H Male, manufacturing industry
A male, securities
Educational background Faculty of Law , University of Tokyo
Why MBA?
After working for a long time at an investment bank and feeling that the growth curve had slowed down, I had the opportunity to work with multiple MBA holders (same age to slightly older) who had been transferred from other departments. Despite their highly specialized work, they not only quickly became accustomed to the work, but also showed extremely high performance, which was very inspiring. In addition to that, I was informed of the in-house recruitment system by my boss and came to apply. I was selected as a candidate and was worried because I couldn’t put Why MBA? In words for a while, but [1] I want to acquire knowledge and skills (including communication in English) that I didn’t have before, [2] until now. The main reason I wrote in the application is that I want to have options other than carriers on the extension line (I want materials that can not be decided by inertia).
Why Goizueta?
Since I have a wife and children, I was very concerned about the ease of life and the convenience of flight (I rarely apply to schools that require transfer), and of course I was also aware of MBA rankings in major media. (I have decided to go on to Emory from the highest ranking among those who passed the exam). In addition to that, I had the opportunity to visit the campus in February, and it was very attractive that the correspondence of the current students (both American and Japanese) and the admission staff was very friendly. It was reflected in. It was impressive that the American students were enthusiastic about the charm of GBS, as they politely dealt with their terrible English.
Examination process
In February 2016, I was selected as a company-sponsored international student, then I took the TOEFL test until the beginning of autumn, GMAT measures from August to November, and then application measures. It’s easy to write, but it was a process that I didn’t want to think back (and my memory was ambiguous) because it was a relatively busy industry. I was convinced of the result because I was spending a meaningful time at the place where I went on to school, but it was just over a year of reflection on the process. The biggest reflection is that I should have prepared ahead of schedule from the day when I was selected as a candidate (more specifically, the day when I became interested in MBA).
TOEFL
I got 74 points for the first examination after becoming a candidate, and then I got 101 points in September, which was the application score. It was a measure that was far from efficient, such as wandering for several months in the mid to late 90s. Looking back, I think I should have been greedy for accumulating more points. For example, I didn’t like Speaking at around 20 points, but I should have continued to aim for 23 points (a goal that is often said to be pure domestic), and Writing should also aim for 30 points. I was hoping that all four areas would work. The study method was very normal, so I will omit it. Personally, I think it is important for Japanese people to strengthen their vocabulary and listening skills. Especially the latter cannot be learned without taking time. Even if you listen to it, the effect is low, so I think it will be necessary to take the trouble of listening to short sentences and checking the script. Therefore, I think Scientific American’s 60-Second Science is a good study material.
Preparatory school: Not used
Texts, etc .: TOEFL test English words 3800, TPO
GMAT
I started studying from the beginning of August and was able to get over 700 points, which was my goal in early November, so it was relatively smooth. I was able to deal with Math immediately, so I spent most of my time on Verbal. At first, I didn’t have enough time, and the percentage of correct answers was low, so I thought it would be blocked in all directions, but in my case, being good at CR worked positively. It is often said that the score source for Japanese people is SC, but if you remember the habit of logic, CR seems to be easier to solve. In any case, it is not a test aiming for a perfect score for Japanese people, so in the event of an emergency, I think that it is better to prepare for random clicks in RC, both mentally and in terms of time. (If you are good at CR and RC, you can randomly click SC.) Regarding SC, you can only get relatively simple problems at the prep school and OG (Official Guide), and every time GMAT I was stunned towards the beginning. If you are aiming for a high score, we recommend that you collect information on how to obtain difficult questions.
Preparatory school: Hamaguchi Juku (I thought it would be convenient to get a sound source and do it at any time)
Texts, etc .: Official Guide, Masuka
Essay
I received a lot of comments from the counselor until I finished writing the first essay, but from the second I didn’t think it was smooth and difficult. However, looking back, the episodes seemed a little monotonous (many similar stories), so I think it would have become more attractive if we could mix a little more stories. I didn’t have such an episode. In the process of the application, it is necessary to input details other than the essay, and it will be a considerable load if accumulated, so it is desirable to start from an early stage.
Interview
I was too satisfied with the early praise from the counselor that the response was calm, and I was not prepared enough. Especially for Behavioral Questions, preparing a lot of ideas is the key, so I think that the more time you spend, the higher the quality of the answers. As with the successful episodes, preparing to talk about the lessons learned from the unsuccessful episodes (or the successful experiences that make use of the lessons learned from the failures) will help to broaden the topic.
Finally
Looking back, it was a tough year, and it put a lot of strain on my wife and children. Even if you don’t have a family, you will have to spend a very tough time with your work and private schedule. I think I was used to lack of sleep, but I was quite mentally involved. Many times I lay down in bed thinking I wouldn’t want to wake up again. However, I think one of the few salvations is that it is a story with a fixed period. For all the examinees, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for better or for worse, so I hope you will take a step forward, and if possible, I think it would be better if you could take a break. At the end of the “Finally”, I hope that your family, partners, and friends will understand that the applicants are working on something unusually annoying. increase. (Although I am self-employed because I am struggling on my own initiative …)
B male, consultant
Educational background Waseda University Graduate School of Life Science and Technology
Why MBA?
I didn’t have the opportunity to use English until I went to study abroad, and my English ability was low, so I was quite reluctant to do business in English. At that time, I received an invitation to study abroad at MBA at company expense, so I thought it was my last chance and wanted to study abroad at MBA. My true intention was to study abroad at MBA with the main purpose of improving my English proficiency. The motivation for aspiring to be mentioned in the essay is commonplace, but it is plausible to describe “I want to acquire basic skills in order to develop business globally, in an environment where international students can gather” from my background. Did. Also, since I was a consultant in Japan, I vaguely thought that I would like to study mainly in finance, which I had little experience in business at MBA.
Why Goizueta?
1. Class size The smaller the class size, the more likely you are to get along with your classmates.
2. Focusing on group work ⇒ If you focus on lectures and individual work, it does not make sense to go abroad to study, but if you focus on group work, you can expect to improve your communication skills in English. 3. Living environment ⇒ It is the largest city in the south, so it seems convenient to go anywhere, and the living environment around the university looks good.
