A Master’s in Business Analytics is extremely beneficial for Undergraduate students who aim to work in data-driven giants such as Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn as well as experienced personnel who want to further their career prospects to stay competitive in the face of rapidly morphing business strategies. Before getting admitted to the Master’s program in Business Analytics, you might be asked to undergo an video Interview process, apart from meeting general requirements like the 91Èȱ¬ and TOEFL/IELTS scores, and documents like LORs, your resume, and Statement of Purpose. Industries such as Finance, Technology, Marketing, and Retail have the highest scope for Business analysts.

Initially, interviews were a part of the admissions process for MBA programs, but are now extended to Master’s programs also. Interviews give you an opportunity to supplement your written applications by giving the admissions committee further information and reasons that demonstrate your suitability to the course by answering a series of questions asked by them. Interviews are your final opportunity to convince the admissions committee about ‘Why you’re the best suit for their Master’s program’ by giving them a glimpse into your experience, projects, previous courses completed, and future aspirations.

Download our eBOOK on “MS in Business Analytics – Everything you need to know“

How are these interviews conducted?

Different universities have different procedures but most of them conduct online video interviews. Let’s understand this through the interview procedure followed at the Imperial College of London.

• First of all, the Imperial College London invites candidates for Interviews only after shortlisting, which means, if someone is invited for the Interview then their application has reached the final stage of the selection procedure.
• For courses like an MSc in Business Analytics (Online, Part-time as well as Full-time), Management, Finance, and Financial technology, qualifying Interviews are certain for admission at most institutes.
• According to the admissions committee, the Interviews lasts for about 20 minutes, in which the candidate might be required to deliver an elevator pitch for the questions asked.
• The platform used by the Imperial College, London is called the ‘Kira Talent Online Interview Platform’. Do make sure that any email from Kira Talent doesn’t reach your Spam folder.
• On the Online platform, there are a series of questions, which you need to answer as well as record a short video, both of which, you will have to submit them to the portal.

Word of Advice – The Kira Talent Online Interview Platform is a third party service provider, and hence you can familiarize yourself with the platform before reaching the testing hall.

• The Video Interview questions will basically be regarding:

1. The candidate’s goal statement (where an effective elevator pitch is recommended)
2. How the coursework would help the candidate in achieving the goals he/she has.
3. Why that particular business school is best suited for the candidate.

• Some students get to give their Interviews using Skype as the video interview platform. In such cases, the candidate will be contacted by the admissions committee for giving them their Skype ID and to agree on a suitable time, and date for the video interview questions.
• It is witnessed that students who gave Interviews for an MS in Business Analytics were asked personal questions similar to ones asked in MBA admissions. Questions such as ‘Past failures and Personal experience in analytics’ are often featured on the list.

Video Interview Questions

The Video Interview questions would be testing a candidate’s Technical knowledge, Skills, behavior, and instincts. Given below, are some of the actual questions asked during interviews of the MIT Sloan School of Business and the Imperial College of London;

1. Compute the natural log of 00.00

Answer – Natural log means a logarithm of a number with the base as e (2.718…). And the natural logarithm is defined only for positive non zero numbers and hence natural logarithm of 0 is not defined.

2. Where is Big Data used in a firm?

Answer – Firms like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Twitter has huge data pilestocks, which they have analyze time and then for a better customer experience. The treasure for these companies lies in the analysis of these data. They use Big Data and Business analytics to find different trends, requirements, and other opportunities for the company. The Business analysts use Big Data for storage and then use various analytics tools to get useful information from them.

3. Tell me an experience you had when you were the team member and nobody sided you for your decision.

Answer – In general any team or group, while structuring their plan or vision faces conflict among the team members. This kind of healthy conflicts, which are helpful for the company or team in the long run and this is how the inefficient solutions are rejected, creative ideas are formed. You can share any of your experience while your projects or Internships.

4. What you think will be the most challenging part of this master’s program?

Answer – If you are from a non computer Science background, then subjects based on R programming could be a bit difficult. Also, subjects based on Cloud platforms like the Amazon Web services could be difficult to understand.

5. If you are up for a salary hike or a promotion, explain to your senior authority as to why you think you are eligible for that.

