{"id":30092,"date":"2015-08-15T19:53:41","date_gmt":"2015-08-16T02:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=30092"},"modified":"2023-10-25T08:17:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T15:17:38","slug":"an-interview-with-our-own-michelle-stockman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/an-interview-with-our-own-michelle-stockman\/","title":{"rendered":"An Interview With Our Own: Michelle Stockman"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/i>Curious about the life and times of our spectacular admissions consultants? Please enjoy our newest blog series in which we interview the fabulous people who make up the Accepted.com staff. Next up is\u2026Michelle Stockman<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Accepted: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? Do you hold any graduate degrees? What's your favorite non-school\/non-work book?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle:<\/strong> I studied at Brigham Young University for my undergrad and majored in history. A few years later, I earned a Masters in Science in Journalism from the Columbia Journalism School in New York City.<\/p>\n

As a history nut, I love reading non-fiction. My favorite recent read is Empire of the Summer Moon<\/i> \u2013 a fascinating, poignant look at the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Native American tribe in the United States. It illuminates a violent chapter in American history that featured new military technology as the Comanche rose to prominence largely through their prowess as fierce warriors.<\/p>\n

Accepted: What was your journey like \u2013 from NY, all the way out west, and then back to NY? Was NYC your final destination? Where do you currently reside?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle:<\/strong> My connection to the American West dates back to my childhood. My father is from Salt Lake City, and we would drive cross-country from New York to Utah every other summer to visit my grandmother. Nestled amongst the Rocky Mountains during college, I had the opportunity to quench both my intellectual curiosity and thirst for outdoor adventure. Ultimately, my penchant for storytelling drew me back east, at first to New York City. Eight million people \u2013 so many stories to capture. As a video journalist, I covered everything from rooftop bee keepers to the attempted Times Square bombing. I went on to work for a French media company \u2013 Agence France Presse \u2013 where I covered events at the White House and met nearly all the candidates on the 2012 Presidential campaign trail. Next I moved to Islamabad, Pakistan where I linked up with CNN for occasional presenting work and also returned to admissions consulting. Just a month ago, I relocated to Berlin where I will be living for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

Accepted: Can you map your path towards becoming an admissions consultant for Accepted?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle:<\/strong> When I first moved to New York, I got a job coordinating interviews and reading applications at the Columbia Business School<\/a> Admissions Office. I gained an insider view of the admissions process, and decided to combine my experience with the writing and editing skills I honed in journalism school by joining\u00a0Accepted.com\u00a0in 2007.<\/p>\n

Accepted: What's your favorite thing about consulting?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle:<\/strong> Of course, I love the \"I got in!\" emails<\/a> from my clients. But there's so much ground work that we've laid together before that moment. I love when clients start to \"get\" the process. They realize that my coaching is improving their message. Then they catch on themselves, and surprise me, within a matter of weeks, how much more concise their writing and interviewing skills have become.<\/p>\n

Accepted: How do you think your journalism skills contribute to your work as a consultant?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle:<\/strong> Messenger + Target Audience + Content = Persuasion.<\/p>\n

That's the formula I learned as a journalist.<\/p>\n

If my applicants tell the truth, then they are a trusted messenger. But will the admissions committee listen if that truth doesn't resonate? If it's just a bunch of boasts and industry jargon? I know how to choose and tell stories that signal leadership and transformation. I also have an inside understanding of my applicants' target audience: the admissions committee.<\/p>\n

Finally, journalists always have limited space<\/a> to tell their stories \u2013 one of the toughest hurdles to overcome when putting together an MBA application. I can edit like a champ!<\/p>\n

Accepted: What sorts of applicants do you mostly work with?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle: <\/strong>I generally work with MBA and graduate school applicants.<\/p>\n

Accepted: What are your top 3 admissions tips?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michelle: <\/strong><\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> This process is as much relationship driven, as it is about having a cogent message. Dig into your network and try to create connections to your school of choice.<\/p>\n

2. <\/strong>Make your essays about personal relationships that illustrate a theme.<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong> Start early. The best applications are built on a strong foundation of deep thought.<\/p>\n

Learn more about Michelle and how she can help you get accepted!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"View<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Accepted:<\/a><\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Get Your Game On: Prepping for Your Grad School Application<\/a>\u00a0[Free Guide]
\n\u2022\u00a0MBA Admissions Consulting and Editing Services<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0Graduate School Admissions Consulting and Editing Services<\/a><\/p>\n

This article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a0<\/em>blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Accepted.com<\/a>'s\u00a0<\/em>experienced admissions consultants<\/a>\u00a0can help you create the most impressive application possible with\u00a0<\/em>comprehensive packages<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>or provide targeted assistance from\u00a0<\/em>picking perfect programs<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/em>designing a dazzling resume<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>constructing engaging essays<\/a>, or\u00a0<\/em>preparing for intense interview<\/a>s<\/a>\u2026and more!\u00a0<\/em>Accepted.com<\/a>\u00a0has guided thousands of applicants to acceptances at top programs since 1994 \u2013 we know what works and what doesn't, so\u00a0<\/em>contact us<\/a>\u00a0to get started now!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Curious about the life and times of our spectacular admissions consultants? Please enjoy our newest blog series in which we interview the fabulous people who make up the Accepted.com staff.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,939,775,113,243],"tags":[184,812,1048,90,621,227,18,1883,1280,1896,39,784,370,147,998,12,121],"class_list":["post-30092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-accepted","category-admission-consultants","category-applications","category-blog","tag-admissions-consulting","tag-advice","tag-advice-for-mba-applicants","tag-application-essay","tag-application-essays","tag-application-tips","tag-b-school-application","tag-graduate-school-admissions","tag-how-to-write-an-applications-essay","tag-mba","tag-mba-admissions","tag-mba-admissions-essay","tag-mba-advice","tag-mba-application","tag-mba-application-advice","tag-the-mba-application-process","tag-tips","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t\n