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Essay Question:
What are your career aspirations, and how can an MBA help you to reach them? Why now?
At the beginning of my professional career, I received an offer from Citigroup's project finance group, an area that had previously fascinated me from an academic perspective. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived, the group had fallen victim to the post 9/11 investment banking market consolidation. I then moved to Citigroup's general corporate finance practice, which became for me the 'finance 101' that my liberal arts education had lacked. One year later, through the networking and coincidences that often lead to such opportunities, I joined SunAmerica in the bond originations group. My time at SunAmerica has been an exhilarating learning experience, allowing me to understand a unique area of project finance, the financing of multifamily housing, while also exposing me to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, a successful government initiative designed to lure private dollars to address a public need. With the emphasis placed on social entrepreneurship through the Social Enterprise Initiative, HBS presents an ideal opportunity for me to pursue my interest in public-private interaction and to explore evolving methods of encouraging private investment in areas of public need. In working with those involved in creating the LIHTC program, I have come to recognize that such innovation results from the energetic blending of different disciplines. HBS will give me the opportunity to be part of an environment that fosters this creativity, as I will learn from both professors who are the acknowledged leaders in their fields and talented classmates of diverse experience. After completing my MBA, I intend to find a position with the public finance group at a major investment bank in order to gain exposure to a variety of municipal authorities and their financing needs. With this knowledge, I hope to establish a program as successful as the LIHTC program to address an unmet public need, such as the lack of healthy affordable food options in poor urban areas or the dearth of effective regional transportation systems in the US. As the bond transactions on which I work are each similar and are generally completed within six to eight weeks, my learning curve has begun to flatten. Consequently, in order to achieve my ultimate goal of developing an innovative public finance program, I need to broaden my knowledge and skills. With my experience at Citigroup and SunAmerica, I am confident that now is the time for me to pursue an MBA.
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Essay Question:
Describe a significant change that you brought about in an organization and its impact on your development as a leader.
In my senior year at ESEI, I was elected president of REIP, an $800,000 non-profit organization that helps computer science students finance their degree with tax-exempted IT consulting jobs. REIP is one of ESEI's flagship student organizations, among the most important of its kind in France. The 250 students elected me to lead an eight-person team and, as REIP's president, I had a strong impact on the organization. I ran for President of REIP to give back to my community, however I was deeply affected by what I discovered there. I never could have suspected that several alumni were fraudulently using the organization to benefit from tax exemptions. As those exemptions were legally reserved to students, a single control of the French equivalent of the IRS would have threatened the organization. The fraudulent contracts had to be stopped, and we had to prevent such things from happening beyond our term. To reach a consensus about what to do, I listened to each of my teammates. Consensus among the group was divided, as the fraudulent contracts were providing 30% of the organization's income and had been tolerated by previous managing teams. I felt that I had to promote a stronger sense of responsibility within the team. I reminded the group that as elected representatives, we were personally accountable for the organization, and I sent a note to each of them emphasizing this responsibility. My initially reluctant teammates started to change their minds. Once everyone agreed to stop the illegal contracts, we had to find pragmatic ways to move the organization forward. To compensate for the loss of revenue, I proposed repositioning REIP's offer towards Internet technologies, which was eventually successful. Additionally, I proposed joining France's official Association of Student Organizations to prevent other legal problems for REIP in the future. As part of this Association, REIP would have to accept yearly audits and establish rigid management procedures. As it was a very involving decision and also controversial within the team, I proposed to have the students vote. They agreed with a near-unanimity, and today REIP is one of the Association's most pre-eminent members. Managing REIP changed my way of leading a team. My initial management style was somewhat authoritative. I learned to be a leader who favors proposing initiatives and formulating consensus while also using authority when necessary. I understood that involving people in decision processes fosters their sense of responsibilities, and prevents them from choosing their comfort before the long term interest of their organization. This experience with a non-profit organization also influenced my management style in a for-profit context.
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Essay Question:
What are your three most substantial accomplishments, and why do you view them as such?
