MIT Sloan Unveils Its New Building

Last week MBA students began streaming into MIT Sloan's impressive new building on the eastern edge of MIT's campus in Cambridge. Sloan, which until now had housed its classrooms and offices in a patchwork of new and old buildings, now has a single new building to call home.

Named E62 in MIT's tradition of giving every building on campus an alphanumeric designation, the new 215,000 square-foot building will hold offices for Sloan faculty and administration, classrooms, a cafeteria, group study rooms, and more.

As impressive as E62 looks, what has impressed many visitors the most is the building's energy efficiency. Much of the material that went into the building actually came from the old structures on the site. While E62 has a great deal of glass on its exterior, that glass is heavily glazed and reflective, so that it lets in a great deal of light without creating the need for constant air conditioning to keep the building cool. The roof is covered in plantings to keep it shady, and it will eventually hold solar panels to partly power the building. MIT Sloan plans to apply for LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

MIT Sloan is just the latest top MBA program to unveil a new building in the past decade (Businessweek ran a piece about this trend recently). Yale and Stanford are coming up next, Columbia has talked about a new building, and Kellogg has already picked the site for its new building, sitting on the Lake Michigan shore. It's not unlike the wave of new baseball parks that started after the Baltimore Orioles opened Camden Yards in 1992. Who's next?

Applying to MIT Sloan this year? Download our MIT Sloan Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools. And, as always, be sure to find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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MIT Sloan Admissions Essays for 2010-2011

A few weeks after releasing its application deadlines for the coming year, the school has published its admissions essays. Here they are, followed by our comments in italics:

MIT Sloan Cover Letter
Prepare a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions. (500 words)

While this isn't an essay in the traditional sense, the cover letter is a rite of passage of MIT Sloan applicants every year. Over the past couple of years the prompt has evolved slightly to place more emphasis on your "impact on an organization." (And regular readers of this blog know how much emphasis we place on demonstrating impact!!) This year the question remains the same, so the Sloan admissions office must think that this phrasing helps them more effectively get at what they're looking for in MBA applicants.

MIT Sloan Application Essays

1. Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words)
   
   Sloan added this question last year, and it must have liked what it saw in applicants' responses. Just as the cover letter prompt has evolved to place more emphasis on impact, this change suggests that Sloan is really looking closely for evidence of how you have gone beyond your regular job description to make a positive impact on those around you. We consider this as one of the key ingredients of leadership, and Sloan clearly wants to see more of it in its applicants.


2. Please describe a time when you convinced an individual or group to accept one of your ideas. (500 words)
   
   This question is new this year, and it is yet another example of how Sloan is really looking for leaders in its applicant pool. If you just read that last sentence and thought, "Oh no, I've never managed anyone or been a team lead," that's okay. That's not how Sloan (or any top MBA program) defines leadership. One practical definition of leadership is the ability to positively influence others, and Sloan directly asks for an example of that ability with this question. Even if your example feels fairly mundane (such as an engineer convincing other engineers to pursue a certain technical solution), you will be successful if you can show real skill maturity in HOW you go it done.


3. Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words)
   
   This question carries over from last year. Once again, we see a question that gets at signs of leadership. In this case, it's a willingness to take on the burden of achieving a goal. Once again, the "SAR" technique will be critical to demonstrating not just what you accomplished, but also HOW you accomplished it, which is what the admissions committee really wants to see. They don't want to simply hear about how you were handed a goal and you easily achieved it; discuss an instance when you took on an especially challenging goal, maybe when others avoided it or had failed in achieving it, and describe what exactly you did to make it happen.


4. You may use this section to address whatever else you want the Admissions Committee to know. (250 words)
   
   Our usual words of warning here... Applicants tend to err on the side of overusing this essay to explain away small details in their profiles. Only use this essay if needed! Two examples are if you have a low undergrad GPA (this is the most common use that we see) or if your current supervisor does not write a recommendation for you. But don't waste the admissions office's time unless you really need to answer a significant question that admissions officers might have about your application.

Getting ready to apply to MIT Sloan? Download our MIT Sloan Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools, available on our site. And, be sure to subscribe to this blog and follow us on Twitter!

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MIT Sloan Application Deadlines for 2010-2011

The MIT Sloan admissions office has just posted its application deadlines for the 2010-2011 season. Here they are, followed by our comments in italics:

MIT Sloan Admissions Deadlines
Round 1: October 26, 2010
Round 2: January 4, 2011

MIT Sloan's Round 1 deadline is virtually unchanged from last year, but its Round 2 deadline moves up by almost two weeks. This continues a trend that we have seen at other top business schools, which seem eager to push the Round 2 deadline to as close to the holiday season as possible.

Note that Sloan only has two main admissions rounds, so there's no "Round 3 or not Round 3" dilemma with Sloan. Although Round 2 is Sloan's final round, don't assume that applying in Round 2 is as bad as applying in Round 3 anywhere else. If you need the extra two months to get your application in order, then take that time to improve your chances.