Examination process
When I joined the company, I had a TOEIC score of about 600, and I had never studied English in my work regardless of overseas projects. However, I decided to apply for a company-sponsored candidate in the fall of 2015. The company told me to raise my TOEIC score so that I could be selected as an in-house candidate for the time being, so I started studying for TOEIC. After that, I applied for an in-house job posting and was selected as a candidate for a company-sponsored international student at the end of February 2016. After that, after understanding the MBA examination process accurately, I started studying English in earnest. In addition, the year 2016 was a very difficult year for me because I was very busy with my work and personal life. # The rough schedule was as follows. I couldn’t make the score by the end of the year, so all the applications were in the 3rd round (Emory was the 4th round in March). Looking back on it now, I think that you passed the exam well in the very last-minute exam process …
September 2015-: Start studying TOEIC
November: Apply for in-house recruitment & start investigating MBA exam process
End of February 2016: Selected as a company-sponsored candidate & started studying IELTS
End of July: IELTS OA: 6.5 August: Start studying GMAT
End of November: First GMAT test (after that, take 3 times until mid-January, all do not exceed 600 points)
December: Contract with counselor for Essay interview
End of December: IELTS OA: 7.0 End of January 2017: GRE 315 points (Q: 170, V: 145, AW: 4.0, GMAT equivalent 650 points)
February-: Start applying to each school in the 3rd round (near 20th place in the US, 9 schools)
March-April: Interview guidance & interviews from each school (all by Skype)
From March: 6 schools passed, 3 schools declined
May: Decided to go on to Emory
IELTS
After listening to the stories of past international students, I decided early on that it would be difficult to exceed the TOEFL score of 100 by the end of the year, and decided to aim for OA 7.0 at IELTS. By February, when I started studying in earnest, I didn’t understand the meaning of R’s sentences at all. From there, we proceeded with measures for each part (described later), and by July we had OA: 6.5, but it took time to get the scores from there, and it took until December. Looking back, the scores for W and S were surprisingly stable (6.0-7.0), but the scores for L and R were unstable and the scores were not aligned. Probably because my basic English proficiency was low. Also, in the latter half, in parallel with the GMAT measures, I only took the exam two or three times a month. I studied intensively from July to August, and I regret that I should have taken OA: 7.0.
GMAT / GRE
<GMAT>
From September, I started studying GMAT in earnest (mainly self-study). At first, I didn’t take much measures for CR by learning the rules of SC and solving RC in parallel. Around the end of November, I thought that I should take GMAT soon, so I decided to take GMAT every month from the end of November. As a result, it never exceeded 600 points (a score that cannot be described here). Q was 50 or 51 and there was no problem, but V was a disappointing result for each section. Looking at the results of the GMAT I received in mid-January, I can’t go to any university. .. I was stunned.
<GRE>
After the GMAT in mid-January, I decided to take the GRE by referring to the test experience of my seniors last year. However, considering the application for the 3rd round, I thought that I did not have time to take measures, so I decided to check only the question format, reserve the shortest possible schedule, and take the exam. I didn’t really take any measures, but I got 315 points (Q: 170, V: 145, AW: 4.0, GMAT equivalent 650 points) in the GRE I received for the first time. As usual, V is extremely low, but thanks to Q, the GMAT conversion score has increased significantly, which was really helpful. If this is the case, I thought that I should switch to GRE sooner and take measures. Essay When I made an appointment with each counselor from the beginning of December, it is said that I can only respond after February (as a matter of course). Among them, only Mr. John Couke, who had a contract with our candidate last year, received a reply that he would be able to respond from December, so I signed the contract immediately. Of course, the application for January is not in time, so there is a condition that only applications after February can be helped. Still, with the feeling of clinging to the straw, I started a meeting with John in mid-December to create a resume and basic essay material. The schedule was to complete the resume in December and start writing the essay from January according to the school where the application is scheduled. Fortunately, I had been a consultant for nearly 10 years, so I didn’t have any trouble writing the material for my resume essay, so the material creation went smoothly. As of mid-January, I hadn’t made any score, so I wrote an essay randomly. After discussing with John what to write according to each school’s essay, I wrote the essay myself and left it to John to make corrections and adjust the number of characters. Even now, I think I couldn’t even apply without this cooperation from John. John pointed out and corrected the points that should be emphasized according to each school, which was really helpful. Thanks to that, all the schools I applied for were invited to interview.
Interview
I continued to contract with John and practice interviews. First, I asked John to share past interview items, and for that, I made a hypothetical answer, memorized it, and practiced with John. John told me not to write the expected answer because it is just a keyword and it is a waste of time to write it in sentences, but I was not good at English, so I wrote a sentence and wrote it. I thought I couldn’t speak unless I confirmed that I could speak, so I wrote a sentence and tried to memorize it to some extent. Therefore, it took a long time to prepare. Interviews with each school were all conducted on Skype because we couldn’t visit the campus due to business reasons. I thought it would be disadvantageous not to visit, but John said that the pass rate does not change, so I received advice that I should receive everything on Skype, so I did it on Skype.
Finally
My test process is barely recommended, but I think it would be encouraging if there are applicants who are looking at this and are worried about not being able to make a score. increase. I have a lot of trouble with English even after going on to school because my English ability is originally low, but I am having discussions with my class and teammates, thinking that I will make some progress by the time I graduate. Also, I haven’t touched on the motives and program details about Emory, but it’s a small school that I somehow used as a criterion for choosing a school, and it’s one of the top 20 schools in the United States, and it’s a school with a good living environment. I think there are few. In that sense as well, I am glad that I was able to go on to Emory.
C male, consultant
Education Kyoto University Faculty of Economics
Why MBA?
I was engaged in a global project as a consultant in my latest work, but I was keenly aware of my lack of communication skills in English and my lack of knowledge. In order to lead a similar project from now on, I think that it is necessary to systematically acquire knowledge about business, acquire English ability to discuss with foreigners without hesitation, and understand business culture of other countries, so I am aiming to take the MBA examination. Did.
Why Goizueta?
The deciding factor was that I had the best impression of the schools I visited. The main reasons are that the program office, current students and graduates are extremely cooperative, and that the size and climate of the city of Atlanta makes it easy to live with my family. In addition, GBS was fascinated by the extensive hands-on programs that leveraged its extensive network with Atlanta companies and the fact that it was a small school.
Examination process
2016/3 Passed company expense selection (TOEFL study started)
2016/4 TOEFL first exam (63 points). After that, continue taking the exam until the end of the year
2016/8 GMAT study started
2016/9 Started taking the IELTS test in view of the TOEFL score that does not rise
2016/10 GMAT first exam (570 points)
2016/12 IELTS 7.0 acquisition (application score)
2017/1 application
2017/2 5 school visits including Emory
2017/3 GRE examination (GMAT conversion score 660 points. Final application score)
2017/3 Notification of acceptance from 5 schools including Emory, 1 school Waitlist TOEFL <TOEFL> I took the test about 15 times from 63 points for the first time, but I could not exceed 100 points. Starting with TOEFL 3800 vocabulary study, I used TOEFL Practice Online, Writing correction service, and online TOEFL course.
<IELTS>
I started taking the IELTS test in September, but personally it was more suitable for me than TOEFL. I did it by myself, focusing on the official workbook.
<R>
・ I didn’t have enough time to read all the sentences carefully, so I practiced reading quickly with less points. I felt that the vocabulary was well covered by 3800 vocabulary.