I led three projects in which I had a particularly strong impact on my professional environment. First, in my last year as a student with ESEI, I established a 35-person company: Kakabo. While President of REIP, I answered a call from a prospective Internet entrepreneur. Within 48 hours, I convinced him to get me on board as co-founder of his company. We had to build a website to convince our first investors, a challenge I took on with aplomb. I recruited a team of four engineers, who accepted to work for free until funds would be raised. My enthusiasm and drive helped motivate the team to work days and nights for seven weeks before we unveiled Kakabo.com. This early launch allowed us to raise $2.5M and our concept provoked enthusiastic press coverage. We were selling various consumer products online at discount prices. We hired an experienced CEO, who focused on preparing a merger of the company. I got promoted to Director of Operations to supervise the execution of our strategy. I recruited and managed a cross-functional team of 17 professionals, who represented half the company's headcount. I launched new projects and structured the company. Nine months after the initial call at my office, we sold Kakabo to Lycos Europe for $5M worth of stocks. Second, in 2001, I convinced the management of Briancone, a Silicon-Valley based software vendor to go international. When I proposed Briancone's CEO to join him, the company was young and had no plans to go abroad for a couple more years. He seized this opportunity to have someone give him early insight into the company's international potential. As I was the sole employee outside the US, I was faced with the challenge of convincing the US teams, which had other priorities, to support me. At first, I focused on collecting information and establishing a network within our local industry. From this work I identified several other opportunities. I took the initiative to establish business relationships with local players. Eventually, I started a strategic partnership with Cap Gemini, the most important company in our field, and brought some significant sales leads with prospects such as Schneider Electrics. With those results, I convinced Briancone's management to invest several million dollars in Europe. We started a permanent six-person sales office in Paris, just eight months after I joined, much sooner than initially planed. Third, in 2003, with Sofixi, I convinced a financial group to make an investment that provided us with two years of full time activity. Turenne had just lost its principal source of new funds, an event that strongly challenged its development. On my own initiative, I suggested approaching several potential investors that could compensate the loss, including Avava, the biggest French life-insurer. Our CEO was convinced that Avava was out of our reach, but I persuaded him to let me approach this company on my own. I identified a senior contact, established a relationship with him, and met him several times to discuss his investment criteria. Following this, I performed an analysis of our competitors, and identified where we could beat them. I prepared a detailed proposal, had it approved within Turenne, and submitted it to Avava. As a result, we were selected as finalists out of ten competitors. I organized and participated with the senior management in representing our offer. Eventually, a year after I started the negotiations, we won this $50M contract, a victory that provided Sofixi with $5M of management fees and allowed the company to double its net profit, at a very challenging time. To realize each of these three accomplishments, I set ambitious goals to which I committed myself entirely, and convinced others to support my work. In my view, these are the capacities that will be essential in helping me succeed as an entrepreneur.
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Essay Question:
Why are you seeking an MBA? What are your plans and goals after you receive your degree? (MAJOR ESSAY)
During the faculty panel at this October's Fall Preview, Professor Ellen Rudnick referred to entrepreneurship as the 'integration' of all other business-related disciplines. Having spent a year at the helm of an early-stage company, I appreciate the range of expertise required to launch a new venture, and the formidable nature of this task motivates me to earn an MBA and continue my career in entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, I hope to re-join ISTN or manage a similar start-up, especially since I have gained the competitive advantage of being an early entrant in the nanotechnology industry, which the National Science Foundation predicts will grow to $1 trillion by 2015. Eventually, I intend to draw on my accumulated expertise to start my own company from scratch. I see this grand challenge as a fitting continuation to a career where I have continually sought the most demanding intellectual pursuits. Unsure of an exact path following high school, I chose the broad, rich academic experience offered by the nation's top liberal arts school. After a semester studying in one of the world's financial centers sparked my interest in business, I chose the competitive environment of a bulge-bracket investment bank to build my career foundation. Despite the extraordinary learning curve, my unique leadership experience as a representative on Lehman's Global Advisory Committee, where I was one of just four Analysts elected by peers to work directly with the senior management of Investment Banking in identifying and addressing key operating issues, compelled me to find a position less focused on client service. Aware that maximizing my level of accountability and responsibility held the key to accelerating my development, I turned down an Associate position from a boutique investment bank to join ISTN. In just over a year, I have grown the company from 11 employees to 19, pushed it past the critical $1 million mark in revenue, and transformed its culture from a dormant R&D firm to a dynamic upstart focused on commercialization. This whirlwind experience has further confirmed my long-term interest in entrepreneurship, but it has also reminded me that an MBA is essential to my success. Despite my tremendous experience at ISTN, the breakneck pace of my job makes it impossible to gain the useful grounding in business fundamentals an MBA can provide. Not only would I immediately enhance my entrepreneurial skills by studying topics such as Commercializing Innovation and Developing New Products and Services, I could utilize the framework for evaluating opportunities that I will learn to verify I am entering the right company and the right industry. Furthermore, I would gain valuable training in functional areas such as Finance that will become increasingly critical as the organization I manage grows. My professional challenges will surely change with time, and I want a foundation that will prepare me to manage a company through different business environments and different stages of its life cycle.
