The document provides information about creating a long-term MBA admissions plan. It discusses the current MBA admissions climate, creating a 12-month plan, and services provided by the admissions consulting firm mbaMission. The document outlines specific steps applicants can take over the next year to prepare their applications, including taking the GMAT, strengthening their academic profiles, gaining leadership experience, visiting schools, and applying during the first two application rounds. It emphasizes creating a detailed long-term plan to manage all aspects of the application process.

1. Creating Your Long Term MBA Plan
Jeremy Shinewald
Founder/President, mbaMission
Be sure to visit mbaMission new Facebook Page at
www.facebook.com/mbaMission. For every 10 people who “like”
our page, until we reach 500 “likes”, we will randomly select one
person to receive a copy of our Long Term Planning Guide.
March 22, 2011

2. Table of Contents
1. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
2. Creating My Long Term Plan: No Time Like the
Present
3. Creating My Long Term Plan: My 12 Month
Calendar
4. mbaMission/Q&A

3. Section 1:
The Current MBA
Admissions Climate

4. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
A Bubble Builds “Easy, Easy…”
2007–2008 Application Year 2008–2009 Application Year
 Application Volume  Application Volume
HBS: 15% Increase HBS: 24% R1 Increase, down 5% overall
Tuck: 15% Increase MIT: Record Volume, Decrease in R2
Wharton: 20% Increase Tuck: Application Volume is Flat
MIT: 30% Increase Cornell: Decrease of 14%; Ross R2 Down
 Mortgage Crisis  Mortgage Crisis
Applicants Seeking “Shelter” • Cautious Applicants
 Internationals Increasing  Internationals Decreasing
Increase in Indian/Chinese Apps. Difficulty Obtaining Loans
European Applicants
 Aging of Baby Boomers  Aging of Baby Boomers
Need for “Replacement” Talent Boomers Are Not Going Anywhere
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5. The Current MBA Admissions Climate
The Bubble Slowly Deflates
2009–2010 Application Year
 Mixed Reports on Application Volumes
 NYT Reports on a “flattening out” and “slow down”
 Difficult employment climate for MBAs/Challenging to get loans
2010–2011 Application Year
 Opportunity Knocks
 Easier to get in/easier to find jobs
2011–2012 Application Year
 Looking Up?
 Job picture is not robust, but improving
 Banks are back on campus
 Consulting firms never left campus
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6. Section 2:
Creating My Long Term Plan:
“No Time Like the Present”

7. Creating My Long Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
■ Under-graduate ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in ■ Reflected in All
Grades/ Essays, Resumes, Interview, Essays Essays and Components of
Academic Rigor Recommendations and Recommendations Application
and Interview Recommendations ■ Class Visits and
■ GMAT Scores Networking
► Professional
Trajectory
► Community and
Volunteer Activities
► Personal
Accomplishments/
Experiences
► Career Ambitions
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8. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Prepare for the GMAT
 Enroll in a Class Now!
Nine-Week Class + Four Weeks of Study = May 30th(?) Test
May Need to Take the GMAT Two or Three Times
The Crucial Question: What Should My Target Score Be?
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9. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Bolster Your Academic Profile
 Enroll in a Winter/Spring Course
Recover from Poor Academic Performance
Establish Academic Competencies
 New York: NYU, Baruch, Fordham, Rutgers, Pace
 Calculus, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Accounting
The Crucial Question: What Constitutes a Good GPA?
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10. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Engage in Community/Leadership Activities
 Community Service: Why?
 Community Service Is Not a “Sentence”
 It Is Not Too Late: 7 Months of Impact
The Crucial Question: Do I Have Enough Leadership Experience?
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11. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Advance Personal Goals
 An Aspect of the Process that Is Fully in Your Control
 Unique Opportunity to “Own” Your Story
 Take advantage of existing opportunities
CFA
Marathon
Publication
Travel/Languages
The Crucial Question: Is This Even Relevant?
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12. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
Experience International with Target
Abilities Skills
and Potential Experience Program
What Are My Next Steps?
Get to Know Your Target Programs
 Reputation/Prestige Rankings vs. Reality
 Location Urban Campus vs. College Town
 Class Size Intimacy vs. Anonymity
 Teaching Method Lecture vs. Case
 Core Curriculum Mandatory Core vs. Flexibility
 Recruiting Target Firms Come to Campus?
 Specializations Marketing, Finance, International?
 Alumni Base Size, Depth, Loyalty?
 Facilities Modern vs. Antiquated
 Professors Teaching vs. Research
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13. Creating My Long-Term Plan
What Are My Next Steps? Academic
Abilities
Leadership
Experience
and Potential
Interpersonal
Skills
Diversity/
International
Experience
Mutual “Fit”
with Target
Program
Get to Know Your Target Programs
 Reputation: Business Week #1  Reputation: Business Week #14
 Location: Chicago (3rd in USA)  Location: Hanover (“college town”)
 Class Size: 550 per class  Class Size: 240 per class
 Teaching Method: Flexible  Teaching Method: Case Emphasis
 Core Curriculum: No Core  Core Curriculum: First Yr. (1 Elective)
 Recruiting/Specialization:  Recruiting/Specialization: Consulting
Finance Only? Only?
 Alumni: 42,000  Alumni: Less than 10,000
 Facilities: Harper Center (2004)  Facilities: Upgrade in 2008
 Professors: Research/Teaching  Professors: Teaching/Research
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14. Creating My Long-Term Plan
Leadership Diversity/ Mutual “Fit”
Academic Interpersonal
What Are My Next Steps? Abilities
Experience
and Potential
Skills
International
Experience
with Target
Program
Get to Know Your Target Programs:
 Preliminary Steps:
Admissions Blogs
mbaMission Blog
mbaMission Insider’s Guides
Chat Boards
Q&A Sessions
 The Extra Mile:
Visit Campuses NOW
Meet with Alumni
Meet with Current Students
The Crucial Question: Fit, Really?
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15. Part 2:
Creating My Long Term Plan:
My 12 Month Calendar

