applicants? Frankly, we at PE HQ aren’t that surprised. With the …
Read More

The Art of the Round 3 Application — Register Now!

Round two is nearly over and for many of you that means it’s time to kick back… and wait (impatiently) for interview invitations and acceptance letters. For others, however, the work has just begun. Yyyyep, there’s still one more legit round of admissions left for those US Business Schools. And it’s a doozy. Round three is notoriously difficult. After accepting students for months and months, there aren’t many spots left. And that means you have to work that much harder …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: How Do I Get Off the Waitlist at Wharton?

QUESTION: I got waitlisted at Wharton in R1 and I don’t know what to do. I’ve been reading your blogs and I know that you say people can reach out and update their application while they wait to hear back, but you also say that Wharton does not want you to do that. So… is there anything I can do? ANSWER: First things first: congrats on getting waitlisted. Yes, congrats. Because that wasn’t an outright ding, which, as I’ve said …
Read More

PE’s Quick Guide to Writing MBA Application Essays

We’re down to the wire. Deadlines are coming at us every day, and we’re getting very close to the end of Round 2. Yet, despite the tight timelines, many of you are just settling in to write your essays and bang out some applications. And it is for you procrastinators of the world that I’m writing this post. For those of you that are just beginning your essays and need some direction, some guidance, some magic to get your words …
Read More

Tuesday Q&A: Can I Go To Kellogg for I-Banking?

QUESTION: I am in the process of deciding on my second deadline schools (I know… I’m a bit late on the uptake here). I’ve been reading your blog for awhile and your advice to “go to the best school you can” kind of makes sense, but I have a question. Do you think it holds true irrespective of my goals? For example, say if my goals relate to I-Banking; do you advise me to go to Kellogg instead of Stern or …
Read More

From Our Consultants: Overcoming MBA Application Challenges

You feel that yet? The exhaustion, both mental and physical, that comes with looming application deadlines. You can barely lift yourself out of bed (that is, assuming you even had a chance to get into bed last night), let alone muster up the brainpower to write/revise/re-write another MBA application essay. But you must. power. through. That deadline is what? 3 days away? 7? That’s not a lot of time and you gotta dig deep to tap into the energy it …
Read More

5 Things You Need to Check Before Submitting That App

After weeks and weeks of research, writing, editing and re-writing, your MBA applications are DONE. Your resume is perfect, your essays are compelling, and your recommenders are ready to ship off those LORS. You’re finished! Hooray! Time to sign, seal and deliver that application… then go to sleep for 24 hours. But wait. Before you do your little “I’m DONE!” dance, let’s give that app one final review. After all, you’ve been staring at that thing for days on end; …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Low GPA, Low GMAT… Do I Have A Chance?

QUESTION: I’m a 24-year-old girl from India. I passed out of an engineering grad school with not-so-good academics (57%), but was involved in a bunch of extra curriculars: I was a drummer in a local heavy metal band, played in my college band, was the cultural secretary in college, organized fests, won awards for debates, etc. I have also done a lot of community service, like scribing for blind kids, volunteering at orphanages, etc. As you can see, I’ve done a LOT… …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: It’s a Good Time to Have an MBA

Happy Holidays, folks! Yeah, hard to believe the holiday season is already here. And it’s hard to enjoy it slaving at the computer until the wee hours of the night while your friends and family sleep in, eat lots of cookies, and then sleep some more. But while it doesn’t seem like it right now, it will aaaaall be worth it in the end. Promise. So give yourself a break, kick back with some holiday treats and brush up on the …
Read More

Got Dinged? It’s Not Over Yet…

So…you got dinged.  One thing’s for sure—we can feel your disappointment from here.  But all is not lost!  The truth is, despite what it feels like, this is not the end. In fact, the only way it IS the end for you is if you think that it is. Do NOT lose hope and, for the love of God, don’t fall into the following three tempting mental traps. 1) If one school dinged me, the rest will too.  This is flat-out …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: What To Do When You’ve Been Waitlisted

QUESTION: I just got Waitlisted at Kellogg. I know it’s better than an outright ding, but is it? Do people really get off the waitlist? And how? ANSWER: Okay gang, tis the season…to be WAITLISTED.  So many new folks have reached out to us, asking what to do if they have been waitlisted.  Now to be sure, there is an ART to waitlist management.  Some schools know this, and they have hired special STAFF to manage this process.  Ha, can …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: The Keys to Success in Round 2

