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How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs (How to Get Into the Top Mba Programs) (平装)
by Richard Montauk
| Category:
B-school application, MBA guide |
| Market price: ¥ 288.00
MSL price:
¥ 268.00
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Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
A detailed overview of the top MBA programs with sure-fire strategies for getting into the school of one's choice, this classic MBA guide is a must-own resource if you're planning to get an MBA from a top school. |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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Fast Company Magazine (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
A veritable bible of the B-school application process. Montauk gives you the skinny on every aspect of the application game. |
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Rosemaria Martinelli (Director of Admissions, The Wharton School) (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
A great book-a terrific resource to help you navigate the process of applying to business school. |
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Linda Meehan (Assistant Dean, Columbia Business School) , USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
Wonderful, comprehensive, and thorough... extraordinarily useful. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
I am actually a professor at one of the top MBA programs in the country. My students tell me it is getting harder and harder to get into the best programs. That's especially true just now that the economy is bad - everyone decides to drop out of the economy for a couple of years, at the same time. Our applications are up 40-50%.
So yes, you could use some advice, and some of Montauk's is OK. But you should remember that NO book can change some basic facts about you: your GPA. Your work experience. Your basic intelligence. If you do not score well on EVERY one of these, you will probably not end up in what the book calls a "top" program.
Don't let that get you down - there are a lot of great programs out there. Instead of obsessing about whether you will get into Wharton (or whatever), obsess about learning more about LOTS of program, to find the one where you will FIT the best. This book does not really offer you any help in the way of describing the pluses and minuses of the various programs, so don't make this the first MBA admissions book you get.
That said, I found some useful pointers in this book, particularly when it comes to recommendations. Pick your recommendation writers wisely (make sure they know how to write!), and PREP them. Remind them what makes you special, send them a resume, etc. I write a dozen or more letters a year. The students who give me more information about themselves make it easy for me to help them stand out.
Give yourself enough time to take the GMATs more than once in case you are not happy the first set of results.
And (this one is mine, not Montauks) don't be in a hurry to do it this year if you don't have to. If you will be able to tell a better story about your work experience 12 months from now, wait to apply. Stronger work experience = stronger chance of getting in.
So to summarize - this book is OK but a book with detailed info about programs would be better. Concentrate on finding the right program for you instead of getting up high in the Business Week rankings. Pay attention to your recommendation letters. |
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Kevin O'Donnell (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
After scouring the web as well as print material, Richard Montauk's How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs is far and away the best resource available on the topic.
The book lays out a comprehensive battle plan to maximize your admissions odds. Packed full of tips, approaches and strategies, it's the ultimate toolkit for the journey.
Montauk has clearly done his homework. He includes plentiful quotes from top admissions directors on various aspects of the process. The book offers in-depth guidance on everything from selecting the right schools, to the all-important task of personal "packaging," to how to make the most out of the business school experience once you're in.
Among the features I found most useful were the matrix of applicants and their essays organized by pre-MBA job, undergraduate education, schools applying, and special issues such as overcoming a low GMAT score, weak quantitative background, the need to stand out in the applicant pool etc. I especially appreciated Montauk's specific recommendation of texts to bone-up on accounting, economics and finance in the spirit of "hitting the ground running."
Some have commented that this book is dated, but from my research it's still the definitive work on winning the admissions game for top B-schools. For those serious about the quest to enter an elite program, Montauk's work is a must have. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
Awesome book that really helped a lot. He helps you lay out a clear strategy for understanding how an admissions reader is likely to view you, how to think about the application process holistically, specific ways to differentiate yourself from others applying, and concrete steps to understanding what exactly to do for the recommendation.
he really emphasizes a strategic, comprehensive approach to applying.
He offers specific examples in each aspect (ie. here's what a good recommendation looks like, here's a bad one), what a successful essay looks like (unique & personal, not impressive and professional), and includes advice from admissions counselors at top schools that were extremely helpful (tell a story, and tell a story only you can tell).
The book does not give reviews of schools themselves and their differences, so you may need to buy another book and/or do additional research, but bang for your buck this is far and away the best book on getting into top programs out there. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
How to Get into the the Top MBA Programs is undoubtedly the most valuable source for solid, comprehensive, and (most importantly) proven advice for MBA applicants. I can speak first hand of this book's value : I was admitted into 7 schools, including my top two choices (Wharton and Harvard). Furthermore, I am from a non-traditional background. I also purchased other books on the market that paled in comparison to the breadth and insight of the information that Montauk provides. I also talked to many soon-to-be MBA students at Wharton's and HBS's Admit Weekends who also used this book throughout the application process. If you are even contemplating applying to a top MBA program, buy the book, read it, study it, and then apply the strategies and suggestions that Montauk proposes. The bottom line is this : if you have not read this book and your application is being positioned against other equal (or even less than equal) applications of people that have read this book, you are at a significant disadvantage. This guide is simply second to none. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
Even if you are not planning to apply to business school for a year or more, consider buying this book or another like it NOW. I bought this book right before I began filling out the actual applications. It was tremendously helpful, with its sample essays and advice about packaging your application. And I was lucky and did end up getting into a top business program, even though I had only a couple of years of work experience.
