As its blog title implies, Wharton MBA for Executives is a blog managed by and written for MBA students of Wharton School?s Executives program. There are actually two blog administrators, although the blog also features guest bloggers from time to time. Basically, the contents of the blog chronicle the authors? experiences in their pursuit of an MBA program.
What makes this blog special
Unlike most MBA blogs, which may be classified as informative or feature blogs that typically discuss basic management and business principles, this Wharton blog falls under the “personal blog” category. For instance, one of the authors wrote about his trip to Marrakech and how price-haggling with souvenir vendors gave him an idea for a paper in his negotiations class. Set on a clean and simple three-column WordPress layout, the blog contains links to the official Wharton EMBA site and other Wharton blogs, as well as the authors? Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Since the target readers are Wharton EMBA students?and those who aspire to be?other useful links include business journals and news articles on finance.
Navigating through the site is easy, as one of its three columns show the blog categories and tag clouds. This allows readers to find entries only on topics that they are interested in without having to spend too much time digging through the site. The archive link and RSS button enable followers of the blog to find old entries and receive blog updates conveniently.
Areas for improvement
However, the blog still needs tweaking in some areas. The blog description on the header indicates that one person maintains the blog, although its “About” pages show two different authors. Also, simple does not have to mean “boring,” so adding images to the entries will make the page more attractive to readers. Adding relevant widgets will also optimize the blog?s clean look and readership.
MBA Answers is a blog that seeks to provide sound answers to all MBA-related questions. This is one place on the Internet where current and would-be MBA students can get useful information from someone who has plenty of experience in the field, ranging from taking the GMAT to online MBA programs and international business schools.
What makes this blog special
One thing that makes MBA Answers stand out as a career blog is its magazine-type layout. On its homepage, you can see snippets of its featured posts, which are grouped under the categories, “About MBA?s,” “GMAT & Business Schools,” “MBA Updates,” and “More MBA Answers.” Write-ups in About MBA?s contain general information on the degree, such as its benefits and factors to consider when assessing one?s readiness to pursue an MBA. Posts under GMAT & Business Schools help readers choose which program and business school is right for them. The MBA Updates category provides links to useful and recent MBA materials, while More MBA Answers is where readers interact with each other in typical Q&A fashion commonly found in e-forums.
What makes MBA Answers stand out is that by subscribing to the blog (simply type your e-mail address into the appropriate field), you will also get newsletter issues delivered to your inbox. For those who don?t like getting too many messages in their inbox, they can still subscribe to the blog?s post and comments updates via the RSS button.
Areas for improvement
Despite the blog?s nice layout, readers may find some difficulty navigating through the site. The homepage contains tabs and links which turn out to be serving the same function?directing the reader to the same page containing the same information. For instance, clicking on the “About MBA?s” tab on the upper-left side of the homepage and the “More Featured Posts” link under the “About MBA?s” box on the same page will give you the same result. In addition, it will be much better if readers get to post questions directly, as most are posted (moderated) through the site administrator.
KoolKareers.com is an informative career blog created by Kudos Infomedia, a web development firm based in India. Mainly, it caters to readers who plan to pursue post graduate education or study abroad, although it also contains reference materials for those preparing to make a career move.
Strong points
KoolKareers.com is very professional-looking, which gives any reader an impression that it is more of a website than a regular blog. It contains articles that are useful and necessary for people preparing for graduate school, particularly in complying with admission requirements. Anyone who comes across this blog will surely get the impression that it is well-organized, as its contents are classified according to the type of admission test or process one is preparing for. Its main categories include CAT, GATE, GMAT, and MBA preparation, as well as SNAP, JMET, FMS, XAT, IIFT, CET, IRMA, and interviews.
