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Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog

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Kellogg Future Leaders, a New Deferred Enrollment Program [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   30 Jan 2020, 14:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Kellogg Future Leaders, a New Deferred Enrollment Program

This week, Kellogg School of Management announced the launch of its first deferred enrollment program, Kellogg Future Leaders. Open to all undergraduate seniors, this program offers students the chance to apply to Kellogg before graduation. (Master’s students who went directly into a graduate program from undergrad are also eligible.)

The school will hold a spot for anyone accepted into the program while they gain two to five years of professional experience. Then, these Kellogg future leaders return to campus ready to integrate into the full-time MBA program.

“As a part of your deferred enrollment, you’ll have access to premiere Kellogg resources and receive support from a dedicated admissions officer,” the school says.

Per the program’s webpage,  the application will open February 26, 2020. There is no fee to apply. Applications require a GMAT or GRE score unless you are an undergraduate of Northwestern University.


Kellogg will require the TOEFL for English as a second language speakers, unless the university schooling was conducted entirely in English. In addition, the application will include brief essays, one recommendation letter, and an interview by invitation.

Also of note: Kellogg requires a $500 admissions deposit. Additionally, accepted candidates must pay $500 for each year of deferment.

Finally, applications for the Kellogg Future Leaders program are due on April 2, 2020. The admissions team will announce their decisions by May 20, 2020.

At SBC, our consulting team includes several experts in deferred MBA admissions programs. This includes the former Harvard Business School Associate Director of MBA Admissions, who helped launch the HBS 2+2 Program targeting college seniors.  Contact us for an initial free evaluation here.

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Financial Times Announces 2020’s Global MBA Ranking [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   31 Jan 2020, 15:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Financial Times Announces 2020’s Global MBA Ranking

Despite the reported weakening demand for the MBA, in our experience, interest in top U.S. MBA programs remains strong. This week, the 2020 global MBA ranking announced by the Financial Times continued to show some volatility among the lower-ranked schools. However, the top ten remains well entrenched for another year.

After a four-year absence, Harvard Business School takes the top spot in the F.T. ranking, nudging Stanford down to 3rd place. Second-place Wharton School performed better this year after coming in 4th in 2019. Meanwhile, China Europe Business School (CEIBS) retained its position at 5th this year.

CEIBS performance in this latest ranking once again points to the growing strength of MBA providers in the Asia-Pacific region. GMAC had previously revealed applications from the area rose 8.9% in 2018, whereas U.S. demand dropped. In 2019, 73 percent of responding Chinese programs saw domestic application growth year-on-year, GMAC says.

The 2020 Global MBA Ranking Top Ten Programs
  • Harvard Business School
  • Wharton School
  • Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • INSEAD
  • CEIBS
  • MIT Sloan School of Management
  • London Business School
  • Columbia Business School
  • HEC Paris
  • Chicago Booth School of Business
Individual Strengths Highlighted in the 2020 Global MBA Ranking
Top school: HBS

Highest salary: Stanford GSB

Top for research: Wharton

Top for international mobility: IMD

Top for career service: Renmin University of China Business School

Highest salary increase: Shanghai University of Finance and Economics

Most female faculty: U.C. at Irvine Merage

Top for international students: RSM Erasmus

The F.T. ranking weighs multiple different criteria. Salary and salary increase receive the most weight. Combined, it accounts for 40% of the ranking. Also, the ranking assesses each program’s research output, value for money, international mobility, and more. (See the Financial Times ranking methodology here.)

The mix of countries represented in this year’s Global MBA ranking is similar to 2019 and 2018. 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.

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How the MBA Can Benefit Your Career [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   03 Feb 2020, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: How the MBA Can Benefit Your Career


Business school graduates benefit from more than just a solid return on investment through substantial salary increases. They also deepen the knowledge, skills, and abilities they will need for future professional success. Here are just four of the key career benefits of an MBA program.

Transferable Skills
Business school gives you new skills and knowledge that will turbocharge your career. MBA students often set their sights on a job in finance or consulting. But the hard and soft skills acquired during an MBA program can transfer to myriad other roles. Today’s MBAs work in tech, health care, consumer goods, government and nonprofits, and many other industries.

Dean Matthew Slaughter of Darmouth’s Tuck School of Business recently told Bloomberg Businessweek he foresees a steady pool of applicants for MBA programs because the degree provides the hard skills and leadership training that businesses will continue to require.

An MBA strengthens your leadership ability, intellectual creativity, critical thinking, cross-cultural awareness, communication, and even greater IT mastery.  These skills will serve you well as you move toward your ultimate career goal.

You may start out at a financial firm such as Morgan Stanley and learn a tremendous amount about banking and analysis before deciding that it’s not a good fit, as happened with our client, May. She built upon those skills when she eventually became involved with running a business as a gourmet food importer.

B-school gives you a deeper understanding of the complexities of the business world. Those problem-solving skills mastered during your MBA will carry over to your next position, and the one after that, too.

(For more on the skills you will boost with an MBA degree, check out this story in MBA Crystal Ball. In it, Stacy shares some of the less apparent skills you should already have before starting business school.)

Higher Employment Rates
Increased job security with your current employer or within your current industry is another of the key career benefits of the MBA. The degree is also a powerful differentiator in a crowded marketplace. Recruiters have said that some of their corporate clients will not consider any candidate without an MBA.



This shows just how much business leaders value this qualification. Employers believe it vets potential hires. You can safely assume a graduate from Harvard Business School or the Wharton School is going to bring considerable skills and business acumen to the job from day one.

Without a doubt, companies appreciate managers who have risen through the ranks, know the business inside and out, and can get the job done. But they also like hiring MBAs for their ability to handle complex situations.

They can act swiftly and adapt in the face of a rapidly changing global environment. As outsiders, MBA hires bring in a broad or fresh perspective. They see how to improve inefficiencies or come up with innovative solutions to business problems.

Degree Specializations
Many MBA programs offer specializations or concentrations that provide a deep dive into the nuances of a particular industry. Here, students can sample a few different career paths to see whether it’s a good fit before taking the plunge.

Adding a concentration is a good move for people who know exactly what they want to do with their careers. If you have a specific interest, such as digital marketing, real estate, business analytics, social innovation, health care, and so forth, earning an MBA with a concentration can make you even more marketable.

In today’s competitive job market, listing a concentration on your resume helps you stand out. Career switchers, however, would be better off focusing on a general business education instead.

Networking Opportunities
At business school, you’ll interact closely with talented individuals from all over the globe, which enhances the experience by exposing you to different business practices, cultures, and points of view.



For many people, the connections you make are one of the most valuable career benefits of an MBA.  Make sure you capitalize on the opportunities in and out of the classroom during your MBA studies. Your alumni network helps you stay connected to the university as well as to countless professional opportunities you can tap into throughout your career.

When you’re spending two years of your life and paying more than $100,000, it’s the network of contacts you build that make your MBA experience genuinely priceless.

