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25 Jan 2019, 06:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Mastering the Harvard Business School Interview |
 Next week, anxious Round 2 candidates to Harvard Business School will receive news of their fate when interview invites go out on January 28th and 31st. In his recent post on the Director’s Blog, admissions head Chad Losee reveals that HBS interviews about 1 in 5 applicants and admits just over half of those candidates. If you can successfully pass the hurdle that is the Harvard Business School interview, your chances of admission skyrocket. What to expect in a Harvard Business School interview Unfortunately, you can’t predict which specific questions will come up during your interview. But, you can expect the types of questions to fall into three broad categories representing your past, present, and future. The interviewer will probe in great depth about your career goals, professional choices, and interest in the MBA program. He or she will be very familiar with your essays — so familiar, in fact, that your interviewer will seem determined to find a “hole” in your story. The anecdotes you share about your past experiences — both successes and failures — will give the interviewer some insight into your self-awareness and maturity. Your story should reveal how you confront life choices, the values and principles that help you negotiate complex situations, your beliefs, and your worldview. Expect to receive a number of questions during your Harvard Business School interview that will help your interviewer gauge how life has tested you, and how you responded to that test. Prepare for probing questions Because your HBS interviewer has already seen your application, many of the questions about past experiences will leverage what he or she knows about you from your essays. Be prepared for specific questions, such as: Why did you make a particular career choice? If there’s a single characteristic that summarizes what the admissions team looks for in successful candidates, it would be leadership potential. Provide concrete examples and tangible evidence that you achieved something important by leading others. Why do you want to go to HBS? Show that you’ve done your homework on the program, whether you’ve interviewed students, alumni, and professors, sat in on classes, or regularly read several student and professor’s blogs. Share how HBS can help you achieve your post-business-school goals. It is also important to give insights on your personal and unique motives for choosing HBS. What books are you reading? Don’t treat this one like a throw-away question. It offers your interviewer more insight into what you value and who you are — provided you present a thoughtful answer. It’s OK to diverge from being all business; in fact, it’s often better to reveal some other interests. Why did you major in Art History (or your particular major)? These sorts of questions provide an opportunity to reveal your motives, thought process, and values. Dress rehearsal is a must Practicing the answers to potential interview questions out loud is actually very different than rehearsing them mentally. Don’t let the interview be the first time you tell your stories out loud. Do a mock interview with a trusted friend, or even alone in front of a mirror. Rehearsing will make you feel calm and come off as more polished during the actual interview, and the conversation will flow in a much more relaxed way. Be prepared to ask questions during your Harvard Business School interview Unlike most other MBA interview formats, not all interviewers give applicants an opportunity to ask questions at the end. However, you should be prepared in case they do. Come armed with a brief list of questions that highlight your knowledge of and interest in the school. If interviewing with an alum, it’s easy to engage in a comfortable conversation about their experience at the school. Don’t panic over the post-interview reflection The “post-interview reflection” has no official word limit and is due within 24 hours of the interview. Former MBA admissions director Dee Leopold likened this assignment to an email follow-up you might send after a meeting. The admissions team wants to know how the interviewee perceives the interview experience. They want to see how you synthesize and digest the exchange. Additionally, the want to determine how well you can communicate without the luxury of extensive rewrites and time to polish your answer. Though the point of this assignment is to demonstrate your ability to think and work quickly, you should plan what you might write about in advance. Before you go into the interview, make a list of three or four aspects of your application you either want to highlight or reinforce in this post-interview reflection. Don’t spend a lot of time writing. While there’s no strict word limit, resist the temptation to recap every point and question. Don’t use this essay to explain every negative moment from the interview. Likewise, don’t overload the reader with information you fear your interview didn’t convey. Again, keep the email model in mind. Corral the diverse points from the interview into a short, readable piece that helps emphasize your strengths. Admissions professionals often say that an MBA interview won’t get you in, but it might keep you out. Remember, HBS admits about half of the candidates it interviews. Use these tips to boost your chances. The post Mastering the Harvard Business School Interview appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
28 Jan 2019, 10:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Financial Times Announces 2019’s Global MBA Ranking |
 By many accounts, 2018 was a rocky year for graduate management education. However, interest in U.S. MBA programs continues to hold strong. Today, the 2019 global MBA ranking announced by the Financial Times shows some volatility among the lower ranked schools. However, the top ten remains firmly entrenched for another year. Once again, Stanford Graduate School of Business takes the top spot. Second-place Harvard Business School performed better this year after coming in 5th in 2018. Meanwhile, China Europe Business School (CEIBS) inched up a few places, from 8th to 5th this year. The FT notes that CEIBS performance in this latest ranking points to the growing strength of MBA providers in the Asia-Pacific region. GMAC has previously revealed applications from the region rose 8.9% in 2018, whereas US demand dropped. The FT ranking is based on 20 different criteria. Salary and salary increase receive the most weight. Combined, it accounts for 40% of the ranking. In addition, the ranking assesses each program’s research output, value for money, international mobility, and more. The 2019 Global MBA Ranking Top Ten Programs
Top school: Stanford GSB Most recommended: Harvard Top European school: INSEAD Top for international mobility: IMD Top for Corporate Social Responsibility: UV Darden School of Business Highest salary increase: Fudan University School of Management Top value for money: University of Florida Warrington Top for international experience: the Lisbon MBA New Methodology Planned for Future Global MBA Rankings The FT also announced it is reviewing its methodology going forward. For the first time this year, it has assessed schools on their CSR activities. Darden School of Business came out on top for focusing a significant amount of its core curriculum on teaching CSR. “We need to consider taking into account other important criteria in our rankings,” writes Isabel Berwick, FT’s new Work & Careers editor. “Our current focus on salary observations largely disregards professionals in the public and charitable sectors, and it does not assess their benefits to society overall. Nor can we mark the true value of entrepreneurship, since those who run start-ups may not take a regular salary for years,” she notes. The mix of countries represented in this year’s Global MBA ranking is similar to 2017 and 2016. In fact, only a few new schools appear on the list. More than half of all ranked programs are in the U.S. Moreover, the gap between the top programs and everyone else appears to be growing. If the trend continues, we’ll likely see only a reshuffling at the top as a result. As FT’s Jonathan Moules writes, “That so few new schools made it on to this year’s ranking could be seen as a sign that the market for campus MBAs is reaching a point of maturity, where the gap between the top schools and the rest mean that the barriers to entry have become too high for others to gain a foothold. “This is bad news for those schools not on this year’s ranking. It is they, rather than the top schools, highlighted here in the rankings table, that face the greatest struggle to adapt to changes in the business education market.” The post Financial Times Announces 2019’s Global MBA Ranking appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
