Why get an MBA, how quickly you can get back the money you invested in studying, how the study program in Russia differs from approaches in the West, and what you need to consider before enrolling - education experts and business school graduates tell you everything you need to know about the MBA.

MBA in Russia and the West

The MBA program was officially launched in Russia in 1999: then state requirements based on international standards were formulated, and a national audit of the quality of education began to be carried out. However, as Larisa Kartashova, dean of the Plekhanov School of Business Integral, explains, several MBA programs were launched in the 90s. However, the professor adds that “it is now difficult to judge whether these programs met the requirements of an MBA or were ordinary retraining programs.”

The main goal of an MBA is to teach business management skills. There is no single standard for the program, there is only a set of criteria by which accreditation takes place educational institution. In Western universities and business schools, the program has existed longer than in Russia, so experts highlight several differences.

Larisa Kartashova, professor, doctor of economics Sc., Dean of the Plekhanov School of Business Integral:

According to my observations, graduates of leading foreign schools after completing the FT MBA (Full-time MBA - approx. "Papers") often occupy rather modest managerial positions in Russia. Graduates of mature Russian MBA schools often feel more confident and occupy fairly high positions in the country.

Firstly, the Western education market in this area is more homogeneous; in Russia, according to Larisa Kartashova, there are five to seven leaders, while other universities lag far behind them. Secondly, in Russia, students more often choose a Part-time MBA, that is, combine it with work; in Europe, full immersion programs are more accepted. Tuition costs in Russia are lower, but education grants are less common.

At the end of January 2015, the international rating agency QS released a report on how quickly graduates of European business schools can recoup their studies. According to QS experts, in most cases this can be done in 2.5 years, although after some schools graduates need 15–20 months to recoup their investment.

How to choose a school

Irina Tolstova

Before going for an MBA, the candidate must, of course, determine basic things for himself: where he wants to work and live, what kind of program he needs. When choosing, it is advisable to take into account the rankings, accreditation of the school or university. Our consultants sometimes even recommend going to campus and getting to know the business school environment to see if it's a good fit for the candidate.

It is also important to understand that each business school has a different mission: some focus on entrepreneurship, others on innovation, and others on leadership. This should be taken into account in the essay that candidates write when applying and illustrate their strengths with clear examples. If you can’t visit the campus, it’s worth going to educational events, communicating with representatives of business schools and asking all your questions.

The candidate must also find out the cost of the training and determine how it will be paid for. Often discounts and scholarships are provided by business schools themselves, and you can also find foundations and organizations that can cover tuition costs partially or fully. For example, it is $1,700,000.

You must pass the GMAT exam before applying. If the result is less than 400 points, a minimum of six months will be required to prepare and pass, with an additional two months in case of retake. Most business schools require a GMAT score of 700 or higher.

You also need to understand that if a candidate goes for a Full-time MBA, he will have to spend a year abroad - at a European business school, two - if the school is in the USA. The training itself requires painstaking work of eight to ten hours a day. And you need to be prepared for the fact that candidates for an MBA will receive up to 70% of their knowledge not from professors, but from other students in the process of communicating and discussing their experience. A foreign MBA diploma not only provides employment opportunities abroad, but also a competitive advantage in Russia.

What alumni say

My goals in going to study at the Stockholm School of Economics were twofold: to learn marketing and to find inspiration to launch my next business. I opened the “At Home Tastier” service immediately after my MBA. Now I am mainly involved in marketing at the company. The school gave me two important things that I didn't think about when I entered.

Figuratively speaking, I used to sit in a well and look at the sky. Now I have climbed out of the well, I look around and see about 97% more than before

Firstly, friendship with classmates and connections in the alumni community are priceless and will last a lifetime. There is no need to do business with friends, it is better to look for friends in business. SSE graduates help each other, advise, consult, collaborate, and look for work through the alumni community. We have fun together, drink wine. We have an “Unofficial SSE Alumni Club”, that is, a get-together has developed.

Secondly, I began to look at my capabilities differently. An MBA broadens your horizons and opens your eyes wider. If before studying I was practically sure that I would work all my life only in Russia, then after studying I look at Russia as one of the countries that creates 3% of world GDP. Figuratively speaking, I used to sit in a well and look at the sky. Now I have climbed out of the well, I look around and see about 97% more than before.

