This blog critique shines the spotlight on Top MBA, a small but multinational company which specializes in creating solutions and aiding post-graduate students from around the world in their search for the best graduate study programs as well as prospective employers. Created for the purpose of linking students to post-graduate universities and MBA programs from all over the world, the blog aims to provide a one-stop online database of prospective employee and employer profiles.
The site is a repository of graduate school and job information. Major sections on the site include:
- MBA admissions
- MBA rankings
- MBA programs
- MBA careers
- Links to global business schools
- Online career guide
What makes Top MBA unique
The blog also has applications that lets users view their rankings and share information with contacts on Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as a forum where users can participate and share information. The site also features a section called the TopMBA Fair, where one can browse through schedules of business school seminars and panels held all over the world.
What separates TopMBA.com from other job pooling sites is that it does not focus its efforts on the recruiters or job seekers alone. It also works actively with schools in order to prepare future graduates for life after graduation. This comes in handy for schools with a large segment of foreign students who will need job opportunities back home. One of the site?s most visited pages is the careers page which features international jobs offered by top MBA recruiters. The site?s FAQs section also offers a helpful resource on panels, GMAT, masterclasses, and options for those looking for part-time MBA programs.
Areas for improvement
Like any other blog, this one can make do with some minor improvements. For one, a better layout is in order. The website?s layout, although it fits with the whole corporate feel that the company is trying to achieve, borders on the bland and safe. The fonts could also use more saturation to make them pop out better.
This blog critique focuses on MBA Mission, a site that specializes on MBA admissions and how to help clients do this the best way they can. The site was created by Ambassadorial speechwriter Jeremy Shinewald and today employs a number of MBA experts from prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School and Yale, most of whom are published authors on the subject.
The main goal of MBA Mission is to provide the best resources to help applicants get into their chosen MBA programs. This includes helping applicants with their MBA application essay, helping the applicant prepare a resume and cover letter, and championing their applications in front of the admissions department of their programs of choice. The company also offers a free consultation which only requires basic information from the applicant such as preferred graduate courses and one?s GPA, to name a few. The website is easy to navigate and loads easily, with none of those fancy graphics that do nothing more than slow down your browser.
What makes this site unique
The site stands out from the rest for a variety of reasons. For one, it offers a flat fee to all clients and offers personalized services by catering to a select number of clients per year. The site also distinguishes itself from run-of-the-mill admissions assistance resources with its impressive roster of admissions experts and its collection of essays made by the world?s most successful men and women. The company blog is a repository of various topics ranging from GMAT questions, application essays, and answers to the progress of some cities like Chicago in the area of marketing.
Suggestions for improvement
Given the relative success of MBA Mission in their field and with its rich resources as can be seen in the number of admissions experts working for the company, it might also gain from targeting the high school market. A lot of high school seniors also face the daunting task of trying to get into the college or university of their choice and they need professional help to do so.
One mistake on your MBA essay, and you can create a lasting wrong impression. This is why when you are writing your application essay for business school, you have to be wary of the mistakes often committed by applicants. Below are some of the mistakes to avoid:
Trying so hard to sound like one of the experts
Do you want to impress your readers? Some applicants think that in order to impress the readers, they have to use jargon and high falutin words. But this is a mistake! This could result in the selection panel having a wrong impression about you. If you try to sound like you know-it-all, you will risk sounding like a braggart. You don’t have to use technical terms or you don’t have to talk like you know every thing about the school and the program. Instead, why not make them see you as a person who is eager to learn new things?
Making it seem like you don’t know what you want and how to get it
If you don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, still be careful not to fall under the category of those who don’t know anything at all. Be eager to learn more, but make sure that you don’t give the impression that you haven’t learned anything. You can do a little research about the school and the program, just don’t overdo it. Limit the discussion to your application and how the program can be beneficial to your career goals and life plans.
Citing goals and expectations that are just too vague
Some applicants think that citing goals is enough. In discussing about your goals in your personal statement, you have to make sure that the goals are specific. Don’t cite vague ones, or risk creating an impression of immaturity on your essay.
