2024-25 LL.M.出願:UC Berkeley Video Assessmentの導入

8月に入り、続々と米国ロースクールを中心に2025年入学用のLL.M.プログラムの出願要項が発表になっております。昨年との変更点として、University of California, Berkeley校が新たにVideo Assessmentの導入(オプショナル)を発表しました。その名前の通り、コンピューター相手によるインタビューとなり、Berkeley LL.M. Admissions Teamより提示されたURLにログインし、TOEFL Speakingテストのように画面上に表示される質問に対して時間内に回答します。

Video Assessment (optional)
Applicants will receive an email invitation after submitting their online application form to complete the video assessment through Kira Talent’s online platform. More information about the video assessment process will be provided in the email invitation.
https://www.law.berkeley.edu/academics/llm/application-admission/application-checklist/

今回導入されるVideo Assessmentは必須事項ではありませんので、自分の準備状況やスピーキングスコアを精査した上で受験の判断を決定していきましょう。あくまでも、’optional’扱いのため、パフォーマンスによっては審査上の‘加点’材料を増やすことになります。

今回のVideo Assessmentを審査においてどう評価するか、アドミッション関係者と直接コンタクトを取りたい場合は、同校が定期的に開催しているオンラインLL.M.プログラム説明会へ参加されることをお勧めいたします。

Eiki Satori

2024-25 LL.M.出願締め切り日の発表:Pennsylvania, UCLA, Yale

7月に入り猛暑日が続いておりますが、体調にはくれぐれもお気をつけいただき、この先はテスト対策に加え、出願書類(レジュメ、パーソナルステートメント、願書フォーム、推薦状など)にも適切な時間を割き、準備を進めていきましょう。

いくつかのロースクールでは、2025年入学用のLL.M.プログラムの出願締め切り日を発表しております。

UCLA : 2025年2月1日
https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/llm-admissions#:~:text=The%20application%20for%20admission%20to%20the%202025%2D2026%20LL.,will%20be%20February%201%2C%202025

Univ. of Pennsylvania:
Early Deadline 2024年11月15日、Regular Deadline 2024年12月15日
https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/grad/admissions.php

Yale: 2024年12月1日
https://law.yale.edu/studying-law-yale/degree-programs/graduate-programs/llm-program/llm-admission

出願書類を提出するまでのThings to Do

出願に必要なテストスコア(IELTS or TOEFL)を取得する。
出願候補先を調査し、決定する(出願スケジュールを策定する)
オンライン学校説明会に参加(開催される場合)
レジュメ(CV)を作成する。
パーソナルステートメント作成をする。
推薦状を作成(推薦者との打ち合わせ含)
願書を入力する(多くの場合入力は9月以降に可能となります)
LSACレポートを取得(米国ロースクールへ出願する場合)
面接対策(必要な場合)

今月末から来月にかけて、さらに多くの学校が締め切り日を含む2025年度入学用の出願情報を発表することが予想できます。この先の出願作業を円滑に進めるためにも、早めの準備を実践していきましょう。

Eiki Satori

【2024-2025】Columbia Business School Aug-intake の出願締切日とエッセイ課題発表

先日のJ-termの発表に続いて、CBSのAugust-termの応募要項が発表されました。昨シーズンからCBSの入試ではラウンド制が導入され、今年も引き続きこの制度が採用されています。さらに、今年は具体的なinterview decisions dateが発表されましたので、出願者は計画的に書類作成とインタビュー対策を進めることができるようになりました。

August 2025 Entry Application Deadlines
Round Application Deadline Interview Decisions Released Final Decisions Released
Round 1 September 10, 2024 at 12:00pm (ET) By November 15 By December 20
Round 2 January 7, 2025 at 12:00pm (ET) By February 20 By March 26
Round 3 April 1, 2025 at 12:00pm (ET) By May 1 By May 15
MBA Application Requirements

Essay課題に関しては、J-termと同じです。( J-term独自の1問を除く)

Applicants must complete two short answer questions and three essays.

Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

January Short Answer Question: Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)

Examples of possible responses:
“Work in business development for a media company.”
“Join a strategy consulting firm.”
“Launch a data-management start-up.”

Essay 1
Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2
The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

Essay 3
We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally.

How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words)

Optional Essay
If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

その他の応募要項の詳細はこちら
https://academics.business.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/application-requirements

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】Yale MBA(SOM) 出願締切日&Essay課題発表

Yale MBA(SOM) の出願締切日&Essay課題が発表されました。

MBA Application Deadlines

Round 1 September 10, 2024
Round 2 January 7, 2025
Round 3 April 8, 2025

https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions

Essay課題について

Please respond to one (1) of the three essay prompts below. The word limit (though not necessarily the goal!) is 500 words.:

1) Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made.
Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?
2) Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you.
What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?
3) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced.
How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?

https://som.yale.edu/programs/mba/admissions/application-information/application-guide

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】Harvard MBA 出願締切日&Essay課題発表

