To apply for an MBA, as a rule, you need to pass tests and write an essay. Exams for Russian programs may differ significantly from foreign ones, but, in general, domestic business schools use Western admissions practices for MBA courses.

Tests and essays for Western MBAs

When writing an essay for admission to an MBA program, a potential course student must not only express his own reasoned position on the proposed topic, but also identify a clear logical connection between the facts described. It is important to demonstrate good style: the essay should be easy to read and interesting. A subtle sense of humor is always welcome: the main thing is that the jokes are understandable and, of course, decent. The recommended length is from two hundred to one thousand words.

The essays are distinguished by their subjectivity, which is emphasized by the author's unique style. The genre provides for a relaxed manner of presentation, the use of colloquial vocabulary, aphorisms, and metaphors.

Business schools offer a variety of MBA essay topics, such as:

1. How has your management experience influenced your current career priorities and goals?
This is the so-called indirect question about goals. To cover the topic, you will need to clearly and concisely outline your current and long-term career priorities. Then you need to smoothly move on to a description of the factors that influenced your professional self-determination and indicate their connection with your managerial experience. It is very important to provide one or more living examples that clearly illustrate personal experience in the field of management.

2. Describe a time in your life when you had to face something irreparable. What did you learn and how did these events affect you?
Please note that the wording “something irreparable” is a clear euphemism, that is, a neutral expression,

which is used to confuse you, to mislead you. To cope well with the topic, you should remember and describe an event from your life in which you showed yourself to be much stronger and better than the average person would do. You can even slightly embellish events to present yourself in a favorable light. If you are confident in your writing skills, you can even invent such a situation.

A mistake that candidates often make in their essays is blaming others for their own mistakes or blaming everything on an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances. If you are not able to take responsibility for making decisions and for their consequences, then the admissions committee will consider that you are an immature person and cannot soberly assess situations and your role in them. At the end of the essay, you should describe what conclusions you drew from the incident, what measures you took to prevent this from happening in the future.

3. On your seventy-fifth birthday, one of your guests decided to give a eulogy dedicated to you and your life's journey. Describe what this person would say about you.
The topic is a great chance to demonstrate existing achievements, show how these successes will develop over time and acquire large-scale victories. Don’t get carried away by dreams: it’s better to focus on today’s assets. Explain what you can be proud of now and how this determines (in the past tense, according to the “legend” of the topic), your future path through thorns to the stars. Your long-term life priorities and plans, career goals can be included in this “speech”, of course, in the form of successful achievements.

1. Express your thoughts clearly and accurately. The answer to the question included in the topic of the essay must be complete, and the content of the essay must be plausible.
2. Don’t be shy to demonstrate your individual style: the commission must see the image of a real person.
3. Try to be as honest as possible, give as many details and examples as possible, and show a sense of humor.

For admission to an MBA, European and American business schools set passing test scores:

• GMAT or GRE (tests for knowledge of English, geometry, algebra and arithmetic, professional disciplines);
• TOEFL or IELTS (English language proficiency);
• LSAT (for MBA legal majors).

1. The first task consists of nine questions related to management work at the enterprise. For each, there are three to four answer options, from which the applicant must choose the one that, in the applicant’s opinion, is correct. For example: “In what areas of the company’s activities is outsourcing possible?” Answer options: “according to those providing”, “according to strategically significant”, “according to the most attractive on the market”.
2. Next, you need to succinctly but comprehensively answer nine questions in the questionnaire (all of them also relate to the field of management). For example: “What is 6 Sigma? Where are they used? Time for thinking is limited, and so are the fields for entering answers.
3. In conclusion, analyze the micro-case. A specific crisis situation is described. The test taker must outline the manager’s action plan aimed at eliminating it and preventing the problem from reoccurring.

How to write an essay when applying for an MBA

Today, educated youth are increasingly thinking about how to directly benefit from their diploma. The topic of obtaining an MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree is becoming increasingly popular...

Master of Business Administration (as this abbreviation translates) is the most well-known and popular academic master's degree in business management. This qualification is usually obtained in addition to existing higher education in order to acquire specialized knowledge and skills in the field of management.

The list of entrance exams in business schools must include writing an essay. Along with practical recommendations for writing it, it is worth recalling the direct meaning of this word...

An essay is a prosaic (less often poetic) work of small volume and free composition, treating a particular topic and conveying individual impressions and considerations related to it. Translated from French, the word “essai” means “attempt, trial, essay” (therefore, you probably should not write “Essay attempt” in the title of your work); In Latin there was a word "exagium" - "weighing".

The main feature of the essay as a genre is free composition. The sequence of presentation is subordinated only to the internal logic of the author's thoughts, motivation, connections between parts of the text are often associative in nature in the essay. Hence the special syntax - many incomplete sentences, interrogative and exclamatory constructions. There are ellipses in the punctuation, as if inviting co-reflection.

The essayistic style is distinguished by emphasized subjectivity, imagery, aphorism, and the use of colloquial vocabulary. It is characterized by individual improvisation in the interpretation of a work, any problem or topic, and a relaxed manner of presentation, in the spirit of a free conversation with the reader.

Most common topics

Questions about your contribution to learning and your versatility.

1) Tell me, what influenced your professional choice? Please tell us about your plans for the future professionally. How will your MBA degree impact your ability to achieve your goals?

2) Tell us about your career. Why do you need an MBA? How will your career develop after you receive your MBA?

3) Tell us more about what you plan to do in the near future and beyond after you receive your MBA. How will attending Darden help you achieve your goals?

4) Briefly tell us about your professional achievements. Tell us more about your plans for the future and what made you want to pursue an MBA from Kellogg University? 5) What are your plans after completing your MBA?

These are the most typical essay topics assigned by almost every business school. You must have a clear idea of ​​why you need an MBA and be able to prove it.

Questions are usually divided into several parts. Most of it concerns your past. Have you succeeded in business to date? What has this depended on so far? Your future. How will your career develop after you receive your MBA? What are your plans for the future? Or both.

It is expected that your answers will be somehow related to your desire to obtain an MBA degree.

Since this question usually comes first, your essay will be the first thing the admissions committee sees when they begin to review your documents. You must make a good impression. This can be compared to when you come to an interview and say hello and smile. Accordingly, your first essay should be written confidently, consistently, stick to the facts and stay on topic.

The admissions committee asks this question in hopes of gauging your level of motivation, maturity, and determination. While essays written by candidates may understandably be unclear about careers and future plans, an essay written by a graduate should be crystal clear and clear.

If you're not clear enough about why you need an MBA, you need to reconsider your decision to attend business school. Failure to clearly answer a question is equivalent to a hesitant handshake or an inability to look the other person in the eye.

The essay should contain a large amount of information, so special attention should be paid to its structure. You can expand on the topic by dividing your answer into 3 separate parts. The first may talk about your past work experience. In the second - a story about your goals and plans for the future. In the third, you should focus on the actual program of the business school you are applying to. When sharing your experience, you should highlight how your experiences, goals, and actions relate to your decision to pursue an MBA.

It is preferable to talk about only one of your goals, if, of course, it is the main one. If you have had experience working in several companies, you can talk about it. However, your arguments must be logically justified or clearly formulated. If you're truly unsure about your goals (sometimes hard to tell from a statement), then be honest about it rather than trying to make something up. At the very least, try to give a plausible explanation for your uncertainty, and explain why this particular school will help you overcome your doubts.

Emphasize how important this particular program is for you, how much it will allow you to develop your professional abilities and personal qualities. In order for you to do this easily, you will have to spend some time learning more about the school and yourself.

