She Stoops to Conquer

Presentation The eighteenth Century comprised of glad individuals who announced it a period when individuals could think and reason both fundamentally and imaginatively. They along these lines considered it the time of thinking and illuminated individuals. In any case, the authors of then distributed stuffs, plays and articles, which were loaded with parody tending to how the genuine case was something contrary to what the individuals asserted about the century.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on She Stoops to Conquer explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Oliver Goldsmith, in his work ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ shows how the eighteenth century individuals were neither thinking nor edified. Parody, a scholarly gadget that tends to issues, as they should be and not as they seem to be, has a decent offer in Goldsmith’s work concerning the cases of eighteenth century. Parody Goldsmith effectively caricaturizes the eighteenth century s ees. For example, the then individuals asserted that their thinking could help in decide the conceivable laws rights, which would some way or another assistance in tapping a ceaseless information with which they would understand a portion of the hotly anticipated moral laws and significant accomplishments. Be that as it may, the significant advancement that denoted the century was that of a religion, known as deist whose individuals trusted in God as the person who made the universe enabling it to work as it did however with no awesome intercession. Subsequently, the then individuals held that the then triumph and satisfaction could go about as the focal point of life regardless the future life. Actually, the case didn't highlight even the least of well-suited thinking or thinking, take off alone edification. Affirming this, Goldsmith declares, â€Å"†¦there is promise for defective humanity† (Para. 20) demonstrating how feeble the individuals were as far as suspecting a nd thinking which didn't rule the century as guaranteed. Moreover, the accomplishment of compassion was additionally organized by the individuals in this century. They were committed to kindness towards the individuals who were less lucky in the general public whereby the smidgen blessed in the general public should demonstrate benevolence to the less fortune, another idea during this edification. In any case, this didn't depict any badge of apt thinking or thinking as it didn't occur in activities, in spite of the words. Affirming this, Goldsmith declares, â€Å"Appearances are some time misleading or you can't pass judgment on a person by the nature of her wrapping† (Para. 4), which in this way conflicts with the truth as the individuals were narrow minded and deceptive, making a decision about others as far as their societal position and assets instead of the substance of their character. In view of these words, unmistakably appropriate thinking didn't overwhelm in what th e individuals claimed.Advertising Looking for paper on history? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People additionally followed the sixteenth and seventeenth logical insurgencies whereby regular science was to be rethought and used to make understanding. Nothing merited tolerating dependent on trust instead of the conviction that everything that occurred on the planet, either positive or negative, had a sensible or discerning clarification. The confused illumination likewise prompted the possibility of social change whereby individuals accepted that in the event that science could advance, at that point it was basic for people additionally to advance as well. In this way, it was conceivable to make a decent society with better individuals accepted to push more noteworthy improvements during the half of eighteenth century. Be that as it may, the eighteenth century advancements as clear in the records were immaterial according t o the from that point creations of nineteenth and twentieth century. Along these lines, the then cases were close to dreams a long way from their acknowledgment, especially throughout the century. Affirming this, Goldsmith despises them advising the contemporary society to be careful about appearances just as much words joined by practically zero activities at all as it was in eighteenth century, an away from of how illumination was no place at that point. Besides, this edification and thinking acquired uncommon changes the way of life of individuals particularly in Europe where individuals transformed into adoring symbols, dressing in abnormal styles and rehearsing outside arrangements of customs and habits. As confirm, the cases were actually something contrary to what was on the grounds portraying the then individuals as crude as opposed to illuminated ones who should improve, financially as well as strictly. In genuine sense, they had by a long shot lost the track as Goldsmith c alls attention to. â€Å"Led o loss of the privilege way† (Para. 9). What's more, individuals particularly the scholars and rationalists accepted energetically in the human advancement through instruction whereby social orders could turn out to be free when individuals had the option to utilize their thinking capacities to cultivate socialization. Be that as it may, as Goldsmith watches, â€Å"love disregards social boundaries† (Para. 7) as dominant part of the eighteenth century individuals were no more however admirers of themselves associating with others whose rank coordinated their class ignoring the other parcel of the less lucky who too required their organization. Regardless of their case as taught individuals, Goldsmith calls attention to how the instruction needed during the century, which â€Å"†¦could liberate†¦their thinking to break the limits permitting them to wed individuals from other social classes† (Para. 8). Goldsmith also caricatu rizes the eighteenth century science.Advertising We will compose a custom exposition test on She Stoops to Conquer explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Science framed the premise of comprehension since it was accepted to be perfect and uncommitted. According to claims, the analysts who could give any mindfulness in its unique structure was to be pronounced fit to accept and apply the strategies of reason independent of the basic impetus whether cash or some other materialistic concern. Nonetheless, the case doesn't establish edification or thinking, as Goldsmith calls attention to concerning the cash that framed the premise of the eighteenth century advancements. He says, â€Å"Money breeds indolence† (Para.3), a case that was then apparent as individuals didn't take part in productive exercises and henceforth the less improvements instead of the cases. Consequently, the authors of the eighteenth century had all the motivations to ridicule the then occasions as Goldsmith uncovered. Works Cited Goldsmith, Oliver. She Stoops to Conquer, 2009. Web. https://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/Goldsmith.html This paper on She Stoops to Conquer was composed and put together by client Red 9 to help you with your own investigations. You are allowed to utilize it for exploration and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; in any case, you should refer to it as needs be. You can give your paper here.

