When I was an admissions director attending MBA fairs and visiting companies to recruit candidates for our program, I often got questions about how a candidate can stand out in the business school applicant pool. Whether they were in consulting, banking, the military, or IT engineering, most of the applicants who approached me were worried…
The Consortium MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2024-2025]
Are you committed to increasing diversity and the inclusion of underrepresented populations in education and business? If so, applying to MBA programs through The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM) might be for you. In addition to having the opportunity to receive a full-tuition scholarship to a top business school, Consortium fellows enjoy the…
Four Tips for Applying as an Underrepresented Applicant in Medicine
Each year, I talk to applicants who say they don’t want their ethnic or racial identity to be part of their medical school application. Their hesitation usually stems from a desire to be judged purely on their merits. This is a noble principle that I respect. However, from the general perspective of the medical profession,…
The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay
What is a diversity essay in a school application? And why does it matter when applying to leading programs and universities? Most importantly, how should you go about writing such an essay? Diversity is of supreme value in higher education, and schools want to know how every student will contribute to the diversity on their…
MBA Admissions: Application Advice for Tech Applicants
Often, when we work with , they begin the process already feeling that the odds are stacked against them. Their first question is usually “How can I stand out in such a crowded field to earn a place in a top MBA program?” This post is here to help. The truth is that these candidates’…
Admissions Advice for MBA Management Consulting Applicants
Are you a practicing management consultant applying to business school? If so, you have several advantages over the general applicant. Mainly, your success as a consultant for a major firm reveals that your work ethic, analytical abilities, and team-playing skills are probably better than most people’s. As a result, MBA programs will likely give you…
Applying for Your MBA Through The Consortium: Best Deal in Town
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 that suggest that applying to one (or more) of the 22 Consortium schools through The Consortium’s application is disadvantageous. But as the former director at two Consortium schools, I can assure…
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education and What the U.S. Supreme Court’s Decision on Affirmative Action Means for Admissions
Most higher education institutions promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as core values attached to their institutional mission, because doing so is crucial for ensuring a welcoming and inclusive campus environment for all students, faculty, and staff. Best practice recommends that DEI senior officers answer directly to a university or college’s president, thereby ensuring that…
Three Challenges Asian Applicants Must Overcome When Applying to Business School
One of my favorite times of the year when I worked at London Business School was the applicant recruiting and interview season. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel across Asia, meeting prospective candidates and interviewing applicants. In addition to thoroughly enjoying exploring India and Greater China over the years, I found these…
5 Tips on Writing About the Immigrant Experience for Law School
Many applicants are recent immigrants or have parents who are immigrants and plan to write about this aspect of their life in a personal statement or diversity statement. Certainly, having this life experience makes you distinctive and can add to your appeal at any school. But, often these essays fall flat. First, you must decide…
Writing About Your Experiences Abroad
You studied, worked, or volunteered abroad. Now you want to include part of this in your personal statement as part of an undergrad, AMCAS or other application. Maybe you want to show that you’ve experienced a different culture and expanded your perspective through your eye-opening experiences meeting new people, mountain-climbing, assisting in a rural community,…
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans Application Essay Tips
Paul Soros was often overshadowed by his younger brother, financial wizard George Soros, but he was a successful businessman and multi-millionaire in his own right. In contrast to George Soros’s success in the financial industry, Paul Soros made his mark on the world by innovating in the shipping industry, filing patents, and winning several engineering…
Elissa Sangster, CEO of the Forte Foundation, Returns for AST’s 10th Anniversary [Episode 463]
A peek into what change the Forte Foundation is implementing [Show Summary] In honor of Admissions Straight Talk’s 10th anniversary episode, our first ever guest is back. Elissa Sangster is the CEO of the Forte Foundation which is at the forefront of increasing female representation in the business world – from the classroom to the…
A Dean’s Perspective on What Makes Great Physicians [Episode 420]
Words of advice for premeds and medical school applicants [Show summary] Dr. Sunny Nakae discusses CUSM’s approach to training the next generation of great physicians and shares wisdom from her book, Premed Prep: Advice from a Medical School Admissions Dean. Are you curious about CUSM? Read on for info about this new program and for…
How to Write the Statement of Disadvantage
If you have experienced any form of social, economic or educational disadvantage—at any time in your life—you can apply to medical school as a disadvantaged applicant. To receive this designation means that you will need to complete an additional essay on the AMCAS application. The character limit for this short essay is 1,325. Examples of…
Ivy League Colleges Accept Record Low Number of Students
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge of college applications this year, which led to record low acceptance rates at many colleges, including the majority of Ivy League schools. The eight Ivy League schools, as well as some other highly selective schools, sent out acceptance notifications a…
Applying to Regular Full-Time MBA Programs as an Older Applicant
“An MBA? Why aren’t you going for an EMBA?” You’ve probably heard this from friends and acquaintances when they learn that you are planning to pursue full-time graduate business studies, even though you are several years older than the average MBA applicant. This may also be the response of MBA admissions committees – unless you…
Kellogg Receives Transformative Gift to Accelerate Women Leaders
Kellogg alumna Ann M. Drake ’84 has made a transformative gift to establish the Drake Scholar Network, according to the Kellogg website. This formal, global network will emphasize Kellogg’s long-term dedication to educating future female business leaders by fostering powerful, intergenerational connections between women students, faculty, and alumnae. In the words of Dean Francesca Cornelli,…
What the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Can Do for MBA Applicants [Episode 395]
Learn about The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, and how it can help YOU gain acceptance at a top business school. [Show summary] Danni Young, Director of Recruiting for the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, breaks down how the Consortium helps hundreds of students from target populations get accepted to top MBA programs…
Academic De-Greening, Part 2: Applying to Graduate School After Military Service
In Part 1 of this military series, we discussed possible misconceptions that recent veterans might possess regarding their suitability for college-level learning, and their attraction as applicants. Having worked closely with veterans to prepare them for the transition into higher education, I know that it can sometimes seem challenging to figure out how best to…