Much of the blog?s appeal is in the relevance and usefulness of the content itself. Under MBA preparation, for instance, an entry on funding your studies through an education loan provides information on educational loan schemes, the expenses considered by such loans, and the documents necessary in filing a loan application. The site is also easy to navigate, because the tag cloud, links to recent and most viewed articles, and a more specific category list appear on the page even while you jump from one article to the next. Another good point for KoolKareers.com is its reader-friendly quality. Ads are minimal and are positioned in a way that won?t get readers redirected to an external site by mistake. The blog also has an RSS button, making it easy for readers to subscribe to its content.
Weak points
KoolKareers also has its Achilles? heel, though. Some tabs don?t function, such as the “sitemap” link that gives an error message when clicked and a “watch this video” link that doesn?t play. The same goes for its Facebook and Twitter “share” tab. If these issues are fixed, then this site will become more popular among its target audience.
Inside HBS is a personal blog maintained by an MBA student at Harvard Business School. In this blog, the author considerably writes about life on campus and in Boston, and a little bit about the MBA program.
What I like about this blog
One thing that you will notice about this blog is that the writing style is consistent with the two functions the blog serves: one, to document the writer?s life as a student at the Harvard Business School; and two, to tell the reader about the sights and the culture in Boston. Unlike most personal blogs in which the writer simply expresses his or her thoughts without the need to explain things to whoever cares enough to read, this one doubles as an informative/travel blog. For instance, in a post about hiking in Blue Hills, the writer tells the readers that it is “the most popular of the Boston-area hiking spots” and that it “may be the biggest of the three major state parks within the I-95 inner Boston loop,” after which he or she embeds a map of Boston parks.
It also contains landscape photos and posts on Boston holidays, as well as the writer?s observation on the attitude of HBS students. The blog layout is a simple two-column, three-page Cutline theme, with links to other HBS blogs. Site navigation is relatively easy, as there are not too many links, and posts are tagged accordingly.
Suggestions for improvement
Although the contents of the blog make for an educational and entertaining read, the layout does little justice to it. Its upbeat tone will work well with “Follow me” or “Tweet this” Twitter widgets or those that encourage more interaction from readers (other than the comment field). The sitemap link displays an error message when clicked, so the link must be broken and needs to be re-configured. Lastly, it will be better if the archive is transferred to the right column, as it is more noticeable there than in a separate page.
What are the secrets of an excellent MBA essay? There are various ingredients in concocting a winning personal statement for MBA. You have to familiarize yourself to these key ingredients to essay writing success to come up with an effective writing piece. Read on to know the keys to having a notable MBA personal statement:
Answer the questions
There are MBA schools that require applicants to answer some questions. If this is the case, you have to make sure that you leave no questions unanswered. Although you have to give attention to answering the questions, you still have to give importance to the unity and coherence of your essay. Your MBA personal statement is not merely judged according to how well you answer the question, but also how well you deliver the answer.
Put limits on creative writing
Creativity is one of the spices that could make your MBA essay notable. However, you should not overdo it. You have to keep in mind that you are not writing an essay for your creative writing class. This is why you still have to limit the creativity of your essay. Don’t turn it into poetry or short novel.
Be personal but objective
As your personal statement serves as a lens through which the admissions committee can see your personality, you have to use a personal approach on your essay. However, make sure that you are objective in your points and views. You have to keep in mind that the admissions officers want to know your personality, but they’re probably not interested in knowing you intimately. So even if you use a personal approach, you should set a limit.
Keeping these things in mind will guide you in writing an essay that would give you better chances of gaining admission to your chosen MBA school.
Related links:
Kitchen Sink Strategy – What to avoid when writing your MBA personal statement
Bad MBA Essays – All about things that make up a bad MBA personal statement
Business School Profiles – About top business school profiles
MBA Essay topics – About the McCombs essay topics
MBA Essay Tips – All about applying to MBA school
Many believe that an MBA degree could be one of the tickets to career success. Well, they’re not wrong. In business schools, students are honed and equipped with skills that would be necessary for dealing with the real world. MBA degree holders are presented with many privileges and career opportunities. Below are some things you need to know about the MBA degree:
Where MBA degrees lead you?