When you examine the school's program and how it markets itself, use only facts that you can relate to. Don't write what you think they want to hear. Members of the admissions committee will immediately understand your insincerity. They are also interested in your personal impressions and life experiences.

Therefore, if you try not to stand out from the bulk of applicants, this may work against you, even if your essay is well written. The more open you are about your goals and desires, the better your essay will be.

How can your life experiences, knowledge, and values ​​benefit us (Kellogg Business School)?

Will the student body become more diverse because of you? (1-2 pages printed double spaced)

Darden needs a diverse student body of future management professionals. What qualities of yours will be useful both to our school and to you as a promising manager?

Each question asked in the admission essay is aimed at achieving the same goal. Admissions officers want to know who you are, how you are different from others, and how you will contribute to the overall learning experience if accepted. In this case, this is asked directly. Since this is exactly what the admissions committee would like to know, this question is one of the most common. This is a question along the same lines as “Why do you need an MBA?” It simultaneously addresses the questions: “Why did you choose us?” and “Why should we choose you?” However, the question invites a more personal answer. While the question “Why do you need an MBA?” asked to find out what you have achieved, what you plan to do, and how the business school can help you with this, this question is aimed at finding out who you are and how you feel about the school. Essentially, “Why do you need an MBA?” about your experience, and other questions are about personal qualities.

After answering the first question about your experience, activities and goals, focus on your qualities and character traits. What sets you apart from many, how are you different from the rest? What can your friends and family say about you? Some people immediately understand the meaning of this question. But it happens that people write about their racial or moral qualities, but this rarely happens. A person who does not have much professional experience can use this question to turn his disadvantage into an advantage. Anyone with a talent or calling, such as an athlete or musician, can make this the topic of their essay.

Less noticeable qualities are also worth mentioning. If you consider yourself a fairly typical applicant with a wide range of interests, there is no need to worry that you do not have any special distinctive feature. You can list several qualities that you have. You are not the only one who has these qualities, but be that as it may, a sincere and truthful answer will speak in your favor. What words would people use to describe you? Do you like to take risks? Are you a very educated person? Are you a leader? Do you achieve your goals in unusual ways? A person of strong convictions? Are you a decent person? Can you work in a team?

The qualities themselves that you consider necessary to talk about are not as important as what they are based on. The question assumes that the answer will contain many adjectives and each of them must be supplemented with a true example. You can give examples from both your work experience and your personal life. Feel free to get creative and tell a story from your childhood, just be sure that it really helps illustrate your qualities.

Since the question is: “How can you be useful to our school?”, you are given an excellent opportunity to prove that you are striving to enroll in this particular school. Try to relate your goals to the school program. Convince the admissions committee not only that you are a perfect fit for business school, but their school.

Give two examples of your successful activities in the last 5 years, the results of which you can be proud of.

Describe the 3 most significant events in your life and explain why you consider them so important.

Share your accomplishments over the past 5 years that best reflect your ability to lead, and explain why you think so.

What do you consider your achievement? Why?

Your answer will say more about you than your achievements. And it will let the admissions committee know what you value, what you can be proud of, and what you are capable of achieving. A typical mistake that applicants make when answering this question is to repeat facts that have already been stated. For example, a bright student who has done well academically tends to emphasize his high GPA and GMAT scores. Anyone who has many awards or certificates will try to include them in the essay, thereby turning it into something more than an ordinary essay. To avoid this, it is specifically stated that you can choose one, two or three examples that you consider to be your achievements.

If you do choose an example that the committee is already aware of, such as your use of electromagnetic induction in Phi Betta Kappa transformations or a promotion that is reflected in your resume, then make your story more lively and energetic. Demonstrate what it cost you and the impact it had on you personally. Don't be afraid to show the committee members that you're proud of it. There is no place for modesty here. However, don't go to the other extreme, or it will look like you're promoting yourself. Try to tell your story without moralizing. You should not worry about keeping your essay short and to the point. You can write as much as you see fit.

If you are having trouble because you don't know which achievement to choose, remember that the best essays talked about humble actions. What you have achieved is interesting only when you yourself understand the importance of it and can talk about it vividly and expressively. Except where otherwise noted, you may talk about your professional activities, personal life, or examples related to your academic activities. Have you received praise from a taciturn and demanding leader? Have you ever lost a race and then improved on your own time? Have you worked day and night to make C and A in physics? Don't think about what they want to hear, think about what really makes you proud of yourself.

Are you a leader?

Describe the circumstances under which you demonstrated your leadership abilities. What exactly did you manage to do?

Give an example of two situations that occurred over the past 4 years in which you showed yourself as a leader. What were your organizational skills?

This question is similar in many ways to asking about your achievements. You can use a similar approach when answering this question. Talk about something that really happened to you and is of great importance to you, and not what you think will impress the commission. Don't limit yourself to mentioning cases specific to your career, especially if you are asked to provide multiple examples.

Also, the question asked has much in common with the problem of moral choice, because this very often requires the determination and ability of the leader to take responsibility. Take this into account and be prepared to answer, even if there are two questions. On the other hand, don't give this issue more attention than necessary. Questions concerning moral choice are difficult in themselves, which is not the case with this question.

Personal questions.

Give a specific example of something that shows you are improving.

In 30-40 years, looking back, will you be able to say that you have achieved a lot? What would be most important to you?

Tell us a little about yourself and your family. Where did you grow up, who are your parents, do you have brothers or sisters, and perhaps the most memorable event of your childhood.

What had a significant influence on your personal development (book, teacher, friend, relative, hobby, etc.)?

Is there anything in common between your personal improvement and your professional goals?

Tell us about yourself and the most significant events in your life that influenced you.

The questions you answer in your essay allow the admissions committee to get to know you better. By answering personal questions, you get the opportunity to talk about yourself without being limited by any boundaries, so be careful.

You will have to choose as it is impossible to touch everything, so act wisely. Some applicants are eager to tell absolutely everything, fearing that they will miss something important that could affect their chances of getting into the school. Resist the temptation to do the same. Instead, focus on two qualities that will give the admissions committee a complete picture of you as a person.

Most questions are worded in a way that allows you to use your imagination. Feel free and be yourself. If the question takes you by surprise, this means that the commission wants to hear an unprepared answer. Well, many applicants feel out of place. Trying to be objective, they end up avoiding the question by using long, meaningful phrases. They are making a big mistake because the point of this essay is to let you understand what kind of person you are. Write sincerely and from the bottom of your heart.

Personal questions are not standard; each school asks about something different. But even if the questions differ from one another, there are 3 main areas: your personality, your personal goals or your life experience.

Questions on general topics (Invaluable experience, achievement, or risk; Important event; Person you respect; Plans for the future).

Determine how significant a particular experience, achievement, or situation in which you took a risk was for you, and how it affected you.

Asking about your strengths and positive qualities allows the admissions committee to judge your values ​​in life, what you are proud of, and what you can achieve. A typical mistake when answering this question is repeating already known facts that you used in the package of documents. Don't try to mention every fact on your resume. If you nevertheless chose any achievement that you talked about earlier, try to present a vivid and emotional description of this event. Tell us what it cost you and how it all affected you personally. Don't be afraid to show that you're proud of it. There is no place for modesty here. However, don't go to the other extreme, or it will look like you're promoting yourself. If you decide to just tell the story, you have nothing to worry about.

