2006 London Business School MBA Admissions Chat with David Simpson

Please feel free to let us know if you would like to be informed of future chats by sending e-mail to chat@accepted.com. We would also be interested in knowing if you would prefer a different format or different topics.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:58:36 AM)
First I want to welcome you all to Accepted.com's London Business School MBA Admissions Chat.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:58:47 AM)
I also want to welcome David Simpson, Senior Manager, MBA Marketing & Admissions; Julie Hope, Career Counselor; Emma Bond - MBA Marketing & Admissions; and students:

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:58:56 AM)
Fred Duarte Second year MBA student (MBA2006). Fred is from Brazil and studied Business Administration at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Prior to the MBA he worked as a Global Supply Chain Expert with GlaxoSmithKline in Brazil.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:59:03 AM)
Payton Dobbs - First year MBA student (MBA2007). Payton is originally from Florida and worked in San Fran area prior to the MBA. He studied Civil Engineering & Mathematics at Vanderbilt and worked as a Consultant with Deloitte Consulting before starting the MBA. Payton is involved in all sorts of London Business School student clubs from sports clubs to more business related clubs. Payton will be completing the first term of the MBA at the end of next week.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:59:18 AM)
Natasja Giezen - First year MBA student (MBA2007). Natasja is originally from the Netherlands. She studied English Language & Literature at Leiden University and prior to b-school worked as a Consultant at IFS. As with Payton, Natasja is just coming to the end of her first term on the MBA programme. She is involved in all sorts of student clubs and is one of the organizers of this year's Global Social Venture Competition (backed by Goldman Sachs Foundation) which is organized jointly by students from London Business School, Haas and Columbia.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 9:59:44 AM)
I understand that Natasja attended the Accepted.com's LBS chat last year as an applicant. And I think this is the first time a former applicant participant has returned as a school rep. Special welcome.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 9:59:53 AM)
Thanks, Linda!

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:00:38 AM)
David & Emma, if you are looking at an application and the numbers and basic profile are in the ballpark for a London Business School student, what distinguishes an application that is accepted from one that is rejected?

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:01:39 AM)
Fred, Payton, and Natasja, the school web site touts the London Advantage. What does that mean to you as a student at London Business School?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:02:12 AM)
Hi Linda, in addition to all the basic requirements (i.e. strong academics etc.) we look for leadership potential, strong work experience, and in particular an international profile. The School has over 50 nationalities on the MBA alone, so the ability to fit into a multi-cultural classroom and study group is very important.

Siew (Dec 5, 2005 10:02:37 AM)
Julie: The 2004 employment report mentions that 85% of the students were employed within 3 months after graduation. What could be the reasons why the other 15% have not gotten a job?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:13 AM)
Coming from Brazil, London is completely different. There are people here from all parts of the world, different culture and entertainment. You will need some entertainment during your MBA time and London is definitely a must come.

Krzysztof (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:14 AM)
Hello David. One week ago I participated in the LBS event in Warsaw. I found the presentation extremely informative and felt encouraged after meeting Mary Ferreira and Zoe McLoughlin as well as the alumni who showed up on the meeting. I will be submitting my application shortly and I just wanted to ask you a few questions: (1) Essay #3, asks about plans to initiate a club or a campus event. In fact, I have a quite strong idea, motivation, and resources to further improve activities and impact of one of the existing professional clubs. I feel I could contribute significantly given my background as well as already present network in the industry. Would describing that be a fair approach to the question? (2) When is the latest possible timing for a student to decide on potential acceleration of the MBA programme? (3) Is there a possibility to do more than one Shadowing Project during the second year?

DiscoStu619 (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:20 AM)
Emma: For reapplicants, do we need to provide another copy of our official transcripts?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:39 AM)
To me, the London Advantage means accessibility to the top multinational firms in the world. It also means living in a cosmopolitan environment with diverse cultures from all over the world.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:40 AM)
For me, the London advantage means that all the big companies in the world are right on your doorstep, the world's best museums are on your doorstep, and all of Europe is in my backyard!

Pedro (Dec 5, 2005 10:03:45 AM)
Mainly to Payton, I can see we have a similar background, do you think LBS has achieved the goal of really improving your knowledge on more business related topics?

gdms (Dec 5, 2005 10:04:12 AM)
Payton, Natasja, or Fred: Having a family in London while you only study is very expensive. What kind of options does LBS have to alleviate the expenses?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:04:41 AM)
Hi Disco, if you applied in the last couple of years we will still have your transcript on file so you won't need to re-submit this. Remember to make clear in your application that you are a re-applicant though, so we can pull your previous file.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:05:23 AM)
Hi Pedro, I can attest that I am getting the education that I was lacking beforehand. In consulting, I had a breadth of knowledge in a strategic industry, but lacked the financial analytical skills necessary for making high-level decisions. LBS offers some of the best finance classes in the world.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:05:31 AM)
GDMS: The best advice I can give you is give yourself some time to find a place to live (don't come in at the last minute) and try and live further out, where the rent is cheaper. Only downside is that you'll be commuting in, whereas most students live quite close, but that shouldn't be a problem. Also, the halls of residence have some family accommodations, but you have to apply early.

Alessandro (Dec 5, 2005 10:05:54 AM)
Emma: I have a question regarding paper recommendations; is it strictly mandatory for the recommender to use your template, or can they use their own letterhead and write the recommendation in the form of a letter?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:06:03 AM)
Krzysztof - that sounds fine for Essay 3. You do not need to decide the length of your programme until you are in it. You do your Shadowing in the first year and can only choose one project.

AimLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:06:33 AM)
David: In the past two years I have been promoted in my company, I have started a company of my own and this current year I have been promoted in role in my company. All this took time, hence not much community or volunteer activity. Is that a negative?

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:06:35 AM)
Hello Siew, we now have up to date figures for the Class of 2005 and I am pleased to report that 96% had found employment within 3 months of graduation. The reasons for those not working varies but often is a matter of choice - wanting to take time out before starting work or waiting for the right job to come along.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:07:17 AM)
Alessandro, your recommender should use the template at least to complete the 1-5 ratings we ask for regarding competencies. However, they can type up and send in an additional letter as long as all the questions we ask are thoroughly addressed.

