Advice from Harvard MBA faculty

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Advice from Harvard MBA faculty

Baker Library, Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School’s 2022 classes are scheduled to begin on May 26th. In preparation, HBS faculty provided some farewell advice to MBA graduates, from living purposefully to building meaningful connections.

Create a personal value proposition

In her farewell to the 2022 class, HBS senior instructor Jill Avery provided simple yet effective advice. It’s about building a personal value proposition.

“Think about what’s important to you and the people you care about. Use that input to develop personal value propositions that drive you to create a life full of purpose and meaning.” Avery says. “Be deliberate about living your value proposition: build abilities, seize opportunities, and engage in relationships that enable you to provide true value to your world and those who are important to you. Wrap. “

Expect unexpected

Life is full of big challenges, small wins, and unpredictable moments. HBS Senior Lecturer Jonghyun Kim advises graduates to accept unexpected encounters and conflicts on their upcoming journey.

“It’s easy to focus solely on achieving a particular goal and overlook a great opportunity to happen to cross our path,” Kim says. “Keep your mind open and curious. Like the advice I received when I was learning to drive,” Keep an eye on the road and look around. “

Build an exceptional community

Many MBAs pursued business schools for one main reason: connecting with other talented and unique individuals. Aiyesha Dey, an associate professor at HBS, recommends that we continue to support each other by leveraging the networks that our graduates have acquired.

“Other business schools (and I’ve been to some!) Can’t boast of such a strong cohort, support network, shared experience and values, and deep lifelong friendships.” Says Dey. “This has not only helped you create many meaningful memories, but has undoubtedly survived times of crisis. With a pandemic, we have a greater need for connection and intimacy in the world. Recognized. As a future leader, we encourage you to gain this experience at HBS, do your best, and build an excellent community of individuals who are extremely valuable and willing to enjoy each other’s success. “

Read more advice here.

Source: Harvard Business School, Harvard Business School

Following page: Background Survey-What to Expect

After the MBA’s decision notification is complete, many approved applicants will have to go through a background check process. Not all business schools have background checks, but experts say it’s a good idea for applicants to know the process.

Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, recently discussed what can be expected of applicants approved through the background check process and what business schools are looking for.

“Most people shouldn’t stress this verification process,” Blackman writes. “Business schools are not on a mission to grill candidates for application details. They simply want to make sure that applicants are honestly expressing themselves, their experience, and their achievements. only.”

How to use

Broadly speaking, an MBA program background check exists to confirm the information provided by the applicant.

“The process varies from school to school, but usually you can go to the undergraduate (or graduate) school that the applicant claims to attend, get the grades shown, and make sure you get the reported GMAT score. Includes. “Clear the permission. “This includes verifying the candidate’s employment history, job title, start and end dates, and salary / bonus information. Finally, some background checks contact the recommender for support. And make sure the applicant is participating in community activities. “

Due to the nature of the background check process, Blackman states that applicants need to be completely transparent to business schools regarding the details of their application.

“If you’re wondering whether to include or explain something in your application, you probably need to mention it,” Blackman wrote. “If the problem is something like poor academic performance or a career gap, it’s always best to be completely clean. The admissions team doesn’t want the applicant’s perfection.”

Potential red flag

In general, most applicants do not have to worry about the decision being revoked due to background checks. However, there are some warning signs that can be the reason for the refusal. According to Blackman, the red flag generally does not include ethical revocation, suspicious behavior, disclosure of layoffs or dismissals, evidence of plagiarism, and disclosure of criminal convictions.

“Intentional deception and inaction lies endanger your entry,” Blackman wrote. “Small discrepancies, such as a month late when listing your hire dates, are probably not. Most schools give applicants the opportunity to explain plausible mistakes.”

Source: Stacy Blackman Consulting, Clear Admit

Following page: Alabama Launches Online MBA Program

Alabama State University (ASU) will launch a new online MBA program this fall. The Online MBA will be the school’s first MBA degree program.

In response to long-standing demand and interest from students, ASU announced its official plans for the MBA program in early May. Almost 90% of current ASU students and graduates say they are interested in getting a degree from a business school. The new MBA is offered as an online program and can be completed in a year.

“We look forward to meeting students of different levels and backgrounds,” said Caterina Bristol, Vice President of ASU and Dean of the Graduate School. luck.. “We are already interested in more mature adult learners to students of traditional age, as well as military learners and international students.”

Breakdown of the program

ASU’s online MBA program focuses primarily on data and analytics and is designed around seven core courses and three electives. Students can choose from a variety of disciplines, such as project management, enterprise resource planning, or general business.

To qualify for admission, ASU states that students must have a bachelor’s degree in business and a minimum of 3.0 GPA. In addition, applicants are required to complete an undergraduate course in accounting, finance, administration, and marketing.

“This program is looking for individuals who want to improve their education and skills to improve their performance in their current position, grow their business and secure new high-demand jobs,” Bristol said. Says. luck.. “Candidates show a strong commitment to professional growth [and] Has excellent communication skills. “

The launch of the new MBA program is a monumental moment for ASU, and over the years ASU has been pushing for program approval.

“For anyone who was wondering if they could get an MBA degree at ASU, we could say,’We did it and did it right away,'” said the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. One Tiffany McCord says. “This is a great move for the university, as there is so much social media chatter from graduates who want to get an MBA from ASU. We can tell graduates and everyone else that we can get an MBA from ASU this fall. increase.”

Source: Alabama State University Fortune

2022 Post Class: Advice from the Harvard MBA Faculty first appeared in Poets & Quants.