Stanford Debunks Interview Myths

Straight from horse's mouth (or lets say Stanford GSB's Admission Blog) -

 

The GSB's Knight Management Center (www.stanford.edu)

MYTH 1: The interview has a lot of weight so if I blow the interview, I have blown my chances of being admitted.
THE TRUTH: There is no specific weight assigned to the interview; the interview is one part of a comprehensive process. A positive interview does not guarantee admission, while a less than favorable interview does not, by itself, preclude admission. The written application, including the essays and letters of reference, is a critical part of the evaluation process. The interview is a key source of supplemental information.

MYTH 2: I received my interview invitation early in the round so it must mean I have a better chance of getting admitted.

Know your post MBA career: Investment Banking (Part 1)

This is a three part series (courtsey: careers-in-finance.com) Part 1 covers Investment Banking in general, requirements and how to break into this field. Part 2 covers job options in this field, salaries and Part 3 covers Life as an associate (for MBA students) and life as an analyst (undergrads) in Investment Banking.

image courtsey: thinkprogress.org

Investment Banks help companies and governments issue securities, help investors purchase securities, manage financial assets, trade securities and provide financial advice. The top investment banks including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley are said to be in the bulge bracket.
Other investment banks are regionally oriented or situated in the middle market (e.g. Piper Jaffray). Others are small, specialized firms called boutiques which might be oriented toward an industry vertical, bond-trading, M&A advisory, technical analysis or program trading. Firms have lots of different areas and groups within them. In most firms, there is sales and trading which works with owners of securities, investment banking which works with issuers of securities (firms and governments) and capital markets which goes in between the other two.

Skill and Talent Requirements

Making the most of a Business School visit

If you can visit the business school you are applying to, it is highly recommended to do so BEFORE submitting your applications. While school webpages, brochures and info sessions are good source for basic research, nothing can compare visiting and experiencing the business program in person. This visit can give you pointers that you can use in your essays and help craft authentic responses to interview questions. So how to make the most of your campus visit?

1. When you arrive, or later but before leaving the school, visit the admissions office and sign up. You'd like to be formally in the attendance roll sheet of the business school.

2. If you registered through adcom office, your name will already be there. If you are visiting on your own, make sure to show adcom officer that you really came.You may also be able to learn about the opportunities through the admissions office that are made specific for prospective students. Make sure your visit includes a stop here for this reason.

Columbia Business School's Fall 2012 Application Process - Deadlines and Essays

Here are Columbia Business School’s application deadlines and essays for the coming year:

Columbia Business School Admissions Deadlines

January 2013 Intake: October 3, 2012
Fall 2013 Intake (Early Decision): October 3, 2012
Fall 2013 Intake (Merit Fellowship Consideration): January 9, 2013
Fall 2013 Intake (Regular Decision): April 10, 2013

Do not forget that CBS works on a rolling admissions cycle and we recommend against applying at the last minute. Also “Early Decision” means that the applicant is committing to attend Columbia if he/she accepted.

Columbia Business School Admissions Essays


What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (200 characters maximum)

NYU Stern Releases Fall 2012 MBA Admissions Essays

 

NYU Stern is introducing a new Essay 2 to its full-time MBA application for Fall 2013 applicants, the first major change in the essays in six years. The question will assess an applicant's fit with the Stern mission and mindset about creating value in an environment of increased ambiguity. The School believes these qualities are essential to lead in today's global business environment.

"The central issues of our time--from fiscal and environmental sustainability to the rise of emerging markets and the coming wave of urbanization--cry out for disruptive leaders who can think across traditional intellectual boundaries and work collaboratively to harness the power of markets for the good of the world," said Peter Henry, Dean of NYU Stern. "We want students of the highest caliber who are eager to broaden their minds, develop their own unique professional identity, and use the assets of our School and University to figure out how to create value in whatever career they choose to pursue."