Main photo credit: Solent Creatives (CC BY 2.0)

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MBA for College Seniors: Which One to Choose? [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   05 Feb 2020, 07:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: MBA for College Seniors: Which One to Choose?

Last week, two more top business schools—Kellogg and Berkeley Haas—joined the growing list of those positioning the MBA for college seniors through deferred enrollment programs. Did you know the consulting team at SBC has several deferred MBA program experts? This includes no less than the former HBS associate director of MBA admissions who helped launch the 2+2 Program.

Similar programs include the Chicago Booth Scholars Program and the MIT Sloan MBA Early Admission program. Columbia Business School also has a deferred enrollment program, as does Stanford Graduate School of Business. The HBS 2+2 Program has been around since 2007. Meanwhile, the Yale Silver Scholars program is even older, having launched in 2004.

(Take a look at our quick comparison chart to see the schools that target the MBA for college seniors, either as deferred admits or direct from undergrad.)

So, how do deferred MBA admissions programs work? 
You apply to these programs in the spring as a college senior (undergrad or grad). If accepted, you then work for two to four years to gain professional experience before starting the program.  Deferred MBA program admits can often access valuable networks and engage career resources within the university during the pre-MBA phase.

Now, what does it take to successfully apply?
College senior MBA applicants must demonstrate a high level of talent, academic strength, and promise if they hope to persuade a top-tier MBA program to take a chance on them. The key is to demonstrate maturity, highly focused career goals, leadership skills, and enough life experience to contribute to an incoming class.

Interested in learning more about deferred MBA programs for college seniors? Most deadlines hit in April. We are happy to offer a free initial evaluation to discuss your future business school plans. Get in touch and tap into the comprehensive, up-to-date industry insight the SBC consulting team provides.

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Preparing to Interview at HBS [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   06 Feb 2020, 11:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Preparing to Interview at HBS

On Tuesday, thousands of anxious round two applicants to Harvard Business School received news of their fate as interview invites and release decisions went out. Are you one of the lucky ones preparing to interview at HBS?

As admissions head Chad Losee revealed in December, HBS interviews roughly 1 in 5 applicants. Of those candidates, the school admits just over half. If you can successfully pass the hurdle that is the Harvard Business School interview, your chances of admission skyrocket.

“Remember that by receiving an invitation to interview, Admissions is essentially saying that you are a strong candidate for business school, and now they want to better understand what you’ll be like as a section mate and a member of the community.” (HBS’s 10 Application Tips for Members of the Military)

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. Keep these in mind while you’re preparing to interview at HBS.

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 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 several 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.

Expect probing questions when preparing to interview at HBS
Remember, your interviewer has already seen your application. Therefore, many of the questions you get will leverage what he or she knows about you from your essays. While preparing to interview at HBS, think about 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 significant 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 into your personal and unique motives for choosing HBS.

What books are you reading?

When preparing to interview at HBS, don’t disregard this one as 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 processes, and values.

Dress rehearsal is a must
Practicing the answers to potential interview questions out loud is 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
Unlike most other MBA interview formats, not all interviewers encourage applicants to ask questions at the end. However, you should prepare for the possibility. Come armed with a brief list of questions that highlight your knowledge of and interest in the school. If interviewing with an alum, ask questions 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, they 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 conversation 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. As you’re preparing to interview at HBS, use these tips to boost your chances.

***

Did you know that Stacy Blackman Consulting offers MBA interview prep services? Learn more about SBC’s All-In Interview Prep Package. With it, you’ll practice with our pros and leverage our extensive resources in order to shine.

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The Positive Power of Regret [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   07 Feb 2020, 14:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: The Positive Power of Regret


This knowledge nugget comes to you courtesy of the Blacklight. Enjoy!
You gotta love Scottie P. from the We’re the Millers, with his credo “no ragrets.” While it sounds bold and aspirational, in reality, most of us do harbor some kind of regret. Maybe you wish you had chosen a different major in college or had pursued a different career path. Or, perhaps you wonder how life might have turned out if you were still with “the one that got away.”

We often imagine that things could have turned out better if only we had made the wiser choice back at that fork in the road. Do you find yourself stuck in a loop, rehashing old decisions? Do you feel paralyzed by the fear that you might make the same mistake twice? If so, it’s time to reframe your thinking because regret can serve a positive purpose in our lives if we let it.

It can keep you on your toes
INSEAD professor Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries thinks we need to make friends with regret. We can’t change the past, so the challenge, he says, is using that disappointment to inform how we react and how we’ll live in the future.

As psychologist Dr. Leon F. Seltzer points out, you first need to understand the dysfunctional thinking that led to the regrettable behavior. He gives the example of a person acting rashly in the past because they had poor impulse control. If this problem continues, stop and consider the consequences before taking action in the heat of the moment. What steps could you take now so that a level head prevails over your future behavior?

Sometimes, anxieties about failure or rejection immobilize us, Seltzer notes. Then we regret letting an important opportunity or a relationship slip away due to our fears. Once you process and learn from those experiences, he says you’ll feel motivated to stay on guard against repeating that behavior in the future.

Make peace with regret
Kathryn Shulz, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist at The New Yorker, has a great Ted Talk called Don’t Regret Regret—and like Scottie P, her tattoo plays a starring role. She suggests we do three things to make our peace with regret. First, take comfort from the fact that it’s a universal human experience. We’ve all made foolish decisions at some point in our lives. How many of you can relate to a cringe-worthy accidental “reply all” email moment?

Next, we need to lighten up. Humor has a proven medicinal effect. “All of us who’ve experienced regret that contains real pain and real grief understand that humor and even black humor plays a crucial role in helping us survive. It connects the poles of our lives back together, the positive and the negative, and it sends a little current of life back into us,” Shulz says.

Finally, her sage remedy for the pain of regret is the good ol’ passage of time. “We need to learn to love the flawed, imperfect things that we create and to forgive ourselves for creating them,” she urges. “Regret doesn’t remind us that we did badly. It reminds us that we know we can do better.”

If we don’t let regret rule us, it can teach us some pretty valuable life lessons. Regret will lead to positive change and growth if you allow it. “The point isn’t to live without any regrets,” Shulz notes. “The point is to not hate ourselves for having them.”

***

Did you enjoy this post about reframing regret?  It originally appeared on the Blacklight, our newsletter for professionals. At the Blacklight, we aim 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 goalposts closer, sign up today!

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The Case for Deferred Admission at Chicago Booth [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   10 Feb 2020, 15:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: The Case for Deferred Admission at Chicago Booth

Regular blog readers have noticed the growing number of elite business schools targeting college seniors. Returning to the subject, the Chicago Booth School of Business recently shared what it calls the top five advantages for undergrads considering a deferred admission program. Whether you’re targeting the Chicago Booth Scholars program or one offered at another top business school, their reasoning is universal.