I do have one regret - I found myself wishing that I had bought the book significantly earlier.
Why? For a number of reasons, which all boil down to the fact that a great deal of Montauk's advice concerns things you should be doing well in advance of the actual preparation of the application, such as (1) deciding whether to apply and when; and (2) what things to do to strengthen whatever weak points you may have. While other reader reviewers are correct in that you cannot change certain things about yourself and your candidacy (e.g., your intelligence and undergrad GPA), you CAN be savvy about building up a resume and a compelling story about why you should be admitted to the schools to which you are applying. Montauk has different sections of advice for different types of candidates (such as the candidate with a weak undergraduate record, the older candidate, and the inexperienced candidate), and much of his advice relates to things you can do in the years before you apply. (For instance, those with weak undergrad GPAs should build up alternate transcripts from certain types of post-college courses. But to make use of that advice, you have to get that advice in time to take such courses!)
There is a reason why some kids start getting college counseling in 8th grade (a terrible phenomenon) - the successful applicant gets specific advice years ahead of time. Business school is no different. Montauk has an amazing amount of great advice, but a lot of it will be wasted if you wait until you are actually filling out the applications. Good luck!
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Igor Gershenson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
This year I got accepted to two well-known programs, and this book helped me a lot. every aspect of the admissions process is covered: essays, interviews (this was especially helpful), work experience, ratings,etc. Most importantly, this book gives you a very good idea of what your application should look like. This, of course, is only half the battle. You still have to accumulate some work experience, do your best on the GMAT, and so on. Nevertheless, this book will certainly help. Buy it as soon as you start thinking about applying, not 2 weeks before the application deadline. I would also ignore some of these one-star revews here. They really exaggerate the book's shortcomings and downplay its numerous strengths. Also, just a word of caution. The competition is so intense, it is absurd. The smartest people get rejected from top MBA programs, so unless you are Enstein, apply to at least 4-5 programs, if possible. |
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Agarwal (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-22 00:00>
I know that a professor from Ann Arbor, MI has already rated this book and provided a great review but I think applicants like me need a little more information about the book. Following review provides information that I wish I had access to, when I was looking for a guide to help me deal with the painful application process.
As the professor mentioned, this is really a great book. It covers all aspects of application process from preparing for GMAT to responding to schools once you have been invited to join the program.
However, there is something that professor mentioned about the book and that is incorrect. The book does tell an applicant to give herself enough time, an year or so, to apply.
Now on to more mundane task of describing the advantages of this book:
Montauk starts with the overview of the book, how to use it and how to get maximum benifit out of it. Do not miss this part. Think of it as a key to unlock the information presented in this book. Mantauk has clearly mentioned what is more important in each section of the book and what parts you can skip if you don't have enough time.
Once you are familiar with the structure of the book, proceed by reading just the executive summary of each chapter. This is a great way of getting the overview of the whole book and of the stages in application process! The book covers a lot of things, not all relevant to you. Reading the executive summary of each chapter can help you zero in on the section you need to focus right now without the fear of you missing any step! I found it very helpful and I gaurantee, so will you.
Some chapters like the one on writing your essays and getting recommendataion letters, are reasons enough for you to invest 16 bucks in this book. For weeks I was confused about how to ask for recommendations from my manager, how to approach him, what to say and how to convince him. Thanks to Mantauk, all that is taken care of and now I have great recommendation letters (perhaps the single most important requirement for admission).
Finally, Mantauk has included close to 150 examples of great essays that selected candidates wrote for vaious schools. This is the reason why I got interested in this book in the first place. Unlike many of you great writers, some of us do not have degrees in journalism. Infact, I confess that I scored a mere 5.0 in AWA and I have no clue what to say about myself or how to say it.
That is a big problem. Essays are the way for schools to find out about you, your background, your character, your values, your strengths and weakness. Essays are also an opportunity for you to convince school that you fit the program better than your competition. Any complacency here will mean a letter of rejection. I know this for sure because I talked to a GSB alumni who used to evaluate applicant essays.
Essay writing skills for us, non professional-writers, are not easy to acquire. However, they can be "learned" by reading this book. Don't get me wrong. I am not talking about copying the examples given in the book. Reading good essays will give you an idea of structure and organization. Once you have it, you can plug your information into that structure and voila! a decent essay created by you will be ready to be included in your application.
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1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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