Are you having trouble because you don't know which achievement to choose? Remember that the best essays were about modest actions. What you have achieved is interesting only when you yourself understand the importance of it and can talk about it vividly and expressively. Except where otherwise noted, you may talk about your work, personal life, or examples related to your academic activities. Have you received praise from a taciturn and demanding leader? Have you ever lost a race and then improved your own time? Have you worked day and night to make C and A in physics? Don't think about what they want to hear, think about what really makes you proud of yourself.

For the second part of the question, they are hoping to get an honest answer from you about who you really are. When talking about your maturity, don't go overboard by talking about what a terrible person you once were compared to what a great guy you are today. Nobody changes fundamentally. In addition, the image of how you used to be may be well remembered by the commission. Also talk more about who you are today and less about your past. Finally, describe the actual events and how everything happened to prove what you achieved as a result of the actions you took. Examples could be famous people or real events. But in reality, a person can only change for the better through hard work, effort and the desire to become better.

An important event.

Talk about a personal, national or international event and state how important it is to you.

This question is one of the most difficult, answering it, you still have to talk about yourself. If an event really means a lot to you or you have an opinion about it, talk about how it relates to your life. What specifically from your experience, your childhood, affected you? Does this concern you personally? Be prepared to consider both sides of the issue and show that you can think logically and objectively. You should not be biased or stubborn. And yet, you better refrain from generalizations that are beyond your competence.

A person you respect.

What person, literary character, historical figure or work of art (in painting, music, etc.) had a significant influence on you, tell us more about it.

The answer to this question allows you to find out what kind of person you are, under the influence of which you were formed as a person. Students make the mistake of thinking that this question is about a specific person. They begin to describe in detail those who had a significant influence on them, going into detail, without relating these facts to themselves. For school, it doesn't matter who your uncle was or a fictional character. It is important what influence he had on you and how it was expressed.

Your values ​​in life can be revealed by how you describe your manager. So, you can learn a lot about a person by meeting his friends. When in doubt, try comparing the impressions of those who admire an energetic athlete with those who admire a talented but passive scientist as an example. It is impossible to say whether this is good or bad - all people are different.

There are no wrong answers here. What matters most is not how you characterize a person, but who you choose as an example. In other words, don't choose someone with a big name that you think will impress the admissions committee. Your choice will not bring the expected effect. Pay attention to this. Applicants often talk about their parents. If you are talking about your father, there is no doubt that you have a lot to say, but remember that your essay should stand out from the crowd.

Future plans.

Why do you want to spend two years going to business school? How will obtaining a degree affect your achievement of your goals?

You should have the necessary information about the school you are applying to before you start writing your essay. This question assumes that you will be talking about this particular school. When answering a question like this, keep in mind the factors that are critical to you. This will help you avoid insincerity and flattering statements, which are undesirable when writing an essay. If you answer honestly and support your thoughts with facts, then your essay will inspire confidence primarily in yourself.

It is not easy to express your thoughts freely and at the same time truthfully. Don't be overconfident or, on the contrary, too modest. Show that you have a thorough knowledge of the business school. Be honest and justify your opinion.

Questions about your interests and hobbies

Tell us about one of your hobbies. What do you prefer to do in your free time outside of work, and why are you interested in it? In my free time I... Besides work, my favorite thing is... What do you enjoy in your free time from work and study? These types of questions are a good opportunity for you to provide more information about yourself by talking about what you do in your free time. Business schools prefer their students to be well-rounded individuals. Your professional activity is just part of a whole. It is important for business school that you are active outside of your business. It is well known that many ideas that are subsequently successfully implemented occur while you are not at work, so your activities outside of work hours often affect your business activities. In addition, fun, unusual and interesting people have the ability to bring excitement to everything they do: work or study. Their passion, commitment and willingness to sacrifice themselves are passed on to others. You have a great opportunity to demonstrate the leadership abilities you have demonstrated in any field.

Questions about your mistakes and failures.

If you believe that successful managers are able to learn from their mistakes, describe a similar situation that happened to you. What did you learn as a result?

An applicant's claim that he is an ideal person will be treated as a joke at best. No one is perfect, and the admissions committee does not expect perfection from you. This question instills fear in potential students. However, there is nothing complicated about it. The only thing you don't have to do is hide anything.

Mistakes are often made with good intentions. It happens that admirable qualities lead to a mistake: your initiative, leadership or willingness to take risks. Every leader, trying to use new methods in his work, made a mistake at least once in his life. If you are honest and open about your mistake, people will remember not the mistake itself, but your attitude towards it. In addition, the commission is not going to judge you for your failure, they are interested in how you managed to improve the situation. The only way not to answer such a question is to evade the answer. If you talk about abstract topics or give some common example, the panel may doubt your integrity and maturity or your ability to be a leader, take risks and think outside the box.

If you can't figure out what you should talk about, here are a few rules to help you:

1. Give an example from the recent past. If you talk about something that happened a long time ago, the commission will consider that you have avoided answering.

2. Don’t limit yourself to talking about your failures in your professional activities, but don’t hide them either. The committee understands the risks you take by speaking up about failures at work and will advise you on how to act honestly and candidly.

3. Do not talk about too serious misconduct - this may make the commission doubt your integrity. Your mistake shouldn't shock anyone.

If you can't pinpoint what you learned as a result or remember what you did to correct the situation, it's best to give another example. When you answer, try to be objective. Don't try to justify your actions. Let the facts speak for themselves. Write as briefly as possible.

Questions about the ideal leader

Tell us, who is your professional role model?

What qualities do you think an outstanding manager should have? Have you ever met or even worked with such people? Tell us how his/her leadership style influenced you?

If you could choose, what would you like to be and why?

Business schools receive information about your professional development as you talk about your manager. They draw conclusions based not only on what you learned, but also who you learned from. However, your answers make it clear what is valuable to you. So, you can learn a lot about a person by meeting his friends. If in doubt, try comparing the impressions of those who admire an energetic, outgoing manager or, conversely, a talented but passive manager.

What matters most is not how you characterize a person, but who you choose as an example. In other words, don't choose someone with a big name that you think will impress the admissions committee. Your choice will not bring the expected effect. If your manager is a well-known person, be prepared to provide credible examples of your work together, talking about specific lessons you learned as a result of your collaboration. Your essay should be short and clearly written. Never exaggerate your manager's qualities to your detriment. You can admire him, but not worship him. In other words, choose a mentor, not a hero. A mentor has qualities to strive for, but becoming a hero is still beyond our capabilities.

If you have to give two examples, try comparing completely different people or people who are not related to your professional activity. Show that you took only the best from them. As always, provide specific examples. When describing these people, tell them what influence they had on you. Don't just describe their positive qualities, but explain what exactly they were.

You can follow this plan:

1. State the name of your supervisor and describe the circumstances under which you met.

2. Name the qualities of your leader that you admire.

3. Show with one or two examples how these qualities were manifested.

4. Share what you learned from your manager. Which of these are you currently using yourself?

5. Be precise. Give specific examples of what you learned. Describe how this happened and how you used this experience to achieve professional success.

The question could be, “If for one day you could be...” This question could be about your ideal career as well as your choice of role model. If the previous question was about an exemplary leader, then here they want to know from you about your ideal. You don't have to make your answer close to reality, feel free to write what you want. However, do not forget what conclusions the admissions committee may draw from your choice. Unlike the ideal leader question, you can be more concise here. Just tell us who you would be and explain why. Did you choose this person because he is similar to you or, on the contrary, he is not similar? Could you really learn a lot from your manager or just experience something new? Are you seriously looking at his career as a role model or are you kidding?