Reason 1: It reduces stress later on down the line.
It’s much easier to study for the GMAT or GRE and craft those compelling essays while you’re still fresh and in student mode. If you can get the stress of the MBA application process out of the way early on, “You can focus on getting the most out of your professional and personal experiences post-college,” says the Booth admissions team.

Reason 2: You decide when you’re ready to earn your MBA.
We often field questions from potential applicants wondering whether now is the right time for their MBA. Chicago Booth notes that having up to four years to explore professional roles and experiences provides flexibility in your professional timeline. When you’re ready, Booth welcomes you back into whichever program best complements your goals. (Choose from either the full-time, evening or weekend format.)

Reason 3: You can grow your professional network right away. 
Similar to other deferred admission programs, once accepted, you’ll have immediate access to the 54,000+ people in the Booth network. As the Booth admissions team explains, admits have access to regular networking events throughout the year. Here, you’ll meet and network with other Booth Scholars, as well as current students and alumni.

Reason 4: You’ll have access to career services and professional development opportunities.
Finding that first job after graduation can be stressful. “Booth Scholars receive quarterly professional development opportunities, both virtual and in-person,” says the Booth admissions team. Also, deferred admission scholars play a role in influencing what professional development sessions Booth offers. “You have the ability to let us know what you’d like help with as you grow in your professional roles,” they add.

Reason 5: You’ll have the freedom to explore your career options. 
Many b-school hopefuls—especially younger applicants—struggle with the question of addressing their career goals. They know they want an MBA, but they haven’t yet clearly defined what their goals are. For deferred admission candidates, that’s totally okay! You can use those pre-MBA years to forge your own career path. “In other words,” the Booth adcomm explains, “your path doesn’t have to be set in stone when you apply.”

(In addition to these five compelling reasons to consider a deferred admission program, note that Chicago Booth also waives the application fee for Booth Scholars applicants.)

***

Interested in learning more about deferred admission programs for college seniors? Most deadlines hit in early April. We are happy to offer a free initial evaluation to discuss your future business school plans. Get in touch and tap into the comprehensive, up-to-date industry insight the SBC consulting team provides.

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MBA Scholarship Trends at M7 Schools [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   13 Feb 2020, 16:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: MBA Scholarship Trends at M7 Schools
[img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/woman-3261425_1920-734x489.jpg[/img]
Business school is an expensive investment, and it’s never too early to start figuring out how you will [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/blog/paying-for-your-mba-with-fellowships-scholarships/]pay for it[/url]. We have witnessed a substantial increase in financial incentives offered to admitted applicants we’ve worked with this past admissions season. For that reason, we wanted to share our observations about current MBA scholarship trends at M7 schools.

An MBA is a long-term investment. Fortunately, business schools want to work with students to find a solution to financing the expense.  Indeed, schools have always prioritized financial incentives to attract the best students to their programs.

MBA scholarship trends point to a sustained upswing over the last decade. The incremental increase we’ve observed is due in part to the rise in funding of advocacy groups. This primarily includes the [url=https://cgsm.org/]Consortium[/url] (committed to enhancing diversity and inclusion in business education) and [url=https://www.fortefoundation.org/site/PageServer]Forte Foundation[/url] (for women MBA applicants).  Over the past few years, these organizations have boosted their scholarship support via their partner MBA programs.

MBA Scholarship Trends at M7 Schools
Among our clients, we’ve seen an annual increase of about 10 percent in scholarship awards over the past three years. It’s worth noting, however, that Stacy Blackman Consulting has seen full scholarship awards for many years—even before MBA demand trends changed.

A scholarship signals that the school wants you and believes you would add something truly special to their cohort. It does not signal desperation.

If we saw MBA programs consistently matching awards or increasing the awards because of concern of losing the candidate, it would be some evidence that schools are using scholarships to offset application decline and fill their student spots. But, this isn’t the case for the top 20 MBA programs.

Therefore, applicants shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking the top business schools are using scholarship money to combat application decline. Their intention is not to throw money at applicants until they say yes.

[url=https://gph.is/2wNpo5P][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/lptjRBxFKCJmFoibP3/giphy.gif[/img][/url]

MBA Scholarship Trends for SBC Clients
Our client pool received $4.8 million in scholarship dollars last season. About 20-25% of SBC clients receive scholarship packages ranging between $10,000 to full-ride offers valued at $200,000.  When we analyze the profiles of our scholarship admit clients, we find that reasons for the scholarship offer that are always explained by the high quality of the applicant.

For the top schools, scholarships are about trying to attract highly-desirable students. We have had countless clients who received merit scholarships from 2+ schools upon admit notification.

Some programs have a reputation for generosity with their MBA scholarship offers. For example, Kellogg is often generous with scholarships because it competes with Chicago Booth admits due to geographic proximity.  To illustrate, a recent client received $120,000 from Chicago Booth and a full ride from Kellogg School of Management.

Overall, Kellogg, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and NYU Stern School of Business have the highest per recipient award value, per the bar graph below. The bar graph shows the average award amount per program for our client pool of scholarship recipients for the 2018-2019 year.

MBA Scholarships Don’t Always Lure Admits
[img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/Money-on-a-Hook-734x527.jpg[/img]

As Stacy shared with the business news site [url=https://poetsandquants.com/2020/02/10/mba-scholarships-at-record-levels-with-awards-as-high-as-200k/]Poets & Quants[/url] for their recent article on MBA scholarship trends, money—even vast sums— doesn’t always seal the deal. In 2019, we worked with a female applicant admitted to seven of the world’s top MBA programs. She had a 740 GMAT score and a 3.6 GPA, with an undergrad degree in engineering from a liberal arts school on the east coast.

She is a caucasian, from the U.S. and working in urban planning, a non-traditional industry for an MBA student. Here’s what each school offered to entice her to attend:

[list]
[*]NYU Stern—full-ride scholarship[/*]
[*]Chicago Booth—$110,000[/*]
[*]Dartmouth Tuck—$100,000[/*]
[*]Kellogg School—$90,000[/*]
[*]Columbia Business School—$90,000[/*]
[*]Duke Fuqua—$80,000[/*]
[/list]
Her MBA application defined her leadership style within a male-dominated workplace. It also showcased her grasp of the strategic trends in the urban planning industry. She has had a lifelong passion for urban planning, and she wrote about how multiple aspects of her life represented a ‘path less traveled’. As you can surmise, her overall application made her one of the most desirable candidates this year.

But despite the lure of a combined $620,000 in scholarship awards, she ended up turning down all of those offers. The reason? She was also admitted to Harvard Business School—her number-one choice.  Even though HBS only offered $20,000 in a need-based award, she chose Harvard because of its networks, global brand, and academic experience.

Can You Negotiate MBA Scholarships?
Sometimes, applicants receive drastically different scholarship amounts for two or more programs. They may receive a financial award for one school but nothing for another. In this case, you might consider contacting the adcomm to explain your situation.

