Harvard!!!!!!!

from: 李宗諭 <wt2xxx@gmail.com>
to: David Johnston <transcendadmissions@gmail.com>
date: Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 2:18 PM
subject: Thank you!! David
mailed-by: gmail.com

Dear David,

I never thought I would be saying this but:  I'll be going to Harvard next year!!!   I was recently admitted to the Harvard University Graduate School of Design for the Master in Urban Planning program.  To summarize, I was also accepted into Duke, University of Michigan, Cornell, UPenn and Columbia! 
I just wanted to write you a message to thank you for all of your support.  I especially appreciate the extra time you spent getting to know my background and revising numerous drafts of my resume and essays.  I think this really paid off as you really helped me refine my career goals, clearly display my uniqueness and persuasively explain my future potential.  And of course, I submitted many of my essays and recommendation letters for editing at the last minute, thanks for your efficiency and dedication is allowing me to meet all the deadlines. 

After being rejected by University of Wisconsin last year I really did not think this was possible.  But after a lot of hard work I made it to Harvard.  It is really a dream come true! Thanks again for all of your help and support this this stressful application process.  I wish you and your business the best of luck in the future.

Best Regards,

李宗諭
Chung Yu (Jonathan), Lee

Tulane MS in Finance

from: Kane Chen <kychenxxxx@gmail.com>
to: Transcend Admissions Consultants <transcendadmissions@gmail.com>
date: Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 1:30 PM
subject: Re: Hi David
mailed-bygmail.com
Hi David!

This is Kane Chen.  I wanted update you on my applications.  I have been admitted to the Tulane University Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program, the Illinois Institute of Technology MSF program, and have been waitlisted at University of Rochester (Simon) MSF program. 

After putting a lot of thought into this I have decided to go to Tulane next year!  Many thanks for all of your help with my applications.  As you know, in the beginning I was not confident that my GPA and TOEFL would be high enough to be admitted to these prestigious schools.  But with your advice and detailed editing, my essays/SOPs and letters of recommendations really highlighted my strenghs and minimized these weaknesses.  I know that I could not have accomplished this without you.

Lets go drink some whisky and celebrate before I go to the US!  And of course, you are welcome to visit me in New Orleans next year during Mardi Gras...  ;)

Sincerely,

Kane

NYU in Shanghai

NYU has opened facilities in Shanghai, on the campus of East China Normal University.  Currently the program is limited to current NYU students from New York that want to study abroad in China.  Courses are offered in NYU Shanghai by the Stern School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.  Future plans are to expand NYU Shanghai to 3,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students.     

Strong ROI For Part-Time MBA Programs

Bloomberg Businessweek reported  recently that although the return on investment (ROI) can be much more difficult to calculate for part-time MBA programs, the value is very real.

Summer Reading

Many 2012 MBA applicants will be focusing a great deal of time preparing for the GMAT this spring and summer, but don't forget to keep expanding your knowledge and perspectives during your down time.  This article mentions several great books recommended by professors from top business schools.

Transcend Admmsions Consultants at the 3/27 MBA Information Session

Thanks to everyone who came out on a rainy Saturday evening!

Using Community Service to Enhance Your MBA Credentials

Many MBA applicants believe that an excellent GMAT score and GPA alone will earn them a ticket into a top MBA program.  While solid numbers will certainly help, applicants often overlook how community service involvement will enhance their profile and give them an edge.  MBA programs are searching for students with intelligence and business acumen, but also well-rounded and passionate people who want to make a difference.  Extensive community involvement is a way to show the other side of your personality and character.  And practically, if you did not participate in many outside-the-classroom activities in college, now is the time to involved so that you can add another dimension to your application package.         

Here are some reasons why community service can enhance your MBA credentials.

Displaying leadership skills.  MBA programs carefully evaluate candidates’ leadership ability and future management potential.  However, because many candidates only have 2-3 years of experience they have not had sufficient time to reach management level at work and often have difficulty showing legitimate leadership examples in their essays.  Getting involved in community service is a great opportunity to get real leadership experience that can truly benefit you and your resume.  Community service groups always need help with their activities and will likely give you a lot of responsibility if you ask for it.  In addition, you may also be able to improve other business and organizational skills if you work directly with the organization’s management on planning programs and events. 

You are an engaging and active person.  A person that was very active in their community in the past is the person who will likely get involved in the future. MBA programs are not only looking for people with deep business knowledge and experience to add to case discussions, they want people who will get involved outside the classroom in clubs, sports, competitions, recruiting, alumni affairs, etc.  Especially for the MBA programs that stress the importance of a close community environment, the admissions committee will be looking for evidence of your past community involvement.  And as social responsibility and ethics are becoming more important themes in business, MBA programs are searching for people who care deeply about their communities, and will be more inclined to admit people who have taken leadership roles in community service in the past.  MBA programs will also evaluate you on the type of alumni you may become – a person who gives back to their community will probably become an active MBA alumnus that helps the school promote its brand.

You are highly motivated.  Employers want people who are highly motivated self-starters.  Leaders must have the ability to motivate themselves and others.  However, many people say that it is unfair to expect candidates to excel in very demanding and time consuming jobs AND take on substantial community service commitments.  While these complaints are somewhat valid, we need to look to the core of what community service means.  The type of activities you engage in and the fact that you will not be getting paid says a lot about you.  Community involvement shows that you have passion for certain causes and that you are motivated by things other than money which are very attractive qualities. 

