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Rooted in the mission of growing the number of Black, Hispanic and Native American business leaders, the Consortium has made the dreams of many come true in a multitude of ways over the past 50 years.
As a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM) alumni, I have benefited from attending one of the 18 top MBA programs included in the Consortium.
Some of the top reasons why you should apply through the Consortium are:
Lower applications costs
In all the stress of applying to business school which includes taking the GMAT, re-taking the GMAT, writing essays and getting recommendation letters, the streamlined application process for the Consortium takes away a bit of the stress. Though all the application requirements are exactly the same as for those who apply directly to schools, the ability to press submit once versus 3-5 times can minimize the chances of submitting mistakes. The Consortium application allows a tiered fee depending on whether you apply to 1, 3, or more schools; significantly lowering the cost versus applying to the same schools individually. As you either know or will discover, applying to business school can be an investment, so any savings that you can find are greatly appreciated.
Opportunity for a Merit-Based Fellowship
This has to be one of the BEST reasons! Free tuition to a top business program? Definitely sign me up for that! The opportunity to be awarded a full-tuition fellowship is only for those applicants who apply through the Consortium. Even if you are accepted by a member school, if you don’t apply through the Consortium application process, you will not be considered for the fellowship.
Access to the Consortium network
One of my favorite aspects of attending a Consortium program is not only the bond you build with other Consortium members at your school, but the bonds and friendships that will develop across schools. Whether you are a student or alumni, the benefits of having an additional network can prove to be invaluable. It is one of the greatest advantages adds value forever.
Additional professional development
Business schools are very, VERY competitive! When it comes to recruiting for the top internships, you have to be prepared pretty early on in your MBA journey. A great part of being in the Consortium is that although you have access to the career center at your school, you will get a ton of additional access to professional development opportunities, 2nd year Consortium students and at OP (I’ll talk more about that later…). Starting in the summer before your first year of school, Consortium will help you polish your resume and perfect your 30 second elevator pitch. This plays a huge role in building your confidence to go after those top internship opportunities.
OP!
Finally! One of the BEST advantages of applying through the Consortium has to be OP, otherwise known as the Orientation Program. Hosted by a different member company in a different city every year, this is the first in-person opportunity to meet your Consortium family. The 5 day event, which will be in Atlanta this year, is filled with outstanding speakers, alumni panels focused on a variety of career paths and fun networking events. The event ends with a huge career fair at which you can either begin cultivating strong connections for your dream job or even land a great internship offer for before you start your MBA. I remember my OP experiences as a student fondly and always made sure to attend as a recruiter/alum.