<L>
・ It was a part that was easier to work on than TOEFL. It is necessary to write down the words, so the key is to concentrate on listening.
・ After solving the official workbook, I trained by watching the script, listening repeatedly until I could hear all the sounds, and doing shadow wings.
・ If you make a misspelling, the answer will be incorrect, so I memorized it so that I could write it by hand when learning words.
・ It is important to concentrate on the actual performance. I tried to get a good night’s sleep the day before the exam.
<W>
・ I personally felt that it was more difficult than TOEFL. IELTS-specific study is required.
-Since the model answers of the official question collection are posted on the Internet, and especially the graph explanation question of Task1 can use common expressions, I memorized some answers.
・ Since it is necessary to change the sentence structure of the Task 2 essay depending on the question pattern, memorize the template for each pattern.
・ A former IELTS test tube named Kevin has registered as an instructor in the online English conversation service called SkimaTalk, and I asked for corrections several times. Since I am familiar with the IELTS scoring method, I was able to receive guidance while holding down the points.
<S>
・ This part also requires different measures from TOEFL. There is a part that goes on in a conversational format and keeps talking about one question for about 2 minutes, so I tried to talk in detail including supplementary information.
・ I conducted training at English village (Nish), but Nishi had a lot of experience teaching IELTS and was able to practice efficiently because he was able to receive accurate suggestions.
・ I also trained several times with Kevin of SkimaTalk mentioned above. At first, I was only thinking about applying for TOEFL, but I think that the decision to take the IELTS is one of the major factors that led to the passing. Now that I think about it, I wish I had received IELTS from the beginning of my studies. If your TOEFL is sluggish and your school accepts IELTS, we would appreciate it if you would consider taking the IELTS test.
GMAT
<GMAT>
I took the exam 5 times using various prep schools and teaching materials, but I couldn’t reach my goal, so I will omit the details.
<GRE>
Compared to GMAT, there was less pressure because I could review the problem in the set, which was also personally suitable for me. I started studying around February when I finished my application and visit, and took the exam in March.
<Quantitative>
・ Easy compared to GMAT. If you can get 49 or more constantly in GMAT Math, I felt that it is not so difficult to get a perfect score in GRE.
・ I solved about 300 questions using a software called Magoosh. It was a good training because it was a little difficult compared to the actual training.
<Verbal>
・ Since I didn’t have time, I only memorized words. Generally speaking, it is a problem format that is easier to tackle than GMAT, but GRE is more difficult when it comes to words. I used the GRE preparation course provided by the software called iKnow. As was the case with IELTS, I wish I had taken the GRE at an earlier timing. If you are struggling with GMAT, we recommend that you consider taking the GRE exam.
Essay
・ I asked Bryan of Elite Essay for a counselor. It’s expensive, but the expressiveness and editing ability are wonderful. I was able to efficiently complete the essay by editing the essay with a limit of 300 characters, which was drafted with about 1000 characters, within the limit of the number of characters in one day.
Interview
<Training>
・ Bryan is familiar with this story, so through interview training, he discussed the strategy of answering and which story to choose for which question.
・ Since I have time to speak every day after establishing the basic policy, I repeated training so that I could receive and answer flexibly through English village and skimmer talk. At SkimaTalk, I mainly asked a professional instructor named Jesse, but it was very good because I had a good personality and accurate feedback.
<Production>
・ I did it with Julie when I visited. I didn’t receive the interview invitation before the visit, but when I told him that I wanted to meet him at the time of the visit, he held the visit.
Finally
The period from the start of the exam to the notification of acceptance was arguably the hardest year in my life. It was a battle against myself that no one could take responsibility for, so I needed strong mental strength. It caused a great deal of trouble to my family (wife, son). On weekdays and holidays, I often open my house and go to a cafe or library in the neighborhood to study, and despite working together, I almost asked for housework and childcare. My wife still has no head. My heart was broken many times and I was just rushing to take the exam, but as a result I was satisfied because I was able to enroll in a good school. We hope that you will be satisfied with the examination process.
D Male, Communication Education Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo
Why MBA?
As the dispatching company promoted diversification and globalization of its business, my motivation was to acquire the skills and experience base necessary to become a human resource who can take charge of management. In particular, I thought the following two points were important to me, and I decided to pursue an MBA as an opportunity to effectively improve them.
(1) Acquisition of comprehensive skills and applied skills in fields other than finance and accounting
Since I have had a career centered on the fields of finance and accounting, I wanted to comprehensively study skills in other fields and build a more balanced base as my manager.
(2) Acquisition of the ability to demonstrate leadership in a diverse and global environment
When I was involved in an international project at work, I felt strongly that I wanted to acquire leadership with universality that is not tied to the industry or country because of my experience of not being able to behave well at international conferences. Looking at the appearance of seniors demonstrating such leadership, I think that it is backed by the self-confidence gained from appropriate communication skills and experience, and that it can be effectively learned in practice. However, I lacked the experience and practical opportunities. The MBA abroad was very attractive as a place to get such an experience effectively and efficiently.
Why Goizueta?
There are several reasons, but the following three points were the main reasons for me.
① There is an opportunity for Hands-on
Goizueta is very focused on a hands-on program called IMPACT 360. In such a place, I thought that I could effectively acquire the practical leadership skills mentioned above. Note: In the first class of IMPACT, I emphasized that there are only a few schools that do Hands-on as a compulsory class, so I think this is actually a differentiator. Also, when you actually enroll, there are many places where you can demonstrate leadership, such as daily team discussions, as well as IMPACT.
② A small school with a cooperative atmosphere
Goizueta has about 170 to 180 students per grade, and it is also characteristic that the number of students is relatively small compared to other schools. As a general rule, I’ve heard that with a small number of students, the distance between students is close, the relationship with classmates becomes closer, and the atmosphere becomes collaborative, but such an atmosphere fits me. I thought. Unfortunately, I couldn’t visit the campus in advance, so I didn’t know the actual atmosphere at the time of application, but I could hear Goizueta’s story from my seniors and confirm such a fit. I was able to do it.
③ Location
Location was also a very important factor as I was with my family (my wife and my 0-year-old son at the time). Atlanta isn’t too urban, not too rural, not too cold, not too hot, and generally has a high point because it’s easy for families to spend. In my case, I was able to get a pass or final confirmation of intention from 3 schools including Goizueta, but in the end, even if the ranking is lower than other schools, Goizueta is attractive for the above 3 reasons etc. I decided to enroll in the school.
Examination process
As a background, it was a so-called pure domestic. I used to use some English at work, but most of it was reading, especially speaking and writing, which started from almost zero.
〇September 2015 Started studying TOEFL in order to apply for in-house selection (because my dispatch source had a bar with TOEFL of 80 points or more as an application requirement). The first TOEFL score is over 70 points.
〇November 2015 Scored 82 points in TOEFL and applied for in-house selection.