Thus, I achieved my goals: I learned the basics of modern marketing and opened a new business. Now "At Home Tastier" is the absolute leader in the Russian market for the delivery of food baskets with recipes. In the near future we plan to enter the European market.

Inga Korchagina

Business coach, CBSD Thunderbird Russia expert, graduate of Instituto de Empresa

In 2006, I graduated from the International MBA program at the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid with a degree in General Management. By that time I was already working as a marketer. At the age of 28, she became a manager at Estee Lauder, taking the position of Marketing Director for Russia and the CIS. In the process, it became clear that being a specialist in your field is one thing, but being a leader is something completely different. This requires a completely different set of skills and knowledge. When a person becomes a leader, he needs to learn how to manage people.

It was important to study abroad, because in Russia at that time everything was very sad with education in the field of management, as well as now. What our managers can do is not enough, due to the short history of business in our country, so it is useless to study in Russia. It is better to do it abroad among experienced and knowledgeable people.

People, as a rule, are not prepared that a wave of delight and enthusiasm in a new country will inevitably be followed by an emotional decline

Training in the program helps to develop a systematic view of the entire company. Working, for example, in marketing, you know the system of your department and your segment. An MBA gives you an insight into the management of the entire company: both finance and organizational structure, and working with personnel. The manager must know how the entire chain works. In addition to knowledge of specific subjects, the program provides the most important thing - an understanding of how to manage people. In business and company, in my opinion, this is more than half the success. It is Russian business that suffers from the lack of proper communication between people: line managers, managers and subordinates, and so on.

Expectations always differ from reality. Before training begins, they are always overpriced. In addition, an important factor is the lack of information or the reluctance to receive this information. All together, this provokes a number of disappointments: people, as a rule, are not prepared that the wave of delight and enthusiasm in a new country will inevitably be followed by an emotional decline. In another country there is a different culture, more stringent study conditions.

In addition to knowledge of specific subjects, the program gives the most important thing - an understanding of how to manage people

The education system itself is radically different from the education system in Russia. We worked constantly, slept five hours a day for a year and a half, read a lot and learned to communicate with different people - this is a great moral strain. Plus you are evaluated all the time, you constantly feel competition. Therefore, you need to mentally prepare yourself for the fact that this, on the one hand, is a very interesting time, but on the other hand, it is a challenge.

I would introduce mentors to organizations that offer MBA courses. The biggest problem is that you don't know what questions to ask. Thanks to a mentor, a person will be able to navigate topics that interest him personally, and get maximum information about what actually awaits him during training. The main thing is that such a person is honest with you, takes your goals into account and sets the right expectations.

How to get more information

The international rating agency QS will hold its traditional TopMBA Connect 1-2-1 event on March 16 at and March 18 at. This is a series of individual 30-minute interviews with representatives of the admissions committees of the best business schools in the world. Experts will review each candidate’s resume and offer the best options for obtaining an MBA degree. Consultations are free, but pre-registration is required to participate.

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 unable to take responsibility for decisions and their consequences, then selection 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 anniversary, one of the guests decided to give a eulogy dedicated to you and your life path. 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.

Job information:

Discipline: for MBA

Type of work: Essay

Why do I need an MBA program?

Text fragment

On this moment I consider myself a specialist with fairly high leadership and management qualities, however, the education received under the MBA program should help me more freely navigate not only domestic, but also international methods management. Thanks to this study, I expect to gain experience in creating a professional management team capable of assessing the effectiveness of business structures, and in managing such a team. The popularity of MBA programs around the world indicates the training of high professional level management personnel in this area. Based on the practical experience of many people, I am sure that, already having higher education and a little business experience, I will be able to gain more diverse and in-depth knowledge in both management and business administration. I will be able to study the basics of business and management in detail thanks to the systematic preparation of the final project and internships in various companies. Modern integration process Along with the process of globalization, it requires specialists to apply diverse knowledge; my immediate competence is to ensure management activities. It is this side professional activity manager allows me to appreciate existing trends, and participation in internships will provide an opportunity to determine all the advantages and disadvantages of management activities at specific enterprises in order to develop recommendations for their improvement. The business education received under the MBA program will help me to conduct managerial work more successfully thanks to new knowledge, practical skills and abilities. Systematization of knowledge and, accordingly, thinking will lead to undoubted success.