Pragmatism in Government Essay Example for Free

Logic in Government Essay The character of legislative issues makes consistency quite near unimaginable, mostly in light of the fact that government officials are human and human instinct is conflicting, and somewhat on the grounds that the voters dont truly need consistency. As voters, we have the advantage of holding legislators to principles we would more likely than not be not able to meet in the event that we were in their positions. Furthermore, when they fall flat, we scold them for their fraud, which is as futile as censuring a pooch for having a clammy nose. Presently, the entirety of this may make Auntie sound horrendously negative. Would it be advisable for us to have no ethical guidelines at all for government officials? Would it be advisable for us to toss standards by the wayside and let ome sort of tricky situational morals fgleaf exposed voracity and force snatching? Not at Just for representation, take the issue of sparing individuals from abusive despots, which is irrefutably a commendable idea, straight up there with shielding youngsters from pedophiles or sparing creatures from being mishandled and abused. Be that as it may, regardless of how commendable an end is, its ethical nobility alone can never Justify malicious methods utilized in accomplishing it. Its not off-base, cold, or negative to deliberately compute the expense of accomplishing an honorable end, its capable, and duty is the thing that we ought to be emanding from ourselves and the pioneers we choose to speak to us. Costs come in numerous structures. We may not generally concur on the aggregates, or even what ought to be included as cost in such a condition, yet the more prominent the potential for hurt from an activity, the more rigidly we ought to play out the examination. On the off chance that, for instance, sparing individuals from a harsh despot requires disliked political choices, financial weight that includes some degree of agony and enduring on the two sides, strategic activities that require quids-star quo marry rather not give, conceivably even stressed relations with another gathering whose cooperative attitude has an incentive for us, and so forth that is one estimation. On the off chance that it requires military activity, that is another cost bookkeeping totally. Military activity, in any event, for respectable intentions, has gigantic potential for doing hurt if something turns out badly, if mistakes are made, or the calculated or strategic circumstances change. Furthermore, the power and effect of that mischief is probably going to be tremendous too. The outcomes can be grave, durable, and extensive, so the expenses must be determined with outrageous consideration and with greatest conceivable trustworthiness. Those possible expenses, and the probability of their being required, must be figured into the condition. Lets take different models, shielding kids from pedophiles and sparing creatures from misuse † every one of these objectives is unquestionably acceptable. What is required to accomplish them, in any case, must be determined, and every voter, and each chosen official, will figure in an unexpected way. How adequately will any given measure decrease the danger of kids being defrauded? What are the expenses of each measure, both present moment and long haul? . who bears those expenses and n It, tor model, the measure viable includes limiting or denying social equality and freedoms allowed under the Constitution, how would we pick whose rights will be reduced? What amount will that diminish the hazard to youngsters, and what amount will it cost we all to guarantee that solitary those we are sure posture such a hazard are denied their social equality? I saw an interesting guard sticker as of late that said Liberals treat hounds like individuals, and preservationists treat individuals like mutts. In spite of the fact that I cannot concur with such cover portrayals (l have known dissidents who abuse hounds, and whose treatment of individuals wouldnt give hounds a lot to seek after, and moderates who salvage pooches and display profound empathy and care for individuals,) it incites impressive idea. What are our needs, and how would we decide to follow up on them? What would it be advisable for us to anticipate that our chosen heads should do with our needs? To start with, it assists with recalling that our chosen authorities are adjusting my needs against my neighbors needs, also the needs of the individuals who gave enormous cash to their battles. What's more, our needs, yet our convictions about what means can and ought to be utilized to address them, will vary generally. Consider the possibility that the approach or administrative activity that a chosen head really accepts is correct additionally happens to address a need of a contributor who gave them a great deal of cash. Then again, what f the methods for executing that strategy or activity would conflict with the benefactors thoughts of what is worthy? Consider the possibility that those methods address a need of mine, yet would require a penance from my neighbor and appear to be somewhat far fetched to me. The explanation such a large number of individuals consider issues in high contrast is that its simpler. By building up an unbending system of good and bad and binds everything to that structure and disregarding the complexities, they free themselves from doing each one of those estimations. Its indefensible enough in a voter, on the grounds that all things considered, we have a definitive obligation regarding our administration. Be that as it may, in a chosen official, whose activities have prompt and far-extending results, taking the dark/white easy route is profoundly untrustworthy. A chosen head cannot be predictable and still be capably thinking about all the parts of her activities. What she must be, is attentive, careful, and open-minded† ready to concede mix-ups and work to address them, however more averse to make them since she considers each activity altogether. Furthermore, we as voters need to stop reflexively chiding those we choose for irregularity or bad faith, and begin considering them responsible for how cautiously and totally hello figure the expenses of their choices, and their ability to comply with those choices. Much obliged for raising such an intriguing inquiry, Jeniece, and for putting it to Auntie Pinko! It appears that the inquiry depends on a bogus division. Philosophy and realism arent an either-or, its an instance of apples and oranges. The liberal consider tor a down to earth reaction to Iraq isn't really a decision among optimism and normal rules don't apply in this situation, while Clintons backing of NAFTA was both businesslike AND ideological, regardless of how misinformed (Clinton is a neoliberal all things considered). The reaction appears to befuddle belief system and qualities. Belief system is political hypothesis, the premise of strategy and, whenever confused the lense through which issues and openings are seen. Logic (in the sense utilized in both the inquiry and the reaction) is commensurate to realpolitik, which is the act of legislative issues without good or moral qualities. I myself have an issue with the American political framework since it IS to a great extent deprived of belief system outside the leitmotif of neoliberal financial matters and neoconservative international strategy. The GOP and the DLC in fact propound the above belief systems and generally base their reality see through ideologically-colored glasses, yet it is an alse philosophy in a greater number of ways than one. What is more awful is that neither gathering really articulate their belief system in political talk with the electorate it is covered up through expository prosper and turn. Neoliberalism is a bogus belief system since it was made ex present facto all together on legitimize a previous condition (free enterprise private enterprise, free marketism, ravenousness, misuse, and so forth ). It was made in Mt. Pellegrin based on the Austrian School of monetary hypothesis and it is completely separated from popularity based standards (the regular weal, and so forth). Neoconservatism is insightfully founded on a sequentially deceptive ndividual (Leo Strauss) that Justifies control and lies. All things considered, America NEEDS belief systems in light of the fact that, for a really long time our political talk has been driven by generally immaterial, present moment and explicit issues, for example, premature birth, weapon control, migration, and so forth. Neither one of the parties has communicated a drawn out objective and obviously methodologies to accomplish said objectives while the two gatherings have gone their joyful way keeping up a circumstance of corporate debasement and the oppression of unique interests. This makes American political talk something of an awful Joke and gathering affilliation minimal not quite the same as being an enthusiast of a games group. cepting, obviously, those earthshaking issues, for example, Terry Schiavos cerebral cortex. Politicis in a vote based system is without a doubt the adjusting and exchange between sides, gatherings and people. The reactions disarray among qualities and philosophy mists the issue in a majority rule governme nt with ideologically-determined gatherings (that understandable said belief systems) the trade offs take on an alternate significance and extension. The nonappearance of belief system transforms our body politic into a public exhibition and shields the electorate from battling for a superior future. Hear, Hear, from the OTHER District of Columbia, Washington State. The Columbia River confines get to, Just like the security powers in D. C. ) Here our governmental issues has pooped throughout the years also, despite the fact that, tortunately, we are somewhat dynamic. Logic is a significant factor in the choices government officials make, and once in a while utopians dismiss the risks and troubles in making things end up being correct. All things being equal, I concur with the utopians in regards to their objectives and duty. The principle questions include some solution for the way that not every person concurs, in any event for the time being, on the issues. I ask utopians to keep up their altruism, while nderstanding reality however much as could reasonably be expected. Battling for equity and a balanced society requires persistence and exertion, which can frequently make individuals quit working for a superior future. I encourage immovability to guideline here. Optimism is acceptable, as long as you understand that not every person is hopeful. Progress in human undertakings is troublesome and fairly dubious. Be that as it may, we do have proof of its reality. Lets adhere to our convictions, through various challenges. Make sure to think carefully to enable your genuine convictions to come to acknowledgment, since finding the responses to issues requires thinking and exertion.