30 Jan 2019, 14:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Should You Try to Negotiate a Merit Scholarship? |
 Landing a seat at the MBA program of your dreams is a major accomplishment. It makes all of those months of application preparation (and worrying) all worth it. If you’ve also received a merit scholarship, good on you! When you suddenly find yourself with a financial incentive to attend a certain school, you’ll understandably feel honored and overjoyed at your good fortune. However, if you’ve received more than one offer of admission, this unexpected twist can often make your ultimate decision that much harder. Here’s something such lucky future students often forget: you can try to negotiate merit scholarships. Maybe you received drastically different scholarship amounts for two or more programs. Or, perhaps you received a financial award for one school but nothing for another. No matter the case, why not contact the AdCom and explain your situation? This should go without saying, but we wouldn’t recommend naming the competing institution, sharing your offer letter or making demands. Rather, simply reach out to the admissions office. Reiterate your deep interest in attending their program, and then ask if they would consider increasing their merit scholarship offer (or any scholarship amount) because you now have another offer of acceptance and financial incentive on the table. This is one of those rare situations in life where—if handled professionally, of course—you really have nothing to lose. *** Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. The post Should You Try to Negotiate a Merit Scholarship? appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
01 Feb 2019, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: the Blacklight: Your New Go-To Source for Career Hacks and Life Inspo |
 No matter what stage of life or career you find yourself, everyone can use a few hacks to work smarter in today’s hyper-paced world. Enter the Blacklight from Stacy Blackman Consulting. This new newsletter has you covered with productivity insights and off-beat tech and business news. Plus, we’ll share tips for how to deal with common perils of the modern workplace. Want to know the real secret sauce for succeeding at anything? Which European country you should visit if you need a creativity boost? Why working with a jerk is actually a good thing? Whether robots will take all our jobs?  The Blacklight aims to illuminate with every dispatch that lands in your inbox. If you’re thirsty for guidance to help you slay it at work or as a student and move your career goal posts a wee bit closer, sign up today. Your weekly injection of savvy career/life advice awaits. The post the Blacklight: Your New Go-To Source for Career Hacks and Life Inspo appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
01 Feb 2019, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Francesca Cornelli Named Dean of Kellogg School of Management |
 Francesca Cornelli’s term as dean of Kellogg School of Management will begin Aug. 1, 2019. Kellogg School of Management has a new dean, and her name is Francesca Cornelli. Professor Cornelli is currently a professor of finance, deputy dean of degree education, and director of private equity at London Business School. Cornelli’s term begins August 1, 2019. She succeeds Sally Blount, who served as dean from 2010-18. In a statement announcing the appointment, Northwestern President Morton Schapiro lauded Cornelli’s scholarly accomplishments and role as a leader in business education. “She’s uniquely suited to take our Kellogg School to the next level — and to continue building a genuinely global model for business education and scholarship,” he said. As Poets & Quants points out in their coverage of this story, with this appointment, Kellogg has become the only major business school in the world to have two back-to-back female deans. “The Italian-born, 56-year-old Cornelli has broken barriers before,” P&Q notes. “She is the first woman to become a full professor at London Business School and one of the relatively few female scholars in one of the more male-dominated business disciplines of finance.” A new dean with extensive experience in finance Cornelli joined London Business School 25 years ago and has held positions or taught at some of the top business schools in the world. This list includes the Wharton School, the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, The London School of Economics, the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and the New Economic School in Moscow. Her research interests include corporate governance, private equity, privatization, bankruptcy, IPOs and innovation policy. “I have always admired Kellogg as a school full of ideas, of creativity and innovation. I am very excited and honored to join a community of such talented people. I know that together we can continue raising the bar while staying true to the Kellogg spirit,” Cornelli said in the school’s announcement. Cornelli received her bachelor’s degree from Università Commerciale Bocconi in Milan, Italy. She earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. “She is an exceptional leader and talented scholar who is committed to fostering excellence for faculty, staff and students,” said Provost Jonathan Holloway. “Her enthusiasm for Kellogg, proven track record of collaboration and clear-eyed focus on the future made her the obvious choice.” “I’m thrilled that Francesca Cornelli will be the next dean of Kellogg.” The post Francesca Cornelli Named Dean of Kellogg School of Management appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
06 Feb 2019, 07:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stay On Track with SBC’s Top Ten Blog Posts-February 2019 Edition |
 Wondering which blog posts do this year’s crop of MBA applicants visit the most on the Stacy Blackman Consulting site? We were, too! Thanks to modern technology—AKA Google analytics—you now have the news you need right at your fingertips. Without further ado… SBC’s Top Ten Most-Visited Blog Posts Harvard Business School 2018-2019 MBA Essay Tips The most challenging part of the HBS essay is remaining disciplined. Who is Harvard looking for? The admissions committee writes that “Habit of Leadership, Analytical Aptitude and Appetite, and Engaged Community Citizenship” are the common characteristics of a successful applicant. US News Releases 2019 Best B-Schools Ranking When U.S. News & World Report announced its ranking of the 2019 Best Graduate Schools, the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business moved up this year to tie with Harvard Business School for the No. 1 spot among full-time MBA programs for the first time in the history of the U.S. News ranking. Stanford Graduate School of Business 2018-2019 MBA Essay Tips Stanford is one of the top MBA programs in the world, and many candidates are intimidated to apply. Here at Stacy Blackman Consulting we have worked with hundreds of applicants over the years who have successfully gained admission to Stanford, and before tackling these essays it may be useful to read about some of our successful applicants. Successful Reapplicant to Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB For many rejected MBA candidates, having to wait another year to start business school feels like pure agony. When we met Ed Redden last year, he had submitted six failed applications, but the rejections from Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business in particular made him question whether he should even try to apply again. The Wharton School 2018-2019 MBA Essay Tips Wharton is seeking to understand who you are and what motivates you in this set of essays. Beyond your credentials and experience, will you fit in with the Wharton community? How will you contribute? Wharton values diversity and teamwork, and wants a class that will work well with each other. Stanford GSB Leads in QS 2019 Global MBA Ranking Rankings dynamo Stanford Graduate School of Business once again grabs the brass ring, landing the top spot in the QS Global MBA Ranking by business school analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds. 2018-2019 MBA Application Deadlines Find all of the MBA application