The following are 8 points that admissions officers say are “very important to successful essay writing.” Be sure to follow these tips and remember the main goal of writing an essay is to convince the admissions committee that you will fit perfectly into the atmosphere of this particular business school.

8 Essential Essay Writing Tips

1. Data presented

No matter what question you answer, you need to achieve certain goals. You are expected to keep the following in mind when writing your essay:

Have I answered the question asked?

How clearly and accurately did I express my thoughts?

Does what I wrote sound natural, are there any mistakes?

Once you've finished working on one essay or set of essays for a particular school, look at everything as a whole. Make sure that in all or at least one essay, you:

Demonstrated your desire to study at business school

Were “targeted” at this school

Included in the story from one to three qualities, strengths, characteristics that distinguish you from the mass of other candidates

Present at least one compelling argument in favor of the admissions committee enrolling you in their school.

2. Communication and writing skills

Essays are also designed to test your ability to put thoughts on paper and your writing skills. The admissions consultant says: “Your essay should not characterize you as a future writer or philologist, you are a future leader, manager. The ability to present your ideas well is important to success in business, and those who communicate easily with other people have the ability to express them on paper.” A poorly written essay will not help you get accepted into the school.

3. The image of a real person

The admissions committee wants to see in the essay the image of the person who wrote it. Not only test results and work experience are important, but also the character of the candidate. “We are looking for something elusive in the documents that the numbers (GMAT, TOEFL, GPA) cannot show, so we hope to find it in the essay. Never miss the opportunity to tell us about yourself in your essays. This will help us make sure that we are considering a real person, and not just a sum of various indicators.”

Admissions representatives always give applicants the same advice. Although it can be expressed in different ways (Be honest, sincere, unique, etc.), its essence does not change: be yourself!

Admissions committees believe that often applicants really want to seem like someone: a leader, a mature person, that they forget to be just a person!

4. Individuality

The only way to ensure that the selection committee sees the image of a specific person behind all the documents is to introduce an element of personal, unique, unique into the essay. Your essays will immediately become more interesting and attention-grabbing. They will help you stand out among hundreds of other applicants whose candidacies were considered by the admissions committee that same week.

“The essay should be as personalized as possible. It's boring to read essays that are full of general phrases - it's a waste of time. You still won’t understand anything about the personality of this candidate.”

Everything you write in an essay must be supported by examples and references to your experience. Details will make your essays interesting, unique, and specific.

6. Distinctive features, uniqueness, something interesting, funny

According to one member of the admissions committee, “applicants should not be afraid that they will go beyond what is permissible; it is better to be themselves. Quite often, applicants are concerned about whether they can make the right impression, so they remove from the essay everything that makes them stand out. Essays that are so safe from the point of view of applicants are quite tedious to read.”

You don't have to be funny in your essays to make them interesting. However, try to use every means at your disposal to make your essays memorable.

7. Honesty

The admissions committee does not tolerate applicants who like to show off. It will be better if you reflect the true state of affairs in your essay. At the same time, do not focus on your shortcomings, although they are present in your character. You have to be honest but positive. Speak only positively about yourself and your qualities! So-called “weaknesses” should be presented as follows: “this used to be my shortcoming, but now it has turned into a positive quality.”

8. Literary work

Admissions officers love essays, which are a pleasure to read. “Make sure your essay is easy to read. Give it a little more time: check whether your thoughts are consistent and whether they lead to the logical conclusion of the topic.”

“Humor is a great tool, but use it wisely. A sarcastic or cocky tone is often annoying. True humor is an art, it is a sign of good taste.”

In your essays, you tell a story of success and indicate the reasons why you want to study at business school. You can go even further by writing an essay in the form of a literary work: a story, a novella. However, this is a risky approach because most people are not very good writers, and it can detract from the seriousness of your story. Finally, admissions committees won't admit you to a school just because you're a great storyteller.

Common mistakes when writing essays

Unlike tests, essays do not have a multiple-choice format (when you are offered several answer options to choose from). Writing an essay is not limited in time, you can rewrite it many times, ask friends to read your essay. Take advantage of all the opportunities and try to avoid common mistakes.

Bad check

Don't think that you can limit yourself to just checking spelling. Re-read your essays and make sure that there are no ambiguous expressions, unfortunate phrases, etc.

Tiring prefaces

Not enough parts

Too often, an interesting essay fails by listing statements without illustrating them with examples. The essays are filled with the usual clichés: the importance of hard work and perseverance, learning from mistakes, etc.

Verbosity

Essays are limited to a certain number of words, so you need to manage this amount wisely. Sometimes this means abandoning some ideas or details, especially if they have already been mentioned somewhere or are not directly related to the matter. Such things only distract the reader's attention and overshadow the main topic of the essay.

Colloquial speech

Avoid using slang, cliched phrases, shortening words, or an overly frivolous tone in your essay. The language used in essay writing should be taken seriously. Only some non-traditional parts of the essay, presented in the form of a story or dialogue, should use elements of spoken language. An informal approach is only acceptable when the writer is trying to achieve a specific effect.

Long phrases

The longer the sentence, the better - this is what some candidates think. However, this is far from the truth. Long phrases do not prove the author is right, and short sentences often have a greater effect. It is best when the essay alternates long phrases with short ones. Try reading the essay out loud. If you feel like you're running out of breath, break the paragraph into smaller paragraphs.

When you finish writing your essay, do this exercise.

Assign a letter to each paragraph: either S (short), M (medium), or L (long). S – less than 10 words, M – less than 20 words, L – 20 or more words.

A good essay has the following or similar letter order - M S M L M S.

A boring essay is characterized by the following sequence of letters - S S S M L L L. ***

Don't overload your essay

When writing an essay, discard words from encyclopedias. Incorrect use of such words distracts the reader's attention and diminishes the importance of the essay.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you will be able to interest the admissions committee.

How to write an essay
Mikhail Priorov (online editor), based on materials from Essayedge
http://essay-mba.narod.ru/business.html

Contact me if you have any questions

Why do you need an MBA? Does a diploma really increase your salary several times or does it just hang beautifully in a frame on your office wall? Do employers value an MBA, or is it a “crazy degree” that also costs a lot of money? Once you know the answers to these and other questions, you will decide for yourself whether such an investment will be profitable.

Once upon a time, MBA graduates resembled members of the Masonic lodge or the secret organization “Skulls and Bones” - there were few of them, they were talked about with aspiration. Today, only the lazy do not issue an MBA diploma in the United States, and in Russia, opinions are divided: some believe that a “Master of Business Administration” diploma automatically introduces an ordinary financier into the circle of the business elite, others are convinced that an MBA is a whim for money. The truth, as usual, is somewhere nearby.

MBA (Master of Business Administration) is a business management degree that is valued all over the world. MBA graduates from a variety of schools, from Yale University to Moscow State Technical University. Bauman, today there are millions. And if your boss periodically arranges field trips for the whole office, cross-testing employees and asks everyone to come to the New Year’s party in carnival costumes, it means that somewhere in the depths of his office he probably has an MBA diploma - the notorious “team spirit” is also taught there . This popularity of the training system is understandable: teaching is based on real examples, all information is practical and even fundamental economic knowledge is not required. There is only one mission - to teach how to manage: people, time, money.

Programs The standard MBA (General Management) course is designed for everyone who wants to join the world of business and learn something new. Only executives and top managers with work experience are accepted for the Executive MBA (EMBA) program. You can study full-time, in the evening department, or online.

