Active duty members can use their benefits to expand their opportunities for new assignments and promotions, and, in some cases, to gain access to an officer candidate program.

Veterans can use their benefits to secure higher-paying positions when transitioning to the civilian world. In 2011, the average starting salary of an MBA recipient was more than two times higher than the average starting salary of someone who only held a BA. A graduate degree like an MBA can help veterans and service members advance their careers by developing knowledge and leadership skills that will benefit both their civilian and military careers.

Those who have served in the military have a range of options for financing their MBA education. Education benefit programs include Chapter 33 Post 9/11, Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill and the GI Bill Kicker.

The Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill is typically for individuals with 90 days of consecutive active duty service on or after Sept. 11, 2001. Disabled veterans discharged from active duty after 30 days also are eligible. This benefit includes funds for tuition, as well as a housing allowance and a book stipend. Service members might find that the availability of funds is greater under this allowance.

The Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill provides an educational supplement on a monthly basis. The current maximum benefit for a full-time graduate student is $1,564 per month, while the current maximum monthly benefit for a part-time graduate student is $782. Most veterans who receive an honorable discharge from the service are eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill. Basic eligibility requirements for the Montgomery GI Bill can be found on Military.com. In the event that the service member is unable to collect on hir or educational benefits, a family member might be able to collect in their place. All Montgomery GI Bill eligibility expires 10 years after the service member leaves the military.

The GI Bill Kicker, sometimes called the Army, Navy or Marine Corps College Fund, is offered to most enlisted service members who sign up for the Montgomery GI Bill program. The GI Bill kicker usually is offered as a bonus for taking specific high-need jobs in the military, such as positions in Special Ops, Communications, Military Intelligence and the Signal Corp. When a service member selects the kicker, his or her monthly benefit can increase by $950 per month.

The maximum possible lifetime benefit with the Montgomery GI Bill and the GI Bill Kicker is more than $87,000. These benefits could reduce the need for high-cost loans and debt. Veterans can determine their eligibility by completing the Veterans Online Application (VONAPP) through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Typically the process takes six–eight weeks. Active duty and veteran service members should always consult their education center and the Department of Veterans Affairs, respectively, to identify their funding options.

Earning an MBA can double one’s earning capacity while developing crucial skills for military and post-military success. However, tuition expenses at top schools can seem overwhelming at first glance. Fortunately, most veterans have a range of options to finance their graduate business education. To learn more about the options available to MBA@UNC students, visit our Veterans Benefits page. With options like Chapter 33 Post 9/11, Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill and the GI Bill kicker, active duty service member or veteran seeking a high-quality education from a respected institution will face fewer financial limitations to achieving their goals.

This blog post originally appeared on onlinemba.unc.edu.

The MBA@UNC is an innovative online MBA program offered by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School that continues the school’s tradition of excellence embodied by each of our on-campus programs.

What’s different is how we deliver MBA@UNC. Blending state-of-the-art social technologies, prestigious faculty and rigorous course content, MBA@UNC gives working professionals anywhere in the world the flexibility of an online program combined with the top-quality business education offered on UNC’s campus.





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For the 24-month Evening MBA program, classes will meet on campus one night a week rather than two nights, and will include a few additional evening sessions. This program also requires four immersion weekends. For the 20-month Weekend MBA program, classes will meet on campus one weekend every three weeks, instead of two weekends per month, and includes one immersion week.

Other program changes include:

• Modifying the schedule to reduce time away from work and travel to campus by using a blend of immersive on-campus courses and networking with technology-enabled modules
• Streamlining the calendar and course credits to enhance scheduling for students
• Reviewing and optimizing the curriculum in terms of required courses and their sequencing
• Increasing the focus on leadership and professional development
• Developing new electives and global immersions

Atul Nerkar, associate dean of EMBA Programs, notes that the restructuring better accommodates students’”…already busy work and family lives, without compromising the exceptional learning experience and networking they expect from the UNC EMBA Program.”

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

With the introduction of the -&- as part of its recent branding efforts, Kenan-Flagler is looking for book-smart candidates who are also collaborative, passionate and empathetic. “This simple, one-character symbol represents the beautiful blend of contradiction our students bring to the table,” writes Kelly Lynch in a recent post on the Kenan-Flagler MBA Blog.

“If you were to look at a Venn diagram of ‘quantitative abilities’ and ‘qualitative abilities,’ our students would fall within the intersection of the two circles,” says Lynch. “That is what makes them so spectacular; they can master both the Science & Heart of business.”

