The Consortium Application 2013-2014 Cycle Essay Prompts Below you will find the prompts for all essays included in the 2013-2014 Consortium common application. Please note that this list is a preliminary publication, so both member schools and The Consortium reserve the right to modify any and all prompts before the application officially opens in mid-August of 2013. You may use these prompts to begin preparing your responses. Please be sure to review the published prompts again when the application opens to ensure that you are responding to the correct prompts. Application submission deadlines are October 15, 2013 and January 5, 2014.

Essay types and submissions Core essays 1 and 2 are submitted as a standard size 8 1/2" x 11" MS Word document. Please limit each essay to no more than two double -spaced pages. Core essay 3 and all school-specific essays are submitted through individual text boxes. While you may use a program such as MS Word to compose your essay, you must then cut and paste the final text into the text box in order for it to be accepted. If you have trouble with the cut and paste feature, please check the following: 1. Does your essay exceed the number of characters allowed in that particular text box? Each box displays its size; use the character counter below the box to ensure that you stay within that limit. 2. You may be using a browser that is not compatible with the Hobson’s application system. Please check the Technical Tips section on the Home page of the application.

Core Essays 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? Core Essay 2: Is there any other information you would like to share that is not presented elsewhere in the application? You may also use this essay to provide further explanation of employment gaps, test scores, etc. (Optional) Core Essay 3: The mission of The Consortium is to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping the serious underrepresentation of African American, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management. What have you done pre-MBA in your business, academic or personal life to demonstrate commitment to this mission? What will you do while enrolled in your MBA program to demonstrate your commitment to the mission? What will you do post-MBA with respect to community service and leadership involvement to demonstrate your continued commitment to The Consortium’s mission of diversity and inclusion? Please provide specific examples of your involvement, actions and results.

School-Specific Essays Carnegie Mellon University 1. What transferrable skills have you developed that are related to your professional goals outlined in your short-term goals above? Identify and explain the skills that you will need to develop or enhance? Specifically, how will the Tepper MBA help you achieve these goals? (Maximum 500 words) 2. Describe a defining moment in your life and explain how it shaped you as a person. (Maximum 300 words) 3. How will your presence in the Tepper MBA program benefit your fellow students? How will you contribute to the School as a student and as an alumnus? (Maximum 300 words).

Cornell University 1. You are the author for the book of Your Life Story. Please write the table of contents for the book. Note: Approach this essay with your unique style. We value creativity and authenticity. (Maximum 300 words) 2. Park Fellowship Essay OPTIONAL: What is your greatest example of leadership and what personal qualities helped you succeed in that role? (400 word limit) Dartmouth College 1. Please respond fully but concisely to the following essay question. There are no right or wrong answers. Why is Tuck the best MBA fit for you and your goals and why are you the best fit for Tuck?

Emory University 1. The Business School is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The CocaCola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building the brand responsibly, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. It is his leadership, legacy and the strength of his character that gives rise to our vision: Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. We encourage you to watch this short video for inspiration in answering the question. The transcript of the video can be found here. 2. How will you contribute to and make a lasting impact on the Goizueta Business School community as a student or alumnus? Please limit your response to 300 words. 3. In 25 words or less, please share with the committee and your future classmates an interesting or fun fact about you.

Georgetown University 1. Answer both part A and part B. a. What is your short-term goal following graduation from the Georgetown McDonough MBA Program? What skills are you seeking to develop or improve in order to reach your goals? b. What is your long-term career goal? c. 2. Answer either part A or part B. a. Describe a global business challenge and its relevance to your post-MBA career. b. Describe yourself both personally and professionally and how you will contribute to the Georgetown McDonough Community. 3. Why do you want to attend the Georgetown McDonough MBA program? Tell us in tweet format (140 characters or fewer). 4. Optional: If you are not currently employed full-time, use this space to provide information about your current activities. 5. Optional: Please provide and information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included. 6. If you are applying to a dual degree program, please address how the additional degree will help you reach your goals. (2,000 characters) 7. For Re-applicants: How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. In addition, please update the Admissions Committee on you short-term career goals following graduation from the Georgetown MBA program. (4,000 characters)

Indiana University- Bloomington 1. How did you first learn of the Kelley School of Business? How will the particular attributes of the Kelley MBA Program prepare you to meet your professional goals?

