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29 Dec 2015, 08:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Strategies for Defining Your MBA Goals |
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While it sounds simple enough, many b-school hopefuls struggle with the question of addressing their career goals because although they know they want an MBA, they haven’t yet clearly defined what their goals are, and how earning an MBA degree will help. Remember, a goal is something you want to achieve. Therefore, “I want to work in investment banking” is not a goal. How then do you go about defining your career goals? Think about a logical sequence that starts with your past work experience, then your MBA education and ends with your immediate post-MBA goal. Self-awareness about your strengths and interests will help you refine what you want.  In your essays and interviews, you’ll want to give some background about why you are interested in your specific career pursuits. It will also add credibility to describe how you tend to approach goals in general. Are you determined despite obstacles? How have you demonstrated your persistence in your career thus far? Your past experiences have certainly informed your post-MBA plans, and touching on those most relevant will be helpful to setting the background for your current pursuit of an MBA. To make this essay more than a rehash of your resume, think about explaining the rationale for your decisions throughout the essay. Focus only on relevant examples from your career: the situations that led you to realize what you really want to do or helped you to build skills that have become important to your goals. Often the best indicator of future performance is the past, and therefore examples can support your position that your goals are achievable with an MBA degree. Believe it or not, it’s sometimes helpful to reflect on the negative. By taking a look at your least-favorite moments in your career trajectory so far, it becomes easier to see which functions appealed to you the most and which ones you really disliked. To take your research deeper, talk to colleagues and alumni who have MBAs in your field to see what your career path options are. One thing I tell people to tap into when they’re thinking of their career goals is envy…in the best possible sense. When you think about envy, it probably means you’re thinking about people doing things that you wish you were doing. Ask yourself, “Who is this person? What about them would I like to emulate?” That can help you define your goals in many ways. One final tip: Spend some time thinking about how the specific business school you are applying to will help you achieve your career goals, and use your essays to explain to the admissions committee why their program is the right place to spend the next two years of your life. Passion for your career choice will come across as you tell your story through essays, discussions with recommenders, and interviews, so it’s worth articulating your own dreams in advance. A career path that focuses on demonstrated passions and interests throughout your life is going to be most compelling. Make sure that your career goals are both realistic and aspirational. Your post MBA goal should be achievable and demonstrate the need for the degree. Once you’ve come up with a clear, cohesive vision of your career goals, tying it all together with your background and accomplishments is a great first step in a successful application strategy. |
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 Dec 2015, 07:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: So long, 2015! |
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As we prepare to welcome 2016 this week, it’s a time for both reflection and anticipation. But odds are if you’ve been working on MBA applications, you’ve already been doing a lot of both over the past several months. Updating your resume, brainstorming the most intriguing stories for your essays and reminding your recommenders of everything you worked on together is about as intense a walk down memory lane as it gets. You’ve spent weeks upon weeks reviewing your life’s accomplishments and navel-gazing in order to ensure your materials will show admissions committees who you really are. Now we encourage you to take a break (even if it’s just for a day) and focus on looking forward. If you already know where you’ll be heading in the fall—or are in the envious position of deciding between programs—then there’s no doubt 2016 is going to be a banner year. You have much to be excited about! If you’ve been waitlisted, are putting the finishing touches on your Round 2 applications or are just beginning the application process for Round 3, we understand how nerve-wracking it is to have a good chunk of 2016 up in the air. But your future plans will all fall into place in due time. And once your materials are in, there’s no harm in testing out the power of positive thinking, right? You could also make it a New Year’s resolution to look forward to bigger and better things in 2016—no matter what ends up happening with business school. Or you could take this slightly more cynical approach:  On January 4, SBC will be kicking off our 2016 “Words of Wisdom” series. Check our social media channels and here on the SBC blog for ongoing tips and inspiration. Insights are contributed by partners, including deans and professors at top b-schools, the best in GMAT prep providers and our friends heading up the admissions committees at the schools you want to go to! Happy New Year, The team at Stacy Blackman 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.