They understand a business’ need for financial success & social responsibility.  They have the knowledge to be accomplished in their field & the courage to do what is right.  They not only learn in the classroom, but also take what they have learned & apply it to real life scenarios.  Simply put, they are highly skilled in both book smarts & street smarts.  Altogether, these are the qualities of a successful MBA student at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

If you’re reading this and thinking that you don’t quite fall into both of these categories, that’s ok, says Lynch, who notes that these qualities are what UNC Kenan-Flagler strives to evoke and instill in students by the time they graduate.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

According to admissions, you shouldn’t give up hope before the final round because:

1. Fewer applicants apply in the fourth round, so while the number of total offers extended during this round might be lower, the admission rate (the percentage of applicants admitted) may be just as high as in the earlier rounds.

2. By the time the final round deadline arrives, the school can begin to see what the first-year class is going to look like and sometimes the class will need some balancing.  As an example, if there’s a lot of students coming in with marketing backgrounds and few from investment banking, applicants from I-banking would have a higher than normal shot in the last round.

UNC Kenan-Flagler says it’s quite possible that they might be looking for a student with a profile identical to yours, and therefore your chance of admission in the last MBA application round is high.

3. Even international students shouldn’t give up hope.  Almost every international student admitted during the fourth round who accepted the offer quickly has been able to complete the steps for a student visa and move here before the start of classes, the school says.

4. While most of merit fellowship funds are usually awarded in the earlier rounds, UNC Kenan-Flagler reserves some funds for those exceptionally strong candidates applying the final round.

5. Finally, if you submit your strongest application to the admissions committee during the final round and are not admitted, you’re on their radar for the next application season. If you apply again the following year, the school knows know you’re serious about getting your MBA, particularly at UNC Kenan-Flagler.  The dedication and persistence will be noticed.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

In partnership with Tsinghua University’s Department of Industrial Engineering, UNC Kenan-Flagler has created the Global Supply Chain Leaders Program to meet the growing need in China for executives with both leadership skills and technical knowledge.

The UNC-Tsinghua dual-degree program is the only partnership of its kind between a top Chinese industrial engineering department and a top U.S. business school. Graduates will receive an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler and a master of engineering management (MEM) from Tsinghua.

“We are honored to collaborate with Tsinghua University, one of China’s most prestigious universities, to offer a new model for preparing executives in China to lead their global businesses,” said James W. Dean Jr., dean of UNC Kenan-Flagler.

“We are developing a deeper understanding of how business is conducted in each other’s country, and our universities, our citizens and our economies will benefit from our work together.”

One-third of the business classes will be taught in Beijing and two-thirds will be taught in Chapel Hill. At Tsinghua, classes meet once a month, Friday to Sunday. At UNC, the executives will attend two, 16-day sessions in Chapel Hill. The program also will include global residencies at logistics hubs in the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and the United States. Tuition for the 20-month program is $60,000, which does not cover residency costs.

The program grew out of the research collaboration between UNC professor Noel Greis and Tsinghua professor Cai Linning. They co-founded the UNC-Tsinghua Center for Logistics and Enterprise Development in 2007. As China continued to undergo enormous economic advancements, the two universities recognized the need for a dual-degree program.

According to representatives from the program, the new partnership provides greater understanding of the Chinese marketplace from the inside, and the time is right to offer a program that meets a market need there.
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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

Below, we’ll summarize the main points laid out by admissions team member Kelly Lynch. While her  advice is targeted toward Kenan-Flagler applicants, MBA candidates awaiting interviews with any program can find useful information here.

Before the Interview:

Research your target program thoroughly, which means tapping into all resources available to you, such as networking with alumni at admissions events or reaching out to current students. A great tip Lynch offers is to compile a list of questions, and then see how many of them you can answer via a simple search of the school website. Any questions you can’t find an answer to are probably excellent ones to ask during your interview, Lynch says.

While it should go without saying, applicants should take care to present themselves professionally—that means well-groomed and in appropriate business attire. (If you think this advice is unnecessary, see this memo circulated among first-years at Columbia Business School a few years back.)

During the Interview:

Make eye contact and offer a firm handshake when greeting your interviewer. Speaking articulately, and without fillers such as um, well, uh, and like, is particularly important for applicants interviewing over the phone or Skype, and goes a long way in conveying professionalism.

In addition to asking those insightful questions, make sure you explain why the school you’re interviewing with is the best fit for you. Be specific about what elements of the program will help you further your professional goals, says Lynch, and demonstrate how you’d give back to the community as well.

Stacy’s insider tip: Alumni interviewers enjoy reminiscing about their experiences, and will especially like any questions about clubs or activities they were part of, while current students can provide a great perspective on what they wish they had known, or the most interesting aspect of their MBA experience.

Lynch stresses that it’s important to relax and be yourself,  but that’s not a free pass to come in flip-flops or behave in an overly familiar way. Major faux pas such as answering a  phone call or text during the interview, or even minor ones such as fidgeting too much, can leave a lasting negative impression. Make sure you’re on your best, most composed behavior for the duration of the conversation.