If you plan on applying to Sloan this year, download our MIT Sloan Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools, available on our site. And, be sure to subscribe to this blog and follow us on Twitter!

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Signs of Green Shoots in the MBA Job Market?

In a recent Reuters article, MIT Sloan students had a rather optimistic outlook on the job market, considering how gloomy it has been for the past couple of years. As they returned from their annual "Tech Treck" job trips, in which they visit employers all over the United States, students expressed that they think the worst of the bad job market is behind us.

It sounds as though companies -- especially the more tech-oriented ones that Sloan students visit -- could finally start hiring again this year. While it will likely be a while before companies again start hiring at the levels that MIT Sloan and other top business schools have grown accustomed to, it sounds like the trend is clearly positive.

According to the article:

"Our MBAs are unbowed, and they came back with a lot of gusto," said Sloan adviser Paul Denning, who has made the trek to California for several years. "The general consensus is that things are better, particularly in Silicon Valley."

Last year, Denning said, even tech giant Google, "was really not hiring. Everything had contracted after the financial market collapse." Now, green shoots are popping up.

Like those of other top business schools, MIT Sloan graduates find themselves choosing among multiple six-figure job offers, but that changed last year, when even healthy and growing companies such as Google significantly cut back on the number of Sloan grads that it hired. Now, as companies expect demand to warm up and some spot opportunities that they will need managerial talent to go after, grads at Sloan and other top business schools can expect the job offers to start flowing again, at least more than they did last year.

For MBA students who will graduate this year, many of whom still hope to land jobs before they graduate this spring, the news that some companies are ready to hire again is obviously a very welcome sign. It's even better news for the Class of 2011, though -- assuming they can find some sort of meaningful internship work this coming summer, they still have at least a year's more time for the economy to warm up again before they they need to find full-time work. And, the job market for today's applicants (the Class of 2012) looks even rosier, assuming that a steady thaw continues.

For more advice on your own candidacy for MIT Sloan or any other top business school, call the MBA admissions experts at Veritas Prep at (800) 925-7737, and we'll gladly give you an initial assessment of your candidacy!

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Four Things That Set MIT Sloan Apart

Continuing our series of admissions insights clipped from Veritas Prep's Annual Reports, our in-depth insider's guides to 15 of the world's top business schools, this week we look at four things that make MIT Sloan's MBA program unique among top business schools. (Our Annual reports are absolutely free with registration, but we thought we'd share some snippets here to help get you started in your MIT Sloan research.)

To help you get started with your Sloan application strategy, our MBA admissions consultants have pulled together five things you really should know about the school before you apply. Take these all into account when you start planning your Sloan application:

The MIT Sloan approach to the business school education can be summarized with the Institute's motto, "mens et manus", or "mind and hand." Both in and out of the classroom, it is very much a part of Sloan culture to learn by doing. MIT Sloan wants its students to not only possess a deep understanding of business management theories, but to also be well equipped to execute the practical application of these concepts. Below are some of the key elements of the MIT Sloan experience:

• Action-based Learning: While case studies and lectures have their place in the Sloan curriculum, there is an emphasis on action-based learning (commonly referred to at other programs as "experiential learning") as being one of the best ways to learn important business management lessons. Sloan offers a host of project based "lab" classes focused on global entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, which pair student teams with companies and organizations around the world. The faculty also embraces the idea of learning by doing, whether piloting experimental classes to share their ground-breaking research, or making significant adjustments to flagship courses based on student and partner feedback. Going beyond theoretical discussion to take action is a deeply engrained aspect of the MIT Sloan culture.


• Collaboration: A lesser-known fact among many potential applicants is that MIT Sloan enjoys a deeply collaborative culture. From the first moments of the intense "Core Semester" experience, to the launch of fledgling start-ups upon graduation, the desire to work with and help out fellow students is shared by most Sloan students throughout their MBA experience. Sloan views the art of developing high-performing teams as crucial to addressing today's business challenges, and strives to cultivate effective teams and leaders through action-based learning in the field.


• Entrepreneurship and Self-direction: The MIT Sloan MBA program is customizable, allowing for each student to focus on developing specific leadership and analytical skill sets, while pursuing unique set of interests. Following the rigorous and intense experience of the first-semester Core, students are given the remaining 75 percent of their time at Sloan to craft their own curriculum. Sloan students tend to be proactive, creative, and comfortable with ambiguity. These entrepreneurial traits are all helpful in this environment, where each individual student has a higher degree of responsibility of making the most of their time at Sloan.


• Global Focus: The school boasts a well-respected global curriculum and actively seeks to further expand the MIT Sloan name and network around the world. Over the course of the two-year MBA program, most students will travel internationally as part of a Sloan sponsored project or trip, or on a student-organized event.