We don’t recommend naming the competing institution, sharing your offer letter, or making demands. Instead, reach out to the admissions office to reiterate your keen interest in attending their program. Then, ask if it’s possible to be considered for a higher scholarship amount (or any scholarship amount) because you now have another admit offer and financial incentive on the table.

While most clients actually don’t have luck negotiating for significantly more money or a scholarship match, if handled professionally, you really have nothing to lose.  One of our consultants, a former admissions officer at Chicago Booth, says, “My experience at Booth is that if you weren’t offered a scholarship at the time of admission, it was very rarely given after the fact.”

On balance, there is still fierce competition for fellowship and scholarship dollars. Applicants need to present a strong pitch for why he or she deserves a coveted spot in the program. That pitch needs to be clear and compelling enough to generate both an admit outcome and scholarship generosity, which is the gold standard that we seek for many of our clients.

The post [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/blog/mba-scholarship-trends-m7-schools/]MBA Scholarship Trends at M7 Schools[/url] appeared first on [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com]Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting[/url].

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MBA Advice for Couples [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   14 Feb 2020, 08:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: MBA Advice for Couples
[img]https://www.stacyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/MBA-as-a-couple.jpeg[/img]

Does the couple that studies together really have more fun?  In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing MBA advice for couples considering applying to business school.
For some professional couples, there comes a time when both partners realize that pursuing an MBA degree is the key to exploring new career paths. However, the MBA admissions process is challenging enough for one person. Couples face additional considerations as they figure out their priorities and application strategy.

Finding an MBA program that meets your needs must mesh with your partner’s preferences as well.  This is one of the hardest parts of applying jointly to business school. You’ll want to avoid any unwelcome compromises or resentments that might damage your relationship. Start by making a list of target programs where you both will be thrilled to study.

Here are tips to help you and your partner successfully navigate the application process and chart your course for career growth together.

MBA Advice for Couples: School Selection
No two candidates – even couples – are alike when it comes to test scores, leadership experiences, professional background, or extracurricular interests. Before applying to b-school, make sure each application is competitive. Unfortunately, the strength of one candidate won’t compensate for an unqualified partner.

In addition to applying to the same set of schools, couples can expand their range of options by focusing on cities or regions where both would thrive. Think in terms of applying to schools in the same area.

For example, you might apply to [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/nyu-stern/]NYU Stern[/url] and [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/columbia-business-school/]Columbia[/url] in New York City, or the [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/upenn-wharton/]Wharton School[/url] in nearby Philadelphia. West coast fans can consider [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/stanford-graduate-school-of-business/]Stanford Graduate School of Business[/url] or [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/uc-berkeley-haas-school-of-business/]UC Berkeley Haas[/url] in the Bay Area.

Other possibilities include [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/harvard-business-school/]Harvard Business School[/url] or the [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/mit-sloan/]MIT Sloan School of Management[/url] in the Boston area. In the Chicago area, options include the [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/northwestern-kellogg/]Kellogg School of Management[/url] or [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/mba-application-advice/chicago-booth/]Booth School of Business[/url].

A smart strategy for couples open to this option is applying to identical schools in Round 1. Then, expand to nearby schools in Round 2 as a backup plan.

Campus visits are also essential for couples. Take the time to get a good feel for each school and connect with current married or partnered students who can provide insight into their own application experiences. These resources can give you a better sense of how accepting the school is of joint applicants.

MBA Advice for Couples: Timing Your Applications
It may go without saying, but you should both apply in the same round. This makes the decision much easier when you know whether you both got in.

Also, if possible, apply in the first round to leave some wiggle room, if needed. The MBA application process can become all-consuming. With two people balancing full-time jobs with test prep and essay writing, you might find that one of you is struggling and needs extra time to pull together the best possible application.

A different approach for couples who know the region or city they ultimately want to work in is to stagger your MBA enrollment. One person continues to work while the other goes to business school. Then, the other person enrolls in an MBA program once their partner has graduated.

MBA Advice for Couples: Loop in the AdCom Up Front
Admissions committee members are compassionate human beings, not mere number crunchers. If both applicants are qualified to attend and are a good fit with the program, the admissions committee will usually try to keep couples together.

Some schools explicitly ask in the application if you’re applying jointly with a partner. But even if they don’t, it’s essential to share that information with the admissions committee. This is crucial if the rejection of one applicant means the partner wouldn’t attend if accepted. Both you and your partner should use the supplemental essay to explain that you’re part of a package deal.

Also, make the admissions team aware of your joint application intentions as early as possible. When attending events on the road or on campus, touch base with representatives to explain your situation. Show them why you and your partner would make an excellent fit for their program.

 Your relationship status will likely come into play when the admissions committee is hesitant about just one of you. If the school feels that one candidate is outstanding and knows that he or she will only attend if the partner also gets in, chances are good that both will receive admissions offers.

MBA Advice for Couples: Enjoy the Ride

An MBA is an emotionally intense and enriching experience. One of the best things about attending business school as a couple is witnessing each other’s growth in this unique environment. That, and taking pride in each other’s accomplishments.

“Our time at HBS has brought us closer together,” said Kate Kingen and Patrick Garrison in this Harvard Business School [url=https://www.hbs.edu/mba/blog/post/applying-to-business-school-as-a-couple]blog post[/url]. “We met while working after college, so we did not know each other as students. Having the opportunity to learn, grow, travel, and meet a whole new set of people has been a wonderful new chapter in our relationship together.”

From the support you can give each other during the application process to coming home at the end of each day during the degree process to share and debate your respective classroom experiences, going to business school with your partner may turn out to be the best decision you’ve ever made for both your career and personal life.

The post [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com/blog/mba-advice-couples/]MBA Advice for Couples[/url] appeared first on [url=https://www.stacyblackman.com]Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting[/url].

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Write a Winning MBA Personal Statement [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   18 Feb 2020, 08:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Write a Winning MBA Personal Statement


The majority of candidates who apply to the leading business schools are bright, personable overachievers. Honestly, they would be an asset to any program. That’s why when it comes to the MBA personal statement, you need to think beyond your obvious achievements.

Unleash your inner storyteller
Tell a compelling story if you hope to stand out amid the thousands of essays read by the admissions team each year. Make sure your personality comes through. The admissions team should get a real sense of who you are. They should also understand why you want to attend X program. So, think beyond your obvious achievements. You can differentiate yourself by highlighting the most compelling, memorable stories and experiences.

Fair warning: The admissions team is adept at sussing out applicants who have merely switched out the school name from another MBA personal statement. Don’t be that applicant!

As Stacy Blackman recently shared with Find MBA, perhaps the worst thing you can do in a personal statement is a chronological recap of the resume. That, and submit an essay that lacks emotion, personality or self-disclosure. You have to get personal (hence the name “personal statement”). Make sure the reader feels genuineness and authenticity.

MBA Personal Statement at HBS and Stanford
“The personal narrative really is a make or break for MBA admit success,” says a former Harvard Business School admissions officer on the SBC consulting team. “It is the essay execution that sets the overall application apart and earns it the interview.”