Similar works:

“Leviathan” was published in 1651 in Paris in a royalist environment, but after that T. Hobbes immediately returned to England (i.e., he moved from the royalist camp to the republicans). In 1658, O. Cromwell died, and royal rule was restored in England (the royalists came to power again). The conversation turned to the political ban on “Leviathan” and the recognition of T. Hobbes as a dangerous person for the state (“an atheist”). Only the intercession of the king (a former student of T. Hobbes) saved the disgraced philosopher. But after the death of T. Hobbes in 1669, the book was still banned in England. T. Hobbes first published his book in English (in 1651), which meant that it was written for compatriots who had already been fighting against each other for a decade. In 1668 (a year before his death), T. Hobbes translated and published a book in Amsterdam on Latin, which was the international scientific language at the time. It was thanks to the Latin translation that the book became world famous. The phrase of T. Hobbes is well known that “with him was born his twin - fear”4 Robin K. Fear. Story political idea. M.: Progress-tradition, 2007. P. 43., but still the original time, when T. Hobbes formulated the idea of ​​fear as the main motive political activity, there were years civil war in England. As for the author of Leviathan himself, his life was under threat with the release of this very book. This is how T. Hobbes’s ideas materialized in his own life situation. K. Robin, an English researcher, calls T. Hobbes a “seer” who was “the first theorist to see and stimulate the potential of political fear,” showing how “fear needed the help of elites, laws, institutions and education”5 Robin K. Fear. History of a political idea. M.: Progress-tradition, 2007. P. 40... At some point, T. Hobbes had to go through all this himself. A WAR OF ALL AGAINST ALL Researchers and commentators on “Leviathan” unanimously propose to start considering the content with a “thought experiment,” that is, with the question “suppose there were no state, how would people live then?”6 Ogurtsov A.P. Thomas Hobbes and the Leviathan of total power // Metaphysics.

The need to protect a vast territory and confront harsh natural conditions has always prompted the Russian people to unite. Thus, in order to retain any territory, the Russian people always had to fight for it, which made them pre-hardened towards everything “foreign”, unfamiliar, towards other peoples - towards everything that could pose a threat, which gives rise to the first inconsistency of the Russian character. From this follows the desire for independence, which, however, was impossible without unification for the purpose of protection. One of the prerequisites for the unification of Russians by land around a single center in order to avoid attacks from nomadic peoples in the 9th century was religion - Orthodox Christianity, on the basis of which arose Kievan Rus- a strong state, a union of various independent principalities around Kyiv. However, throughout history Russian state, despite the prevailing role of Orthodoxy (as the main religion), on the vast territory of our country there have always been Muslims, Catholics, Buddhists, and Jews who lived nearby, interacted with each other, learned to adapt to each other. However, native Russian society can be called conservatives - the Russian people have always had difficulty adapting to changes, which is confirmed by centuries-old history. In this regard, in the Russian mentality there is still, despite the globalization of society, such a feature as irreconcilability to everything unusual, to what differs from the accepted, familiar. Therefore, such a “variegated” religious composition of all the peoples of the Russian state has always inevitably led, and still leads, to clashes, strife, persecution and conflicts, which should not happen in a multinational state. At the same time, it should be noted that for most of history, starting with the baptism of Rus', the Russian state could be called Orthodox, Christian. The power of the church has always been high, even higher than the royal power. People lived according to Christian traditions, which call for helping others, working hard, not getting angry, etc.