31 Dec 2015, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stacy Blackman’s Year in Review |
 How is it possible that we’re already at the final day of 2015? Once again, the time is upon us to make new resolutions, push ourselves to learn and grow, and rededicate ourselves to our personal and professional goals. With that in mind, we’d like to share some of our most popular blog posts from the past year, each selected to help you better prepare as you journey along the road to business school. Should You Retake the GMAT?—Business school hopefuls can be incredibly hard on themselves when they make mistakes on the GMAT, but each error is a learning opportunity and a chance to improve. Evaluate 3 Factors When Comparing Business School Acceptances—The decision-making process is different for everyone, but there are a few things to consider that may sway your choice. Checklist for Admitted MBA Students—Once the euphoria over your acceptance to the b-school of your dreams has subsided slightly, it’s time to refocus your energies to all of the big and little details that make up your admitted MBA student “To Do List.” Decide Whether to Pursue a Pre-MBA Internship—The pre-MBA internship has become a growing trend among the recently admitted. Let’s take a look at what it is, who it’s for and why you should think about pursuing one – maybe. 4 Reasons to Write an Optional Business School Application Essay—When it comes to the optional essay question posed by most business schools, MBA hopefuls often wonder if it is really optional. Many applicants feel an obligation to write something, and struggle with what that something should be. Don’t Be “Joe MBA”—One of the biggest mistakes we see applicants make is assuming that the surest route to business school admission is playing it safe and doing what “everyone else” does. Avoid Choosing the Wrong MBA Recommenders— Steer clear of these potential pitfalls when it comes to selecting a recommender, or you may find your chances of admission crushed despite having an overall compelling application. MBA Your Resume—Your resume is a very important part of your materials, and the extra work you put into revising it could be what makes the difference between a ding and an interview offer. How to Think (and Write) About Your Career Goals—Here’s a little secret: the AdCom doesn’t expect you to know exactly what you want to be doing decades from now. And no one’s going to hold you to what you write in your essay. However, your answer to the career goals question is still important. 4 Things to Know Before Going to Business School—Whether you’re already an admitted member of the Class of 2018, or a candidate working on your application for next fall, take a look at these tips to help better prepare you for an awesome MBA experience. How to Stand Out in an MBA Group Interview—Business schools want students who will play nice with others, and so watching how someone interacts with peers before anyone’s even admitted can be very telling. Develop a Smart Social Media Strategy for MBA Applications—Your social profile needs to match the persona you will present to the admissions team, so start thinking of it as an opportunity to better tell the story of you. *** My goal with this blog has always been to bring b-school applicants the latest news from the schools, insightful application and essay tips, and to explore major trends affecting the future of management education. Thank you so much for making us a top destination for your b-school research. I hope this resource continues to serve you well as you embark on what is definitely a life-changing, career-boosting journey. Have a wonderful holiday, and I’ll see you back here in 2016!  |
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 Jan 2016, 12:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Tips to Maximize Your MBA Application Feedback Session |
 These brief sessions with schools can provide valuable insight into why you were rejected. This post originally appeared on Stacy’s “Strictly Business” MBA Blog on U.S.News.com All MBA hopefuls fear getting denied, but if there’s any silver lining to rejection, it’s that many business schools now offer feedback sessions to help unsuccessful candidates figure out where they might have gone wrong. This availability of application feedback confirms that the schools really do welcome and encourage re-applicants, who often find success the second time around. In fact, in the past, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has shared with us anecdotally that applicants who reapplied often have a slight edge in the applicant pool. Find out the policy of your school of choice and get in touch with the admissions office right away, making it clear that you will use the feedback to reapply next year, if that’s the case. These meetings usually take place on a first-come, first-served basis in the spring, at the end of the admissions season. Due to the brevity of these sessions, it’s important to prepare in advance. Write down a few pointed questions that will help you make the most of your meeting. If you questioned anything during the application process, you now have the opportunity to clear things up. In order to gather actionable information, your questions should sound something like this: • Was there any concern about my quantitative abilities? If so, what can I do to demonstrate my capabilities? • Were my career goals clear? • Are my reasons for wanting an MBA sound? • What were some of the biggest weaknesses in my application? Do you have any suggestions for how I can ease your concerns in those areas? Have a plan to make sure the session stays on pace, because you’ll usually have a maximum of 15 minutes. Keep track of the time and strive to end the conversation gracefully. It’s unlikely that members of the admissions committee will tell you flat out that you don’t have the stats, background or qualifications to attend their MBA program, even if that is the case. Nor will they tell you to change your life plans just for the sake of the application. There’s an art to extracting information, but don’t expect to receive the secret key to success during this brief conversation. Take what you can get. Ultimately, the feedback session may or may not provide helpful insight. You might receive a very actionable comment, such as “you need more work experience” or “you should raise your GMAT score at least 30 points.” But with more qualified applicants than available seats in the program, the advice is often quite general and you’ll have to work hard to pin down specific takeaways. Think of this as one additional opportunity to build upon your relationship with the school, so maintain a pleasant, engaging and polite tone. The admissions committee also takes notes during the exchange that will go into your file and form a part of the evaluation you when you reapply next year, so make sure you don’t get defensive about their feedback. Treat this as an extension of your interview: Jot down the name and email address of the person you speak with, and remember to follow up with a thank-you note. Finally, don’t spend a lot of time or energy fretting about elements of your application that you cannot change in less than 12 months. Instead, use the feedback from the admissions committee and your own honest self-analysis to determine where you can improve in order to better position your application for the next admissions cycle. Image by Flickr user Giulia Forsythe (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) |
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.