〇December 2015 Passed the in-house selection and started studying TOEFL in earnest.
〇September 2016 TOEFL exceeded 100 points for the first time (103 points) and started studying GMAT (however, TOEFL will continue to be taken every other week). Also, from around this time, I started to keep in close contact with the counselor.
〇October 2016 Birth of the first child, forget about taking the exam and immerse yourself in joy.
〇November 2016 Obtained 680 points in the second GMAT (application score), and started preparing essays in earnest while continuing to study GMAT.
〇December 2016 I took the 5th GMAT exam, but I couldn’t renew it. Work on essays in earnest.
〇 January 2017 Application rush. I keep writing essays all night every day.
〇February 2017 Campus visits to multiple universities in the United States (Goizueta cannot visit). Interview with Goizueta and Skype.
〇 March 2017 Received a pass notification from Goizueta.
TOEFL
TOEFL was the most difficult and time-consuming part of the overall exam process. It was a stressful test, as the score did not increase easily even if I was studying, and even if I got the highest score in each subject, the total was not good enough. The overall advice is that listening and speaking will inevitably increase or decrease the score depending on the quality of the question, so first of all, reading and writing should be a solid foothold so that you can get a high score no matter what problem you have. think. This is a personal subjectivity, but I felt that TOEFL had a chance to get a high score once every few times. In such a case, I think it is important to improve your ability as soon as possible so that you can get results properly. The individual study methods are as follows.
<Reading>
〇Preparatory school: None
〇 Teaching materials: “TOEFL Test English Words 3800 4th Edition” (Obunsha), TOEFL Practice Online (participating in Andy’s study session)
○ Method: Fortunately, Reading had some power from the beginning, so I was able to get close to the perfect score at an early stage. Since academic vocabulary is required, I definitely learned 3800 up to level 3, and I learned it until I could understand the meaning by looking at level 4. After that, I think it’s okay to continue to solve one question every day (I solved TPO repeatedly). Reading skills are also required in GMAT, so I don’t think there is any loss if you study too much.
<Listening>
〇Preparatory school: None
〇 Teaching materials: TOEFL Practice Online (participating in Andy’s study session)
○ Method: I tried to solve TPO every day and listen to English as much as possible, but looking back, I think I should have listened to a lot of English from various sources. After studying abroad, I felt it again, but I think I’m used to listening skills in the end. The more you listen, the more it grows (I think there are a few small breakthroughs), so it’s better to listen anyway.
<Speaking>
〇Preparatory school: E4TG
〇 Teaching materials: Skima-talk
○ Method: I went to E4TG for 5 months, but if I make full use of the know-how gained here, I think I will probably get 20 points or more constantly. I practiced the problems I did with E4TG repeatedly so that some patterns would reflexively come out. In production, I got 23 points when I got into that pattern, and 20 to 22 points when I didn’t. I also did online English conversation called skima-talk once or twice a week to get used to speaking English, but it was good that some teachers could practice in TOEFL format.
<Writing>
〇Preparatory school: None
〇 Teaching materials: Web TOEFL, TOEFL Resources (correction by Dr. Micheal)
○ Method: First, I learned the basic strategy with Web TOEFL. Then, I studied by solving the problem examples that came with the bonus of Web TOEFL and having Micheal correct them. And since Writing also needs to be written in large quantities in a limited time, I learned some patterns like Speaking so that I could apply it to various problems.
GMAT
In my case, it took too long to make a TOEFL score, and I was late in studying GMAT. Looking back, GMAT is more important than I expected in the MBA exam, so I regret that I should have started earlier even if the TOEFL results were not available.
<Math>
〇Preparatory school: GMAT MBA.jp (Site where you can solve Hamaguchi Juku teaching materials on the Web)
〇 Teaching materials: Masuka
○ Method: Fortunately, I was good at math because I used it for university entrance exams, so I read through Masuka and then got used to the problems with the teaching materials of Hamaguchi Juku. It is also important to be careful not to confuse the meaning, as the problem statement may have a unique wording.
<Verbal>
〇Preparatory school: GMAT MBA.jp
〇 Teaching materials: GMAT Official Guide
○ Method: I solved the teaching materials of Hamaguchi Juku earnestly and repeatedly. As is often said, it is important to take the time to concentrate on solving problems and to thoroughly review why you made a mistake. As for my personal reflection, I think I should have tried a little more different sources. Since I was solving the same teaching materials repeatedly, the last one was all the problems I had seen, and I couldn’t understand whether I was improving my ability or just getting used to it, and I couldn’t understand the direction of study. rice field. Since GMAT is a game against time, I think it is important not to worry too much about one question (especially SC and CR are very often thought to be the correct answer, so how do you believe in yourself and divide it? It is important to decide whether to proceed).
Essay
The essay was taken care of by Dr. Ed of Edo Gijuku and Mr. Tayama of Future Education Center. I worked with Mr. Tayama in Japanese and asked Ed to see what I wrote in English. I think it was a good combination as a result. In my case, Emory’s essay emphasizes the personality fit rather than the work experience. Unlike TOEFL and GMAT, the essay does not have a correct answer in a sense, and it may be more or less unpleasant for me as to whether this is really okay, but I think that I have to believe in my counselor and be confident. ..
Interview
The interview was conducted on skype. I was nervous because it was my first interview, but I managed to get over it without any strange questions. As a point of reflection, I think that if I practiced more, I would have been more relaxed and confident in the actual performance (although it is natural).
Finally
If you are thinking of applying to Goizueta, please feel free to contact us on the mailing list. Also, be sure to check out the Japanese blog. I also referred to it when I applied, but I think that the amount of information is very large and it is easy to grasp the image after enrollment. Finally, I think it’s really hard while studying for the exam, but please do your best without giving up until the end! After that, I hope you will finally pass Goizueta!
E Male, electricity / gas
Educational background Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Commerce Department of Business Administration
Why MBA?
When procuring and operating fuel at an electric power company, I understand that I lack the language skills to negotiate with overseas sellers on an equal footing and the data analysis ability to manage risks such as fuel prices and power demand. I realized it. I applied for an in-house study abroad program because I thought that an overseas MBA could reinforce these two points intensively and comprehensively in a short period of time.
Why Goizueta?
(1) I found it attractive to be able to communicate closely with classmates and professors at a small size school. In fact, when I visited the campus, I was able to take time for questions and answers and interviews with the two admissions, which made a very good impression among the universities I took. It was also impressive that many Japanese students were kind enough to talk to me after the interview.
(2) A senior who graduated from Emory recommended that Raymond Hill’s project finance and directed study should be taken by anyone who is from electric power. It was very appealing to me to be able to learn about the energy industry from a professor with practical experience.
③ There is a Hands on class, and Goizueta is a chance to solve problems in actual companies. I wondered if this class could fill the gap between practice and practice, rather than ending what I learned in the MBA with a desk theory.