Price from $9,000 to $100,000 for the entire course. Skills Unlike highly specialized advanced training courses, you will listen to lectures on all major areas of management: accounting, finance, marketing, sales, operations management, information systems, human resources. You will gain quite practical skills: analytical, leadership, negotiation, business etiquette, business English...

Why yes"

Despite what the skeptics say, the MBA is a powerful educational system. The best managers among teachers, the latest management mechanisms, intelligible presentation of material... And the selection of candidates for prestigious schools in the world is strict - there are no random people in them. For example, it is extremely difficult to enter the London Business School without a higher education in economics, although theoretically the specialty is not important for obtaining an MBA (a higher education is necessary). In terms of time, studying on MBA courses will take at least 1,000 academic hours, that is, 1.5-2 years, depending on what mode of study you chose: full-time or evening. You will have to study in person for ten or more hours a day - there will be no “freebies,” as they say.

It will be fun. The training is structured in such a way that you sit with your head thrown back and think: “Fly! There's a fly on the ceiling! How does she hold on there with her little paws?..” - you don’t have to.

You can have no doubt about the quality of the knowledge you will receive. And good knowledge is an excellent addition to highly developed intuition.

All these trainings and collective mind games expand your consciousness - you will see the prospect of growth in that area of ​​finance or business that previously seemed like a dead zone to you.

Even if there is no immediate result, over time the new knowledge will begin to pay dividends and will be useful in one way or another in life.

Why not"

It just so happens that the richest people in the world, who are also brilliant leaders (Bill Gates, Roman Abramovich, etc.), do not have MBA diplomas (and some do not have any diplomas at all). Which didn’t stop them (and maybe even helped) soar to dizzying heights. They say that leaders are born. One can argue which is better: intuitively feeling the way to the goal through trial and error or using someone else’s experience without reinventing the wheel of the bicycle every time. Due to the popularity of the MBA, a standard general management program is no longer sufficient;

A lot of specialized courses have appeared. These programs are most often ordered by large industry companies that need not just a good manager, but a logistics manager or an HR manager - that is, not a general place, but a person with specialization. It was the specialized MBA, despite its good intentions, that gave rise to many incidents when the “MBA in horse breeding” and the “MBA in sauna management” arose.

An MBA is not a magic wand that turns your resume from an A4 piece of paper into a bar of gold in two years. Employers still look first at the “work experience” column and only then at “education.” And several successful projects that you have implemented in a short time will say more about you than the big letters “MBA”. How your salary will change after completing your degree is difficult to predict. In the West, graduates of leading schools receive several hundred thousand dollars annually. The income level of graduates, by the way, is one of the criteria by which the ranking of MBA schools is compiled (they are published by the World Street Journal, Financial Times, Business Week and others). Course participants in Russia do not have such guarantees.

When applying for an Executive MBA, work experience is required in order to weed out completely random people, horse breeders and bathhouse attendants. But often this is all there is to it: for many Russian schools it is not profitable to tighten the competition, so in one group there may be people not just of different ages, but also of experience and education, at different stages of career growth;

Many people go to courses to find their employer there. An empty idea. EMBA top managers, who could hypothetically arrange your life, study at a different time, often individually and do not intersect with you (unless you yourself are a top manager, of course, but then employment is not your concern).

Where is it better: away or at home? Experienced specialists believe that a Western MBA is more prestigious and is valued higher by employers. Russian schools do not have many years of teaching experience and have smaller budgets. However, at a domestic business school they will tell you about Russian reality, and you will not have to adapt someone else’s “charter” to your own “monastery”.

Westerners

In terms of money, a Western MBA is a complete ruin. Start from the figure of $50,000 - half, in fact, for courses at an average “lousy” university and the same amount for living expenses. If you only dream of such amounts, you can take out a loan: in Europe, since 1995, the Investing in an International MBA Loan Program has been operating, created by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Dutch bank ABN Amro Bank. In the States, MBA loans are issued, in particular, by Citibank. If you are enrolled in school, you do not pay on the loan throughout the course of study (no interest is charged), and some banks exempt you from payments for another 3-6 months after completing the courses: they give you time to become a big boss, then you will pay off. If you don’t want to deal with loans, find out about the opportunity to undergo training at the company’s expense - what if your boss agrees to this?

Getting into a Western school is not easy: you need to write an essay, pass two serious language exams, pass an interview... The more prestigious the school, the more difficult it is to get in: the administration is sensitive to ensuring that applicants are already among the business elite. Applicants know this and strive to get into top-ranked educational institutions without sparing their wallets. The chance to establish profitable connections with the best representatives of world business at prestigious universities is very great. It’s easier to get into Russian business schools, but the contingent there is more diffuse. Western MBA schools are focused on international business, so a specialist with a degree is most in demand in multinational companies.

Slavophiles

There are only 30 officially accredited MBA schools in Russia that have the right to issue a state diploma (for the full list, see the website of the Russian MBA League http://www.mba.su/). Among the prestigious ones:

1. Academy of National Economy (ANH) under the Government of the Russian Federation;
2. Graduate School of Business, Moscow State University;
3. Higher School of Economics;
4. Moscow International Higher Business School "MIRBIS";
5. All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

Prices are 2-3 times lower than abroad. At the Academy of National Economy, for a two-year “Master of Business Administration” course, you will be charged about $15,000. At the Moscow State University Higher School of Business - approximately $17,000. At the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade, a standard MBA course costs around $10,000.

Many Russian schools cooperate with Western ones, for example, with the Hayward Business School, the French Grenoble Ecole de Management, and the University of Antwerp, which adapt their case studies to “these Russians.” Classes, however, are taught in English by foreign teachers. All necessary training materials are usually provided free of charge.

Let them teach me

So, you have decided to join the slender and ambitious ranks of MBA school graduates. What's next?

Where to go First, choose the school where you want to get your MBA. It's up to you to decide whether it's price or rating. Contact representatives of the school (all contacts are on the official websites), write them a letter - preferably in the language of the country where you are going to study, or in English. In response, they will send you a proposal - which course you are in time for, what documents are required for admission, a list of exams and basic requirements.

What papers do you need to collect? If you have chosen a Western school, in addition to a passport, a diploma with an insert, a work record book, translated and certified, an essay on the topic “Why do I need an MBA,” you can provide a recommendation - from an MBA graduate or a major executive. The higher the status of the school from which your “guarantor” graduated, the better. In your recommendation, it is advisable to answer the same questions that you will be asked at the interview: how will an MBA help you in your work; what are you aiming for; where do you see your career in five years; what excites or frustrates you about being a manager; Have you ever encountered ethical problems at work? It is important for the teacher to get a full understanding of you: your professional qualities, your ability to work (and therefore learn) in a team, and even your morality (in the West, unlike Russia, the ethical point is perhaps the most important in any sphere).

What to prepare for First of all, improve your English. You will have to pass two language tests: GMAT (General Management Admission Test) and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Moreover, you can either take them on the spot, or bring your diplomas and take the tests themselves, for example, in Russia (GMAT is accepted, in particular, at the Academy of National Economy).

The first test, the GMAT, is a general test that tests the mathematical, verbal, and analytical abilities of business school applicants. A kind of testing of reactions, like in a neurologist’s office. Universal advice: do not rely on “creativity” or a sense of humor, but on logic. She is evaluated first of all (besides her impeccable knowledge of English, of course). You will be given 3.5 hours to complete the test, each part will be given a separate score and in total you will receive from 200 (“fail”) to 800 (“excellent”) points.