Harvard MBAが出願締切日とエッセイ課題を発表しました。以前にエッセイ課題の変更可能性を学校は示しておりましたが、結果的に昨年と変更なしという発表になりました。

The application dates for the MBA Class of 2027 (matriculating fall 2025) are:

APPLICATION PERIODS: APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY 12 PM NOON BOSTON TIME: NOTIFICATION OF THE MBA ADMISSIONS BOARD’S DECISION:
ROUND 1 04 SEP 2024 10 DEC 2024
ROUND 2 06 JAN 2025 26 MAR 2025

Applications received after September 4, 2024 will be considered in Round 2. Applications received after January 6, 2025 will not be considered. Please note that each “round” represents a distinct period in which you may apply, not a succession of steps for your application. You may apply in one round only, one time in an application year.

https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/Pages/application-dates.aspx

エッセイ課題について
There is one question for the Class of 2026 application:

As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? (900 words)

We invite you to share personal or professional experiences from your background that give you a unique ability to contribute to HBS. Try to remember to not overthink or overwrite in this essay; it is best to answer the question in clear and concise language that those of us who don’t know your world can understand.

Joint program applicants for the Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School must provide an additional essay: How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400 words)

https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/application-process/Pages/default.aspx

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】UCLA MBA (Anderson) 出願締切日発表

UCLA MBA (Anderson)の出願締め切りが発表されました。エッセイ等の詳細はまだです。UCLAは昨シーズンからstandardized test requirementsが大きく変わり、今シーズンも継続されるようです。
We recently updated our standardized test requirements in the interest of greater flexibility for applicants. The Full-Time MBA program will now accept the GRE, GMAT, GMAT Focus or the Executive Assessment (EA) — or alternatively, applicants may opt out of submitting a test score and instead share examples of coursework, certifications or professional experience that demonstrate their quantitative and analytical abilities in a brief essay.

ROUND 1
Application Deadline: October 1, 2024
Decision release date December 13, 2024

ROUND 2
Application Deadline: January 6, 2025
Decision release date March 27, 2025

ROUND 3
Application Deadline: April 14, 2025
Decision release date May 16, 2025

詳細はこちら
https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/full-time-mba/admissions/requirements

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】Cambridge(Judge) 出願締切日とエッセイ課題発表

Cambridge(Judge)も出願締め切りとエッセイ課題を発表しました。1stラウンドは8/27ととなっております。アプリケーションは7月にオープン予定ですが
学校調査を十分に行い以下のエッセイ課題に取り組みましょう

Application deadlines
Round 1: 27 Aug 2024
Round 2: 7 Oct 2024
Round 3: 6 Jan 2025
Round 4: 31 Mar 2025

You must complete the careers objectives statement and 3, shorter essays:

Please provide details of your post-MBA career plans. The statement should not exceed 500 words and must address the following:
What are your short and long-term career objectives? How will the Cambridge MBA equip you to achieve these?
Looking at your short-term career goal, describe the research you have done to understand how this industry/role/location recruits MBA talent and what they are looking for in a candidate?
How confident do you feel about meeting your short-term career goal? What skills/characteristics do you already have that will help you to achieve them, and what preparation are you doing now?
Tell us about a time when you made a professional mistake. How could it have ended differently? (up to 200 words)
Tell us about the best team you worked with. What made the team successful? (up to 200 words)
Provide an example of when someone else positively impacted your life. What did you learn from this experience? (up to 200 words)

詳細はこちら
https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/masters-degrees/mba/apply/

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】UC-Berkeley (Haas)出願締切日とエッセイ課題発表

UC-Berkeley (Haas)が出願締切日とエッセイ課題を発表しました。昨シーズンからVideo essayが導入されましたが、今年も導入されています。

Round 1
Deadline: September 12, 2024
Decision: December 12, 2024

Round 2
Deadline: January 9, 2025
Decision: March 27, 2025

Round 3
Deadline: April 3, 2025
Decision: May 8, 2025

Required Essay #1
What makes you feel alive when you are doing it, and why? (300 words maximum)

Required Essay #2
What are your short-term and long-term career goals, and how will an MBA from Haas help you achieve those goals?
Short-term career goals should be achievable within 3-5 years post-MBA, whereas long-term goals may span a decade or more and encompass broader professional aspirations.
(300 words max)

Required Essay #3
One of our goals at Berkeley Haas is to develop leaders who value diversity and to create an inclusive environment in which people from different ethnicities, genders, lived experiences, and national origins feel welcomed and supported.

Describe any experience or exposure you have in the area of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging whether through community organizations, personal, or in the workplace?

Candidates seeking consideration for mission-aligned fellowships may use this space to reflect on their commitment to the mission of those fellowships. (300 words max)

Video essay
The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles. Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which Defining Leadership Principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life.

Please review the Defining Leadership Principles in advance and take time to prepare your answer before recording. You will be able to test your audio-visual connection before recording. Video essays should last 1-2 minutes and may not exceed 2 minutes.