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Essay Question:
Discuss a recent leadership experience. Briefly outline the situation and then describe your role, how you were effective, and what you learned. Minor essay
In January 2001, a new startup operator in Mexico City, called Azteca airlines, contracted with Boeing for the purchase of two new 737-700 airplanes to be delivered in June and July. As the Boeing Service Engineering Account Manager for Latin America, I was part the Boeing team that would help Azteca meet all the requirements for the delivery of the airplanes. The Boeing sales team was concerned that Azteca was not well organized, understaffed and that it would not be ready to take delivery of the new airplanes at the time scheduled. After a series of unproductive meetings with Azteca management, the Sales Director asked me if I would be interested in moving to Mexico City to lead the Boeing and Azteca teams to ensure that all the delivery requirements where completed on time. I was a little overwhelmed by the new responsibilities and concerned of how Aztecas management would react to having a twenty-seven years old woman micro managing its airline. The experience proved to be a complete success. My first task was to set up a training plan for flight crews, maintenance and flight operations personnel. Within three weeks after my arrival the first crew was in Seattle learning how to fly a 737-700 airplane. Also, very shortly after my arrival, the maintenance, operations and safety plans were initiated. Within the following two months, these plans were approved; the licenses, certifications, and airplane registration documents were obtained; the insurance for the airplanes was set up; a provisioning plan was put in place and all the contracts were signed and approved. I felt very proud when in June, Azteca took delivery of their first airplane. I would not have been able to complete all these diverse tasks without the help of the Boeing and Azteca teams. However, I personally had to go beyond my job responsibilities on many occasions, especially in dealing with the Aviation authorities. I believe that where I made the most significant contributions was not in leading the many different teams or persuading the Aviation Authorities, but in winning the sympathy and trust of the Azteca management team. In my three months at Azteca, I became a friend and a confident to those I worked closely with and this helped immensely to smoothen the process of completing all the requirements on schedule.
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Essay Question:
Most important personal accomplishments (Major)
I come from a middle class family from a small city in central Spain. Since early in my school days, I always excelled in math and physics and was fascinated by the space business and airplanes. Therefore, even though there were no other engineers in my family, I decided to study aerospace engineering. However, I did not want to study in Spain where the possibilities for an aerospace engineer were very limited. I wanted to study in the country with the best aerospace industry, the United States. It was not easy for me to convince my parents to let me move at such an early age so far away and for so long. However, even though I was only 17 years old, I was so determined to follow my dreams that I finally convinced my parents to let me go to Seattle as an exchange student and to later continue my education at an American University. It was hard at the beginning to take care of everything on my own, since I always had my parents to do everything for me, but not even for a day have I doubted that it was the best decision I took in my life and I am very proud that I was able to take it at such an early age. After I finished my studies at an American High School, I started working on the second part of my dream - graduating in Aerospace Engineering. I knew I could not afford to fail any classes or take any extra time, since my parents were sacrificing a lot to pay for my education in the U.S. Within 12 quarters I reached the second greatest accomplishment of my life, graduating in Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering in the top 5 percent of my class. Nevertheless, in those 12 quarters I did not only study a lot; I also found the time to party, enjoy college life and create a lot of great life-lasting friendships. A year after graduating with my Bachelors in Aeronautics and astronautics engineering I finished my Masters degree, also in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Right after that I started working at Boeing as a Flight Operations Engineer. That was the beginning of the third greatest accomplishment in my life - my career at Boeing. At Boeing I have held positions as a Flight Operations Engineer, as an Airline Account Manager in Service Engineering, as a Boeing Field Service Representative in Mexico City, and finally as a Marketing Product Analyst. I am especially proud of this last position, since being part of the Marketing and Sales organizations at Boeing is being part of the company leadership team. Most people at Boeing spend their lives trying to be part of Marketing and Sales. However, I was able to be part of the Marketing team after less than 5 years in the company thanks to my education, my work experience, my great performance throughout my career and my great people skills. Now I am again pursuing what I consider to be one of the most important accomplishments in my life - graduating from Harvard with an MBA so I can take my passion for the aerospace industry even further.
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Essay Question:
Describe a situation when you questioned your values and/or beliefs. (Major)
Sometime ago, while I was still a teenager living in Spain I came across a book that made me re-evaluate the idea I had at the time, that western culture and beliefs were the right ones and that everyone else was 'weird'. This book was 'East Wind, West Wind' written by Nobel Price winner Pearl S. Buck. In this book, Pearl S. Buck describes the western culture seen from the eyes of a Chinese girl. This Chinese girl, Kweilan, had been educated on the Chinese values but is trying to adapt herself to the western culture to satisfy her husband who had been educated in the west. Reading that book, I was shocked by the values and traditions of the Chinese society, but what struck me the most was realizing that Kweilan was as shocked as me when presented with the values and traditions of the west. Having lived in a small city in Spain where everyone has the same ethnicity and values, this book was my first real encounter with other cultures. 'East Wind, West Wind' not only left on me a life lasting impression, it also opened my appetite to learn about other cultures and other people. This appetite was one of the reasons why I came to the US years later and what makes me jump into an airplane at every opportunity I find to travel somewhere new. It also has defined the kind of people I look for as friends. My friends are from all over North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and there is nothing I find more fascinating than learning about their culture, history and the current situation in their countries. 'East Wind, West Wind' made me re-evaluate my view of other cultures, however, the interaction with so many people from all over the world has taken me further than that. It has made much more open minded and helped me approach other cultures and ideas without preconceived ideas and with the willingness to understand as much as I can of other's values, traditions and points of view. "East Wind, West Wind", made me re-evaluate my view of other cultures, however, the interaction with so many people from all over the world has taken me further than that. It has made me see that western culture and values cannot be imposed on other cultures by force and that even though Kweilan lives happily after being westernized, this is not always the case. I want to close this last thought with one of what my father calls 'his cheap philosophy stories'. Sometime ago in the Andes there were hundreds of different kinds of potatoes, until one day western scientists came to the Andes and decided to create the super potato combining the best of all these different potatoes. This new potato would be bigger, sweater, would grow faster and would be 'fat free'. All the other potatoes were scrapped and the new potato was planted everywhere. Well, that year, instead of having the best harvest ever, there was the biggest food crisis that anyone had ever seen in that part of the world. An insect had destroyed the entire harvest. This insect had been seen before in the area, but most potatoes had created defenses to resist it, and even though some kinds of potatoes were affected, there were always other potatoes to choose from. So, sometimes, not always, but sometimes, there is a reason why things are the way they are.
