Our consultants receive a lot of questions from clients about applying to MBA programs through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. I’ve heard myths that suggest that applying to one (or more) of the 22 Consortium schools through The Consortium’s application is disadvantageous. But as the former director at two Consortium schools, I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth — provided you meet The Consortium’s minimum qualifications.

Though the requirements, participating schools, and corporate partners have changed over The Consortium’s 57-year history, not only is the organization the best deal in town but it also gives its members an alumni network that extends throughout the 22 member schools.

The Consortium history and mission

Initially, The Consortium provided opportunities for young African-American men to have a fair chance at rising up the corporate ladder via the MBA. Later, The Consortium added Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and women to its mix. Membership came along with the fellowship.

However, after the Supreme Court decided the Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger cases, The Consortium opened its doors to offer membership to selected applicants that further The Consortium’s mission to promote the “inclusion in global business education and leadership . . . of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.” Members do not need to belong to one of these groups but must demonstrate the mission through community and professional action and impact. Thus, membership is no longer race based but rather mission driven. Applicants must also demonstrate the ability to succeed in a Consortium member school’s MBA program.

Consortium member benefits

Like the undergraduate Common App, candidates can apply to up to six schools with only one application for a fraction of the cost that the candidate would incur by applying to each school separately. The Consortium membership grants the candidate access to the orientation and corporate partners. Many members receive internship offers before the start of school.

To summarize the benefits:

1. Applicants can use a single application for up to six schools at one low cost.
   
2. Members gain access to a vast alumni network of 22 schools, including mentorship from among the approximately 9,000 Consortium alumni (formal or informal).
   
3. Students gain access to corporate sponsors at orientation if selected as a member.
   
4. If selected as a fellow, students receive full tuition and a stipend.

READ: The Consortium Application: Tips for Your CGSM Essays >>

Consortium member schools

* School’s class profile presents a score/GPA range rather than an average.

To learn more about applying through The Consortium, please contact me for a consultation.

By Natalie Grinblatt, the former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed more than 70,000 applications, interviewed more than 2,500 candidates, and trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs, including those at Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Chicago, Northwestern, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross. Want Natalie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Top MBA Application Essay Questions: How to Answer Them Right
• The Consortium Application: Tips for Your CGSM Essays [2022 – 2023]
• What the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Can Do for MBA Applicants – podcast episode 395

Can the Consortium Help You Get Accepted and Fund Your MBA? [Episode 532]

[powerpress]

In this episode, the Director of Recruiting at CGSM details the benefits – and opportunities! – available to Consortium members, what it takes to become a member, and why applying in Round One may not always be an applicant’s best strategy.  [SHOW SUMMARY]

There’s an organization that can help U.S. citizens and permanent residents get accepted to top MBA programs, fund their MBA, and even provide career support post-MBA – provided the applicants support the organization’s mission. Let’s learn all about it from the Consortium for the Graduate Study of Management’s (CGSM) Director of Recruiting.

An interview with Bianca Keys, director of recruiting at the Consortium for the Graduate Study of Management. [Show Notes]

Welcome to the 532nd episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for joining me. 

Sometimes I’m asked, is the MBA worth it? And my answer is, it depends on your individual circumstances. But I’ve got good news. We’ve developed a tool that will help you evaluate whether an MBA is worth it for you and your individual circumstances and by how much. Just go to accepted.com/mbaroi and check how much you’re likely to benefit, or not, from earning an MBA. And using it won’t set you back even one cent, it’s free. 

I’m delighted for the first time on Admissions Straight Talk to talk with Bianca Keys, Director of Recruiting at the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. Bianca earned her bachelor’s degree from Lindenwood University and her master’s in Business Management and Leadership from Webster University. She has worked in enrollment management, DEI training, and admissions in different capacities since 2008. She became CGSM’s Director of Recruiting in September 2022. 

Bianca, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [1:53]

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

I’m delighted to do so. Now let’s start with something really, really basic. What is the Consortium? [1:59]

All right. So, the Consortium, we are pretty much an alliance of top graduate business programs and also top corporate partners, and we’re supported by alumni and students. We were founded in 1966 by Washington University’s professor, Sterling Schoen. And his one driven mission was actually inspired by him noticing a lack of African American men in leadership in American corporations.

So, with the partnerships of some corporate partners and some founding schools, they were able to pretty much create this alliance to give African American men the business skills to be able to secure positions in American corporations. So, now we’ve grown.

And I assume it’s no longer limited to African American men. It’s now African American men and women, right? [2:59]

Yes, men and women. And our target pops are African American men, Native American and Hispanic American, but our applications are open to all.

How does one become a CGSM member? [3:16]

In order to become a member, you would have to, of course, apply. And three of our requirements are that you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident of any race or ethnicity, you must demonstrate a commitment to our Consortium’s mission, and hold a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or equivalent. So, to be approved for Consortium membership, an applicant must demonstrate the commitment through their resume, our essay, and their letter of recommendation.

I have in front of me your mission, so I’m just going to read it off. “The mission of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an alliance of leading American business schools and some of our country’s top corporations, is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both the member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.” 

So, again, there’s no racial requirement in terms of membership as long as you support and identify with and support and have supported that mission in the past. [3:59]

Yeah.

All right. So, one of CGSM’S benefits is the ability to apply through CGSM and pay one application fee, and I think it goes to a maximum of six schools, correct? [4:33]

There’s no max anymore.

There’s no max anymore, ooh! [4:44]

So, two things, two updates. We’ve removed rankings. So, there are no rankings, and you can apply to as many member schools as you would like. So, from one to two schools is $150, up to six schools which is $300, but each additional program is $25. Yeah, so they can apply…

And so, in the past with our ranking system, the top ranking school, they were the only school that was able to offer a fellowship opportunity. And now if you applied to all six schools or more, they have the opportunity to offer you… they each have an opportunity to offer you a fellowship. And we empower the student to be able to make the better choice of what school best fits them.

Wow, that’s a big change. When did this change take place, like last year? [5:38]

This last application.

Last cycle. Should’ve interviewed you then. No, I’m teasing. That’s great news. I somehow missed that announcement. Okay, good to know. Good to know. So, there’s no more ranking and there’s no more maximum, and multiple schools could offer a fellowship. [5:43]

Yes.

Now you apply for membership at the same time that you submit your application, correct? [6:00]

Yes. It’s a one stop shop,

It’s a one-stop deal, one application. So, it is possible to use the CGSM application process and ultimately not be approved for CGSM membership, is that correct? [6:09]

Yes, that is possible. But the application is still considered an application, so you won’t get rejected from the member school just because you didn’t get membership. They still go through their standard process of admissions. And a lot of times they’ll offer you other fellowship opportunities or scholarship opportunities that they may have available at the schools.

And the schools don’t even see your decision in terms of CGSM membership. They don’t see the membership essay, correct, the membership application essay? [6:46]

They don’t see any of the membership application essays or letters of recommendation. All they see is the decision once we’ve made it.

Now I saw on your website that Stanford partnered with CGSM last year and became the 22nd school to become a partner school. Have any other schools partnered since then? [7:02]

Yes, I’m excited to say that…

Well, you got lots of news today. [7:17]

Yeah, I do. I do. Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, they are our newest, our 23rd school, which we are so excited to have them. They will begin July 1st, actually, and they will be on our application this upcoming cycle. And this upcoming cycle is for students fall 2024, that will begin fall 2024.

What is the benefit of applying through CGSM as opposed to just using the school’s portal? Portals, I should say. [7:45]

We, one, save you money. An average application for any grad program can be up to about $300 for one application, where six applications is $300 applying through us. So, it’s definitely a win for the students. Whether they get membership or not, it’s saving them money and they are allowed to go by our application deadlines as well. So, if maybe Columbia or one of the schools, maybe their application deadline may be September 15th, they still would recognize the application on our deadline, which our Round One is October 15th.

And I believe it’s also easier to apply. Aren’t there fewer essays required or is it pretty much the same at this point? [8:50]

Right, so it is the core essay which asks the applicants to discuss their MBA goals, and then there’s a second core essay that the applicants are able to detail any additional information that they may want to add that they weren’t able to explain in the application.

Right. And is there typically a supplemental per school essay, or do the schools ask for their own essays in addition to the Consortium essay? [9:20]

Sometimes they ask for their own supplementals that are added in addition. We are going through that process of application updates as we speak.

But it’s not all schools that do that? [9:38]

No, no. No, no.

Usually the student has the mission essay and then the two GMAC format essays.

Are you worried about CGSM’s applicants using ChatGPT and preparing their essays? [9:51]

Oh, the ChatGPT.

