Everything you need to know about applying to MBAs with the Consortium
The Consortium is a nonprofit which works to strengthen the representation of minorities in business schools and corporate leadership.
It partners with some of the world’s top business schools and companies to create a network of diverse MBA candidates who drive its mission: “to enhance diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership by striving to reduce the significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans, in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of global management, across for profit corporations, non-profit corporations, government agencies and contractors, and entrepreneurial ventures in both for profit and non-profit environments”.
Which business schools are part of the Consortium?
You can apply to MBA programs at the following business schools through the Consortium application:
Haas School of Business - University of California, Berkeley
UCLA Anderson School of Management - University of California, Los Angeles
Tepper School of Business - Carnegie Mellon University
Columbia Business School - Columbia University
SC Johnson Graduate School of Management - Cornell University,
Tuck School of Business - Dartmouth College
Goizueta Business School - Emory University
McDonough School of Business - Georgetown University
Kelley School of Business - Indiana University-Bloomington
Kellogg School of Management - Northwestern University
Michigan Ross School of Business - University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Leonard N. Stern School of Business - New York University
Kenan-Flagler Business School - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jones Graduate School of Business - Rice University,
Simon Business School - University of Rochester
Graduate School of Business - Stanford University
Marshall School of Business - University of Southern California
McCombs School of Business - The University of Texas at Austin
Darden School of Business - University of Virginia
Foster School of Business - University of Washington
Olin Business School - Washington University in St. Louis
Wisconsin School of Business - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Yale School of Management - Yale University
Who can apply for an MBA via the Consortium?
To apply via the Consortium, you need to fulfill the following requirements:
US Citizen/Permanent resident/DACA recipient
Hold a four-year Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
Demonstrate a commitment to the Consortium’s mission
Note that you do NOT need to be an underrepresented minority to apply via the Consortium. Individuals from any race or ethnicity may apply, as long as they share a “demonstrated commitment” to the Consortium’s mission of promoting diversity in business schools and corporate management.
Why should you apply for an MBA with the Consortium?
Business schools that partner with the Consortium strongly recommend that you apply through the Consortium application because of four key benefits:
Membership in the Consortium: If you are admitted to the Consortium, you will gain access to 80+ recruiters and corporate partners, as well as the Consortium’s expansive network spanning 12,000+ alumni and 1,200+ current students.
Fellowship: Admitted applicants who become Consortium members are considered for the Consortium Fellowship, a two-year fellowship covering all tuition and other mandatory school fees. You may also be offered partial funding. Fellowships are typically awarded to top MBA candidates “who have a proven record of promoting inclusion in school, in their jobs, or their personal lives”. Becoming a Consortium Fellow does not preclude you from other merit-based scholarships offered by the business schools you apply to via the Consortium. Note that you must be enrolled in a Consortium member school to be considered for this fellowship.
Orientation Program (OP): All Consortium members who have been admitted to a partner school can attend the 5-day Orientation Program in June before they start their MBA. In the OP, students will attend MBA prep workshops, networking events, career fairs, and have private interviews with leading educational institutions and corporations, well before they enter the classroom.
Common Application Portal: You only need to complete one streamlined Consortium application to apply to up to 6 partner schools. You can login to this common application portal here.
Lower Application Fee: Applying through the common Consortium application is less expensive than applying to each member school individually.
How does the Consortium MBA application work?
When you log in to the Consortium portal, you will be asked to complete a Consortium application, consisting of mission essays, mission recommendation, resume, and your personal details.
You will then choose the b-school(s) you are interested in (also via the same portal), and complete their core essays and any other supplementary questions they ask. Schools will only see these; they will not see your responses to the mission essays, mission recommendation, or other supplements you have filled for your Consortium membership application.
Once you submit your application, the Consortium committee will check if you have provided all required materials. If they confirm that it is complete, they will forward your application to the schools, who will evaluate your application through their standard process. The schools will notify you of an acceptance, waitlist, or rejection directly.
The Consortium will notify you of your membership decision by December 1 (Round 1) and March 1 (Round 2).
Deadlines for Consortium MBA applications 2024 - 2025
| Deadline | Initial Notification By |
Consortium 1st Deadline | October 15, 20241 | January 1, 2025 |
Consortium 2nd Deadline | January 5, 2025 | April 1, 2025 |
Applicants may not apply to schools in both Round 1 and Round 2 via the Consortium. You will have to choose one of the above application deadlines. Once your application is completed and submitted, you will receive one of three initial notifications: invitation to interview, waitlist offer or denial of admission.
Don’t worry if your school’s deadlines are different from the Consortium deadlines. If you are applying via the Consortium, you only have to follow the deadlines shown above.
Consortium MBA essay questions 2024 - 2025
Mission Essay (required): Our mission, through the strength of our growing alliance and extended network, is to enhance diversity and inclusion in global business education and leadership by striving to reduce the significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our Member Schools’ enrollments and the ranks of global management across the following sectors: for-profit corporations, nonprofit corporations, government agencies and contractors, and entrepreneurial ventures in both for-profit and nonprofit environments.
*Please address the three questions noted below. Please use specific examples pertaining to our target populations and clearly articulate your involvement, actions and results.
Membership Application Essay 1
How have you positively impacted our target demographics (i.e. African Americans, Hispanic Americans or Native Americans) in your business, personal or academic life pre-MBA? Please provide specific examples. (2000 characters)
Membership Application Essay 2
How will you demonstrate your commitment to The Consortium's mission while enrolled in your MBA program? (2000 characters)
Membership Application Essay 3
How will you demonstrate your continued commitment to The Consortium's mission with respect to community service and leadership involvement post-MBA? (1000 characters)
With these three essays, the Consortium wants to see your commitment to driving its mission in three parts: what you have already accomplished, what you will do during your MBA, and what you plan to do as an MBA alumnus. Let’s discuss them one by one.