Frei Otto Munich Stadium Free Essays

MUNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM//FREI OTTO//1972 gizem akgun/nuria juanbaro sarret/kanaka raghavan _ADDA 2012-2013 GERMAN PAVILION//MONTREAL//1967//link nets TUWAIQ PALACE//SAUDI ARABIA//1970//link nets OLYMPIC STADIUM//MUNICH//1972//link nets ORKS MULTIHALLE MANNHIEM/GERMANY//1975//framework shells JAPAN PAVILION EXPO 2000//HANOVER GERMANY//2000//lattice shell German modeler and research engineer 1957/Development Center for Lightweight Construc on in Berlin. 1964//Ins tute for Lightweight Structures in Stu gart. Shown an exceptional gi for crea ng lightweight tent structures Computer-based methodology for deciding their shape and conduct Alterna ve arrangement of network shell structures HE ARCHITECT/FREI OTTO HE LIGHTWEIGHT PRINCIPLE/pliable Tensile rooftops/all aspects of the structure is stacked in pressure with no necessity to oppose pressure Cable nets/lattice of auxiliary links in strain framing the system underpins a climate shield. We will compose a custom exposition test on Frei Otto Munich Stadium or then again any comparative subject just for you Request Now A clas c Surfaces/strain powers are in balance, the focuses of bend are in inverse side of the film Synclas c Surfaces/the focuses of ebb and flow are on a similar side of the layer n clas c bend hyper paraboloid hyper paraboloid/least 4 pts with alteast 1 pt out of plane Less material and e? ort Remarkably huge traverses Combined malleable structure and organic research Only a couple members,are under pressure while all others, for example, links and layers, are under strain For pressure and inflexibility, a clas c or seat like ebbs and flows HE LIGHTWEIGHT PRINCIPLE UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/subtleties SITE//Originally the se ng of a 1930’s air? eld,former preparing ground for the Bavarian Royal Army and the site of Munich’s ? rst common air terminal. Ground had been utilized as a dump yard for destroyed buildings’ rubble. 00m tall communicate tower, s ll present today, a significant milestone of the site. PROGRAM//80,000 seats Smaller encased games lobby Swimming corridor Warm-up field Enclosed exercise office Housing for 3000 individuals UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/1972 Gunter Behnisch proposed light and open structures con nuous ? uid tent roo? ng taking after regular slopes Frei O o’s Montreal Pavilion was the managing piece The first framework originated from model examinations where women stockings were utilized to mimic the tent’s surfaces al proposition CRITICAL STUDIES//Mast statures gave ghter ebb and flow close to the poles and leave the unsa sfactory ? t border territories unchanged Increasing the pre-worry to ? at regions would give the vital steadiness, yet just at outlandishly elevated levels of tensioning UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/ini Winner of the compe on for 1972 olympic park by GUNTER BEHNISCH ERMAN PAVILLION,MONTREAL/1967 Real perfect work of art of lightweight architecture,Frei O l/Behnisch Ini al mode o UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/examinations UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/inspira Dragon? y wings are one three-thousandth of a mil limeter thick Up to 1,000 sec ons Compartmental structure, wings don't tear, withstand the weight that structures during ? ght. Driving guideline for plan of rooftop on 7 seat shape link nets Square networks that structure rhomboids to accept a clas c bend UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/overhauled rooftop Subdivide rooftop into an interwoven of independent however coupled littler shades Support at numerous focuses and for the most part bended to appropriately ght radii. Nets don't reach out to the highest points of medium tallness poles, rather dangled from extremely tall poles Masts set outside the rooftop or suspended over the ground on links keeping the zones underneath segment free Roo? ng for the primary games facili es UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/tests 1:125 scale models precisely corresponding both in geometry and in versatility to the imagined full measured structures UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/structure Interior links Peripheral links Cable joints Steel poles Concrete underground founda on Acrylic board spread UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/links Interior links//11. 7 mm work, 19 vigorously aroused 2. 3-and 3. 3mm steel wires A lay length of 10 x the lay measurement Main links//? ve strands of 37 and 109 wires each Edge links//differ in speci? an on, commonplace model ,lockedsurface wire rope of 81 millimeters width Twin links with concentric joints accept square networks shaping rhomboids framing a clas c bends UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/joints Cables masterminded two by two 75ãâ€"75 cm mesh,reduced number of joints Clamps+screw,one screw per joint,easy construc on 75 cm work Saddle connec ons Swaged clasp connec on Erec on/The link nets totally amassed on ground, li ed to ? nal posi ons. Prestressing/suspension links were placed in posi on, geometry and stresses links and poles checked Connec on to stay UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/poles Pressure founda ons/stay the primary links practical Inclined space founda ons (tent pegs ),gravity grapple founda ons (tying down from self weight),earth stay founda ons (bolster the poles) Temporary steel balls gave under the elastic cushions to permit rota on during get together Cylindrical poles welded steel tubes up to 80 meters in length and with a 50mN (5000 ton) load limit. Straightforward rooftop covering/2. 9 x 2. 9-meter acrylic boards , 4mm thk Bolted to the intersec on hubs and points of intersec on change each 6 degrees Temperature shaping, boards on neoprene platforms, permitting them to ‘? at’, and fixing the joints with con nuous neoprene professional? le braced to the board edges Discon nuous joints permitting development UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/spread UNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM/ends Form ? nding tests/solu ons for huge traverses all the while brought forth the study of compu ng . Last structure relies upon †state of grid,spacing,pa ern - the geometry of the suppor ng structure †the demand applied to the link net and its suppor ng structure Advantages/E? cient method of utilizing material Lightweight Large traverses Quick construc on The most effective method to refer to Frei Otto Munich Stadium, Papers

MGT 511 CASE ASSIGNMENT MODULE 4 Employee and Industrial Relations Essay

MGT 511 CASE ASSIGNMENT MODULE 4 Employee and Industrial Relations - Essay Example As far as vital human asset the board, the representatives just as the modern relations assume a significant job in the accomplishment of the vital human asset the executives. A couple of the numerous viewpoints that sway the key human asset the board inside an organization incorporate the accompanying: an) Engaging representatives: Employees structure the principle component of any business and the fundamental point of modern relations is to guarantee that a solid and powerful relationship is worked between the businesses and representatives (D'Annunzio-Green, Maxwell and Watson). The mechanical relations likewise center around ensuring the privileges of the administration just as the privileges of the workers. This is much of the time done by making altruism and furthermore with shared comprehension and trust among all the gatherings engaged with the association. Modern relations centers around complete commitment of the workers and furthermore centers around improving the general profitability and execution of the representatives. Here the point is to diminish the conceivable turnover and furthermore to lessen the continuous non-attendance inside the organization also (Armstrong). Vital Human Resource the board is centered around building up an interrelated methodology towards better connections and furthermore higher profitability. The investment of the representatives and the accentuation on the work bunches majorly affect the general vital human asset the board (Greer). Representative cooperation incorporates the accompanying angles, for example inspiration of representatives, the responsibility of the workforce, high proficiency, and furthermore great and solid dynamic inside the organization (York). These add to the key human asset the board. b) Employee Performance and Documentation: The requirement for opportunity of execution, thought and furthermore articulation is one of the primary parts of each representative in pretty much every industry. Anyway when these are disregarded and workers are dealt with more as articles than people, the effect is straightforwardly observed on the general want, inspiration and execution (Beer, Lawrence and Mills). A significant viewpoint that each laborer needs from the activity is the security and acknowledgment of an occupation all around done. Representatives additionally search out great compensation, great and safe working conditions and furthermore any possibility of taking part in the dynamic inside an organization (Dessler). Human asset the executives includes the comprehension of the requirements and yearnings of the laborers and furthermore works creating and clarifying the conduct of the two people just as gatherings and to take a gander at potential approaches to utilize the conduct to improve the working conditions and furthermore to work all the more effectively towards the goals of the organization (Jack and Halloran). Great comprehension of the representatives and their needs and furthermore center around the improvement of the working states of the organization help diminishing the general clashes inside the organization and furthermore help in advancement of the worker cooperation similarly (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, Fundamentals of Human Resource Management: Managing People at Work). c) Complaint frameworks and whistleblowersâ A grumbling framework and informant is significant for each business and helps keeping the questions under control and even in various cases forestalling the debates. Distinctive grumbling frameworks like the worker complaint redressals, which take a shot at guaranteeing that the representative complaints are investigated and dealt with and modern questions are