deadlines for the 2018-2019 admissions season in one convenient location. INSEAD Fall 2019 MBA Essay Questions Top European business school INSEAD has several required job and motivation essays within its application. Find out what the admissions team wants to learn about you in this year’s application. How to Address Weaknesses, Strengths as an MBA Applicant Almost every MBA application asks some version of the strengths-and-weaknesses question, either as part of an essay or as a question for your recommenders. Understandably, applicants dread the thought of discussing anything negative within their application. But admissions committees specifically ask you to reveal your weaknesses to assess your fit with the program. Career Goals If you’re wondering the best way to frame your career goals in your business school application, don’t miss this section. We have numerous posts that will help you crystallize your goals and present them in a way that will create a memorable impression on the admissions committee. *** In June, we’ll be back to update you again with the latest Top Ten most-visited blog posts as we launch into summer. Until then, good luck as you map out your MBA application strategy! The post Stay On Track with SBC’s Top Ten Blog Posts-February 2019 Edition appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
08 Feb 2019, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: What to Think about as You Begin the MBA Application Journey |
 As a prospective student, you’ll benefit enormously from taking time at the beginning of your MBA application journey to contemplate the path you’re about to take. This is a great time to ask yourself some critical questions. Self-evaluation and reflection are crucial. Set aside some time for heavy thinking before you start writing your essays. This will prepare you for a solid and strategic application. What are your career goals? As you contemplate applying to MBA programs, the very first step in your self-evaluation process is to consider where you want to be in your career. Ask yourself what you would do if you didn’t need to work for money and what your core values are. If your career goals are not immediately revealed, ask your friends and family what they see you doing. This process should reveal good ideas and a spark of passion for your career path. Do you work in a field where MBAs are not traditionally required? You may still benefit from the degree. Especially if your career goals include rising to senior management within your company or starting your own company. As a first step, look around at the people you most admire and want to be like within your target company or industry. Read their bios to see their skill set and educational background. Talking to people who are pursuing your target career, at any level, is also a great way to understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Harvard Business Review has a helpful article on the subject: A Simple Way to Map Out your Career Ambitions. Why do you want an MBA? While an MBA is a great experience, ultimately it’s a tool to advance your professional aims. The degree is highly focused on practical business applications, not intellectual curiosity. Preferably when you answer the question of your career goals it will be clear why an MBA is the right degree for you. If your career path doesn’t immediately reveal the need for an MBA, yet you know you want one, you may want to delve into your motivations. Consider your expectations for the degree and critically evaluate whether your hopes match the reality of an MBA program. Do you know any current MBA students or alumni? Sounding them out is a great way to start your research and make sure you are committed to the MBA application journey. Is an MBA the right degree for you? Evaluating your professional goals might reveal that a different type of graduate degree would be useful. Those interested in finance might also consider a master’s in finance. This degree typically prepares students more specifically for a career in corporate finance, financial analysis or investment management. That degree may prepare you to be the chief financial officer of a company, but may not be the ideal degree for a general manager or CEO. Are you interested in public policy work or managing in the nonprofit sector? You might look into a law degree, a master’s in public policy or master’s in public administration. On top of those options, you could pursue a joint JD/MBA or a joint MPP/MBA or MPA/MBA. Any one of these degrees can help you achieve your goals. But you may want to consider the environment of each school. Think about the academic focus, the time you will spend pursuing the degree and what works best for you personally. Are you competitive in the MBA applicant pool? As you think about entering an MBA program, you should be aware of the competitive pool of candidates who apply every year. Evaluate yourself against successful candidates to the schools you are considering. Find out what is the mean GMAT and GPA for a successful applicant to your target programs. Finally, there’s still hope if your “numbers” are much lower than the mean at your dream schools. You may want to consider taking classes to build an alternative transcript or retaking the GMAT. No candidate is perfect. But minimizing any red flags in your application will ensure that you have a strong chance at admission. The post What to Think about as You Begin the MBA Application Journey appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
13 Feb 2019, 12:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Challenges Facing Older MBA Applicants |
 We’ve seen online forum posts that say there’s “no chance” of admission to a top b-school past a certain age. Certainly, older MBA applicants do face certain obstacles. But these applicants get into the top programs every year. If you know an MBA will advance your career, you can and should apply! When contemplating business school in your mid-30s and beyond, the key is showing how you’ve progressed professionally, and what you’ve contributed on the job. As I recently shared with Seb Murray over at Find MBA, admissions officers are less concerned about chronological age than they are about leadership experience. A 38-year-old candidate who has spent more than a decade in the same position without showing progression will have a hard time getting into a top MBA program. This is not because of age. Rather, it is because the candidate may not have demonstrated growth during that time. If you’re applying to an elite school like Harvard, which values great leadership, you should’ve already developed terrific leadership skills. Many people with great leadership skills have achieved a lot by the time they near 40. By this point, they’re not interested in going back to school. Proving that you are a strong and accomplished 40-year-old leader, and balancing that with the fact that you want to improve in order to get to the next step, is tough to pull off. That said, “old” people are admitted every season! If they can demonstrate great achievement balanced with a legitimate need or desire to return to school, then they stand a decent chance. The downside of going to b-school mid-career There is one major drawback to pursuing an MBA as an older candidate: opportunity cost. Mid-career professionals generally have larger salaries than younger applicants. Sacrificing that income for up to two years to do a full-time MBA might not be feasible in many circumstances. Also, consider whether you might learn better from a more seasoned peer group of professionals. Getting an EMBA is a great option for older candidates. Many schools offer part-time programs for professionals who plan to continue working while studying. SBC Client Case Study When we worked with Claudine, she was in her late-30s and held an executive-level position in finance at a large consumer products company. She had reached a career plateau in her firm and wanted to obtain an MBA to take her to the next level, but any of the three format options could help her achieve her goals. She felt excited by the range of social and extracurricular activities available in a full-time MBA program. But, Claudine had an extremely demanding family life with two small children. She didn’t think she could take advantage of the many social activities most full-time MBA students participate in. Ultimately, her desire for a flexible way to expand her skills and tap into the network available from a strong program led Claudine to look most closely at an executive MBA. She ended up having great success at the joint EMBA program between UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and Columbia Business School. To read more about the trend of older professionals turning toward the MBA, follow the Find MBA link above. And know that your age should never be the sole deciding factor of whether to apply to business school. The post Challenges Facing Older MBA Applicants appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