Avoiding these no-nos in writing your personal statement for business school can ensure that you get better chances of passing the admissions process.
Related links:
MBA School Profiles – All about top MBA schools in the US
Career Switch – How an MBA degree can help you switch careers
International MBA Programs – All about writing a winning MBA essay for the chosen program
Essay Writing Guide – All about essay writing advice
Beating the GMAT – All about MBA application and admissionm tips
Grabbing the attention of the admissions committee should be your goal when writing a personal statement for MBA. You can grab the attention of the admissions officers by rendering creativity to your personal statement. One of the best ways to make your essay creative is by using analogies and rhetorical questions. However, you should be careful not to overdo it. Below is a guide on how to regulate creativity on your essay:
Use rhetorical questions sparingly
Rhetorical questions can be a great element or approach to your MBA essay. This question could provoke the thoughts of the readers, which in effect, could get them interested in your MBA essay. However, you have to use rhetorical questions sparingly, or risk confusing and overwhelming your readers.
Know when is the best time to use analogies
Analogies are great when you want to explain your point or ideas clearly. But you also have to use it sparingly. Aside from this, you should know the best time to use it. You can use them when you need to simplify complex ideas. You can also use them if you want your point to be remembered.
Be clear with your message
Clarity is the ever-present element in all types of excellent writing. To achieve clarity, you can just use simple words instead of jargon. You can also achieve clarity by using transitional devices. Clarity is an important factor in urging the admissions officers to continue reading your essay.
A good MBA personal statement is your ticket to MBA admission. his is why you have to make your essay as notable as possible. You can use well-written personal statement samples as models when you write your own. You have to observe how these essays use analogies and rhetorical questions as well as adopt different writing styles to make the essay interesting and effective.
Related links:
Career Switch – How an MBA degree can help you switch careers
International MBA Programs – Guide to international MBA programs
MBA Essay Samples – All about MBA essay samples essays
Beating the GMAT – All about MBA application and admissionm tips
Formal Writing Tips – Guide to different types of writing
Like all other types of essays, your MBA essay should also have an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction is very important because this is the part where you should hook your readers and make great first impression. The body is important as well, because this holds the admissions officers’ attention. The body also contains the substantial info about you. But how about the conclusion? The efforts you spend in the intro and the body would be put to waste if your readers will be disappointed with your conclusion. Below are some common mistakes in writing conclusions:
Leaving your readers hanging midway through
An insufficient conclusion would leave your readers hanging and asking for more. Without proper closure on your personal statement, your readers would feel dissatisfied. This is often the result of putting too much effort on the intro and the body, but neglecting to end with the same enthusiasm.
Failing to sum up what the essay is all about
Failing to sum up the essay is also one of the common mistakes in many conclusions. You have to remember that a conclusion is about the essay as a whole, and not just about some parts of it. In order not to leave your readers hanging, you have to sum up the whole point of your essay.
Not making any impact at all
Not making impact on the conclusion is also one of the common mistakes when writing your personal statement for MBA school. The intro is not the only part that needs to be eye-catching. The ending should also create an impact on the minds of the readers. This is to make the readers remember your personal statement even after reading several others. Keep in mind that a good conclusion would surely linger in the minds of those who read it. This can boost your chances.
Related links:
Top Business Schools – Top US business school profiles
MBA essay topic – Discussing cultural challenges in your MBA admission essay
MBA Essay Samples – All about MBA essay samples essays
Writing Personal Statements – All about writing personal statement tips
Personal Statement Writing – All about tips on writing a personal statement
There are many stylistic approaches you can use in writing your MBA essay. Although these approaches vary in terms of stylistic elements emphasized, they are united by a common factor. This factor is the element of freshness. Admissions committee read hundreds or even thousands of essays; this is why making your MBA essay as fresh and unique as possible would give you better chances of obtaining admission to the MBA school. Below are some of the stylistic approaches you can consider when you write your own essay.