Answer – To answer this question, you should be able to point out the highlights of your previous projects and what enhancements you’ve done and how it affected the company. You can also point out some problems, which weren’t previously solved and how you solved them with your leadership skills.

6. What is the shape of a logarithmic curve – concave or concave?

Answer – The shape of a Logarithmic function is convex, as the opening mouth of the function always face downwards. It is close to the negative ordinate and as you go forward in the positive x-axis, it moves away from the positive ordinate but facing downwards, and hence convex.

7. How is this MSc best suited to your dreams?

Answer – Business Analytics is like meshing your technical and management skills into one, which is further strengthened by developing leadership qualities. If you want to become an analyst in big data driven companies and reach higher leadership positions where your decisions could impact the society, then this might be the best course in achieving your dreams.

8. Tell me a situation where you’ve demonstrated your leadership skills.

Answer – Any leadership quality like, Decision making capabilities, Communication, creativity, or bringing a vision and passing it on to the lowest level of the firm effectively, which you’ve exhibited during your projects, internships, or at work would answer this question.

9. Why should we offer you a place in our university?

Answer – The University you would be applying for should provide you the subjects and electives which inclines with your interests. Your profile matches the requirements of the universities and fee structure along the with the living expenses of the country is matching with your capabilities.

10. If you’re in a soccer team, what would your position be?

Answer – You could answer any position you want to be like defender, or the mid field player. But your answer should strengthen your abilities.

How to prepare for Video Interview Questions

1. For technical video interview questions, you have to prepare your subjects over time. This is not something for which you could develop or prepare in a week or so. If you’re really good in your subjects, then this round would be a cakewalk for you. If you’re not able to answer the question, it is better to be honest about it and answer what you can think of.

2. For Video essays based on a candidate’s behavioral traits or goals, a goal statement could be the most beneficial tool. The goal statement should always guide the candidate’s action. Goal statements should be prepared in the ‘SMART’ manner, should be accurately defined, and attainable. A Good Goal statement has the following features;

• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Acceptable
• R – Realistic
• T – Time-bound

3. The goal statement should be particular, specific and should convey what the student would like to achieve or attain, while also being quantifiable or measurable, like the number of months devoted to developing a particular skill, or to attain one’s target score for a particular exam. It should be acceptable and realistic.

4. Once the goal statement for future years or goals are set, answering these personal questions becomes easier.

5. An elevator pitch is a necessity!  An elevator pitch should have the following stages;

• The first part of the elevator pitch is ‘Who are you?’
• The second part of the elevator pitch is ‘What do you do?’
• The third part of the elevator pitch is ‘What makes you unique?’
• The fourth and final part of the elevator pitch is ‘How do you do it?’

Remember that universities are looking for confident, motivated and dynamic young individuals who can take on the rigors of an MS program in business analytics! With a compelling interview or video essay, coupled with a strong elevator pitch, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the admissions committee and convince them that you’re just the kind of student they’ve been looking out for!

Let us list the top universities and Business school offering Master’s programs in Business Analytics.

Top Business Schools for an MS in BUSINESS ANALYTICS

1. The MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management – Application Details

For the Class of 2019:

The MIT Sloan School of Management – Class of 2019

Considering all the important factors such as the employability rate, alumni outcome, academic and research impact, and the number of professors who hold Ph.D. degrees, the Sloan School of Management stands at the top. The graduates are motivated to use data science as a tool to solve business challenges and problems and interpret and analyze the results and take data-driven decisions.

For further information regarding the Interviews at the MIT Sloan School of Management

*As a part of the curriculum, students has to complete a real-time Capstone Projects with leading industries to show their skills in analytics. This could be an opportunity to flaunt your ‘analyst skills’ before getting employed.

2. Imperial College Business School

Imperial College Business School

Imperial College Business School – Application Details

Imperial College Business School

Imperial College Business School – Application Details

1. Knowledge requirement includes knowledge of Advanced Calculus, Statistics, Linear Algebra etc.
2. GMAT is not required as such, but a score of >650 will add heft to one’s profile
3. Experience in programming languages such as Python, SQL, R will be an added advantage.
4. Experience i`n advanced quantitative courses.

