Whether you’re heading off to business school right now, or have dreams of doing so next year, it’s always a good idea to file away advice to help you navigate the experience successfully. No one wants to get saddled with a bad reputation upon getting your foot in the door, especially when the contacts and connections made in B-school will likely carry through your entire career.

With that in mind, we’d like to share Madison Priest’s top three ways to avoid ruining your business school reputation in the first week, posted yesterday on Vault’s MBA blog.

• Don’t be too, too, too anything. If you get hammered your second night, you’ll always be known as the drunk–even as an alum. Don’t get stoned, because then you’ll always be known as the stoner. Even on the more legal side of things, if you’re too friendly, gregarious, arrogant, etc.–even if it’s just first day jitters–that adjective will stick for a loooong time.

• Don’t be the first student-student couple. Everyone talks about the first class couple. A lot. This phenomenon is further amplified if everyone lives together on a residential campus like at Harvard Business School. That’s not to say you can’t ask that handsome (or pretty) new stranger out on a date or two. What it does mean, however, is that you should probably wait until someone else takes the plunge; and even then, be discreet.

• Don’t mouth off to anyone, at least not yet. Does “free square in a*hole Bingo” mean anything to you? If not, this is the quickest way to learn. Whether it’s the cashier at the dining hall or the soon-to-be student body president, you never want to be “that guy.” Because you would be. Forever.

Not too difficult, right? For more practical advice on navigating these socially hazardous waters, read Bloomberg BusinessWeek‘s recent piece, B-School, Day One: A Primer.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!

Are you applying to the full-time MBA program at Tuck School of Business and in need of a little guidance so you can stop sweating the small details? (Who doesn’t, right?) Then check out some of these Q&As recently provided by Tuck admissions coordinator Cameron Steese.

An array of questions comes her way during the busy recruiting season, and below you’ll find a sampling of the most common queries about interviews, visiting campus, etc.

“How long is the Q&A?”
The Q&A session usually takes about 45 minutes but that depends on the number of questions asked during the session. However, you can leave the optional sessions at anytime (i.e. Q&A, Tour, and Lunch). The class visit is also optional but once you are in class you are required to stay for the duration.

“Who will be conducting my interview?”
A majority of our interviews are conducted by our Second Year Tuck Admissions Associates. These student interviewers go through a rigorous hiring and training process and afford us the opportunity to offer our prospective students the self-initiated interview option. All interviews are weighted equally.

“What does the interviewer have access to prior to the interview?”
Your interviewer will only have access to the resume you send in ahead of time. They will not have access to your application or test scores.

“When does the self-initiated interview have to be completed by?”
The self-initiated interview must be completed on or before the application due date. If you are applying during the Early Action Round (10/13/10) then your interview must be completed by that date.

“What events can my partner attend during the visit?”
When accompanying you to campus, your partner may attend everything except the class visit and the interview. I recommend that you contact the Tuck Partner’s Club about arranging a meeting for your partner.

“What should I wear for my interview and class visit?”
We recommend wearing a suit when interviewing on campus. If you find wearing a suit all day to be cumbersome you may certainly bring a business casual outfit alternative.

Want more guidance? Read this application advice from Patricia Harrison, associate director of admissions. And if you’re getting started on your application and are ready to tackle those essays, take a look at our Tuck MBA essay tips.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!

The full-time MBA program at Emory’s Goizueta Business School has posted the essay questions and deadlines for the 2010-2011 application season.

The four required essays for new applicants are as follows:

1. Please answer each of the following four questions in a short paragraph of no more than 250 words each.

a. Why have you decided to pursue an MBA at this time?
b. What interested you in Goizueta Business School’s MBA program?
c. What are your short term post MBA goals?
d. What are your long term professional aspirations?

2. Share one of your most significant professional accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this activity and how it has helped to shape your management skills. Please limit your response to 1000 words.

3. Goizueta Business School takes pride in our Core Values: Courage, Integrity, Accountability, Rigor, Diversity, Team, and Community. These ideals drive principled, effective leaders in business, and are the values we seek to instill in all of our students, both during their education at Goizueta and beyond. Provide a specific example of how you have demonstrated one of these values in your professional experience. Please limit your response to 500 words.

