Dean Q&A: INSEAD's New Leader

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December 1, 2010
MBA Express

NEWS  THIS WEEK'S TOP STORY MBA LEADERSHIP CHANGE Dean Q&A: INSEAD's New Leader Dipak Jain, INSEAD's dean-to-be, explains why he chose the European B-school as his next destination and his lofty plans for the MBA market   MORE TOP STORIES VIEWPOINT GMAT Cheaters Beware As B-school hopefuls prepare for the GMAT, the test's sponsor warns about the monumental risks, and the minuscule benefits, of cheating MBA JOURNA: B-SCHOOL UPDATE Completing the MBA Checklist "The prospect of moving to a different country gives us the courage to make decisions without much information" MBA INSIDER: ADMISSIONS Q&A Admissions Q&A: University of Western Ontario Niki da Silva explains what sets Ivey apart, and what it takes to land a spot in one of Canada's top-ranked MBA programs GETTING IN Study: CEOs with MBAs Greener Than Those Without New research suggests that MBAs are not, repeat not, the evil monsters everybody thinks they are GETTING IN Poets & Quants: Wharton Interview Questions Leaked The new web site Poets & Quants is reporting that the questions asked during the Wharton admissions interviews have been leaked to consultants, who use them to give clients an advantage over other applicants BUSINESS SCHOOL EXPLAINED What Can An MBA Applicant Do To Stand Out? Stanford GSB MBA Admissions Director Derrick Bolton explains what an MBA applicant can do to stand out to admissions officers  B-SCHOOL FORUMS Visit BW Online's interactive forums for wide-ranging discussions about management education. Search through over 1,359,000 posts for topics that interest you. Join in today! Here are a few samples of recent messages: Getting into B-School —Curious about fellowships/scholarships From: SueTan To: All With plenty of WE and great material for essays, I'm applying with a BA in Business GPA 3.5 (respected urban public university). Loads over leadership experience and EC. My question is about the fellowships and scholarships that are awarded at many institutions (Kenan-Flagler, McCombs, Darden, Tepper, etc). Will my 640 GMAT mean zero award money? I took the GMAT once, several years ago, and am wondering if trying to squeeze in a retake would be valuable. I disliked the testing process (nerves?) and have no idea how much higher I could score. Also, I worry that taking the time to study for it will distract from my ability to create the best possible application packages for my R2 schools. What if I have already submitted my app? Should I retake then contact those schools with the new score? I appreciate feedback from those with adcom knowledge/experiencce, as well as peers in the application stage. Thank you From: sacred To: SueTan Unless you are an underrepresented minority (and the screen name Sue Tan does not inspire much hope in this regard), it is unlikely that a 640 GMAT will make you competitive for fellowships at top 20 universities. In fact, you may have a hard time even being admitted. From: JinShil2 To: SueTan With 640, you would be a borderline candidate at those schools and you should be happy just to make it. It might be different if you had 740 instead. It goes without saying schools give fellowships to the most stellar applicants. Very often, fellowship is used to attract applicants who are most likely to headed to better schools (Except HBS and Stanford). The main reason, it seems, why these fellowships are given is to attract the best recruiting companies. To put this in perspective, one fellowship winner I know at Cornell Johnson had a 760 and he had to beat out couple of people in the same range to win that fellowship. Getting into B-School — Exchange Programs From: sssscccc To: All How useful is an exchange program at a top 5 school from a good but lesser school (top 20) - given that the exchange school is known for your area of interest and you have a strong profile overall for that particular role. Focus areas - recruiting / branding / network / alumni Would appreciate any thoughts. Thanks From: Personal MBA Coach To: sssscccc Recruiting and branding probably won't help you too much because you won't be fully tapped into everything in your one semester of exchange. In terms of your network, this is completely up to you. I have seem people make amazing connections in exchanges and seen people be more laid back, passive and quiet. If you are outgoing and truly make an effort you can certainly network throughout the school which will help you in the long run. I would say that is the biggest benefit. -Scott From: sssscccc To: Personal MBA Coach Thanks Getting into B-School — Question about interview From: finalstep To: All i got invited to an interview at georgetown, after scoring a 600 i thought i had no chance there so i was wondering what % of applicants generally get an interview invitation? also is going in person a big advantage over skype (i do live far but if it improves my shot i'd definitely make the trip). if you go in person should you wear a suit? what kind of stuff do they ask? is it really specific to your essays/resume or is there anything that might catch me offguard? any other advice? From: Personal MBA Coach To: finalstep Congrats on the interview. The mid 80% GMAT range for Georgetown is 640-740, with the mean 684. So you are below that, meaning in the bottom 10% , but it doesn't