For further information regarding the interviews at the Imperial College London,

*Around 95% of graduates get employed in three months after degree completion with an average salary of $60,000.

3. The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business

The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business

The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business – Application Details

The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business

The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business – Application Details

The Class of 2017 has the following average scores:

The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business – Average of Class 2017

For further information regarding the interviews at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business,

4. ESSEC Business School and Centrale Superlec:

ESSEC Business School and Centrale Superlec

ESSEC Business School and Centrale Superlec – Application Details

Application Deadlines:–

ESSEC Business School and Centrale Superlec – Application Deadlines

to download the brochure 

5. ESADE Ramon Liull University

ESADE Ramon Liull University

ESADE Ramon Liull University – Application Details

ESADE Ramon Liull University

ESADE Ramon Liull University – Application DetailsFor further information regarding the interviews at the ESADE Ramon Liull University,

*Some of the World’s leading companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Santander Bank are the leading employers at this school where graduates are hired as Data Scientists.

6. USC Marshall School of Business

USC Marshall School of Business

USC Marshall School of Business – Application Details

USC Marshall School of Business

USC Marshall School of Business – Application Details

Application deadlines –

USC Marshall School of Business – Application Deadline

for the details about the one-minute self-description video 

7. Alliance Manchester Business School

Alliance Manchester Business School – Application Details

Alliance Manchester Business School

Alliance Manchester Business School – Application Details: The Alliance Manchester Business School doesn’t have a video interview round, but you can download the brochure by

8. Warwick Business School

Warwick Business School

Warwick Business School – Application Details

Warwick Business School – Application Details: Further details about the program

9. University of Edinburgh Business School

University of Edinburgh Business School

University of Edinburgh Business School – Application Details: For further details about the program

10. University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management – Application Details

University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management

University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management – Application Details: For Further details about the program

We hope you know a little more about the interview process now than you did 10 minutes ago! Have more doubts? Got a specific university in mind? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll try our best to help you out with what you’re looking for!

Best of Luck!

The post Video Interview Questions, Goal Statements, Elevator Pitch – MS Applications appeared first on 91Èȱ¬ Blog.

Hailed as the land of opportunities, it is a hot favourite among students mainly because of three things:

1. Variety of universities available (approx. 4000 universities)
2. Globally competitive research programs
3. Infrastructure & job opportunities.

In fact, according to QS World University Rankings, 30 of the Top 100 Universities in the world are in the US.

Compared to any other country, US has the maximum number of enrolled international students for courses related to Engineering, Math and Computer Science and also Business and Management. It is even believed that every 6th international student in the US is an Indian*.

But with 50 states, 13 time zones, and a variety of opportunities, the one question that every MS aspirant asks themselves is:

Which US State is best for my MS?

[Read: Top 10 Cities For MS in US]

Let us take a step closer and find out more about the popular destinations to study within the US.

This is the map of USA

If we were to divide the states into 3 regions (west, central and east), we can list them as follows:

West: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Alaska, Hawaii.

Central: Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi.

East: Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey,  Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.

If you were to draw a line through the center of the USA, you will find that the states to the North have harsher weather, while those to the South have weather conditions that are more similar to the Indian Subcontinent.

Though every state offers opportunities in almost all industries now, the East Coast has a lot of service and management related opportunities while the west is known as an IT hub, and the Central area is known for its manufacturing and automobile industries.

Such generalizations are dangerously vague when it comes to making decisions about one’s career and graduate admissions.

So, based on more than 4500+ 91Èȱ¬ admits, we have collated the Ultimate Top 10 States for MS aspirants to consider on the basis of job opportunities, climate, research opportunities, universities & affordability.

#10: Indiana

East Coast

Known for providing premium educational experiences at affordable costs, Indiana is famous for its instrumental role in the Second World War by providing steel and other raw materials for the war.

In fact, in 2017, Indiana ranked #1 producer of steel in the US for nearly three decades.

The production of gigantic amounts of steel also meant that industries such as the automobile, appliance manufacturing and in recent times renewable energy such as wind energy etc. shot up significantly.