If you are equipped with an MBA degree, companies and corporations would prioritize you over non-MBA degree holders. This is because companies know that MBA schools train the students to develop the necessary skills that would help them survive and obtain success in the corporate world. If you are an MBA degree holder, you can explore more career opportunities.
What are the hassles in pursuing MBA education?
A bright future awaits those who pursue MBA education. However, pursuing MBA education is not an easy task. There are lots of things that could hinder one’s success in obtaining the degree. One of the hassles in pursuing MBA education is the tuition. A master’s degree would really cost a great deal, especially if you are going to study in a prestigious university. But if you overcome the obstacle, you will see that your efforts will be worth it. An MBA school could also be demanding. Because of this, you really have to learn how to balance your academic and personal life in order to survive in MBA school.
Are you clear about your goals and know how to achieve them?
An MBA degree could only be your ticket to success if you have clear objectives. Why do you want to pursue an MBA study? What are your plans for your career? How can an MBA degree help you achieve your goals? These are just some of the questions you have to ask yourself before you decide on pursuing MBA studies.
Before you start making preparations for your MBA admission, you have to consider the things mentioned above. These can help you determine if an MBA degree can be a real ticket to career success.
Related links:
MBA Application Checklist – All about applying to MBA school
Top MBA Programs – All about MBA programs and application
Choosing a Program – Top considerations in choosing an MBA program
MBA Applications – Discussions on MBA school applications
MBA Essay Tips – All about applying to MBA school
Your personal statement for MBA is not your autobiography. MBA admission essays have a page limit. This is why you really have to choose the best things about you that you should include in your essay. No matter how interesting all your experiences are, you should make it a point to limit the topics to be included. Below is a guideline on how to make your essay short:
Focus only on one or two relevant field experiences
The best way to keep your business essay short is by selecting one or two experiences or plans relevant to your application. You can choose an experience that motivates you to pursue a business study. Some schools would require you to include experiences that happened in the past three years. Aside from experiences, you can also talk about the main reason you want to be in a business school as well as your career plans. Talk about your work experience and what you can gain from the MBA program.
Delete unnecessary details about yourself
You have a lot of good things to say about yourself for sure. But unfortunately, you have no opportunity to say everything on your essay. So, you have to be content in focusing on details about yourself that is relevant to your chosen field. In choosing the details to be included, ask yourself if these can boost your chances for admission to the MBA school or strengthen your qualifications.
Keep your paragraphs short and clear
In writing your MBA admission essay, you have to be straightforward in delivering your points. You should not beat around the bush; otherwise, you will risk boring your readers. The most important thing is that you communicate your thoughts clearly. You can use simpler words and transitional devices to make your essay concise and clear.
Related links:
Customized Essays – All about writing a customized MBA admission essay
Successful Personal Statements – Talking about effective MBA personal statement writing
Personal Statement No-nos – All about writing MBA personal statements
MBA Essay Topic – Discussions on essay topic analysis
Pesonal Statement Tip – tips on writing MBA admission essays
GeekMBA360 is a blog that cuts across three niches: personal, career, and Internet marketing. According to the writer, the sole purpose of the blog is to provide career advice, especially in riding out the recession wave and managing one?s finances. However, since the writer has an MBA and a computer science background?not to mention a marketing job for an Internet company?he or she describes the contents of the blog as “career advice at the intersection of business and technology.”
What to like about this blog
Although the writing style used is friendly and personal, one look at the list of blog post categories will tell you that the blog is serious and, as the writer claims, well, “geeky”; topics discussed include multiple income stream, product management, and company analysis. The blog contains tips on saving, recruiting, job-hunting, fast-tracking your career, and blogging. For instance, in a post about conquering blogger?s block, the writer recommends writing at least 3 posts per week. A Q&A section is also available, where readers can respond to questions asked by other readers.
