Archive for the ‘Go for IE’ Category

IE Business School uses a rolling admissions process for all the Master programs it offers. Rolling admissions process means that there are no established deadlines on the application submission you have to take into account and the received applications will be processed on an ongoing basis. This is the main difference to an application process which establishes application rounds where you have to submit your application before a certain deadline. Usually business schools with system have different rounds to which you can apply.

A rolling admissions process implies that candidates wonâ??t be compared with each other in the different â??round-committeesâ?. IE Admissions philosophy is that it is unfeasible to compare people. Imagine 3 candidates:

(1) Peter from USA, BA in Architecture, GMAT 690, is an architect who worked in a prestigious studio before deciding for an MBA since he wants to create his own architectural studio,

(2) Andrea from Italy, BA in Economics, GMAT 710, consultant at one of the leading consulting companies and with the motivation to change into the industry,

(3) Ryosuke from Japan, IT Engineer, GMAT 680, working for mayor mobile game designer companies as project manager.

All of them are so different in their cultural, professional and personal backgrounds that it would be extremely difficult to decide who the better Master candidate is. Based on a rolling admission, each candidate has equal chances during the admissions process and will be evaluated just only on his/her capacities and capabilities. This means also that each candidate will be screened intensively and the overall screening is very rigorous in order to just only admit the most qualified candidates.

Now, having no established deadlines, you also donâ??t have any time pressure when preparing your application package. If you start with enough time, i.e., about 1 year before your intended program start, you can request your transcripts from university, select those people who write your recommendation letters and you can start thinking about how to answer the 3 essays and the other questions in the application form. In parallel, you prepare your GMAT.

Once you have your GMAT score sent to IE, and you are comfortable with your essays and the other answers given, THIS will be the right moment to submit definitely your application package to IE.

The difficult question is by WHEN you should submit your application to be considered for the intake of your choice will be answered in another post…

This is a question which many prospectives students ask themselves when applying to business school. Masahiro Kikukawa, Japanese, decided for himself that at 39 it is the right time to start this challenge. Masahiro graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1992. During his studies, he worked in the Embassy of Japan in Peru for two years. After graduation, Masahiro joined Industrial Bank of Japan (current Mizuho Financial Group), mainly devoted to M&A advisory business. Please read his opinion:

What are your motivations for studying an MBA at 40?

To study for an MBA at 40 means that we can study with reference to our own extensive experience. In my case I have 17 years experience in real business world. 2 years working for the government and 15 years for a bank. Throughout these experiences, I have learnt and used Financial Accounting, Enterprise Value, Statistics, Marketing, Human Resource Management etc. Now that I have returned to study I can learn the intrinsic meanings of each of these tools and activities. I think, the academic back ground for these thoughts and tools such as Enterprise Value, Statistics, Marketing will provide me with a wider point of view for business, because there is a big difference between the real business and academic points of view.

I think it is difficult for younger people who don’t already have the experience to learn the intrinsic possibilities of each tool and set of thoughts that are taught in classes, but I can enhance my learning opportunities by referring back to my own experiences. I also hope to be able to provide my classmates with interesting real world examples and ideas that I have gained from my experiences.

After the MBA course, I am looking to use these tools for business in a more rounded manner, considering the greater possibilities that have been laid out by studying the academic backbone.

What are your objectives?
I have 3 concrete objectives.
- First, as I explained the above, I would like to learn the academic backbone for the thought processes and tools that we use in the real business world.
- Secondly, I would like to meet a lot of people who have different values and experiences. People over 35-40, including myself, must manage and educate the junior staff. We cannot remain an individual player in order to manage big business. Team work is vitally important. I am looking forward to meeting a lot of new and diverse people, working with them in the teamwork environment promoted by the MBA. That will give me very precious experience.
- Thirdly, I would like to have time for myself. In Japan, the workload is horrible…. Using this opportunity, I would like to consider my way of life again.

And I would like to have time with my family in Spain where people enjoy their lives.

What do you think are pros and cons of studying an MBA at 40?
Pros:
1. People at 40 can study the MBA with extensive reference to their own experience.
2. People at 40 have an opportunity to make greater use of the MBA’s know-how very soon (because they have to work as a manager after graduation.)
3. This kind of opportunity is very good for their refreshment of mind and spirit. (People about 40 may have 20 years experience. If we can work until 60, the rest is 20 years. At this turning-point, it is important to consider the business and the life.)

Cons:
1. It is almost impossible to change the industry where they work. (Maybe it is easy for young people to change the industry using this opportunity)
2. To stay away from the real business means that they are required to make a much greater effort when they go back to the business world. (because the business environment is changing very quickly these days.)
3. It may be difficult to find the next job. (Some Japanese companies are very conservative when it comes to hiring people of this age)