Top Fields To Pursue In Indiana

• Auto Manufacturing
• Life Science
• IT
• Transportation
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Courses

Best Universities To Consider In Indiana:

• PURDUE UNIVERSITY
• INDIANA UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON
• UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Cost of MS in Indiana: $S (Nominal)

#9: Michigan

East Coast

Michigan, derived from the Ojibwe word “mishigamaa”, meaning “Large Water” is the 11th largest state by area in the US.

It is also home to some of the country’s largest automobile companies such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Chrysler etc.

In fact, Michigan, mainly the Detroit area is considered to be the manufacturing hub.

In contrast, the Ann Arbor area is considered to be the hub of colleges, ranking among the top 5 states in the overall Research & Development expenditures in the US.

Top Fields To Pursue In Michigan

• Automobile
• Manufacturing
• Aerospace
• Food and Agriculture
• Mechanical Engineering
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Top Universities To Study In Michigan

• UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
• MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
• WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

Cost of MS in Michigan: $$ (Nominal)

#8: Massachusetts

East Coast

A state that needs little introduction, Massachusetts has a long standing history with education including the likes of Harvard University in Boston – the oldest institution for higher learning and MIT in Cambridge.

In fact, the Kendall Square at Cambridge is called the “Most Innovative Square Mile On The Planet”

Massachusetts is also considered the third highest state in the US in terms of per capita personal income.

Also as a higher education aspirant, you might have to shell out a few extra dollars to study-abroad MS in Massachusetts as compared to other states.

Top Fields To Pursue In Massachusetts:

• Biotechnology
• Finance
• Defense
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Courses

Top Universities For MS in Massachusetts

• MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
• HARVARD UNIVERSITY
• BOSTON UNIVERSITY

Cost of MS in Massachusetts: $$$ (Expensive)

#7: Ohio

East Coast

Ranked in the top 10 states for business growth, Ohio is a breeding ground for startups, small businesses, and enterprises.

It is also part of the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) whose primary focus in creating & growing jobs for the youth.

Called the Fuel Cell Corridor, Ohio is also the national leader in the US for renewable energy and bio science.

In fact, many of the major cities in Ohio are the largest producers or hubs of specific industrial items such as:

1. Toledo – National Solar Center
2. Cleveland – Regenerative Medicine
3. Dayton – Aerospace & Defense
4. Akron – Rubber
5. Columbus – Technology & Development
6. Cincinnati – Mecantile

Top Fields To Pursue In Ohio:

• Energy and Environmental Technology
• Aerospace and Aviation
• Agriculture and Food Processing
• Bioscience
• Electrical & Electronics
• Manufacturing
• Computer Science

Top Universities For MS in Massachusetts

• OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
• CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Cost of MS in Ohio: $$$ (Expensive)

#6: New York

East Coast

A state that requires no introduction – New York and it’s Celebrity City – New York City, is a globally recognized as a financial, business hub. Thus, it comes as no surprise that New York sees a high influx of immigrant population from within & outside the US.

New York is also considered the ‘land of opportunities’ for a diverse set of fields and has a strong startup culture.

Some of the notable places of interest to prospective students are:

1. Wall Street: Approx. 1 km long street that is home to the world’s largest stock exchanges such as NYSE & NASDAQ.
2. Silicon Alley: An emerging ecosystem of technological startups especially in the field of digital media, biotechnology, software development & game design. Google second largest office is situated in the Silicon Alley.
3. Tech Valley: A high-tech industrial area that is known for its deep focus in Computer Hardware, Nanotechnology and Digital Electronics design in general. Some of the famous Technological institutes such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are located here.

Top Fields To Pursue In New York

• Financial Services
• Healthcare
• Retail
• Professional, Scientific & Technical Courses
• Manufacturing
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Courses

Top Universities To Pursue MS in New York

• CORNELL UNIVERSITY
• COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
• NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SUNY

Cost of MS in New York: $$$ (Expensive)

How ready is your profile for a top MS admit in the US?
Want to find out?

[DOWNLOAD NOW]: Exclusive Checklist To Evaluate Your Profile –> Click here!

#5: Pennsylvania

East Coast

One of the 13 founding states in the US, Pennsylvania has a strong historical significance in the political tapestry of USA.