You got it. I’m asking everybody this question. [10:03]

And that’s a good question. So, with it being such a newer phenomenon right now, I just want applicants and students to be mindful that there are advantages and disadvantages to using ChatGPT, because what we’re looking for is consistency in their demonstrated commitment to the mission. And I doubt it if they’ll be able to convey that in an interview based off of a ChatGPT essay.

So, a lot of the admissions advisors and committees, they’re looking for authenticity. They’re looking for unique perspectives and their applicant’s ability to be able to express themselves. So, I don’t know if they can… It probably is a good tool to help guide them in forming their essay, but I don’t think it should be something that can express exactly your commitment.

I’ve played with it a little bit, and sometimes there are outright errors in it. It’s wrong. [11:09]

Right, right.

And other times it’s just very generic, and it has to be generic. You’re not going to get a lot of authenticity. But it does sometimes help. [11:17]

Yeah, yeah.

But to rely on it blindly I think is a big mistake. [11:28]

Yeah. Yeah. Especially if you don’t check.

Absolutely. Absolutely. [11:35]

Attention to detail.

Are there other elements to the CGSM application? We discussed you pay a fee. You have the core essays. You might have supplemental essays. Are there short answer essays or anything like that or is it pretty straightforward? [11:40]

Yeah, it’s pretty straightforward. If the school has any changes or supplements to each essay, that may be the different shift or change. But pretty much transcripts, resume. We always advise students to make sure that your experience, if you’re a part of organizations like Forte or MLT, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Teach for America, making sure that that’s actually on your resume. That definitely helps. Your test scores, GRE, GMAT or Executive assessment, letters of recommendation. One for the mission, and then there are two for the schools. Yes. And making sure you get the right recommender.

What makes a right recommender? [12:41]

Someone who can explicitly… Especially for the Consortium mission letter of recommendation, somebody who can explicitly pretty much show your demonstrated commitment to our mission and they know about that.

They’ve observed it. [13:01]

Yeah, they’ve observed it, and they can actually speak to it. And they’re not saying, “Well, I don’t know about their demonstrated commitment, but Jane is a great person and we love her personality. She’s very professional.” It’s like, what?

That’s not the question. [13:17]

So, definitely communicate with your recommender about expectations. And with us, it doesn’t have to be your supervisor with the Consortium mission letter of recommendation. It can be as long as it’s not a family member. It could be anyone who can speak to it.

That you’ve somehow supported that mission. Makes sense [13:40.

Yes.

What are the non-admissions benefits of being a CGSM member or fellow, and what is the difference between being a CGSM member and fellow? So, there’s really two questions there. Why don’t we start with the non-admissions benefits of membership, and then we’ll get to the difference between being a member and a fellow. [13:46]

So, the non-admission benefits are pretty much the early access to corporate partners. A lot of our students, we just had OP, our orientation program this past June, and it was amazing. It was amazing.

I know you’re working very hard on it. [14:20]

Yeah. Oh man, it was definitely a job, but it’s worth it. And just to see all of the students that we worked with from the beginning up until that point, from all their stress points, their pain points, to see them, they made it, and they’re at the orientation program. So, them having early access to our corporate partners.

They also have access to our system that is… We have a platform that is called Hello Fellow that allows them to join different groups that are industry groups. And our corporate partners have access to them as well, and they’re able to apply to positions that are open to those corporate partners.

Also, at our orientation program, we had a corporate open house that’s not like your traditional job fair. All of our corporate partners actually already had our students’ resumes, they already had a student look book, they’ve already seen the students and they already know the students prior to them even coming to the expo.

So, they definitely have a great advantage by being a Consortium fellow. And then the camaraderie, the support that they have with each other, there’s nothing like it. I love how each campus had… they call themselves CFAM.

Campus family, yeah. [15:53]

Yes. Each campus, each Consortium cohort on each campus, they’re so close. A lot of our alumni mention that the connection, that’s like a trending thing with us here at the Consortium is connection. Being able to connect students with not only each other, but also with our corporate partners and with our top MBA programs.

So, they have lifelong connections with all three of those different entities, and they enjoy being able to talk with someone who understands them, someone who may be going through the same even issues at their jobs or anything like that, and that connection. And if there’s a job loss or anything like that, we do provide the support to help those students to be able to reconnect with corporate partners and find another opportunity.

So, just to clarify, the orientation program is open to all Consortium members, not just fellows, correct? [16:54]

So, Consortium fellows, you’re applying for membership, but the membership allows you to become a Consortium fellow. So, whether you received a fellowship or not, you are considered a Consortium fellow.

So, you’re a Consortium fellow whether you get a scholarship or not? [17:16]

Right.

Got it. And all the fellows/members can go to the orientation program. How long is the orientation program? [17:26]

So, it’s a four-day conference, and it consists of a lot of hands-on career development. We have diversity theater, which is amazing. A lot of our corporate partners, they have private interviews with a lot of the students. So, a big portion of our students leave with internships or career opportunities.

For next year, for next summer, or for this summer? For next summer? [17:56]

Yes. For this upcoming year –

For summer 2024, let’s say? [18:03]

Yes.

And what is diversity theater? [18:06]

Oh my goodness, diversity theater. This was actually my first year to experience it. Hearing it from other coworkers and staff was not the same as experiencing and seeing those difficult conversations displayed on stage.

So, there’s actors that are on stage, and they may act out a scene where some coworkers that may deal with microaggressions or different challenges that you may face at work and how to address that, and just having those conversations amongst your peers. And it really was eye opening for not only the students, but for staff, for a lot of our corporate partners and admissions representatives as well. So, it was pretty amazing, and we have it annually as well.

And it seems like the orientation program is very much career oriented. Is there any prep for the actual study of the MBA, or is that assumed that the schools will handle that? [19:09]

So, the schools, the admissions representatives and career services representatives are present. So, they do have an advising session that they get to work with them and meet with them one-on-one for prep with the corporate partners, but also any questions that they have about the upcoming program that they’re about to start in the fall. They have all of that one-on-one time, a lot more one-on-one time than they would normally get during the school year.

Sounds like a very busy four days, very full. [19:54]

Yeah, it is very full.

Okay. How does CGSM help its fellows in career placement, both during and after the MBA? [20:00]

So, during the MBA, again, we have the Hello Fellow and our annual program, our annual orientation program and career forum. Like I mentioned before, they have the opportunity to interact with the corporate partners. The corporate partners get to review their resumes and their backgrounds early on before even meeting them face-to-face. Our alumni network, our Hello Fellow system, allows them to, again, engage with these corporate partners.

And then our student and alumni relations department, they are amazing with connecting with the students. They engage with student liaisons as well in providing that support that they may need throughout the year. And if there’s a student, like we just had tech layoffs recently. And our alumni development department, they were able to help and assist with reengaging with those students or those alumni to be able to help them to get placed in other career opportunities.

A few weeks ago you had the OP. It was mostly geared towards people starting the MBA in 2023, but it also had people who started the MBA in 2022. Is that correct? [21:18]

We had some second year. Like if something happened last year, I know dealing with the pandemic and other issues, some students were not able to attend last year, and so they were given the opportunity to attend this year.

But it’s usually just for the people about to start the MBA, the OP? [21:48]

Right, it’s usually first year students.

What do you see coming down the pike for the Consortium? [21:54]

Oh my goodness. Continued growth, continued engagement with a lot of the students. We’re working on increasing our exposure and engaging. This year we shared a lot of our OP activities on our social media and got a lot of good feedback and engagement. So, definitely I think we have a good momentum right now to be able to get all of the good things that we do at the Consortium out to the public and to the world.

What advice would you give to someone applying to apply via the Consortium in this, the 2023-2024 application cycle? [22:34]

Definitely begin your MBA journey. And beginning your MBA journey does not start with the application. It starts with the preparation.

Yes, that’s right. [23:13]

Definitely starts with the preparation. So, researching a lot of the schools that you’re interested in, finding out if you’re interested in the Consortium, finding out what that Consortium culture looks like on each campus to see what best fits you. Also, looking into preparation for GRE, GMAT, or the Executive Assessment and finding out what the class profiles are for each school that you’re interested in so you can have a good idea of where you stand. And don’t rush your application. Don’t rush it.

Yay! [23:54]

I always have some overzealous students that want to, “I’m getting it in for Round One.” Wait a minute. Make sure that you’re submitting the strongest application and that this is the right time for you to start a program. There’s no rush. There’s no rush. There’s no rush. Make sure you have the strongest application. Utilize all resources that you need to support you through your application process.

We always advise students to attend our events. We have member school webinars that are… We actually have one coming up on July 10th, which will have Washington University, University of Rochester Simon, and UCLA Anderson. And they will be talking about their MBA programs, but also talking about their Consortium cohorts on their campus as well.