Today's installment was clipped from our MIT Sloan Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools, available on our site. If you're ready to start building your own application for MIT Sloan or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today!

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MIT Sloan Tech Treks Begin This Week

This week more than 150 MIT Sloan MBA students will kick off the annual rite of passage known as "Tech Treks," visiting companies in Boston, Seattle, and Silicon Valley. While they will mostly hit tech-related companies (as the name of the trips implies), many of the companies they'll visit are heavily consumer-oriented, such as Apple and Facebook.

Since some recruiters (especially those at smaller firms) may be reluctant to make the trip to Cambridge to visit MIT Sloan, these trips help bridge the gap by bringing the students right to the companies. Of course, these students know that the job market still looks very soft for new MBA grads, but the Tech Treks give them a head start in the recruiting process, allowing them to network with MIT Sloan alumni and other people at their target employers.

Tech Treks started out in the mid 1990s, when a group of MIT Sloan students organized a job-hunting and networking visit to Silicon Valley. Since then the trips have expanded, now covering most major markets in the U.S. where there's a critical mass of tech-related companies. What started with a handful of students in the first year has grown to include almost 20% of the MIT Sloan student body.

To learn more about Sloan, download our MIT Sloan Annual Report, one of 15 completely free guides to the world's top business schools, available on our site. If you're ready to start building your own application for Sloan or other top MBA programs, call us at 1-800-925-7737 and speak with an MBA admissions expert today!

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MIT Sloan Admissions Essays and Deadlines for 2009-2010

The MIT Sloan admissions office has just posted its application deadlines and admissions essays for the coming year. Note that, aside from MIT Sloan's cover letter, all of the essays are new this year. Our comments follow in italics:

MIT Sloan Application Deadlines
Round 1: October 27, 2009
Round 2: January 13, 2010

(As is normally the case for Sloan, the school has just two application rounds. MIT Sloan has bucked the trend of top business schools moving their Round 1 deadline to the beginning of October. These deadlines are virtually identical to last year's.)

MIT Sloan Admissions Essays

1. Prepare a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Describe your accomplishments and include an example of how you had an impact on a group or organization. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence and be addressed to Mr. Rod Garcia, Director of MBA Admissions. (500 words)
   
   (While not a traditional essay, MIT Sloan's cover letter is a consistent part of its application. This question has been in place for a while, although last year it changed to place more emphasis on your "impact on an organization." This year the question remains the same, so the Sloan admissions office must think that this phrasing helps them more effectively get at what they're looking for in MBA applicants.)


2. Please describe a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular. (500 words)
   
   (This is a new question for Sloan this year, and, like last year's change in the cover letter question, this change suggests that Sloan is really looking closely for evidence of how you have gone beyond your regular job description to make a positive impact on those around you. We consider this as one of the key ingredients of leadership, and we expect that Sloan wants to see more of it in its applicants.)


3. Please describe a time when you coached, trained, or mentored a person or group. (500 words)
   
   (This is also a new question for this year, and it also gets at another trait of leadership -- putting aside one's own problems and tasks to help someone else better themselves or overcome an obstacle. As is the case with similar questions, you should use the "Situation-Action-Result" format for your essay. Don't just say what happened, but rather put a good deal of emphasis on what YOU specifically did to help the person who needed your mentorship.)


4. Please describe a time when you took responsibility for achieving an objective. (500 words)
   
   (Again, this is a question that gets at signs of leadership. In this case, it's a willingness to take on the burden of achieving a goal. Once again, the "SAR" technique will be critical to demonstrating not just what you accomplished, but also HOW you accomplished it, which is what the admissions committee really wants to see. They don't want to simply hear about how you were handed a goal and you easily achieved it; discuss an instance when you took on an especially challenging goal, maybe when others avoided it or had failed in achieving it, and describe what exactly you did to make it happen. While this is not a "failure" question, the right story here can show how you maybe stumbled a few times in achieving your goal.)
   
   LGO applicants only:


5. Why do you wish to pursue the LGO program? What are the goals that you hope to accomplish both as a student and as a graduate of the program? Be sure to include a description of your post-LGO career plans. (250 words or less, limited to one page) You are welcome to copy and paste text directly from your cover letter.


6. Why do you wish to pursue the engineering field and specialty area you have selected? (250 words or less, limited to one page) You are welcome to copy and paste text directly from your cover letter.
   
   (While MIT Sloan's LFM program has evolved into the new Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program, the essays for the program remain pretty much the same vs. last year's essays. Here the admissions office is looking for signs that you really understand what the LGO program is about, and that you have what it takes to get more out of the LGO program than from the traditional two-year MBA program.)
   

For more information about application strategies for MIT Sloan, visit our MIT Sloan information page, or download our FREE Veritas Prep Annual Reports!

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