Essay 1: In this essay of 2000 characters (or approximately 300 words), you will need to demonstrate a history of long-term commitment to the Consortium’s mission of effecting positive change for underrepresented populations “that began long before you applied to business school”. In this essay, The Consortium puts into practice the classic tried-and-tested MBA admissions mindset of using past performance as a solid indicator for future success. You are being asked to provide specific examples in line with the Consortium’s mission statement to answer this question.
According to the Consortium guidelines, here are some examples of the sorts of activities and organizations that you may have been associated with and could write about in this essay.
Community: Leadership Education And Development (LEAD), Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), Forté, INROADS, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Urban League, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
At the undergraduate level, you may have been involved in campus chapters of NAACP, Urban League and similar organizations, other organizations that support local community outreach and serve the Consortium’s mission.
Professional: Organizations like Teach for America, or other organizations that champion the representation of the Consortium’s target minorities in business.
Life experience: Your personal lived experiences of having advocated for the betterment of your community or other positive impact you have had on your community.
Now that you have an idea of what kind of impact the Consortium is looking for, structure your examples clearly using the SCAR format. It’s best if you can show consistent service for a specific cause(s) for one or more of the target demographics mentioned in the prompt (African American, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native American). Remember to quantify your results and impact, and reflect on the values and principles that have compelled you to take action and be a force for change. Your examples should show the reader why you are so passionate about enhancing diversity and inclusion in your community and beyond. An ideal example would demonstrate your leadership and ability to take initiative and start something new, like starting a first-of-its-kind program in your city for an underrepresented population.
Remember to be specific and clear about your contributions and which population you served, rather than stating things in broad terms. It’s ideal if you were in a formal leadership position, but if not, focus on the leadership skills you were able to demonstrate through each contribution.
Essay 2: Now that you have demonstrated your longstanding commitment to the Consortium mission, you need to show an action plan for how you will continue to serve this mission during your MBA.
Research your target MBA program thoroughly. Consider this in two parts: (1) what are the existing activities and opportunities you could contribute to, and (2) what opportunities can you establish while you are enrolled. For part (1) regarding existing activities, consider relevant resources, groups, and events that align with your past experiences and which also further the Consortium’s mission. With limited space, you’ll want to only discuss those opportunities where you can actively and concretely effect change and encourage productive dialogue. Again, be specific about these. Name the clubs, classes, programs, and people you have researched or interacted with, and specify how you will use your strengths to serve them. For part (2) regarding new opportunities, your research may help you identify any gaps on campus that you can fill. What will you pioneer or advance?
Remember, you’ll be up against other highly competitive candidates who have driven powerful change that impacts others, so don’t pander to the AdCom or try to win diversity brownie points with vague statements about “passion” and “inclusion”.
Essay 3: This is the shortest of the three essays, sitting at 1000 characters or approximately 150 words. Here, you are asked to explain how you will continue to serve the community and be an involved leader after graduating from the MBA program.
Being a member of the Consortium doesn’t end with graduate school. The collective’s mission isn’t just to increase representation in corporate leadership, but also in global business education. With this in mind, describe how, as an alum, you can help more underrepresented minority individuals into the MBA and help them empower themselves through a business education. You could lead recruitment efforts, provide career guidance, get more involved with the Consortium’s events and orientation programs, or even engage with other organizations that have similar missions.
Again, do your research to understand opportunities that make the most sense for your profile and strengths, and discuss how you can leverage your career to help underrepresented populations thrive as leaders at both the corporate and academic levels.
Core Essay 1
Please describe your short- and long-term goals post-MBA. How has your professional experience shaped these goals and influenced your decision to pursue an MBA degree? (2000 characters)
The Consortium application also includes a straightforward core essay that asks you to describe your career goals, what shaped these, and why you want to pursue an MBA.
This is your classic career goals essay. Follow our advice for career goals essays which remains applicable here too:
Use a clear Story - Goals - Why MBA structure.
Story: Start with a brief story that demonstrates the larger purpose behind your career decisions. This story should lead into the professional experiences and achievements that provide context and support your goals.
Goals: Clearly outline your short and long term post-MBA goals. These goals should support the professional purpose you have described in your story. You may want to use your short term goal as a stepping stone towards a more ambitious longer term goal, but there should be a sensible evolution and connection between your previous experiences, short term goal, and long term goal.
Why MBA: You may have some of the skills you require to achieve your career goals, but not all - that’s why you’re pursuing an MBA! Describe how an MBA will help you cover these skill gaps, specifying the concentrations or areas of study you are interested in. The Consortium wants to see that you have carefully considered this decision and that you are focused and driven enough to be part of an MBA. Consortium members have a positive impact on their classmates and the larger MBA community, so it’s important to show that you have deeply introspected what you need from the program and how it can help you achieve your goals.
Core Essay 2 (Optional)
Is there any other information you would like to share with us that is not presented elsewhere in your application? (1000 characters)
The Consortium application provides ample space for you to discuss your extracurriculars, professional credentials, and your current role. So don’t use this optional essay as an extra essay; only address it if you have a low GPA/GMAT score that you would like to explain, or if there are any extenuating professional, academic, or personal circumstances that the Consortium should know about.
Note that there are separate questions in the Consortium portal to explain gaps in your employment history and your choice of recommenders, so you don’t need to explain these here.
Interested in applying through the Consortium? Get in touch with our team of expert consultants to discuss how to approach your mission essays and recommendation.
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