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Essay Question:
What do you find most challenging about working with a group? (Minor)
This question was the most difficult to answer because I am a person that really enjoys team work. I think working in groups is very important, since the amount of knowledge and creativity of a group of people would always far exceed that of one individual. However, I have been in situations where I did not agree with the group's decisions, and even though I never let this issue affect my performance, I did not feel comfortable having my name attached to a decision I did not feel comfortable with. As an example, I was recently part of a small group responsible for charge of designing an electronic holiday card that the Boeing Sales Directors would send to customers. Our main objective was to design a card that would not show preference for one culture or religion over another, so none of our customers would feel excluded. Of the designs presented, one was chosen that, in fact, did not show any cultural preferences, but it did show a preference for some customers. I checked with many different individuals in the sales and marketing organization to find out if they also felt that the design portraits some customers as more important than others. The answer was almost a unanimous yes. I raised this concern to the group on many occasions, but the group leader and other group members decided to continue with this design. I was able to convince the group to incorporate some changes in the design that would minimize this customer preference. When the electronic card was presented to the Boeing Sales and Marketing organization, I did not feel comfortable to be named as one of the individuals that had participated in creating this card, since I did not feel that we had created a card representative of all our customers. Fortunately, these cases are unusual and I have never encountered a situation were I felt the group was doing such a poor job that I did not want to be part of that group. I enjoy being part of a work group because I feel that in 99% of the time the results are better than what I would have done by myself. I learn from listening and working with other group members and feel that my contributions are valuable.
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Essay Question:
What are your career aspirations, and how can an MBA help you to reach them? Why now? (Minor)
In November 2002 I took a position in Boeing Marketing as the Product Focal for the 747 aircraft with the intention of later moving into airplane sales. In this position, I have learned a great deal about marketing and sales, as well as company strategies. However, I have realized that even though the airplane sales position is very appealing, I am more interested in providing total solutions for airlines. For this reason I decided that it is the right time for me to pursue an MBA degree. My immediate career goal is to join a consulting company that helps airlines formulate competitive strategies. Some low-cost airlines have created plans that make them highly competitive and successful. However, there are many other markets that have not been fully explored and strategies to make these markets profitable are still to be formulated. In order to formulate these strategies, I realize that I need more than my technical background. I need a world class education in strategic planning and finances and I believe that Harvard is the best place to obtain my higher education. Harvard's world renowned faculty and excellence in strategy offers opportunities to gain knowledge that goes beyond what can be learned through work experience or text books. Harvard's truly diverse environment and teaching methodology are equally important to me. In my years of experience at Boeing, I have noticed a lack of diversity in the aviation industry and a very U.S. centric philosophy. In my opinion, these are some of the reasons for the shortage of winning propositions and ideas. I am convinced that Harvard's diverse and interdisciplinary environment and the continuous open discussion with the future leaders of industries, will teach me more than business fundamentals; it will transform my thought process to help me formulate new strategies for the aviation industry. Someday, I wish to implement these strategies as CEO of an international airline.
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Essay Question:
Describe a situation where leadership and teamwork were critical to the outcome of a project in which you were directly involved. What did you learn from the experience and how have you applied what you learned to other situations?
