台大財金系留學講座時間： 10月 19 日中午 12 時 30 分至 2時地點：台大管理學院一館 101 教室陳明賢教授

Part of Information comes from www.mbaapplicant.com

演講大綱：1.留學動機 ( 出國留學與國內求學之比較 )2. MBA 的申請要件及標準3.申請文件 個人簡歷 讀書計畫 短文 (Essays) 推薦信4. 留學前準備工作

美國 mba 教育與台灣有何不同 ?國內和國外唸書利弊得失 ?• 不同的生涯目標• 不同的訓練重心，不同的課業要求• 不同的準備工作• 當然，不同花費… ; 但是值得投資

哪些人需要考慮出國念 MBA?

• Consulting, especially financial consulting• Investment Bankers• Equity Research• Those are interested in working for

international firms

The Admissions Process

• Each year top MBA program try to assemble a well-rounded class consisting of people from a broad range of work backgrounds. It's important that they assemble a diverse group because many assignments in B-school are collaborative and interdisciplinary.

A Typical Class Profile

What Categories are the Most Competitive?

• Investment banking and management consulting are probably the most competitive categories. Virtually everyone who works in those fields needs to go to B-school in order to move up in the industry.

What are the Less Competitive Categories?

• nonprofit • government and military backgrounds • lawyers and doctors

SEVEN ADMISSIONS CRITERIA:  • Number 1 - YOUR GMAT SCORE: • Number 2 - YOUR APPLICATION

ESSAYS:  • Number 3 - TIMING YOUR APPLICATION :• Number 4 - YOUR GPA :  • Number 5 - YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE:  • Number 6 - YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: • Number 7 - MBA INTERVIEWS: 

YOUR GMAT SCORE• GMAT score is probably the most important

factor in determining whether you will be admitted to a top business school.

• So What's Considered "In the Ballpark?"

What if I Hope to Apply to Top Schools But My GMAT Score is Below 600?

• You need to take the test again. • Schools consider only your highest

GMAT score.

Number 2 - YOUR APPLICATION ESSAYS: 

• An extra 30 points of GMAT will not be worth nearly as much as a well thought out set of essays that convince an admissions officer that you have something valuable to contribute to his school.

Your Essay Strategy

• In writing the application essays, your strategy should be to highlight the unique experiences you've had -- both on the job and in your personal life -- that you believe will be valuable to your classmates.

• Be specific.

Number 3 - TIMING YOUR APPLICATION :

• Most schools have three application periods, but some have as many as five. (And some schools work on a pure "rolling" basis, which has no clear cut-off date.)

• If you don't apply early, you probably won't be going to a top school.

Why should you apply in the first round?

• There are a lot of "sharks" in that round. They aced the GMAT, got good grades in college and have great work experience. But schools will compete for those top candidates, and give out large part of the admissions.

• There will be more than twice as many applicants in round two as there were in round one; and they will be competing for fewer open spots.

Number 4 - YOUR GPA : • A lot of people think GPA is much more important.• Admissions people discount undergraduate GPAs b

ecause they are old measures of performance. Admissions people are more interested in how you perform now (thus the emphasis on GMAT scores).

• Admissions people know there are variability in quality among applicants’ schools, so is their GPA.

• However, GPA will be important for those applicants who are fresh out of the school and don’t have much work experience

Number 5 - YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE: 

• The average number of years of full-time work experience has risen dramatically at the top B-schools. Now is more than 5 years.

• The reason they do not accept people who are lacking of experiences is that they want to put together people who can share unique experiences from their industries.

A number example

• In one year, only two percent of class at Wharton had less than two years of full-time work experience. That means 15 people out of 8,300 applicants (one of the highest acceptance rates out there). That gives you a 1-in-553 chance.

What if I Changed Jobs?

• Changing jobs isn't a problem, especially if the change involves some kind of promotion.

• But "job churning" is frowned upon because the admissions people want you to have more than just a surface understanding of your industry.

Number 6 - YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS: 

• Most recommenders don't want to take the time to write a long letter, or they might not know you that well.

• A significant percentage of applicants to top B-schools write their own letters of recommendation.

Who you ask to write your recommendations?

• Supervisors.• Clients.• Professors.• People who are related to the schools you

apply.

Don't Forge Your Recommendations

• The schools send thank you notes to your recommenders.

• Don't forge your recommender's signature. The admissions people know that many of the recommendations are written by the applicants. They expect, however, that the recommender at least had a chance to review the recommendation before signing it.

A Few Pointers on the Letters of Recommendation

• 1.  Don't get one from President Chen. • 2.  Have your recommender discuss specific

details of the jobs you've done. • 3. Pick someone who can write! • 4.  When the recommendation asks for a flaw

or area of personal improvement, don't let your recommender say, "Billy works too hard." No one buys that line.

A Few Pointers on the Letters of Recommendation

• 5. Give your recommender an outline of the assignments you have handled at work.

• 6. Whatever you do, don't let your recommender question your leadership or communication skills!

Number 7 - MBA INTERVIEWS:  

• Importance varies dramatically from school to school.

• Who Should and Who Shouldn't Interview?

• Should I Interview with an Admissions Officer or an Alumnus?

A Few Pointers on the Interview

• 1. Whenever possible, interview with someone of the opposite sex. 

• 2.  Dress formally. • 3.  Relax!  Be humorous.• 4.  Prepare your answers ahead of time. 