14 Feb 2019, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: My Round 3 Success Story |
Guest post by Hannah Lauber, a second-year MBA student at Fuqua School of Business. They say that if you can’t apply to business school by Round 2—and you aren’t a unicorn—then wait until next year. While I intended to submit in Round 2, when I went to apply in early January I still didn’t have the GMAT score I wanted. Also, I didn’t feel all the pieces of my application had fallen into place. I didn’t want to take a chance by submitting an application I felt uneasy about. But I also knew I was ready for business school and committed to joining the Class of 2019. I decided to wait and apply in the third round, when I felt my application would be the strongest. I knew acceptance in Round 3 could prove more difficult from a numbers perspective. So I tried to show my enthusiasm for my top school – Duke’s Fuqua School of Business – in myriad ways. I visited campus and sat in on a class. I also made a point of connecting with current students. I learned everything I could about Fuqua’s academic offerings, culture, and extracurricular programs. I also gave much thought to how I could contribute to the community. Then, I fit as many of those details as possible into my application essays. Leaving no doubts about why I waited until the third round I wanted the Admissions Committee to know I hadn’t procrastinated until the last moment. To convey that, I used the optional essay to explain why applying in the third round made the most sense for me. I knew I wouldn’t have much time to rebound if I didn’t get good news. So, I started to plan out how I could make my application stronger in case I had to re-apply in the fall. Getting the call from the Admissions Office was incredibly exciting—truly one of the best days of my life. But, reality soon set in when I realized I had only a few months to find an apartment in Durham, finish projects at my job, pack up my life, and get ready to attend classes for the first time in five years. Despite my best efforts, the timeline still felt a little crunched. My takeaways from this process? First, it’s vital to apply when you have the strongest possible application. You must also show genuine interest in the school through your application essays. I’m so happy I applied when I did. Going to Fuqua is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. My acceptance in Round 3 meant I could go to business school when I was ready. If you apply in Round 3, it’s important to stay realistic about your chances. Plan for how to move forward if things don’t go your way. Finally, prepare to uproot yourself on short notice. The first year of business school is intense. Make sure you give yourself time to prepare mentally for going back to school. Once you get to Fuqua, an oft-repeated mantra is that the experience is what you make it. The application process should be the same. Fuqua’s third round is coming up The Round 3 application deadline at Fuqua School of Business is March 20. Shari Hubert, director of admissions, wants applicants to know that they still have spots available—and merit-based scholarships, too. For more thoughts on your third round admissions odds, read 4 Myths About Applying to Fuqua in Round 3 on the Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog. Image courtesy of Hannah Lauber The post My Round 3 Success Story appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
19 Feb 2019, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: How They See You: Tips for Building Your Strongest Candidacy |
 Are you planning on applying to business school in the upcoming admissions season? If so, you may wonder whether there is anything you can do to bolster your MBA candidacy in such a short amount of time. The good news is, you can take action in several areas right now that will pay dividends in the fall. But where should you focus your energies to create the strongest candidacy possible? To find out, sign up for this webinar coming up on March 7th, at 2 p.m. EST. I’m teaming up with the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University to share my best insider tips for building your strongest candidacy. The spring and summer months can be very fruitful both for your personal development and for improving your business school application—or, more precisely, for strengthening your MBA candidacy. With a little advanced planning and a commitment of just a few hours a week, applicants can do a great deal to enhance their profile before that final rush of the fall and winter. Register today to save your spot and come away with actionable advice for building your strongest candidacy possible! The post How They See You: Tips for Building Your Strongest Candidacy appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
21 Feb 2019, 13:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Don’t Share Those Updates on Your Candidacy |
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As you wait to hear back from programs after submitting your MBA applications, it’s normal to have a moment of panic—either immediately, or at some point a little later on. You’ve agonized over your materials for months. Now, you just want to know where you’re going to end up already! When that moment of panic hits, try to remind yourself that you pulled together the absolute best set of materials that you could. Everyone feels extremely anxious in the weeks between due dates and interview invitations. If there’s anything you can do to keep your mind off of “The Wait”—do it. What you shouldn’t do, however, is contact the school with “updates” on your candidacy. Deadlines exist for a reason. Imagine if each of the thousands of hopefuls kept emailing and calling their dream programs after submitting their materials. The admissions committee would never have time to actually read through those applications and make decisions! The best thing you can do is sit tight and let them do their jobs. When “What if…” Strikes “But what if I just got an unexpected promotion?” you might say. “What if I just singlehandedly brought in $2 million of new business to my firm?” “What if I was let go two days after the deadline?” “What if I finally got to visit campus and sit in on a class and now there’s so much more I have to say about why this program’s the best fit for me?” We’ve heard every type of scenario, but the reality is that it’s extremely rare for anything to happen to someone post-deadline (personally or professionally) that would actually change the adcom’s ultimate decision on his or her candidacy. They’re judging your fit with their program based on a lot of different factors—one new accomplishment probably wouldn’t be enough to sway their decision. So please, resist the urge to call or email the admissions office after you’ve submitted your materials. Instead, plan to share any exciting updates with them during your interview. And try not to stress out in the meantime. Remember:  Until next time, The team at Stacy Blackman Consulting p.s.: If you’ve been waitlisted, the rules change a bit. Read my blog post in US News & World Report on the do’s and don’ts for communicating as a waitlisted MBA applicant. *** Do you want to stay on top of the application process with timely tips like these? Please subscribe to our weekly newsletter and you’ll receive our expert advice straight in your mailbox before it appears on the blog, plus special offers, promotions, discounts, invitations to events, and more. The post Don’t Share Those Updates on Your Candidacy appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
25 Feb 2019, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Applying to B-School in the Fall? Our Advice for Career Switchers |
