性別:男性
年齢:30歳(2009年8月入学時点)
業界:マスコミ(Advertising)
職歴:Marketing Consultant (1 year), Strategic Planning (2yrs), Media Planning
(3 years)
学歴:Northeastern University, International Relations
Why MBA?
After 5 years in the advertising industry, my interest in marketing shifted
from promotions to brand management. An MBA at this point in my career
enables me to deepen my knowledge of strategic marketing, which requires
extensive quantitative literacy and understanding of finance. I also believe
that today’s harshly challenging global economy demands highly skilled
strategic marketers to drive sales growth, which underscores an even greater
need for that MBA.
Why UNC?
1. Strong brand management program
2. Collaborative nature and teamwork
3. Emphasis on sustainable enterprises
4. Top 20 MBA program
5. WORLD CLASS sports culture
GMAT
I decided to study for no longer than four months, mostly because of my
work schedule. I enrolled in the Kaplan Basic Course from June to August,
studied on own during September, and took the exam in Oct, Nov, and Dec
(3 times). My best score was the first (V35, Q45, TTL650, AWA 5.0). Kaplan
was extremely useful in providing the basic fundamentals.
Essay
Again, due to my work schedule, I had no choice but to cram all of my essays
into the last three weeks of December (applied to 4 schools), but I highly
recommend that you start brainstorming immediately after your GMAT exam
if possible. It is extremely important to be concise and to also leverage
creativity. Moreover, make sure that your stories truly tell WHO you are,
and that it makes sense! The essays were actually my favorite part of the
applications.
Interview
I had an alumni interview in Tokyo at the end of February. Again, I felt
that the most important thing was to be able to clearly articulate “why
MBA?” and “why UNC.” My interviewer was also very helpful in providing
a better understanding of the school/North Carolina culture.
最後に
An MBA is a huge investment for all of us, whether you are self-sponsored
or corporate-sponsored. However, only two months into the program, I already
feel that you will only get out as much as you put in. Business school
is a great opportunity to switch gears at this crucial junction in our
lives.
個人カウンセラーと8月ごろからエッセーを初め計8校出すことができました。8~10校が日本人受験生の平均ではないでしょうか。「美しい書き方よりもストレートで分かりやすく」を気にするようになってからスムーズにエッセーが進むようになった気がします。Genericな学校のエッセーか始めると他の学校も書きやすくなるのではないでしょうか。Best
applicant ≠ the best application. Essayは重要ではあるものの、「GMATが出ていないからエッセーは後回し」という気持ちもわかります。人によって状況は異なると思うので、曖昧ではありますが「バランスが大事」といったところでしょうか。