Calling All 2014 Consortium Applicants

Did you apply UCLA through Consortium? Did they mention the fellowship?

I am wondering whether applicants can still get admit after Mar 16th.

I applied through the Consortium, and I just received the fellowship offer yesterday!

Anyone departs from LA to OP at Austin?

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: The Top Five Characteristics of Admitted Applicants

Over the past few years, I have helped many Consortium candidates get admitted to their top choice schools, with full tuition fellowships. Here are some observations about what these clients did to succeed. They understood that the entire application matters – There is a lot of mystery and misinformation swirling around the admissions process.  One of the biggest fallacies, which people believe to their detriment, is that the admissions committee only cares about grades and test scores.  While the numbers obviously matter, schools are looking to admit well-rounded people with strong interpersonal skills – and a real desire to attend their particular school.  Ignoring the importance of your resume, recommendations, extracurricular activities and essays means that you will be rejected from schools that you thought were likely targets.  In addition, deciding not to apply to schools that you think are out of your reach, based solely on test scores or grades, means that you risk preemptively taking yourself out of the running at more selective schools that might have been really interested in your candidacy. They highlighted strengths while addressing weaknesses head on – In order to showcase your best assets and minimize concerns, you need to know what the admissions committee is looking for. For example, having international experience, being bilingual or bicultural, being the first person in your family to go to college and working to pay for your education are all exceptionally important assets that enhance your candidacy, and you should share them with the committee.  In addition, if you have some shaky grades or test scores you should address this fact directly.  Instead of just stating that you know that you can handle the work, or ignoring the blemish completely, acknowledge that the committee may have concerns and specifically explain – with evidence -why you know that you can excel. They paid attention to the essays. – The essays matter.  In many cases, essays offer the only opportunity for you to make your case for admission in your own voice.  Take the time to really consider what material you should use to answer the questions.  Make sure that you are truly responding to the question asked, and not just trying to use one or two essays for all of the schools, even if the topics are slightly different.  And take the time to go through multiple drafts, so that the essays are comprehensive and polished. They talked about what they would contribute -It is very important to demonstrate that you will have an impact on the community, and to tell the school exactly how you will participate.  Research your target schools; talk to students, read blogs, visit.  This enables you to say that you want to be part of the health care club, and would love to help organize their annual conference – not just that you will join stuff and make new friends.  You want the schools to picture you on campus, actively contributing, not just going to class.  The most successful candidates talk as much about what they hope to give back to the program as they do about what they hope to gain. They were genuine  – All of North Star’s clients are different, and I encourage them to embrace what makes them unique and what truly matters to them.  Every single one of these early admits told the schools exactly what they wanted to do, in their own voices.  They did not present a sanitized but inauthentic story, even if it seemed like the schools might want to hear a more familiar tale.  This honesty and depth is the single most consistent factor that I can point to when explaining why my clients were admitted, even if their numbers fell well below the school’s averages.  Share the experiences that have shaped you – and the right school will know how lucky they are to have you as part of their community. Karen Marks is the President of North Star Admissions Consulting.  She has more than 12 years of admissions experience, including 5 years as the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth where she was the lead diversity recruiter.  She also served as a Trustee for The Consortium for Graduate School in Management. North Star offers a free 20 minute consultation and a discount for all Consortium clients. Please contact Karen@northstaradmissions.com or call (603) 277-9531 for more information.

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: Special Savings on Lenovo Products for Consortium Members

The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (The Consortium) has partnered with Lenovo to bring cost savings to our constituents. Lenovo strives to be a new world company that makes award-winning PCs.  As the world’s largest PC vendor, Lenovo aims to advance, enhance and extend education at all levels. As a member of The Consortium network, you are eligible to save up to 25% off on Lenovo PCs including laptops, desktops, tablets and accessories.  Members will also enjoy free shipping on all orders. Please visit Lenovo’s website for special savings.

