Here’s the scoop:

TOMORROW, Thursday, September 9
Write Like an Expert: Breaking down Stanford’s Essay Topics
10:00-11:00 AM PST
Online
Hosted by Beat the GMAT
Learn more and register here.

TOMORROW, September 9
Making it your Business to get into B-school: GMAT and Essay Tips
6PM PST
Online
with Test Prep NY
Learn more and register here.

Saturday, September 11-October 16
Test Prep and Admissions Course
Wednesdays at 6PM PST
Saturdays at 10AM PST
Online
with Grockit Education Network
Learn more and register here.

Monday, September 27
An Inside Look at the MBA Admissions Process
6PM-8PM PST
San Francisco, at Wharton’s San Francisco Campus
Hosted by Wharton | San Francisco
Learn more and regsister here.

Wednesday, September 29
Write Like an Expert:  Breaking down UC Berkeley Haas Essay Topics
10:00-11:00 AM PST
Hosted by Beat the GMAT
Learn more and register here.

With the case method, originated at Harvard Business School more than a century ago, students are presented with a case and must place themselves in the role of the decision maker as they read through the situation and identify the problem they are faced with. The next step is to perform the necessary analysis—examining the causes and considering alternative courses of actions to come to a set of recommendations.

Here are the top four reasons blogger Allen believes strongly in the superiority of the case method approach:

1) It’s more fun! Even as an accountant I find some of the more detailed parts of finance a little dull. But framing the topic as a case brings the subject to life. No longer are you learning what the optimal capital structure is for the sake of it, you’re trying to find the best way of funding the growth strategy for a new low-cost airline. You’re not trying to define what exactly a ‘competitive advantage’ is, you’re trying to find out how best Honda could secure an enduring position in the US motorcycle market.

2) It brings business back to reality. Having read more than my fair share of management books prior to London Business School ‘business’ had started to seem like quite an abstract, academic subject. The case method rapidly brings you back down to earth, reminding you that business involves real people being forced to make enormously important decisions often based on incomplete and/or poor quality information.

3) Cases allow you to benefit from the experience of others. How exactly would you have reacted to IBM’s entry to the personal computer market if you were Steve Jobs running Apple? What would have been your priorities if faced with turning around American Express in the early 90s? How do your answers compare to what decisions were actually made? Through this process you gain an insight into why business leaders of old decided on the choices they made. And, more than this, you get to benefit from listening and reacting to the views of your fellow classmates.

4) You practice articulating arguments clearly and concisely. No matter how brilliant or insightful , unless you’re able to clearly convey your ideas they’re likely to go nowhere. This is particularly important in business where the correct decision often needs to be made and executed quickly. The Case Method forces you to practice structuring your argument and conveying it clearly…

For more insight into the student experience at London Business School, follow this link to the student blogs.

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Rotterdam School of Management

As explained on the school’s website, the EMBA Water Specialisation is tailored to internationally oriented and talented business people who wish to develop their activities in the global water business.

With a strong emphasis on leadership development in an international environment, the aim of this EMBA program is to reflect and further expand on intensely debated issues related to water quality and availability as well as provide insights into state-of-the art technological and managerial aspects of operating successfully in the industry.

Together with a general introduction to business principles, the program addresses current and future trends in water management with the objective of fostering leadership and sustainability. Participants will also develop and expand their network among companies operating in the water business.

Follow these links for more information on the curriculum, application and expenses of this unique program.

(image by Flickr user Snap, CC 2.0)

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When approaching this large number of questions and specific prompts, you will want to make sure you are also presenting your well-rounded self, with focus on career, extracurriculars and personal attributes.

As you formulate your timeline and plans for this application, make note of the deadlines. LBS is quite strict about adhering to word count and urges applicants not to write more than the specified limit for each essay, as any extra words or essays may be disregarded.

Question 1 (750 words)
Give us a brief assessment of your career progress to date.
In what role do you see yourself working in immediately after graduation and what is your longer term career vision?
How will your past and present experiences help you to achieve this?
How will the London Business School MBA Programme contribute to this goal?
Why is this the right time for you to pursue an MBA?

