Accepted.com Odds 'N Ends

We have decided to publish this newsletter as a service to our clients and others who register for it on our Web site. Accepted.com's Odds 'N Ends will bring you our tip of the month, admissions information for grad, law, MBA, and medical school applicants, and news about Accepted.com.

We also welcome contributions from readers. If you have comments, questions, or perhaps an article idea, please e-mail our editor. We cannot publish everything we receive, but we will try to respond to everyone. And as always, we appreciate feedback.

Index

What's New at Accepted.com
Essay Tip of the Month
Resume Tip of the Month
Grad Admission News You Can Use
Law Admission News You Can Use
MBA Admission News You Can Use
Medical Admission News You Can Use
College Admission News You Can Use
Our Services

What's New at Accepted.com

New Web Site

Over the next few months Accepted.com will be rolling out a new Web site. In addition to a new look, the site will contain a valuable search function, simpler navigation, faster function, and ultimately a catalogue system for choosing Accepted.com's services.

Dr. Laura Prescribes Accepted.com for Essay Ills

Dr. Laura Perspective lists Accepted.com in its Resources for College-Bound Students. The article points out that "You can have a pro on your side when writing your personal statement for college. Simply ask an Accepted.com editor..." (Dr. Laura Perspective, October 2001, p. 13)

Time Marches On

In fact, it seems to march at double time. It's hard to focus on essays and keep all the personal, professional, and educational balls in the air. Those application deadlines somehow manage to creep up mysteriously out of nowhere.

We want to help you, but please give us enough time to do so. We are extremely busy. Don't wait to sign up for Accepted.com services or to contact your editor until you only have a week left in which to write and submit your applications.

Essay Tip of the Month

Letters of Recommendation (Part 2) — The "What"

Last month we discussed who should write a letter of recommendation ("LOR"). This month we'll deal with what should go into one.

Letters of recommendation should confirm the image you are trying to convey in your essays. The letters may overlap with your essays, but the recommender should bring a different perspective, if writing about events that you too are writing about.

If necessary, an LOR can also combat negative data in your profile or perhaps negative stereotypes about your profession. For example, if your quant score is low or if you have a background not known for quantitative skill, i.e., liberal arts or sales, ask your recommender to discuss a quantitatively demanding assignment. If you have a low verbal score or are in a field not known for communications skills, for instance computer science or engineering, request that your recommender comment on your interpersonal skills.

If the recommender is writing his own letter for different programs, as opposed to filling out forms provided by each school, the following is an effective structure:

1. Intro — A brief description of his credentials. Those credentials include his relationship to you — how long he has known you and in what capacity — and how many other applicants like you he has supervised or taught. Close this paragraph with a thesis statement for the letter — the outstanding qualities that motivate him to recommend you.
2. Body paragraph 1: Discuss Quality #1 and provide an impressive example of when you displayed that quality.
3. Body paragraph 2: Discuss Quality #2 and provide an impressive example of when you displayed that quality.
4. Body paragraph 3: Discuss Quality #3 and provide an impressive example of when you displayed that quality.
5. Body paragraph 4: Briefly discuss a weakness and describe progress applicant has made in minimizing that weakness.
6. Conclusion: Summary of your strengths and a ringing and enthusiastic endorsement of your candidacy.

Just as specifics determine the power and punch of your essays, so too specifics and examples determine the effectiveness of an LOR. Your recommenders need to include anecdotes, examples, and details to show that you have the initiative, leadership skills, ability to communicate, or whatever qualities your recommender has chosen to emphasize.

Resume Tip of the Month

Not Just a List: Employment References

The interview went well, and your interviewer asks you to supply a few references for her to contact. Excited, you want to hand them to her on the spot, but wait and email them an hour later, not wanting to seem overly eager. As you click "send" you think, "I hope that Jason tells her about that great project we worked on."

You've selected your references carefully; they're part of your positioning. But there's no reason why your positioning has to end with that selection — you can take it further and actually influence (though not control) the dialogue your references and interviewer have about you. How? Instead of just making a list of references with the contact information, you can annotate the list. By doing so, you help both yourself and your interviewer, for you will be providing her with a clearer context for a productive discussion about you.

Of course, for each reference you should always provide all forms of contact — address, phone number, and email — along with the person's organization title. Don't forget to put "Mr." or "Ms.," especially if the reference's name is Terry or Shawn. To give a more targeted and useful reference sheet, though, consider adding the following for each reference:

• Time frame in which you and the reference have known each other.
• Nature of the working relationship: you reported to Karen Smith from when-to-when, or you and Karen Smith worked on the same client engagement.
• Frequency of interaction: you and Karen Smith communicated almost daily, and often traveled together to visit prospective clients.
• Highlights of working relationship: Karen Smith recommended your promotion to manager in August 2000, or asked you to represent marketing on a cross-functional product development team in July 2001.
• Special projects or achievements: Karen Smith mentored you on your first trans-border due diligence assignment.

By selecting highlights carefully, you may well turn that discussion about you in the direction you want it to go!

Cindy Tokumitsu
Editor, Accepted.com
Member, Professional Association of Resume Writers

Grad Admission News You Can Use

Wake Forest and Virginia Tech Establish Joint 
School of Biomedical Engineering

In establishing this partnership, both schools are taking advantage of the other's experience and strengths while obtaining something it has long sought. Wake Forest has long wanted to add an engineering program to its medical school and college. Virginia Tech gains access to a medical school for its Center for Biomedical Engineering.

Survey of Graduate and Professional Students

The National Association of Graduate and Professional Students conducted an extensive satisfaction survey of grad students across a broad spectrum of fields. Overall, the students were satisfied with their programs, but not confident that they were being prepared for their professions or given solid career preparation.