05 Jan 2016, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Last-Minute Round 2 Tips |
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Over the next week, more than a dozen top MBA programs will close out their Round 2 application periods. If you are targeting one of those schools and haven’t hit “Submit” yet, here are some last-minute tips for you:
Think of it this way:  Oh, and make sure you’re following all of our social media channels for ongoing tips and inspiration as part of our “Words of Wisdom” series! We kicked things off yesterday with this great advice from MBA admissions at CBS: “Have fun, be excited about the opportunity for self-reflection and, in that spirit, be yourself! Open communication with your friends and classmates makes for a richer and even more rewarding experience.” – Amanda Carlson, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Columbia Business School. *** 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. |
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 Jan 2016, 12:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Wharton MBA Interview Tips |
 Are you targeting the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School? Whether you’re looking forward to an interview in Round 2 or 3, or perhaps have your sights set a bit farther out for next application season, you’ll want to take a look at these three tips I recently shared with Business Insider on how to ace your Wharton interview.
You may also be interested in: Wharton Fall 2016 MBA Essay Tips Survey Says Wharton Beats HBS in Most Satisfied MBAs |
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 Jan 2016, 14:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Yale SOM’s Edward Snyder Named Dean of the Year |
 Last week, the website Poets & Quants named Edward “Ted” Snyder of Yale School of Management as the 2015 Dean of the Year, an honor only four other business school deans have received. When Synder took the helm in July 2011, expectations were sky-high given his previous deanships at the Chicago Booth School of Business and UV Darden School of Business. “Just four and one-half years into the job at SOM, Snyder has not merely met those high expectations. He has clearly surpassed them,” writes editor-in-chief John A Byrne. “On virtually every single metric of quality—from application volume and average class GMAT scores to MBA rankings and starting compensation for graduates—Yale SOM can boast major improvements.” During his tenure, Snyder has expanded the SOM’s mission of educating leaders for business and society by further connecting with Yale’s other professional schools, opening ultra modern new facilities, and by greatlyexpanding its international footprint through the Global Network for Advanced Management. The Global Network, founded by Snyder in 2012, currently has 28 member schools from all over the world.  These improvements have certainly caught the attention of prospective MBA candidates. Poets & Quants notes that Yale SOM saw a 24.8% increase in applications last year, and the school has reported a 29% rise in Round 1 applicants this year. “The biggest increases, however, have come from countries where a global network business school is located,” Byrne writes. “In global network countries, for example, GMAT volume is up 14.6%, but SOM’s applications from those nations are up a whopping 51.6%.” The SOM’s higher profile and quality of the applicant pool has led to a marked increase in compensation figures as well, with Class of 2015 graduates receiving a median first-year compensation of $146,480, a 9.1% increase over the previous year’s graduates. ““We are closing the gap with the best best schools on employment,” Snyder tells Poets & Quants. Byrne concurs, noting that “At that level of pay, SOM is in an MBA sweet spot occupied by Columbia ($146,645), Wharton ($146,303), and Dartmouth Tuck ($146,020).” There’s little question Yale School of Management will offer Snyder a second five-year term when his first is up in July. As the dean says, “We’re building on the work of many before us and are energized by the school’s mission.” You may be interested in: Yale SOM Welcomes Diverse MBA Class of 2016 |