 Are you looking to gain the skills and network to launch your career in a new direction? These days, few people stay with one company or even on one job track throughout their entire professional life. So-called career switchers can use the MBA degree to develop connections for future employment. It can also expand international job opportunities. And then there’s the potential for long-term income and financial stability. Advice for career switchers from non-traditional backgrounds The 2019-2020 application season is ramping up soon. Does your undergraduate degree or work experience fall into the nontraditional category? Then make sure you clearly convey your long-term career goals within your application and essays. Explain in detail how you arrived at the conclusion that an MBA would help you further your professional aspirations. Business school demands a huge investment of your time, energy, and finances. Make an airtight case to the admissions committee for why you want to go into this new field. Show that you know what the industry requires, the challenges you expect to face, and convey all previous experiences that demonstrate you have the transferable skills to make this switch. Emphasize aspects of your work experience that relate more closely to the new career path you wish to follow. If necessary, take additional college-level math courses to demonstrate your quant proficiency. Or, call attention to extracurricular activities that clearly support your career shift. Career switchers should maximize their time at b-school Once you’re in business school, you have the opportunity to see how you fit in that new industry through coursework, student groups, internships, or networking with alumni. Self reflection and exploration are key components of the MBA experience. Students have a chance to sample various fields and functions without making any firm commitments. Embarking on a new career path with a freshly minted MBA tucked under your arm isn’t just about new knowledge acquired in the classroom. It’s about leveraging your existing experience with enhanced skills, and even more so, it’s about making the most of personal relationships. All of the people, classes, activities, etc. in an MBA program will catapult you into a whole new sphere. You may come out with completely new ideas that help facilitate career change in ways you would not have thought of before. *** You can read more about career switching in this great story on the Forte 360 Blog, Not Your Parents Job Market: How to Stay Relevant and Reinvent Your Career. The post Applying to B-School in the Fall? Our Advice for Career Switchers appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
27 Feb 2019, 07:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: How to Rock the Video Statement in Your MBA Application |
 An increasing number of MBA applications now include the use of an online video statement, where you must either introduce yourself to future classmates, or record responses to one or more short-answer prompts, before your application is considered complete. Why do schools add this extra step? These videos help the admissions team make better decisions about which candidates are the strongest match with the program. Plus, it can help identify applicants who, while not quite as strong on paper, may actually be the diamonds in the rough that enrich the learning experience for all. The new format also strengthens the written essays by demonstrating the candidate’s verbal/visual communication skills. The adcom has seen what you have going for you on paper. A video interview can give them a better sense of your personality. It can also help them judge whether or not the “real you” matches the impression you’ve built through your other materials. This potentially awkward format requires you to think on your feet and record your answer to a question (or questions) while speaking into your computer screen. It’s a new format for many and one that requires some rehearsal in order to become comfortable conversing with a computer screen. Don’t let the video statement stress you out If you have an upcoming video interview or statement for schools including INSEAD, Yale SOM, Michigan Ross or Wharton, practice is essential to success. Unfortunately, video statements and essays can be a source of major stress for already-anxious prospective students. But here’s some good news: the reality is that it’s unlikely you will totally bomb your statement or essay answers. Just make sure you understand what your program’s video “rules” are before you start the camera rolling. Here are some video-specific tips, some of which we recently shared with Find MBA:
SBC can help you make a great impression with your video statement Stacy Blackman Consulting has an online video platform that grants you unlimited practice doing exactly this. You can answer from a wide menu of questions, record yourself, watch and assess, tweak and try again. Invest just 30 minutes a night. You’ll reap the benefits of increased comfort level and more articulate answers when you have your live interview. You can even choose an interview to submit to the SBC team for review and professional written feedback. Set yourself up for success with this small investment and rock your video interviews. Purchase your package here today. The post How to Rock the Video Statement in Your MBA Application appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
01 Mar 2019, 07:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: What Does the AdComm Really Think About Round 3? |
 Round 3 deadlines are nearly upon us, and while the final round is the biggest gamble of the application cycle, schools have that round for a reason and use it to admit those stellar students that add something really special to their classes. Special meaning unusual work experience, substantial community service, a diverse background, compelling leadership examples, unique or uncommon interests outside of business or entrepreneurial success of some sort. Here’s a sampling of reactions from the admissions teams at well-ranked MBA programs on whether Round 3 really is a viable option for applicants. Yale School of Management “I often get asked if it makes sense to apply in Round 3,” says Assistant Dean for Admissions Bruce DelMonico in this recent blog post. “While it is consistently our smallest round, we do still receive very strong applicants who end up gaining admission and becoming strong contributors to our community.” DelMonico echoes advice we tell our clients: only apply when your application is as strong as possible. You must feel ready to take on the rigors of an elite MBA program. Make sure you’re crystal clear on why the degree makes sense for you professionally and personally. He also reminds those who apply in the final round that they must be ready to begin their MBA just a few months after receiving an offer of admission. In other words, get ready to uproot everything with little time to spare. With that said, “If you apply Round 3 and your decision is not favorable, no harm done. We encourage those students to refine their applications and reapply the next year,” DelMonico explains. The round three deadline at Yale SOM is coming up on April 16, 2019. Duke Fuqua School of Business Fuqua is on a mission to dispel some of the most persistent misconceptions about applying in round three. In fact, we recently featured one second-year Fuqua student’s personal journey as a final round applicant. Here’s what the admissions team would like potential applicants to know: “Each year, these final applications help to round out and complete our class, and they’re an essential part of the admissions life cycle. Again, it all comes down to your readiness—and if Round 3 feels like the right time, we encourage you to go for it. If you are applying in Round 3 it’s important to help the admissions team understand your timing. Sometimes that’s related to a work project. Maybe you needed more time to prepare your application because you took the GMAT or GRE multiple times hoping to get the score you were seeking prior to applying. Or perhaps it’s simply an epiphany you had recently about where you want to be in the next two to five years. Whatever the case, make it clear in the application what that catalyst was and why this timing is right.” The round three deadline at Duke Fuqua is coming up on March 20, 2019. UT McCombs School of Business “Our goal in all of our programs is to build the best and most diverse class that we can, NOT to fill all of our seats as fast as we can. So the best time to submit your application is when you are ready to do so, when you’re confident it will be the best representation of you and your fit with the program. You can trust that we’ll be ready to start the review process,” the admissions team writes on the McCombs MBA Insider blog. The round three deadline at McCombs is coming up on April 2, 2019. Michigan Ross School of Business And finally, admissions Director Soojin Kwon gives these three, succinct reasons to apply in Round 3.