The report breaks the results down by specialty and is available at 
http://www.survey.nagps.org/.

Law Admissions News You Can Use

Hispanic Law School Rankings

Hispanic Business has published its rankings of law and business programs. In these rankings it weights traditional measures, like reputation and selectivity, along with such criteria as minority mentoring programs, minority recruitment and retention, cultural diversity and sensitivity, etc.

1. UT Austin
2. St. Mary's School of Law
3. Stanford
4. University of New Mexico
5. Southwestern
6. Loyola Law School
7. University of Arizona James E Rogers School of Law
8. University of Miami
9. USC
10. UCLA

MBA Admissions News You Can Use

Win-Win with the MBA Interview Feedback DatabaseT

You can win by filling out an MBA interview questionnaire after your MBA interview (which automatically enrolls you in our "It's a 10!" contest) or by using the MBA interview Feedback Database to prepare for your interviews.

"It's a 10!" is a win-win for everyone. Every tenth MBA applicant who fills out an interview feedback questionnaire will win a $10 gift certificate to Accepted.com or Amazon.com. Just fill out a questionnaire after your interview for admission to an MBA program, and you are automatically enrolled in our contest. For additional information, please visit our contest details page.

And, of course, any applicant can win by using this incredible resource. The MBA Interview Feedback DatabaseT has over 500 responses, organized by school, to a questionnaire about the MBA admissions interview experience. So if you want to prepare for your interview, find out about the interviews of those who came before you.

Chats with UMBS, UNC, MIT, UCLA

Mark your calendars! We have a full chat schedule for the month of November:

• Nov. 5 — University of Michigan with Admissions Director Kris Nebel and two UMBS students, one specializing in marketing and strategy and the other specializing in finance and strategy;
• Nov. 12 — UNC with Dean Jim Dean, Admissions Director Sheri Wallace, and a KFBS student;
• Nov. 19 — MIT-Sloan with Admissions Director Rod Garcia, adcom member Jon McLaughlin, and a Sloan student
• Nov. 26 — UCLA with Admissions Director Linda Baldwin, an adcom member, and a second-year student at Anderson;
• Dec. 5 — NYU Stern with Julia Min, Director of Admissions, and a Stern second-year student.

All the chats take place at 6:00 PM Pacific Time (7:00 PM Mountain Time, 8:00 PM Central Time; 9:00 PM Eastern Time).

For more information, please view our Chat Schedule or e-mail mbachat@accepted.com.

Chat Transcripts for Haas and Columbia

Check out our Transcript Index for oldies but goodies and the most recent transcripts from the Columbia and Haas chats. For example:

"There is a question on whether the candidate visited CBS. How does this weigh into the decision process?"

Linda Meehan, Admissions Director for Columbia Business School, answers the question. 

Rankings, Rankings, and More Rankings

Forbes Magazine ranks MBA programs based on calculated ROI over a five-year period. How did the graduates of the Class of '96 fare according to Forbes? Here are the Top Ten:

1. Harvard
2. Wharton
3. Columbia
4. Tuck
5. Chicago
6. Yale
7. Cornell
8. MIT
9. Kellogg
10. Stanford

For additional breakdowns, rankings, and an interesting article, please read, "The Best MBA for the Buck." at 
http://www.forbes.com/2001/10/09/1009bizschool.html.

Businessweek has just ranked Executive MBA programs. And the winners are...

1. Kellogg
2. Chicago
3. Wharton
4. Duke
5. UNC

Don't miss the programs that earn praise for specific specialties at 
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_42/b3753605.htm.

In addition to traditional criteria such as reputation, Hispanic Business weighs additional factors, including mentoring programs and minority recruitment and retention among faculty and students.

1. McCombs School of Business at UT Austin
2. Stanford
3. Kenan-Flagler at UNC
4. Haas School at UC Berkeley
5. Anderson School at UCLA
6. Simon at the University of Rochester
7. Marshall at USC
8. Anderson at the University of New Mexico
9. Michigan

10. McDonough School at Georgetown.

For more information, please visit 
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=5259.

Med Admissions News You Can Use

Health Professions Salary Ranges

Would you like to work in a health care field, but are not sure you want to be come a doctor, dentist, or Indian chief? The AMA has published a chart showing income ranges for approximately fifty different health care specialties.

You can view it at
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/6038.html.

College Admissions News You Can Use

Harvard Gets an "F" in Grading

The Boston Globe published a scathing review of Harvard's grading practices and the rampant grade inflation it reflects. According to The Globe, at Harvard 51% of all grades are A's or A-minuses. As a result 91% of undergraduates graduate with honors, far more than Yale (51%) or Princeton (44%).

Partly as a result of the Boston Globe article, Harvard is scrambling to re-establish grading standards in its undergraduate college. It has given faculty members until January to explain their grading practices. After reviewing the data, a committee will recommend whether changes to grading should be considered.

Good News... and Bad News

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that as a result of the stock market decline endowments declined an average of 2.2% in 2001.

But all is not gloom and doom. Caltech just announced a $600 million (that's not a typo) donation from Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and Caltech alum.

Tell a Friend

Please share this issue with friends and colleagues who share your interest in graduate school admission. Tell a friend or two about Accepted.com's powerful array of online pre-professional resources. They will thank you and so will we!

Our Services

Writing a personal statement is a tough challenge. A former client, an NBC journalist with over twenty years of experience in the field, once said that his personal statement "was the toughest thing I ever had to write." He sought our help. Shouldn't you?

Accepted.com's editors are here to help you write your best essays — eloquent, compelling essays that distinguish you from the competition and transform you from a transcript and test score into a competitive applicant and unique individual.

Check us out. Complete information on our services, including prices, testimonials, and information about our top-notch professional staff, can be found on our Essay Help page. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at info@accepted.com or Phone.

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