In addition, being able to thrive in a demanding job and getting involved in your community shows that you truly know how to balance your time and that you are willing to put a little bit more effort forth than everyone else.  These are the types of demands that are always present for CEOs and by showing you were able to successfully manage your time in the past indicates that you will probably be able to do so in the future.    

If you are planning to volunteer, do something that you have a passion for that fits your overall personality and application—you may be surprised by what you learn and how rewarding the experience can be.  And in the future when enroll in an MBA program, take advantage of all the community services activities available through the school, this may become the most rewarding part of your MBA experience!

Michigan! Rochester! Purdue!

from: shih hang <phrelXXX@gmail.com>
to: David Johnston <transcendadmissions@gmail.com>
dateMon, Apr 11, 2011 at 3:43 PM
subject: home run
mailed-bygmail.com
signed-bygmail.com

Dear David:

I would like to let you know the great news!
As you know I applied to only three schools - and I already got three admission offers from Michigan (Ross), Rochester (Simon) and Purdue (Krannert)!  Home Run!! 

Without your professional consultation, I am sure that I would not have the opportunity to get these offers.

Thannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnks & Good Luck!!!

Sincerely.

--
Yen Shih

Thanks - From Iris Lo

Iris <92306XXX@nccu.edu.tw>
reply-to92306XXX@nccu.edu.tw
totranscendadmissions <transcendadmissions@gmail.com>
date: Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 1:22 PM
subject Re: A2 Student referral
mailed-bynccu.edu.tw

Dear David:

I'm happy to let you know that I was admitted to UC Irvine and UC San Diego and waitlisted by UC Davis.
Can't wait to begin my MBA program and just want to say thanks again for your help.
I really appreciate your excellent editing service and quick response.  Your service really helped me save lots of time and create high quality documents during my application.  Besides editing, the discussion with you about the essays and the rehearsal for interviews were also quite important for me.
I'm more than willing to share my experience and recommend your service to other applicants!
Best regards,
Iris Lo

Overcoming a Low GPA

Many applicants believe that a low undergraduate GPA will prohibit them from getting into an MBA or other graduate school program.  While having a solid GPA is a positive indicator in proving your academic potential, it is just one of many factors that the admissions committee will evaluate to determine your ability to succeed in an MBA program.   Below is a list of steps that you can take to overcome this weakness on your MBA applications.

-  Get a high GMAT score.  Your GMAT score is the other primary indicator the admissions committee will use to evaluate your intellectual capacity.  Therefore, if you have a low GPA the GMAT becomes even more important.

-  Evaluate your college transcript.   If you earned solid grades on key business subjects, and poor grades on subjects not related to business, be sure to highlight this distinction in your optional essay.   If your grades in key business subjects are weak, consider taking supplemental college or online courses to prove your proficiency in these areas - this will show that you do in fact have the ability to succeed in those subjects and are working hard to improve yourself.

-   Focus on extracurricular activities.  While you may not have been focused on studying in college, you may have had extensive extracurricular involvement.  In your essays and resume, be sure to clearly explain the extent of your outside-of-class involvement, specifically highlighting leadership and teamwork experiences.

-  Write persuasive essays.  Almost every MBA program allows you to write an optional essay which is a great place to address the low GPA issue.   This is your opportunity to provide legitimate reasons why you did not achieve as much as you should have due to circumstances such as family issues, illness, transferring schools or switching majors.  The optional essay should be direct and brief, must not be full of excuses and it must have a positive tone.

-  Support from your recommenders.  The letters of recommendation are a key element to overcoming a low GPA.  A recommendation from a professor stating that the applicant is very smart and that their GPA does not reflect their true academic potential can be very powerful.  Make sure you address this issue with your recommender before they draft the recommendation letter.

Your past does not define your future.  Keep in mind that admissions committees are very pragmatic and are looking for people with strong future potential.  Subpar past academic performance will not automatically eliminate a candidate from consideration if they can show that they have unique qualities and such future potential.  I have seen many candidates that did not have high GPAs follow the steps above and gain acceptance into very good MBA programs, including a candidate with a 1.9 GPA!  

I'll Be Studying In Paris Next Year!!

annice <annicexxxx@gmail.com>
toDavid Johnston <transcendadmissions@gmail.com>
dateFri, Apr 1, 2011 at 12:27 PM
subjecta thank-you letter
mailed-bygmail.com
Hi David:

I am happy to tell you that after struggling with the GMAT, essays, all the mandatory documents and interviews, I was finally accepted into the Masters in Management program at ESCP, the one that I wanted the most!!!

Offers obtained: ESCP, EMLyon, Audencia Nantes, Skema

I know that without your help, things could have been REAL HARD.
My GMAT is not very impressive (670), not to mention my lower-than-3 GPA.
What's worse, I'm not a confident person.
I don't really know how to...uh...exhibit but not boast my accomplishments.
You really gave me a big hand not only with editing the essays but also on inspiring my ideas.
Also, Steven's interview suggestions are very helpful as well.

Really appreciate your help, patience and support.
Keep in touch and wish you enjoy your life in Taiwan!

Don't forget to contact me if you have chance to visit Paris :)

Annice