The TOEFL test is a standardized exam for non-native speakers and is required for admission to most colleges in the USA, Canada and other English-speaking countries. Read three passages from fiction or a newspaper article without hesitation, answer questions, take notes on several short lectures, write an essay on the topic and tell a couple of interesting stories - the test is passed.

How much money to take with you If you are enrolled in one of the best schools in the world, tuition will cost you from $30,000 per year, take the same amount for living expenses: housing, food, travel and insurance.

"What are your future professional goals?"
is a classic question from the admissions committees of most business schools. Often this question is accompanied by variations: “Why do you need an MBA education?”, “How will an MBA at our school help you achieve your goals?” and so on. How to talk about your goals in such a way that, firstly, answer all the obvious and hidden questions of the admissions committee; secondly, to interest her; and thirdly, present your professional path in a “perspective” where past experience is logically linked to future goals (or, conversely, shows the turning point where you decided to change your professional path), while maintaining a clear structure of presentation?

The goals you share with the admissions committee should be based on your past experiences. Otherwise it is difficult to believe in them. If you are continuing your career in a certain direction, it is enough to briefly describe where you are now, what you want, what you have for this, and why you need an MBA to make it happen. An MBA here will act as a necessary step for developing certain skills or obtaining certain knowledge or experience. Your goal is to show how earning it will accelerate your career or enable you to act in a new function or company in your industry.

Career changers: a story about goals with two unknowns

Candidates looking to change industries or functions often ask, “How can I make my goals credible and convince the admissions committee that I can be a change agent in a field I haven’t worked in yet?”

Agree, it is difficult to describe your path several years ahead in a completely new field. It is difficult to predict how it will develop, especially if you are not an expert in it. What's important here? First of all, make sure you are up to date with the latest news, trends and developments in the field. If you have never crossed paths with her, try to talk to people who work there, perhaps in a position that interests you. This way, you can understand what the person in the desired position does and what prospects may await you. For a complete picture, it is also advisable to talk to a person in a higher position. In a word, be prepared to find out and tell if necessary: ​​where is the industry heading and where will it go in 2-3 years? What companies operate there? Which one attracts you and why? What major events have happened in this industry recently? Why is she attractive to you?

Candidates who are truly interested in changing industries or functions typically come to consultations already knowledgeable about the latest news in their industry or with an understanding of what people in their desired role do.

Secondly, it is necessary to show exactly how you are going to express yourself in this new area for you, tell what results you plan to achieve and how. That is, pay more attention to the second part of the “perspective”, again, clearly demonstrating Why does it need an MBA?. This is the only way you will be able to convince the admissions committee that you have specific goals, not unfounded dreams, and, moreover, a plan to achieve them.

Homework: SMART and SWOT

Russian realities build into our mentality the flexibility to respond to frequently changing circumstances - sometimes to the detriment of long-term planning. We often have to conduct brainstorming sessions, where together with candidates we work through options and goal setting in the essay.

So before you formulate your goals for business school, try using the technique SMART. After all, this is exactly the answer to the question about your goals that the admissions committee wants to receive: that they be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.

In addition, before writing an essay, including an essay about goals, many candidates first do SWOT of his candidacy. You can start from what you currently have: what professional and personal experience you have (work, membership in organizations, clubs, charity, etc.). Based on this, what strengths and weaknesses can you note in yourself? What opportunities do you have? What threats exist to your career growth? It is useful to do the same analysis of your profile at the time of graduation to understand the difference. This can be difficult because you are not always sure whether your aspirations will remain the same as today or will change due to electives/internships/on-campus career opportunities/interactions with classmates and other factors that arise during the course of your studies. . However, imagine yourself after completing your studies and try to complete the matrix. If there are too many unknowns, get help (or a consultant).

Why do you need an MBA from this particular school?

Implicit questions – why are you applying for an MBA, why now and why to this school– should be addressed in the essay about goals (unless, of course, the school openly separates them into separate essays). In this case, the choice of schools in the essay should be given special attention, regardless of the text’s limitations in terms of words or characters.

A recurring but unconvincing argument in the school choice narrative is the “top” of the school. Imagine how many essays members of the admissions committee read. Probably, each of the candidates could make this argument. How do the candidates differ from each other? This is where you need to convince the admissions committee that this school will help you become an agent of change. What will you bring to the school? How do you use its wide capabilities? How will this particular school's program improve your chances of achieving your goals?

Master of Business Administration is the most prestigious degree in business education that appeared in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. and is recognized today throughout the world. Features of the MBA are its focus on practical experience and coverage of various areas of management. Theory is given a relatively small place in the overall structure of the course - the main focus is on working with “real” situations (case-studies).

Specialization of MBA programs

In addition to the standard MBA program in General Management, specialized MBA courses have recently become widespread. They are conventionally divided into two groups: sectoral (for example, banking, construction, oil and gas sector) and functional (finance, marketing, logistics, etc.). Industry programs are mainly created for orders from large companies. In Russia, in addition to General Management, there are also specialized programs in finance, IT, logistics, marketing, and HR. Of the industry programs on the Russian market, there are MBAs with specialization in real estate management, hotel and tourism business. In the West, the emphasis is not on the variety of programs, but on how the school has proven itself in certain areas of study. “A Western school can afford to maintain a serious staff of professors conducting research in many areas. Due to this, within the framework of a standard MBA program, students are offered more elective courses,” explains a project manager of a large Russian company. “In Russia, school budgets are more modest, the staff of teachers is smaller, so it is more profitable to immediately recruit groups that completely complete either a general or a specialized program "

There are also Executive MBA (EMBA) programs, which in the Russian version are not much different from standard MBAs. In the West, EMBA is designed for top managers with solid professional experience. Classes in this program are conducted on the job, and the cost of training is usually higher than for an MBA.

Business schools and degrees

Previously, the only way to get a Western MBA was to study abroad. Today there are programs developed jointly by Western and Russian business schools that allow students to obtain a Western-style diploma without leaving the country and saving a significant amount of money. Such joint programs are based on a Western training course, adapted to Russian specifics, including in terms of case-studies. As a rule, training is conducted in Russian by domestic teachers, but knowledge of business English is necessary.

Many Russian business schools use domestic programs, but at the same time, tests and thesis project are sent to a Western business school for verification. Upon completion of the course, the graduate receives Russian and Western diplomas.

There are also a number of schools (for example, the American University of Business Administration) that offer tailored American MBA programs that include American cases. Teaching is conducted in English, graduates receive a Western diploma. Of course, a Western diploma issued at the end of a joint program is a weak competitor to a similar document received after studying at a Western school.

Experts note that universities that are not “top” in the West have joint programs with Russian schools (with the exception, for example, of the Stockholm School of Economics). Therefore, if not only a Western diploma is important to a candidate, but also the brand of a top ten university, then studying abroad remains the only option.

Ratings of Russian business schools began to appear relatively recently. It is more difficult to navigate in Russian rankings than in Western ones, due to the use of different methodologies, the lack of a sufficient statistical base on graduates, etc. In general, in all known studies, the top three included:

• Higher School of International Business of the Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation;
• NOU "Moscow International Higher Business School "MIRBIS"";
• Higher School of Corporate Management of the Academy of Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation.

The Graduate School of Business of Moscow State University was the first among Russian educational institutions to be included in the international ranking compiled based on the results of 2004 by the consulting company QS TopMBA. It took 36th place in the list of European schools.