South African Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

South African Economy - Essay Example 4Governor Tito Mboweni flagged over and over in the previous month that loaning rates were set to increase again as fundamental swelling become progressively summed up, while stricter loaning rules had so far neglected to gouge powerful buyer spending and credit request. 5 For the present business cycle, notwithstanding, the climbs that were made to the nation's loan fees as of late are by and large being viewed as the last. The reasons for high expansion in South Africa essentially are two outer causes; The ebb and flow value drivers are rising oil and global food costs, just on the grounds that request exceeds gracefully in the worldwide market for these items. The two are connected in light of the fact that the prompt impact of expanded fuel costs is that it turns out to be increasingly costly to create food, however this all alone doesn't really prompt a general cost rise. 6 Besides the approaches of the South African government are not above disdain, and in certainty these populist strategies to mollify a few areas of the compatriots without concern or recognizing the outer causes in diving the economy into despair. Expanded loan fees will directly affect charge assortments and hence an immediate impact on financing poor people. This will prompt a quick exhaustion of spending excess, and to fill this hole the administration has no choice however to print cash to fill in the hole. 7 This is driving S outh Africa towards hyperinflation. Effect of high oil costs on South African economy The high oil costs have seriously influenced oil bringing in nations like South Africa, whose ability to produce power has been influenced and which has constrained them to proportion power. 8 Adding further, The significant expense of oil impacts legitimately on firms, purchasers and the administration. To start with, it expands the household cost of oil based goods, raises the expense of numerous quick sources of info, and therefore prompts higher creation costs. Thusly firms may decrease their work request, speculation and yield. Second, as the short-run interest for oil is profoundly inelastic, shoppers are compelled to lessen their utilization of different merchandise and ventures to take care of for higher vitality tabs. 9 Additionally, the rising oil costs will likewise influence South Africa's equalization of installments, as trade rates will neutralize them in worldwide exchange, this will diminish their degree of monetary movement since the measure of moderate oil that South Africa will have the option to buy will be drastically decreased under current conditions. Purchasers and firms could choose to lessen their oil utilization however since the interest for oil is exceptionally inelastic for the time being, they might be constrained to diminish their utilization of other imported merchandise. Doing so could sabotage financial development particularly if capital products imports are influenced. 10. Destitution is another issue confronting the South African economy, since the present arrangement will prompt increasingly across the board neediness as absence of satisfactory fuel will drive up the expense, with the expense of transportation of merchandise and

Best Practices for Mobile SEO

Best Practices for Mobile SEO Mobile search engine optimization (SEO) has been a hot topic in the marketing industry for quite a while. The talk has finally become extremely relevant, as studies continuously show mobile search is overtaking desktop searches.But what is mobile SEO and could your business benefit from it? This guide will answer those questions and provide you a set of best practices for mobile SEO. Hopefully with the help of this guide, you can finally join in on the digital revolution. © Shutterstock.com | PureSolutionIn this article, we will start with 1) what mobile SEO is, and continue then with 2) why mobile search engine optimisation matters, and 3) the key areas to focus with mobile SEO.WHAT IS MOBILE SEO?One of the reasons companies find mobile SEO so difficult is the lack of understanding of the practice in the first place. This isn’t just a problem of not doing your homework. If you go up to SEO marketing experts and ask them to define SEO, you’ll probably end up with a number of answers.Webopedia gives the term a great overall definition. It states:“Search engine optimization is a methodology of strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in search results page of a search engine (SERP) including Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines.”While the essence of SEO is the use of tactics that improve the company’s ranking on a search engine, the different tactics you can use to do so vary greatly. There’s no one-way of achieving a higher ranking and companies often need to apply multiple different strategies to achieve the desired results.You might be wondering whether it matters what the company’s ranking is. Consider your own online searches as an example. You probably type in the keywords you are looking for and most likely click one of the pages on the first result page. Therefore, you want your business to be among to top results, otherwise people might not ever find you. As a small business it is unlikely people directly come to your website. If you can boost your search engine ranking, you are more likely to present your business for new customers.The tactics you use to boost your company’s rank depend a bit on your industry. The most obvious option is to improve the use of keywords, which are the words people often use to search for a product or service such as yours. You then have plenty of ways to enhance the use of video, p ictures and even your social media for further ranking improvements.How mobile SEO differs from typical SEO?Considering the above, it might seem odd to have a separate mobile SEO strategy. But if you’ve ever browsed websites on your mobile device, you’ll know how important it is for websites to be mobile-friendly.Mobile SEO essentially helps your site to ensure the website and its design is usable with a mobile device. This can ensure mobile users don’t just skip your content because it’s too difficult to read or browse through.Furthermore, just as your website can recognize the device the viewer is using to look at the website, so can the search engines detect it. In fact, Google has ensured mobile-friendly websites enjoy an advantage in search results, so you certainly don’t want to skip this opportunity to boost your rankings.In addition, people’s way to search for content is different for mobile devices to desktop computers and laptops. This means your website might need to slightly adjust the use of keywords to ensure mobile users also find your page.One of the crucial differences between SEO and mobile SEO is the emphasis on localization. Mobile phone searches are often done on the go and therefore, by localizing your content, you can greatly enhance the chances of people near your shop to find you.WHY MOBILE SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION MATTERSIf you aren’t still convinced about the usability of mobile SEO, the below statistics should change your mind. The global use of mobile phones is increasing rapidly and mobile marketing is changing search engine marketing for good.The Mobile Marketing Association published a study in 2013, which predicted the mobile marketing boom would generate $400 billion in returns within the next five years. Furthermore, the global number of smartphone users is likely to hit six billion by 2020.According to data by Simply Zesty, mobile data consumption has increased by 83% in the last few years. In 2014, people sp ent, on average 1.4 billion minutes online, which is an increase of 400% to time spent online in 2010.Mobile traffic amounts to 60% of all search activity, with mobile search accounting for 48% of all Google searches. This, if anything, shows what a massive opportunity mobile SEO for business.But the sheer number of mobile searches shouldn’t just convince you. In the end, for your business, the consumer activity counts for more. But data show customers don’t just prefer to spend more time online on their mobiles, they actively use this time for making shopping decisions.Alchemy Viral’s data shows around 90% of mobile searches result in an action, including a visit to the business or the purchase of a product. Shopping on your mobile is becoming much more commonplace.The rise of smartphone has provided consumers more opportunities to be smart and to carefully consider their purchasing decisions. This is highlighted by the fact that around 60% of people who own a smartphone, che ck the product on the device before buying it.People are increasingly busy and always on the move these days, partly thanks to smartphones. Nevertheless, you can now easily do your grocery shopping with your mobile while waiting for the train or send your mother flowers on the last minute, even if you are off to a holiday!Quite interestingly, this preference for browsing on the mobile phone might actually be a good thing for companies’ marketing efforts. YuMe and IPG Media Lab conducted a study that showed people are more receptive to marketing when in public. In addition, the smaller the screen people