Again, the goal of the MBA personal statement is for the reader to understand who you are. “Be genuine” advises the HBS admissions blog, and continues: “Yes, we want you to put your best foot forward, but be careful not to be so ‘polished’ that we can’t get to know the real you.” Setbacks and lessons learned can be just as informative as success stories if the stories reveal more about what motivates and inspires you.

“The reader should feel so moved they want to meet you immediately – can’t wait to get to know you better, hear more of the story, ask you specific questions to learn more, be inspired, etc,” shares one of the former HBS admissions officers on the SBC team.

Same logic goes for the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Understanding Stanford’s culture and academics will help you tailor your MBA personal statement. Before starting, talk to Stanford students and alumni. Visit campus to see the Stanford community first hand.

As far as what constitutes a winning MBA personal statement for Stanford, one of SBC’s former GSB admissions officers says, “GSB is looking for people who will make a big difference AND have a better shot than most in being able to execute. Stanford GSB students also seem to have this ‘X’ factor associated with them. Almost like an ‘unexpected’ trait, talent, or experience.”

The MBA personal statement for Stanford is about diving deep into what motivates you, and why. Topics can range from personal history to big picture visions of the future. Steer clear of explicitly career-related topics and note that the strongest essays are likely not career oriented at all.

No one’s story is quite like yours
When evaluating your candidacy, admissions teams will look for evidence in your MBA personal statement that shows you have a unique perspective that will add something new to the classroom.

Remember, you are not just your resume. You are the white spaces in between.  You are the transitions that got you from A to B and that will get you from B to B-school.  So celebrate who you are, if you want an admissions director to do the same.

Image credit: Eric at Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

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Ace Your Haas MBA Video Interview [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   19 Feb 2020, 09:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Ace Your Haas MBA Video Interview

Earlier this month, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business announced it will forgo in-person interviews for applicants to its Evening & Weekend MBA program. Instead, applicants will submit answers via a Haas MBA video interview.

Candidates will respond with 1-2 minute answers to two specific questions. For the first question, you’ll share why you’re pursuing an MBA and why Haas is the best fit. The second question asks you to share a leadership experience.

To understand how to complete this new Haas MBA video essay format successfully, Jenny Clare, associate director of admissions, shared these tips:

  • Don’t be nervous; it’s a relatively straightforward process as long as you practice with the technology ahead of time.
  • Make sure you have a reliable internet connection.
  • Think about your topics and answers ahead of time; practice speaking comfortably and naturally.
  • Remember: the video essay is just one part of the application.
The adcom will be assessing applicants’ verbal communication skills, personality, and more. As a result of this new Haas MBA video format, the team will have a better feel for your personality as well.

Clare explains the simple reason for the switch to a video platform. “It’s a much shorter time commitment,” she says. “We know you’re busy. You don’t need to find time in the middle of your workday to come to campus.”

SBC Video Prep Service
For many applicants, this new format requires some rehearsal to become comfortable conversing with a computer screen. Stacy Blackman Consulting has an online video platform that grants you unlimited practice doing precisely this. You can answer from a comprehensive menu of questions, record yourself, watch and assess, tweak, and try again.

Invest 30 minutes a night and 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.

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MBA Consultants are Worth it When Applying to Elite Schools [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   21 Feb 2020, 14:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: MBA Consultants are Worth it When Applying to Elite Schools
The debate over whether MBA consultants are worth it is on the minds of countless MBA applicants. We are proud to be the only firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs.



As we recently shared with MBA Insight, here are the three key factors to consider when evaluating whether MBA consultants are worth it:

  • Assess the caliber of the admissions consultant team— vast differences exist across even the leading firms
  • Check online reviews to validate quality, track record, and service
  • Look at the scope of services to assess what firm resources, if any, you’ll have access to
Assess the caliber: MBA consultants are worth it only if the consultant team has experience in MBA admissions from the top programs.
The stakes are high in engaging an MBA admissions consulting partner.  Applicants want to get it right the first time with admit success.  In recent years, MBA admissions firms have grown their teams to include former Admissions Officers (AdCom) from the elite MBA programs.

These former-Adcom-turned-MBA-consultants have closely-guarded, insider knowledge of how committees make admit, and ding decisions.

Working with a respected consulting team allows you to leverage the database of knowledge of a collected group of experts. Together, they have experience with thousands of clients in programs across the globe. Input from one friend who applied, or even someone who attended the school, provides only a limited snapshot.

Check online reviews to assess quality—but know that reviews can be biased
MBA consultants are worth it for applicants aiming for elite business schools. Applicants find that the skills, expertise, and support of a quality MBA consulting partner is invaluable. Here’s snapshot of how SBC ranks across several leading industry sources. Also, check out MBA Insight’s latest ranking of SBC based on reviews submitted. Then, check other review sites as well to offset the risk of possibly-biased or fake reviews.

Verify the scope of services offered
Have you ever booked an all-inclusive resort, and then felt disappointed by the limits and caveats? The same thing can happen with the so-called “comprehensive” engagements offered by some MBA admissions firms.

First, ask about whether the comprehensive model is truly unlimited by time. Also, find out if there’s a thorough matchmaking process. Will you have access to other consultants/resources at the firm?

Too often, MBA applicants get stuck in a tunnel-vision relationship with just one consultant. As a result, they aren’t able to benefit from the firm’s complete resources because of contract fine print.

(See what Crush the GRE says about our service scope and how it stacks up against the competitors.)

In the final analysis, what sets SBC apart is that we have high standards for ourselves and you. We know what it takes to be successful, and we’re excited to help you reach your goals. If you are curious about working with an admissions consultant, we invite you to contact Stacy Blackman Consulting for a free consultation about your candidacy today.

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Are These 3 Bad Habits Holding You Back? [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   24 Feb 2020, 11:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Are These 3 Bad Habits Holding You Back?


Today’s poor choices can morph into tomorrow’s bad habits. Research from a classic study on habit formation found that it takes just over two months on average for an action to become habitual. That’s not long in the span of your career to end up reinforcing behaviors that can sabotage your professional success.

Do you feel like you’re not maximizing your full potential at work? Review the three common bad habits below that trip up many employees.

Never taking breaks
Many think working straight through the day without pausing for breaks as a badge of honor. Yet while it may be counter-intuitive, taking more breaks has been scientifically linked to improved productivity.

Research from Tony Schwartz revealed that every 90 minutes, people experience a natural shift from feeling focused and energetic to feeling physiologically fatigued. When you experience this predictable energy drop, your body is telling you that it’s time to pause from your work.

Unfortunately, many people opt to ignore the red flag and soldier on. They think a “nose to the grindstone” approach will accomplish more work more quickly. The reason this is so foolish is that many studies have proven the value of work breaks for greater productivity as well as creativity.

Breaks not only restore motivation; they also lead to more frequent “aha moments.” When you periodically refresh and recharge, you regain the needed perspective for innovative problem-solving.