And we also have our MBA application preparation seminars, which is MAPS, which will be in person this year. So, we will be in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and DC.

Wow. You’re getting around. [25:16]

Yes.

Not all Consortium schools require a test score. Does the Consortium require a test score even if the school does not? [25:21]

So, for membership we don’t require a test score. But if you are applying and they offer a test waiver, we would need to have that test waiver submitted, or you would need to submit that in the application. And then we just confirm it with the member school whether that test waiver was actually approved. Yeah. And then if it wasn’t approved, then they would have to submit a test score.

Are any of the programs or any of the partner schools entirely test optional? Do you know off the top of your head? I wasn’t sure as I was thinking about it. [26:03]

I don’t think so. Well, it depends on the school and what policies they have in place this upcoming school year.

I think most of them have a test waiver option, and I also would have to go through each one. [26:19]

Yeah. I always advise students to talk with them early about it, because last year I ran into the issue of students who just missed it. It was like they just missed the test waiver window. So, definitely talk with your school of interest to find out when that test waiver timeframe is and get that in if that’s an option for you.

Wonderful advice even if you’re not applying through CGSM, by the way. [26:51]

Right, absolutely.

What would you have liked me to ask you? [26:56]

These were all great questions.

What would you like to share that I haven’t asked? [27:02]

I would like to share just my… In my position as Director of Recruiting, what my passion and desire and vision is for the Consortium moving forward is to be able to expand our exposure to those who definitely need the opportunity, to be able to expand our exposure to those areas, because sometimes we are in this collegiate bubble.

Aacademia. [27:37]

Yeah, absolutely. And to be able to… We do so many great things.

You do. [27:45]

And just being able to see just the energy that I get from the students, just being around them, and just the positive nature of it all, being able to give that to others who don’t know about the Consortium. So, that’s my mission and goal is to increase exposure and to really share about the great things we’re doing here at the Consortium.

Well, today in this podcast, you did it. [28:14]

Thank you. Thank you, Linda.

You’re very welcome. Bianca, I want to thank you so much for joining me today. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about CGSM? [28:21]

They can check us online at www.cgsm.org or on our LinkedIn page and our Instagram page and on Twitter.

Relevant Links:

• The Consortium for the Graduate Study of Management
• Applying For Your MBA Through The Consortium: Best Deal In Town
• MBA ROI Calculator   

Relevant shows:

• How to Get an MBA at Columbia Business School – a podcast Episode 528
• How to Get Accepted to NYU Stern – a podcast Episode 525
• How to Get into Dartmouth Tuck – a podcast Episode 514
• How to Get Into Georgetown McDonough’s MBA Program – a podcast Episode 512
• How to Get Accepted to UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA Program – a podcast Episode 496

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The post Applying for Your MBA Through The Consortium [Episode 532] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

U.S. STEM MBA Programs: An Overview

STEM certification programs have proven application bonanzas for top business schools. STEM certification may have begun pre-pandemic as a way to alleviate uncertainty in the visa process, but the programs have proven to be a robust inducement for MBA applicants, particularly from foreign countries. According to Poets & Quants, “At Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, the move to designate its entire MBA program STEM in early 2021 paid dividends this year. . . Its applications rose by an incredible 21%, an increase of 450 to 2,555, even though Cornell presumably felt the same domestic squeeze as its peer schools.”

[List of top STEM OPT U.S. Business Schools >>]

Cornell’s new MBA class has students from 43 countries, a dramatic rise from 30 countries from 2021. Cornell is receiving roughly double the number of international applications as domestic applications. Poets & Quants also reported strong upticks in foreign student enrollment among 27 B-schools surveyed: “In the top 10, the average gain was 10.2 percentage points, or 36.6%, with Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business the biggest by points — 18, or 72%, to 43% — and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania the biggest by percentage: 84.2%, or 16 points, to 35%.

“Across all 27 schools, the average gain from 2020 to 2022 was 14.6 percentage points, or 69%. The biggest gain was at CMU Tepper, which doubled its total from 28% to 56%; notably, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School gained 23.5 points, or more than 200%, to 35%. Three other B-schools more than doubled their international ranks in two years.”

Are you an international MBA applicant? We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOU GET ACCEPTED >>

The GMAC’s survey from 2019 was the first to inquire about a program’s STEM-certification, and found that these programs were more likely to report growth in international applicants. A total of 195 of the 804 U.S. programs responding reported that their programs were STEM-certified (24%). Among them, the most common program types were Master of Data Analytics (28%); Master of Finance (22%); and Master of Information Technology (14%). And while a majority of both STEM-certified (53%) and non-STEM (57%) programs reported declines in total applications during this period, STEM-certified programs fared better among international applicants. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 43% of STEM-certified programs grew their international applications, compared with 26% of non-STEM programs.

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Given ongoing concerns over visa status and one’s ability to work in the U.S. after business school, programs that are STEM-certified are sure to be more appealing to this applicant pool.

While some MBA programs – such as Chicago Booth, Wharton, Virginia Darden – now offer specific concentrations that qualify international students for STEM OPT, others – such as Berkeley Haas, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, and Rochester Simon – qualify MBA graduates of all majors in their MBA programs for this extension.

During 2021, MBA programs have seen a rebound in international applicants, and many schools (NYU Stern, Darden, and Yale) are touting this return. Still, they are maintaining their STEM certifications because it will pave the way for their graduates to get jobs and stay in the U.S. long enough to pay off or pay down their loans. Despite its cost, the MBA degree continues to pay robust dividends right off the bat. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article: “At about 98% of universities that offer master’s of business administration programs, graduates typically made more money two years out of school than they had borrowed, a Wall Street Journal analysis of federal student loan data for nearly 600 programs found.”

STEM MBA Programs

Name of MBA Program	Majors That Are STEM Designated	MBA Essay Tips
Arizona State Carey	All MBA Platforms	Tips
Babson MBA	1) Business Analytics and Machine Learning 2) Quantitative Finance	Tips
Berkeley Haas	All Majors	Tips
Brigham Young Marriott	Management Science and Quantitative Methods	Tips
Carnegie Mellon	All Majors	Tips
Chicago Booth	All MBA programs	Tips
Columbia Business School	MBA and EMBA programs	Tips
Cornell Johnson	1) Two-Year Management Science MBA 2) One-Year Management Science MBA 3) Tech MBA 4) MPS in Management 5) MPS in Management - Accounting Specialization	Tips
Dartmouth Tuck	STEM track	Tips
Duke Fuqua	Second Major in Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM)	Tips
Georgetown McDonough	Management Science major	Tips
Harvard Business School	Management Science track	Tips
Indiana Kelley	Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing or Supply Chain and Operations	Tips
Lehigh University College of Business	Business Analytics (a concentration within 1-MBA)	Tips
Michigan Ross	STEM track	Tips
MIT Sloan	MBAn	Tips
New York University	Tech MBA Two-year full-time MBA	Tips
Northwestern Kellogg	Management Science MMM Program for Dual Engineering/MBA Degrees	Tips
Notre Dame Mendoza	MBA/Master of Science in Business Analytics Dual Degree	Tips
Pace University	MBA in Information Systems	Tips
Purdue Krannert	MBA-STEM	Tips
Rice Jones	All MBA Programs	Tips
Rochester Simon	All Specializations	Tips
Rutgers	STEM designation	Tips
Stanford GSB	1) All MBA majors 2) MSx	Tips
Syracuse	FT MBA, M.S. in Business Analytics, MS in Finance, MS in Marketing and MS in Supply Chain Management	Tips
Texas McCombs	14 of the 22 concentrations for the full-time MBA program	Tips
University of California, Davis	All Majors	Tips
University of California, Irvine	Analytics in Digital Leadership concentration	Tips
University of California, Los Angeles	All Specializations	Tips
University of California, Riverside	All MBA Programs	Tips
University of California, San Diego	1) Full-time MBA 2) FlexEvening 3) FlexWeekend	Tips
University of California San Francisco	1) Financial Analysis, MS 2) Information Systems, MS 3) Full-Time MBA 4) Marketing Intelligence, MS 5) Energy Systems Management & MBA 6) Environmental Management & MBA (4+1), BS/MBA 7) Financial Analysis & MBA (4+1), BSBA/MS	Tips
University of Connecticut	1) Business Analytics 2) Digital Marketing Strategy 3) Financial Analysis and Investments	Tips
University of Delaware Lerner	Major in Business Analytics	Tips
University of Georgia Terry	Only open to U. of Georgia undergraduates; includes 45 majors	Tips
University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler	All MBA Programs	Tips
University of North Texas Ryan	MBA in Business Analytics	Tips
University of Washington Foster	Management Science	Tips
University of Wisconsin - Madison	1) Specialization in Operations and Technology Management 2) Supply Chain Management	Tips
USC Marshall	Specialization in Management Science	Tips
Vanderbilt Owen	Finance Concentration	Tips
Wharton	1) Business Analytics 2) Business, Economics & Public Policy (BEPP) 3) Business, Energy, Environment & Sustainability (BEES) 4) Operations, Information & Decisions (OID) 5) Quantitative Finance 6) Statistics	Tips
Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)	Full-time MBA	Tips

We’re going to do our best to keep this table current. However, please do not rely on this table; confirm the STEM designation yourself to make sure that the MBA programs you apply to really have that designation. And if you find out a school has attained STEM certification and is not on the list, please let us know by emailing blog@accepted.com.