Between Round 1 invites and Round 2 deadlines, things are getting’ crazy. When you’re not willing the phone to ring to get good news on your Round 1 apps, you’re huddled over your computer trying to figure out what on earth to write about for Round 2. And with only 3 weeks left to go, that’s… a lot. [Anyone else out there living solely on candy bars and coffee?] There are so many things to think about: How do you …
Read More

5 Things I Learned in Business School

I spent 2 years and more money than I’d like to think about at HBS. And in that time, I learned a LOT about business. But I also learned a lot more, both inside and outside of the classroom. And it is that stuff, the non-business stuff, which has really done the most for me in my post-MBA life. In a time when the economy is in a downswing, companies aren’t hiring, and millions of people around the world are …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: What is Your Greatest Achievement?

QUESTION: I’m having trouble with the essay questions that ask me to describe my greatest life achievement. No matter how hard I try, I completely freeze up. After all, I’m getting my MBA so that I could have achieve great things in the FUTURE. I just feel that what I’ve got to say is boring… Any ideas? ANSWER: I find it hard to believe that you’ve had NO great life achievements to date. Yeah, an MBA is going to help …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: The Subconscious and B-School Admissions

The role of the subconscious in b-school admissions, studying abroad, dual-degrees, and changing the world — it’s all big news in the MBA world this week and we’ve got it all covered right here. “Blink” in MBA Essays, Resumes, Interviews, and Emails to Adcoms Even though you might think admissions officers are only judging you based on your application and your overly rehearsed interview answers, they’re also judging you on things you can’t control. Follow these tips to make sure you impress both their professional …
Read More

For Chinese and Indian MBA Applicants, It’s Time to Step it Up

Fact: The number of MBA applicants coming from China and India is up. Fact: The number of MBA admissions for applicants coming from China and India is down. According to last year’s application and acceptance data, several schools are reporting that although international students make up a large percentage of their total applicants, most of them are getting rejected. …. Not the best news, eh? Let’s take a look at the numbers: 70% of Washington-Olin’s 1,490 applicants were international, yet …
Read More

PE Stops Taking New Clients December 16! Last Chance to Save…

Every year, in order to keep the quality of our work so high, Precision Essay closes its doors to new clients prior to the “end” of the season.  And that time has come. Starting December 16, Precision Essay will no longer accept new clients. We will NEVER be a factory-style shop, crunching out thousands of reduced-quality apps when deadlines hit.  We don’t have any interest in taking on more clients than we can handle…in our high-end, boutique style. So what does it …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: An LOR Conundrum

QUESTION: It is OK to get two LORs from two different people at the same company? I worked with them both on different projects so they will have different things to say, but does it look bad coming from the same place? And if it’s a problem… who else can I ask? I’ve been at the same company for 5 years… ANSWER: Who knew LORs could be so complicated, eh? When you think about it, how hard is it to get …
Read More

From Our Consultants: Show That Essay Who’s Boss

It always happens at the worst possible moment: Brain freeze. Writer’s block. Complete mental shut down. There you are, ready to crank out some application essays and… nothing. Just a blank screen… and a blank mind. Which would be OK if you didn’t have 6 applications to submit in round 2 and only 5 weeks to get ‘em all done (along with your LORs, resume, and… your full-time job). So what do you do? Cry? Chug a pot of coffee? …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: The New GMAT Is Coming…

The new and improved GMAT is out, Americans are heading abroad for b-school, and one post-MBA proves b-school is worth the money and time. Yes, this week we learn that it’s a good time to get an MBA… Asia’s Best Business Schools Beckon You If this isn’t a sign of the times, folks, we don’t know what is. While international students dream of studying and working in America… it seems American students are following the global economy and applying to …
Read More

The Do’s and Don’ts of an MBA Resume

What’s the most important component of your MBA application? Some argue it’s the essays; that’s your opportunity to show the adcom who you are, after all. Others say it’s your GMAT score, it being the most universal gauge of your abilities. And then there’s the interview, your one time to have a real interaction with the person who may decide your fate. But what about your resume? You know, the place where you list….uh….everything you’ve ever done? That single piece …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: The Toughest of all Interview Questions

QUESTION: What are you supposed to say when an interviewer asks you what other schools you’re applying to/interviewing at? Should you be honest? What if those schools aren’t ranked as high? Can you somehow dodge this question? ANSWER: This is one of the toughest questions to answer, for sure.  But there is a GREAT strategy to it.  Check it out: On the one hand, you won’t wanna tell the interviewer that you’re looking at a bunch of places that are …
Read More

The 5 Worst Interview Mistakes

So, you’re getting interview invitations… but no acceptance letters. What’s the deal? We can’t say for sure (after all, we weren’t sitting in the interview with you…) but we do know of some pretty common interview faux pas that can keep you from getting that coveted acceptance letter. And now that Round 2 deadlines are coming up – and with them, even more opportunities to interview – you may want to check yourself before you wreck yourself. Are you committing …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Can I Repeat Stories in my MBA Interview?