Alexey Tsyplakov (Dec 5, 2005 10:07:25 AM)
Fred, Natasja, or Payton: Do any of LBS students present here live with his or her family? If yes, do you have time enough for studying and for your family?

JP_LBS2008 (Dec 5, 2005 10:07:44 AM)
Julie, regarding full time positions offers in the investment banking industry in London, what do you think are the chances for Latin Americans (with previous experience in the industry) to stay in London? Are investment banks hiring Latin American graduates?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:07:54 AM)
AimLBS - not necessarily, we just want to hear your reasoning for each question. Tell us your story!

YFC (Dec 5, 2005 10:08:10 AM)
David: I'm wondering which area LBS's programme focuses on? Marketing? Finance?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:08:20 AM)
gdms, within my study group there are 5 of 7 people that are married. Most of them have found reasonable living arrangements and are looking forward to their summer internship as an opportunity for earning additional funds.

Tracy (Dec 5, 2005 10:08:25 AM)
Emma: Do you think someone with a GMAT of 520 has a chance at LBS?

JP_LBS2008 (Dec 5, 2005 10:08:36 AM)
Hi Fred, I am also Brazilian. Are you the President of the Latin American club?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:09:06 AM)
JP, almost all the Latin Americans in my class stayed in London (or Europe) for the summer job. Yes, I am the president of the Latin American club.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:09:10 AM)
Alexey: sorry, can't help you, I live with two other MBA2007 students but I know a number of students that have families. It's do-able, but you have to be aware that the program is very intensive and your family will need to support you.

Patxi A-K (Dec 5, 2005 10:09:24 AM)
Fred, Payton and Natasja: Are any of you involved in entrepreneurial projects and/or "Entrepreneurship Summer School"?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:10:16 AM)
Patxi, I am not involved in any entrepreneurial activities, but I had a couple of classes on entrepreneurship. This is one of the best areas at the school.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:10:26 AM)
David or Emma, London Business School had its first round deadline in October. How did application volume that round this year compare with first round last year?

tala (Dec 5, 2005 10:10:34 AM)
Hi Emma, do you expect more applications in total in stage 3 & 4 comparing to the first two stages?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:10:52 AM)
Hi Patxi, I'm a member of the entrepreneurial club at school, which is one of the most active clubs (they've got someone coming on campus every other week to speak), and I'm a member of the organizing committee of the Global Social Venture Competition. Entrepreneurship is definitely an area I'm interested in!

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:10:54 AM)
Tracy, we look at a number of different criteria when we are making admissions decisions, and GMAT is just one of them. You should remember, though, that our current average is 680, and we have a range this year from 600-800. We do sometimes make offers to exceptional candidates conditional on them re-taking and improving their GMAT, but this is usually only for people just outside our general range.

Anna (Dec 5, 2005 10:11:00 AM)
LBS tuition fees are about 50% higher than INSEAD's and living expenses in London are also much higher than they would be in France or Singapore. Now I know about the great community etc., but why should anyone pay fifty percent more for a programme that is comparable in quality to INSEAD?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:11:26 AM)
JP_LBS2008, I can take part of your investment banking question because I'm targeting the same industry. I would say that you may actually be at an advantage in targeting banks in London. They are actively recruiting on campus and have specific groups that require second languages, geopolitical knowledge and a more well rounded view of the global economy.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:11:54 AM)
YFC, our MBA is a generalist management programme. You CAN specialize in one particular area if you wish, but most people keep a broad range of subject areas. You can 'concentrate' in one area in the second year - Entrepreneurial Management, Finance, Marketing, Strategy, Tech Management, International Business and Private Equity - but you graduate with an MBA.

Vijay (Dec 5, 2005 10:11:54 AM)
Julie: I am interested in a career in Investment Banking, eventually getting into the field of Private Equity. What advantages does LBS offer for study in these fields - in particular, please address the London advantage, any specific courses/practical assignments during school, how alumni can help get opportunities all around Europe, what kind of opportunities there are in these fields in London and Europe and so on.

JJ1979 (Dec 5, 2005 10:12:19 AM)
David: I am a UK applicant and only speak one language (English) fluently, with very basic knowledge of two others. Please could you detail the language requirements for application, and on completion, of the course?

Ovningar (Dec 5, 2005 10:12:50 AM)
Payton, Natasja or Fred: What did you like best about London Business School? What would you like to see improved?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:12:54 AM)
Tala, no - it is likely that the bulk of our applications will come in Stage 2. We get sizeable numbers in stage 3 but things generally tail off a bit in Stage 4 (partly because to be considered for scholarships you should apply in the first three rounds). We try and keep places available in all rounds but we do encourage people to apply as soon as they have a solid application together.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:12:58 AM)
Linda, the application volume for Stage 1 was just up on last year, but we're not getting too excited yet. Stage 2 will tell us much more...and it's quality that counts.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:13:02 AM)
Hello JP. The Banks look for a set of criteria in their candidates - transferable skills, a strong academic record, "fit" with the Bank and its culture and a good story to tell about why you want to work in the finance sector in London - your motivation. If you can display these qualities then there is no reason why you would not be successful - especially with some finance experience and, of course, a second European language!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:14:09 AM)
Anna: In my view you can't really compare LBS and INSEAD, they're so different. LBS offers more opportunities for career changers because you've got more opportunity to find out about different careers, to build a network, take extra courses, go on an exchange, get involved in student clubs. London's more expensive cause you're in the thick of things here: all the companies are here! For me, going to do an MBA wasn't a monetary decision, but a life decision. If it's a good choice, money will follow. Don't forget that LBS offers you the opportunity to earn money as you study, in your internship and in your second year project. That should help offset partially the higher costs.

Anna (Dec 5, 2005 10:14:28 AM)
David: Also a question for those who depend on a scholarship if they are going to go to LBS; will the scholarship decisions be communicated before the commitment fee has to be paid, assuming that I applied in stage 1?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:14:52 AM)
Hi Ovningar, the community is great, so many clever people from everywhere. Basically you decide your path and there are many good areas to go through. My focus is in industry, what is not as strong as finance and consulting. Career Services are improving a lot on this matter and you will benefit from that.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:14:55 AM)
Follow up on Anna's question: I understand that you will be offering some new scholarships or financial aid options. Could you elaborate?

AimLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:16:06 AM)
Julie: I basically reviewed almost all videos on LBS site. Most of the students, mentioned "in today's time of bad economy where jobs are rare to come by ...." I hope those videos were shot in 2002 and are not updated. Am I correct?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:16:21 AM)
Anna, if you applied in Stage 1 and are made an offer then you will be told if you have been offered an Annual Fund school at about the same time. However, you can't use this to pay the commitment fee. The rest of the portfolio is not awarded until after the deadline for applications (in late May to allow offers from stages 1,2 and 3 to apply).

nomadfromcincy (Dec 5, 2005 10:16:22 AM)
I have met a couple of LBS students who are studying in the United States this semester - one at MIT and one at Wharton. I am wondering if students study at other international schools? And if so, what is the primary purpose for those students?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:16:46 AM)
Ovningar, my favorite part of the school is the people. There was no other school in the US that matched the diversity of LBS and it makes for an incredibly dynamic culture. As for changes, another neat thing about the program is that the MBA program office constantly updates the program to reflect student's wishes. Previously, students weren't allowed to switch streams during the year, but now there are "stream swaps" in between semesters.

Pedro (Dec 5, 2005 10:16:47 AM)
David, I've realized there are all sorts of projects involving firms from the banking industry and more. Is it materialized afterwards, with job offers and so on?

Anna (Dec 5, 2005 10:17:08 AM)
Fred or Payton, did you come over to London with your partner? How difficult was it for them to find a good job? I have heard they can get a working visa but I'm still worried my husband might not find a job. Can partners use the career service center, for example?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:17:27 AM)
JJ1979 - Our second language requirement is to what we call Level 2 - I guess it's like A' Level but in business context...no reading comprehension of French novels! You will need to work on one of those 2 languages you have basic knowledge of...but don't be scared, everyone gets through it.

Krzysztof (Dec 5, 2005 10:18:08 AM)
David, thanks. When I visited LBS last year, I was informed that after the first term there is smaller workload on Fridays - is that still the case?

tbailey (Dec 5, 2005 10:18:24 AM)
I am interested in brand management (particularly luxury brands). I have heard LBS has a reputation for being strong in finance and consulting. What type of marketing positions have graduates received and what recruiters in branding/marketing come to campus?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:18:40 AM)
Nomadfromincy: for me, the primary purpose of the exchange is to get to know other cultures and live in a country I wouldn't live in otherwise. I'm looking at China or Japan myself!

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:18:53 AM)
Pedro - that's a good example of our 'London advantage' - Summer Internships, second Year projects and extra projects...all of them lead to job offers, hence our fantastic 96% employed 3 months after graduation rate.

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:18:57 AM)
Hi nomad, there are many different schools with which LBS has a partnership for exchange. You can chose schools in many different countries. You can search for a specific area to concentrate, a specific faculty, different opportunities in other industries, just to know a different culture or a different language. I am going to UCLA next term, for example.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:19:51 AM)
Hello Vijay; Private Equity is a highly competitive area to get into - and also one of the most popular career goals for many students at the moment. LBS is obviously known for its strong reputation in Finance . The School has also now a specialist centre, the Private Equity Institute which undertakes specialist research and, together with the students, run the Private Equity Club and organizes the annual PE Conference. This, together with the other activities of the student PE Club provides numerous opportunities for meeting PE professionals and growing your networks - which is the main way that successful students find both internships and full time opportunities in the business.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:19:51 AM)
Linda, we have some great new scholarships available this year. These include 3 new £20,000 scholarships from Deutsche Bank for women interested in finance and 5 new £20,000 financial needs bursaries. There is also a new Latin American scholarship (partly donated by the Latin American club). The School is making a very big commitment to helping as many students as possible to attend the School. In addition we do of course have the HSBC loan scheme - this is not guaranteed but most students can apply to borrow up to £50,000 towards their fees and living expenses.

Ovningar (Dec 5, 2005 10:19:53 AM)
How are graduates doing in the Asia job market?

gdms (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:00 AM)
Is it true that going to school in Europe makes it harder to later find a job in the US?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:09 AM)
Anna, partners aren't allowed to use Career Services per se, but they have access to a great network through the Partners Club. Of the many people I know who moved here with a spouse, most have already found positions.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:12 AM)
Krzysztof - there are no core course classes on Friday, but there is always work - lots of Careers Services activity and plenty of Study Group meetings.

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:16 AM)
Hi Anna, there is a Partners Club at school in which your husband can find a lot of help. I am single, so I did not experience that, but there are many partners working while the students study.

Patxi A-K (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:23 AM)
To all: At least two of us, Anna and I, have the LBS interview soon. I love the idea of the impromptu presentation. Can you share any advice with us?

BigWheels (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:46 AM)
David: Hi everyone. Any chance of finding out admission decisions before Dec. 21?

Pedro (Dec 5, 2005 10:20:51 AM)
Emma, what do you really try to assess with the recommendation letters?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:22:05 AM)
Patxi: The impromptu is a minor part of the interview, don't fret too much about it. I think it's designed to see how quick you can think on your feet and if you can structure your thoughts in a logical way.

Siew (Dec 5, 2005 10:22:37 AM)
Natasja: For selecting the electives, can we select any course from the broad elective category or it has to be all the courses within the particular category, say, Finance?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:23:26 AM)
Regarding jobs in the luxury industry, we have recent alumni working for Follie, Fendi and Bulgari. Also, just recently we had a presentation by a partner from Bain & Co who concentrates specifically on the retail luxury goods market.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:23:47 AM)
Siew: You can take any elective offered, although for some electives you need to have pre-requisites (like for the finance electives you need to finish finance 2 first). There's between 65 and 80 electives offered each year.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:24:09 AM)
Pedro, we use recommendations to try and assess people's contributions to the class. Recommenders should know you in a close working capacity and be able to comment in detail on what you have achieved in your professional life - your leadership skills, ability to work in a team, as well as things like charisma and personality in the workplace.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:24:14 AM)
gdms - Quite a few grads go to work in the US - it obviously depends on your nationality/visa situation, (as it would if you went to a US School). I met up with a few recent alumni on the road recently and they came straight back to the US to work after their MBA here. The London Business School brand is strong and getting stronger every year.

tala (Dec 5, 2005 10:24:31 AM)
Emma, how important is it to have a high GPA?

AimLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:24:58 AM)
Fred, Payton, Natasja: Can I run my own project (my own business), with that being considered my project or is the project strictly according to curriculum?

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:25:25 AM)
Hello Aim. The answer is yes - the videos are a bit old but we keep them because most of the information is relevant. The employment market has significantly improved over the past couple of years and as you might have seen, the of Class of 2005, 96% were in employment 3 months after graduation. David has told me to tell you to look out for new videos over this coming year!

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:25:39 AM)
BigWheels - generally we stick to those deadlines, but if you have a specific reason why you need to know earlier, please send me an email offline: dsimpson@london.edu.

Sundar (Dec 5, 2005 10:25:54 AM)
David, what percentage of the applicants get interview calls?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:26:45 AM)
AimLBS, one of my group members had his own theater production company that he remains very involved in. Assuming faculty approval, yes, this can constitute your second year project.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:27:30 AM)
Sundar - we don't have quotas or targets and historical stats won't help you much. Basically we interview anyone we'd like to learn more about. We don't have criteria that we use to reject automatically and take a close look at the full application.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:27:41 AM)
Tala, academics are weighed up through our assessment of both your undergraduate performance and your GMAT. Undergraduate scores are important because they give us a better long-term view, and some employers will want to know this when you are looking for a position post-graduation. However, if you feel you under-performed don't panic - there is space in your application to explain this!

Ovningar (Dec 5, 2005 10:28:17 AM)
For those of you with non-business backgrounds: I have a science background; what will it be like doing accounting? Is there an introductory course for students without an accounting background to get basic accounting principles?

Julien (Dec 5, 2005 10:28:36 AM)
Fred, Payton, and Natasja: How would you describe the general attitude amongst the students at LBS. Is it very competitive? Especially regarding the summer internships?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:29:28 AM)
I also have a background in architecture if anyone is interested from an arts-related field. There are applicable skills from all sorts of backgrounds that you may not realize off hand.

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:29:33 AM)
Ovningar, you have accounting in your first term, in order to prepare you. In my class there are a lot of lawyers, doctors and people with different backgrounds. That will not be a problem.

Pedro (Dec 5, 2005 10:29:37 AM)
To Payton, Fred and Natasja, how old are you and what is the average for the students from your year? Is it a place "too old" when compared to INSEAD or IE?

MDarwish (Dec 5, 2005 10:29:46 AM)
Emma, do you have scholarships in the Sept and Jan intakes for the one year programme or only in Sept?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:30:04 AM)
Julien: The general attitude amongst LBS students is very cooperative. Teamwork is very much emphasized here, a large part of your grade is study group work, so you work a lot in teams. Definitely more cooperative than competitive!

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:30:43 AM)
Hi Pedro, I'm 27 and have 5 years business experience. I believe this is around average for age, but the range is 23 to 35!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:30:44 AM)
Pedro: You really shouldn't ask a girl for her age.... ;-) The average in our year (graduating 2007) is 28 and I'm on that average!

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:32:22 AM)
Pedro. I am 29, with 7 years professional experience.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:32:28 AM)
Hello Ovningar - whilst the majority of our students probably want to remain in London to work for both internships and full-time employment; we do get a number of job opportunities in Asia region - in all sectors, not just Finance. For example students last year did internships with Diageo in Taiwan and A S Watson in China. Career Services continue to work to build up relationships with employers based in Asia and there is an annual Finance trek to the region.

MDarwish (Dec 5, 2005 10:32:38 AM)
Hi Fred, any careers in FMCG research during the past few years?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:32:44 AM)
MDarwish, we only have one intake a year for the full-time MBA programme, and that is in September, although the EMBA programme also has an intake in January.

tala (Dec 5, 2005 10:32:59 AM)
Emma, but it seems that one's chance will be improved if he or she applies in stage 4. Am I right?

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:33:54 AM)
Julie, could you comment on the London Advantage in recruiting?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:34:08 AM)
MDarwish, a lot. We have a a specific club at school for FCMG. Many of my colleagues moved to this area, but still there is room for improvement.

Jasmit (Dec 5, 2005 10:35:05 AM)
Hi there, I'm visiting London in the second week of January would like to make an appointment to tour the LBS campus. When does the session resume after the winter break? Who do I contact to make this appointment?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:35:05 AM)
Tala, not at all! There are fewer places available in Stage 4 because the class is filling up by then. For example, we know that historically Stage 2 is very busy, so will offer extra places accordingly. The earlier you can apply, the better.

tahir (Dec 5, 2005 10:35:35 AM)
Emma: I would like to know the fact about GMAT--I have just scored 590 but I feel the rest of my application is pretty strong. With such score, should I not bother applying?

JP_LBS2008 (Dec 5, 2005 10:37:00 AM)
Fred, Where did you have your interview? Did you have a chance to choose?

Ovningar (Dec 5, 2005 10:37:32 AM)
Fred, Natasja, Payton: What do you wish you would have done before starting your MBA that would have made the beginning/transition easier? Did you do anything especially effective that helped you?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:37:37 AM)
Jasmit - we have 'Drop-In Sessions' every Monday and Friday at 3pm from 6 January. These are informal Q&A sessions run by one of us from the Admissions Team and a student. You don't need an appointment. Unfortunately there are no classes we can set you up with at that time.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:37:39 AM)
Tahir, you should certainly consider applying with a 590 GMAT - remember, this is only just outside our current range. We will look at it in line with your previous academics - the only thing you should keep in mind is that if you were eventually offered it is likely that you might be asked to retake and try and increase your score.