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 Jan 2016, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign |
 Earlier this week, we launched a Words of Wisdom (WOW) campaign on our social media streams. Have you seen it yet? The goal is to galvanize potential MBA candidates with inspirational quotes from the top business schools and our educational partners, and we’ve had a tremendous response! More than 12 elite MBA programs, and organizations such as Forté Foundation and the MBA Tour, will chime in with their thoughts on topics such as how to conquer the GMAT, solve the thorniest business problems, manage your time, and be true to your values. Every Friday for the next month, we’ll provide a roundup of these motivational messages here on the blog, but you can see them right away on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use the following hashtags: #WOW #WordsofWisdom #SBCWOW #MBAinspiration and #BeInspired to check it out each day. We hope these messages inspire you to make 2016 your best year ever! “We all live by a set of core principles. Make sure that one of yours is to choose graciousness in all that you do.” Mike Rielly, Assistant Dean, The Berkeley MBA For Executives, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business “Your best preparation includes learning how to fully engage in your own learning process.” Bara Sapir, CEO/Founder of Test Prep NY/SF “What is happiness? Three things: good health, meaningful work, and love.” Richard Shell, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at The Wharton School. Author of numerous books including Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for Success “Research tells us that women tend to opt out of opportunities where they do not feel 100% qualified. The truth is that there is no one ideal MBA candidate profile. There’s also no one ideal business school. Opt yourself in to this process. Explore a variety of schools, and find which one is the ideal fit for YOU.” Krystal Brooks, Associate Director, Early Career Women at Forté Foundation “Be a force for intellectual honesty in public discourse — be true to your values, respect the differing values of others, and be willing to change your views in the face of new analysis and evidence.”Professor David Besanko, Kellogg School of Management “The GMAT is like a first date: first impressions matter, but you must be on the top of your game throughout the entire time.” The Economist Test Prep “When solving problems, it’s easy to come at them and say ‘I need to fix this.’ Instead, take the time to question the problem itself.” Christina Hachikian, Executive Director, Social Enterprise Initiative, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Strategy, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “Time management is key. Start the application process early, and make sure to plan ahead for any unforeseen delays.” The MBA Tour |
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.
09 Jan 2016, 23:19
11 Jan 2016, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Round 2 Update from HBS Admissions |
 On Friday, Harvard Business School‘s director of MBA admissions, Dee Leopold, shared the following details regarding Round 2 interview invitations:
As you prepare for your interview, one of the most important tips to remember is to sound natural—not scripted—during the exchange. Instead of trying to remember and include every last one of your memorized bullet points, focus on succinctly answering only the question at hand. If you can get from point A to point B in a clear, logical way; maintain an open, friendly, and professional demeanor; dress appropriately; and have an inquisitive attitude about the school and all it has to offer students, you stand a very good chance of coming out of the interview with flying colors. Good luck, HBS applicants! You may also be interested in: How to Make a Positive Impression on the HBS Admissions Team HBS Students Offer Interview Tips HBS Admissions Director Talks GMAT/GRE Scores HBS Admissions Director Leopold to Step Down in May 2016 |
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.