use to watch ads, the better they will remember the marketing message later on.So not only are people using mobile phones more, your marketing message might be getting through to the customer better. This gives an additional bonus to optimizing your content for mobile phones.But in the study, the ads were naturally optimized for each screen size, so you cannot simply forget about op timization. If you’ve browsed a non-mobile-friendly website on your smartphone, then you know how frustrating it can be. The person viewing your website must be in dire need of your service not to give up and look for a mobile-friendly website instead.The above stats show, if a business wants to survive in today’s world, it cannot overlook mobile SEO. Therefore, it’s a bit of a surprise to find there are still plenty of companies with non-mobile-friendly websites.If your business is still part of this group, you need to step up and change your strategy for optimization. With the below strategies, you can create your business a sound mobile SEO strategy.THE KEY AREAS TO FOCUS WITH MOBILE SEOWhen you start looking into mobile SEO, your mind will be flooded with different strategies and ideas. There are countless ways to optimize your content, but not all of them are as good.In fact, there are certain practices that are outright bad and are most likely going to get your website p unished by the search engines.The below set of practices will offer you the best route to good quality mobile SEO. They form the basis of a solid mobile SEO strategy and by implementing them in your company’s website, you will boost your search engine visibility in an instant.Optimize content for performanceTake a look at your website and try using it on a mobile phone. You’ll instantly notice how the user experience differs, when you are using the site with your fingertip and the screen size is smaller.It is essential to start by optimizing your content with the device in mind. A touch screen device makes it hard to press small navigation links and therefore, you want to streamline your service to accommodate vertical menus, for example.You also need to pay close attention to the navigation on the site. Since the screen is smaller and the ability to browse is more limited, you must have the most important and popular sites behind a touch of a button (or screen!). Google Webmast er Tools is great for finding out how many instances of pages, which don’t consider the path of the user’s fingers, you have on the site.In most instances, the above can be achieved by developing a revamped site specifically for mobile search. Make sure you don’t achieve this by simply scaling down the desktop version of the website. This is an easier route, as you are simply tweaking around the website, but it won’t provide as effective results as redevelopment.Overall, you have three different routes for optimizing your website for mobile. It might be a good idea to go for a combination of these and implement them all, but even starting with one can boost your search engine ranking. You can:Make your website responsive â€" as mentioned above, this will detect the visitor is using a mobile device and will then adjust the layout accordingly.Enable dynamic serving â€" a more complex approach, which means the design detects the device and loads the appropriate content onto tha t device.Have a mobile URL â€" you can simply have a sub-domain for mobile users. This means your mobile users are redirected to the mobile site.One of the important elements you need to look at are possible videos and images on your site. Make sure the visual content is responsive, so that it scales to the optimal size for different devices. The most important thing to do is remove Flash from the site. For example, iPhones don’t render Flash at all and Android devices respond to it very slowly.In addition, pop ups are an ultimate no-go for mobile sites. Make sure you avoid these as much as possible.Once you’ve done optimizing the content to fit the mobile device and tweaked the navigation to suit the touch screen models better, you need to test the site’s performance. Things such as page loading times are essential because a slowly loading site can mean you lose customers.According to one study, 74% of mobile site users leave the page if it hasn’t loaded in five seconds. Th e same study claimed a one-second delay could amount to $1.6 billion in annual losses for online merchants.What makes loading speed on mobile sites trickier is the way they connect to the Internet. You need to remember smartphone connections can be slower to desktop connections, although the speed is improving a lot with the rise of 4G.Focus on localizationGoogle’s statistics show 50% of mobile searches happen with local intent. Localization is therefore a crucial part of mobile SEO.Your website must use plenty of local keywords. For example, instead of using “a cake factory” keyword as part of your content, opt for “a New York cake factory” instead. You’ll also want to make sure each site has your address details to boost local ranking.Add as much detail about your business as possible. You want to include the full address, with postcode or zip code, as well as include possible opening times and contact numbers. Google’s mobile search provides this information for top searches, for instance.Finally, you can also enhance your localization by joining local community pages and other such organizations. These could be yellow pages-type of websites, but also local chamber of commerce groups or industry groups. Local citation cites such as Google Listings and Yelp, among others, are also crucial.Link building opportunities are a big part of good mobile localization. Guest blog in local community websites, co-operate with local small businesses or get your business featured in the local media. All of these activities can boost your search engine ranking.Keep track of mobile keywordsAs mentioned earlier, the way people search changes when they switch from a desktop to a mobile phone. If you’ve optimized your website for keywords before, you want to make sure you check the mobile keywords to optimize the content on the mobile site.There are two big differences to searches on the mobile. These are:Mobile searches tend to be shorter â€" people often use shortcuts on the phone and keyword selection is much more restricted. Tail phrases tend to be on the point and short.Mobile searches are more localized â€" as the above section showed, people’s searches become local in nature on the mobile. This is because many use the phone to find businesses when they are on the go, especially if they are in a new place or part of the town.The Google Keyword Tool is still one of the best ways to find relevant keywords and it has a way to search for mobile keywords. You should also make sure to track mobile keywords on your site. The Google Webmaster Tools allow you to adjust the search query settings to track mobile keywords. This will give you great insight into what people are looking for on your site.When it comes to keywords, you must remember to avoid practicing the so-called keyword stuffing. The keywords you use must come naturally from the content and the type of business you are. Do not overuse keywords and stuff them on your site in an inorganic manner. This could result in search engines punishing your site, not to mention that people can quickly spot the difference between real information and keyword stuffing. Aim for socializationThere’s another final difference influencing mobile SEO strategies to general SEO: social media. Mobile users are more likely using their phones more to be connected with, not just their inner circle of friends and family, but also the wider world. Mobile phones are used for social engagement and your mobile SEO strategy should reflect this.When you are adding content to your mobile-friendly site, you want to ensure it has this social-factor to it. Is the content entertaining? Could it be shared with friends and family? Keep these questions in mind when developing and adding content.You should also pay close attention to making it easy to share the content from your website. Mobile-friendly sites should have simple, easy-to-click buttons for social media sharing, such as Facebook a nd Twitter.There are examples of retailers who have nailed this social-first approach. If you venture into Macy’s mobile site, you can see each product can easily be liked and shared via social media, for example.Consider going down the app routeThere’s also an alternative approach to mobile SEO, which you should keep in mind. Depending on the type of business you have, as well as the products and services you offer, developing a mobile app might be another route to take. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should not optimize your website for mobile, but that you also utilize the power of the app and direct your mobile customers to it whenever you have a chance.An app can offer a much better user experience for your customers and in its own way also boost mobile SEO. But you also need to be careful not to block search engine crawlers from spotting your mobile-friendly site by using an interstitial page to alert guests of the available app.Furthermore, remember that an app and a mobile-friendly website often serve a different purpose. Applications are perfect for situations where the customer will want to visit the site multiple times. Apps are therefore resources or business tools for the user. Mobile banking apps could be an example of this. It makes more sense to develop an app for online banking rather than a mobile-friendly site.Think carefully whether the intent of your customers visiting your site could be better served with an app or a mobile site. For many businesses, an app is not the answer, but you definitely want to develop one if your customers would effectively benefit from it.