It has been more than three years since I became a sales director. In my opinion, leadership and teamwork are two essential elements for managers to succeed. In my career life, I have been involved in so many real cases, but there is one kept in my memory for a long time. I am very glad to share this unforgettable experience with you. About two years ago, a new employee entered our team. Her ideas were very fresh and provided motivation to work more intensely. She became a supervisor soon. However, one individual may have felt threatened by her popularity. He was the other supervisor who others had looked to previously for encouragement in developing marketing campaigns. It came to a point where they seemed to be competing against each other for everything: the attention of coworkers, the acceptance of marketing plans, etc. In the beginning stages, I viewed it as the kind of competition that pushes one to work harder. But I finally found that I was wrong because an unexpected event happened. At that time, we just finished negotiations with our major client, Wal-Mart, and succeeded in acquiring a purchase order from this largest Supermarket in the United States. It was a deal of over USD one million. Being able to bring our products to Wal-Mart, thus open American market has always been our goals. During the transaction, one person of the two who I mentioned before was mainly responsible for the contact with Chinese manufacturers; the other person was in charge of the American market. The order with Wal-Mart was a batch of multi-meters with temperature testing function. Due to the disagreement and improper communications between these two persons, the goods were found a serious problem after their arrival at Wal-Mart distribution center in Los Angeles: the thermometer on multi-meter was shown in Centigrade, not Fahrenheit which is widely used in the United States. That indicated no American customers would likely buy this kind of meters. So, Wal-Mart asked for the return of all merchandise and compensation for the loss. This was our first big order since we started our business in America, which was also the key step in order to enter the American market. If we failed this time, it would unquestionably be a serious strike to the whole team's spirit. At the time, most people in the company were getting upset and worried about the next step. I, however, calmed myself within a short period of time. As a team leader, I knew that I could not hang back cowardly in front of difficulties, because my action would have a direct impact on the whole team. I must make every effort to re-establish my teams confidence as quick as I could. So, I first had a meeting with those two persons, restated the situation we were in and the mistakes they had made, hoping that in order to solve the problems, they should leave individualistic heroism behind and take the interests of the whole into account. Fortunately, they realized the significance of the problems and acknowledged their faults. In addition, they offered many suggestions by every possible means. Then, I organized a company wide meeting, letting every employee understand that it was not a matter of a single person or a single department, it was a matter of the whole company, the whole team, including shipping department, accounting department, warehouse and customer service department, etc. At last, I called for our common efforts to pull through difficulties. With team's ideas and proposals, I finally made a prompt decision: First, make a sincere apology to Wal-Mart; Second, try to get the permission of Wal-Mart's headquarters, through its internal systems, ship the merchandise to its distribution centers in Canada and Mexico in which Centigrade is widely used, we pay for the shipping fees; Third, transport from China another new batch of correct multi-meters to Wal-Mart within the shortest period of time. When I later contacted Wal-Mart's Purchase Department apologizing and explaining to them our remedial ideas with good faith, they accepted my suggestions and finally became satisfied with the result. After over one month of hardworking, everything was settled. Soon afterwards, we also expanded our market in Canada and Mexico. From this event those two persons came to realize the truth: as an inseparable part of the team, each single person's work would directly influence the whole team's progress. In order for team to operate smoothly, all team members should give mutual aids and cooperation. Finally, they not only cleared up contradictions but also became good friends. Even though we eventually resolved the problem, I also learned a lot from this experience. I recognized the importance of leadership and teamwork in today's management. These two issues are not isolated; instead, they are supplementing each other. A leader and his team are close as fish and water. Leader cannot do anything without team's mutual support, and the same as to team who cannot do anything without leader's wise decisions. Furthermore, before making decisions, leader needs to listen to team members' suggestions because this is helpful for leader to keep an objective attitude all the time. During three years of work, our team has met some other difficulties now and then. But every time when we experience such situations, we do not seem restless any longer, instead, every team member could keep calm and try his or her best to provide proposals or possible solutions. Each members idea is probably different, but once I make a final decision, the team begins to work cooperatively and effectively for a common goal, at the same time, I also join the team and help team members to achieve our objectives. Therefore, I believe that a good team leader is also a good team member.
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Essay Question:
Choose a recent experience in which you acted as a leader. Briefly outline the situation, describe your leadership role, and then explain how you were effective and what you learned.
Kaito Electronics Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary company of China National Electronics Import and Export Shenzhen Company (CEIEC) where I previously worked. Because we started this company only a few years ago, demonstrating strong leadership is so much significant. As marketing director at Kaito, I have learned that becoming a good leader is an ongoing process. Last Christmas, I had to lead by example. I had a two-week vacation scheduled in mid-December. Throughout the year, I sacrificed much of my personal time by working overtime nights and weekends. Nonetheless because of an unexpected large order, the customer really needed our help in completing the order before Christmas. So I encouraged my whole team to help as much as we could and I further delayed my vacation. I finally took two weeks off in early January. I felt that my team was able to work effectively without my physical presence. When I came back from vacation, the assignments were complete and my team gained even more confidence in their work and in their leader. I realized that being an effective leader does not mean just assigning duties or communicating with other managers, a leader also has to trust his or her staff. In order to lead well, I need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of my team. I also have to show each and every team member that his or her contribution is in no way insignificant. At the same time, leader's dedication is especially important for the whole team. Leading by example everyday and seeing how hard my team works and how much they sacrifice of their own personal time, I felt convinced that their effort would be nothing less than great.
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Essay Question:
While recognizing that no day is typical, describe a representative day.
As every sunrise makes people a new wish, every day's life give me freshness. I usually get up at seven o'clock in the morning. After taking a shower, I have some breakfast as well as read Wall street Journal for the latest news. I arrive in the office at 8:30, checking e-mail and faxes, reviewing plans for the day and scheduling task priorities. After that, a daily department meeting of eight sales people is held. First, each person has to report to me the process of his job and whatever problems including technical or customer's problem he or she has encountered during the work. I make notes of them. Then, I allocate today's assignments to different persons in terms of the ability of employees and the importance of tasks. At the same time, each duty's deadline is repeated. After the meeting, besides handling some day-to-day work, I begin to work on the problems we just discussed by making contact with either internal departments or our customers. Lunch break is short, but it is the most relaxing time in a day. We are chatting, joking like close friends. If the day is somebody's birthday, we have a small birthday party for him. After the lunch break, I go back to work and concentrate on exploring new markets. I normally work until seven o'clock. After work, I usually go to L.A. Fitness Center. Jogging and swimming are my favorite sports. When I come back home, I like to watch some news. Of course, if there is any NBA competition in the evening, I absolutely cannot miss it. Before sleeping, I work for a while. Sometimes I make phone calls to my family or friends, because they are a part of my life. This is my representative day: intense but exciting.