Typical Interview Questions• Phase 1 - Your Upbringing and

Undergraduate Experience • Phase 2 - Work Experience Since

Leaving College • Phase 3 - Career Goals & MBA Plans • Phase 4 - Your Turn to Ask Questions 

Phase 1 - Your Upbringing and Undergraduate Experience

•  What was your major?•  Did you like it?•  Do you think your grades are an accurate

reflection of your ability?•  Did you work as an undergrad?  (This is i

mportant because it may help to explain why your GPA isn't 4.0)

Phase 2 - Work Experience Since Leaving College

• What was your first job out of undergrad?• Have you been promoted?• Have you ever supervised employees?• Have you switched firms?  If so, why?

Phase 3 - Career Goals & MBA Plans

• Be sure to mention a career goal that actually requires (or benefits from) an MBA.

• Be able to answer the question, "Why do you need an MBA?"

• Be able to answer the question, "Why do you need an MBA from this school?"

Phase 4 - Your Turn to Ask Questions 

• Prove that you know what you are applying.

• Prove that you have done research.

申請文件• 申請表格 Application forms• 個人簡歷 Resume• 讀書計畫 Statement of Purpose• 短文 Essays• 推薦信 Recommendations

Application Forms• 申請表格• ▓申請表格的注意事項• ▓申請表格的內容• 1. 個人基本資料• 2. 申請相關資料• (1)GPA： • (2) 職業目標（ Career Objective ）： • (3) 推薦表格：• (4) 財力證明資料（Financial Certification）： • (5) 獎學金：• (6) 申請簽證文件（ Application for Visa Document ）：• (7) 入學許可：• (8) 婚姻狀態：

個人簡歷 Resume

• The Order in Which You Want to Address Your Personal History– (1) Your Name and Address – (2) Your Work History – (3) Your Community Involvement and Activities – (4) Your Education

• Use affirmative, positive, and constructive tones to express yourself

讀書計劃 • ▓ 要簡明扼要、精鍊的短文寫作 （ make a brief stateme

nt; write a concise, well-written essay ） • ▓ 說明想念研究所的原因 （ reasons for undertaking grad

uate study ） • ▓ 選此校研究所的原因 （ reasons for choosing the gradua

te program for which you are applying. ） • ▓ 說明學業、專業與職業上的興趣與目標 （ academic, p

rofessional & career interests and goals ） • ▓ 提出讀研究所會如何幫助達成職業目標與教育方向 （ How the graduate program will help you meet your career a

nd educational objective ） • ▓ 提出欲攻讀與相關領域的過去背景 （ background, pas

t work in your intended and allied fields ）

讀書計劃的內容及段落架構• 第一段： goal （方向） • 第二段： plan （計劃）• 第三段： process （歷程）• 第四段： vision （願景）

Essays•短文寫作（ Essay Writing ）的事前準備•短文寫作的注意事項‧Essay 在申請中的角色‧Essay 內容的發揮‧字數限制

短文寫作常見問題類型• 第一類型： MBA 與個人生涯規劃• 第二類型：最偉大的個人成就• 第三類型：曾遭遇的挫折或評論自身的缺點及優點• 第四類型：道德兩難的困境（ Ethical Dilemma ）• 第五類型：能帶給學校或該課程的特殊貢獻• 第六類型：狀況分析• 第七類型：社團活動、社會服務經驗與休閒活動• 第八類型：開放式問題

– 解釋為何現在的上司不肯為你寫推薦信：– 解釋自己的大學成績：– 寫一篇簡短的自傳：– 提供寫作樣本（ Writing Sample ）：– 提供其他的 Essay ：

推薦信基本認識• 第一部分：推薦表格，此為一張由校方印製的評量表格式的推薦信• ▓個人基本資料• ▓申請者的權利聲明• ▓申請者能力衡量表• ▓關於申請者的簡短問題• 　　 1. 你認識這名申請者多久了？　　 2. 你如何認識這名申請者的？ 　　 3. 這名申請者的優點為何？ 　　 4. 這名申請者的缺點為何？

第二部份：推薦書信，由推薦人所撰寫的一封信件格式的短文•推薦信撰寫注意事項• 1. 一致性　• 2. 明確性與具體性• 3.合理性

請誰寫推薦信1.推薦人與你的關係2.推薦人的國際知名度3.推薦人的學經歷4.幾位推薦人的搭配

請師長們寫推薦信時應注意的禮節1.加強師長們對自己的印象2.何時開口3.向推薦人表達你的感謝

請師長們寫推薦信時要準備的東西• 填寫好的推薦信表格• 大學成績單• 留學考試成績單• 讀書計劃• 履歷表• 信封與郵資• 截止日期• 總整理

How to prepare to go abroad? Some tips

• Process Management. Don’t do all things within a short time, which might give you enormous pressure at the beginning of school and fail you; rather, you want to spread them evenly in a relatively longer period to make it bearable.

• Try to arrive at school at the earliest possible time, because it is best strategy for you to do all things properly. Try to enroll to summer language program if you are going next year. If you are going this year, try to go as early as possible.

How to prepare to go abroad? Some tips

What you need to do after you arriving at school?

A. Arrange your program with your professor ASAP. Prepare sufficient documents to prove your abilities. Many try to waive as many courses as possible, actually it may not be very good idea.

B. Go get your books at bookstore and try to prepare it.C. Get used to the living environment. Bank, ID,

library, restaurants, gym, and orientation.D. Settle down your trembling mind. A fun trip before

the school may not be a good idea for some students.

How to do it successfully for your stay as an oversea student?

A. Arrange your classes skillfully.B. Preview materials, write your report early, and prepare your

presentation properly.C. Try to simplify your life; such as to stay in dormitory, which

greatly simplifies your life and give you exposure to American or (international) cultures.

D. Try to get into American life circle, improve your language whenever you can. Speak loudly, and try to keep conversation long. Reading papers, magazines, and novels might improve your conversation.

E. Balanced diets, balanced life, and a prudent but colorful social life.