New York University 1. What actions have you taken to determine that NYU is the best fit for your MBA (or dual degree) experience? (250 words maximum) *Note: JD/MBA, MD/MBA and MS in Mathematics/MBA applicants are not eligible to apply to Stern through The Consortium.

University of California, Berkeley

1. If you could choose one song that expresses who you are, what is it and why? (2,000 characters) 2. What is your most significant accomplishment? (2,000 characters) 3. Describe a time in the last three years when you overcame a failure. What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (2,000 characters) 4. Optional: Please feel free to provide a statement concerning any information you would like to add to your application that you haven't addressed elsewhere. (4,000 characters) 5. Optional - FOR REAPPLICANTS ONLY: Please submit a statement outlining how you have improved your candidacy since your last application. (4,000 characters)

University of California, Los Angeles 1. How will an MBA from UCLA Anderson specifically help you achieve your short term and long term goals? (4,000 characters) University of Michigan- Ann Arbor 1. Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less. 2. In your first core Consortium essay, you describe your short and long term goals post-MBA and you note how your professional experience shaped these goals and influenced your decision to pursue an MBA degree. To add to that information, as you have researched MBA programs, what actions have you taken to learn more about Ross and what has led you to believe that Ross is the right MBA program for you? (Maximum 150 words) 3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What advice would you give to a colleague who was dealing with a similar situation? (400 word maximum)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1. What are the 2 or 3 strengths or characteristics that have driven your career success thus far? What are the other strengths that you would like to leverage in the future? (500 words max) 2. What personal qualities or life experiences distinguish you from other applicants? How do these qualities or experiences equip you to contribute to UNC Kenan-Flagler? (500 words max) 3. OPTIONAL : If you have not had coursework in core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting) or if your standardized test scores are low, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. (300 words max)

University of Rochester 1. Discuss your specific interest in completing your graduate management education at the Simon School. What aspects of the Rochester MBA program make it a good fit for your studies and how do you anticipate contributing to the business school community? University of Southern California 1. Introduce yourself to your future Marshall classmates in 100 words or less.

The University of Texas at Austin 1. Imagine that you are at the Texas MBA Orientation for the Class of 2016. Please introduce yourself to your new classmates and include any personal and/or professional aspects that you believe to be significant. Select ONE communication method you would like to use for your response. a. Essay (250 words) OR b. Share a video introduction with us (1 minute). Please provide a link to your video introduction here: OR c. Share your About.Me profile with us. Please provide a link to your About.Me profile here: 2. In the Texas MBA program we value our tight knit and highly collaborative culture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-h1PqfBOpk - From :28 to :56). Outside of your professional goals, please discuss why you are a good fit with the Texas MBA program and how you intend to impact the Texas MBA community?(250 words) 3. What do you hope to gain from your Texas MBA experience? How do you expect to develop, both personally and professionally, during the Texas MBA Program? (250 words) 4. Optional Essay: Please provide any additional information to the Admissions Committee that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (200 words) (For example, if your standardized test scores are not exactly what you would like them to be or if you have not had coursework in core business subjects, i.e. calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting or finance, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MBA curriculum. Discuss any unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, any academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application or extenuating personal circumstances that you think may impact your candidacy.)

University of Virginia

1. Share your thought process as you encountered a challenging work situation or complex problem. What did you learn about yourself? (500 words) University of Wisconsin- Madison The following questions are specific to your career specialization. Based on the career specialization you selected, please address the appropriate essay questions below: Applied Security Analysis 1. Why do you believe a career in the investment industry is a good fit for you? Please describe as specifically as possible the overlap between your skill set and interests with the traits necessary to succeed in this industry. 2. Describe a situation where you were part of a team that worked very well together. What attitudes and behaviors enabled that team to be successful? If you have not been part of a successful team, please describe a situation where you’ve been part of a team that struggled, and the attitudes and behaviors that you think led that team to have problems. Arts Administration 1. How will the Wisconsin MBA in Arts Administration advance your career goals in arts and cultural management? What specific skills or abilities do you hope to gain, and what do you think you will bring to the program? 2. Identify and describe a key issue facing the marketing, management, development, creation, or support of arts and culture today. Explain why you think this is a critical issue to arts administrators, and provide your recommendations as to how this issue might be addressed. Include specific examples from your own experience if applicable. Brand and Product Management 1. What personal qualities and past experiences have most directly influenced your decision to seek a career in brand management? What are your short-term career goals? What are your long-term career goals? What would you consider one of your “dream” product management positions to be? 2. Give an example of a product that is marketed particularly well. Why? What is an example of a product that is not marketed well? Why and what would you do to improve it? Corporate Finance and Investment Banking 1. Explain why you are interested in pursuing an MBA at this point in your life. Specifically, explain how this degree will impact your future career and describe your professional short-term career goals. 2. Please describe why you should be admitted to the Corporate Finance and Investment Banking (CFIB) program, and why you believe CFIB is a good fit for you. Marketing Research

