How Military Experience Offers a Definitive MBA Advantage at Northwestern Kellogg
Leading up to this past Veteran’s Day, two exceptional Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management students gave a first-person perspective of how their unique military experience are sharping their path in business education.
Continue reading…Real Humans of the Rady School of Management MBA Program
In less than 20 years since opening in 2001, the University of California San Diego Rady School of Management has quickly cemented itself as one of the best up-and-coming business schools in California. Regarded as one of the 100 best business schools in the world by The Economist, with an impeccably strong and celebrated faculty, Rady has nurtured an increasingly excelling MBA class.
The Rady School of Business Class of 2019 MBA sported a gaudy median GMAT score of 670 and an undergraduate GPA of 3.21. These students also joined the program having amassed more than five years of professional work experience, on average, with numerous prospective graduates coming from well-known companies like: Intel Corporation, Loreal, Princeton University, and Scripps Health. As well, about 16 percent of students within the class joined the program having already earned either their Ph.D. or an additional Master’s degree.
Considering San Diego’s strong connection to the United States Armed Forces, it isn’t surprising to hear that many students in the Class of 2019 come directly from the U.S. Army, Navy, and Army. The Rady School of Management, along with many of UC San Diego’s additional graduate schools, show a concerted effort to bring in those with military experience, offering MBA fee waivers, as well help from an extensive network of school alumni that continue to work with the U.S. military.
But the Class of 2019, and the Rady School of Management itself, goes much deeper. With a budding entrepreneurial culture, students are coming in from all over the world to help build groundbreaking startup companies. In fact, more than 40 percent of the MBA Class of 2019 comes from outside the United States, utilizing Rady’s numerous startup resources, like the StartR Accelerator program, mystartupXX Accelerator, and the Rady Venture Club, among others.
To get a greater understanding of what it means to be a Rady MBA, and how the school continues to help develop a rich entrepreneurial foundation, we spoke with several current students, including a consultant from Bangalore, a software developer from Kolkata, and a local equine veterinarian hoping to build a “biotech and medical industry consulting firm in for both the human and veterinary market.”
Read on to see what’s in store for these students at Rady and what life after an MBA may look like.
How Emory Goizueta Helps Underprivileged Students Earn an MBA
When you decide to apply for an MBA program, there are a number of new questions you’ll need to answer. Where would be the best place to earn the degree? What program best fits my career needs? What should I focus my business school studies on?
Among all the other decisions a prospective MBA will need to make, how to pay for the degree may be the last thing on their mind.
It’s no secret that the cost of an MBA—plus the lost income while earning your degree—is intimidating for many prospective students. Many students may choose not to earn an MBA or not to apply to a school that fits their skill and needs due to the price tag. If this seems unjust to you, you’re not alone. Many business schools have committed to making their programs accessible and affordable for low-income students.
The Goizueta Business School at Emory University is just one of those schools, offering a number of loan and scholarship opportunities to help students pay for their degree. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the ways Emory helps to ensure all students—regardless of income—can earn a Goizueta MBA.
How Underprivileged Applicants Can Earn An Affordable Emory MBA
Grants & Scholarships
Grants and scholarships offer students an extremely valuable and all-too-often underutilized opportunity to pay huge portions of tuition without the frustrating proposition of paying it back later. Such funding can be based either on academic merit or financial need.
Tuition Credits: There are a number of tuition credits available for students who fall into specific categories, such as Emory University Alumni, Graduates of the Goizueta Business School Executive Education Program, active duty military and veterans, and applicants working full-time at a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Emory Employees and dependent family members may also be eligible for tuition credits, depending on years of service.
Veteran’s Education Benefits: Veterans and the dependents of veterans may be eligible for monthly education benefits, such as tuition remission. Students looking to receive Veterans benefits who also need additional sources of funding may still do so, and the benefits received will not be considered when determining financial need.
Scholarships: Goizueta offers students the chance to earn a number of potential scholarships based on merit. Many scholarships are offered through partnerships with Atlanta professional organizations. These include:
- Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: Two $25,000 scholarships
- Department of Health & Human Services: Thirty percent discount on tuition for qualified individuals
- National Association of Asian American Professionals: Two $25,000 scholarships
- Women in Technology: Two $25,000 scholarships
There are also a limited number of honorary scholarships awarded to students after enrollment. The MBA for Executives Class Gift Scholarship, originally endowed by the class of 2005, is offered to students in a professional or field generally underrepresented in the EMBA program. Also available is the Executive Women of Goizueta (EWG) Scholarship, given to accomplished female executives in the Goizueta MBA for Executives program.