Examination process
After passing the in-house selection in May 2015, I covered all of TOEF, GMAT, and essays at Hamaguchi Juku. Even after passing the in-house selection, hard work continued, and after the transfer in June 2016, I resumed studying for the exam, and from October I proceeded with essays and GMAT in parallel. I completed the essay at the end of the year and applied for it in Round 3, visited the campus in February, and had an interview on the spot. The GMAT score at the time of application was quite low, so I took the GMAT again after the campus visit, and as the score improved, I reported the score up to the admission and was notified of the passing in March.
TOEFL
When I first took the exam, I got 73 points. After that, I sewed a gap in my work and continued to take the exam once a month until around December, increasing to 95 points, but personally I was not good at listening, so I lost a lot of points in listening, speaking, and writing. had. In particular, speaking was 17 points in the first exam, and I was desperate because there was almost no improvement after that … Around November, when I took the IELTS for a change of mood, I was able to get 6.5, and personally I got TOEFL. I felt that it was more compatible and decided to switch to IELTS. IELTS is much easier to listen to than TOEFL, and it was good for me that speaking was actually Face to Face with the interviewer. IELTS bought the official workbook and was almost self-taught, but only for writing, I used UK PLUS’s correspondence correction. The correction of UK PLUS is strict, but it was very helpful for me personally because the actual grader corrected it. When I took the IELTS test for the second time in December, I was able to obtain the target of 7.0. If there are any students who are struggling with TOEFL, I think it’s a good idea to take IELTS once.
GMAT
GMAT had a lot of trouble … I was able to get 670 points in the end, but honestly I feel lucky (meeting the problem) … First about the mass However, I think it’s much more difficult than it was a decade ago. In the past questions of Hamaguchi Juku, I made about 5 mistakes, but when I preped for the first time, I remember more than 10 wrong questions. Personally, the additional issue of prep was very helpful. There were many questions, and I bookmarked the wrong questions and reviewed them many times later. After completing the prep and additional prep problems, I was able to get a stable score of 50 points. It depends on the problem, but even if you make a mistake about 5 questions, you can get 50 points, so I think it’s a good idea to throw away the problems you don’t understand. Regarding Verbal, I can’t say much, but I think it’s best to repeat the teaching materials of Hamaguchi Juku many times. I also used the official workbook, but the explanation was not very convincing … Especially when SC repeated the same problem over and over again, I was conscious of being able to reproduce the explanation myself. In the test production, I was conscious of saving time with SC and spending time with CR and RC. Still, I didn’t have enough time, so I randomly clicked all the questions on the last RC every time. (I once randomly clicked on two RCs and spent a lot of time on CR, but I hit the lowest point ever and decided to use only one question for random clicks). If you solve CR repeatedly, you will be able to see the pattern to some extent. I feel that there were many problems that I could solve with confidence even in the actual production. My friend recommended me to use the word app I know, which was very good. It automatically grasped the words of my weaknesses and was perfect for fixing my memory.
Essay
The essay was mainly viewed by senior MBA holders at the company, and corrected by Dr. Hamaguchi and Matthew. The first essay I wrote was from the company’s perspective, not from my own perspective. After that, under the guidance of my seniors, I focused on the “actions I had done” and deepened my understanding of why I took such actions. I remember having a hard time changing from a company perspective to my own perspective. After answering standard questions such as Why MBA, setback, leadership, I was able to write a crisp and essay. You can check the characteristics of the school on the homepage, but I wanted to hear the voices of the students, so I contacted the current students and told them about the content of the lessons and the atmosphere of the school. (When I applied, I couldn’t make use of it in my essay because I didn’t have a question about Why Goizueta …)
Interview
The Interview lesson was held for about 15 hours with Matthew, which is affiliated with Hamaguchi Juku. His guidance was very positive and I was able to practice without lowering my motivation. I had a style of creating a core story within myself and connecting it to the core story no matter what question came in to make it consistent. In addition, I tried to establish it by repeating what I learned from Matthew in rare jobs. In RareJob, I gave the tutor a list of questions in advance, asked them to randomly select those questions, and repeated the practice of answering them. (Some of the feedback from RareJob isn’t very reliable, but I thought it would be better than practicing alone in front of the mirror.) In the actual interview, I proceeded with a rather casual feeling along with the resume. went. Interviewer Julie has already read my essay, and Fukahori, the content of the resume, was the main focus. Fukahori, the resume, hadn’t practiced that much, so it could be a traumatic answer, but Julie listened carefully to me, which was helpful.
Finally
It was very difficult to balance the MBA exam and work. Especially until the end of February, when I was able to make a GMAT score, I didn’t really feel like living … I think it will be difficult for all the examinees, but please do your best so that you will not have any regrets. If there is something I can do to help you, I will do anything.
F Male, electricity / gas
Educational background Kobe University Graduate School of Information and Intelligence
Why MBA?
As the company reached a turning point in the liberalization of electricity and gas retailing, I felt that my career as a mere IT shop was limited, and I wanted to increase my own competitiveness and value. Having been working in an information department for 6 years, I was keenly aware of my lack of management skills and knowledge. Also, I was frustrated by the slowdown in my own growth, so I wanted to get out of the comfort zone. I wanted to overcome the English complex I had for a long time and acquire the ability to fight in a wider field.
Why Goizueta?
Above all, I wanted to enroll in a small school, so I was attracted to Emory, who has a high ranking among small schools. I chose a small school because I thought that the closeness between students and between students and professors would directly affect the satisfaction and fulfillment of the program. FIT feeling when visiting. Also, as a living environment, the good environment around the university and the possibility that my wife would come and go to Japan, so the convenience of transportation to Japan (there is a direct flight) was also one of the factors.
Examination process
February 2016: Passed the company expense selection and started studying. The TOEFL score at the time of selection was 68 points. The prep school uses Hamaguchi Juku, which was used by many people who have studied abroad at the company.
Spring 2016: Focusing on TOEFL measures, but the score does not increase. There is a wedding. Take the TOEFL constantly once or twice a month.
Summer 2016: Focusing on TOEFL measures, but the score does not increase. Take the TOEFL constantly once or twice a month.
Fall 2016: GMAT study started while TOEFL score was not given. Work with your boss to reduce the workload and focus on TOEFL and GMAT measures. Take the TOEFL constantly once or twice a month. First GMAT test. However, the score does not increase. Start essay material at the end of autumn. IELTS also started taking the exam in parallel. The start of triple pain.
Winter 2016: Received TOEFL, IELTS, and GMAT in December with the last hope, but sank. With the fear and pressure of not being able to receive it anywhere, Christmas and the end of the year are approaching with a deep mood.