1. Why are you interested in marketing research and the A.C. Nielsen Center? What kind of career path (industry, positions, etc.) do you envision for yourself? What do you think it takes to be successful in marketing research? 2. Describe something you have done well and something you wish you could have done better. How have those situations impacted you personally and professionally? Operations and Technology Management 1. Briefly describe three critical operations or technology management-related issues facing global businesses today (you may narrow this down to an industry with which you are familiar). Also, describe why you think they are critical and what you as a manager could to do address them. 2. Why are you, and what made you, interested in operations and/or technology management? What kind of career (industry, positions, etc.) do you envision for yourself within the next 5-10 years?

Real Estate 1. Why are you interested in real estate as your area of concentration? What specific aspects of real estate most interest you and why? What specific qualities and skills do you bring to the study and practice of real estate? 2. Please share your short- and long-term goals. Given these goals, which personal qualities and skills do you think you need strengthening? How do you see yourself developing in the next two years? Please be as specific and concrete as possible. Risk Management and Insurance 1. Who are the individuals and/or what are the events in your life that have led to your specific interest in pursuing a degree in risk management and insurance? Please explain. 2. . In what area of risk management and insurance are you most interested? Provide a discussion of the current key issues associated with this field and the skills you bring to efforts in addressing those issues. Be as specific as possible. Strategic Human Resource Management 1. 1. In what way, or in what area of strategic human resource management, do you hope to make your biggest mark and why? In answering this questions, also elaborate on your short- and longterm career goals. What type of organization would you like to work for after completing your MBA? Ideally, what roles and responsibilities would you take on? Now, jump ahead 15 to 20 years, and consider the same questions. What would you like to be doing and in what kind of organization? 2. Thinking of the plans you have described, what are your reasons for choosing to earn a Wisconsin MBA in Strategic Human Resource Management? What is it about our program that will help you achieve your goals? Given what you would like to do, what are the advantages and disadvantages of our program relative to other programs?

Supply Chain Management 1. Explain why you are interested in pursuing your MBA and the supply chain management specialization at this point in your life. Specifically, explain how this degree will impact your future career and describe your professional short- and long-term career goals post-MBA. 2. List three key issues/areas of focus for supply chain management in today’s business environment, and select one to discuss in depth. Explain why this issue is important to business, using examples from your own experience if applicable. OPTIONAL If you wish, you may include an additional essay on a topic of your choice. This optional essay is typically used to cover any issues you may want to address to the admissions committee that are not already covered in your application. Examples include a low undergraduate GPA, gaps in education or employment history, or explanations of your choice in recommenders. This optional essay is not required.”

Washington University in St. Louis 1. Why are you interested in pursuing an MBA from the Olin Business School?

Yale University 1. What motivates your decision to pursue an MBA? (300 words maximum) 2. The Yale School of Management provides leadership education for broad-minded, rigorous, and intellectually curious students with diverse backgrounds; a distinctive integrated curriculum; connections to one of the great research universities in the world; and the broad reach of an innovative and expanding global network of top business schools. What motivates you to apply to the Yale School of Management for your MBA? What will you contribute to Yale and Yale SOM? (450 words maximum) 3. OPTIONAL: Provide any additional information you feel the Admissions Committee should know in evaluating your candidacy. You should use this section only if the information is not adequately captured elsewhere in your application. Re-applicants should use this space to let us know how your candidacy has changed since you last applied to Yale SOM.