If you would like to learn how to get into top MBA programs that offer STEM OPT eligibility and are a good fit for you, register for a free consultation with me. 

At Accepted, we’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too! CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.

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By Jennifer Bloom, admissions consultant at Accepted for 20 years and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She is an expert at guiding you to produce application materials that truly differentiate you from the rest of the driven applicant pool. If you would like help with your application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget. Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• STEM Applicants: Why Your Statement of Purpose is So Important
• Top MBA Application Essays: How to Answer Them Right (school-specific essay tips)
• The Questions You SHOULD Be Asking – ANSWERED!, a podcast episode

The post Top STEM MBA Programs: A Comprehensive STEM-OPT Eligible List appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Along with academic excellence, the USC Marshall MBA program is characterized by a powerful global network with special emphasis on the Pacific Rim, a close-knit and passionate community, and a strong regional presence. Your essays should show how you will both fit in and contribute to this dynamic environment, and the questions provide interesting opportunities to do so. Taken together, the questions indicate that the adcom wants to see both a clear, practical career focus and to understand the person behind those goals – that means they care about your perspective, your values, and your ability to synthesize and prioritize.

USC Marshall 2022-2023 MBA application essays

Marshall MBA essay question #1

What is your specific, immediate short-term career goal upon completion of your MBA? Please include an intended position, function, and industry in your response. (100 word maximum)

The question specifies the information to include in the essay. Although only 100 words, it is deemed an “essay” by the adcom, and that means you should do more than provide facts. An essay moves – it goes somewhere, it has a starting point and ending point. And you will have room for a little more than the bare facts, so compose your answer in a way that includes some motivation or vision for your short-term career goal; clarify what animates it. It may be just a sentence, even a phrase, but it can make all the difference. It will make this short piece of writing an essay – and will engage the reader.

Marshall MBA essay question #2

Please draft a letter that begins with “Dear Admissions Committee” (word limit: 600). This letter is meant to be your personal statement that provides the Admissions Committee with an understanding of your candidacy for Marshall beyond what is evident in other parts of your application. This essay is purposely open-ended. You are free to express yourself in whatever way you see fit. Our goal is to have an appreciation for and an understanding of each candidate in ways that are not captured by test scores, grades, and resumes.

This essay question invites you to reveal and share something of yourself – and in doing so, you will necessarily reveal your perspective, what you value. After all, in deciding what to discuss and how to present it, you already, literally, are making a statement about these things!

As the question indicates, there is no one formula for making this essay great. The good news is, there are many ways to do so – as many ways potentially as there are applicants.

First, consider making most of the essay about non-work subjects – it’s a “personal statement.” There well may be work-related aspects that warrant discussing, but it should not be about the work issues as much as what they show about you as a person. And it’s fine not to discuss work at all if you’ve got other good things to talk about!

Possible topics to consider are formative experiences, cultural influences, interests and passions (community, religious, sports, artistic, hobbies, political….), etc. I’ve seen essays of this type work that discuss two or three things, or even just one – but more than three and you risk creating a “too much stuff” blur. Be thoughtful and selective and, to a certain extent, strategic – by this last point I mean show the adcom new, relevant, and interesting aspects of you; I don’t mean trying too hard to impress the adcom by striving for topics that are superficially dramatic or exotic. Have the confidence to dig into your real life even if it may seem mundane – I recently edited a great basketball essay that vividly portrayed the applicant’s deep insight, humanity, individuality, and resourcefulness. I have no doubt the adcom that reads it will be moved and unable to put it down. That leads to my last point: don’t just relate facts; have something to say about them – show a point of view, vision, insight.

Marshall MBA essay question #3

Please provide any additional information you would like the admissions committee to consider. (250 word maximum)

This question allows you to both discuss points that will enhance your application and explain anything that needs explaining (e.g., gap in employment, choice of recommender, a dip in grades). For the former, if you ask the adcom to read additional material, make sure that it truly illuminates and is germane to your candidacy – since you have the personal statement to work with, do not present material that could more appropriately be addressed there.

For expert guidance with your USC Marshall MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

USC Marshall 2022-2023 MBA application deadlines

*Applications received after April 15, 2023 will be considered on a space-available basis.

Source: USC Marshall website

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Related Resources:

• Why MBA, a free guide
• Life at USC Marshall as a Future Investment Banker, an MBA student interview
• USC Marshall’s Kellee Scott: Don’t Be Rigid, Boring or Tedious! a podcast episode

The post USC Marshall MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines [2022 – 2023] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The Financial Times has released its global rankings of the best MBA programs and has considerably shuffled the deck. Several top-ranked programs fell several notches, while others rose considerably. For the first time since 2011, Wharton has returned to its status as #1 in FT’s list. 

Other programs that made giant strides in the rankings include Columbia Business School (ranked 8th in 2020), and Kellogg (Northwestern), now #5 (11th place in 2020). One reason for such huge fluctuations was that five of the top U.S. programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, and Columbia) were not listed at all last year at all, skewing that year’s results. 

Other highly rated programs that suffered serious tumbles in the rankings include London Business School, Tuck (Dartmouth), and UVA Darden. In fact, 69 of the 91 schools ranked fell in the rankings, many of them by double digits.  

Compared with last year, many of these schools’ rankings looked like riders on a roller coaster, with some plunging far below and others rising by as much as 20 points to unprecedented heights. 

As we have cautioned before, it’s vital to keep these rankings in perspective. They are based on many variables that have little or nothing to do with the quality of the curricula per se.

Do you see yourself in one of these top programs? Find out how working one-on-one with one of our Admissions Consultants can help get you ACCEPTED!

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Related Resources:

• Top 10 or Bust: Dispelling 2 MBA Myths
• Top MBA Programs Get STEM-Certified to Attract Int’l Students
• B-School Selectivity Index: Discover the Schools Where You are a Competitive Applicant

The post Financial Times Ranks Wharton as #1 in 2022 Rankings appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Looking for the best possible admissions advice?

How about admissions advice from the admission committee members themselves?

Linda Abraham, founder of Accepted and host of the Admissions Straight Talk Podcast has a collection of highly enlightening interviews with directors of admissions and adcom members of top business schools!

Listen in as Linda asks her adcom guests pointed and to-the-point questions about the schools, the admissions process, how to get in, and…how to get rejected.

Listen, enjoy, and apply successfully!

For a varied menu of thought-provoking and informative conversations with business leaders, entrepreneurs, MBA students, and more, check out the Admissions Straight Talk Podcast:

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The post From the Mouths of MBA Adcom Members: How to Get Accepted appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Poets & Quants just released its 2019-2020 rankings of the top 100 U.S. MBA programs.

There were some minor changes in the top 10  – most prominently is Stanford GSB climbing two spots, passing Harvard Business School and UPenn Wharton, to claim the #1 position. It’s the second time in 10 years that Stanford has claimed the top slot.  

Other highlights include:

• Yale School of Management just barely broke into the top 10 by securing 10th place. 
• Purdue’s Krannert School of Management dropped 10 spots from last year, from 38th to 48th.
• Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business jumped 12 spots from 62nd place last year to 50th.
• UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management experienced a massive jump, from 94th to 71st place.

P&Q ranking methodology

P&Q’s rankings are based on the rankings of five highly-influential business publications, and are weighted based on P&Q’s assessment of each ranking’s methodology and credibility. The five included in P&Q’s ranking are U.S. News (weight of 35%), Forbes (25%), The Financial Times (15%), Businessweek (15%), and The Economist (10%). Combining the rankings in this way lessens the irregularities that are frequently seen in a given year. This allows applicants to get a better idea of a school’s overall reputation, which typically changes little from year to year.