QUESTION: I’ve been trying to prepare for my upcoming MBA interviews and I’m not sure what’s fair game and what is going to make my look bad… Can you repeat a story from your essay in your interview? ANSWER: First of all, CONGRATS on those MBA interviews, dude. This is a huge step in the right direction, and a very important one at that. This is the adcom’s chance to really get to know you as a living, breathing person, …
Read More

Big Changes at HBS

For generations, Harvard has been the first school everyone thinks when they hear the word “university.” Ranked #1 by practically every guide/magazine/website out there, it’s safe to say Harvard is one of the best schools in the world. And, of course, it’s the same for HBS. Harvard Business School is easily the most highly sought after MBA program in the world, regardless of the fierce competition and high application standards. And of course it is – it’s a world-renowned MBA …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: GMAT Scores are Falling

Worried about your GMAT score? Still not sure what schools to target this year? Wondering what those adcoms really look for? Concerned about graduating into this less-than-stellar economy? You’ve come to the right place, folks. We’ve got all that information and more in this week’s MBA news round up: GMAT Scores Slip at Many Top Schools MIT and Kellogg are reporting 10-point drops in medians. And other schools are saying the same. So where does your GMAT score stack up? …
Read More

5 MBA Scholarships You’ve Never Heard Of

While an MBA is invaluable, it’s also expensive. Very expensive. And it’s expensive before you even get in. From the GMAT prep courses to the campus visits to the application fees, going for an MBA is often synonymous with going for broke. And yeah, you’ll make more money with an MBA and eventually be able to pay off your debt… but that doesn’t necessarily make b-school tuition (plus cost of living!) any less daunting. But what many MBA applicants don’t …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Am I Too Old for a Full-Time MBA Program?

QUESTION: I planned on applying for my MBA last year but my GMAT score just wasn’t good enough and I had to re-take it. Now I’m 31 years old and want to start an MBA program in 2012. Am I too old to get into a full-time top 15 program? Is it easier to do part-time? And if so, will that look as good for employers? ANSWER: At age 31 it is late to get in. But it’s not impossible. …
Read More

5 Things to do Before you Start Your MBA Applications

Your MBA applications are due in two months and it’s time to get to work. But… where do you begin? What do you do? How do you…uh…do this? Let us help. There’s a lot of work to do before you sit down at your computer and start tapping away at those essays. Applying to and attending b-school is a huge decision, after all, and it requires a lot of thought, planning, preparing and even more thought. So before you actually …
Read More

The Tuesday Q&A: Should I Talk About Religion in my MBA Application?

QUESTION: I have a question related to Stanford’s first essay. When I think about what matters most to me and why, a strong, guiding force behind many of the decisions I have made is my desire to best serve God through serving others. So I’m wondering if it would be appropriate for me to talk about religion/spirituality on this essay. If so, is it too cliche or risky? ANSWER: Yes, my friend, you CAN talk about religion in your applications. After …
Read More

MBA News You Can Use: What’s Your MBA Worth?

You’re about to drop $200,000 on your MBA… in this economy. Is it worth it? How will you pay it off? Is there a light at the end of the b-school tunnel? A job offer? A business opportunity? Geez, can you even compete with all the other qualified applicants to get accepted? Those seem to be the thoughts on everyone’s minds this week. And we’ve got all the facts and more in this week’s MBA round-up. Gauging the Value of …
Read More

The PE Guide to MBA Fairs

Ah. The MBA Fair. The biggest thing to happen to MBA admissions since…erm… the application. Haven’t been to one yet? You should really consider it. They’re not that hard to find, after all. Top MBA and The MBA Tour hold them all around the world, but if you’re too busy to put on business casual attire and attend, The Economist has even put their MBA Tour online! The concept is always the same: admissions officers from business schools all over …
Read More