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Essay Question:
We all experience 'defining moments,' significant events that can have a major impact on our lives. Briefly describe such an event and how it has affected you.
Soccer is an inseparable part of my life. I have had great interest in this sport since I was a child. When I was in college, I was even selected as the Captain in the second year after I joined College Soccer Team. I could still remember 1991, the exhilarating year when I first led my team to the National College Students Sports Competition. There were over twenty college teams participating in this grand contest. Soccer is the last as well as most important event. After breaking through several rounds, we luckily became one of the final two teams for the champion but we knew that we were not better in strength than the other team. As the captain of the whole team, I instantly felt the meaning of my role to the team. I told every member to put fear of failure aside and just play it as fun. The competition was very stiff, but we had a tacit mutual understanding. It turned out that we finally won the champion for that years Soccer Carnival. When holding the prize cup in our hands, we were smiling from the bottoms of our hearts. I will never forget that defining moment. As a result of this event, I deeply understand that individual self-discipline and determination is not enough to push our team to victory. It is the teamwork that makes us the champion. At the same time, a wise leader with his back up also plays a key role for the whole team. During those times, we supported and gave moral encouragement to each other. I was also getting more and more convinced that one day I would become a very capable team leader in my career life.
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Essay Question:
Why do you wish to pursue an MBA degree from Harvard Business School? What are your career aspirations and why?
It has been nine years since I graduated from college. Fortunately, I have had a very positive experience because I have been given a tremendous opportunity to grow and learn more about myself. Now I am thirty-one years old and function as the marketing director in electronics trading industry. However, I am not satisfied with just having that great position. I understand that the road of growth never ends, and I believe that learning mixed with experience will give me the ability to lead and the credibility that a leader needs in today's knowledge-based economy. So I want an MBA education. I choose Harvard Business School because in my mind it is the best business school in the world. It can prepare me to extend my expectations and to expand my ability to become an innovator in business or a leader for a lifetime. Another reason is because of its unique case study method: five hundred case analysis in class during two years. I will have an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen my comprehensive analysis and judgment skills through the real-world case studies. In addition, its world-class faculty and powerful alumni network make me choose Harvard without hesitation. Becoming a well-rounded leader capable of owning my business and developing it into one of Fortune 500 multinational companies are my career aspirations. I like to challenge myself; I want to see how far my potential could explore; I wish to make a difference in the world. I know I still have a long way to go in order to achieve my career goals. But I do believe that an MBA education at Harvard Business School, which is my most love, will accelerate the process to make my dreams come true.
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Essay Question:
Describe a setback, disappointment, or occasion of failure that you have experienced. How did you manage the situation, and what did you learn from it?
About a year ago, Wal-Mart, our major customer placed a big order with us for a certain kind of multi-meter with temperature testing function. It was a deal of over one million U.S. dollar. When goods were delivered to Wal-Mart distribution center in Los Angeles, we found a serious problem with temperature tester: the scale on thermometer is shown in Centigrade, not Fahrenheit which is widely used by the United States. So, Wal-Mart asked for the return of all merchandise. That would incur a heavy loss to the company. I knew that it was impossible to request the manufacturer to produce new models within the prescribed deadline. So I had to think of other remedies to retrieve such a loss. Therefore, I organized an emergency department meeting telling everyone that we should first have the courage to acknowledge our mistake, then, we should find the best resolution as soon as possible. With team's wisdom and efforts, I finally made a prompt decision: Try to get the permission of Wal-Mart headquarters to sell the merchandise to its distribution centers in Canada and Mexico in which Centigrade is widely used. When I contacted Wal-Marts Purchase Department and explained to them our remedial ideas with good faith, they finally accepted my suggestions and were satisfied with the result. We accordingly made profit from a misfortune. Soon afterwards, we also expanded our market in Canada and Mexico. From this event, I learned that when faced with difficulties, we should keep calm and make our efforts to overcome them. At the same time, communication skill is a very important factor in order to keep good relationships with customers.
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Essay Question:
Describe your three most substantial accomplishments and explain why you view them as such.