the trend of worsening relations with allies in the region and the destructive consequences of this process; reformatting of alliances in the region, a new geopolitical role of Islamic fundamentalism, an intra-Islamic geopolitical and ideological conflict, increased regional instability, which is associated with a possible revision of the political map of the Middle East. Speaking about the main factors that arouse interest in the region from leading players international relations, in particular the USA, the following should be highlighted: firstly, it is a source of energy resources, - given the global trend: decreasing resources - increasing needs, the importance of the region is understandable, because the USA now imports oil, and given that the countries of the Middle East account for 48% of the world's oil reserves and 43% of world gas reserves; Iran ranks 1st in the world in gas deposits, Qatar ranks 3rd in gas reserves after Russia; secondly, the geostrategic transit hub is important - its location at the intersection of other continents: Africa, Europe, Asia. In addition, the countries are washed by the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian and Red Seas, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Thirdly, it is worth mentioning the Persian Gulf and, in particular, the Strait of Hormuz (through which 30-40% of the world's oil passes, about 17 million barrels daily). It is in the interests of the United States to surround the strait with dependent states: a free Kurdistan will weaken Turkey, Iraq and partly Iran, and Balochistan will weaken Pakistan and Afghanistan. The strategic importance makes the Strait of Hormuz a "critical oil" geostrategic point. Considering that all oil and gas trade is based on dollar transactions, there is a dependence on US monetary policy (due to US dominance in the global financial system). At the same time, it is necessary to highlight the trend of decreasing investment in the unstable zone of the Middle East when it comes to the energy resources of the region. This is also due to the so-called “shale boom” (extraction of shale gas and oil) in the United States and alternative and more attractive regions for resource extraction, in particular Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

Perhaps, by the beginning of Victoria's reign, typical images of English ladies and gentlemen had already emerged in English literature - in the works of Byron, Walter Scott and Jane Austen. The transition from romanticism to realism in literature has already been clearly defined. In the thirties of the nineteenth century, realism was finally established as the main direction in English literature. Having absorbed the traditions of previous eras, realism defined a new view of the hero, conditioned by social determinism. The connections between the individual and society are considered by English novelists in a historical aspect, in a certain system, which determines the current state of affairs. The literature of the Victorian era had a significant influence on the fate of the world novel and was refracted in creativity modern writers and created the classic image of “good old England.” This image is ideal in many ways. A large family, all generations of which are bound by traditions. Members of such a family touchingly care for each other, without even being related by blood ties. The English family includes all relatives - unmarried aunts, orphaned cousins ​​and nephews, aged servants. Traditional families usually have many children - the eldest son inherits the estate and title, the younger ones enter the service: they become military men, lawyers or priests. English young ladies study music, drawing and needlework. They are humble, sweet and impeccable. Although English morality has always demanded impeccable compliance with manners, it was still quite tolerant when it came to feelings. Young ladies and gentlemen were given the opportunity to get to know each other, develop mutual sympathy and marry based on feelings, although origin and annual income were always of great importance.

Thus, each character is a people with their “pros” and “cons”, strengths and weaknesses. The main problem in the novel is that to see both in a person, V. Nabokov draws attention to this when analyzing Ulysses. The novel affirms life in its diversity - there is black in it, but there is also a white, positive side. In Ulysses, the essence, content, and problem are inseparable from the form. It is impossible to talk about the content of the novel, abstracting from the form, and in Ulysses it is very unusual. V. Nabokov names three forms of narration in a novel - the usual style, understandable to the reader; the so-called stream of consciousness, which has an abrupt form of expression - a form that Joyce was not the discoverer of (it was used, for example, by L. Tolstoy in Anna Karenina), but which was developed precisely by Joyce; parodies of forms not typical for the novel. The peculiarity of the “stream of consciousness” is that it records not only conscious, but also unarticulated thoughts. A person usually thinks intermittently; various associations are often born in his mind. Joyce, speaking on behalf of his characters, also drew attention to the fact that the “stream of consciousness” is not always the same. So, in the morning, when a person has rested and his head is clear, he thinks in complete sentences, but during the day, as the person gets tired, his internal monologue becomes less and less logical, more and more bizarre, and finally, logic can disappear almost completely . Cause-and-effect relationships are confused or completely broken. Regarding the “stream of consciousness,” Nabokov notes that this technique is because we also think in images, and not just in words. At the same time, this technique makes it possible to reveal the inner world of the character. V. Nabokov notes, discussing Marion Bloom: He draws this conclusion on the basis of her long internal monologue at the end of the book. Nabokov advises reading Marion's monologue, while marking the boundaries between sentences with a pencil, thereby emphasizing that it is difficult to read, but it is precisely this style of presentation that helps the writer penetrate into Molly's inner world, and the reader - understand this inner world.

10.12.2015

What to write in your essay, resume, and online application to Stanford GSB? A motivational story is a tool for structuring ideas and distributing them across documents.