Vijay (Dec 5, 2005 10:37:49 AM)
Julie: My current thought is to get into Investment Banking (like the Financial Sponsors group) first after school, and build my networks in PE before getting into that industry. I know that London is the center of Finance in Europe, however, I am interested in jobs in the US and Asia as well. How established is the alumni network in Private Equity and Investment Banking in these areas of the world? How much assistance can an LBS graduate count on from the alumni?

Maithily (Dec 5, 2005 10:38:00 AM)
David, so far all my university education has been in English. My total experience in the US has been more that 2.5 Years. Do I need to take the TOEFL in this case? I am Indian native.

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:38:19 AM)
JP, I had my interview in Rio, in front of the beach, actually. I chose Rio or Sao Paulo and they put me in contact with an alumnus from Rio.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:38:34 AM)
Maithily, no you don't need to take TOEFL.

JJ1979 (Dec 5, 2005 10:38:50 AM)
David, Emma: I am only applying to LBS. How do view a student who is not applying elsewhere?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:39:32 AM)
Ovningar: I wish I spent some more time with my family and friends, the first term is so hectic that I don't have much time to spend with them. I thought it'd be nice to start reading accounting but I didn't get round to it. I must say: enjoy your time before you come out, enjoy the luxury of the paycheck, and rest and relax.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:40:30 AM)
Here are some comments on the diversity of London Business School - the classroom is like no other place I visited because of the range of experiences and culture present. For example, in my stream alone we have someone who previously worked in the gold-mining industry in Russia, bankers that worked through the Argentinean crisis, a British student that is producing a play in the West End, a girl who worked in national security for the US government and many more!

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:41:10 AM)
JJ - this won't affect your application negatively as long as you have good reasons why you are only applying to London. Plenty of people have their hearts set on one school, although of course we do encourage people not to put all their eggs in one basket. If you have done your research and feel that London is the one and only school for you, then that's great. Good luck!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:42:32 AM)
Since I did this chat last year as an applicant, it's nice to be on the other side of the fence as a student this time round! One of the most rewarding experiences of being here is the people (I think Payton commented on this as well earlier). The diversity is incredible, which means there isn't a weekend that goes by without some sort of celebration :-)

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:42:43 AM)
Ovningar, one thing that is helpful before getting here is to clearly map out the direction you want to take as you proceed through your MBA - whether it is professionally or even geographically. Although this is not necessary, it certainly helps to have a clear direction.

Alessandro (Dec 5, 2005 10:42:59 AM)
Emma: Can you describe the interview process? What should we expect and is there anything in particular you suggest us to do to prepare it?

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:45:03 AM)
Linda, London is a major centre of employment. Everyone immediately thinks of the Finance sector when thinking of employment opportunities and it is true that London is a major global financial centre with all of the top tier banks having offices here. All the big - and a wide variety of smaller specialist consulting houses are also represented. However what is often overlooked is the other sectors in the city - for instance London is the centre of the UK media industry, as well as having a significant manufacturing presence (yes, really) and of course as the centre of government attracts a large number of specialist professional services. Another fact to end on - if London was a country it would have a GDP greater than Ireland or Finland - that represents an enormous advantage for a wide range of employment opportunities.

AimLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:45:39 AM)
Julie: Do US companies recruit at LBS? Don't they take care of visa etc? Normally, what percentage of class gets recruited to US companies or is it from ones own networking?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:46:07 AM)
Professionaly speaking, if you want to change careers, this is the place to come. I used to work in the pharmaceutical industry and managed to change to Oil&Gas for the summer. For my second year project I am analyzing marketing opportunities in the gas industry in the UK. My shadowing project was with a senior executive of the biggest media group in Brazil. Diversity is not only present in your class and private life, but in the jobs and projects you get. Basically, you can chose the way forward and decide where to work.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:46:13 AM)
Vijay, it sounds like we have very similar aspirations. I too want to move into Investment Banking and then potentially PE down the road - possibly in the US. Obviously, the network is stronger in London and Western Europe, but there are still alumni in the US that are more than willing to help out. I've met many in San Francisco before I moved here. Also, if you're thinking of working in Asia in the future, this place is certainly considered more of a gateway than New York. There was actually an excellent article in the NY Times recently citing that exact movement.

Eric (Dec 5, 2005 10:46:27 AM)
Fred, Payton, and Nastasja: Could you give some information on what it is like for international students to move to London, find housing, find their way around, etc? What kind of assistance is offered? How would you describe the experience? (e.g. simple, complicated - but worth it, etc.)

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:46:50 AM)
Alessandro, if you are short-listed then you will be interviewed by a London Business School alumnus. It will be a face-to-face interview - not done by telephone - and will usually take place in the city where you are based. The interviewer will have a copy of your application and will have made themselves familiar with it beforehand. They will be looking for evidence of structured thinking, analytical skills, and a real interest in London. As part of the interview you will be asked to do a short 5 minute presentation.

sanjay (Dec 5, 2005 10:46:55 AM)
Emma, are LBS full time MBA aspirants above 30 years of age are at disadvantage as compared to their younger aspirants assuming similar GPA and GMAT?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:48:22 AM)
Eric: there is a lot of information on the internal portal (which you'll get access to if you're admitted) on moving to London, and every year the Student Survival Guide is sent out to incoming students. The weeks before school starts, all the MBA's converge on London to find a place to live, share tips on housing, finding your way round, etc. It is obviously a big step, moving countries, but very much worth it! Another tip on moving out here is - use the network of current students. As an incoming student, you'll be sent details of current students, and they will be a great help in finding places to live, which estate agents are good, etc. For me, going to the admitted students weekend (usually late May or early June) was a great help too, we got to stay with students, and they were a big help.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:48:38 AM)
Eric, moving here can be very simple, but only if you prepare! The school has an excellent guide that is sent to all admitted students that literally goes over everything you could ever thing of - setting up a bank account, finding a flat, visa requirements, etc. As long as you prepare for these, you'll be fine.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:49:03 AM)
Fred, could you tell us a little about your Second Year Consulting Project? I understand you actually get paid for this work?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:49:32 AM)
Sanjay, no they aren't at a disadvantage at all - our current class age range is from 23-35. Older candidates often have a huge amount of experience to add to the classroom. However, it can sometimes be slightly more difficult for older candidates to break into a particular career track so you should bear this in mind, and remember that you may need to look outside the traditional recruiting events.