One of my life principles is 'Where there is a will, there is a way.' I used to be a soccer player. When I was in college, I had a very strong and healthy figure. But over the years of working, I have become a heavy person due to longer working hours and fewer workouts. When I occasionally looked at my old pictures, I was getting uncomfortable. Besides this, however, as a sales director, when one after another working pressure coming to me, I frequently got physically exhausted. 'It's time to lose weight.' I said to myself. Hence, after making a firm decision, I began my action in the summer of year 2000. I still had three meals a day, yet most of which are fruit and vegetables. I also joined the nearby fitness club, working out for at least one hour every other day. After six months of hard time, I lost fifty pounds from two hundred pounds. Stronger and healthier again, I felt that I was able to deal with any stress easily. The reason that I view this event as one of my most substantial accomplishments is because I realized that so long as you have the courage to challenge yourself and persevere in doing what you want to do, there is no difficulty you cannot overcome. As a team leader, I have to face any unexpected situation and make a quick action to it. One time, one of our customers in Seattle had a large order with us. After a number of months' negotiations, we finally reached an agreement and a contract had to be signed by September 12, 2001 in Seattle. However, due to 9/11 terrorist attack, my flight to Seattle on September 11 was temporarily canceled. In such an urgent situation, I understood no matter what was happening, I must get there by the time limit. So I made a prompt decision: driving to Seattle. I took off from Los Angeles at three o'clock in the afternoon, driving all day and all night. Except for taking short breaks every time fueling the gas, I did not stop for sleep. After 1200-mile driving, I finally arrived at the destination at eleven o'clock next morning. Without a doubt, we succeeded in completing the order. As a result of this event, I was highly praised for my spirit of dedication to the collectivity. I was also very happy that I could make contribution to my team and my company. Therefore, I also view it as one of my most substantial accomplishments. All international students who apply for MBA program know that GMAT and TOEFL are two mandatory examinations they have to take. As a person whose native language is non-English, I also consider them as a challenge. After I decided to apply for business school three months ago, I started preparing for these two exams by making monthly plans with daily and weekly arrangements. Because I work full-time during the day, I usually spent night studying. When I went on business trips, I always brought GMAT or TOEFL reference books with me. As the Chinese saying goes: Time is like a sponge, as long as you squeeze it, time is always there for your use. After three hardworking months, I sat for the exams and got 760 score in GMAT and 280 in TOEFL. I am very satisfied with this result because I know it represents a good start, and I become more confident that I have the ability to achieve success in the future. So, I regard it as my third most substantial accomplishment.
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Essay Question:
What are your career aspirations, and how can an MBA help you to reach them? Why now?
After completing my mechanical engineering studies at Washington University, I dove into the manufacturing world. I was hungry to learn about this fast-paced, 24-hour-a-day industry. As it turns out, I could not have chosen a better place than Motorola to get the experience I was seeking. Motorola has offered me broad operations experience, as well as education in the Six Sigma business improvement model. As a member of the Technical Operations Team, I am responsible for solving technical manufacturing problems and providing general operations support. The problems Ive solved and the projects Ive led have provided valuable experience in many areas of manufacturing operations. My long-term career goal is to be the general manager of a manufacturing operation. I want to enter an MBA program now because I have the right amount of manufacturing experience and an MBA is the next necessary step toward my career goal. During my first year at HBS, I'll build the core of my business knowledge through coursework in accounting, finance, and marketing. My second-year coursework will include electives such as Professor Hammond's Coordinating and Managing Supply Chains and the Operations Strategy courses taught by Professors Iansiti and Shapiro. The breadth of Harvard's elective courses and the freedom to explore specific interests will enable me to design a curriculum that will prepare me to run a manufacturing operation. When I visited the Harvard campus this Fall, I had the opportunity to observe a class. I've never been in a classroom so full of energy. The class was Marketing, and the students were debating the issue of implanting tracking devices in humans with the CTO of Digital Angel, the device's manufacturer. Incredible. I can't imagine a more intensely educational setting than a room full of high-caliber students analyzing a real-life business case and sharing ideas with classmates and business leaders. The challenge of the case study environment at HBS will be critical to the development of my analytical and verbal skills. After completion of the MBA program, I'll be prepared for the next step in my development: operations consulting. Exposure to different operations will build invaluable experience I will reference when I run my own operation. After two years of operations consulting, all components of my formula will be in place: engineering education, manufacturing and design experience, Motorola Six Sigma Certification, top-quality business and operations education at Harvard, and broad operations experience. At that point, I'll be prepared to lead a manufacturing operation.
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Essay Question:
Discuss a recent leadership experience. Briefly outline the situation and then describe your role, how you were effective, and what you learned.