Do MBA Rankings Matter

You’ve defined your goals and assessed your qualifications. Now it’s time to move on to the program research stage of the MBA admissions process. There is a sea of information out there: rankings, books, MBA program websites, MBA fairs, Poets Quants, student and adcom blogs, school open houses, your neighbor’s sister’s boyfriend’s dad – the list goes on and on. Where do the rankings fit in? If you’ve read our blog, attended our webinars, read our admissions guides, etc., you know we caution against relying exclusively and uncritically on rankings to decide where to apply (so that means no â€Å"I’m just going to apply to the top 5†). Well, here we’re going to suggest the opposite: use the rankings†¦at the beginning of this research phase, because they are helpful at the start. But don’t stop with the rankings. 6 steps to using the rankings to your advantage Below you’ll find 6 key steps for doing MBA program research in a way that a) yields meaningful info for decision-making and list-making, and b) is efficient and focused – conserving and respecting your precious time. Step 1: Look at rankings With your competitive profile in mind, look at several broad MBA rankings. Determine what levels/ranges of programs for which you’re competitive generally (taking into account reasonable reaches, on-pars, and maybe safeties). Note the plural – rankings – as each has its idiosyncrasies (U.S. News, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, etc.). Sometimes a program will be below or above your target competitive range, but it still might make sense to apply for some reason (in the following steps you’ll gain the additional info needed to make this decision). Step 2: Talk to people At this point it’s good to start talking to people with MBA experience – colleagues, friends, mentors, etc. – and add a qualitative dimension to the above step. Ask about their impressions and experiences, and assess how their views align (or not) with what you gleaned from the rankings vis-à  -vis competitive fit. ; Step 3: Search industry/function-specific rankings Research industry- and/or function-specific rankings in your area(s) of interest. Identify programs from these rankings that overlap with those from Step 1 (and factoring in any learning from Step 2). There may be programs in your competitive range that do meet your academic needs but don’t show up on specialization rankings (e.g., Kellogg isn’t known as a finance school but offers much in this area and might be great for someone in PE who will be doing a lot of managing; Columbia doesn’t often appear on entrepreneurship rankings but is quite strong in it). So indulge in some unstructured exploring, to â€Å"see what you might see.† Step 4: Start digging deeper Go to the source – the websites of programs that interest you. Look for specifics that you care about (structure of curriculum, flexibility, appealing concentrations, students from a given industry or geographic region, placement strengths, etc.). Listen to your gut as well as your objective response; does it feel like a good fit? Remember, you can keep the rankings info in mind as you look deeper into your target programs. For example, check the schools’ average GMAT and GRE scores – are your scores within range? Step 5: Go to MBA fairs and visit schools What better way to understand your fit with a school than to see the students, professors, and administrators in action? You will get the most out of MBA fairs and school information sessions at this point in your research, after you already have a good idea of what each program offers and how you’d fit in competitively. If you can swing it, a school visit will really help you get the vibe of the schools you’re considering. A school may seem perfect to you on paper, but if you step on campus and feel like a fish out of water, you may disqualify the program (though, be sure you’re giving it a fair chance). On the other hand, if you visit a school that you were iffy about and immediately â€Å"click† with the school, that’s a great sign that a program that may not have seemed like â€Å"the one† should become a top contender. Step 6 – Put the puzzle pieces together You’re narrowing and refining a list. Now it’s time to focus more on adcom and student blog posts, searching the web for articles and information, and attending school information sessions, and of course, continuing to talk to people with MBA program experience and insight. You should now have a finalized or near-finalized list of programs to apply to. You can continue refining the list and deciding on other programs to add later. NOTE: This is a guideline, not a rigid process. Always stay open to discovery – maybe you’ll come across a school in a blog or a respected colleague suggests a program you hadn’t considered. Maybe you thought you wanted to stay in the U.S. but were seduced by INSEAD†¦ Who doesn’t love a pleasant surprise? 4 ways you should NOT use the MBA rankings The most important thing you need to remember is that while the rankings are useful, they do not offer you a complete picture. So now I’d like to present you with the other side of the story – the rankings’ limitations. Blinding yourself to the rankings’ flaws could lead to an expensive, time-consuming mistake: choosing the wrong MBA program for you. They don’t measure your priorities. The rankings are general reports usually based on some data and survey responses from students, alumni, and faculty†¦none of which include you (yet). You can gain valuable information from the rankings, as we’ve discussed above, but when it comes down to it, they measure the responses and priorities of others; take them with a grain of salt and realize that everyone’s situation and experiences are different†¦yours included! General rankings hide strengths (and weaknesses) in specific areas. There are numerous â€Å"gem† programs that thrive outside the top ten or top twenty. Many MBA students have a great chance of gaining acceptance PLUS receiving financial aid at these gem schools. Sure, getting into Wharton would be a huge accomplishment. But what if you got accepted to Washington Foster, got a full scholarship, and found that when you visited the campus, you felt right at home? Then the fact that Foster doesn’t sit in the top 10 may not matter nearly as much. Averages are exactly that. Average. They aren’t a cut-off and don’t reflect extenuating circumstances or the interplay between myriad factors in an admissions decision. At every school there will always be applicants who are accepted with below-average stats and who are rejected with above-average stats. Surveys, especially surveys of students and alumni, can be gamed. Students and alumni know that higher rankings increase the value of their degrees and have an incentive to think kindly of their schools. In short, don’t give the rankings too much importance. Don’t replace school research and self-reflection with rankings to determine where you should apply or attend. Do you need help discovering the MBA programs that are the best fit for you, or assistance on any other element of the application process? Review our MBA Admissions Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you get ACCEPTED. ; Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide †¢Ã‚  Are You a Competitive Applicant at Your Dream School?, check out Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index †¢ 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools Are a Good Fit for You Do MBA Rankings Matter You’ve defined your goals and assessed your qualifications. Now it’s time to move on to the program research stage of the MBA admissions process. There is a sea of information out there: rankings, books, MBA program websites, MBA fairs, Poets Quants, student and adcom blogs, school open houses, your neighbor’s sister’s boyfriend’s dad – the list goes on and on. Where do the rankings fit in? If you’ve read our blog, attended our webinars, read our admissions guides, etc., you know we caution against relying exclusively and uncritically on rankings to decide where to apply (so that means no â€Å"I’m just going to apply to the top 5†). Well, here we’re going to suggest the opposite: use the rankings†¦at the beginning of this research phase, because they are helpful at the start. But don’t stop with the rankings. 6 steps to using the rankings to your advantage Below you’ll find 6 key steps for doing MBA program research in a way that a) yields meaningful info for decision-making and list-making, and b) is efficient and focused – conserving and respecting your precious time. Step 1: Look at rankings With your competitive profile in mind, look at several broad MBA rankings. Determine what levels/ranges of programs for which you’re competitive generally (taking into account reasonable reaches, on-pars, and maybe safeties). Note the plural – rankings – as each has its idiosyncrasies (U.S. News, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, etc.). Sometimes a program will be below or above your target competitive range, but it still might make sense to apply for some reason (in the following steps you’ll gain the additional info needed to make this decision). Step 2: Talk to people At this point it’s good to start talking to people with MBA experience – colleagues, friends, mentors, etc. – and add a qualitative dimension to the above step. Ask about their impressions and experiences, and assess how their views align (or not) with what you gleaned from the rankings vis-à  -vis competitive fit. ; Step 3: Search industry/function-specific rankings Research industry- and/or function-specific rankings in your area(s) of interest. Identify programs from these rankings that overlap with those from Step 1 (and factoring in any learning from Step 2). There may be programs in your competitive range that do meet your academic needs but don’t show up on specialization rankings (e.g., Kellogg isn’t known as a finance school but offers much in this area and might be great for someone in PE who will be doing a lot of managing; Columbia doesn’t often appear on entrepreneurship rankings but is quite strong in it). So indulge in some unstructured exploring, to â€Å"see what you might see.