Top 25 U.S. MBA Programs

2019 Rank	School Name	2018 Rank	Index
1	Stanford GSB	3	100.0
2	Chicago Booth	4	99.6
3	Harvard Business School	1	99.2
4	UPenn Wharton	1	98.8
5	Northwestern Kellogg	5	96.2
6	Dartmouth Tuck	9	96.1
7	MIT Sloan	6	96.0
8	Columbia Business School	7	94.8
9	UC-Berkeley Haas	8	94.4
10	Yale SOM	11	91.1
11	Virginia Darden	12	90.8
12	Michigan Ross	10	89.7
13	Cornell Johnson	13	89.6
14	Duke Fuqua	14	89.5
15	UCLA Anderson	15	88.1
16	New York Stern	16	87.6
17	Carnegie Mellon Tepper	17	84.5
18	Texas-Austin McCombs	18	82.8
19	Southern California Marshall	22	82.5
20	North Carolina Kenan-Flagler	19	82.5
21	Washington Foster	21	81.0
22	Emory Goizueta	20	80.6
23	Indiana Kelley	25	80.1
24	Georgetown McDonough	23	76.9
25	Rice Jones	24	74.6

Watch: Linda Abraham and Marco de Novellis discuss MBA rankings

Do you want to be a member of a top-tier MBA program? Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting Services and work one-on-one with an expert advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED!

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Related Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Competitive MBA Applicant, a free guide
• Business School Selectivity Index [Can I Get Into My Dream School?]
• Highlights of Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2019 MBA Rankings

The post Poets & Quants Announces 2019-2020 MBA Rankings appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Rank	School	Final Score	Launched Business in 3 Months	% of Faculty who Teach Entrepreneurship	Award Money Available*
1	Washington University in St. Louis (Olin)	100	20.67%	27.00%	$987,500
2	Stanford Graduate School of Business	72.54	15.67%	16.39%	$100,000
3	Babson College	71.3	16.63%	20.00%	$132,500
4	University of Michigan (Ross)	70.21	17.33%	17.20%	$523,500
5	ESADE	60.14	4.61%	6.00%	$0
6	MIT (Sloan)	52.99	6.80%	15.66%	$270,000
7	CEIBS	51.08	4.93%	4.41%	$9,000
8	University of Minnesota (Carlson)	50.65	7.67%	6.40%	$500,000
9	University of California-Los Angeles (Anderson)	47.17	3.13%	7.74%	$41,000
10	University of California-Berkeley (Haas)	46.86	6.05%	13.56%	$100,000
11	Rice University (Jones)	46.52	6.00%	17.00%	$2,942,150
12	Harvard Business School	45.99	7.33%	12.70%	$700,000
13	University of Chicago (Booth)	45.76	3.13%	11.76%	$700,000
14	Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)	45.68	6.67%	1.00%	$60,000
15	INSEAD	43.62	4.33%	10.75%	$145,029
16	Indiana University (Kelley)	43.42	1.53%	19.23%	$20,000
17	Northwestern University (Kellogg)	42.6	1.90%	4.52%	$100,000
18	Yale School of Management	38.17	4.13%	12.08%	$100,000
19	University of Texas-Austin (McCombs)	34.02	2.73%	11.00%	$100,000
20	Columbia Business School	33.6	4.27%	21.93%	$250,000
21	University of Virginia (Darden)	28.47	4.53%	15.38%	$50,000
22	UNC-Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)	28.18	1.67%	20.00%	$49,500
23	University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)	28.01	4.97%	11.68%	$135,000
24	Georgetown University (McDonnough)	26.63	3.00%	7.81%	$189,500
25	New York University (Stern)	24.2	1.65%	14.00%	$275,000
26	University of Southern California (Marshall)	24.07	0.50%	6.05%	$300,000
27	Emory University (Goizueta)	20.31	1.07%	0.00%	$8,500

* Total award money available to full-time MBAs through new venture and startup competitions during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Are you a budding entrepreneur who needs to round out their skill set with an entrepreneurial-focused MBA? Let us at Accepted help you put together your strongest application to show these top programs what you’ve got. Contact us today for a free consultation on how we can work together to get you accepted to the perfect program for you!

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Related Resources:

• MBA Applicants: Make Your Work Experience Work for You, a free guide
• B-School Selectivity Index: Discover the Schools Where You Are Competitive
• A Bain Consultant-Turned Wharton MBA Starts Her Own Business, a podcast episode

The post Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurs appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Chicago’s Booth School of Business remaining at the top of The Economist’s ranking of the world’s top MBA programs for the second year in a row is only one of a few stable things in this year’s ranking, according to the Poets & Quants website. This is the seventh time Booth has taken the top spot in The Economist ranking in the past nine years.

This year’s ranking shakeup is widespread. Nineteen of the top 100 MBA programs faced leaps or falls of at least 10 spots since last year. Seven schools have dropped out of the ranking completely, leaving room for seven new schools.

The biggest winners and losers

HEC Paris made the biggest gain in the Top 10. It jumped 10 places to #3, behind just Chicago Booth (#1) and Harvard Business School (#2).

UVA Darden (#9 in 2018) and Columbia Business School (#10 in 2018) are no longer found in the Top 10 (they’ve dropped to 16th and 15th, respectively).

University of Maryland (#81 in 2019) and Northeastern University (#82 in 2019) are no longer ranked in the Top 100.

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Why are these rankings so volatile?

The Economist looks at 21 different metrics to determine their rankings. This is the most metrics of any ranking. They place heavy emphasis on compensation and career placement, including salaries, pre-MBA versus post-MBA pay increases, and the percent of grads who find jobs through the career management center. These comprise 45% of the methodology.

The Economist also relies quite a bit on student satisfaction, which is determined by an annual survey of current MBA students and recent alumni. These survey results comprise 20% of the ranking and are composed of:

• New career opportunities (35%)
• Personal development/educational experiences (35%)
• Increasing salary (20%)
• Potential to network (10%)

The Economist’s Top 25 MBA programs

2019 Rank	School	YOY Change	2018 Rank
1	Chicago Booth	-	1
2	Harvard Business School	+1	3
3	HEC Paris	+10	13
4	Northwestern Kellogg	-2	2
5	UPenn Wharton	-1	4
6	UCLA Anderson	+2	8
7	UC Berkeley Haas	+4	11
8	Stanford GSB	-3	5
9	Michigan Ross	-2	7
10	IESE	-4	6
11	Duke Fuqua	+4	15
12	Dartmouth Tuck	-	12
13	SDA Bocconi	+11	24
14	Cornell Johnson	+6	20
15	Columbia	-5	10
16	Virginia Darden	-7	9
17	New York University Stern	-	17
18	USC Marshall	+10	28
19	MIT Sloan	-3	16
20	Washington Foster	+2	22
21	Yale SOM	-7	14
22	INSEAD	-3	19
23	Georgia Tech Scheller	+8	31
24	Warwick	-6	18
25	London Business School	+2	27

Is a top MBA program in your future? Learn what these rankings mean for you and how you can secure your spot at your top choice b-school when you work one-on-one with an expert Accepted advisor. Explore our MBA Admissions Services for more information on how we can help you get ACCEPTED.

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Related Resources:

• Are You a Competitive Applicant at Your Dream School? [The MBA Selectivity Index]
• Do MBA Rankings Matter?
• Are You a Good Fit for Your Target MBA Programs?

The post Big Changes in Economist 2019 MBA Rankings appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Learn how real students navigate their way through the business school admissions process and b-school itself with our What is Business School Really Like? Series.

Meet Paolo, a student at USC Marshall with an interest in investment banking.

Thank you Paolo for sharing your story with us!

How did you know you would be a good fit for investment banking?

Paolo: I have always been someone who loves to learn and continue to challenge myself. This intellectual curiosity goes beyond finance and is one of the main drivers in my decision to pursue an MBA.

I know that investment banking is very merit-based and senior professionals trust you and give you more responsibility when you demonstrate your capabilities. I knew I would be a good fit because I am someone who is always looking to improve and am not someone who becomes complacent.

Additionally, my friends who are in banking and everyone I have talked to are equally as driven and motivated. I strongly believe that you tend to adopt characteristics of people around you, and I want to be in an environment where people are always striving to be better.

Did you encounter any bumps along the road to business school acceptance? How did you identify and address any issues?

Paolo: The aspect of the application process that took the most time was crafting my personal statements. With so much to say but to be subject to a word limit, I found myself revisiting and refining my story several times to make sure that I was conveying my story while making sure to address all the key points in the essay prompts.

At first, I sought several outside opinions on how to strengthen my essays. As I went through the process, I found that every person I asked had different ideas and various changes that I was actually taking a few steps back rather than making progress with my statements.

I think the most challenging part was reaching the point where I stopped reaching out to people, take all the useful feedback I received to that point, but ultimately move forward and feel truly comfortable with my own voice.