The round three deadline at Michigan Ross is coming up on March 18, 2019. SBC’s Advice for Round 3 Applicants You should definitely use the required or optional MBA admission essays to explain your reasons for waiting until the third – or final – round to apply. You don’t want anyone to jump to the conclusion that you are using round three as a last-ditch effort to get into business school in the fall after receiving rejections from other schools in earlier rounds. With fewer slots available, fine-tune your focus on schools where you’ll be a compelling candidate. A strong, well-thought-out application is critical. Make sure your academic profile aligns with the school’s median GMAT and average GPA. Also, consider whether you add something special to the class that the admissions committee didn’t see earlier in the season. Standing out from the pack is imperative, and never more so than when applying later in the game. As I mentioned in this US News blog post, if you want to do well in the admissions process, you have to communicate who you are, not just what you do. Finally, it’s important to have a Plan B in case things don’t go your way. You can always apply to a set of schools in round three knowing there is a good chance you will need to reapply to them and add in some new ones next season. The post What Does the AdComm Really Think About Round 3? appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
04 Mar 2019, 13:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: P&Q Names Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship |
 Are you itching to start your own company and wondering which business schools would best help you achieve that dream? This week, Poets & Quants announced the results of their 2019 survey of the top MBA programs for entrepreneurship. Granted, the best programs acknowledge that they don’t actually create entrepreneurs—they merely nurture innate ability. More than 1 in 10 business school alumni are self-employed, and the longer they’ve been out of business school the more likely they are to have taken an entrepreneurial career path, previous Graduate Management Admission Council surveys have shown. These are the programs that offer a broad range of courses in entrepreneurship, as well as significant opportunities for networking with established entrepreneurs, launching start-ups, and developing the skills needed to start successful businesses. Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship 1. Babson College (tie) 1. Stanford Graduate School of Business (tie) 3. MIT Sloan School of Management 4. Harvard Business School 5. Wharton School 6. USC Marshall School of Business 7. Michigan Ross School of Business 8. Chicago Booth School of Business 9. UV Darden School of Business 10. Rice Jones Graduate School of Business So what methodology does P&Q use, and how does it compare with other popular rankings? “We at Poets&Quants take a dollars-and-cents look at business school success in the startup space,” explains editor-in-chief John A Byrne. “One clear takeaway from the 2019 list is that access to capital for a young MBA entrepreneur is brand dependent. In general, the better the business school brand, the more likely it will help you raise funding for your idea.” Why an MBA Makes Sense for Entrepreneurs B-school will teach you how to run and grow a company – not just launch it. Many entrepreneurs have failed at getting their business idea off the ground precisely because they didn’t have some of the necessary tools in their arsenal that they would have learned at business school. You have to be able to transition your idea into an actual business. It might be a startup, but you want it to grow – and last. More than many other business roles, an entrepreneur needs to know a little bit of everything. Even if you start a tech company, someone has to do the accounting, know how to market your product or service and act as a leader for the team. If you choose a business school that relies heavily on the case method, you’ll likely learn from others’ successes and mistakes about growing too quickly. Also, those classes in human resource management, business law or venture capital financing could help you head off some thorny workplace issues later on. We’ll leave you with these words of wisdom from Alejandro Cremades, author of The Art of Startup Fundraising: “Business success requires business preparation. You don’t have to be a master tactician, but you do need to have a plan in place. This plan will act as a foundation for everything you want to achieve.” The post P&Q Names Top MBA Programs for Entrepreneurship appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
07 Mar 2019, 13:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Yale SOM Names New Dean, Economist Kerwin Charles |
 Yale University has tapped University of Chicago economist Kerwin Charles as the next Indra K. Nooyi Dean of the Yale School of Management, effective July 1, 2019. Charles, the first dean of color at the SOM, follows one of the most successful b-school deans of his generation. University President Peter Salovey’s announcement comes almost exactly a year after popular SOM Dean Edward Snyder revealed that he would step down this summer at the end of his eight-year tenure. “I am confident that Professor Charles, a renowned economist and award-winning educator, will advance SOM’s role as a global center for the study of business and prepare our students for the challenges and opportunities of a complex interconnected world,” Salovey said. Charles earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University. He later joined the University of Michigan as a faculty member in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics. In 2005, he moved to the University of Chicago and its Harris School. Indra Nooyi noted in the announcement that Charles understands the core beliefs of the SOM community. Namely, that businesses can accomplish more through understanding the intersection points between business and society. She said Charles’ research interests in labor economics; economic inequality; and racial and gender discrimination demonstrate his willingness to take on the “most daunting and meaningful challenges.” In an email to the Yale Daily News, Snyder also expressed his delight in Salovey’s announcement and added that Kerwin Charles will have “a profound impact on SOM, the Yale community and beyond.” When Charles assumes the deanship in July, Snyder will return to full-time teaching and research at the School of Management. The post Yale SOM Names New Dean, Economist Kerwin Charles appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
08 Mar 2019, 08:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Do This, Not That, if You’re Reapplying to Business School |