† Step 4: Start digging deeper Go to the source – the websites of programs that interest you. Look for specifics that you care about (structure of curriculum, flexibility, appealing concentrations, students from a given industry or geographic region, placement strengths, etc.). Listen to your gut as well as your objective response; does it feel like a good fit? Remember, you can keep the rankings info in mind as you look deeper into your target programs. For example, check the schools’ average GMAT and GRE scores – are your scores within range? Step 5: Go to MBA fairs and visit schools What better way to understand your fit with a school than to see the students, professors, and administrators in action? You will get the most out of MBA fairs and school information sessions at this point in your research, after you already have a good idea of what each program offers and how you’d fit in competitively. If you can swing it, a school visit will really help you get the vibe of the schools you’re considering. A school may seem perfect to you on paper, but if you step on campus and feel like a fish out of water, you may disqualify the program (though, be sure you’re giving it a fair chance). On the other hand, if you visit a school that you were iffy about and immediately â€Å"click† with the school, that’s a great sign that a program that may not have seemed like â€Å"the one† should become a top contender. Step 6 – Put the puzzle pieces together You’re narrowing and refining a list. Now it’s time to focus more on adcom and student blog posts, searching the web for articles and information, and attending school information sessions, and of course, continuing to talk to people with MBA program experience and insight. You should now have a finalized or near-finalized list of programs to apply to. You can continue refining the list and deciding on other programs to add later. NOTE: This is a guideline, not a rigid process. Always stay open to discovery – maybe you’ll come across a school in a blog or a respected colleague suggests a program you hadn’t considered. Maybe you thought you wanted to stay in the U.S. but were seduced by INSEAD†¦ Who doesn’t love a pleasant surprise? 4 ways you should NOT use the MBA rankings The most important thing you need to remember is that while the rankings are useful, they do not offer you a complete picture. So now I’d like to present you with the other side of the story – the rankings’ limitations. Blinding yourself to the rankings’ flaws could lead to an expensive, time-consuming mistake: choosing the wrong MBA program for you. They don’t measure your priorities. The rankings are general reports usually based on some data and survey responses from students, alumni, and faculty†¦none of which include you (yet). You can gain valuable information from the rankings, as we’ve discussed above, but when it comes down to it, they measure the responses and priorities of others; take them with a grain of salt and realize that everyone’s situation and experiences are different†¦yours included! General rankings hide strengths (and weaknesses) in specific areas. There are numerous â€Å"gem† programs that thrive outside the top ten or top twenty. Many MBA students have a great chance of gaining acceptance PLUS receiving financial aid at these gem schools. Sure, getting into Wharton would be a huge accomplishment. But what if you got accepted to Washington Foster, got a full scholarship, and found that when you visited the campus, you felt right at home? Then the fact that Foster doesn’t sit in the top 10 may not matter nearly as much. Averages are exactly that. Average. They aren’t a cut-off and don’t reflect extenuating circumstances or the interplay between myriad factors in an admissions decision. At every school there will always be applicants who are accepted with below-average stats and who are rejected with above-average stats. Surveys, especially surveys of students and alumni, can be gamed. Students and alumni know that higher rankings increase the value of their degrees and have an incentive to think kindly of their schools. In short, don’t give the rankings too much importance. Don’t replace school research and self-reflection with rankings to determine where you should apply or attend. Do you need help discovering the MBA programs that are the best fit for you, or assistance on any other element of the application process? Review our MBA Admissions Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you get ACCEPTED. ; Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide †¢Ã‚  Are You a Competitive Applicant at Your Dream School?, check out Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index †¢ 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools Are a Good Fit for You Do MBA Rankings Matter You’ve defined your goals and assessed your qualifications. Now it’s time to move on to the program research stage of the MBA admissions process. There is a sea of information out there: rankings, books, MBA program websites, MBA fairs, Poets Quants, student and adcom blogs, school open houses, your neighbor’s sister’s boyfriend’s dad – the list goes on and on. Where do the rankings fit in? If you’ve read our blog, attended our webinars, read our admissions guides, etc., you know we caution against relying exclusively and uncritically on rankings to decide where to apply (so that means no â€Å"I’m just going to apply to the top 5†). Well, here we’re going to suggest the opposite: use the rankings†¦at the beginning of this research phase, because they are helpful at the start. But don’t stop with the rankings. 6 steps to using the rankings to your advantage Below you’ll find 6 key steps for doing MBA program research in a way that a) yields meaningful info for decision-making and list-making, and b) is efficient and focused – conserving and respecting your precious time. Step 1: Look at rankings With your competitive profile in mind, look at several broad MBA rankings. Determine what levels/ranges of programs for which you’re competitive generally (taking into account reasonable reaches, on-pars, and maybe safeties). Note the plural – rankings – as each has its idiosyncrasies (U.S. News, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, etc.). Sometimes a program will be below or above your target competitive range, but it still might make sense to apply for some reason (in the following steps you’ll gain the additional info needed to make this decision). Step 2: Talk to people At this point it’s good to start talking to people with MBA experience – colleagues, friends, mentors, etc. – and add a qualitative dimension to the above step. Ask about their impressions and experiences, and assess how their views align (or not) with what you gleaned from the rankings vis-à  -vis competitive fit. ; Step 3: Search industry/function-specific rankings Research industry- and/or function-specific rankings in your area(s) of interest. Identify programs from these rankings that overlap with those from Step 1 (and factoring in any learning from Step 2). There may be programs in your competitive range that do meet your academic needs but don’t show up on specialization rankings (e.g., Kellogg isn’t known as a finance school but offers much in this area and might be great for someone in PE who will be doing a lot of managing; Columbia doesn’t often appear on entrepreneurship rankings but is quite strong in it). So indulge in some unstructured exploring, to â€Å"see what you might see.† Step 4: Start digging deeper Go to the source – the websites of programs that interest you. Look for specifics that you care about (structure of curriculum, flexibility, appealing concentrations, students from a given industry or geographic region, placement strengths, etc.). Listen to your gut as well as your objective response; does it feel like a good fit? Remember, you can keep the rankings info in mind as you look deeper into your target programs. For example, check the schools’ average GMAT and GRE scores – are your scores within range? Step 5: Go to MBA fairs and visit schools What better way to understand your fit with a school than to see the students, professors, and administrators in action? You will get the most out of MBA fairs and school information sessions at this point in your research, after you already have a good idea of what each program offers and how you’d fit in competitively. If you can swing it, a school visit will really help you get the vibe of the schools you’re considering. A school may seem perfect to you on paper, but if you step on campus and feel like a fish out of water, you may disqualify the program (though, be sure you’re giving it a fair chance). On the other hand, if you visit a school that you were iffy about and immediately â€Å"click† with the school, that’s a great sign that a program that may not have seemed like â€Å"the one† should become a top contender. Step 6 – Put the puzzle pieces together You’re narrowing and refining a list. Now it’s time to focus more on adcom and student blog posts, searching the web for articles and information, and attending school information sessions, and of course, continuing to talk to people with MBA program experience and insight. You should now have a finalized or near-finalized list of programs to apply to. You can continue refining the list and deciding on other programs to add later. NOTE: This is a guideline, not a rigid process. Always stay open to discovery – maybe you’ll come across a school in a blog or a respected colleague suggests a program you hadn’t considered. Maybe you thought you wanted to stay in the U.S. but were seduced by INSEAD†¦ Who doesn’t love a pleasant surprise? 