Q: What is the Consortium?
A: 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.

Q: How does the application process for the Consortium differ from a regular school application?
A: Common Application - One application allows you to apply to up to six Consortium schools. (University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill requires that all applicants submit both The Consortium application and the UNC application)

Tiered Application Fee - Using The Consortium common application significantly reduces your application fee costs. You may apply to up to two member schools for $150, three schools for $200, four schools for $240, five for $275, and six for $300 (source: Official Consortium website)

Essays - There are 2 common essays as part of the Consortium application. Additionally, each member school you are applying to requires at least 1 separate, school specific essay.

Interviews - There is 1 common Consortium interview that you must schedule with either a Consortium Alum or a representative at a Consortium School. Note that the interview does not necessarily have to take place at a school you are applying to. Afterward, individual schools may or may not require an additional school specific interview.

Q: Can I apply even if I am not an under-represented minority?
A: The Consortium seeks applicants who align themselves with its mission. Being a minority is not a prerequisite as long as the applicant has demonstrated a commitment to the Consortium's mission in his or her life.

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

2010-2011 Deadlines:

R1: November 15 2010
R2: January 5 2011

Member Schools:

• University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business (newly added school)
• University of California-Los Angeles, Anderson School of Management (newly added school)
• Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business
• Cornell University, The Johnson School
• Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business
• Emory University, Goizueta Business School
• Indiana University-Bloomington, Kelley School of Business
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Stephen M. Ross School of Business
• New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School
• University of Rochester, Simon Graduate School of Business
• University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
• The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business
• University of Virginia, Darden School of Business
• Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin School of Business
• Yale University, Yale School of Management

Related threads/links:

2010 thread: calling-all-fall-2010-consortium-applicants-merged-87799.html
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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I know it's a bit early in the game, but hopefully people can find out about this program early on and decide if it's right for them. As you can see from last year's thread, there were quite a few Consortium admits (and a good number of fellowship recipients as well), so feel free to post any questions if you're thinking of applying this fall

Member Schools:



































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if i remember correctly, several people got into their third or fourth schools last year. i have read conflicting statements about whether a school knows where you ranked them prior to admitting you. my original knowledge was that schools have no knowledge of where you ranked them, so if you ranked a school 5th or 1st, they would have no way of knowing. the only point at which they know is after admitting you, when they have the option to award you the fellowship.

however, at least one or 2 accounts have been in direct conflict with this viewpoint. at the very least, know that your first choice school has first dibs on offering you the fellowship. if they decline, then the next highest ranked school may offer it to you. you may only receive one fellowship offer though, so if your #1 offers you a fellowship, then #2 or #3 may not.

i will be at the Orientation Program this weekend where i will meet with reps from various schools, as well as from the consortium itself. i'll try to get a firm answer to eliminate any ambiguity in the admissions process.
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in addition to Berkeley-Haas, I had neglected to note that UCLA-Anderson is also going to become a member school as of July 1st. I've added both programs to the 1st post
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It asks for three recommendations, two professional and one in support of the Consortium's mission.

i think that overall, fewer scholarships were given out. i remember reading a statistic that the previous year, about 60% of students received a fellowship. i dont know what this year will turn out to be, but if i had to bet, i'd say it was a lot less than half.

the #2 ranked school would definitely know they were ranked #2, but i dont know if that would negatively impact their decision. if anything, it might help it. i guess it depends on the specific situation.

i don't know how many people from Stern got the fellowship. at the OP conference a few weeks ago, they were definitely one of the best represented schools, and had 30+ students in their consortium class.
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The Consortium does publish statistics on fellowships. If you are interested in a particular school, you can also see how many students received Consortium fellowships vs other merit based scholarships on the school's website. I am a Consortium student (Class 2012), and was able to read on past distribution of scholarships for many schools. You have to do some research but will find all the information you need. Keep in mind that, as already mentioned, overall fewer scholarships were awarded through CGSM last year.

Good luck

I am assuming that you did not get in through standard application last year or did you withdraw your appliation to Haas? In any case, I would recommend that you emphasize how you have improved your candidacy in the last 12 months (e.g higher GMAT scores, better recommendations, social work, job promotion or important extracurricular activities etc) and for the CGSM in particular how you can demonstate your commitment to the CGSM's mission, highly important as this needs to be supported by one of your recommenders in a seperate letter.

Good luck!

I don't know when the application will come out but given that the first round deadline is around early November, I would assume to see something around September......or even earlier. Also, if you have time, attend the Consortium application seminars in the fall. I did not make use of them as I was under extreme time constraint, but you may benefit from the seminar in order to strengthen your CGSM application.

Good luck!

Yeah, last year it was out around mid-august and the R1 deadline was November 15th.

How are people thinking to approach ranking the schools?

Greetings to this year's applicants! I'll do my best to check out this board periodically to help answer questions.

As some background, I applied to 4 schools last year through Consortium. Accepted at my #1, 3, and 4 ranked schools with Fellowships/Scholarships from #3 and #4. I'll be attending Ross this Fall and if anyone has any questions about The Consortium, Ross, or the process in general, I'm happy to help this group out! Feel free to PM me with anything specific.

Best of luck everyone!
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Detailed Profile with Interviews/Dings/Admits: Go Here