Loans
Graduate Loans: Those attending business school are afforded the same federal loan offerings as students starting undergraduate programs. Students may fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to help determine their financial need and eligibility. Each year, students should fill out a new FAFSA form to reevaluate their need. International MBA students are also eligible for certain types of student loans, which can be explored further here.
Fordham Gabelli’s Checks In With Its Veterans in Global Leadership Fellows
The Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University recently highlighted a group of military veterans currently part of the school’s Veterans in Global Leadership (VGL) fellows program.
VGL was founded by Jayson Browder, a Fulbright scholar and a U.S. Presidential Management Fellow at the White House. Browder, PCS ’13, founded VGL with the intention to help “student veterans prepare and apply for prestigious internships, fellowships, and scholarships.”
Browder explains how a VGL program might make the difficult transition to civilian life a little more manageable for veterans: “[Vets] have implemented foreign policy abroad and have been tasked with solving complex problems. Now that they are back from the longest wars in our nation’s history, they’re looking to solve more problems and create an impact in their communities here in the states and abroad.”
After a 20-year stint in the Marines, VGL fellow Coleen Harper opted to major in nonprofit leadership at Gabelli. She founded D’ St. Aubyn’s Cause, which seeks to “diminish the rate at which veterans, single parents, and the elderly fall victim to homelessness.” Harper explains her motivation, saying, “My fears of becoming homeless were ignited as I proceeded through the process of retirement. This propelled me to make a difference rather than becoming a part of the problem. “A program like VGL can certainly help make an achievement more attainable.”
VGL fellow Robert Molina was an aviation logistics clerk in the Marines who now serves as communications chief of the Fordham Veterans’ Association as he completes a degree in political science and economics.
Fordham Veterans’ Association President Kevin Knightes arrived having previously served with that Hospital Corpsman Pharmacy Technician with the U.S. Navy for four years. He is now working toward an bachelor’s in Middle East Studies with minors in Arabic and Philosophy.
Of the VGL fellowship, Knightes writes, “I found that VGL aligned with my goal to continue service, but it will also introduce me to a vast network of like-minded people to share resources with.”
Female Enrollment, GMAT Scores Rise for NYU Stern Class of 2019
Applications are up and acceptance rates are down, according to new statistics from the New York University Stern School of Business Class of 2019.
A total of 3,927 applicants applied to join the NYU Stern Class of 2019, increasing around 4 percent from last year’s figure of 3,773. Despite the growing pool of applications, enrollment actually got tighter, dropping from 871 admissions last year to 822 for the Class of 2019.
Figures via NYU Stern
From the 822 admitted students, a total of 402 elected to join the NYU Stern Class of 2019—up slightly from the 392 enrolled students in the Class of 2018. While the difference in the number of incoming students is minimal, the demographics that make up those students, however, differ from last year’s figures. The percentage of incoming students who are female jumped modestly from 35 percent to 38 percent. The percentage of admitted international students also slightly increased, moving up from 35 percent to 37 percent for the Class of 2019, representing 35 countries overall.
Figures via NYU Stern
The average GPA for NYU Stern Class of 2019 slipped from 3.51 to 3.48, but GMAT scores actually drifted upwards, improving from an average score of 710 for the Class of 2018 to 714. The median GMAT score, however, saw a larger increase, moving up to 720 from 710 last year.
Figures via NYU Stern
A slight majority of incoming Stern School of Business students join with previous experience in the financial services industry, totaling 29 percent. Following in second is consulting, with roughly 12 percent, followed by students with government and/or military backgrounds at 7 percent. Stern has been fairly active in recruiting applicants with military backgrounds and aspirations, implementing the Fertitta Veterans Program less than a year ago. The program will assist 20 full-time MBA students with military experience drastically reduce tuition yearly tuition fees, falling to a flat rate of $30,000 per year.
For more information regarding the NYU Stern School of Business Class of 2019, MBA program details, scholarships and more, please visit the school website.
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from Clear Admit.
Stevens Institute of Technology Helps Vets With New Database
The Stevens Institute of Technology’s School of Business recently revealed a new student project to assist Vets4Warriors in Piscataway, NJ, where veterans “answer between 900 and 1,000 calls each week from fellow veterans seeking financial, medical or legal help.”