Failing to plan
To set the tone for what you want to accomplish, you must plan ahead. If you leave what happens to chance, it’s easy for this bad habit to slide into a pattern of last-minute sloppy thinking. A lack of proactive planning also leaves your schedule a virtual blank slate for others to write on.

To avoid this, Harvard University suggests developing a simple morning ritual. As part of your ritual, you can map out three key goals for your workday. Use them to guide your priorities.

If you’re unclear about what your most critical goals should be, expand your planning time. Try carving out 30-60 minutes each week to identify your priorities. A dedicated goal review—in which you write down what you plan to accomplish in the upcoming week—will help you start off Monday on the right foot.

Personalizing every interaction
As you go about your workday, you’re likely to encounter a wide range of inputs and responses from people, both in-person and via email or social media. Encounters with teammates can throw you off course if you take everything people say and do as a personal commentary on you and the job you’re doing.

Approach collaborative work knowing that people may express their views in ways that seem personal but aren’t. When in question about the tone of a message, give colleagues the benefit of the doubt.

Imagine someone walks by in the hall but doesn’t greet you. Don’t assume ill will or a personal grudge against you. Instead, brush it off to busyness and keep your thoughts positive. Doing the opposite can quickly turn into a habit of negative thinking.

While you may not be the boss in your office, you’re fully in charge of the habits you create. And the ones you break. Developing self-awareness about your own workplace patterns and habits, and being willing to modify behaviors that don’t serve you, can help steer your career in the right direction.

***

Did you enjoy this post about breaking bad habits?  It originally appeared on the Blacklight, our newsletter for professionals. At the Blacklight, we aim 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 goalposts closer, sign up today!

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Addressing Round 3 Deadline Dilemmas [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   25 Feb 2020, 08:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Addressing Round 3 Deadline Dilemmas
The round 3 deadline window is nearly upon us. While the final round is the biggest gamble of the application cycle, schools have that round for a reason. Typically, they use it to admit those stellar students that add something special to their classes.

Successful applicants might have 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 is a viable option for applicants.

UV Darden School of Business


The round 3 deadline at Darden is coming up on April 6, 2020. With that in mind, the adcom addressed a few common myths on their admissions blog earlier this month.  Like most schools, Darden welcomes strong applicants to apply in the later round. They understand personal circumstances may have prevented you from applying sooner.

However, they would like to know more about what those reasons were. Darden suggests applicants use the Additional Comments section to explain your application timing. “This is really useful information for the Admissions Committee and can help provide context for your story and timeline,” writes Darden’s Maggie Dodson.

Candidates applying during the round 3 deadline should also know that Darden still offers merit scholarships to later applicants. But, the school has a finite amount of money to award, and naturally, there is less available later in the cycle.

Finally, the school has an answer for MBA hopefuls who are on the fence and wonder whether they should wait until next year. “If you have the time and resources, there is almost no reason not to apply,” Dodson writes.

On the one hand, if you do gain admission in the third round, you get to start your MBA program this fall—a full year earlier than if you had waited. If, on the other hand, you get dinged, there’s still value in going through the process.

“If you are not admitted, you will have a sense of how to strengthen your application for the upcoming cycle, and you will have several months before our Early Action round to do so,” Dodson notes.

Michigan Ross School of Business


The Ross School is especially welcoming to later applicants—perhaps more so than other schools. “We specifically reserve spots in our class for Round 3 applicants,” admissions director Soojin Kwon explains.

“In fact, we find some of our best students, academically and leadership-wise, are admitted during Round 3 each year.” Likewise, the Ross School reserves scholarship dollars for this group.

The round 3 deadline at Ross is coming up on March 30. For those asking themselves whether they should apply now or wait until next year, Kwon is optimistic about the workload that awaits in these final weeks before the deadline. “If you’re asking yourself this question, it likely means that you’ve already started the application process,” she predicts.

The Ross application asks for only one letter of recommendation, and the essays are short and direct, says Kwon. “Remember, there’s no chance of being admitted if you don’t apply,” she adds.

Duke University Fuqua School of Business


The round 3 deadline at Duke Fuqua is coming up fast— it’s on March 11, 2020. Similar to Darden, for the adcom at Fuqua, it’s vital that you explain the reasoning behind your decision to apply in the third round.

As this myth-busting post from 2019 explains, they see many common reasons for a late-round application. Maybe you delayed your application while you worked to improve your GMAT or GRE score. Perhaps an all-consuming project at work made applying earlier impossible.

“Or perhaps it’s simply an epiphany you had recently about where you want to be in the next two to five years,” Allison Jameson, assistant dean of admissions, writes. “Whatever the case, make it clear in the application what that catalyst was and why this timing is right.”

Yale School of Management


“I often get asked if it makes sense to apply in Round 3,” Assistant Dean for Admissions Bruce DelMonico wrote in this 2019 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 compelling 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 3 deadline at Yale SOM is coming up on April 14, 2020.

SBC’s advice for applicants targeting the round 3 deadline


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 robust and 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. 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 essential to have a Plan B in case things don’t go your way. You can always apply to a set of schools in round 3, knowing there is a good chance you will need to reapply to them and add in some new options next season.

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Erika James Named Dean of the Wharton School [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   26 Feb 2020, 13:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Erika James Named Dean of the Wharton School

The search for a new dean to take the reins at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has come to an end. Today, the school announced that Erika James would step into the role effective July 1, 2020.

When announcing the appointment, Penn President Amy Gutmann praised James as “a passionate and visible champion of the power of business and business education to positively transform communities locally, nationally, and globally.”

James made history in 2014 when she became the first black, female dean of a business school at Emory Goizueta. The Penn announcement highlights James’s impact at Goizueta, which includes growing faculty by 25% during her first term.

She also expanded corporate engagement through the creation of a research-based corporate think tank. James also introduced and led an effort to build an innovation and entrepreneurship lab open to all students on campus.

Before her deanship, she served as the senior associate dean for executive education at the Darden School of Business. In that role, she worked closely with faculty to reimagine executive education and lifelong learning opportunities.

“Erika has consistently and constructively drawn upon her own scholarship in the areas of leadership development, organizational behavior, gender, and racial diversity, and crisis leadership,” said Penn Provost Wendell Pritchett.

Her insights into human behavior have fostered a work culture that allows people to thrive personally and professionally, he added.

Education and Awards
Erika James holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pomona College of the Claremont Colleges in California. In addition to her roles at Emory and UVA, she has served as an assistant professor at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business and a visiting professor at Harvard Business School.

The Consortium, an organization committed to increasing diversity in business, starting with graduate school admissions, awarded James with its Earl Hill Jr. Faculty Achievement and Diversity Award.  Black Enterprise has named James one of the Top Ten Women of Power in Education. Ebony Magazine, meanwhile, lists James as one of the Power 100.