Veer away from stereotypes and trite expressions
Veering away from stereotypes and cliches would make your MBA essay unique. By doing this, you are keeping yourself apart from mediocre applicants. Instead of trite expressions, you can use simple but strong words. Through this, you can make your MBA essay clear.
Keep paragraphs and sentences short but sweet
You can also make your paragraphs short. A long one could bore the readers. If you’re going to opt for shorter sentences and paragraphs, make sure that your essay won’t appear choppy. Keep in mind that your essay should be concise, but you should not sacrifice clarity for brevity. You should also strive to make your paragraphs sweet. By sweet, it doesn’t mean you have to use flowery words. It just means you have to use simple and positive words that can leave a good impression on your readers.
Prefer simple, clear words than jargon and confusing terms
This one means you have to avoid using high falutin words. Use simple words instead. Simple words would enable you to express your thoughts and ideas clearly and spontaneously. Using jargon would only give an impression of superficial knowledge. This would also make you sound like a braggart.
If you want to make an essay that is fresh and one that stands out from hundreds or more essays, you have to keep these things in mind when you write your own. You can use good MBA essay samples as guide.
Related links:
International MBA Programs – All about MBA essay writing tips
MBA Essay Samples – Tips on using MBA samples as guides in writing your own essay
Essay on Leadership – Discussing your leadership skills in the essay
Business school essays – About business school application and MBA admission essays
MBA Essay Guide – Guide to writing an MBA essay
B School Admissions Formula is a blog that specializes in helping graduates get into their preferred post graduate programs with the best and most interesting admissions essays and tight and professional resumes.
The blog is designed for university applicants who want to get into a good MBA program. It is divided into several categories, among them the personal blogs of MBA students and their experiences with the company and their MBA programs. There is also a category for admission consultants, a GMAT section, and a section for student bloggers. The GMAT section is a useful resource for everything GMAT, from how to access online GMAT reviews and acing the test with the site?s GMAT updated reviewers to daily advice on how to survive test day.
Advice and how-to tips are only some of the things this blog is good at. One can get advice on how to write an interesting application essay, advice on who you should choose to write you a recommendation letter, instructions on how to interpret the GMAT average scores of top business schools, as well as advice on spotting common mistakes among MBA application essays.
What makes this blog special
The blog is not like any other admissions company because it is a collaboration of blog creators and admissions officers and students. Links to student blogs can be found on the left-hand corner of the homepage right below the drop-down tab for Publications. The testimonials section is also another section you will not often find in blogs such as these.
Areas for improvement
School admissions programs have always been notorious for being bland and tawdry and this one is no exception. The blog is easy to navigate, although its design and layout leans toward the sparse and the lean, with no visual stimulation whatsoever with its pale blue fonts and white minimalist background. It is visually similar in appearance to the New York Times layout with none of the pictures and different sizes and styles of font to break the dull monotony.
While some business schools prescribe or require certain questions that you should answer in your admission essay, others leave it up to you. But when you write your MBA admission essay for any school, there are a couple of things that you should not fail to mention. Since business school admission essays are intended for a specific field, it will be good to introduce yourself in relation to the course and school you intend to enter. Here are some tips on things you should mention in your MBA admission essay.
Is this program really for me?
It will do you help to show that a business course is what you want, what you need, and what?s right for you. Clearly express your interest in a business course and explain why. You can include your interests, your career goals, and how you are suited for the world of business and how you wish to be a part of it.
Can the school provide me with the type of education I need?
Do some research about the school and know about their curriculum, teaching style, and other factors you consider in applying. It will do you good to mention how you believe the school can equip you with the right skills and knowledge to achieve you career goals.
You can also include your career goals and discuss how an MBA can help you achieve them. Establish a clear set of goals?regarding business, of course?and show how having an MBA can be not just an advantage but also as a main tool in getting you to reach your dreams. After all, not all career paths require an MBA to pursue.