In order to maintain its legendary Six Sigma quality, Motorola assigns quality teams to each factory. The teams of about ten people are composed of engineers and production personnel. The billion-dollar factory I work in divides quality responsibilities among five teams. Throughout 2003, I have led the quality team for product lines producing over $300 million in revenue annually. Although I'm the youngest of the five team leaders, I am shouldering the most responsibility. Everyone on my team is much older than me. I knew it would be challenging to convince people with 10 or even 20 years of experience at Motorola I was a leader worthy of their trust. I gained the confidence of my team members by leading with maturity, integrity and intensity, and treating each of them with sincere respect. My contagious determination to succeed and consistently high energy level was inspirational to the team. The positive atmosphere I created enabled them to enjoy our projects and team meetings. I considered the development of each person very important. For example, I taught production personnel to use simple statistical tools to track and analyze quality data. Empowering my team members in this way paid great long-term dividends. I was also effective in that I never underestimated the importance of understanding the people and personalities on my team. Each person is motivated in different ways. For example, Karen, the factory supervisor, responded much better to kind requests and almost excessive encouragement upon completion of a task. James, the test systems engineer, required firmer guidance and strict deadlines. I was successful in quickly understanding the right combination of motivating factors for each member of my team. The team's results are evidence of my effective leadership. With a quarter of the year left, we have already doubled our year-end goal. Management recognized my success with the Vice President's Outstanding Performance Award. I was one of only four people to receive this award in 2003. Through this leadership experience, I learned being a servant to my team members is just as important in building trust as demonstrating strength of character. With encouragement and support, my team members performed and contributed more than originally expected. I also learned some people will perform better in different environments. For example, a team member who sits quietly through each meeting may be hiding useful thoughts that might be coaxed out in a one-on-one conversation. In short, I gained insight into the complexity of team dynamics.
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Essay Question:
What are your three most substantial accomplishments, and why do you view them as such?
My three greatest accomplishments were achieved in three different areas of my life: professional, athletic and academic. As a manufacturing engineer, I earned Motorola's Environmental Performance Excellence Award in recognition of significant cost savings and positive environmental impact. In athletics, I won a starting position on one of the best Division III soccer teams in the country as a freshman. My academic career culminated in graduation from a top-ten university with summa cum laude honors. At Motorola, I earned the Environmental Performance Excellence Award, an honor never before received by a member of my organization. I founded a team with the goal of replacing expensive, environmentally harmful packaging with creative, low-cost, recyclable and biodegradable packaging. In 2002 my team saved Motorola $3.5 million and prevented the shipment of 96 tons of non-biodegradable foam. The cost savings stunned management because my cost-reduction goal was only $100,000. This accomplishment is incredibly meaningful to me because I created the project, proposed it to management, and drove it to completion. As it turned out, my project captured more cost savings than any other in my department and made a dramatic environmental impact. Most importantly, I prize this accomplishment because I made my clear vision a reality. I saw the tons and tons of toxic foam shipped every day and was compelled to take action. I conveyed my vision to my team and motivated them to help me make an important change. Earning a starting position on Washington's varsity soccer team as a freshman is one of my most substantial accomplishments because it was the reward for 15 years of preparation. The competition was intense, with players (many of them older than me) from across the country competing for a handful of positions. Of the twenty or so freshman vying for a spot on the roster, I was the only one to make the team. The feeling of winning a place on the team was incredible, and the reward was sweet. I wasnt at school for two weeks before I found myself in Colorado winning a game. My earlier soccer experience instilled an incredible level of physical and mental toughness in me. Being the captain of a state champion high school team ranked fifth in the country by USA Today prepared me for the NCAA. Leading the team through exhausting training and championship matches conditioned my soccer skills and character early on, enabling me to contribute immediately to Washington's team and ultimately become one of its leaders. Graduating summa cum laude from Washington University was the pinnacle of my academic career. This accomplishment is a milestone for my family because it is the highest academic achievement in my family's history. My father risked his life to escape the violence that claimed the life of his father and uncles in Slovenia in the 1950s. I am the son of an immigrant who was just learning to speak English when he entered college. During his college years my father was working several jobs to provide food for his mother and younger brother. Even with this disadvantage, he graduated second in his class. When I was in school, I clearly understood how lucky I was to have the educational opportunities I did. My father's hard work and perseverance created a life for me that he never had. My graduation with high honors from a top university made my father feel all of his risks were worthwhile, and therefore, this was my greatest accomplishment.
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Essay Question:
What do you find most challenging about working with a group?
My biggest challenge has been influencing and motivating team members when I am not in a position of leadership. Although I thrive in a group setting, there are certain roles within a group that I find more challenging than others. The position of group leader comes much more naturally to me than that of a support member. I find that when I am in the position of support, I am most challenged. Many people in this world are content to let others guide and direct their course of action. I must admit that even I enjoy working in a group where the leader is strong and I can trust that he or she is making the best decisions possible. However, when I am a part of a team where I feel the leader does not inspire confidence, respect and trust, I am forced to work far harder than if I were in charge. As a team member, I have to provide leadership in an intelligent and conscientious way, keeping the team on the path to success without harming the team dynamic or undermining the chosen leader. I surmounted this challenge as a senior member of the varsity soccer team at Washington University. Although I was not the team captain, I was in a position of leadership. As I was one of the top players, my peers and younger teammates looked to me for direction whether we were practicing midweek or playing in the national tournament. Finding the balance between providing strong leadership and deferring to the team captain was difficult and required acute self-awareness. I honestly was extremely disappointed when my coach named another teammate 'captain,' but by the end of the season I found that I was able to greatly affect the team dynamic and create an environment of trust, respect, confidence and camaraderie despite the lack of title. This experience, and countless others, have helped me to better understand the importance of every team member and the impact I can have from a supporting role.