12 Jan 2016, 13:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Sunny Job Outlook for 2016 MBA Grads |
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has released the findings of its 2015 Year-End Poll of Employers, which reveal solid 2015 hiring numbers and robust 2016 hiring projections that reflect a continued healthy demand for recent graduates of master-level business programs — especially MBAs. Among the survey’s other findings: 96% of responding employers agree that hiring business school graduates creates value for their companies and 68% agree that recruiting graduates of MBA and business master’s programs is a priority in their company’s hiring plans. “Employer demand for graduate management talent is projected to remain strong in 2016 for MBAs and other master’s-level business candidates,” says Bob Alig, GMAC’s executive vice president for school products. “Recent graduates from business and management programs should see high demand for their skills because employers understand that they are valuable assets to their organizations.” Findings in this report represent survey responses from 179 recruiters from across 159 companies of varying sizes and industry sectors located in 31 countries or regions worldwide. A majority of the employers participating in this year’s survey indicate that they will be striving towards improving performance and productivity, expanding their customer base, and launching new products and services and less focused on overcoming economic challenges and cutting costs than in recent years. In addition, 73% of responding employers plan to offer internships to MBA candidates in 2016 — GMAC surveys have indicated that internships remain one of the most successful ways for master’s-level business school graduates to receive job offers. Ninety-two percent of the responding employers that offered MBA internships in 2015 plan to increase (26%) or maintain (66%) the number of MBA internship openings in 2016. These positive developments echo what recent business school graduates say about the value of their degrees. In a September 2015 GMAC poll of recent graduates, a vast majority of alumni from the class of 2015 said their graduate management degree helped prepare them for the job market. In fact, three to four months after graduation, full-time two-year MBA alumni in the class of 2015 reported an employment rate of 91%– five percentage points greater than the class of 2014 reported in September 2014. You may also be interested in: ROI of an MBA |
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 Jan 2016, 12:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Yale SOM Dean Snyder Appointed to Second Term |
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Fresh on the heels of being named Dean of the Year by Poets & Quants, Edward Snyder has been appointed to a second term as dean of the Yale School of Management. “I am delighted that he is willing to continue in this capacity and foster SOM’s continued excellence and prominence on the world stage,” President Peter Salovey announced in a letter to the SOM community. During his tenure, Snyder has expanded the SOM’s mission of educating leaders for business and society by further connecting with Yale’s other professional schools, opening ultra modern new facilities, and by greatly expanding its international footprint through its Leadership Center in Beijing and the Global Network for Advanced Management. The Global Network, founded by Snyder in 2012, currently has 28 member schools from all over the world. Salovey noted that many members of the Yale SOM community wrote to recommend the dean’s reappointment. “In reading the comments that so many of you took the time to send me, I was struck anew by the many facets of the dean’s leadership and the abundance of connections he has forged for the school,” Salovey said. “You wrote of his talent for motivating colleagues, uniting faculty, staff, and students in a strong sense of purpose. You lauded his clear agenda toward transforming SOM into one of the world’s elite business schools. And you spoke of his commitment to Yale SOM’s unique mission to educate leaders for business and society,” he continued. Snyder began his term as dean of Yale SOM in 2011, and is regarded as the most successful business school dean in the nation, former Yale University President Richard C. Levin said at the time. Prior to accepting the position at Yale SOM, Snyder served as dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and had also held that position at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He is an economist with expertise in industrial organization and antitrust economics. |
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 Jan 2016, 13:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign Continues |
 We’re wrapping up the second week of the Words of Wisdom (WOW) campaign on our social media streams. Have you been following along? The goal is to galvanize potential MBA candidates with inspirational quotes from the top business schools and our educational partners, and the online response has been through the roof! More than 12 elite MBA programs, and organizations such as Forté Foundation and the MBA Tour, will chime in with their thoughts on topics such as how to conquer the GMAT, solve the thorniest business problems, manage your time, and be true to your values. Every Friday for the next month, we’ll provide a roundup of these motivational messages here on the blog, but you can see them right away on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use the following hashtags: #WOW #WordsofWisdom #SBCWOW #MBAinspiration and #BeInspired to check it out each day. We hope these messages inspire you to make 2016 your best year ever!
Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign |
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.