4. Complete one of the following statements. Please limit your response to 500 words.

a. I am unique because…
b. My most memorable cross-cultural experience…
c. I am passionate about…
d. My personal brand is…
e. I took a risk when I…

Application Deadlines

November 1, 2010 – Early Deadline
December 1, 2010* – Recommended International Deadline
February 1, 2011** – Scholarship and One-Year Program Deadline
March 1, 2011 – Final Deadline

* International applicants are encouraged to apply by December 1, 2010. However, applications received by the final program deadline will still be given complete consideration.

** All One-Year Program applicants and all those who wish to be considered for scholarships must submit the application and all materials  by February 1, 2011 to be given complete consideration.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!

When you’re deciding what score to aim for, it’s important to remember that the population of test-takers writing the GMAT is smarter and better-prepared than (probably) any other population you’ve been graded against before.

If you got a 95th percentile score on the SAT, or a 3.9 GPA at a good university, those numbers don’t mean that you “should” do just as well on the GMAT: many of your fellow test-takers are thinking the exact same thing, with the exact same background!

It’s the nature of a test on a curve: if a 680 is a 90th percentile score, that means 89 percent of test takers won’t reach a 680. Yes, that’s obvious, but it’s important to recognize just how good at this test you have to be in order to secure one of those spots in the top 5-10 percent.

This is an excerpt from a longer article by Jeff Sackmann, originally published at GMAT Hacks.  Jeff has created several valuable GMAT-preparation resources, including Total GMAT Math and Total GMAT Verbal.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!

When high-profile companies like Toyota or BP exhibit questionable leadership in the face of crisis, many people are left scratching their heads as they wonder where our business leaders come from and how they are trained.

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has decided to tackle this question head-on by requiring all first-year students to enroll in the largest experiential learning exercise in the school’s history, which will transform their understanding of what it means to be an effective leader.

Incoming students will be put on the “hot seat” to teach them both theoretical and practical aspects of leadership and teamwork through a business simulation titled “Foundations of Teamwork and Leadership”.

All 817 Wharton first-years will be grouped into teams, which will take on the role of senior management of a hypothetical company. They will guide the company through a series of real-time scenarios designed to teach them how to negotiate both internally and externally; make team-based decisions; face challenges; and deal with group dynamics and organizational change.

All aspects of this progressive teaching practice, developed over three years by Wharton management professors Nancy Rothbard and Sigal Barsade, will reflect real or potentially real scenarios that future MBAs will deal with in leadership and teamwork roles they are being groomed to fill.

Next week, as students select their roles, begin to work as a team and embark on the obstacle-ridden path set before them, Wharton is banking on this unique leadership learning program to educate the next generation of business leaders. May they better handle the curve balls that come their way.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!

The full-time MBA program at USC Marshall School of Business has released its essays and deadlines for the 2010-2011 admissions season. The deadlines and notification dates are as follows:

Round 1

Application deadline: November 1, 2010

Notification: February 1, 2011

Round 2

Application deadline: January 15, 2011

Notification: April 1, 2011

Round 3

Application deadline: March 15, 2011
Notification: May 15, 2011

Essay Questions

1) What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will USC Marshall help you
achieve these goals? (750 words) If interested in a dual-degree program, please address in this
essay.

2) How will other USC Marshall MBA students benefit from your background, experience,
leadership and teamwork skills? (500 words)

3) Select three from the following and describe: (250 words each)

a) A challenging international experience
b) A personal or professional setback
c) An entrepreneur you admire
d) Your family, including any ties to USC
e) Your most significant accomplishment
f) A situation where your professional ethics were challenged

4) Optional Essay: Please add any additional information that you would like the Admissions
Committee to consider in evaluating your application. (250 words)

All materials must be submitted to the admissions committee by 11:59pm PST for consideration during the round.  Please note: If you are an international student, or want to be considered for a fellowship, the recommended application deadline is January 15, 2011.

* Are you on Facebook? Join our Facebook Page for news, contests and giveaways!

* Follow us on Twitter for breaking MBA news!