This classic career goals question focuses more on your short-term goals than the typical school might. Make sure you can clearly demonstrate how your past and present career and personal experiences support your goals, and why you have settled on your particular aspirations. In addition, you will need to demonstrate why London Business School is the right MBA program for you and why you are planning to pursue an MBA at this point in your career and your life.
In just 750 words to answer 5 distinct questions you will need to demonstrate your commitment and rationale for your decisions throughout the essay. Think about the narrative thread of your life and career and how LBS is going to fit in, then expand into the future you want to make a reality through this education. There should be a clear link between your immediate post-MBA goals and your short- and long-term goals, and all of them will flow from your current and past experiences. Your narrative thread should make it clear why you are pursuing an MBA, why now and how LBS will help you achieve your goals.

If you are planning to switch careers and do not have the track record to demonstrate you are serious about your goals, it will be helpful to show your commitment through research you have done, extracurricular activities you have been involved with, or relevant accomplishments in your current position. When researching the LBS difference for this essay, you might find some help in the form of the student blogs on the London website.

Question 2 (300 words)
Give a specific example of when you have had to test your leadership and team working skills. Given this experience what role will you play in a first year study group?

This question offers the opportunity for you to demonstrate your leadership and teamwork skills and demonstrate your knowledge of LBS teams. You may want to refer to student blogs, the programme website or current or former students to understand the role of study groups at LBS and how you will likely fit in.

This essay specifically requests an example of when you have tested your leadership and team skills. While the example should be brief and clear, you have the option of a variety of settings. If you have significant leadership experiences outside of work, this may be an ideal place to showcase that part of your background.

Question 3 (300 words)
Student involvement is an extremely important part of the London Business School MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. Please describe how you will contribute to student clubs and the community and why?

Thorough research will be crucial here, whether online or in person. Reaching out to the clubs and organizations you are most interested in may allow you to interact with a current student who can provide context for you. To be most effective in answering this question you will want to be specific and logical in your choices. What activities make the most sense in the context of your career and industry interests? What about your hobbies? Any community involvement you are currently pursuing and plan to continue will be especially credible here.

Question 4 (300 words)
London Business School offers a truly global and diverse experience. Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country or culture. What did you gain and how will your experience contribute to London Business School?

Significant international experiences or a diverse background will be an asset in answering this question. Any particular insight you gained from international travel will be helpful, and if you can tie it to your overall application theme, that’s even better. Since LBS is a particularly international program they are certainly seeking applicants who are well traveled and thoughtful about the rest of the world. Make sure you are able to explain what you have learned from interacting with cultures that are not your own, and relate your experiences back to LBS.

Please choose ONE of the following options.
Question 5a (150 words)
You have decided to stand for the role of Student Association President. Announcing your campaign to the London Business School community for the first time, please describe your manifesto.
OR
Question 5b (150 words)
What is your most substantial achievement to date and why?

One of these questions focuses on the future, while the other looks to the past. In both questions you will need to delve into what motivates you most in your life, and how you communicate your values in word or action.

Question 5a seeks to understand what you will do as a student at LBS and how you will present yourself to your fellow students. If you were running for office and wanted to demonstrate what you stood for you might need to define what really matters in your life. What would you do if the validation of others wasn’t important? What if you won the lottery? Think a bit about what you think your life manifesto is, and how it would relate back to LBS and your classmates in the program.

Question 5b is almost identical to the classic HBS question. Think about the experiences you have had in your life that you are most proud of. They may not be the achievement that everyone else would consider your most substantial, but it needs to be one that is important to you. Explaining why your achievement is substantial to you is crucial to the question and the answer will show a bit about what is most important to you.

Question 6 (300 words)
(This question is optional)
Is there any other information that you believe would help the MBA Admissions Committee when considering your application?

If you have a situation you need to explain, whether it is a low GPA or academic probation, this is the correct space to address it. Focus on explanations and not excuses. If you have additional material that you think will be helpful to your application this may also be an opportunity to offer another reason to admit you.

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An example: The scope might shift from the effect of rainfall on the health of a certain species to the effect of rainfall on the growth of a certain plant that the species feeds on.

When the scope shifts, it’s perfectly natural to fill in the gaps for yourself. In the example above, you might think, “of course, if rainfall means that there’s a more ample supply of this plant, then the species will have more food and be healthier.”

Depending on the question, though, that’s the kind of rationale that gets you in trouble. Your job on CR questions isn’t to devise justifications, it’s to recognize them.

The difference is slight, but it’s crucial.

This is an excerpt from a longer article by Jeff Sackmann, originally published at GMAT Hacks.  Jeff has created several valuable GMAT-preparation resources, including Total GMAT Math and Total GMAT Verbal.

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