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: 17 Consortium Partners Make DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity

The Consortium’s corporate partners are part of a $25 million annual effort to support diversity in education and business leadership. It is gratifying to see that 17 of them have earned spots among the ”2014 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity.” The companies are rated on four factors: talent pipeline, equitable talent development, CEO/leadership commitment and supplier diversity. Congratulations to: 3. EY 5. PricewaterhouseCoopers 7. Procter & Gamble 9. Johnson & Johnson 10. AT&T 12. Accenture 17. Wells Fargo 20. General Mills 22. Target 23. IBM 25. New York Life 27. Eli Lilly and Company 30. Colgate-Palmolive 35. Kraft Foods Group 36, TIAA-CREF 38. Toyota Motor North America 44. Comcast These companies and our other corporate partners will be sharing their diversity stories and cultures next month in Austin at the 48th Orientation Program & Career Forum for our new Class of 2016, second year students and alumni.  See you there. Anthony Davis Vice President, Development

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: How to Create a Great Resume for your Business School Applications

Many of my clients seek help with their resumes. I am frequently asked about length and formatting, how to modify industry specific resumes for the business school application process and what type of content will impress the admissions committee.  Here is background information and some basic guidelines that will help you submit a resume that enhances your MBA application: 1. Understand why you need a great resume. Schools use your resume to get a quick snapshot of your professional progression and persona.   In many cases this is their first impression of your accomplishments and potential.  Schools assess how you come across to recruiters, your level of seniority and your growth. In addition, schools that conduct blind interviews rely solely on your resume to shape that very important conversation.  Schools also use your resume when deciding whether or not to invite you to events like diversity conferences and other affinity group preview days, which are important opportunities for you to meet the admissions team and to explore each school’s culture. 2. Appearances matter. Please do not use font smaller than 11 point, pink paper or other creative touches.  The focus needs to remain on you and your accomplishments.  Furthermore, unless you have been out of college for more than 5 years try to stay on one page – and even then, one page is often more effective than two.  Under no circumstances should you submit a three-page resume. 3. Be Clear and Concise. It is very important to make your resume clear and easily      understandable, even to people who do not work at your company or in your field.  Be sure to avoid jargon and overly technical terms – you want the reader to get a complete picture of what you do, not to feel overwhelmed by unfamiliar metrics and phrases.  I also recommend eliminating extraneous information and overly cumbersome sentences. 4. Start with your most important accomplishments. Within each position, list your most impressive accomplishment first, and then go down in descending order.  If you want schools to know that you led a team of 15 people and that this team was recognized as the top performer in your division, mention this first, even if it is not the most recent thing that you did while in this position. 5. Quantify everything that you can. To the extent possible, you should quantify your contributions so that the committee understands the scope of your organizational impact.  This is possible even in non-traditional fields, or if the exact dollar amount or accomplishment is proprietary.  For instance, you can say that you exceeded your revenue targets or that you increased sales or efficiency or client satisfaction by x%.  6. Consider your overall candidacy. Think carefully about the professional story that you are telling in your application.  Do you want to switch careers or advance within your field, and how has your past experience prepared you for this?  Have you had 10 jobs in 5 years and might this raise some flags for the committee?  Conversely, have you had the same job at the same firm for a long time without progressing? It is important to highlight your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses, so construct your resume to demonstrate continuity, progression and transferable skills in a way that is congruent with the rest of your application. Karen Marks is the President of North Star Admissions Consulting.  She has more than 12 years of admissions experience, including 5 years as the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth where she was the lead diversity recruiter.  She also served as a Trustee for The Consortium for Graduate School in Management. North Star offers a free 20 minute consultation and a discount for all Consortium clients. Please contact Karen@northstaradmissions.com or call (603) 277-9531 for more information.

