Barcelona is on its way

Today I sent my IESE application via Embark. Tomorrow I'll post the additional documentation.

PS: Just contacted my Bocconi interviewer. Will meet him on the 6th March (Sunday morning!!!).

LBS interview update

I just received an email from the LBS Marketing and Admissions officer for Latin America and Europe, confirming that I will receive my interview contact details shortly.

It also confirms that the interview will include a 5 minute impromtu presentation. The interviewer will provide the topic.

The clock is ticking...

SDA Bocconi - interview invite

Today I received an email from the Bocconi admissions staff, with a contact of an alumni who works in my country. The guy works 300km away from where I live, but I guess it's better than having to travel to Milan...

According to BW, it appears that Bocconi interviews 80% of its full-time MBA applicants. So, being invited for the interview is not an important achievement as in the LBS case (58% selectivity), but it's good news after all. A small step towards being admitted.

PS: Bocconi Admissions sent me another email confirming that my GMAT score had been found. I don't know what happened, but at least everything is now ok with my application.

SDA - GMAT report missing?

I received an email from SDA Bocconi confirming the reception of my application. However, apparently the original GMAT result is missing. This is very strange, as I included the code of this school when I did the test in 2002.

Just sent an email to ETS to find out what's happening.

LBS shortlisted

I received my LBS interview invite today!!

Another long wait until the 24th March... :-)

LBS info session

Last week I went to an LBS info session in Lisbon. Boring... If I didn't know before hand that that school is really good, I wouldn't be convinced by that presentation. I remember an INSEAD presentation I attended to in London in 2002 which was completely different and more stylish: the location, the presentation, the allumni, etc. However, probably this is an unfair comparison because the LBS session was not entirely dedicated to the Full-time MBA, but also to the other post-graduate programmes (mainly the MSc in Finance).

When I asked about the difficulties of getting an HSBC loan for the full tuitions and living expenses, I didn't get an exact answer. Just the typical british way of avoiding the issue. Something like "60% of our students are financed by an HSBC loan". Yes, but... how much money did they ask for??

Milan adventure has started

Today I posted my application for SDA Bocconi, my 3rd choice. Fingers crossed.

Meeting with IESE adcom

Yesterday I met an IESE MBA Admissions associate director. Not a proper admissions interview, but rather an opportunity to ask some questions about the IESE programme. The guy was himself an IESE alumni (finished his MBA 2 or 3 years ago and was invited to stay and work for the MBA Admissions department).

The interview was very useful. Also, very laid back and casual. He seemed interested on my profile and happy to know that I was going to apply (well... that's his job, I suppose... I would be happy if some company would buy my solutions, too).

Here are the main topics about this meeting:

• IESE is going to have 8 new full-tuition scholarships. This is great news, in fact!
• The loans provided by Sabadel (?) bank are guaranteed and the maximum one can borrow is for the full tuition. Also good news, given the rumours about problems between other b-schools (INSEAD and LBS, for instance) and the banks they work with.
• The main consultancy companies recruit on-campus and for positions all around the world.
• The program has no 2nd year project.
• Pre-enrollment courses are included in the MBA cost (he didn't seem very convinced when he said that...).
• Admissions decision will not be given only by the deadline date. It will be announced until that date. Different process from LBS, it seems.

My story (episode II)

So, in September 2002 I repeated the TOEFL (although it probably wouldn't have been necessary, since I was living in London for three years) and repeated the score (293). I must say that my current plans are to leave the engineering industry and start a new career in... consulting. Yes, that's right. Will these plans change during the MBA? Probably. :-)

Then I started researching for which schools to apply. Here's a brief description of that process:

1) London Business School

First pick. Great school, great reputation (now considered nº1 in Europe by the Financial Times 2005 Rankings), very interesting program allowing me to experiment different types of jobs (shadowing project, summer internship, 2nd year project), great list of recruiters (McK, BCG, etc.). Furthermore, I want to return to London! It's an amazing city and I certainly wouldn't mind living there forever. Another advantage: flights are becoming increasingly cheaper between Portugal (mainly from Porto) and London.

Application has been during stage 2 (R2) and I am now waiting for the interview decision, which will come out on the 11th February. So, fingers crossed.

2) Instituto de Empresa - Madrid

At first, this was probably my second pick, mainly because of the consistently good position in the FT Rankings. I then started researching about this school and tried to get in touch with students and alumni that could give me some useful feedback. There's an interesting thread about this school in the Business Week forums titled 'Bocconi, Instituto de Empresa or RSM'. I don't want to repeat everything in that thread and other things that I've found in spanish forums. However:

• it seems that IE is not considered as good as IESE or even ESADE in Spain;
• it is extremely good in entrepreneuship;
• it is considered an 'MBA factory';
• the recruiters list is not strong, for what I need;
• the exchange program is very poor;
• according to their Strategy Consultancy Day, the involved consultancy companies are not the ones I am looking for (yes.... McK and BCG).

