Managing Your Time

Time management is the key to success (or a huge obstacle to success) of an MBA Program and it can take some time to adjust to the rigors of this program. The Berkeley-Columbia EMBA has the same number of teaching hours for each course as that of our full-time MBA program. However, the time commitment to this Program is not limited to the classroom hours. In addition to attending classes, you’ll need to study, prepare readings, assignments, projects, group projects outside of class. Students say they spend, on average, 20-30 hours of time each week on such items – you can do the math on how many hours per day that is. You may spend more time on ‘tougher’ courses, and less time on topics you may be familiar with.

Time management is all about defining your priorities and scheduling your activities. You won’t be able to do everything at 100% so figure out what you can give up. Juggling work, school work, family and friends, and personal activities will be difficult and each student has their own way of doing it.

Some tips from students include:

• Students are assigned to study teams for the first 3 terms – LEVERAGE them and your classmates for help
• Utilize provided web conferencing tools for group meetings
• Prepare your work team for your absence so you can unplug from work when you are in class
• Set expectations with your family and yourself – you will need time alone and with your team for studying, group meetings, class, etc; and when you’re in class, you will be busy ALL day. Don’t feel guilty. And thank your family for their support.
• Finish all your school work before you arrive for class. If you aren’t prepared, you won’t get the full value of the experience. You may end up catching up on readings and assignments on your own instead of spending time with your classmates or attending events after class.
• Figure out what works best for you. Some study one topic a day – i.e. accounting on Monday, statistics on Tuesday, etc. Will you study 5 days a week or 7? Etc.
• Don’t give up exercise! You’ll need to be in the best mental and physical state. Set up a basketball game, a jog, a yoga class with your classmates during the block!

Career Readiness

Career advancement and career change are two of the main reasons why people decide to return to school to pursue their MBA. We provide tools and resources for students who are looking to advance in their careers and help for those seeking career changes. Making a significant job change can be difficult, and students need to be prepared to network, network and network. Students with executive experience typically are not a fit for jobs offered through on-campus recruiting process since those jobs are for entry level, younger people. Approximately 80% of senior level jobs are found through networking, not job boards.

The Berkeley-Columbia program provides a wide range of career services, including:

• Career Advising
  • Self-assessment
  • Resume and Cover Letter Review
  • Networking Strategies
  • Salary Negotiation
• Industry Panels
• Alumni Panels
• Multi-topic Workshops/Webinars

For people interested in making a career change, it is very important to begin early by taking stock of your skills, values and abilities. Use this information to learn more about your target function/industry/company by conducting a feasibility study. Remember that an MBA degree gives you new skills, but it does not guarantee you will be able to make a successful job transition.

The goal of career services is to provide tools and resources for long-term career readiness. Knowing how to write a good resume, effective cover letters, leveraging your professional network and polishing your interviewing skills are integral for long term career success.

Letters of Recommendation

While getting Letters of Recommendation may seem like an easy part of the application process, it is one of the most critical aspects of your entire application. So choose your recommenders carefully.

For the Berkeley-Columbia program, we require two letters of recommendation – ideally from your supervisor and your supervisor’s supervisor, or a recent (last 3-5 years) former supervisor. The purpose of the letters of recommendation is to give the admissions committee data about your career progression, work style, interpersonal skills, leadership abilities and potential for advancement.

And be sure to select individuals who have worked with you closely, and who will be able to provide specific examples. We see many letters with complementary statements, but the strongest letters are those that back up the statements with clear and detailed examples. Keep in mind, that the job title of the recommender is not nearly as important as the content. Many applicants make the mistake of submitting a letter from the CEO of an organization or perhaps a famous or well know person. And while they might provide a good generic letter, it’s not really helpful to us unless the individual has worked closely with you and can provide actual details about your professional skills.

Many of our applicants are their own boss or work for a family business. If this is the case, then consider a client, vendor or customer, or someone who will be perceived as an objective source.

It is best to avoid colleagues, subordinates or family members. These are rarely good choices.

If you are having trouble choosing recommenders, always feel free to call our offices and speak with an admissions representative. We can guide you to the best choice of recommender for your personal situation.

GMAT Considerations

The GMAT can be a source of anxiety for many applicants to business school. Standardized tests strike a fear in many people, but there are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. The Berkeley-Columbia program will take the highest GMAT score, so you can take it more than one time. You can take the GMAT again 31 days after your last test.
2. Preparation is a big plus. Some people take review courses, some do at-home study guides and others wing it. Those students who prepare in advance have more confidence and understand the pace and structure of the GMAT, and they tend to do better.
3. For most people, it has been a while since they have taken a math test, so brush up on some algebra and geometry basics.
4. Preparing for the GMAT helps teach time management for when you become a student. Managing the work/life/school balance is one of the challenges students encounter when school starts.
5. Remember the GMAT is just one element of the application. The Berkeley-Columbia program evaluates all dimensions of the application. Work experience, GPA, letters of recommendations, essays and interviews weigh heavily as well in the admissions process, so don’t obsess about your GMAT.
6. A high GMAT score doesn’t guarantee admissions either. Some applicants think a good score is all they need, and they put little effort into the rest of their application. We look for well rounded, interesting people who have put effort and thought into their application.

What do we look for in an applicant?

This is a routine question we get from many prospective students; however, there is no “typical” student. One of the objectives in the admissions process is to admit a diverse student body. In Executive MBA programs, much of the learning comes from other students. This is one of the best aspects of the Berkeley-Columbia program. Our students are talented and have a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds, and most importantly, the class is willing to share their knowledge and expertise with each other.

The admissions committee looks for people who can be successful academically, but we also want individuals who can add a unique point of view to the class discussion. Diversity adds to the richness of the class experience.

Getting Ready to Apply

Minimize stress and maximize your chances for admission by planning ahead. Here are a few suggestions:

Things to Do Now

1. Check the website to learn more about the program
2. Sign up for an information session and a class visit
3. Prep for the GMAT
4. Order transcripts
5. Identify your recommenders
6. Update your resume
7. Read the essay questions to start thinking about what you want to write about. The essay topics are:
   • Tell us about yourself and your background.
   • What are your future career goals, and how does the Berkeley-Columbia EMBA program help you achieve them?

If you have specific questions about admissions, please do not hesitate to call our office. You can also email us at emba@haas.berkeley.edu.

10th Year of the Berkeley-Columbia Program

The Class of 2013 will have the honor of being the tenth class of the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA program! We are starting the admissions season this fall, and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming information sessions.

This admission blog will provide information on the current events happening in the Berkeley-Columbia EMBA program, application tips, interview strategies, work/life/school balance, career services and other related topics. In addition, our extraordinary students will be blogging about their experiences in the program on the student blog. The students will tell of the great classes they take with Nobel-prize winning faculty, traveling across the globe for international seminars, enjoying the camaraderie of their classmates during blocks and how they are able to apply what they learn in the classroom in their workplace.

The information session schedule will be released very soon, so please check the website for more details. The application will be available beginning on November 1, 2010, followed by the deadline on February 1, 2011. Starting this year, we will begin rolling admissions, therefore the earlier you apply, the faster we can process your application.

Please check back on this blog in the upcoming weeks for additional information about the program. Feel free to post questions or suggestions on topics you’d like us to cover. We want to make this site as useful as we can for you.

We look forward to meeting you in person very soon. Thank you for your interest in the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA program.

—The Berkeley-Columbia Admissions Team