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: UpClose 2014 – Michigan Ross announces annual Diversity Weekend dates

The Black Business Students Association and the Ross Hispanic Business Student Association at the Ross School of Business are partnering with the Office of Admissions to invite you to UpClose 2014. October 10 – October 11, 2014. This diversity recruitment event gives prospective full-time MBA students the opportunity to experience Ross “up close.” At Ross, we believe that a broad-based, diverse community is essential to the character of our school, to the education and leadership development of our students, and to the contribution we make to business and society through our graduates. UpClose is an integral part of our continuing efforts to enroll a diverse student body.  It is open to applicants of any race or ethnicity with an interest in improving the representation of minorities in business schools and management.  The UpClose agenda includes: ● Current student panel ● Career development workshop ● Tips on applying to Ross ● Social Events Applications to attend the event are due by September 5, 2014. All applicants will be notified of their status by September 5, 2014. Click here to begin your application.  Feel free to contact Bryan L. Johnson, Consortium Admissions Liaison, for more information at: Phone: 734-763-8647 Email: Bryanlj@umich.edu

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: Creating a New CGSM Online Account via the Alumni Registration Link

First Steps in the new CGSM Online – Creating a New Profile After clicking the registration link in the welcome e-mail, creating a new profile involves three steps: Entering Contact Information Updating Profile Uploading Résumé or Creating a Professional Summary Entering Contact Information While basic information was transferred from our previous system, please review all information carefully to ensure that it accurately reflects your current situation. All fields marked with a red asterisk are required fields and must be completed prior to saving contact information. Once all contact information has been reviewed and updated, select “Save” to continue to the next step. Updating Profile The next step is to update the detailed profile questions. It is important to review all existing profile responses to make sure that they accurately reflect current circumstances, as well as add new information to existing profile information. Employers use these responses when searching the database for potential hiring. In addition, this information will be used by alumni when searching the directory to connect with fellow Consortium members. Please remember to include “Most Recent Employer” information. Once the profile questions have been answered, click “Save” to return to the “Candidate Registration” page. Upload Resume/CV or Create Professional Summary Alumni have the choice between uploading a current résumé or completing a professional summary containing educational experience and employment history. This is the final required step in creating a profile and gaining access to our new system. To Upload a Résumé Under Step 3 select “Upload resume/CV. Please use the following naming convention: Firstname_Lastname_Classyear. Once the file and document title have been completed, select “Upload” to complete the process. Your profile is now complete and you have full access to our new CGSM Online. Profile information may be update as often as necessary simply by logging in to your account. Professional Summary Alternatively alumni may complete an interactive survey to create a professional summary in place of a formal résumé. Follow the system prompts to create an executive summary, as well as education and work experience. Select the “Finalize” tab and then “View and Finalize” to review. Select “Continue” on the “View Resume” screen to accept the summary. After the summary has been accepted the final step is to review the “Your Summary” page and select “Continue” to complete the process. You now have access to the new CGSM Online.

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: Searching for Jobs in the New CGSM Online

Searching for Jobs in the New CGSM Online Start job searches on the Dashboard. Select “Search Now” in the Job Opportunities pane to be directed to the search page. The search page displays all currently listed jobs, including positions for first and second-year students, recent graduates, and alumni, sorted by posting date. To narrow the results select either a simple or advanced search. Simple searches are entered in the “Search” field and are a good way to look for jobs by company name or to search for a specific posting by name. Start with a simple search to produce the broadest results and avoid missing potential opportunities. Selecting “Advanced Search” allows candidates to then further refine the criteria to narrow the results. Select “Results” after the desired parameters are entered to view the results in list format. From the job list select the title of the desired position to view additional details and potentially apply for the position. In addition to search and application functions, MBA Focus offers several career center enhancements not available in the previous version of CGSM Online: Searches may be saved to run again from the dashboard Saved searches may be turned into automated agents that will create a dashboard notification or send an e-mail reminder any time a job matching the selected criteria is posted Jobs may be tagged as already viewed or hotlisted to save time during future searches

Hi everyone and congratulations on being part of the consortium. I'm probably going to apply for matriculation in 2016 and I'm wondering about what you guys would do differently in trying to find the best fit. It looks like currently you rank the schools (up to 6) before you apply and have a chance to interview. I think I have an idea which schools I'd like to apply to based on where they place people. How did you guys decide your rankings before you even attended interviews. I mean I might think I want 1)Haas 2)Anderson 3)Tuck 4)Stern but then after interviewing I might completely change my mind and think Darden is for me.

I have a while before I apply and I travel a bit for work so I'd like to go to most of the schools on the list over the next year or two but I probably won't make it to all the schools I'd like to apply to until I interview so how do you make an informed decision about ranking schools before applying?