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:50:41 AM)
Eric, coming from Latin America, London is very different, but extremely exciting. Of course it is expensive and you have to know where to go to find a place to live. You can find anything you want, from every country in the world, literally. Maybe, the most difficult part is to be far from your family and friends, but since you arrive here you have more than 300 new friends, trying to understand the peculiarities of this city. The new student's survival guide is a good reference, a guide prepared by students who passed from all the pain when arriving in London. And if everything goes wrong, you are not alone on this boat. Just drop by the closest pub and drink a warm beer.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:50:45 AM)
Fred, Payton, and Natasja: What extra-curricular activities do you participate in?

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:51:59 AM)
Hi Vijay - one of the strengths of the School is its community - students, staff, faculty, alumni - all of whom are aware of the importance to students of finding suitable and appropriate employment after graduation. Our student body is highly international and consequently our extended community is also. We have strong alumni networks all over Asia and in the US and networking is positively encouraged and Career Services provide workshops to help you develop your networking skills.

Guest (Dec 5, 2005 10:53:18 AM)
Could you please explain whether the 15-month MBA curriculum is suited for people changing careers after an MBA? Or, should I go with the regular 21-month option?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:53:24 AM)
Yes Linda, some students get paid for the Second Year Project. Some accept not top be paid (if they are trying to move to an industry in which they do not have experience). It is a fantastic way to put your consulting skills on the table (even if you are not a consultant and that is my case). Average payment for Second Year Projects is something around 2,000 or 2,500 pounds per students. Again I choose a project in the energy industry (gas in the UK), because is the industry I want to get in.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:53:46 AM)
Thanks Fred.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:54:01 AM)
I'm actively involved as a marketing committee member for the Global Social Venture Competition (socialvc.net), I'm setting up a new club on campus involved with creativity and business, and I'm taking not-for-credit Japanese classes, and I'm a volunteer business advisor in a local secondary school once a week. I also try to attend as many of the speaker events on campus, and go to a lot of the entrepreneurship club events.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 10:54:23 AM)
You sound very, very busy!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:54:39 AM)
I am very very busy! And loving every minute of it :-)

Adrian (Dec 5, 2005 10:54:54 AM)
Julie: How do Eastern Europe students fare with regard to jobs?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:55:21 AM)
Extracurricular activities: I am the head of the Latin American Club. I am the goal keeper of the football team, I travel as much as I can and as much as my loan allows me to. Also, if you want a Brazilian barbecue and caipirinhas, just drop by my place.

Vijay (Dec 5, 2005 10:56:27 AM)
What is the main teaching method at LBS? Most other schools use a mixture of lectures and case studies, usually skewed towards one or the other. Does LBS place a premium on any particular method of study?

Thomas (Dec 5, 2005 10:56:57 AM)
Julie: Good evening everybody, I was wondering how easy is it to change your career path, moving from more than eight years in Software development and project management to Business, finance or other, in France (Paris). I am interested in the Exec MBA.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:57:31 AM)
Now I'm a bear...Regarding extracurricular activities, I'm involved in quite a few - Professional ones: Private Equity Club, Finance Club, Student Investment Fund (and a great stock picking game), Technology Club. Athletic ones: Sailing Club (we went to a regatta in Portofino, Italy a couple months ago that was fantastic and have another one scheduled through the Greek Isles in May), Basketball Club (we went to a tournament in Paris a few weeks ago and another scheduled in Barcelona in March), Wine and Cheese, Tennis, Golf and even the Surfing Club! There are so many great clubs on campus and it brings a lot of responsibility and social aspects to the school. You can get as involved as you want to be!

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:57:52 AM)
Vijay, it is definitely a mix and each professor chooses what they think is the best option for each class.

Nauman Shafique (Dec 5, 2005 10:58:12 AM)
David, I am 20 years old and a fresh graduate. Can I apply for admission and if I can't, then when can I apply?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 10:58:24 AM)
I completely forgot to mention Sundowners as one of my favorite extracurricular activities! Every Thursday we've got an drinks-event between 6 and 8, sponsored by companies or the school. Everyone gathers round at these and hangs out. I've heard that some alumns like Sundowners so much that they have set up their own in cities all over the world! A very special extracurricular activity that everyone on campus (students AND staff) are looking forward to is the Santa Claus Pub Crawl, which will happen this Saturday. 400 students and staff descend on London in Santa suits....it's going to be great!

mba-appl-06 (Dec 5, 2005 10:59:41 AM)
What's the interaction level of LBS students with other b-school students? e.g. case competitions, sports etc.

z1d0v (Dec 5, 2005 11:00:06 AM)
Is applying to LBS's MBA only a few months after a Master seen as awkward, if I have four years of prior engineering experience?

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:00:08 AM)
Aim, yes, US companies do recruit at LBS both on-campus and through our on-line job posting board. Examples of regular recruiters include GE, Johnson and Johnson, Eli Lilly, Amgen, 3M, etc. They recruit for positions based in the US as well as globally. All the major US banks recruit here also - mainly for London (where most of our students want to work) but we are increasingly seeing students go to Wall Street rather stay in the City and this year we saw the first Wall Street student trek from LBS. Our Associate Directors regularly visit US recruiters across the country to build and maintain.

Patxi A-K (Dec 5, 2005 11:00:39 AM)
Fred, Payton and Natasja: Can you share a little bit about interactions with faculty outside of classes?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:01:08 AM)
Nauman, I'll answer for David as he's just popped out of the office for a minute. You usually need at least 2-3 years of postgraduate work experience to submit a competitive application to the programme here. This is because students are expected to actively contribute their experience in class and to their study groups - most would say they learn as much off their peers as they do off faculty.

Maxim (Dec 5, 2005 11:01:46 AM)
Emma: LBS asks for two letters of reference, one of which is an academic letter. It has to be from some kind of applicant's supervisor at university - somebody who can address the education development of a candidate. But I have graduated from university seven years ago and any person I could ask to be my recommender of this kind has not met me for more than six years. What should I do?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:03:23 AM)
Patxi, you have to interact with faculty. They will be the sponsors and supervisors of your projects during the course. Some are always available, some are quite busy, but they will always receive you for a good chat about your projects or careers. Some of them will also meet you at the pub for some pints.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:03:54 AM)
Z1dOv - you can apply at any time, as long as you convince us that it is the right time for you in your career. If your four years are after your undergraduate but before your masters degree then that's fine. You would need to explain why you want to go straight from a masters in engineering to an MBA though.

