The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is the country’s preeminent organization for promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. Through an annual competition, The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to America’s best and brightest candidates. In conjunction with our member schools, sponsoring companies, and our elite group of MBA students and alumni, The Consortium has built a forty year legacy of fostering inclusion and changing the ethnic and cultural face of American business.

Official site: http://www.cgsm.org

Related threads/links:

any-consortium-applicants-56951.html

Transcript of Consortium chat with CGSM and school adcoms: http://www.accepted.com/chat/transcript ... rtium.aspx

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Approximate # of students who are accepted into the CGSM: 480
Approximate # of fellowship offers extended to CGSM members: 330



2009-2010 Deadlines:

R1: November 15 2009
R2: January 5 2010

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Member Schools:































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I'm wondering whether applying through the Consortium is a good idea.

I'm somewhat confused on the review process -

Do adcoms treat these applications differently than the general pool?
Do adcoms read the core consortium essays (in addition to the school core essays) as part of its review process?
Should I go to the traditional application route?

For example, my consortium mission essay is not that strong, albeit some experience.

The mission of The Consortium is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious under representation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools' enrollments and the ranks of management. What have you done in your business, academic or personal life to demonstrate commitment to this mission? Please provide specific example of your involvement, actions and results.

I had a similar confusion and was highly considering abandoning applying via consortium because i thought it was an "all or nothing" type application (you either get the acceptance & scholarship or nothing). With your information, I guess I should reconsider but i have to reiterate that bigfernhead asks very valid questions:
Do adcoms treat these applications differently than the general pool?
Do adcoms read the core consortium essays (in addition to the school core essays) as part of its review process?
Should I go to the traditional application route?"

For instance, if the mission statement isn't very strong, and the adcoms read the core consortium essay, then you can risk bringing down the quality of the overall application. I wouldn't want to risk my chances of getting accepted just because I wanted a free ride. I've got some decent experience related to diversity, but I'd hate to try to highlight something that is peripheral in my career progression and not as strong as my core competence and why I feel I'm an intriguing candidate for various schools, just so I can get a scholarship.

What are the risks, that's what I want to know.

Thanks for your feedback guys.

I think my biggest concern is writing a mediocre mission essay versus really good individual essays in the traditional route.

Based on your feedback, my feelings are not completely at ease, but more so than before you posted

they still haven't opened it for this admissions cycle, i was confused as well so i called. this was a couple of weeks ago, so while i'm not applying until rd 2, this seems alarming for rd 1 applicants as rd 1 deadlines are quickly approaching.
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My story of an average chick who stumbled into the 700+ club
700-clubbers-add-your-name-to-the-list-64636-100.html#p600519
My 2009-2010 Application Decisions
2010-profiles-w-admit-dings-results-no-discussion-78475.html?view-post=600694#p600694

https://www.cgsm.org/CGSMApp/AppIntrodu ... irect=true

it's taking me to this page which says closed

edit: ok, the link is different if you click on the website versus what shows up in google...they should fix that
_________________

My story of an average chick who stumbled into the 700+ club
700-clubbers-add-your-name-to-the-list-64636-100.html#p600519
My 2009-2010 Application Decisions
2010-profiles-w-admit-dings-results-no-discussion-78475.html?view-post=600694#p600694

yeah i was having the same problem... thanks for clearing that up
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They are structured questions - shouldn't be anything tricky. Although you need 3 (2 regular and 1 mission) and finding someone who can talk about how you've supported the mission might be tricky if you haven't done work specific to any organization, so keep that in mind.

Ron,

awesome words of advice, especially for a guy that's totally unsure of the whole process and whether it would be a smart thing to do or not.

but even so, it seems that i'm still left in the same spot. the cgsm rep says, in a completely unambiguous manner, "apply", "it will help", etc.

but then you say, if you ain't one of the focused minorities, then you better have a damn good reason.

so are you saying, IF you are black, mexican, native american, or a woman, THEN without question, apply via CGSM. BUT if you aren't one of these, don't bother unless your proof is indisputable and well documented?