James will succeed Geoff Garrett, who will become dean of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

source: UPenn Wharton School

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SBC’s Insider Intel on INSEAD Admissions [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   28 Feb 2020, 07:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: SBC’s Insider Intel on INSEAD Admissions

Lately, we’ve seen growing interest in top-ranked European business school INSEAD—and not just among international applicants. The school has raised its profile among U.S. applicants, too. Just this week, INSEAD opened its San Francisco campus, the school’s first permanent facility in North America. Today we’re welcoming Lucy, a new member to the SBC consulting team, with a Q&A to help applicants better understand the INSEAD admissions process.  Lucy served as an MBA Admissions Officer at INSEAD’s Europe Campus in Fontainebleau, France.

During her tenure, she was the primary contact for MBA candidates based in Latin America and Singapore. Lucy advised applicants daily throughout the admissions process, from submission to final decision.

She was also in charge of INSEAD’s alumni interviewers in those regions to successfully pair them with applicants at the interview stage. Lucy later joined the Alumni teams as well as the Student Office to prepare visa applications for newly admitted MBA participants, giving her a good grasp of a student’s journey at INSEAD.



Welcome to the SBC consulting team, Lucy!

Lucy truly enjoyed her time helping MBA candidates and remains an enthusiastic ambassador for what is known as The Business School for the World.

Q: What are the qualities of INSEAD’s program that applicants appreciated the most? 
A: The INSEAD MBA is an appealing program for several reasons. Professionals value the accelerated 10-month curriculum. It offers a truly international experience with participants from all over the world. Then, there’s the exceptional quality of the faculty.  Students in the January intake have the option to do an internship. INSEAD also offers the possibility to study on 2 different campuses (Europe and Asia). Finally, the reputation of the school is outstanding and consistently top-ranked in the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking.

Q: Tell us, what did you love about INSEAD?
A: The work environment mainly, which is fantastic. So are the staff and facilities. In Europe, the campus is on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest and provides many advantages. For example, there are many outdoor activities available, especially in the spring/summer. Also, the campus has an indoor gym; a hotel; a mail service; a great library, and other study areas.

Not to mention, the cafeteria provides meals as diverse as the student body! There are also many on-campus events and conferences with various speakers for all members of the INSEAD community staff, students and faculty.

Q: Turning to the INSEAD admissions process, were there any common mistakes you saw in the applications?
A: Commons mistakes are applying with a GMAT or a TOEFL that is too low; putting English as a native language when it clearly isn’t; sending an incomplete application; and applying without a clear goal in mind.

Applicants often don’t read communications and requirements properly—or they read them too rapidly. It’s important to carefully take into consideration the information that is given by the admissions team directly or on the INSEAD website.

Q: Finally, what is the one thing you would recommend for applicants to INSEAD to communicate in their application essays? 
A: To truly be themselves, clearly explain their story, what their goal is and how can the INSEAD MBA help them achieve it. And to mention what they can bring to the program and the INSEAD community.

***

Thanks for sharing those insider tidbits with our readers, Lucy! If you would like a leg up with the INSEAD admissions process, contact us today to set up a complimentary analysis of your MBA candidacy.

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Kelley School to Offer 5 STEM-Designated MBA Degrees [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   02 Mar 2020, 14:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Kelley School to Offer 5 STEM-Designated MBA Degrees

The Kelley School of Business joins the growing ranks of top business schools embracing all things STEM. Kelley has announced it will now offer STEM-designated MBA degrees in five disciplines.

As of this spring, MBAs with majors in accounting, business analytics, finance, marketing, and supply chain and operations will carry the special designation of being Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math certified.

Besides helping all students remain competitive, Kelley says the designation offers particular benefits to international students. Namely, STEM MBA graduates can opt to work longer in positions related to their studies at U.S. firms after graduation.

“The digital economy permeates every aspect of society and across many industries today,” said  Kelley School dean Idalene “Idie” Kesner. She noted that recruiters seek graduates who understand how technology drives innovation.

This new designation better reflects the quantitative nature of the Kelley curriculum, Kesner explained. Also, she added, it shows how the school adjusts to meet the needs of students.

“The curriculum at Kelley has evolved to ensure that our students are ready for digitization, artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics required in 21st-century jobs,” said Ash Soni, executive associate dean for academic programs.

“Our employers appreciate that the STEM designation makes it easier for them to recruit the students who have completed this coursework and are the most prepared to perform in these roles.”

Why the sudden boom in STEM-Designated MBA Degrees?
Above all, recruiter demand has driven the boom, according to the school’s graduate career services office. Companies need MBAs who can understand and thrive in the disciplines of science, technology, math, and analytics.

According to a 2018 Pew Research Center report, employment in STEM occupations has grown by about 80 percent since 1990. In fact, it outpaces overall job growth in the United States.

“More than ever, we’re producing graduates who can focus on driving data-driven business decisions, solutions, and operational insights,” said program chair Kyle Cattani. “We believe this reflects what we do well.”

source: Indiana University Kelley School of Business

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Access MBA Events Coming Soon to California [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   04 Mar 2020, 09:01
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Access MBA Events Coming Soon to California

Access MBA gives you the ideal opportunity to learn more about the world’s most recognized business degrees – the MBA and Executive MBA – and to speak in person with admissions directors of leading international business schools.


This year’s participating schools include HEC Paris, UC Berkeley Haas School, IE Business School, USC Marshall School of Business, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and many more!

On the day of the event, you will:

  • Meet admissions directors during 20-minute One-to-One and small group meetings
  • Take part in panel discussions featuring school representatives and alumni
  • Receive advice and support from the Access MBA consulting team, as well as GMAT and scholarship information


By registering for the One-to-One MBA event, your profile will be carefully matched with the business schools that correspond to your goals and expectations – all free of charge to you. To secure your place at the event, make sure to register at least 10 days before the event.

Register here to attend the Access MBA Tour in Los Angeles on March 21, 2020.

Register here to attend the Access MBA Tour in San Francisco on March 22, 2020.

This is a great opportunity to take the first step towards your MBA journey!

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5 MBA Application Deal-Breakers [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   06 Mar 2020, 07:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: 5 MBA Application Deal-Breakers

SBC’s expert MBA admissions consultant Kim, formerly the Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Chicago Booth School of Business, shares some major red flags.
The consulting team at Stacy Blackman is second to none. In fact, we’re the only MBA admissions consulting firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. Naturally, we like to tap the expertise of this elite group now and again to share their wisdom with readers. Today, we’re asking Kim to discuss some of the MBA application deal-breakers she encountered during her tenure leading admissions at Booth.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Deal-Breaker #1: Lack of Self-Awareness in Career Goals and Essays 
A common mistake we tend to see is applicants having unrealistic goals. Another frequent trouble spot is when applicants have a writing/essay style that comes across as inauthentic—or worse, arrogant or privileged. Be humble and acknowledge your weaknesses in your application essays.

Also, it’s essential to research and apply to schools that match your objectives and goals. Pick your schools carefully and demonstrate self-awareness by explaining how their program can help you reach your specific career goals.