John ATL (Dec 5, 2005 11:05:11 AM)
Does it hurt you to have had your work experience outside a traditional industry or the big management consulting firms, i.e. working for the public sector?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:05:23 AM)
Maxim - actually we prefer two professional references, particularly if you are that far out of university. Academic references are usually only for those without sufficient work experience to provide two work references.

uday (Dec 5, 2005 11:05:32 AM)
Julie: I just wanted to know what help LBS offers its students in finding summer internships and also landing jobs after graduation. Also, any idea on how the work permits work in the UK? I'm aware of HSMP but coming from India I'm a little concerned about getting a job and then getting the required work permit.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:05:50 AM)
mba-appl-06, there is quite a bit interaction with other b-school students, but it is up to you to get involved in those activities. For example, there are various extracurricular case competitions where if you progress far enough then you actually compete against other schools. In athletics, there are several chances to play against other schools such as through the rugby, basketball, sailing and football clubs. Also, every May is MBAT, an "Olympic" competition where all of the European business schools converge on Paris for a huge event. Last year we finished second, but this year we'll do better!

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:07:28 AM)
John ATL - not at all. Our class is extremely diverse, and we actively welcome applications from those who come from non-traditional business backgrounds. More and more applicants come from the not-for-profit sector (the Net Impact Club here on campus is huge and very active) - we regularly admit lawyers, doctors, ex-military personnel, etc. In the past we've also had theatre directors, show jumpers and opera singers!

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:08:35 AM)
Do you have any advice for waitlisted applicants?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:09:06 AM)
John ATL - I think we have two things in common - I grew up in Atlanta and I was in management consulting on a public sector project for a year with the County of Santa Clara in Silicon Valley. I think this was a rich opportunity and potentially a differentiating factor from some of the other more traditional consultancies.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:09:12 AM)
Hello Adrian - we are seeing a growth in the number of employment opportunities in Eastern Europe and we have had students working for a number of major consultancies and corporations across the region but particularly in Moscow. Employers include McKinsey, Roland Berger and Jones Lang LasSalle. Obviously having a relevant language is essential - and having some previous work experience in the region also can be a great advantage.

bokaffa (Dec 5, 2005 11:09:54 AM)
Payton - Considering your involvement in the Tech club, can you tell us about Tech recruiting? Beyond the "Corporate Partners" (such IBM, Oracle, Sun), have students had much traction? Any examples come to mind?

Anna (Dec 5, 2005 11:10:32 AM)
Following up on John ATL: How common are uncommon backgrounds at LBS, such as people from NGOs, international organizations, entrepreneurs etc.? I think they would add a lot to the experience of diversity.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:11:24 AM)
Waitlist - we only place people on the waitlist if we are interested in their application. We only have approx 300 places in each year, so have to recruit very carefully. The waitlist allows us to recruit a class of the maximum diversity possible and also allows us to consider applicants right through the year. After all we want the best possible 300, not the first 300!

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:12:21 AM)
Do you encourage waitlisted applicants to inform you about improvements to their profile or their achievements since they applied?

PolinaR (Dec 5, 2005 11:12:30 AM)
David, Emma, question from a reapplicant - Do you encourage a reapplicant to contact the admissions office before reapplying if you can advise them if a reapplication is worthwhile?

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:13:14 AM)
bokaffa, yes, there are some other excellent opportunities to get into Technology. For example, the Tech Trek is going to Seattle and San Francisco this year for recruiting. Last year they visited over ten companies in the valley, such as Yahoo, Cisco and Flextronics. This year, there were students that interned at Skype and Google, among others. Google has really ramped up their recruiting on campus and offers a formal program for MBAs.

Rahim D. (Dec 5, 2005 11:13:35 AM)
Fred, Payton, Natasja: Through your experiences at LBS thus far we are hearing a lot about the GREAT things LBS has to offer; however, what are some of the things you feel LBS could change or do better?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:13:38 AM)
Anna: there's a lot of people of different backgrounds, there's a bunch of entrepreneurs in my stream (one of my study group mates has his own company), one of my housemates used to work for an NGO before coming out, there's a theatre director in our year, and a Chinese opera singer. Last year there was a professional tennis player, you name it, we've got it.

uday (Dec 5, 2005 11:14:36 AM)
How are the study groups decided - i.e. what criteria are used? How many people are in a typical study group?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:15:11 AM)
Linda, we only want updates if there have been fundamental changes e.g. a job change. We do not want lots of emails with little content. We give regular scheduled updates to the waitlist through the season. We know how tough it is to be placed on the waitlist and so try and keep numbers small i.e. it isn't an easy option for when we're deciding between offer and deny.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:16:22 AM)
Polina - it's difficult to advise you on this one. Generally we only advise people to reapply if they feel they have achieved something substantial in the intervening period, but certainly if you have made major strides in an area that you think was weak in your initial application (i.e. in your career, your GMAT, or level of international experience) then you should consider reapplying.

B Goren (Dec 5, 2005 11:16:23 AM)
I would like to know whether retaking the GMAT affects my chances of admission to the LBS MBA program?

Patxi A-K (Dec 5, 2005 11:16:41 AM)
LBSers: How is life with a partner during the MBA?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:16:41 AM)
Uday: the study groups are put together to get groups with as much diversity as possible, in work and geographical backgrounds, and contain 6 or 7 people. In my study group there's people from Iran, India, US, UK, Korea, Peru and Holland, with backgrounds ranging from consulting, industry, banking, entrepreneur, healthcare. Your study group stays together the entire first year.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:16:45 AM)
Hello Thomas. The key to any successful career change is being able to demonstrate you have transferable skills that can be applied in your target job area and also trying to leverage any relevant knowledge/experience you may have - it is always more difficult to make a change of both sector and function., so finance in a software company might be a possibility. Provided you can also demonstrate achievement in your finance exams on the course and can offer the other skills/"fit" required, then there is no reason why you cannot make the change.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:17:38 AM)
Rahim D, there are always things to improve upon here and it says a lot about the MBA program office that they are willing to constantly evaluate the program. This year students were somewhat displeased that there wasn't an exchange server available to coordinate our schedules. So the school responded and already has a stop-gap resolution in place - in a matter of months! A full solution should be ready this spring and in place for incoming students in MBA2008!