I understand you started USC Marshall already knowing you wanted to pursue investment banking after graduation. How is Marshall a good fit for someone with IB aspirations?

Paolo: Although Marshall is not known for being a target school for finance, the USC network is such a valuable resource for recruiting. USC touts the strength of the “Trojan Network” and I can honestly say that it lives up to the reputation. Based on my experience, bankers from USC are even more helpful throughout the process because they want to see more Trojans in investment banking and grow our presence in this community.

What has surprised you the most about business school so far?

Paolo: I was very surprised at how time-consuming all the non-academic events are. Within the first couple weeks of school, I found myself running around from club events, networking happy hours, and all social events trying to meet first and second years.

It really is a delicate balance and you realize that time goes by so fast and that you really want to make the most of every moment at school. Once you get in the groove, it was easier to prioritize the group projects, recruiting activities, and the social outings. That’s when you start to really enjoy business school. I still can’t believe that I’m halfway done with my MBA!

What do you like the most about USC Marshall? What could be improved?

Paolo: My favorite part about Marshall is our smaller class size. I can confidently say that I know almost everyone in my class and have socialized with them at some point during the first year. USC really sells that Trojan network and I now realize why USC alums are so eager to help. My experience with my friends and colleagues at Marshall has been nothing but incredible.

Although USC has definitely taken steps to address Diversity & Inclusion, I think Marshall could offer more courses or integrate this growing subject of interest with the curriculum.

The program office’s openness to feedback is also a great sign of Marshall’s dedication to keep improving and making the program better for future students.

What recruitment opportunities are available at Marshall?

Paolo: Because of the efforts of USC Marshall career center and alumni in finance and investment banking, particularly on the west coast, more and more banks are coming on campus for presentations and recruiting events. Marshall’s finance club organizes a roundtable in the fall where several banks in LA and San Francisco attend and speak about the internship opportunities available. Some banks visit campus while others host Days on the Job that consist of a presentation and a chance to network with the bankers as well as the recruiting team. Finally, Marshall also organizes treks to New York and San Francisco where students have the chance to visit several offices outside of LA and meet alumni and other important contacts for the recruitment process.

When and why did you reach out to Wall Street Mastermind?

Paolo: As someone who was really focused on one career track, I wanted to put myself in the best position to succeed in recruiting. In addition to the resources available on campus, I wanted to find an extra edge to help differentiate myself from other candidates. I reached out to Sam at Wall Street Mastermind in the middle of my recruitment process to identify ways to better approach each opportunity and maximize my chances at landing an internship.

What services have you received from Wall Street Mastermind? How does this program complement the MBA curriculum?

Paolo: From Wall Street Mastermind, I got a completely customized program to fit my profile. Sam worked with me one-on-one and helped strengthen each bullet point of my resume. We also addressed specific aspects of the interview process in order to highlight my strengths.

I think the Wall Street Mastermind is a great complement to the MBA curriculum because most of the skills taught at school aren’t specific to investment banking. Sam’s program builds on the best general practices taught at business school and takes it one step further by focusing on specific skills needed for investment banking.

What aspect of the WSMM program did you find most helpful?

Paolo: The most helpful part of the Wall Street Mastermind program was Sam’s unique insight as someone who has worked at a leading investment bank and been part of the recruiting team. To receive immediate feedback and hear about the nuances bankers look for in a resume and during the interview process was something that was invaluable and ultimately guided my whole recruiting process.

Did you participate in mock recruitment interviews with WSMM? Did you find them to be similar to your real interviews?

Paolo: Yes, Sam is very hands-on and is involved in every step of the process. We did both behavioral and technical mock interviews throughout the program and continually gave me feedback. Sam is constantly looking for ways to improve the program and our interviews were as close as it gets to the real interviews that I went through.

More about interviews: Were you ever asked a question during an internship interview that caught you off guard?

Paolo: As much as we tried to prep for every possible scenario, it is impossible to anticipate every question. Although some of the exact questions weren’t in the typical interview guides used by candidates, Wall Street Mastermind made sure that I was well-prepared for every interview and that I could tailor my story and strengths to different questions and scenarios. Ultimately, there wasn’t a question that I didn’t feel well-equipped to answer.

Where will you be doing your summer internship?

Paolo: I will be joining RBC Capital Markets in San Francisco for the summer.

Congratulations! What’s your secret?

Paolo: Thank you! It was a long journey, but I am very glad to have gone through it and have learned everything along the way. Honestly, there is no secret. I just tried to put myself in the best position to succeed – whether it is taking advantage of the resources on campus or utilizing external programs such as Wall Street Mastermind.

Investment Banking recruiting requires persistence and determination to push through even when prospects seem bleak. I approached the process with a mentality that there were elements that were out of my control and that I should focus on the ones that I could. Whether that is networking with more people, refining my technicals, or doing more mock interviews, these are completely in your control and that is your decision if you want to constantly improve.

Any advice for undergrads, MBA students or early-career professionals who hope to break into IB?

Paolo: It is never too early to start networking. Investment banking recruiting is such a people-driven process that the more connections, the higher chance you have to be successful. Although the quality of connections is more important than the quantity, having a head start gives you a chance to achieve both.

Do you have questions for Paolo? Questions for us? Do you want to be featured in our next What is Business School Really Like? post? Know someone else who you’d love to see featured? Are there questions you’d like us to ask our students in this series? LET US KNOW!

You can learn more about Paolo by connecting with him on LinkedIn.

Are you setting out on your own b-school journey? We can help you reach the finish line! Check out our MBA Admissions Consulting Services to team up with an admissions expert who will help you join the ranks of thousands of Accepted clients who get accepted to their dream schools.

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Related Resources:

• Ida Valentine: Investment Banker, Inspirational Speaker, HBS 2021, a podcast episode
• USC Marshall’s Kellee Scott: Don’t Be Rigid, Boring or Tedious! a podcast episode
• USC Marshall MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines

The post Life at USC Marshall as a Future Investment Banker appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome Kellee Scott. This is Kellee’s first time on AST, but she is no stranger to Accepted, having participated in our old online chats.

Kellee earned her bachelors in business at the University of Miami and worked in business for companies like Unilever and Ernst and Young. Then she became a Trojan through and through, joining the Marshall admissions team in 2001. She also earned her MBA at USC. In addition to her duties today as Senior Associate Director at Marshall, she has served on the Boards of the Forte Foundation and The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.[powerpress]

Can you give an overview of the USC Marshall FT MBA program for those listeners who aren’t that familiar with it? Please focus on its more distinctive elements. [2:40]

The flexibility of the program is one aspect – we really are a “Make Your Own MBA.” We start with a pretty tight core but students start taking electives pretty early on in the program, to provide breadth and depth, and students are also welcome to take classes outside of Marshall.

Communications is part of the core, which is rare for MBA programs at this point. We feel it is a critical component for success – knowledge and expertise don’t matter if you can’t convey your ideas. In fact, The Bloomberg BusinessWeek jobs skills report named us as a school consulting companies love to come to because of our students’ great communications skills, and this will remain part of our core.

We also were the first school to require international travel as part of the core, so everyone at Marshall needs a passport since you will be going overseas. Additionally, we have an intensive case competition. Even if you are not going into consulting it helps with leadership and critical thinking skills, and allows you to apply things you are learning very quickly. Finally, we are the only MBA program that presents at the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), another major project where students present to CEOs of APEC.

When I think of Marshall’s strengths I think of entrepreneurship, media and entertainment, and global business, especially on the Pacific Rim. What else should I be thinking of and why? [5:55]

We have a very active tech club, and the tech industry is now 2nd to consulting for MBA hires. Being here in LA, which we call Silicon Beach, is great because of the tight start-up culture, which is very important to lots of MBAs. There has been lots of growth in the interest in gaming, and it has grown such that our Gaming Club was created as an offshoot of our Tech Club. Also, Business Analytics is part of our core. We were one of the first schools to add it, and we now have a new Masters in Business Analytics, and MBA students can take additional courses in that area as electives, or can concentrate in it if they like.

USC Marshall states that its four core values are: Transformational courage, collaborative ambition, impactful service, and unwavering integrity. How do those values influence admissions decisions? [7:49]

The wonderful thing about those values is they came from our students. As we look at applications in the admissions process we assess these values in different ways. With transformational courage, we are looking for applicants who transform and find ways to stretch themselves – constantly learning, taking extra classes, or taking initiative to develop themselves. With collaborative ambition we are looking for teamwork and a network orientation, for people who help themselves but others as well. With impactful service – how do you serve and impact your community, not just your work community, but with volunteerism, family, and social communities, through things you’ve done, organizations you’ve been a part of, and how you made them better. With unwavering integrity, we want to see a demonstration of accountability – if something good happens, sharing the success with other people, for example.