The blog has a number of good points. For one, the way the blog posts are titled does wonders in sparking the reader?s interest without being misleading. Also, each part of the blog holds substantial information and is not just serving as space fillers. It has a page for forums, as well as those containing a layoff survival guide and daily updates on layoffs, including those which are ?secret? or unannounced.
Areas for improvement
However, one thing that it does need to improve on is the layout. While the Cutline WordPress layout is all right for a personal blog, it waters down the attractiveness of GeekMBA360. Cutline is too generic, and a blog of this quality should opt for a more unique web design. In addition, a search field must be added to help readers find posts on certain topics much quickly, especially since the blog already contains several posts.
The introduction is a very important part of your MBA personal statement . With all the essays the admissions officers have to read, piquing their interest and grabbing their attention could really be a challenge. Through an excellent intro, you can urge them to read further. This is why you really have to put an effort in writing your introduction. To write an eye-catching intro, you have to know first the qualities of a bad one. Below are some of the qualities of a lousy intro.
Starting with cliches and meaningless prose
Cliches and meaningless prose are a major turn off for the admissions committee. They can be an eye sore to your readers. This is why you really have to avoid lousy beginnings. An attention-grabbing intro should be fresh and unique. You can make a better intro by using simple words that appeal to the emotion or to the intellect of the readers, instead of using trite expressions.
Using a quote or analogy that is irrelevant to the essay topic
In the effort to make their essay creative, some applicants incorporate quotes and analogies. This is good. However, there’s a grave danger in using quotes and analogies that are not related to the content of the essay. So before you use a quote and analogy, make sure that you use them the right way, to tie up all the other ideas in your essay and present arguments for the theme of your essay.
Sounding like a desperate salesman or another sleazy ad
Your MBA personal statement is your chance to sell yourself. But you don’t have to sound desperate in selling your qualities to the admissions committee, especially in the intro. You have to be subtle as possible. Instead of telling the readers about your good qualities, why not show instances in which you have exhibited these good qualities?
Related links:
Kitchen Sink Strategy – What to avoid when writing your MBA personal statement
Bad MBA Essays – All about things that make up a bad MBA personal statement
Business School Profiles – About top business school profiles
MBA Essay topics – About the McCombs essay topics
Personal Statement Checklist – All about making excellent personal statements
Like almost everything else in your list of MBA application requirements, your personal statement is one of your marketing tools to “sell” yourself to the business school you are applying for. You have to emphasize your strengths and the reasons why you should be taken in. There are several other applicants like you so you?d really have to give it your best shot and outshine them all.
You don?t really have to brag or show off. Admissions committee members would know show-offs when they see one. Your goal is not to make a hyped sales copy something more like a business proposal. Let your credentials and dedication speak for themselves in the most appropriate?and therefore, effective?way.
Tell your readers about what they want to hear.
Keep in mind that your personal statement?s readers would be business professionals, professors, admissions committee members, and the like. Think of what they would want to hear about you. Even business schools post suggestions and tips on what they would want your personal statement to have. Take them into account and you?ll do just fine.
Go into details to support your main ideas
The best way to establish and strengthen your ideas in your personal statement is by supporting them with proof. While you can?t append your certificates and grades to prove you?ve been a good leader since you were young, you can describe the experience by going into details only the one who experienced it would know.
Make them remember you
Again, there are many other applicants wanting to get that MBA spot in the school your applying for so find a way to make yourself stand out. Think of something unique about you that would make readers remember you or the personal statement you wrote.
Related links:
Highlighting strengths in your MBA essay – MBA essay tips
Sensitive topics in MBA personal statements – MBA personal statement topic tips
Writing an error-free MBA personal statement – MBA personal statement tips
Bad MBA personal statement – MBA personal statement tips on how to not write a bad personal statement
Writing an MBA essay – More MBA personal statement tips
Personal statement writing tips – More MBA personal statement tips
Making a personal statement – Personal statement writing tips
Personal statement for law school – Personal statement writing tips
Writing an effective personal statement – Personal statement writing tips: more examples
5 steps to writing a good personal statement – Personal statement writing process