mean you don't have a chance, it just means you really need to ace the interview. Business school interviews are very specific and there are certain things you need to know before going into them. Here are a few tips: Know your story very well, why MBA, why now, and why Georgetown Have examples of conflicts, leadership etc ready and make sure they are detailed Have some great questions to ask them, find out clubs and classes you are interested in, talk to current students, familiarize yourself with them so you know what to ask in the interview You should go in person if you can get there and you are serious about the school, its much better than remote. There are definitely things that may catch you off guard. I provide professional interview preparation including a mock interview, please visit my website and let me know if you would like me to help you ace this interview. Best of luck! -Scott From: chinoforever To: finalstep Hi there, I recommend that you check out the clearadmit website as well. http://clearadmit.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page All the best! From: RRanjan To: finalstep Hey. Congrats!! Yes, you should wear suit.....be well dressed up... I recently had an interview and I felt that interviewer was more intersted in knowing me than specific incidents.....Team play style, leadership style, career vision, how do u see shoprt term goals connecting to long term, one leadership example, why this school....etc Gud Luck... This newsletter is a FREE service provided by BusinessWeek.com. To sign up for other newsletters, cancel delivery, change delivery options or change your e-mail address, please go to our Newsletter Preferences page. 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B-School Insider Dear Reader: During his eight years as dean of Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, Dipak Jain was a frequent visitor to the Businessweek offices in New York, and I can't remember a single visit when he wasn't bubbling over with enthusiasm for his job. Today, he's still bubbling over with enthusiasm, but for a different job. In March, as Alison Damast reports in her wide-ranging interview with Jain, he takes over as dean of INSEAD, the French business school with global ambitions. As it turns out, INSEAD could not have found a better ambassador. In the interview, Jain describes his plans for expanding INSEAD's Singapore campus, increasing its presence in the Middle East, and even entering the U.S. market at some point. To hear Jain tell it, his time at Kellogg may turn out to be his opening act, and the curtain is a long way off. Louis Lavelle Business Schools Editor Bloomberg Businessweek E-MAIL A FRIEND  |  GET RSS  |  NEWSLETTERS B-SCHOOLS NEW ON MBA INSIDER >> UCLA Anderson: Admissions Q&A MBA Admissions Director Mae Jennifer Shores explains what UCLA's Anderson school has to offer and what it takes to get in MBA Insider Subscribers Only Advertisement B-SCHOOLS MULTIMEDIA MBA >> Judge Business School Films that bridge the gap between the business and corporate world and business ideas and concepts are a rare breed. Dr Allègre Hadida explains. What’s Your Problem? Trouble at the office? In surveys, blogs, polls, and social media, BusinessWeek collaborated with readers to identify problems at work. Together we found answers.  IN YOUR FACE: THE FASTER, CHEAPER MBA Reader Dorothy Beach Writes: " People are losing patience with an MBA system that is too linear, not relevant so get it done as quickly as possible to get on with what is real. " Tell Us: Leery of Year-Long MBA Programs?     Tools & Features MBA Insider Check out this feature-rich area for advice and tools that will help you choose the right B-school -- and develop a strategy for getting accepted Full-Time MBA Rankings & Profiles BusinessWeek's Top 30 U.S. programs and Top 10 international programs. Plus, scan in-depth profiles of more than 300 full-time programs around the world The Best Undergraduate B-Schools Undergrad business programs are getting MBA-like respect, and competition to get into them is hotter than ever. Here's how the top schools stack up B-School Calendar BusinessWeek.com's scheduling tool will give you an idea of upcoming events at B-schools in the U.S. and around the world. You'll find information on admissions receptions, application deadlines, networking events, alumni events, conferences, and much more. EMBA Rankings & Profiles BusinessWeek's biennial Executive MBA rankings grade 25 programs worldwide. Plus, you'll find profiles of nearly 200 programs Exec Ed Rankings & Profiles Here are BusinessWeek's top 20 Executive Education programs. Plus, profiles of more than 100 programs worldwide Advertisement   FEATURED SPECIAL REPORT >> Perfecting Your Business School Application Slide Shows Slide Show: Best U.S. Business Schools Video Video: How to Choose Recommendation Writers GMAT Test Prep: A User's Guide Not all GMAT test-preparation services are created equal. Use this guide to find out which one is right for you How to Write an MBA Admissions Essay Be clear about your career goals and how business school can help you achieve them. But most of all be yourself Make Your Leadership Case for Business School Extracurriculars: The Extras That Count The College Visit 101 Chat: MBA Admissions Tips READER COMMENTS > MORE SPECIAL REPORTS >  BW MALL  SPONSORED LINKS Buy a link now!