What advice do you have for applicants preparing to respond to Marshall’s essay questions? [12:16]

Don’t be rigid, boring or tedious! Applicants often answer based on what they think we want to hear instead of giving themselves license to be a bit more creative and talk about something we might not find in other parts of the application. The first question is asked so we can understand where you are trying to go with regard to goals, but for the second essay you have four questions to choose from. So many people pick the question about why they will be a great student at Marshall, but we want more people to answer one of the other three questions so we can learn more about an applicant. We also look for depth to answers. Focus on one topic – depth on one as opposed to surface on several topics. Authenticity really stands out in the admissions process.

Marshall accepted last year just under 30% of its applicants, which means it rejected just over 70% of applicants. Who gets the interview invitations? From those invited to interview, who gets accepted? How do you winnow it down? [20:07]

The interview process is our favorite because we love to talk to people and get to know them. We realize not everyone is going to be at a certain level with writing – it’s hard to convey who you are on a two dimensional piece of paper, so there are different ways the interview can be a point of influence. We interview 40-50% of the applicant pool so as not to miss any candidates.

Winnowing it down is really tough. When I started in this business you would see a bigger difference with who was and wasn’t prepared. Over time, candidates are getting more sophisticated and so much better. I have so many fantastic interviews, so it is really tough. We have definitely had candidates who bombed the interview who looked great on paper, and probably weren’t admitted. Also, we’ve admitted borderline candidates who looked not so great on paper but wowed us in the interview. It can really be a make or break piece of the application.

What can those invited to interview at Marshall expect? [22:32]

They can expect a conversation. Of course we want you to be prepared and know your story by the time you are interviewing. The invitation indicates we like you already, and we want to like you even more. This is a great time for candidates to talk about something not in the application. That is one of my favorite questions  – “Tell me something about yourself that is not in the application.” This allows the candidate to show breadth and depth and talk about their passions.

The interview is also about the culture fit. At a certain point we want to see some demonstration of initiative, that you are a team player, and can articulate your goals and talk to us and have a conversation. I do not allow applicants to look at their resume during the interview – I tell them to put it away and tell me your story, let’s have a conversation.

What mistakes do you see applicants making? [24:26]

You can tell when someone wrote an essay and didn’t have someone review it. I understand the temptation to reuse an essay when questions can be so similar, but you need to be more diligent – I’ve seen essays with a different school’s name in them, or answers to questions we haven’t even asked. We also want to talk to someone who has done more research than just looking at the website – it concerns us when an applicant has never been on campus, or engaged with students or alums. We provide that opportunity to connect with those folks, so if you are applying to a place blind, it easily shows that you are doing that, and doesn’t give us a good feel for sincere interest in our program.

Any tips for waitlisted applicants? [26:12]

The first thing I tell people is always contact the admissions team to see if there is anything they can do to bolster their application. We usually don’t give too much feedback at this point, but you can get an idea of areas in your application that you can control and shore up. We might suggest retesting, for example. You also can send in additional letters of recommendation for another viewpoint. Being on the waitlist is tough, we know, since you are in limbo. We don’t try to do it for long, but it is hard to winnow it down.

Let us know if anything changes – if you retest, get a promotion, or other good things are happening in your life. We don’t assume Marshall is the only school you apply to. If you hear from other schools let us know so we know what we’re dealing with. We still might not be able to make a decision right away, but the info lets us know we should maybe put a candidate as a priority. It helps us know, too, that you are truly interested in Marshall. Sometimes with waitlisted people we never hear from them again, so if we do hear, we know there is interest. At the same time, don’t be a stalker. Don’t go overboard or bombard us, but peek in every now and then. There is no ranking on the waitlist, but any positive information will put you more top of mind when we look at waitlisted candidates.

What advice would you give to someone thinking ahead to a Fall 2018 application? [31:06]

It’s never too early to start visiting or engaging with students, alumni, or people you know, to get a sense of the school, program, and the environment. Our new application is up in July, and by early August we have the new class profile so you can see the average student in the program. Our recruiting calendar starts in the fall so we may be visiting you or be on virtual platforms. The sooner you engage the sooner we can look forward to receiving your application.

What do you see coming down the pike for the MBA program at USC Marshall? [32:49]

We are reviewing our curriculum this year, which we do every 2-3 years. We are looking at incorporating more ways for critical thinking to be involved in the classes, and more ways for classes to be more coordinated across disciplines, so as not to be a silo for each discipline, but rather for students to learn as they go, with more of an overview of each subject. We will shift the timing – there will be the same amount of classes, and students will still need 63 credits to graduate. Students have expressed that the front load was too front-loaded, but students will still get a really in-depth high quality core before they start going into elective classes.  

What’s an example of something entrepreneurial and really cool that a Marshall student or alum is doing? [34:34]

We have an alum who is an uber-outdoorsman. He founded a company called Beyond Gear, where with every piece of equipment sold a portion of the proceeds is donated to the favelas in Rio de Janeiro to allow a person there to learn to rock climb and participate in the outdoors. This same guy recently cofounded a new hotel called A Lodge which is outside of Boulder, CO, and you can go there in the middle of the woods to rock climb, mountain bike, and essentially do all the things that outdoor adventurers like to do.

We also have an alum who started a subscription service for surgeons and nurses called GIBLIB. This service provides ultra HD videos of actual surgeries, allowing surgeons and nurses to train through these videos. They show what the OR looks like, and what team interactions are like.

USC Marshall has a menu of MBA programs. FT, PT, online and EMBA. It also has the IBEAR program which is a distinctive program. Can you tell me about that? [37:52]

The IBEAR program is for mid-career professionals, beyond fulltime but before EMBA – and looking for a one year program. 75% of students are international. 32-38 is roughly the age range, with many sponsored by companies. It is a straight, 12-month curriculum, fulltime, is relatively lock step (just three electives), and taught primarily by faculty who have very extensive global expertise. There are about 55 students per year and 1/3 are sponsored. It’s a tight-knit network of students with an active alumni association, and is very family-oriented. Self-sponsored students can actually get subsidized if they live in the IBEAR apartment complex.

What would you have liked me to ask you? [40:25]

I wish you’d asked about milestones. We have a big one coming up – the incoming class of 2020 will be graduating at our 100th anniversary of the School of Business, which was founded in 1920 as the School of Commerce. There is lots of planning going on, and there will be lots of things to celebrate then.

Related Links:

• USC Marshall MBA Admissions
• IBEAR
• USC Marshall 2017-18 Essay Tips
• Get Accepted to Top MBA Programs with Low Stats
• A-Lodge
• Giblib

Related Shows:

• Meet Duke Fuqua’s New MBA Admissions Director, Shari Hubert
• UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions According to Dean Alex Lawrence
• A Transformational Year: The MIT Sloan Fellows Program
• 16 Grad School Application Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

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The post USC Marshall’s Kellee Scott: Don’t Be Rigid, Boring or Tedious! [Episode 255] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

Today we welcome Keith Vaughn, a highly experienced MBA admissions professional. He started as an Associate Director of MBA admissions in 1994 at USC Marshall, moved up to Director in 1997 and to Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions at USC Marshall in 1997. In addition, he served briefly at different points in time as Interim Vice Dean of the MBA Program and

Breadth and depth in MBA admissions define today’s guest’s expertise.

Not only is Keith bringing his insights and qualifications to this episode – he also just joined Accepted’s consulting staff and will be helping Accepted’s clients one-on-one. Welcome, Keith!

His background & how he got into admissions [2:15] 

I was a military brat – I was born in West Point. For college, I was accepted to the Air Force Academy, but went to Amherst instead. When I was studying for my MBA, the dean pulled me in to work on a career project. When you work on output, you have to work on input, so that’s how I got into admissions.

There’s a lot of travel involved with admissions work – I traveled over 3 million miles in my career, all over the globe.

Initially, I thought I’d do the job for about 3 years. After 3 years, I became the Admissions Director.

What did you wish applicants understood or knew that they just didn’t get? [4:55] 

There are no tricks to this process, and there’s no formula. Admissions people are trying to get to know who you are. Even if you get a curveball question in an interview, it’s not meant to trick you – it’s meant to see how you think on your feet.

What did you review first when you reviewed an MBA application? [7:12] 

The obvious first answer is the GMAT score. But just like I look at the average rating on Rotten Tomatoes to get a sense of how good a movie is – I would look at the AWA score, which gave me a good sense right from the start whether I was in for a good read. It was a great indicator of writing skills.

Then I would do a quick review of the resume.