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:18:13 AM)
Rahim, if you consider that the more the better. You will always ask for more companies coming to campus, more electives to chose, more scholarships.

yuval (Dec 5, 2005 11:18:14 AM)
David, Emma: How flexible are study groups, i.e., do they change during the course of the first year?

vharry (Dec 5, 2005 11:18:39 AM)
Emma, David: Do you consider full-time experience gained at an undergraduate level? I worked six years in engineering projects as an undergraduate and would like to know if you value them at all.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:19:21 AM)
Payton, Fred, Natasja: What are your favorite classes, professors?

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:19:23 AM)
Yuval - the study groups are decided by the MBA Office and stay together for the entire first year.

uday (Dec 5, 2005 11:19:36 AM)
To David and Emma: I'm sure you get this question often. What do you look for in your ideal candidate for an MBA at LBS? There must be some defining features in an application which set apart the good ones from the not so good ones ...

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:19:40 AM)
B Goren - that depends on your current score. Obviously as well as being a benchmarking tool that helps us when we have to compare academic backgrounds from around the world, GMAT is also a competitive measure. A great all-round application with a high GMAT beats a great all-round application with a lower score. However, what we really focus on is your work experience and possible contributions.

MarkSchool (Dec 5, 2005 11:19:58 AM)
Out of three essays, which essay is the most important?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:20:10 AM)
yuval, study groups are rigid. Some groups will fight, some groups will be in love forever. It is up to you to have a good relationship with the guys in your group. My study group was great and we never had any problems during the one year we stayed together.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:20:19 AM)
Thank you again all for participating today. Special thanks to David, Emma, Julie, Fred, Payton, and Natasja.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:20:37 AM)
Patxi A-K, although I don't have a partner, 5 of the 7 members in my study group do have partners. It is definitely a huge commitment undertaking an MBA with a partner, but everyone I know is managing quite well. I think setting expectations is very important - your time is going to be very busy here, but as long as you are efficient in your studies you can certainly balance both lives together. Also, there are a variety of events scheduled for partners of students on campus and a great networking club for partners.

Rahul (Dec 5, 2005 11:20:54 AM)
What kind of GMAT scores do you look for? How quantitative is LBS  compared to US Schools ( i.e. how much emphasis is placed on math)?

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:20:56 AM)
Favorite classes: Decision and Risk Analysis, Project Management, Economics, Strategy.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:21:01 AM)
MarkSchool - all parts of the application are equally important. You should spend equal time thinking about the answers to all the essays, and think about why they have been asked in the first place.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:21:09 AM)
Vharry - No, we look at experience gained after your undergrad as the main experience. You can list those projects separately.

Patxi A-K (Dec 5, 2005 11:21:57 AM)
Thank you to all for your responses. It is been a very interesting, informative and funny chat experience!

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:22:03 AM)
Uday - the ideal candidate - impossible question - All I will say is that we read everything you send and use all aspects of an application when reviewing.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:22:22 AM)
Hi Linda. A number of students do find internships in PE every year but the majority of these are obtained through contacts. There are very few advertised opportunities - partly because there are relatively fewer opportunities in this area (compared to e.g. banking) and because the successful students build up their network of contacts to identify potential internship opportunities before they even hit the job posting board.

Rahul (Dec 5, 2005 11:22:59 AM)
Thank you Emma.

JP_LBS2008 (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:02 AM)
Thank you all.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:03 AM)
Rahul - the current class range is 600-800. However, we do ask low scoring candidates to retake if we like everything else about their apps.

mba-appl-06 (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:10 AM)
David, has there been cases when admitted students weren't able to secure a loan thru HSBC, and if yes, then in that case does LBS help in arranging funding?

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:13 AM)
Thanks again to the London Business School reps.

MDarwish (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:17 AM)
Thanks for the informative chat.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:23:23 AM)
Rahul, LBS Finance I begins quite quant-based. But then, like programs in the US, we use these quantitative principles to apply them to real-world examples. This is part of the advantage of case-based learning. Classes aren't entirely case oriented, but they play an important role in many.

PaytonDobbsLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:24:17 AM)
Thanks to everyone for joining. I hope we were able to give you some helpful and insightful answers into life here at London Business School! Good luck on your applications!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:24:42 AM)
Thanks everyone. I hope the answers helped! The very best of luck with your applications and hopefully interviews!

FredDuarteLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:25:01 AM)
Good luck, guys. Unfortunately I will graduate before your classes start.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:25:13 AM)
mba-app-06 - the HSBC loan is not automatic. The loan belongs to the bank and they make decisions with their own criteria. We advise students to use a portfolio of funding sources. Funding is the responsibility of candidates. Saying that, we also have a large and growing portfolio of scholarships.

EmmaBondLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:25:47 AM)
Good luck everyone - we look forward to receiving your applications.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:26:46 AM)
Thanks very much to everyone for taking part. If you have any other questions, please check our website thoroughly and then email us: mbainfo@london.edu.

JulieHopeLBS (Dec 5, 2005 11:27:52 AM)
Hi uday - I would probably need a couple of hours to answer all of this! I will be brief -- but I suggest that you take a longer look at the School's website where you will find more details about the support that Career Services offers all students in terms of skills development workshops, individual career coaching and, obviously, the work of the Associate Directors in building relationships with employers,. Re the HSMP - can I suggest that you look at the very helpful Working in the UK (government) website for up to date information. However, remember that the School is on the Governments list of top 50 schools whose MBAs automatically qualify for the HSMP.

Linda Abraham (Dec 5, 2005 11:28:25 AM)
Good luck! Information about Accepted.com's consulting and Editing Services

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