 Many business schools, even the most elite and well-ranked ones, welcome re-applicants. Reapplying shows you are very serious about your interest in the program, as this Tuck School blog post affirms. The best way to approach the process when you’re reapplying to business school is to highlight how you have improved your candidacy. Take a closer look at the following aspects of the MBA application package to determine where you should focus your energies to improve your odds next time around. Decide How Many and Which Programs to Target If you received multiple dings in your first application attempt, add new programs next time you’re reapplying to business school. You might have applied to ones that didn’t match up well with your profile. Make sure your focus is on fit over brand strength, and match your preferred learning style to the school’s style of instruction. Do: Apply to at least four schools to maximize your chances of success. These programs should represent varying levels of competitiveness. Don’t: Apply to too many schools – usually six or more – believing that hedging your bets in this way will guarantee admission somewhere. While that strategy sounds logical, in reality your efforts will become diluted with each successive application. There just won’t be enough passion there to sway the admissions committee. Do: Include your dream school in the mix. It may be a real reach, but go for it anyway and you’ll have no regrets later. Tweak Letters of Recommendation Unsuccessful applicants sometimes don’t realize that the rejection occurred because their letters of recommendation came across as weak endorsements at best. Do: Make sure whomever you ask is willing to write a very compelling recommendation for you. Since it’s not a given that you’ll see the letter once it’s written, it’s perfectly OK to come right out and explicitly ask for what you need. Don’t: Choose a recommender for superficial reasons. I’ve seen too many applicants dinged for committing this mistake. Asking the president of a company, an alum of your dream school or any other bigwig won’t do you any good if they cannot speak intimately and enthusiastically about your many virtues Do: Remind your recommenders to address specific examples of your accomplishments and leadership abilities. Also, they should discuss your work ethic or team-building skills. Writing a strong endorsement requires some effort, so make it easy for your recommender by providing a list of the accomplishments you want to highlight. Pump Up Your GMAT Business schools always stress that test scores are just one metric of admissions decisions. But they are important, because the admissions committee has to make sure the people they accept can handle the quantitative work. If your initial scores don’t come close to those of an average student’s at the schools you’re applying to, you need to make significant gains on your GMAT score in subsequent sittings or have other, extremely impressive qualifications when reapplying to business school. Do: Allow time to take the exam again. Nerves or lack of preparation might have torpedoed your first effort. The familiarity of taking it a second or even third time will often lead to a higher score. Don’t: Wait until the last minute to take your GMAT. Take care of it early in the year, before you have to juggle the other aspects of the application. Do: Consider alternative preparation methods to see if they yield better results. If you studied on your own last year, see if a formal class or working with a GMAT tutor helps you improve your weak areas more efficiently. Don’t: Cancel a score when the option appears upon completing the test, even if you’re pretty sure you’ve blown it. Schools will evaluate your highest score, so don’t worry about a low score reflecting negatively on you. That initial score provides valuable feedback about your testing strengths and weaknesses. You may also find out that your performance was not as bad as you imagined. Rock Those Essays Sometimes applicants get hung up on writing the “perfect” essay. In reality, they should focus on writing a compelling essay instead. Candidates must really do their homework about the schools they have targeted. By doing so, they can create compelling essays that convince the adcom how the program will help them reach their career goals. This also predicts how they would contribute to the school as students and eventual alumni. Do: Use the additional essay to explain what’s changed in your situation to make you a stronger candidate when reapplying to business school. Make sure to address both professional and personal advancements, but show that you are realistic and self-aware. Revealing your humanity in the form of quirks, weaknesses and flaws can often help the admissions committee to like you. Don’t: Recycle essays from the first time around, and don’t use the same essay for multiple schools. At best, the byproduct of being all-inclusive is that you will sound generic. At worst, you might accidentally leave the wrong school name in the essay. Trust us, you’ll get rejected out of hand for your lack of attention to detail. Finally, take comfort in knowing many people in business school right now were dinged the first time they applied. The MBA admissions process requires resilience, so take some time to recover, reassess and dive back in. The post Do This, Not That, if You’re Reapplying to Business School appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
08 Mar 2019, 10:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Targeted Strategies for Female MBA Applicants |
 Today is International Women’s Day—a perfect opportunity to discuss targeted strategies for female MBA applicants. As an MBA, entrepreneur and businessperson, I know that women can more than handle business school and the application process just as well or better than anyone. Stereotypes do persist, however. In reality, women pursuing graduate management education are still an underrepresented demographic on campus. Enrollment Outlook in 2019 Thankfully, the outlook has improved over the past decade. Women now make up 43% of Harvard Business School’s Class of 2019; they also represent 43% of the incoming class at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School; and Stanford Graduate School of Business reported female enrollment at 41% for the Class of 2019. Business schools have really ramped up their efforts to recruit and groom future women leaders. If you’re a woman planning on pursuing an MBA, make sure to take advantage of every available opportunity. A great place to start is at a workshop event for women hosted by the program you’re considering. While you’ll also want to attend general information sessions, these diversity events can help shape your school selection process. Here, you’ll meet and network with other prospective students, current students, alumni, and faculty. You can also ask questions about the specific opportunities for woman in the MBA program. Self-Confidence is Key When putting their application together, female candidates have to make sure that they exude confidence. The admissions committee shouldn’t have any doubt about whether the applicant will raise her hand and contribute to the classroom discussions that form a crucial part of the MBA learning experience. Essays, interviews and recommendation letters should indicate a high comfort level with speaking out, defending points of view, and collaborating with all types of people. Another area of potential weakness, particularly for women who majored in the liberal arts for undergrad, is demonstrating strong quantitative skills. The admissions committee wants to make sure you can handle the MBA course load. A solid GMAT score, supplemented by additional finance, calculus, or statistics classes taken at the local community college, will go a long way toward proving you have the bona fides to succeed. Try not to become intimidated by all of the amazing things your fellow applicants have accomplished and second-guess the value of your own strengths and experiences. Focus instead on what makes you unique, and how you plan on contributing to the MBA community once admitted. During the MBA interview, female candidates frequently begin their answers with a disclaimer that reveals their insecurities and detracts from any positive information that follows. Don’t downplay achievements for fear of coming across as bragging. There’s a difference between boasting and conveying your skills and accomplishments with pride. Confidence without attitude is what you’re aiming for. Don’t Let the Expense Scare You Off Finally, women shouldn’t let the financial expense of business school be a barrier to pursuing an MBA degree. Look into all of the resources—loans, scholarships, employee sponsorships, fellowships, work-study options—that can offset the high cost of an MBA. Take a long view of the return on investment your target schools provide. Many candidates find they can pay off their student debt within five years of graduating. With the right financial aid package, it’s possible to attend almost any business school. Despite some barriers, real or perceived, women considering business school should know the MBA degree truly is the one of the best ways to transform their career by giving them the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful. Image credit: WOCinTech Chat (CC BY 2.0) The post Targeted Strategies for Female MBA Applicants appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
