Black MBA - Winter 2008/2009 - (Page 49)

who want to tell them about admissions policies rather than listening to the officers that conduct the evaluations themselves. There is a lot of well-intentioned info that is wrong.” Shore says she has encountered several instances where a candidate came in for an interview with the completely wrong idea. One example is the thought that multiple encounters and face time with admissions and school representatives would increase the chances of admission. She explicitly states that this is incorrect. “We admit on the strength of the application, not networking,” Shores notes. 5 FAILURE TO REALIZE WHAT SCHOOLS WANT No one wants to see the same thing repeatedly, and this applies to admissions board members as well. The applicants honored with the opportunity to study at top colleges and universities are those that are able to separate themselves from everyone else. Part of standing out from other applicants is demonstrating sound judgment in the application. Candidates cannot include their entire life stories, so the inclusion of certain details must be very strategic and an overall benefit to the case for acceptance. But this judgment often is missing. “A lot of applicants fail to see the application in total, meaning the data forms, résumés, essays and recommendations,” says Martinelli. “Admissions offices really want people to selectively present what they feel is valuable to the admissions office.” It also is important to provide an ego booster to your school of choice. Applicants need to express to the school exactly why its MBA program was so much more appealing than all of the others, even if it is not true. “Applicants need to specify what their goals are, tell us why they are interested in getting their MBA and why they specifically chose [our] program. This is extremely important,” McMahon says. “Many of the answers we get tend to be generic, but we need people who are original so that we can get a sense of who they are.” MBA candidates are setting themselves up for a great deal of disappointment if they do not prepare properly. Therefore, staying as far away as possible from these mistakes can be the difference in receiving a first-class education, and going back to the drawing board. Martinelli urges people to make the most of the chances they are given. “It’s impossible to present your entire life, but the choices an applicant makes says a lot about what they want us to know,” she says. “You have to use judgment in expressing why you should be chosen.” mba Whoever said “it’s a small world” didn’t have to manage a supply chain spanning ﬁve countries It’s a big world - from Abkhazia to Zimbabwe - leaders are in high demand. Thanks to the Institute for Supply Management this demand is being met. TM From key economic indicators like the Report On Business®, innovative professional designations like the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) to the Black Executive Supply Management Summit, ISM is at the forefront of supply management, which is exactly where you’d expect a true leader to be. Learn more. Visit www.ism.ws today. 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276. ISM is a member of the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management Distribution Inventory Control Logistics Packaging Investment Manufacturing Purchasing Receiving Recovery/Disposition Materials Management Product/Service Development Strategic Sourcing Quality Transportation Warehousing BlackMBA • Winter 2008/2009 49 http://www.ism.ws

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Black MBA - Winter 2008/2009

Black MBA - Winter 2008/2009 Contents Preserving Dr. King’s Legacy: Harry E. Johnson is Six Years and $100 million into his First Fundraising Effort Online: www.nbmbaa.org and www.blackmbaonline.com Up Front: Inauguration Takes Over D.C. From the President: Connecting With the Basics The First 100 Days – Already in Progress Back to Basics: Finances 101 Is the Middle Class Disappearing? – Your View From Medals to MBA Conference Highlights Market Forces: The Job of Trying to Find a Job in a Tight Market Applying to an MBA Program?: Avoid Making these Five Critical Mistakes How They Did It: Catching up with the Winning Teams from NBMBAA’s 2008 National Case Competition Change It Up: If a New Job is at the Top of your New Year’s Resolutions, it’s Time for Careful Planning and Preparation Bull Market: Now is the Time to Take Advantage of Web 2.0 On the Move: Member News, Promotions and More Backstage at BET: NBMBAA’s Leadership Institute Takes on BET’s Case for Growth Toronto Rising: NBMBAA’s Toronto Chapter is on a Progressive Track, Building Strong Partnerships and Exposure as Membership Climbs NBMBAA® Chapters: Find Your Local Chapter Here Do What You Love: Turning Your Passion into a Successful Business Requires Patience, Planning and Plenty of Hard Work Above and Beyond: Meet the Winners of the 2008 Wells Fargo/NBMBAA Entrepreneurial Excellence Award Decorating by Design: Michelle Rider Leaves Corporate Life for Entrepreneurship Culture Shock: Black Museums Nationwide Appeal for Greater Support from the People whose Heritage they Strive to Preserve Gear Up for 2009: Books to Herald Success in the New Year Advertiser Index: Who’s Who in the Issue

Black MBA - Winter 2008/2009

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