How should MBA applicants approach the essays? [9:38] 

Be authentic – tell your story in your voice. Think about the stories you’re telling. It can be helpful to show friends and colleagues to get input.

You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete – you’re unique. It’s about self-reflection. 

Understand what motivates you and how. Peel the layers back and really get a sense of who you are.

Can you tell us a little bit about the Consortium for the Graduate Study of Management and applying via its application process? [11:55] 

I’m actually a Consortium alum, in addition to having served on the board.

The mission of the Consortium is to increase the number of people of color in the ranks of business. Now anyone can apply if they support the mission: increasing the number of people of diverse backgrounds in management. You have to show how you’re helping, how you’re supporting the mission.

Again, there’s no trick to the application. The process is the same.

There are some benefits to applying through the Consortium: it costs less to apply to more schools. And you gain access to another network.

There are now 18 member schools.

What did your GMAC board experience show you about how applicants should choose the programs they will apply to and ultimately attend. [17:40] 

Making decisions about schools is a very individual decision. People need to think about where they see themselves 5, even 10 years out.

Geography is a big consideration. There are great schools in Asia and Europe as well as the US.

And there are a lot of aspects to “fit”. What size school are they most comfortable with? What curriculum are they looking for? Across the globe, 1st year is pretty similar – you’ll get the nuts and bolts. But research whether the schools deliver what you’re interested in for specializations.

Try to visit if you can. (Not everyone is in a position to do so, but if you can, it is helpful.) Visiting can give you a gut feeling: what it’s like to be on that campus.

Being on the GMAC board – it was a time of transition. It gave me a sense of the political forces in the business environment. It also led to international opportunities for me, such as an exchange to LBS.

Realize that admissions committee members at different schools know each other and respect each other.

What’s your advice for MBA applicants invited to blind interviews? [23:30]

Preparation, preparation, preparation. Take it seriously.

Come prepared to ask questions – that aren’t answered on the website or materials you have.

Be able to relax. It’s not meant to be a stressful event. You need to be able to get across what you’ve prepared to get across.

With 2 months to Round 1 deadlines, what can students do now to prepare? [25:25] 

For many schools, the essays don’t change that much. So even if you don’t have the actual prompt yet, you can start doing some brainstorming: think about the story you want to tell, and make notes. You can even start writing an initial draft.

And research the schools.

There are so many ways schools put you in touch with their students. For example, if you’re interested in the high tech club at School X, go on their website – they’ll list the president, and you can email them. Start making connections and researching opportunities.

You can also visit schools, or schedule school visits for when school is in session.

What should applicants look for when visiting? [28:20] 

Check your gut feelings: walk around the campus and get a feel for the area.

Sit in on a class. Talk to students.

Talk to students in informal settings, such as cafes or lounges.

If you’re visiting a class – remember you’re there to visit, not to participate. Don’t draw attention to yourself in a negative way.

Any advice for reapplicants? [31:10] 

Reapplicants should already be well-informed about the schools and the process.

Take advantage of “deny counseling” if the school offers it. Stay positive and do the things that are necessary to make a fresh package. There needs to be something new.

What irritated you when you were Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions? [33:00] 

The difficult thing from an admissions perspective was yield management – handling the waitlist, along with people who may make deposits and then decide not to enroll. The earlier and more confident you can be that people are actually coming, the better you’re able to handle the waitlist.

Every interaction you have with admissions is a potential plus or minus in your application. [37:00] 

The impression you make on the receptionist; the impression you make on students you interact with – it all comes back to the admissions committee. You want it to be positive. 

What did you love about your career in admissions? [37:50] 

There was a lot of learning and a lot of interaction with peers. You also get positive feedback from students. I’m in touch with so many students and alumni who are doing very interesting things. We work with a lot of great students.

It’s a challenging job, but it’s very rewarding.

Do you have any last advice for applicants? [39:45] 

Stay positive. There’s more than one school you should be applying to and more than one school you could be at. Be positive you’ll make that match. Research the schools. You can get an MBA.

If you’re going to be successful, you’ll be successful no matter which school you go to.

Related Links:

• School-Specific MBA Admissions Essay Tips
• MBA Admissions Guides

Related Shows:

• It’s MBA Season: Do You Know Where Your Applications Are?
• UCLA Anderson: Cool, Chic, and Tech
• The Lauder Institute Changes to Reflect the World

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The post A 20-Year MBA Admissions Veteran Shares His Insights [Episode 163] appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring 

Accepted: It’s been more than two years since we last spoke – can you bring us up to speed? At that time you were just starting b-school at USC Marshall, and now you just graduated! How was it??

B-School Girl: Business school was certainly a roller coaster ride. At times I was so busy I wanted to tear my hair out. At times I was pushed way out of my comfort zone. At times I was afraid no one would hire me and I’d end up crawling back to my old employer on hands and knees. But now that I’ve got my feet firmly on the ground again I can say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It opened so many doors for me, personally and professionally.

A few of my favorite moments: Hearing my name called as the winner of a new venture pitch competition; getting the phone call that I had gotten my dream internship; and conquering my fears on the flying trapeze (no joke, that was actually part of a class).

Accepted: What was your favorite thing about Marshall?

B-School Girl: Hands down, it was the people. Marshall has such a collaborative culture, and there are so many people rooting for you to succeed. There’s always someone willing to help you prep for a test or an interview, or just grab coffee between classes. I made some really great friendships that I think will be lifelong.

Accepted: If you could have changed one thing about the program, what would it be?

B-School Girl: We’re a small program by MBA standards and some companies don’t recruit on campus for that reason. I hope that changes as Marshall comes up in the rankings. There are some really smart, qualified students looking for jobs.

Accepted: You had been nervous about time management – how did things go in that area? Do you have any tips for our readers on how to adjust to the quick pace of b-school?

B-School Girl: I didn’t make it easy on myself! I threw myself into clubs, case competitions, and volunteering, in addition to my coursework. In retrospect there is an activity or two I could have passed up on, but it really made my MBA experience richer and helped me meet more people.

To incoming MBAs I would say: be strategic but also leave room for some fun stuff. Learn how to say “no.” Schedule time to exercise and relax. And be organized! My lifeline was a Google spreadsheet where I had mapped out all of my upcoming deadlines. It was a pain to type that up every semester, but so worth it.

Accepted: Where are you currently working? What role did Marshall play in helping you secure that position? Did you end up switching industry and function as planned?

B-School Girl: I’m working in product development for a big Bay Area tech company. It’s a big jump from my previous life in media/advertising, so I think you could call that a success! I got the interview from a Tech Trek that my school organized, and I had some good friends with tech experience who helped me prep for the interviews.

Accepted: How’s your blog going? Can you direct us to 2-3 of your favorite posts? 

B-School Girl: The blog’s always been a bit of a surprise to me. I didn’t start it with the intention of drawing a big readership – I just wanted to vent about the application process. But now I get emails from prospective MBAs wanting to share their experience or ask for advice, which is so cool. I love that my experience could maybe make someone else’s journey a little smoother.

Here are a few of my favorite posts from the past few years:

• A silly one for stressed-out applicants, because MBA blogs can be so serious
• The blessing/curse of being a nontraditional applicant
• The end of an era! My MBA retrospective

Accepted: What are your top 3 admissions tips? 

B-School Girl:

1. Don’t focus too much on one particular part of your application. For instance, if you’re in the median GMAT range for your target school, stop stressing about that extra 10 points and move on to your essays. What’s important is the whole, not each individual piece.

2. Get help. Working by yourself for too long will make you myopic. Find a trusted friend or two (preferably a strong writer or someone with an MBA) to look at your work with a fresh eye, give you some pointers, and put you through your interviewing paces. Be very nice to this person. Baking them cookies is not a bad idea.

3. Know the story you want to tell about yourself. Repeat it over and over until you internalize it. Then tell it with passion.

You can continue following B-School Girl’s journey by checking out her blog, Girl Meets B-School. Thank you B-School Girl for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck!

For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. 

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Related Resources:

• Best MBA Programs: A Guide to Selecting the Right One [free guide]
• Goal Setting, Job Searching, and Sweet Careers [podcast]
• MBA Rankings: Why Should I Care? [short video]

The post B-School Girl Reflects on Her Time at USC Marshall appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.

The 8-month, part-time program is two semesters long (25 units), with 16 full-day sessions held each semester (on Fridays and Saturdays). Additional content will be presented via distance learning, so this program combines residential and distance elements. The program includes “intensive class discussions, project work, experiential exercises, and group activities.”

Please see our Marshall B-School Zone for advice on getting into USC’s Marshall School of Business.
 Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The post USC Marshall Launches New Master of Business for Veterans Program appeared first on Accepted Admissions Blog.