14 Mar 2019, 11:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Is MBA Admissions Fraud-Free? |
This week, the FBI indicted 50 individuals—including celebrities, CEOs, college coaches, and test administrators—in a massive college admissions fraud scheme. By all accounts, this is most egregious cheating scandal in the history of higher education. It’s no secret that corruption can exist in every institution, at any level. There’s fertile ground for fraud whenever you have outdated systems with loopholes. Someone will always find a way to manipulate the system with money, connections, and/or criminal activity. At the college level, you’ll find loopholes via “back channels” like athletics. Here, a broker (e.g. college coach) will have a side conversation with admissions to boost their applicant. That’s a weak system that countless candidates have exploited. What about in business school admissions? Less brokering occurs at the MBA level, but tales of admissions fraud do exist. Merit-based systems have a greater level of checks and balances for these applicants, however. It’s easy to do a “sanity” check to see if the GPA, college degree, GMAT, work rigor etc., logically align. The MBA version of “Varsity Blues” could touch on the legitimacy of the some of the rankings reports. Another sensitive topic might concern whether the in-house relationship managers at traditional feeders such as management consulting firms and private equity shops give their employees an advantage by networking with MBA admissions—that’s all fair and legit, though. In fact, we know of many applicants from these feeder firms who don’t get in, despite having the back channeling benefits. There’s less parental desperation and involvement in the MBA space, though we do see some epic helicopter parenting. We’ve had conference calls with the child of a billionaire and their team of handlers discussing how an unqualified kid can get into HBS, and what sums of money are involved. While unfair, it’s not illegal. Still, that’s an aspect of the application process we walk away from, and focus exclusively on crafting the strongest possible package. What’s Stacy’s take on MBA admissions fraud? Here at Stacy Blackman, we often connect with adcomm representatives at top schools for intel and insight. But we never have a conversation about a particular applicant. Maintaining ethical standards is a top priority at SBC and any attempt at admissions fraud is dead on arrival. In almost 20 years, no one has asked me to do anything fraudulent. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. I am sure it is, though it’s more difficult with smaller classes, fewer back doors like athletics, etc. Likewise, SBC Principal Esther Magna recalls only a few instances of special treatment during her nine years with the company. Special treatment meaning privileged applicants with good—but not stellar—profiles. “We’ve seen some offspring from big donor families get a magical admit into top 3 programs due to the influence of the donation,” she says. Similarly, a super heavy hitter, i.e. influential alumnus, going to bat for an applicant can be a dealmaker through the MBA admissions process. “The vast majority of MBA applicants from big donor families actually are highly competitive,” says Magna. “So it’s not surprising when they get into Harvard, Wharton, or Stanford.” More surprising, Magna says, is how many children from big donor and/or legacy families get dinged without interview, or even a courtesy interview. “Not one inquiry over the years, and I speak with about 1,000 per year, has asked me or even hinted about paying off a test taker/ broker/ admissions person,” Magna says. “These activities may exist at the black-market level, but not at the visible level like ours.” This will likely become on ongoing conversation on fairness, privilege, ethics, and the win-at-all-costs ethos in academic admissions. We’ll weigh in on those issues again in this space in the future. The post Is MBA Admissions Fraud-Free? appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Interested in a free 15-minute consultation with the Stacy Blackman Team? Contact us to learn more.
15 Mar 2019, 10:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: US News 2020 Ranking of Top B-Schools |
 U.S. News & World Report has announced its ranking of the 2020 Best Graduate Schools, and in the business school category, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School takes the sole No. 1 spot for full-time MBA programs for the very first time. Wharton moved up two spots in the US News 2020 ranking after demonstrating high employment rates, starting salaries and bonuses for its graduates. Stanford Graduate School of Business also improved its rank to come in at No. 2. Harvard University – the previous No. 1 full-time MBA program for three years running – ties at No. 3 along with University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and MIT Sloan School of Management. Here’s a look at the order line up in the new ranking: US News Top Ten Best Business Schools 1. Wharton 2. Stanford GSB 3. Harvard Business School (tie) 3. MIT Sloan School of Management (tie) 3. Chicago Booth School of Business (tie) 6. Kellogg School of Management (tie) 6. UC Berkeley Haas School of Business (tie) 9. Yale School of Management 10. Duke Fuqua School of Business Methodology of the US News 2020 Ranking Factors that go into rankings include test scores, starting salaries and employment rates after graduation. Rankings come from statistical surveys of the programs, as well as reputation surveys sent to 475 AACSB-accredited MBA programs between fall 2018 and the beginning of 2019. A total of 367 responded for the US News 2020 ranking. Of those, US News ranked 131 because they provided enough of the required data on their full-time MBA program to calculate the full-time MBA rankings, based on a weighted average of the indicators described below. Last year, US News reduced the value of reported GPA, GRE and GMAT scores for full-time and part-time MBA programs and GRE scores in the education rankings if less than 50 percent of an entering class submitted these scores. US News believed this lack of data means the scores are not representative of the entire class. MBA rankings are a tricky subject For an analysis of this year’s rankings, check out this story by editor-in-chief John A. Byrne at Poets & Quants. Byrne shares what he considers the ten biggest surprises in the new US News ranking. Most applicants put an enormous amount of credence in rankings when making their school selections, but the results aren’t always as clear-cut as they seem. Over at Find MBA, Seb Murray has a great piece today on why MBA rankings are set for a rethink. It’s important to remember that the various media outlets publishing this information each have a specific focal point, which often differs from their competitors. At times, it can feel more like an “apples and oranges” comparison. We encourage prospective applicants to think hard about the data points that are important to your own career path when determining the value of a particular ranking. You don’t have to go to the best business school of all. Just figure out which MBA program is the best one for you. The post US News 2020 Ranking of Top B-Schools appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting. |
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