4 ways you should NOT use the MBA rankings The most important thing you need to remember is that while the rankings are useful, they do not offer you a complete picture. So now I’d like to present you with the other side of the story – the rankings’ limitations. Blinding yourself to the rankings’ flaws could lead to an expensive, time-consuming mistake: choosing the wrong MBA program for you. They don’t measure your priorities. The rankings are general reports usually based on some data and survey responses from students, alumni, and faculty†¦none of which include you (yet). You can gain valuable information from the rankings, as we’ve discussed above, but when it comes down to it, they measure the responses and priorities of others; take them with a grain of salt and realize that everyone’s situation and experiences are different†¦yours included! General rankings hide strengths (and weaknesses) in specific areas. There are numerous â€Å"gem† programs that thrive outside the top ten or top twenty. Many MBA students have a great chance of gaining acceptance PLUS receiving financial aid at these gem schools. Sure, getting into Wharton would be a huge accomplishment. But what if you got accepted to Washington Foster, got a full scholarship, and found that when you visited the campus, you felt right at home? Then the fact that Foster doesn’t sit in the top 10 may not matter nearly as much. Averages are exactly that. Average. They aren’t a cut-off and don’t reflect extenuating circumstances or the interplay between myriad factors in an admissions decision. At every school there will always be applicants who are accepted with below-average stats and who are rejected with above-average stats. Surveys, especially surveys of students and alumni, can be gamed. Students and alumni know that higher rankings increase the value of their degrees and have an incentive to think kindly of their schools. In short, don’t give the rankings too much importance. Don’t replace school research and self-reflection with rankings to determine where you should apply or attend. Do you need help discovering the MBA programs that are the best fit for you, or assistance on any other element of the application process? Review our MBA Admissions Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you get ACCEPTED. ; Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide †¢Ã‚  Are You a Competitive Applicant at Your Dream School?, check out Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index †¢ 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools Are a Good Fit for You Do MBA Rankings Matter You’ve defined your goals and assessed your qualifications. Now it’s time to move on to the program research stage of the MBA admissions process. There is a sea of information out there: rankings, books, MBA program websites, MBA fairs, Poets Quants, student and adcom blogs, school open houses, your neighbor’s sister’s boyfriend’s dad – the list goes on and on. Where do the rankings fit in? If you’ve read our blog, attended our webinars, read our admissions guides, etc., you know we caution against relying exclusively and uncritically on rankings to decide where to apply (so that means no â€Å"I’m just going to apply to the top 5†). Well, here we’re going to suggest the opposite: use the rankings†¦at the beginning of this research phase, because they are helpful at the start. But don’t stop with the rankings. 6 steps to using the rankings to your advantage Below you’ll find 6 key steps for doing MBA program research in a way that a) yields meaningful info for decision-making and list-making, and b) is efficient and focused – conserving and respecting your precious time. Step 1: Look at rankings With your competitive profile in mind, look at several broad MBA rankings. Determine what levels/ranges of programs for which you’re competitive generally (taking into account reasonable reaches, on-pars, and maybe safeties). Note the plural – rankings – as each has its idiosyncrasies (U.S. News, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, etc.). Sometimes a program will be below or above your target competitive range, but it still might make sense to apply for some reason (in the following steps you’ll gain the additional info needed to make this decision). Step 2: Talk to people At this point it’s good to start talking to people with MBA experience – colleagues, friends, mentors, etc. – and add a qualitative dimension to the above step. Ask about their impressions and experiences, and assess how their views align (or not) with what you gleaned from the rankings vis-à  -vis competitive fit. ; Step 3: Search industry/function-specific rankings Research industry- and/or function-specific rankings in your area(s) of interest. Identify programs from these rankings that overlap with those from Step 1 (and factoring in any learning from Step 2). There may be programs in your competitive range that do meet your academic needs but don’t show up on specialization rankings (e.g., Kellogg isn’t known as a finance school but offers much in this area and might be great for someone in PE who will be doing a lot of managing; Columbia doesn’t often appear on entrepreneurship rankings but is quite strong in it). So indulge in some unstructured exploring, to â€Å"see what you might see.† Step 4: Start digging deeper Go to the source – the websites of programs that interest you. Look for specifics that you care about (structure of curriculum, flexibility, appealing concentrations, students from a given industry or geographic region, placement strengths, etc.). Listen to your gut as well as your objective response; does it feel like a good fit? Remember, you can keep the rankings info in mind as you look deeper into your target programs. For example, check the schools’ average GMAT and GRE scores – are your scores within range? Step 5: Go to MBA fairs and visit schools What better way to understand your fit with a school than to see the students, professors, and administrators in action? You will get the most out of MBA fairs and school information sessions at this point in your research, after you already have a good idea of what each program offers and how you’d fit in competitively. If you can swing it, a school visit will really help you get the vibe of the schools you’re considering. A school may seem perfect to you on paper, but if you step on campus and feel like a fish out of water, you may disqualify the program (though, be sure you’re giving it a fair chance). On the other hand, if you visit a school that you were iffy about and immediately â€Å"click† with the school, that’s a great sign that a program that may not have seemed like â€Å"the one† should become a top contender. Step 6 – Put the puzzle pieces together You’re narrowing and refining a list. Now it’s time to focus more on adcom and student blog posts, searching the web for articles and information, and attending school information sessions, and of course, continuing to talk to people with MBA program experience and insight. You should now have a finalized or near-finalized list of programs to apply to. You can continue refining the list and deciding on other programs to add later. NOTE: This is a guideline, not a rigid process. Always stay open to discovery – maybe you’ll come across a school in a blog or a respected colleague suggests a program you hadn’t considered. Maybe you thought you wanted to stay in the U.S. but were seduced by INSEAD†¦ Who doesn’t love a pleasant surprise? 4 ways you should NOT use the MBA rankings The most important thing you need to remember is that while the rankings are useful, they do not offer you a complete picture. So now I’d like to present you with the other side of the story – the rankings’ limitations. Blinding yourself to the rankings’ flaws could lead to an expensive, time-consuming mistake: choosing the wrong MBA program for you. They don’t measure your priorities. The rankings are general reports usually based on some data and survey responses from students, alumni, and faculty†¦none of which include you (yet). You can gain valuable information from the rankings, as we’ve discussed above, but when it comes down to it, they measure the responses and priorities of others; take them with a grain of salt and realize that everyone’s situation and experiences are different†¦yours included! General rankings hide strengths (and weaknesses) in specific areas. There are numerous â€Å"gem† programs that thrive outside the top ten or top twenty. Many MBA students have a great chance of gaining acceptance PLUS receiving financial aid at these gem schools. Sure, getting into Wharton would be a huge accomplishment. But what if you got accepted to Washington Foster, got a full scholarship, and found that when you visited the campus, you felt right at home? Then the fact that Foster doesn’t sit in the top 10 may not matter nearly as much. Averages are exactly that. Average. They aren’t a cut-off and don’t reflect extenuating circumstances or the interplay between myriad factors in an admissions decision. At every school there will always be applicants who are accepted with below-average stats and who are rejected with above-average stats. Surveys, especially surveys of students and alumni, can be gamed. Students and alumni know that higher rankings increase the value of their degrees and have an incentive to think kindly of their schools. In short, don’t give the rankings too much importance. Don’t replace school research and self-reflection with rankings to determine where you should apply or attend. Do you need help discovering the MBA programs that are the best fit for you, or assistance on any other element of the application process? Review our MBA Admissions Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you get ACCEPTED. ; Cindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: †¢ Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One, a free guide †¢Ã‚  Are You a Competitive Applicant at Your Dream School?, check out Accepted’s MBA Selectivity Index †¢ 3 Ways to Determine Which B-Schools Are a Good Fit for You