Forms and conditions of training

When choosing a form of training, applicants are offered a wide variety of options. Full-time study involves immersion in the educational process with complete separation from work. The duration of study in American business schools is usually two years, in European ones - a year. But there are also two-year programs, for example at London Business School. Full-time classes are held in classrooms and take about ten hours a day, or even more if we are talking about European schools such as INSEAD. Recently, both in Russia and in the West, evening and modular MBA programs have become very popular: in dynamic modern conditions, managers do not want to leave their jobs and devote themselves entirely to study for a whole year or even two. Modular programs are convenient for students from other countries or cities. The course is structured so that students study at home without interruption from work, and come to school on schedule to attend classes and take exams. Evening programs, as well as modular ones, allow you to undergo training without serious damage to your work life. “The advantage of this form of training is that the knowledge gained can be immediately applied in practice,” says the commercial director of a diversified production holding, a student of the evening MBA program at a Russian school. - And it’s not just possible, but rather even necessary. The flow of new information is enormous, and if it is not consolidated in practice, most of it is soon forgotten. Although, of course, the experience and cases from practicing teachers working in one sector of the economy cannot always be directly applied to business from another area.”

A number of Russian schools offer so-called mini MBA programs. If a standard two-year MBA has about 1000 hours of study, then mini MBA students complete the course in 192 hours. Similar programs are conducted by the Russian School of Marketing, which was the first in the Russian market to offer a mini MBA. In addition, some Western and Russian business schools offer distance learning programs. But in any case, the exams are taken in person. Although, if a Western business school has a partner in our country, then the exams can be held in Russia.

Price

The cost of training in Western and Russian business schools can vary several times. An MBA degree applicant in Russia will need to invest an average of about 11-13 thousand dollars in his education. Obtaining an MBA in the West, depending on the university and program, costs from 20 to 100 thousand dollars. In addition to direct costs of training, there are also indirect ones - payment for medical insurance, food, textbooks, etc. With the full-time option, their amount can range from half to the full cost of the annual tuition fee. Not everyone can afford this. However, experts advise not to panic: the costs can be offset by a student loan, a grant from a special fund or a business school scholarship. Loans are the most common method of paying for tuition used by many students. Since 1995, the Investing in an International MBA Loan Program has been operating in Europe, created by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Dutch ABN Amro Bank. A number of European schools implement their own student education programs on credit based on agreements with large banks. In America, many business schools cooperate with Citibank, so studying on credit is not a problem here either. In addition, some schools have developed their own student loan programs. The main condition for receiving a loan under such programs is the applicant’s enrollment in a business school. It is also convenient that the student is exempt from loan payments for the entire period of study plus 3-6 months after graduation. In Russia, student lending is also becoming popular. Banks usually offer educational loans without being tied to specific business schools, but both seek to enter into partnership agreements to provide students with favorable loan terms.

How to proceed?

The higher the rating of a Western business school, the more serious and stringent requirements are put forward for applicants. But those who pass this test can be sure that they will study in a group of students with an equally high level of training. For many MBA candidates, the opportunity to network and create new business connections is one of the most important reasons they come to the classroom. The set of basic documents for admission is standard. The applicant must fill out forms, write essays and submit recommendations. But additional documents (for example, a resume) may be required. Having a higher education is a prerequisite for admission to the MBA program. Some business schools may impose conditions regarding minimum experience or work experience in management positions, etc. In addition, in Western business schools, upon admission you will need to take the GMAT test (sometimes TOEFL), and as the next stage of selection may be interviewed.

Filling out forms is painstaking work, especially if you decide to send documents to a Western business school, and not just one, but several. Applicants can use special Internet sites and off-line computer programs that make it easier to fill out forms and save time. Writing an essay is one of the most important stages of admission (it’s not for nothing that so many recommendations have been created regarding this process!). In fact, this is an essay according to special rules, in which the candidate reveals the topic assigned to him. The candidate can contact a company that advises applicants to the MBA program. Here he will receive assistance in choosing a business school, writing essays, and preparing for the GMAT and TOEFL tests. In Russia, such services are provided, for example, by MBAconsult and Pericles ABLE Project.

Currently, about 30 business schools selected by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation have the right to issue Russian state diplomas in the MBA program. Their activities in training managers for an MBA degree are regulated by the “State requirements for the training of highly qualified managers in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs.”

Why do I need an MBA?

The main questions that are asked to those wishing to obtain an MBA are: why do you need an MBA degree? What professional goals do you set for yourself? The main reasons for deciding to enroll in an MBA program are the desire to systematize and expand your knowledge, receive a higher salary, make new connections in the business environment, and ensure career growth in your specialty (or move to another industry). “Working for a Western consulting company, I saw the difference between those who received an MBA degree and those who did not,” says a Russian graduate of London Business School. - When entering the program, I thought that the main thing was knowledge. But during the learning process I realized that what is more important is the network, that is, the connections that you acquire at business school.” Today, in many Russian and Western companies, when hiring for serious positions, an MBA is increasingly indicated as a desirable condition (but not mandatory in most cases). “There are many Russian companies that want to see people with Western MBAs in leadership positions,” says a project manager at a large Russian company. “At the same time, some domestic organizations, on the contrary, prefer to hire an employee with a Russian MBA, since the salary expectations of graduates of Western schools may be too high for them.” Only after defining your career goals can you begin to choose whether to get a degree in Russia or in the West, in which school, in what form of education, etc. It is no secret that the Western MBA course is focused on international business, while Russian schools prepare to work primarily in domestic conditions. If an applicant plans to work in a large consulting company or investment banking, it is better for him to get an MBA from a “top” Western school, but if he is going to work for a Russian company, then, of course, it will be cheaper and more effective to study at a domestic business school. Is an MBA degree worth the money, time and effort? Does it pay off in terms of career growth?

It is impossible to unambiguously assess how much an MBA influences a student’s professional development. Since this program is mainly attended by ambitious and purposeful people, it is difficult to say what had a greater influence on the graduate’s success - his experience, active life position, ability to present himself, or a degree received from a prestigious Western school. If, thanks to an MBA, a person changed his industry or specialization, we can quite objectively say that graduating from a business school influenced his career growth. Western ratings often provide data on the average salaries of graduates of a particular school before and after receiving an MBA as one of the indicators of the quality of education. For example, according to the Financial Times rating, at the end of 2004, the growth in salaries of graduates of business schools from the top 10 ranged from 124 to 196%.

It is still quite difficult to create such ratings for Russia. Western schools carry out a serious selection among candidates, and only successful people who have developed as individuals are enrolled in the program. Russian schools cannot afford such tough competition, and people with very different salaries, experience and knowledge are allowed to study, and this difference remains at the exit. Therefore, upon completion of the course, graduates’ salaries can increase by 30 or 150%. It is difficult to derive averages.

After all, not everything is measured by money! Many people who study abroad enjoy the opportunity to live in a different culture, travel around Europe, and communicate with people from all over the world. In fact, this is exactly what we live for.

How many?

Most specialists and managers have thought about obtaining a business education at least once in their lives. Those who decide to graduate from business school are driven by different motives, both emotional and rational. The thirst for self-affirmation and self-realization coexists with the desire for professional and career growth; the desire for education coexists with the desire to improve the efficiency of one’s work or change the field of activity.

The emotional factor often plays a key role in decision-making, even those related to the distribution of limited resources (money, time, etc.). But, taking into account the cost of obtaining a Russian business education, a rational and as objective analysis as possible of the attractiveness of an MBA as an investment project should be carried out.