Related links:
Using MBA essay samples as guide – Tips on writing your MBA essay
Tapping MBA alumni – Tips on applying for business school
Admission essay for different programs – Tips on writing your MBA essay
Preparing for the MBA essay – More tips on writing your MBA essay
MBA essay samples – MBA essay samples
MBA application questions – Tips on MBA essay questions
What an MBA can do for you – Tips on MBA
MBA for Entrepreneurs – More tips on MBA
Online MBA – Essay Writing Tips
Why get an MBA – Reasons for getting an MBA
Writing your personal statement for business school is nowhere close to selling yourself, bragging about your good points and flaunting your achievements. Admissions committees use personal statements to have an idea of what kind of person an applicant is. There are lots of other aspiring business students out there so make sure to make your personal statement the best in the most appropriate way. Having a personal statement checklist and keeping personal statement tips like these in mind can aid you in going about your essay writing.
Know what B schools can do for your career and personal interest.
It always helps to do some research not just about the course or school you are applying to, but also about the career world that you would likely enter after graduation. Since you want to get into business school, you should know your options and set your goals straight. Having a direction in mind helps most of the time.
Don’t feign interest in a business course.
You?d better be wanting to enter business school for the right reasons. If you feign interest in a business course when you actually want to pursue med school, there?s a fat chance that the admissions committee would realize you are faking your interest in business school.
Be real and sincere.
In the same way that pretending to be interested in a business course is a no-no, pretending to be anyone besides you, too, is not a good idea. Personal statements ought to reflect and describe the real you: what you value, what you like, what your priorities are, and so on. It?s a personal statement anyway. Let the ?you? do the talking. Emphasize your strong points without exaggerating. Just be real. That?s usually the best way to a good personal statement.
Related links:
Writing a Winning MBA Essay – Tips for a winning MBA essay
Using MBA essay samples as guides – All about using MBA essay samples as guides for writing your own
Research skills in an MBA essay – All about writing an MBA essay about your research skills
Writing an MBA essay on leadership – All about writing an MBA essay about leadership
Writing an MBA essay – All about writing an MBA essay
Personal statement tips – Tips in writing your personal statement
MBA personal statement about marketing – Tips in writing MBA personal statement about marketing
Personal statement writing – All about writing a personal statement
Personal statement writing – Tips in writing your personal statement
Checklist for winning personal statements – What to have in a personal statement
Many MBA schools today offer various international MBA programs to students who prefer a more culturally diverse environment. The competition among international MBA program applicants, however, is quite intense. To help you land a spot at your dream MBA school, continue reading for some tips
What MBA schools are usually looking for
Generally, the admissions panel of an MBA school is looking for an applicant who has the aptitude, commitment, and guts to pursue an MBA degree. Getting into an MBA program and finishing the course are two different things. Because pursuing an MBA degree is a challenging task, you should be able to show the admissions panel that you can and are willing to finish the MBA degree. One way you can do this is by coming up with an excellent MBA admission essay. Through your MBA admission essay, you can tell the admissions panel a bit about yourself and why you deserve a spot at the MBA school.
If you’re applying for an international MBA program, the admissions panel will look for someone who will thrive in a multicultural environment. Someone who can easily adjust within a diverse learning environment is also a very good candidate for an international MBA program. Of course, an applicant who shows great interest in how business and the global community work hand-in-hand is also a good candidate.
Tips for a winning MBA essay
For a winning MBA essay, it’s important to think first of a topic that’ll surely grab the attention of your readers. Once you’ve thought of a topic, try to draft an outline of what you’ll be discussing in your essay. Having an outline helps give your essay direction. Throughout the writing process, you’ll have to revise or rewrite your work several times. After all, it’s quite difficult to come up with a winning essay on your first try.
Let others read your essay. Take note of their critiques and see if you can improve your essay. A former professor or mentor is a reliable source of tips on creating a better personal statement. Don’t get frustrated if you end up going back to square one after a few drafts. The important thing here is that you’ll be able to come up with an excellent personal statement.
How sample essays can help you
Reading online MBA essay samples is one good way of getting an idea on how to write your own. When you read MBA essay samples, take note of their style and structure. You should be able to come up with your own without copying ideas from samples.