I have my application complete and ready to be sent. However, I still am not sure if am going to apply for that school.

3) SDA Bocconi - Milan

This seems to be an interesting european school. However not ranked as high as IE in the FT Rankings, and not in the top positions in other rankings (like Wall Street Journal and Business Week), it seems to have a nice reputation in Europe, mainly in Italy (obviously) and in the UK. Here are some things that caught my attention regarding SDA:

• Although it's only a 14-month programme, it includes a 2-month internship or in-company project;
• Nice list of recruting companies and of companies involved in projects;
• Even fashion and automotive companies recruit at SDA (which may be extremely interesting!);
• Great exchange programme;
• It's in Milan! I love Italy and.... last but not least, my girlfriend will probably move to Milan in 2006.

My application is ready and will probably be sent this week.

4) IESE - Barcelona

Due to some disappointing information I got from IE, I decided to go for the top in Spain - IESE. It shares some good characteristics with LBS: good reputation, nice programme, great recruiting companies list, very interesting location. It also shares the most negative LBS characteristic: very VERY expensive!

Since my decision to apply for IESE is very recent (January 2005) I still don't have lots of specific information about this school (the type of information that you can't find in the brochures). However, I was able to arrange a meeting for today, with one of IESE's MBA Admissions Associate Directors. He is coming to Portugal for an Information Session scheduled for tomorrow and I will meet him later today. I hope to get more information about IESE and will certainly post something here in this blog.

5) RSM - Rotterdam

Another school that I started researching after changing my opinion about IE. I still don't know much about this school, but it seems very similar to SDA Bocconi, in terms of european reputation, placement records and programme. I finally received the email of an RSM alumni (another portuguese fellow) and will probably contact him in the next week or so.

And this is where I am now.

My story (episode I)

In 2001 I was working full-time in London on a specific project... and already bored with my engineering career. It was then that I started thinking more seriously on an MBA. After visiting an MBA Fair in London in 2002 and after reading 'Getting the MBA Admissions Edge' (great book, btw) I decided to apply for INSEAD and, probably, to LBS. However, due to the longer LBS program, I later decided to apply only for INSEAD (2002 September intake).

Here are some advices on preparing your application:

1) GMAT

Prepare very early!! I did my first GMAT on September 2001. However, I didn't like the results (630). I had used two books to study for the test:

• 'Cracking the GMAT': great book with great tips
  
• 'Barron's GMAT': very poor book. Reasonable math and english review, but lousy practice software.

I then bought 'The official guide for GMAT Review' by ETS, and practiced a lot! This is an essential book for everyone studying for the GMAT! In October 2001 I did the test again and achieved the desired result: 710.

2) TOEFL

Since I was working in the UK, this was an easy one. 293 was the result.

3) Essays

Very very important: write a true and unique story. Make yourself different from other applicants. And show initiative. Also, don't hesitate on using editors' services to correct your grammar and make your essays stand out even more. I used the EssayEdge.com editors and would recommend them every time!

After carefully preparing the application for INSEAD, I sent the entire pack on December 2001. Later that month, I received an email: I had been shortlisted for the interviews! Groooooovy!

But...

My interviews sucked big time. First one was with a finance guy, french. The guy did not smile even for once during the interview. However, I know now that I wasn't prepared enough. I did not have a specific and strong argument for the main questions "why MBA" and "why INSEAD". The second interview went a bit better, with an HSBC Strategic Marketing director. She even gave me a guided tour through the offices (f**ckin amazing building in Canary Wharf!!), but again... I now realise that my story and motivations were not strong.

So, in January 2002 I received the final decision from INSEAD. Obviously... ding.

I was devastated and truly disappointed. Also, it was late to start working on applications for other schools. So, after considering my options, I decided to stay in my job and earn some more money for the more expensive LBS MBA. Later in 2004, my work in the London project ended and I had to return to Portugal. It was time to start thinking again on the MBA.

(continues...)

And another MBA Blog is born...

"Oh no, not another geek creating his boring blog with his boring MBA experiences?! "

You may relax, mate. I'm no geek and this won't be boring.

...

Ok...

I'll rephrase that.

You may relax, mate. I'm no geek. Ok?

I just decided to start this blog because I have been looking for some extra information regarding the admissions process for European B-Schools and it hasn't been easy. Lots of americans with their diaries and stuff, but no european students.

So, as a new hobby and to help future MBA applicants, let's start writing something down.

...

Uhh.... how does this blog stuff work? Have to fiddle with this thing. I'll be with you tomorrow to describe my profile and the schools I have applied or will apply to.