Now it’s time to prepare a complete package of documents to send to the admissions committee:

• resume (curriculum vitae, CV),
• two essays (Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?, Essay B: Why Stanford?)
• online application (a set of online forms on the Stanford website),
• transcripts from universities.

WITH transcripts everything is quite simple: I made requests to my alma mater: MGIMO, Bocconi and the University of Minnesota with a request to send transcripts to the admissions committee of the Stanford Business School. The University of Minnesota sent the transcripts electronically, Bocconi sent them via DHL (I had to pay). MGIMO, like many Russian universities, does not provide a service for sending transcripts, so I took a sealed envelope with transcripts from the MGIMO Bologna Process Department and sent it myself. I was lucky that all my transcripts were in English, otherwise I would have had to have them translated and notarized. This is not difficult, but it is time-consuming and expensive.

Motivational story: two parts

Resume, 2 essays and online application – the most interesting and difficult part of the package of documents. I call her " motivational story ”, since it should reflect the most important stages of the candidate’s life (hence “story”) and explain the motivation of (1) the candidate to study in the chosen program and (2) the university to accept the candidate into this program (hence “motivational”).

In this article I will tell you how to collect material for parts (1) and (2) of a motivational story and distribute it among documents (resume, essay, application). In subsequent articles we will talk about each document separately.

(1) Why do I want to study at Stanford?

I answered this question in detail during the process of choosing a business school - see article MBA 03. I am going to tell the same thing in the motivational story.

Where is all this reflected? In essay B, "Why Stanford?"

(2) Why am I a worthy candidate?

Now I need to prove that Stanford will not lose if it chooses me over thousands of other candidates. To do this, I will collect arguments why I meet Stanford's selection criteria (Part 2.1), and also figure out how I can be useful to the business school and its students (Part 2.2.).

(2.1) Why I meet Stanford's eligibility criteria

Each school seeks candidates who meet its own criteria. Stanford has three. Here I will present them in full so as not to miss important details.

• Intellectual Vitality

« In assessing intellectual vitality, we believe that your attitude toward learning is as important as your aptitude. We hope that your application will convey your passion, dedication, and interest in expanding your genuine intellectual horizons.

We also consider the initiative with which you seek out opportunities that enhance your knowledge. We want to understand your willingness to master concepts that may not be immediately relevant to your intended career, to carve your path in ambiguous environments, and to support the school’s goal of developing knowledge that deepens and advances the practice of management ».

• Demonstrated Leadership Potential

« As we review your application, we are considering your leadership potential as demonstrated through your personal character and professional competence.

Your personal character matters not only because integrity is the cornerstone of any academic community, but also because of the vast responsibility of our society places on leaders of businesses and social-sector organizations. As a result, we look for evidence of behaviors consistent with your ideals, even under difficult circumstances—a sort of directed idealism.

We want to understand your personal motivation and convictions, and your ability to confront complex, unfamiliar issues with good judgment. We also try to uncover the ways in which challenges to your beliefs may have changed some of your perspectives and reinforced others.

In understanding your professional competence, we look for both leadership experience and potential. In doing so, we don’t limit ourselves to your professional life. Neither should you. We look at your background for evidence of the ways you have influenced the people and organizations around you, and the way those experiences have shaped you.

We look for evidence of your desire to make a lasting impact in the organizations you serve throughout your career, inspiring and motivating your colleagues.

We consider your awareness of what you do well and the areas in which you can improve, and your openness to feedback. Ultimately, we gauge your commitment to fully utilizing your opportunities and available resources ».

• Personal Qualities & Contributions

« The strongest applications we see are those in which your thoughts and voice remain intact. The Stanford MBA experience relies on authenticity among students. To understand how you will contribute to and benefit from the University community, we need to know who you are, not simply what you have done. Your experiences, beliefs, passions, dreams, and ambitions will help form the Stanford community.

Take time to reflect on who you are, and have confidence in yourself. We always remember that there is neither an “ideal” candidate nor a “typical” Stanford MBA student. You should remember this, too.

While the Stanford GSB community does include students who have pursued incomparable opportunities, most Stanford MBA students have excelled by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. What you make of an experience matters to us, not simply the itself ».

How did I understand these criteria?

