Our consultants receive a lot of questions from clients about applying to MBA programs through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management. I’ve heard myths flying around that suggest that applying to one (or more) of the 20 Consortium schools through The Consortium’s application is disadvantageous. But as the former director at two Consortium schools, I can assure you that nothing could be further from the truth — provided you meet The Consortium’s minimum qualifications.
Though the requirements, the schools, and the corporate partners have changed over its 53-year history, The Consortium is not only the best deal in town; it also gives Consortium members an alumni network that expands throughout the 20-member schools.
Consortium history and mission
Initially, The Consortium provided opportunities for young African-American men to have a fair chance at rising up the corporate ladder via the MBA. Later, The Consortium added Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and women to its mix. Membership came along with the fellowship.
However, after the Supreme Court decided on the Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger cases, The Consortium opened up its doors to offer membership to selected applicants that further the mission of The Consortium in providing inclusion of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in business. Members and fellows do not have to belong to these groups. Thus, membership is no longer race-based, but rather mission driven. Applicants must also demonstrate the ability to succeed in an MBA program.
Consortium member benefits
Like the undergraduate Common Application, candidates can apply to up to six Consortium schools with only one application for a fraction of the cost the candidate would incur applying to each of these schools separately. The catch: the candidate must rank the schools. Having just attending a Consortium recruiting event, the admissions representatives on the panel suggested that candidates rank the schools from the most preferred to the least preferred. However, in order to obtain a fellowship, I believe there is a strategy involved in the ranking.
To be sure, Consortium membership assures the candidate of access to the orientation and corporate partners. In fact, many candidates receive internship offers prior to the start of school. Membership, however, does not guarantee admission to the schools of choice, nor does it guarantee a full-tuition fellowship.
To summarize the benefits:
- Applicants can use a single application for up to six schools at one low cost.
- Members gain access to a vast alumni network of 20 schools that includes mentorship from Consortium alumni (formal or informal).
- If selected as a member, students gain access to corporate sponsors at orientation.
- If selected as a fellow, students receive full tuition and stipend.
Consortium member schools
| Consortium Member School | Average GMAT Score | Average Undergraduate GPA |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business | 690 | 3.40 |
| Cornell University, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management | 699 | 3.41 |
| Dartmouth College, Tuck School of Business | 722 | 3.49 |
| Emory University, Goizueta Business School | 621 | 3.30 |
| Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business | 693 | 3.34 |
| Indiana University-Bloomington, Kelley School of Business | 675 | 3.33 |
| New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business | 716 | 3.45 |
| Rice University, Jones Graduate School of Business | 716 | 3.32 |
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School | 702 | 3.34 |
| The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business | 702 | 3.48 |
| University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business | 726 | 3.67 |
| University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA Anderson School of Management | 716 | 3.52 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan Ross School of Business | 720 | 3.48 |
| University of Rochester, Simon Business School | 666 | 3.50 |
| University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business | 705 | 3.50 |
| University of Virginia, Darden School of Business | 718 | 3.50 |
| University of Washington, Foster School of Business | 696 | 3.31 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin School of Business | 670 | 3.43 |
| Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School | 693 | 3.50 |
| Yale University, Yale School of Management | 724 | 3.67 |
To learn more about applying through The Consortium and the strategy behind the rank order, please contact me for a consultation. Moreover, Accepted will offer Consortium applicants a special coupon code for 10% off all purchases of $2000 or more for services to help you apply through The Consortium. The best deal in town just got even better.
By Natalie Grinblatt Epstein, former admissions dean/director at three top business schools. Natalie has reviewed over 70,000 applications, interviewed over 2,500 candidates, and has trained nearly 700 admissions directors and alumni volunteers to select outstanding candidates for admission. Her clients gain admission to top programs including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, MIT, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, and NYU. Natalie holds an MBA from Michigan Ross. Want Natalie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources:
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid In Your MBA Application Essays, a free guide
• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips
• Approaching the Diversity Essay Question