Deal-Breaker #2: Lack of Genuine Interest in the MBA Program 
Admission committees know that candidates apply to several schools. But they need some form of proof that you will yield at their school. As an applicant, you need to show them that you are excited and interested in their program and that you did your homework.

Thorough research is the key.  Attend virtual or in-person events and interact and outreach with current students/alumni. Visit the campus to see if you can envision yourself studying there.  Also, make sure to show your fit within that school’s culture.

Deal-Breaker #3: Not Briefing Your Recommenders
It’s VERY important to sit down with your recommenders from the outset. Talk to them about your goals and why this particular MBA program is going to help you reach them.

It’s crucial to practice your story with someone who knows your work capabilities inside and out. That way, they can expand on relevant examples of both your strengths and development areas. This introspective conversation and exercise will significantly help you and your recommenders.

Deal-Breaker #4 Not Answering the Essay Question/Re-Using Another Essay
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read essays that didn’t answer the question or prompt asked. Applicants tend to get caught up in writing what they think we want to hear. Or worse, they sub in an essay from another MBA program—and then they forget to remove the other school’s name! A lot of applicants try to take the easy way out, and it is very apparent on the other side.

Also, many applicants fail to spell-check their application. We often saw the wrong spelling of words, which can get awkward. Think illicit feedback, which is not the same as elicit feedback!

Deal-Breaker #5: Not Calling Out the Elephant in the Room
We know that applicants hate calling attention to their flaws. But members of the admissions team have done this job long enough to spot inconsistencies and omissions quickly. We’re talking things like glaring work gaps or job-hopping. Also common, failing or incomplete grades.

In these cases, whoever reviews your application will likely jump to the worst possible conclusion. Make sure to address things like this directly to avoid adverse inferences.

Oh, Those Zany MBA Applicants!
Now that we’ve addressed some of the common MBA application deal-breakers, it’s time for the juicy stuff! We asked Kim to dish on some of the strangest things she witnessed during her time in admissions at Chicago Booth. Here’s what she had to say.

We saw some crazy things from applicants on the waitlist. For instance, someone once submitted their additional essay on a cake. Oh, and we’ve received essays about bowel movements (ew!). Then we’ve seen people dressing as characters and in themes for the additional video essay.  Actually, we have a lot of people who make diary submissions for the essay, talking to their future selves.

Next, we have the people who contact adcom every day with updates on what they are doing at work and in their personal lives and how they’ve improved since their application. Additionally, some applicants share very private information—especially as an excuse to explain why applicants didn’t do well in undergrad or a specific course.

Also, we see applicants flat-out lying about where they work. Or about starting a company. Or about where they went to school. Or about how much they make. It seems they don’t realize we can easily verify all of this through Google searches and background checks.

***

Thanks so much, Kim for sharing your insights with our blog readers! If you’re interested in applying to business school and want to avoid making MBA application deal-breakers like these, we can help! Contact us today to set up a complimentary analysis of your MBA candidacy.

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3 Strategies to Avoid Choking Under Pressure [#permalink] Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog   09 Mar 2020, 12:00
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FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: 3 Strategies to Avoid Choking Under Pressure

Choking under pressure—it happens to the best of us. We tank an interview and don’t get the job. We freeze while giving an important presentation. Or blank during a critical exam. And choking at a crucial moment of the game? That’s an athlete’s worst nightmare.

To be clear, choking has nothing to do with having an off-day, performance-wise. When you choke, you perform much worse than your skill level indicates. Or, worse than you have in the past because you now find the situation stressful, cognitive scientist Sian Beilock tells New Scientist.

Beilock is the president of Barnard College and author of two books — Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To; and How the Body Knows Its Mind: The Surprising Power of the Physical Environment to Influence How You Think and Feel.

You’re too “in your head”
The prefrontal cortex is the epicenter of our cognitive horsepower, Beilock explains. Typically, we’re not paying attention to all of the little steps that make up everyday tasks.

“But in times of intense stress, like a playoff game, major presentation, or a job interview, your prefrontal cortex can go into overdrive,” Beilock writes in Harvard Business Review.

“When the pressure is on, we often start focusing on the step-by-step details of our performance to try and ensure an optimal outcome and, as a result, we disrupt what would have otherwise been fluid and natural.”

This pressure leads to panic. We start overthinking, and suddenly, we face “paralysis by analysis.” Fortunately, Beilock has come up with several science-backed strategies to help us avoid choking under pressure. Here are three of them.

Distract yourself
First, accept that no amount of distraction will help if you haven’t adequately prepped for whatever high-stress situation in which you’ll soon find yourself. This trick assumes you have amply rehearsed, practiced, studied, etc., and in optimal conditions, would perform like a rock star.

Five minutes before the Big Event, resist the urge to review every detail of what you’re about to do, Beilock advises. Instead, take a few moments to focus on something else. Play a game on your phone. Scroll through Instagram. Plan your menu for dinner that night. It doesn’t matter how you distract yourself. The point is to refocus your cognitive horsepower away from the thing you’re about to do.

By occupying your prefrontal cortex beforehand with unrelated activities, Beilock explains, you’re less likely to overthink in the moment and more likely to communicate or perform effectively.

Jot down worries
Researchers have found that writing down your concerns before a stressful event helps to download them from your mind—making them less likely to pop up in the moment, Beilock explains in her Ted Talk on choking under pressure.



Dr. Srini Pillay of Harvard Medical School has come to the same conclusion. Expressive writing—where you write about your deepest thoughts and feelings—helps anxious people perform better on tests. “We’re not sure exactly why this is, but one leading theory is that writing about test anxiety ‘offloads’ worrisome thoughts, thereby freeing up mental resources to concentrate on the test,” Pillay explains.

Practice, practice, practice
As we hinted above, preparation is essential to nailing it—and to avoid choking under pressure. Say you have a job interview for a position you really want. Or need to give a speech in front of your entire company. Obviously, winging it isn’t an option.

So learn your resume backward and forwards. Recruit a friend to conduct a mock interview with you. Practice giving your speech to colleagues or friends. For interviews or public speaking, it helps to record yourself in the process so you can suss out any verbal or physical tics that might distract your audience.

If you’re studying for an important test, try to replicate the testing environment you’ll encounter on the actual day. Close the book, practice retrieving the answer from memory under timed situations, Beilock advises. The goal: make whatever the task is feel as fluid and natural as possible—like you’re on autopilot.

To quote former pro basketball player Tim Duncan, “When you have to stop and think, that’s when you mess up.”

But what if you still choke?
“It’s not the end of the world,” Beilock reminds us. “You might be disappointed and even embarrassed, but like most things in life, it’s a learning experience. Take the opportunity to learn how to better handle the stress next time.”

***

Did you enjoy this post with tips to avoid choking under pressure?  It originally appeared on the Blacklight, our weekly newsletter for professionals. At the Blacklight, we aim 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 goalposts closer, sign up today!

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