I will try to paraphrase in Russian:

• Intellectual Vitality – ability And wish study. It’s not enough to say that I studied well. I need to give examples of when I strived for knowledge despite difficulties. For example, I didn’t understand the material and sat outside the professor’s door waiting for office hours.
• Demonstrated Leadership Potential – demonstration of leadership skills and initiative, as well as values ​​and beliefs , which became their basis. It’s not enough to say that I participated in organizing the debate club. I need to explain why I did this and what conclusions I drew.
• Personal Qualities & Contributions – sincere description of interests and values, without trying to please or demonstrate your success . Essentially, the answer to the question of what is important to you personally.

Why am I coming?

Having decided on the program requirements, I began to think about why I fit them. For this

• I took a set of red stickers and started writing all sorts of things on them. achievements, skills, interests and values,
• Having written a few distributed them into groups Intellectual Vitality, Demonstrated Leadership Potential, Personal Qualities and Contributions,
• For stickers that were not included in any group, I made three additional groups:
  Global Mindset (all about international experience and interest in other cultures),
  Technical Competence (mathematical skills, programming) and
  Communication (experience and passion for public speaking, negotiations)
• I wrote a few more stickers and again distributed them into groups etc.

The whole process took several days and resulted in the colorful cabinet in the photo. The left three columns are the GSB criteria, the right three are my additional groups.

Where is all this reflected?

According to all documents. After some time, I took the stickers with materials about myself from the closet and began sorting them by documents: essay A, essay B, resume, online application, 2 recommendations. General rule like this:

• Essay A : everything related to values ​​and stories, what kind of person I am. Minimum self-promotion. For more information, see the articles on Essay A.
• Essay B : what follows from essay A. Almost no sticky notes from the wall made it here. For more information, see the articles on Essay B.
• Summary : Short, flashy facts (great for self-promotion). For more information, see the article on resumes/CVs.
• Online application : all other facts. Important but less exciting (for example, playing on a soccer team, an internship, or a short exchange program in Florence)
• Recommendations : Facts/stories that are best told from the outside.
  The ideal option is that you didn’t know how to do something, received bad feedback, tried hard, learned, and became an expert. For me it was modeling in Excel.
  I discussed ideas related to this with the recommenders. Based on them, they made recommendations. For more information, see the article on letters of recommendation.

(2.2) How can I be useful to the business school?

Business school is a place where people learn not only and not so much from professors, but from each other. This is especially true at Stanford, which has a culture of mutual support among students and alumni. (I wrote a lot about this from the words of students and graduates in an article about Stanford. In general, they write about this everywhere; in particular,). Therefore, it is very important for me to prove to the admissions committee that I will be useful to other students and that it will be interesting to work with me.

How I was going to do it:

• One of my values ​​is the opportunity to constantly learn from others and teach others. Therefore, I will be happy to actively participate in academic discussions and extracurricular activities for the benefit of myself and others
• Talking to alumni, I learned that sometimes students themselves organize and teach courses for their classmates. I thought it would be interesting for me to teach a course at Stanford about consulting for those who want to work there. Moreover, I already had ideas of what to include in it.
• When I studied in the USA for school and graduate school, I noticed that evenings with Russian cuisine were popular among Americans. Why not repeat it?
• Stanford has a leadership development program, the Arbuckle Leadership Program, in which second-year students help develop the leadership skills of first-year students. I want to take part in it both as a protégé and as a mentor

Where is all this reflected?

Mainly essay by V.

* * *

Material for Stanford has been collected and distributed among documents. However, this does not mean that it will not undergo changes. There are many iterations ahead with each document, especially the essay. The general ideas will likely remain the same, but the specific examples and stories will change. I will talk about this in detail in the following articles.

Thank you for reading.

Victor Rogulenko

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 in Lately Specialized MBA courses have 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.

Graduate School of Business of Moscow State University is the first among Russian educational institutions entered the international rating 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 study without serious damage to labor activity. “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. A candidate can contact a company that advises applicants for 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 rating financial times According to the results of 2004, the salary growth 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 those who have developed as individuals are enrolled in the program. successful people. 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 schools in Moscow as GSMB ANKh, AIBEC, Mirbis, Moscow State University, State University, Higher School of Economics and Hayward assessed the growth of their wages after receiving an MBA in 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 her MBA in Higher School Economics, she entered business school to “update standards” and gain knowledge about foreign practices - career growth was very important for 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 small and medium-sized companies. 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.