I'm in a situation where I've done work to raise the profile of minority veterans, but that wasn't a specific job description and or passion. It was motivated by what I felt was a necessity because veterans come in all shapes and colors. Prior to me showing up at the organization, no focus or attention or even thought of minorities was ever brought up and so I self initiated a "diversity search" and got representatives from all over the country who were a color other than "white". But again, I did this because I felt it was the right thing to do in order to represent the community better, not because I had this burning desire to become the next MLK jr. the search and acquiring minority representatives for our group wasn't a "side issue" for me, because it was something that I certainly focused on for many months, but at the same time, it wasn't my main issue either as I had many projects I would easily deem as more important. after all that, i don't know if i'm what they're looking for. because i have no idea what a "compelling and documented link".

so the question is again, what exactly qualifies as a "compelling and documented link" for a non-"minority" applicant to apply via CGSM vs a qualified focused minority. who should and shouldn't apply? does a white guy need to go extremely above and beyond and go work in the inner city schools and start foundations while a black guy can just apply by being a member of the local young black professionals group? does an asian guy need to start his own feminist magazine and sponsor his own pink ribbon events, but a woman just needs to be part of a women's mentoring program? does an indian guy need to be a founding members of Homies Inc that helps ex mexican gang members incorporate back into society, while a mexican guy can apply if he was goes to his local food bank in east LA?

Yes I know I'm throwing out extremely outlandish scenarios, but at the root is still a mature and real question. what are the thresholds that one needs to pass in order to be considered for the CGSM compared to that of a minority candidate. will a person who is not considered a minority (white/indian/asian/pac islander) who has done work with minorities and in support of minorities, be 2nd class applicant, if a "true" minority applicant needs a spot but hasn't done any work with other minorities than what is expected for normal networking?

it's still very unclear to me.

IMO, you would probably be best served applying regularly instead of through the consortium. The consortium's mission is to "reduce the serious underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management." (as was stated in an earlier post), or students who embody this ideal. You mentioned helping minority veterans, but unless they were going on to become students in business school or join ranks of management, then it's not directly in line with the consortium's mission.

if you want to take a risk, then by all means apply through the consortium. I think your best bet would be if any current consortium fellows could post about either their own experiences as a non-URM, or if they know of any other non-URM's who have been selected as Consortium fellows. that way you could see if it's doable.
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Even better questions. And to be honest with you, I don't know - I can't speak for the Consortium. I'm just making claims on conjecture and what I've heard. Additionally, I never really looked at it from your perspective of not being one of the classically underrepresented minorities - that is a bit of a dilemma, to be sure.

My "gut" feeling is that you could definitely apply via the Consortium - you have a clear link to claim through the minority outreach program you instituted, and I am sure you have done some similar things in the USMC that could be documented. I really think this has to be strongly articulated, though - and most importantly, you have to believe in it. You have to sell the fact that minority outreach is important to you, you have helped that cause in the past, and will continue to in the future. If you can look in the mirror and say you do, you really should. If there is one person who is not going to bull$hit people, it is a former Marine.

The schools decide your admission on a totally separate slate from how the CSGM gauges your commitment – essentially, you are getting a few less essays and conveying the fact that you are applying through a well-regarded minority-outreach program. I can see your point – not being a minority yet applying through the Consortium might be seen as odd without a “knockout” story. I have no doubt that plenty of people try to piggyback the Consortium with unconvincing credentials. If you would include your minority outreach experience in a normal application, I’d definitely go Consortium.

I have known a few CGSM fellows from the past, and they definitely did not get their fellowships on account of just being minorities – they all did impressive things within their communities in and out of work, and continue to do so. Does a non-minority have to display even more to get a CGSM fellowship? Probably – although I doubt this is the party line. It just seems like a prima facie truth. Does being a minority get you an immediate +100 and an insurmountable jump on other candidates? I sincerely doubt that (Gratz v. Bollinger non-withstanding). In the end, your application is decided upon by the schools, and applying through a minority outreach program has to make sense. Personally, I think it can for you.