It also seems from this and last year's posts that some schools will ding you if you rank them lowly. If that's the case I can think of ways to game the system but what I'd prefer is to rank schools after I've interviewed rather than before so I'm making the best decision for me and the school.

Thanks for your advice and congratulations again.

There's no easy answer to your question. Your opinions about schools will likely change as you go through the process. Mine definitely did. I recommend trying to visit schools before your interview. Visiting will strengthen your application. This isn't just limited to consortium rankings.
Also, Tuck has open interviews, so you can interview before submitting any apps.

Posted from my mobile device

FROM The Consortium Admissions Blog: Connecting with Fellow Alumni

Searching for Fellow Consortium Alumni in the New CGSM Online As in our previous system, alumni are able to connect we each other via CGSM Online. Start at the Dashboard to begin the search. From the Dashboard click “Membership Directory” to be taken to the search page. To conduct a basic search enter the individual’s first and last name and select “Search.” This will present a list of individuals matching the selected criteria. This may be further refined by selecting the “Class Year,” “Primary Chapter,” or “Chapter Leader” filters. In addition, in-depth searches may be completed by selecting “Advance Search.” Once the desired individual has been located, select the individual’s name to be taken to the “Resume Book” view. From this view the person’s resume and profile information may be viewed. In addition, the system offers the option to send an e-mail in the “Action” pane on the right-hand side of the profile screen. Members who do not want to participate in the Membership Directory may opt-out on the “Detailed Profile” page by selecting “No” in the “Membership Directory” field. This information may be updated at any time if an individual wishes to be included in the directory at a future date.

I just scored 660 on the GMAT. Time to fill out some applications!

For those of you that already took the GMAT - did you find the Consortium code in the drop down to report your scores or did yo have to memorize it/ send it later?

Hi,

I'm applying this year to The Consortium. My list is: Tepper, Ross, Goizueta, Tuck, Stern, and Yale. Any advice on the consortium ranking and how sensitive schools are not being listed #1?

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 flying around that applying to one (or more) of the 18 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, the schools, and the corporate partners have changed over its 49-year history, the Consortium is not only the best deal in town; it also gives Consortium members an alumni network that expands throughout the 18-member schools.

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 on the Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger cases, the Consortium opened up its doors to offer membership to selected applicants that further the mission of The Consortium in providing inclusion of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in business.  Members and fellows do not have to belong to these groups. Thus, membership is no longer race-based, but rather mission driven.  Applicants must also demonstrate the ability to succeed in an MBA program.

Like the undergraduate Common Application, candidates can apply to up to 6 Consortium schools with only one application for a fraction of the cost the candidate would incur applying to each of these schools separately.  The catch:  the candidate must rank order the schools.  Having just attending a Consortium recruiting event, the Admissions representatives on the panel suggested that candidates rank order the schools from the most preferred to the least preferred.  However, in order to obtain a fellowship, I believe there is a strategy involved in the ranking.

To be sure, Consortium membership assures the candidate of access to the orientation and corporate partners.  In fact, many candidates receive internship offers prior to the start of school.   Membership, however, does not guarantee admission to the schools of choice, nor does it guarantee a full-tuition fellowship.

To summarize the benefits:
1. One application for up to six schools at one low cost.

2. Access to vast alumni network of 18 schools that includes mentorship from Consortium alumni (formal or informal).

3. If selected as a member, access to corporate sponsors at orientation

4. If selected as a fellow, full tuition and stipend

To learn more about applying through the Consortium and the strategy behind the rank order, please contact me for a free consultation.  Moreover, Accepted will offer Consortium applicants a special coupon code for 10% off all purchases of $2000 or more for services to help you apply through the Consortium. The best deal in town just got even better.




By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, an accomplished Accepted.com consultant/editor (since 2008) and entrepreneur. Natalie is a former MBA Admissions Dean and Director at Ross, Johnson, and Carey.

 

Related Resources:
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid In Your MBA Application Essays [Free Guide]
• The Consortium: Diversifying B-School and Corporate Management [Podcast]
• Approaching the Diversity Essay Question

This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com, the official blog of Accepted.com.

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