18 Jan 2016, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Considering a Second MBA Degree? |
 Applicants who received an MBA abroad can use a second MBA to strengthen job prospects. This post originally appeared on Stacy’s “Strictly Business” MBA Blog on U.S.News.com The idea of pursuing a second MBA degree may sound strange, but it happens with a small number of applicants during every admissions season and can make sense under the right, very specific, circumstances. Some applicants consider a second degree after earning an MBA from a for-profit university or an unaccredited program. They may find they have hit a ceiling with their employment prospects as they vie for positions against candidates from better-known schools. More often, people who seek a second degree are international candidates who have discovered that their professional dreams cannot be fulfilled with their current degree alone. In India, for example, it’s common for a student to jump into an MBA program straight out of university, which makes for a very theoretical learning experience rather than a practical one in which to contextualize management problems. Once these MBA grads get into the workforce, they discover they must further develop various skills to become strong business leaders. For professionals working in international firms who aspire to relocate abroad, a degree earned in-country will not open doors the way a highly ranked MBA from a name-brand university will. A second MBA is seen as an efficient way to move out of a stagnant career and enhance their competitiveness, allowing the degree holder to shift into a new function, industry or geography after completing their studies. Creating a rich classroom experience through diversity is a huge focus of the top business schools, offering students the opportunity to interact with peers from an array of countries and professional backgrounds. While the educational component of the degree in South Asian business schools, for example, may sometimes rival their international counterparts, the ability to create networking ties across the globe is nowhere near as strong. For career switchers looking to break into competitive industries such as finance or consulting, earning an MBA from a globally recognized brand becomes paramount. As with any blip or oddity in candidates’ background, they need to think through their story as they prepare application essays. What did you not get from a prior MBA that you can get this time around? How is the target program different, or a better fit? Or maybe it’s a matter of timing, and the first one was a mistake you need to acknowledge. What skills are you looking to gain, and why couldn’t you acquire them with your first degree? An applicant needs to show why it would make sense to repeat the same degree from a different school. It can be a hard narrative to flesh out and tell in a compelling way, but it’s not impossible. When I first read through the profile for our client Vijay, I saw strong academic numbers, volunteer involvement, an interesting entrepreneurial venture – and that he already had an MBA from one of the Indian Institutes of Management. My first question was the same any admissions committee member would ask him: “Why do you need a second MBA?” Vijay entered an IIM program when he was a university student to supplement his engineering coursework. While he had received an MBA credential, he considered the degree as an addendum to his undergraduate diploma. Also, his degree did not provide the same career advantages he would get from one of his target schools in the U.S., which were the MIT Sloan School of Management, the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. For his career goals essay, we discussed exactly what this second MBA degree would do for Vijay’s career. We also used the optional essay to clearly outline how specific coursework in entrepreneurship, international experience and networking opportunities at each program made a second MBA absolutely necessary. His hard work and compelling argument paid off, and Vijay pursued his second MBA at Sloan, where he made some great contacts for future entrepreneurial ventures. Many top business schools in the U.S. and Europe welcome applicants who already hold an MBA degree. If your first MBA is from a smaller international school, the elite programs are well aware of their advantages over the initial degree. Fortunately, your prior MBA degree won’t be a problem for on-campus recruiting, though you should be able to explain why you needed the two degrees. Assuming you have a solid story, the emphasis will be on your work experience and skills. If you are admitted to a strong program, the degree — combined with your skills — will enable you to land a great job come graduation. Contact the admissions department at the programs you are interested in to find out the specifics for each school, and be ready to make a rock-solid case for why a second MBA is the next logical step for you. Image credit: KMo Foto (CC BY 2.0) |
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 Jan 2016, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: New Chicago Booth Scholarships for Nonprofit, Govt. Professionals |
 The Chicago Booth School of Business has debuted a scholarship program designed to support advanced business education in the nonprofit and government sectors. The new Civic Scholars Program, funded in part by a $4-million gift from the Neubauer Family Foundation, will provide full-tuition scholarships every year to Chicago Booth’s Weekend MBA Program for eight professionals working in the nonprofit and government fields. Known as Neubauer Civic Scholars, students in the program will continue working full-time as they pursue their degrees, allowing them to apply their classroom experiences to their workplaces. Traditionally the public and nonprofit sectors are underrepresented in MBA programs, but with the Civic Scholars Program, Booth can tap the potential of professionals in these fields. No other world class business school currently offers as comprehensive a program for civic leaders. “This is an opportunity to strengthen the development of future leaders from the public and nonprofit sectors across the United States, and Booth’s data-driven and collaborative approach will help these professionals drive change within their organizations that has a dynamic impact,” says Joseph Neubauer, MBA ’65. “The same leadership skills are required to run all enterprises regardless of sector, which is why we are particularly excited to provide this opportunity to those who are the best and brightest in their chosen fields to strengthen the critical business and analytical skills required to run their organizations,” he adds. The program will bring important voices to the classroom and community by providing broader perspectives on issues such as understanding the role of business in society, the implications of expanding public-private partnerships, and the opportunities for business leaders to engage productively with government and nonprofit organizations. Neubauer Civic Scholars will be subject to the same curriculum requirements as all students in Booth’s MBA Programs, and ideal candidates will have approximately six to ten years of professional experience when applying to the program. In addition to the core curriculum, they will have new, experience-based courses designed exclusively for the program that allow them to work in small teams on research and consulting projects for social sector and government organizations, as well as on individual projects at the Civic Scholars’ own organizations. Additionally, a platform of curricular and extra-curricular programs exclusive to Neubauer Civic Scholars will be developed with the goal of fostering the group’s connections with each other as well as enhancing the educational experience. The Civic Scholars Program will partner with other Booth research centers such as the Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State, Social Enterprise Initiative, and the Harry Davis Leadership Center, as well as faculty from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, on curricular and co-curricular programming. “We are very grateful for the pledge from the Neubauer Family Foundation to create the Neubauer Civic Scholarship Fund,” says Booth Dean Sunil Kumar. “This investment will allow Chicago Booth to provide select students from the nonprofit and public sectors the same discipline base and leadership tools we offer to business leaders. In time, this will help the school broaden its impact into these sectors, by building a community of talented and well-trained alumni.” Image credit: Adam Fagen (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) |
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.