January 2017: I was disappointed because I couldn’t make a score at all, so I went to my house at the end of the year and wrote an essay, and applied to 5 schools on the premise of updating the score. Obtained 630 points in GMAT conversion at GRE in the middle of the year. Achieved OA 7.0 in IELTS taken in late (final score). Scores will be updated sequentially.
February 2017: Achieved 650 points (final score) in GMAT in the middle of the year. Visit to 3 schools. Two schools including Emory and a local interview.
March 2017: Results from the application school will be returned. There were 2 passed schools, 1 Waitlist school, 1 failed school, and 1 declined school (low ranking and NG from the company), and decided to go on to Emory, which had a high degree of aspiration.
TOEFL
I took the exam for the first time in March 2016 and got 68 points. Every day I think this is very bad, but I am overwhelmed by my wedding and business. Even though I continue to take the exam every month, I will enter autumn without even exceeding 90 points. At the end of the year, following the advice from the teacher at Hamaguchi Juku, I moved to IELTS and continued to take both exams, but the year-end and New Year holidays will be reached with TOEFL 90 points and IELTS 6.5 points. I continued to take the test in January, and finally achieved OA 7.0 in IELTS, which I took at the end of January, and the test was completed. I took the TOEFL more than 15 times, but I dropped out on the way, so I can’t give you very good advice, but I can’t speak and write because I can’t listen to it anyway. Was exerting. In that respect, IELTS is good that S and W do not need listening skills, but I feel that the scoring varies considerably. I think it’s not suitable, but I think OA7.0 in IELTS is easier than 100 points in TOEFL.
R: First of all, it is important to learn words and to speed up reading. Personally, from the point where I learned Rank 3 of 3800 to some extent, the R of TOEFL became stable at 27 and 8 points, and IELTS was stable at 7.5 and above.
L: It took time for the TOEFL L to exceed 20 points, but by continuing shadowing and dictation steadily, the points increased little by little, but it takes time for pure dome anyway. Anyway, I think it is important to start strengthening your listening skills from an early stage.
S: I trained using RareJob and an IELTS specialist instructor. For RareJob, I searched for an instructor who was accustomed to the TOEFL and IELTS formats (which is quite difficult), and continued to practice speaking in a practical format. In TOEFL, I couldn’t get a good point because my listening ability was a drag, but IELTS is interactive with the grader, and I am conscious of using some model answer phrases suitable for IELTS forcibly. If so, I think that up to 7.0 can be achieved relatively easily.
W: TOEFL asked Matthew of Hamaguchi Juku to make corrections, but I couldn’t get a good score because of my listening ability. IELTS will definitely get up to 7.0 in a short period of time if you remember the format phrases that you can aim for high scores. As a result, I felt that OA 7.0 at IELTS was much easier than TOEFL 100 points.
GMAT
To be honest, it’s a painful exam that I don’t want to remember. The score did not increase as I expected. I took the exam for the first time in October and lost. I tried again in December, but I was defeated. After that, even after the beginning of the year, I continued to take the GMAT and GRE exams, and the application score (650 points) was not achieved at all in mid-February. I am not in a position to give any advice, but I think that I managed to get the above score despite the short study period, thanks to the excellent teaching materials of Hamaguchi Juku. Especially for V, I was able to understand it with a sense of conviction with the polite and accurate explanation by Dr. Hamaguchi. I couldn’t do it enough, but I think it’s important to be aware that it’s important to redo the unit multiple times and be able to explain why the incorrect answer options are incorrect for SC. I did. As for CR and RC, I think it’s a matter of familiarity and reading comprehension, so I think it’s important to stuff the words you don’t know into your head anyway, and to answer even one question a day while always measuring the time. Since Q is originally a science system, we only take measures to get used to the GMAT format. In the end, GMAT was the final score, but I also took the GRE about three times. GRE Q is easier than GMAT, so I think you can aim for a perfect score, and V can also make use of GMAT learning except for word problems, so people who do not get the score you think with GMAT, feel that GMAT Q is not good. If you are, I recommend that you also include GRE as an option.
Essay
The essay utilizes the support of Hamaguchi Juku. For me, who was late to start and had no time above all else, I think it was very good for Professor Hamaguchi to give me accurate advice and feedback. I proceeded with the content while having my boss who had studied abroad check it, but I think it was effective to get an objective opinion to broaden the scope of the story. Personally, I had a certain amount of work and private material, but I had a lot of trouble in creating a story about how to connect my life with Why MBA? And future goals. However, in the end, I will touch on these contents in the interview, so rather than arranging overly flashy contents and beautiful things that I do not have in my heart, what kind of person I am, what I am lacking, MBA I think it is important to face each other while digging up over and over again. Also, I couldn’t make a score and I couldn’t think that I would visit before the application, so it was a visit after the application. , I think I should have visited before applying in order to increase the material for essays and interviews. Interview 5 schools applied for 4 invitations, but 1 out of 4 schools declined due to NG from the company due to ranking problems. Emory was invited to an interview in Tokyo in early February, but hurriedly applied for a campus visit from mid-February to late February, negotiated to have time for an interview with Admission (Julie) locally, and had a local interview. I had you switch to. As a result, I think that it helped me to convey my enthusiasm and to talk directly with Julie, which helped me to win the pass. Interview lessons were conducted many times with Matthew of Hamaguchi Juku and Mock Interview. I also asked Matthew to check the essay, and he was familiar with what I wanted to convey, so I was able to get very accurate feedback such as how to effectively convey the answer content and how to compose the story. ,It was good. The lesson with Matthew thinks about Q based on the actual interview contents of each university, creates an atmosphere that is relatively peaceful and easy to talk to, and puts it in a good sense, so I speak English. I think it suits me as a pure dome who is not accustomed to the thing itself. The actual Emory interview was anomalous in Atlanta with Julie and another person in charge, but it was a peaceful and very orthodox interview from beginning to end, so I was relaxed to the end. I was able to face it. On the way, there was a question that was difficult to answer, but Matthew often says that by being aware of the whole picture of yourself that you want to convey in the interview and talking while touching the missing information, you can get a good answer. I think it was possible.
Finally
From the day I decided to aim for an MBA to the day I was notified of my success, it was a really painful day, both mentally and physically. I can’t thank the company and my family for supporting me to the end as I feel depressed day by day. As the application deadline approaches, I think that more and more students will have similar feelings, but for myself and for my family and friends who support me. I think it is important not to give up on the efforts that you can make so as not to leave regrets. I really support you. Please do your best until the end.
G male, securities
Educational background Keio University Faculty of Law Department of Political Science
Why MBA?
Interest in improving English proficiency, learning life in the United States, and general management
Why Goizueta?
Many cases ・ Urban ・ East ・ Collaborative ・ General management ――Points for choosing a school
I think that it can be roughly divided into the following six categories.
Class format (case-centered or lecture-centered)
Location (urban or countryside)
School size (large or medium or small)
East or West (manager or entrepreneur / tech)
School atmosphere (Competitive or Collaborative)
Areas of school strength (finance, marketing, general management)
* The following is my image.