Optional essays
The admissions team takes a holistic approach to application review and seeks to understand all aspects of a candidate’s character, qualifications, and experiences. We will consider achievements in the context of the opportunities available to a candidate. Some applicants may have faced hardships or unusual life circumstances, and we will consider the maturity, perseverance, and thoughtfulness with which they have responded to and/or overcome them.

Optional Information #1
We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements.

Optional Information #2

This section should only be used to convey relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application. This may include explanation of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, etc. You are encouraged to use bullet points where appropriate.

詳細はこちら
https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/essays

Chizuko Okada

【2024-2025】Columbia Business School J-termの出願締切日とエッセイ課題発表

Columbia Business School (CBS) がJ-termの締め切りとエッセイ課題を発表しました。昨シーズンからCBSは出願締め切りに対してラウンド制が導入されましたが、J-termにおいても同様になりました。

January term (J-Term) deadlines:

J-Term Round 1: June 18, 2024
J-Term Round 2: August 15, 2024

Essay Questions

Applicants must complete two short answer questions and three essays.

Short Answer Question: What is your immediate post-MBA professional goal? (50 characters maximum)

January Short Answer Question: Why do you prefer the January-entry term? (50 characters maximum)

Examples of possible responses:
“Work in business development for a media company.”
“Join a strategy consulting firm.”
“Launch a data-management start-up.”

Essay 1
Through your resume and recommendation, we have a clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next three to five years and what is your long-term dream job? (500 words)

Essay 2
The Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership (PPIL) is a co-curricular program designed to provide students with the skills and strategies needed to develop as inclusive leaders. Through various resources and programming, students explore and reflect on the following five inclusive leadership skills: Mitigating Bias and Prejudice; Managing Intercultural Dialogue; Addressing Systemic Inequity; Understanding Identity and Perspective Taking; and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

Describe a time or situation when you had the need to utilize one of these five skills, and tell us the actions you took and the outcome. (250 words)

Essay 3
We believe Columbia Business School is a special place with a collaborative learning environment in which students feel a sense of belonging, agency, and partnership–academically, culturally, and professionally.
How would you co-create your optimal MBA experience at CBS? Please be specific. (250 words)

Optional Essay
If you wish to provide further information or additional context around your application to the Admissions Committee, please upload a brief explanation of any areas of concern in your academic record or personal history. This does not need to be a formal essay. You may submit bullet points. (Maximum 500 Words)

詳細はこちら
https://academics.gsb.columbia.edu/mba/admissions/application-requirements

Chizuko Okada

Columbia LLM 12/21まで出願期限延長のお知らせ

いよいよ今年もあと残すところ数週間となりました。今月は中盤から後半にかけ、Berkeley, Chicago, New York, さらにはPennsylvaniaの締め切り日が続きますので、まさに出願の大詰めの時期ですね。Columbia Law Schoolより下記メールを昨日付けで受信しました。

様々な理由で当初の締め切り日であった12月1日までに出願書類を提出できなかった方は、14日(木)~21日(木)の期間内で出願が可能になります。
メール内の(NY time)とは米国東海岸の時間帯 (Eastern Time)を指します。

まずはご一読ください。

====================
Dear Eiki,

You asked, we listened! Given the volume of requests we received to submit a late application and our change to an earlier deadline this year, we will be reopening our applications to the Executive LL.M. and LL.M. programs. The application will open at 12:00am (NY time) on December 14 and close at 11:59pm (NY time) December 21.

Please continue to work with LSAC and your recommenders to submit your transcripts or letters of recommendation. Do not worry if there are slight delays with LSAC. We understand it takes time on their end to process as well, so as long as you submit the Columbia application by December 21, you have met the requirement. We cannot, however, review your application until we have all documents from LSAC.

Decisions for our Executive LL.M. program will be sent on a rolling basis through January. Decisions for our LL.M. program will be sent simultaneously the first week of March.

If you are having a technical issue with submitting your application, please contact LSAC at LLMinfo@LSAC.org.

As always, we are here to help if you have questions! You can reply directly to this email or contact us at gradprograms@law.columbia.edu.

Sincerely,
Office of Graduate Degree Programs
=============================
しかしながら、Columbia出願に際しては、Personal Statementに加えshort essayの提出が求められます。これらは同校の願書(アプリケーションフォーム)内の7. Educational Objectives欄でご確認ください。以下は設問内容(計2題)です。

Please choose ONE of the following questions to answer. (Maximum word count: 150/ character count:1000)
• What quality do you value most in a friend? Do you also value this quality in a classmate? Why or why not?

• If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would you choose? Please explain why.

• Which single line from a poem or song significantly impacted your perspective? Please share how these words changed you.

• What is a memory that is important to you? Please elaborate.

以下は別の設問です。(Maximum word count:250 / character count 1250)

A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint, or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s diverse and collaborative community.

ロースクールアプリカントにとっては珍しい設問内容かつ、字数への要求度も厳しいことから、適切な単語/表現の選択など労力を伴います。
出願までの日数は限られますが、ぜひこの機会を活かしてください。

Eiki Satori