So, how much money can you make with an MBA? How quickly will the costs be recouped? What are the short and long term benefits of receiving a business education? In the West, the answers to these questions can be found both in information and advertising materials, and in the ratings of independent business publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Business Week, etc. A student at Harvard or Stanford has not the slightest doubt that that he can earn 120 thousand dollars a year. The average salaries of business school graduates ranked lower in the rankings are more modest, but just as transparent. These figures are widely known in the Western labor market, and employers tend to take them for granted. But in Russia, such a tradition has not yet developed, as well as the business education market itself. Therefore, investments in obtaining a Russian MBA are much more difficult to evaluate. According to the majority of domestic employers, the determining criterion when selecting personnel and determining employee compensation is the candidate’s previous experience. All other things being equal, an MBA holder can receive a more attractive compensation package, provided that the company hiring him is committed to attracting professionals with a business education.

Brand, connections, knowledge?

Brand, connections, knowledge - these, according to the prevailing point of view in the West, are the priorities when choosing business schools.

But can these criteria serve as a basis for assessing a Russian MBA?

“The crust of the diploma is all that an MBA gives. Of course, in business it is useful to be able to speak the same language, but this is not the main thing. The knowledge and connections acquired during the learning process play a very insignificant role,” says a graduate of one of our business schools. Currently, due to the influx of various MBA programs, Russian business education is being discredited: the number of programs with a positive reputation in the market is small, and the number of schools that enjoy trust and respect from employers and recruiters does not exceed ten.

Therefore, the brand of the business school you choose is not so much prestige as it is a chance to increase the return on your investment in education. Some graduates of such well-known Moscow schools as GSMB ANKh, AIBEC, Mirbis, Moscow State University, State University, Higher School of Economics and Hayward estimated the increase in their salaries after receiving an MBA at 15-60%. Growth isn't guaranteed even for graduates of well-known business schools, but those who earn a degree from an institution that doesn't have a good reputation have much less opportunity to increase their income.

Another advantage of schools with a strong brand is the quality of the participants in these programs. By studying at one of the “top” schools, you can get very good connections. Most graduates believe that their new skills have allowed them to significantly improve their professionalism, which, in turn, has helped them secure a higher position or increase the profitability of their own business.

As for knowledge, Russian business schools (like Western ones, of course) strive to equip their students with the most modern approaches to setting and solving management problems. MBA degree holders give the following options for assessing their medium-term progress: “by several times”, “by 30%”, “by 50%”. The figures are quite impressive, but they should be treated with caution, since it is not clear whether the role of business education was decisive in these situations. Next, we will analyze the investment attractiveness of the Russian MBA in several special cases. First, we will trace the path of students whose goal is to change their functional or industry specialization. Then we will analyze the careers of people who came to the MBA program to expand their horizons, increase their professionalism and climb up the career ladder. Finally, it would be interesting to know the opinion of top managers and business owners about whether studying at an MBA program helped them in managing a business?

New turn

In 1996, Sergei completed an MBA course at Mirbis Business School with a specialization in marketing and soon began working for a Western oil company. This is how he realized his goal - to change his field of activity (Sergei previously worked in sales). After three years, his monthly salary was equal to the cost of studying for an MBA program.

Oleg, being an engineer by training, decided to get an MBA with a specialization in finance. It was fundamentally important for him that the training would be taught by Western teachers with experience in running their own business, so Oleg chose Hayward Business School. After one year of training, Enron invited him. One of the company's requirements for the candidate was an MBA. As a result, Oleg's salary doubled.

Maria, an experienced translator and holder of an MBA degree with a specialization in finance, got a job as a junior stock market analyst. True, the increase in her income compared to the salary at her previous place of work is minimal, but after working for two or three years, Maria can count on a 50-100% increase in salary.

There are other cases of successful transitions. A graduate of the Physics and Technology Institute, who taught physics in Europe, could not find a job in Russia that was adequate in terms of income and excitement. After completing his MBA course, he received an invitation to work in a bank. Or, for example, a sales manager became a marketing director. But in most of these cases, the real increase in salary did not occur immediately after graduating from business school, but after a year or three.

It is worth noting, however, that today it will be quite difficult for a graduate with a Russian MBA to make such a functional or industry transition. Pynes & Moerner consultants agree that Russian employers primarily pay attention to whether a candidate has relevant experience, and the presence of specialized business education is unlikely to compensate for its deficiency or absence.

In addition, Russian business education is little valued in Western companies. The times when, having received our MBA diploma, one could easily get into BP or Enron, are gone. Most representatives of foreign business do not recognize the Russian MBA, viewing it rather as an additional or second higher education. But Russian companies that would like to see MBA graduates among their employees, but do not have the financial ability to invite a person with a Western diploma, may be interested in a local MBA.

So, for a professional looking to change his or her specialization, Russian business education may be a good investment of money and time. Even if he does not find a job in his specialty, especially in a large Russian or Western company, he will most likely get a job in a more modest company and in the medium term will increase his income by one and a half to two times.

Jump over your head

Many managers are faced with management's reluctance to promote them up the career ladder. One of the reasons for such behavior may be, in particular, the lack of an MBA diploma. In this case, the MBA is considered by employees as the main means to accelerate career growth. According to teachers from leading Russian business schools, students of the program are divided into two categories: some are filling gaps in their first education, others want to get the desired position with the help of an MBA. Elena, who received an MBA from the Higher School of Economics, entered business school to “update standards” and gain knowledge about foreign practices - career growth was very important to her. As a result, Elena’s salary increased by 50%, although it is difficult for her to assess what influenced the increase more - her education or previous experience. At the same time, Elena believes that the qualitative effect of the education received will be noticeable throughout her career. Acquired applied management skills, a systematic approach to identifying and solving problems, as well as in-depth knowledge in your specialty will contribute to further success.

So, Russian business education can also be of value for established professionals, middle managers who want to become top managers as soon as possible. The salary increase possible under this scenario is usually 50-60%. However, it should be remembered that the success of this scenario directly depends on the experience of the graduate, the level of positions he held and the companies he worked for. In addition, the same restrictions apply here as in the case of graduates changing their field of activity - large Russian and Western companies may not take a Russian MBA seriously

Business, business, business...

There is an opinion that the fundamental difference between Russian MBA programs and Western ones is that the majority of students at domestic business schools are owners of their own businesses. Russian entrepreneurs feel a lack of knowledge, skills and ideas for developing their companies. For them, training is, first of all, an opportunity to “look at things with a fresh look,” to find new approaches and even new directions for business development. One of these businessmen decided to get an MBA to supplement the knowledge necessary to adequately manage a business and give his company a chance to enter the global market. The entrepreneur spent ten thousand dollars on training at the Higher School of Business at Moscow State University, but saved an order of magnitude more. According to him, the knowledge gained helped to avoid wrong, “stupid” decisions, which could result in failure or even loss of business.

Many Russian entrepreneurs, owners and general directors of small and medium-sized companies have gone through a similar path. Many of them believe that they did not spend their money in vain. However, they find it difficult to express the benefits received in monetary terms, since such an assessment must be based on a huge amount of information.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of whether it is worth getting a business education in Russia. This kind of decision is made individually in each specific case and depends primarily on the experience of the potential student, his goals, professional and personal qualities. Therefore, if you are interested in a Russian MBA program, do not immediately start studying the market. Start with yourself. Try to define your short- and long-term goals as accurately as possible, assess their feasibility, and discuss them with experts. And only then, if you don’t change your mind, look for a program that meets your needs.