Case center: HBS, Kellogg, Tuck, Darden, Yale, Emory
Lecture center: Wharton, Columbia, NYU, Booth, MIT, Ross
Urban: Columbia, NYU, Booth, Emory
Countryside: Kellogg, Darden, Tuck, Yale
Large size: HBS, Columbia, Wharton, Booth
Medium size: Kellogg, Darden, NYU, Ross, MIT
Small size: Yale, Tuck, Emory
Competitive: HBS, Wharton, Columbia, NYU, Booth
Collaborative: Kellogg, Darden, Yale, Tuck, Emory
Finance: Wharton, Columbia, Booth, NYU, Ross
General Management: HBS, Kellogg, Darden, Tuck, Emory
From the above categories, I think that it will be a flow to aspire while thinking about what you want to learn and what you want to learn while being aware of your future goals, but since the atmosphere of each school is completely different, funds and time We recommend that you visit the campus as much as possible before deciding on an examination school.
TOEFL * Since the conversation at home was in English when I was a child, everyday conversation is at a native level.
I quickly realized that I was not good at Reading and Writing, so I focused on Reading and Writing.
・ Reading
I realized that reading was slow and there was no vocabulary, so I solved all past questions only for reading, regardless of whether it was online or booked. (TOEFL Reading has many similar topics and questions, so I think it’s easy to increase your score as you get used to it.)
・ Listening
No measures.
・ Speaking
I picked up frequently asked topics from the internet and thought about the answers in advance. (I think it’s very important to read every topic in advance, as you will be asked questions that you wouldn’t normally think about and you don’t have much time to prepare.)
・ Writing
I couldn’t think of anything to write at all. I noticed the slowness of writing and the lack of vocabulary when writing because I was not used to writing, so I did the following.
(1) Pick up frequently asked topics from the Internet and write out rough material for most topics to prepare. (Prepare material to write for about 50 topics)
(2) I decided that it was necessary to write the amount and expand the vocabulary by making corrections, so I submitted one essay a day to the service called cztraining below for about 3 weeks, and even made corrections. (It comes back in a day and the correction is as cheap as 12 $ per essay. It is recommended for those who want to write the amount and can not get motivated without correction.)
http://www.cz-training.com/toefl/
* Please note that the topic is a little different from the actual one and that the correction is not for scoring points in this exam, but for writing accurate and native English.
GMAT
·whole
I think that the suffering person pattern is a person who is not good at handling numbers, has many mistakes, has never studied English grammar, and is slow to read English sentences. In my case, I think that many mistakes, I looked at Math sweetly at first, and I had never studied English grammar (I had skipped it in the past) caused me to suffer from scoremaking. If you have taken the Prep or production test once and feel that you are strict in terms of grammar and mathematics, we strongly recommend that you consider taking the GRE test.
(Refer to the next section for GRE)
Regarding Verbal, it is impossible to finish all the questions in time unless the reading speed is comparable to that of a native speaker, so I think it is necessary to formulate a strategy for which subject to focus on in SC, CR, and RC. .. I was not good at SC, I was good at CR, and I was good at RC, so I initially tried with a strategy of focusing on CR / RC and almost throwing away SC, but the score was not stable in Prep and after all, before the 4th and 5th exams Spent almost all of his time studying SC. Since RC is shaken, I think that stabilizing the SC / CR of the royal road is the way to a high score for non-natives. Many people are stable on the top. If you do not get 49, be careful. If you need more measures than you think.
・ Verbal: SC
Teaching materials and cram schools used: AGOS’s GW intensive course, Affinity’s SC web course, AGOS’s individual lesson by Professor Nakayama. We recommend that you take an AGOS or Affinity SC class at an early stage. It may be necessary to re-wash the grammatical terms. I had somehow felt about English in the past, so I just ignored the grammar. As a result, I decided to study from 0. The teaching materials used when studying from 0 are as follows.
eibunpo-torisetsu.html
The points of each cram school are described below.
AGOS GW intensive course
It covers a very basic knowledge about SC. Very good as an introductory course. I think that there is a possibility that the English man who originally made CR and RC will exceed Verbal 35 with this alone.
Affinity SC Web Course
In addition to grammar and wording, it is very useful because it gives lectures on methods to solve by considering meaning, solutions to grasp the general-purpose SV structure firmly, and solutions that are in line with the current SC problem trends. Like Professor Nakayama, you may not be able to keep up with the story unless you have some basic grammatical matters, but it will help you acquire SC techniques and solutions in a well-balanced manner. Also, Professor Iijima, the instructor, taught me how to solve SC based on the balance of SC, RC, and CR, which was also very useful.
Individual lesson by Mr. Nakayama of AGOS
At the beginning of the lesson, Mr. Nakayama will do a test to find out weaknesses. Then, the lesson is to give feedback accordingly and finally to give a lot of problems. Unlike classes, it teaches grammatical matters that are not techniques, so there is a sense of security that if you follow Professor Nakayama, you will be able to get a solid score.
・ Verbal: CR
Teaching materials and cram schools used: Affinity CR course Affinity CR course
It is recommended because it taught me a lot about how to set Assumption such as Assumption problems (Assumption, Strengthen, Weaken, Assessment) and how to solve Boldface. I think CR is a subject that I am good at and weak at. After learning the system, I had the impression that it was a subject that could consistently score average points without any growth or decline.
・ Verbal: RC
Teaching materials / cram school used: Affinity RC course, past questions as soon as possible.
Affinity RC course
I think this is a must-have course. Unlike TOEFL Reading, RC, which is overwhelmingly inconvenient and has many twisted problems, also has some tips, and Affinity provides explanations including the background of the text. Just knowing this (for example, feminism or minorities) will make your first sentence easier to read. In particular, the A term, which deals with feminism, is highly recommended. After participating in the RC course, I was conscious of doing the amount at a pace of about 2-3 questions a day from past questions and problem collections. RC has a certain degree of self-confidence, and I often got a perfect score in past questions, but sometimes I didn’t behave in production, so I thought it was dangerous to rely too much on it.
・ Math
Teaching materials / cram school used: Math practice class at Affinity
Masuka
I have no choice but to do this for the time being. Since you can enter the questioning tendency, field, and term, most people will get 49 or more constantly. Be careful if you don’t come out. If 49 does not appear constantly, I think that there is no choice but to steadily overcome areas of weakness and take measures to eliminate mistakes. (I made a calculation error at the beginning of the production twice and lost a lot of time and it was ruined.)