16. Creating My Long Term Plan
 March (Now!)
 Start your GMAT Studies
 Visit a Target School (or Two or Three)
 Start to Advance Comm./Personal Objectives
 Pursue Firm Sponsorship
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17. Creating My Long Term Plan
 April
 Meet with Alumni and Students
 Assess Recommenders & Connect w/ “Old” Recommenders
 Visit a Target School and Narrow Choices
 Complete Informational Interviews
 Prepare Your Resume
 May
 Take the GMAT (Hopefully Once!)
 Define Target Schools
 Start a Summer Course
 Brainstorm and Start Writing Essays
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18. Creating My Long Term Plan
 June
 GMAT Again?
 Do Well on those Midterms
 Continue Writing Those Essays
 July
 GMAT One Last Time?
 Meet with Recommenders
 August
 Complete Coursework
 Follow-Up With Recommenders
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19. Creating My Long Term Plan
 September
 Polish Essays and Seek Feedback
 Harangue Recommenders
 October
 Submit Round One Applications
 Visit Remaining Target Schools
 Take a Deep Breath
 November
 Plan Interviews
 Evaluate Progress and Consider New Target Schools
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20. Creating My Long Term Plan
 December
 Polish Essays and Seek Feedback
 Interview with Target Schools
 January
 Submit Round Two Applications
 Enjoy Acceptances
 Plan Interviews
 Waitlist Letters
 February
 Visa/Scholarships/Reassess Targets?
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21. Creating My Long-Term Plan
“What Is This Session Really About?”
Present to August 2011 (4+ Months!) Aug. 2011 – Jan. 2012
 Take a GMAT Class and the GMAT ► Apply to Business School
 Bolster your Academic Profile ► Apply to Business School
 Engage in Community Activities ► Apply to Business School
 Advance Personal Goals ► Apply to Business School
 Visit Campuses ► Apply to Business School
 Meet with Alumni/Current Students ► Apply to Business School
 Connect with and Evaluate Recommenders ► Apply to Business School
 Prepare Your Resume ► Apply to Business School
 Conduct Informational Interviews or Job-Shadow ► Apply to Business School
 Firm Sponsorship? ► Apply to Business School
 Prepare Responses to Short-Answer Sections ► Wait for Decisions
Time Management!
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22. Section 3:
mbaMission/Questions and
Answers

23. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
About mbaMission
 Elite Communicators
 Unique MBA Experience
 Not a Website, a Firm – Our Team is Front and Center
 External Validation, Not Arbitrary Success Rates
 Already Working for You
 Admissions Experience
 Complete Start to Finish Package
 Blog/Events/Book
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24. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
We will guide you through our “Complete Start to Finish Process”:
 Candidate assessment, application strategy and program selection
 Brainstorming and selection of essay topics
 Outlining and essay structuring
 Unlimited essay editing
 Letter of recommendation advice
 Resume construction and review
 Interview preparation, mock interviews and feedback
 Post-acceptance and scholarship counseling
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25. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Akiba Smith-Francis, Senior Consultant
 Harvard College, Harvard Business School, Kennedy School of
Government
 McKinsey & Co.
 Board of Directors, Cool Kids Learn and Smith Leadership Academy
 Publications: Moxy Magazine
Monica Carpenter-Okrah, Senior Consultant
 Harvard Business School
 J.P. Morgan
 Co-Author, “65 Successful Harvard Business School Application
Essays,” St. Martins Press, 2004
 Chief Marketing Officer, HBS Alumni Club of Charlotte (700+ members)
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26. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Lynn Moloney, Senior Consultant
 Harvard Business School
 Managing Editor at Inc. and Fast Company
 Editorial Department at Vanity Fair
 Started a marketing consulting firm
Jessica Shklar, Senior Consultant
 Harvard College, Harvard Business School (Distinction)
 Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Quality Leader and a Senior Vice
President for Chase Home Finance
 Extensive Internal and External Corporate Publications
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27. mbaMission: Boutique Admissions Consultants
Every candidate has a unique story to tell.
We have the creative experience
to help you tell yours.
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28. Upcoming GMAT courses with Manhattan GMAT
Upcoming Live Online 9-Session Prep Courses
Live Online Spring D 2011
Tuesdays, March 22 – May 17 9:00 pm – 12:00 am EDT
Live Online Spring F 2011
Tuesdays, March 29 – May 24 10:30 am – 1:30 pm EDT
Live Online Spring G 2011
Saturdays, April 2 – June 4 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT
In Person 9-Session Prep Courses
Offered in: New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Austin,
Dallas, Houston, Montreal, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Toronto, St. Louis , London, Paris, and Miami
Visit www.manhattangmat.com to see full schedules
or sign up for a free trial session
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29. Contact mbaMission
www.mbamission.com
Jeremy Shinewald
info@mbamission.com
Free Consultation:
www.mbamission.com/consult.php
www.facebook.com/mbaMission Follow @mbaMission on Twitter
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