With a thriving economy that is mainly dependent on banking & agriculture, Pennsylvania would be the 19th largest economy in the world if it were an independent country.

Pennsylvania also houses some of USA’s oldest & more prestigious universities such as Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania (President Donald Trump’s alma mater) & Pennsylvania State University.

Top Fields To Pursue MS in Pennsylvania:

• Industrial Engineering
• Food Technology
• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Courses

Top Universities To Pursue MS in Pennsylvania

• PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
• CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

Cost of MS in Pennsylvania: $$ (Nominal)

#4: Illinois

Central Coast

Known more by its capital, Chicago – the windy city – Illinois is the 6th most populous state in the US and the 5th largest economy in the US.

While Illinois covers a variety of industries, some of them stand out, such as Agriculture, Manufacturing & Services Industries, which includes the higher education industry.

Illinois is also famous for producing many US presidents, such as  Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama.

Top Fields To Pursue MS In Illinois

• Machinery
• Chemical Manufacturing
• Mining
• Agriculture
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Top Universities To Pursue MS in Illinois

• UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
• UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
• NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Cost of MS in Illinois: $$ (Nominal)

#3: Florida

East Coast

Borrowing its name from Spanish word for Land Of Flowers, Florida is one of the only two states in the US that has a tropical climate, similar to Southern India.

Florida is also the 4th largest economy in the US, with major contributions coming from general services, financial services, trade, transportation and public utilities, manufacturing and construction.

In other facts, Florida is also home to the world’s most visited vacation resort, the Walt Disney World Resort, drawing close to 50 million visitors annually.

Top Fields To Pursue MS In Florida

• Agriculture
• Aerospace & Aviation
• Life Sciences
• Financial Services
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Management Courses

Top Universities To Pursue MS in Florida

• UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINSVILLE
• FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Cost of MS in Florida: $$ (Nominal)

#2: Texas

Central Coast

If you’re looking for an India outside India, then this is a state you can’t miss. (Quite literally, because Texas is the second largest state in the US, by size!)

Among the 3.8% of the Asian population in Texas, Indians form the major Asian immigrant group in Texas. (1%)

Touching upon the technological & economical aspects of Texas, this state is home to six of the Top 50 Fortune 500 companies including AT&T,  Dell & Texas Instruments.

In fact, Texas is termed as the most business-friendly state in the US.

With such large investment & infrastructure, Texas has rapidly diversified from its earlier roots in Agriculture & Farming into High Tech Industries, Oil & Gas, Renewable Energy, Aeronautics as well as Wholesale, Banking & Insurance.

Texas finds a place in every MS aspirant’s university list mainly because of it’s affordable tuition fees & comparable climatic conditions.

Top Fields To Pursue MS in Texas:

• Petroleum & Natural Gas
• Farming (Cattle and Cotton)
• Banking & Finance
• Tourism & Travel Management
• Computer Science Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Top Universities To Pursue MS in Florida

• UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN
• TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

Cost of MS in Texas: $ (Quite Affordable)

#1: California

West Coast

Topping the list is definitely the most popular as well as populated state in the US – California.

With an economy that runs into trillions, California is comparable to many independent countries in terms of its industrial investment & infrastructure.

Considered to be a global trendsetter, California is credited for the development of many of world’s most widespread phenomena including motion pictures, the Internet & many more.

With regards to higher education, California is famous for its strong public education system. For example, the California State University is the largest public education system in the US and has 23 campuses spread across major cities & districts.

Top Fields To Pursue MS in California:

• High Tech Computer Industries
• Software Engineering
• Robotics
• Aerospace
• Electrical Engineering

Top Universities To Pursue MS in California

• STANFORD UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

Cost of MS in California: $ (Quite Affordable)

And, that’s a wrap.

These are some of the most popular destinations within the US. However, the key question remains- what is the ideal location for YOU? The answer to that lies in the course of your choice, your background, your career aspirations and your budget.

While location is an important factor in making a final decision about where you want to pursue MS, it is crucial to first consider universities that match your aspiration, your research interests as well as your profile!

What are some of the states that you’re considering for your MS in US?

Comment below and let us know!

The post MS in US: Top 10 States For International Students appeared first on 91Èȱ¬ Blog.