Affinity Math Exercise Course
About 10 exercises picked up by Professor Iijima each time. There are some problems that are too difficult, but it was very helpful because there are many good problems, and I think it is better to use it to participate regularly and maintain your ability. GRE ・ The difference from the whole GMAT is that it is not Adaptive for each problem but Adaptive for each section, so you can decide the problem to skip after seeing the problem. Math is easier than GMAT. The SC of GMAT has been replaced by TC (Vocabulary Problem). At first, it seems to be a very difficult test with only the words that you see for the first time, but the words that are asked are all the same repeatedly, and if you memorize certain words and become familiar with the questioning tendency, I think that it is an easy test to aim for a high score. increase.
・ Verbal
Since you can select the problem to skip through the section, it is easy to make a strategy such as skipping the problem of only words that you do not understand in TC, or skipping the long RC, and it is an impression that it is easier to get points compared to Verbal of GMAT. As a result of taking Magoosh’s online course (about $ 150 in half a year) and solving Magoosh’s problems, GMAT650 equivalent (316) came out in about two weeks. (In Prep, GMAT700 equivalent 322 was released in one shot, so it was useless as a result, but it was regrettable.) ・ Math It is a much easier impression than GMAT’s Math. As soon as I got used to the question pattern in Magoosh’s online questions without any countermeasures, the score increased. I think it’s easy to aim for a perfect score. As an image, my second 167 is about 2 mistakes. (93% tile)
For me, who spent more than half a year on GMAT with all my might, I had some regrets that if I switched to GRE, I would have scored quickly. It’s easy to think blindly that MBA = GMAT, but I think there is room for consideration. As far as I can hear from the people around me, I have the impression that there are no particular advantages or disadvantages in taking the exam with GMAT and GRE.
interview
I think the key is how much you can practice. Fortunately, I had many overseas friends, so I practiced with them on Skype every day. It’s okay to be in front of a mirror, so I think that the expression method will become smoother if you speak out firmly. As for the questions of each school, I think that you can grasp the tendency by looking at the Interview Archive of Clear Admit 2-3. If you cover the questions of a few schools, you will be able to answer almost all the questions you face in the interview.
Clear Admit https://www.clearadmit.com/livewire/
Finally
Although I was born and raised in Japan, I was optimistic at the beginning of preparations because my mother was half American, so I was optimistic at the beginning of preparations, but contrary to my initial thoughts, I suffered a lot for a year. I did. Don’t forget to look at yourself objectively, whether you are confident or not.
H Male, manufacturing industry
Education Kyoto University Faculty of Agriculture
Why MBA?
In the IT department of the company, I worked with an overseas group company that did M & A, but in order to optimize the business process, I have a wide range of business knowledge such as finance and SCM, and communication ability to lead an international team. Because I felt it was essential
Why Goizueta?
・ Being a top 20 small school in the United States
・ Strong ties with local companies such as the Coca-Cola headquarters, and opportunities for hands-on projects
・ A good balance between the city and the countryside
Examination process
The major trends are January-October: TOEFL, October-: GMAT, November-: Essay, February-Interview, which is the last-minute schedule.
End of December: Receive notification of company-sponsored dispatch
January: Start attending AGOS. Take the TOEFL practice test and get 62 points. I know that the standard study time to complete the TOEFL is 700 hours, but I believe it won’t take long (it really takes).
March: 78 points for the first TOEFL test. April: I was planning to take the TOEFL test, but I couldn’t take it due to equipment problems. Take a grammar course with YES. I can afford to say that English grammar is fun these days (wrong)
May: Visit to the European MBA campus in conjunction with a business trip to France. Suddenly something like an admission and an interview started and smashed. It was good to be able to realize the required level of English proficiency during the class tour.
June: Dedicated to wedding preparations.
July: Wedding. I couldn’t get rid of the afterglow of happiness and couldn’t go back to studying.
August: I was impatient with TOEFL, which was difficult to improve, and searched for countermeasures.
September: Honeymoon to NY. Feel the first time in America and swear to come again.
October: Finished with TOEFL 104 points and switched to GMAT
November: Contact Bryan of Elite Essay as late as the end of November.
December: GMAT test smashing. Request a letter of recommendation from your boss. Studying GMAT while writing an essay. It was the most difficult time because I couldn’t work well. Writing essays all day long during the year-end and New Year holidays.
January: Apply for 6 schools, believing that GMAT will go up. I hadn’t been able to devote my time to GMAT so far, so I studied hard and challenged myself, but I crushed it again.
February: Interview measures started. Interviews with 3 schools in Tokyo. Continue studying GMAT.
March: Passed 2 schools. GMAT test with the last power, slightly updated. GRE is also taken.
April: 1 school Wait list. Emory pass / advancement decision
TOEFL
First exam (March 2016) 78 (R23 L12 S20 W23)
9th exam (October 2016) 104 (R28 L25 S23 W28)
・ I took Jack Jr as a writing measure in August and September. Even though I was skeptical about the content-focused instruction, my score was stable after taking the course.
・ In September, I attended a 105-point breakthrough seminar (Rex Kamata-sensei) at AGOS. I was able to confirm the solution again and take measures for essential English proficiency, and the score improved.
・ Daily rare jobs. It took me some time to feel the effect, but I think that the content was improved by outputting it every day.
・ I was listening to English all the time, such as when I was on the move, but I often overheard it, and I doubt how effective it was. It might have been better to focus on dense learning, such as Dictation.
・ Once you have a certain level of ability, you should receive as much as you can. You may get good points depending on the compatibility with the problem and the scoring.
GMAT
Final score: 620 (Verbal 24 Math 50 AWA 5 IR 8)
GRE
GMAT conversion 640 (Verbal 143 Math 170)
I had a hard time because I couldn’t stand my teeth at all. Even though I took the AGOS preparation course in May, I couldn’t study in parallel with TOEFL, so I started studying in earnest in mid-October. Due to the double pain with Essay, my score did not increase, and even though I studied intensively in January-March, I could not get a good score after all. The GMAT score is a prerequisite for passing, and if it is low, the probability of being called for an interview from a top school will be very low.
・ I also considered taking the GRE exam. With the limited number of GMATs, the peace of mind of having a GRE was valuable to avoid the mental pressure of taking the exam late in the game.
・ I had a senior at a company who had completed the MBA exam go out to study. The percentage of correct answers increased by learning how to judge the correctness that my seniors had and how to see the problem from a different perspective. I asked my wife to go out with studying SC and deepened my understanding by deepening the judgment of correctness.
・ The start of measures was too late. At that time, I didn’t feel like studying in parallel with TOEFL, but I felt that there was a sufficient synergistic effect.
・ I was too obsessed with studying the royal road of solving and understanding high-quality problems over and over again. I believed that there would be a breakthrough someday, but I wasn’t able to grow because Fukahori wasn’t enough. If you study to some extent and do not grow, you will need to change your perspective.
・ Too much disregard for RC. I decided that it would not grow and neglected to take measures. Even if I did PREP, I was always pulling my legs, so maybe I should have put in a sword.