20 Jan 2016, 07:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: PepsiCo Chairman, CEO Endows Deanship at Yale SOM |
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The Yale School of Management is on a hot streak of late: Dean Edward Snyder was named Dean of the Year by Poets and Quants and has been reappointed to a second term; full-time MBA application volume is up; and post-graduation salaries rival peer schools such as University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. The SOM has once again made news with the recent announcement that a donation from alumna Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Inc, makes her the most generous alumni donor in the school’s history, and the first woman to endow a deanship at a top business school, the Indra Nooyi Deanship. The amount has not been disclosed.  “My gift to this wonderful institution pales in comparison with the gift that Yale gave me — the fundamental understanding that leadership requires an expansive worldview and a deep appreciation of the many points of intersection between business and society,” Nooyi said in a press release. This gift will establish the Fifth Decade Innovation Fund, so named because the first class entered the business school in 1976 and the SOM now celebrates its 50th year. The fund aims to advance the SOM’s mission of cultivating leaders with a global mindset, and is open to additional contributions that would further develop and support the infrastructure and technology required of future initiatives. According to a bio statement released by Yale SOM, Nooyi has served as chief executive officer of PepsiCo since 2006, and chairman since 2007. She is the chief architect of Performance with Purpose, the company’s promise to deliver top-tier financial performance over the long term by integrating sustainability into its business strategy and leaving a positive imprint on society. Snyder, who is the inaugural Indra K. Nooyi Dean, lauded her accomplishments at PepsiCo and said, “Having the deanship named in her honor communicates to the world the school’s model of purposeful and broadminded leadership.” For more information about Nooyi and this historic gift, please read: PepsiCo Chairman & CEO Indra K. Nooyi ’80 Endows Deanship at Yale School of Management. Image credit: Penn State (CC BY-NC 2.0) |
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 Jan 2016, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: 4 Things Wharton Looks For in MBA Applicants |
 Do you wonder just exactly what the top business schools look for when deciding whom to admit to their MBA programs? Well, after more than 15 years of helping our clients receive highly coveted admissions letters to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, I’ve pulled together some key characteristics that, together, paint a unique picture of what Wharton is looking for in MBA students. Keep in mind though, knowing what a particular business school is looking for isn’t an opportunity to re-make yourself into what you think their “ideal” student would be. Rather, it’s a chance to find a learning community that values your strengths and where you can make a positive contribution with the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives you bring to the table. To discover which four characteristics Wharton looks for in MBA candidates, I invite you to follow the link to read my latest article published on Business Insider. You may also be interested in: Wharton MBA Interview Tips Wharton School Fall 2016 MBA Essay Tips Image credit: Jack Duval (CC BY 2.0) |
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.
22 Jan 2016, 12:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign Heats Up |
 We’re wrapping up the third week of the Words of Wisdom (WOW) campaign on our social media streams, and the online response has been nothing short of incredible! Have you checked it out yet? The goal is to motivate potential MBA candidates with inspirational quotes from the top business schools and our educational partners. More than 12 elite MBA programs, and organizations such as Forté Foundation and the MBA Tour, have chimed in with their thoughts on reapplying, reminders about how to take advantage of every opportunity, reality checks regarding the GMAT, and views on how to create value and sense of purpose in all that you do. Every Friday during the campaign, we’ll provide a roundup of these motivational messages here on the blog, but you can see them right away on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use the following hashtags: #WOW #WordsofWisdom #SBCWOW #MBAinspiration and #BeInspired to check it out each day. We hope these messages inspire you to make 2016 your best year ever!
Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign Continues Stacy Blackman’s Words of Wisdom Campaign |
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 Jan 2016, 11:00
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Should You Consider Applying in Round 3? |
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You tried your best, but you just couldn’t pull together all of your business school materials before Round 2 deadlines hit. Now what should you do? Isn’t Round 3 where MBA applications go to die? Not always. In general, it is tougher to earn a spot at most top MBA programs when you apply in Round 3. Admissions committees have seen thousands of qualified applicants throughout Rounds 1 and 2, have pulled together a fairly good idea of what the incoming class will look like, and have also compiled a waitlist of additional candidates. Before Round 3 closes out, a certain percentage of people who were admitted in Round 1 and 2 will have already committed to a program. In short, there will be precious few spots left when the AdCom finally turns its attention toward final-round applications. So where does that leave you? It depends. If it’s been more than five years since you graduated from college, you should seriously consider applying in Round 3. While every situation is different, time could start to work against you at programs that tend to focus on younger applicants. Plus, the odds of your candidacy significantly improving over the next eight months after you’ve already been in the workforce for so long are probably slim. If this is your situation and all you need to do is put the finishing touches on your materials, go for Round 3. There are also other circumstances that make Round 3 a perfectly fine option: you’re in the military and recently received your release papers; you are going through a job change or rolling off of a major project; you had extenuating circumstances that prevented you from applying earlier (and which you can reference in the optional essay); or you are most interested in MBA programs outside of the “top 20.” However, if you’re only two or three years into your career, it may make sense to wait until next season’s Round 1. Focus on building more leadership and community service/volunteer experience in the meantime and make your application even stronger. And remember:  “Be a force for intellectual honesty in public discourse—be true to your values, respect the differing values of others, and be willing to change your views in the face of new analysis and evidence.” – Professor David Besanko, Kellogg School of Management. See other inspiring quotes like this one in our “Words of Wisdom” series! Make sure you’re following all of Stacy Blackman Consulting’s social media channels daily and here on the SBC blog every Friday for inspiration from our partners at top MBA programs. *** 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. |
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.
26 Jan 2016, 13:01
| FROM Stacy Blackman Consulting Blog: Texas MBA’s Perspective on the “Non-Numeric” You |
 A recent post on the Texas MBA Insider blog at the UT McCombs School of Business drives home a message that we stress with clients on a daily basis: the admissions committee wants to get to know the person behind the data points. Now, this isn’t to say that a strong GMAT score or undergrad academic performance isn’t important…it’s very important to get those components right. In The Non-Numeric You: You Are Not Your GPA, Kimberly Jones from the Texas MBA admissions team simply wants applicants to realize that their numbers do not define them when it comes to applying for a seat in their program. Convince us that you are not only capable, but that you are special and that we will be lacking something without your presence.–The Texas MBA Program “Even if you do have a 780 GMAT, this does not, in itself, indicate to us that you will succeed, make good grades, find an internship, thrive in your study groups, or find a good job after graduation,” Jones writes. The truth is, a lot of people have a 700 GMAT and 3.8 GPA. What is critical for applicants is conveying their own unique story in a compelling way. “This story can go a long way in convincing us that a so-so GMAT or GPA is nothing to worry about in the long run, because you have a clear sense of who you are and what you are capable of,” she adds. In our work, we find that countless applicants undervalue their uniqueness. Prospective students often shy away from sharing small but important details about themselves that can help them stand out from the crowd. They think, “Admissions committees don’t want to hear about that side of me,” or “Business schools don’t want people who are interested in that.” Or, “If I talk about this, it will sound like I’m boasting.” It’s time to get over all of that. If you want to do well in the admissions process, you have to communicate who you are, not just what you do. Click on over to the original post for tips on how you can stand out and land a spot at McCombs over an applicant with the exact same numbers. You may also be interested in: 3 Ways to Stand Out in a Competitive B-School Applicant Pool |
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.
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