After the Interview:

Wrap up the interview with a sincere thank you for the interviewer’s time, and remember to ask for a business card if you haven’t already received one. You should send a thank-you note or email within a week of your interview date, and Lynch suggests mentioning something unique that may have been discussed during your interview to help the interviewer remember you, as well as to further convey your interest in attending the school.

Now that you have done your interview homework, the final step is simply to relax and try to enjoy the process. Good luck!

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Unless you’re a natural writer, the essays are perhaps the most stressful component for most applicants. Below, Kelly Lynch shares three things the admissions team at Kenan-Flagler will be on the lookout for.

Tell your story:  A compelling, dynamic essay is always much more memorable than staccato, anecdote-free one.  We read thousands of essays each year, and it’s much easier for us to forget one that merely adds words to the bullet points on your resume.  Tell us a story that compliments the point you are trying to make.  It is much more plausible for us to connect with you in your essay if we can connect the dots via a personal story about why you want to come to Kenan-Flagler and how your past experiences distinguish you.

My two cents: Avoid any attempt to manufacture a memorable impression. Simply by allowing your individual personality to shine through, you’ll be able to differentiate yourself from the rest of the applicant pool. Remember, excellence comes in many different packages, and sometimes small examples can brilliantly illustrate your distinctive contributions.

Proofread, proofread, proofread: Though we are sure you’ve been told numerous times not to create a generic essay and simply change the school name… Do not create a generic essay and simply change the school name.  I cannot tell you how many times we have read essays saying how “not UNC Kenan-Flagler” school is the perfect fit for someone.  Woops.  Also, even if you think you have read your essays enough times to check for spelling and grammatical errors, read them again.  Punctuation errors are incredibly easy to make, but incredibly easy to fix, so make sure there aren’t any in your essays!  Finally, UNC’s business school is Kenan-Flagler.  Make note.

My two cents: After months of writing drafts, seeking feedback from friends and family, and changing everything about your essays, don’t just “accept all changes” and upload your essay documents. Make sure you have cut and paste your essays into an entirely new document that was not used for drafting.

Be yourself:  Though the best time to show us who you are is in the interview, don’t let that stop you from being yourself in the essays.  We want to read the essay and feel like you are talking to us, not a computer, so try to write it that way.  If, however, your voice feels like making the essay longer than the stated maximum, (either 500 words or 300 words), reel it in.  We have the maximums listed for a reason, so don’t ignore that and think, “oh, a few words over won’t matter.”  Stick to what’s listed or below.

My two cents: Admissions committees want to see focused essays, and holding to the word limit guidance demonstrates you can follow directions.

The Round 2 deadline is coming up on December 7th at UNC Kenan-Flagler, so be sure to bookmark the school’s MBA admissions blog for posts on recommenders and resumes, coming soon.

For more UNC Kenan-Flagler news, check out these posts on how the school opened MBA@UNC to alumni, and about the dual MD/MBA degree, launched in the spring.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.

Students at Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management spent this past weekend hunkered down as they looked for ways to turn their ideas for new startup companies into reality. Known as 3 Day Startup, the goal is for participants to start a technology company over the course of three days.

According to participant Nick Fishman, the best element of this type of event is you really get your hands dirty.

“You can read about entrepreneurship all day, but if you actually dedicate time to try and build something — even if it does not succeed — you are already attempting and getting into the entrepreneurial spirit, which is the difference between talk and action.”

Babson College, a leading MBA program for entrepreneurship, is participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week with a series of forums, summits, workshops and other activities.

UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School is celebrating the initiative through Innovate@Carolina, a $125 million project aimed at making UNC a leading institution in the field. The business school will host discussion panels and lectures to help familiarize students with the university’s entrepreneurship resources and the significance of innovation.

Meanwhile, Harvard Business School got a jump on things with its 2012 Startup Scramble in late September. Here, the most entrepreneurial students across Harvard’s campus worked on prototyping new projects and ventures (from low-tech to high-tech, for- or non-profit), were immersed in rapid skill-building sessions (business modeling, legal, finance, and technology), and exchanged startup war stories.

As more and more students head to business school with the goal of eventually starting their own business—out of nearly 226,000 GMAT exams taken in 2012 in which test takers selected an intended concentration, more than 12,000 indicated Entrepreneurship—it’s been great to see programs targeted for budding entrepreneurs flourish.

Most people would agree that an entrepreneur needs to know the same basic skills as someone running a more established company. Business schools teach the skills that can help entrepreneurs make sound decisions and avoid expensive mistakes.

I encourage readers who are interested in the subject to click over to UV Darden School of Business‘s Dean Bob Bruner’s blog, where he recently wrote a great piece on the merits of an MBA degree for prospective entrepreneurs.

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If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more. Visit the website for Stacy Blackman Reviews, and check out the company’s e-publications for more in depth school-by-school guidance.