Take Advantage of Forté Forums

Joanne Legler, Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business recently shared some additional advice about getting the most out of Forté Forums on the Booth Insider Full-Time Admissions Blog.

Joanne Legler
University of Chicago
Booth School of Business

“Besides getting great advice and meeting with admissions staff, Forté Forums are also a great way to network with other pre-MBA women; these strangers are friends you haven’t yet met, and potential future classmates or business partners.  The Forum provides an excellent opportunity to network with other motivated and talented women who are looking for what you are; a degree that will push, challenge and inspire you all to reach your career and personal goals.  You’ll notice that you’ll start to run into one another and recognize these new contacts at individual school events, both during the application process and later when you’ve been admitted and start attending Admit Weekends—and beyond that, when you’re registering for your first classes!

Forté Forums are some of my favorite events of the entire year; I am always inspired by the soon-to-be MBA women I meet, who are themselves excited, maybe a little nervous, but above all more than ready to take this next big step to gain the knowledge and experience needed to make a change.  I particularly love meeting a woman at the Forums, and then reading her application and possibly admitting her to join our class at Chicago Booth.  Seeing this relationship through to the end, from attending Admit Weekend to then seeing her at Orientation—these are the moments an admissions director live for!  The opportunity to make an impact at the crucial stage of deciding to apply to school is a major motivator for me.

The most important advice I can give you for the Forté Forums is to GO; you will find that other priorities, including work and friends, will try to prevent you from making the trek to your nearest Forum.  Put this in proverbial pen in your appointment book—you’ll thank me later!   Once you arrive, don’t be shy!  Come over, introduce yourself, leave your business card and strike up a conversation with Booth alumnae and staff.  Do the same with the woman you sit next to at the Alumnae and Admissions panels and start your MBA network now.  I’ll see you myself at the two Forums in New York City so if you’re a Big Apple dweller, I hope you’ll stop by the Chicago Booth table to say hello.”

To read the complete article visit Women, Booth, and the Forté Foundation.

Learn more about Upcoming Forté Forums.

Preparing for the Forté Forums

The 2013 Forté Forums begin next week. Within a supportive and collaborative environment, the Forté Forums are great way to begin exploring the MBA program opportunities available to you at Top-Tier programs.

You might be thinking, “What exactly happens at a Forté Forum and how should I prepare?” Take a listen to a webinar panel moderated by Joanne Legler, Associate Director of Admissions at The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and five women who began their MBA program last fall. They shared their insights and tips on navigating an MBA recruiting event, whether it be a Forté Forum, The MBA Tour, QS Top MBA Tour, or Kaplan’s Road to Business School (and I should add there are many other regional and national fairs as well.)

Here are some tips shared during the webinar:

1.       Ask questions about information you aren't able to easily find on the website, i.e. school’s culture. -- Shaw-chin Chiu, MBA 2014, The Fuqua School of Business at Duke, Forté Fellow

2.      Dress appropriately. It keeps you confident, no such thing as being over dressed. -- Adeola Taiwo, MBA 2014, McCombs School of Business at Texas, Forté Fellow

3.      Don’t forget to smile and just be yourself. The schools want good candidates as much as you want a good school--so it is mutual. -- Sweeny Chhabra, MBA 2013, INSEAD, Forté Fellow

Later this week, I’ll share some additional insights from our other panelists on questions to ask, what to wear and bring to the forums, and some final tips.

In the meantime, take some time to listen to the complete webinar online:

Preparing for the Forté Forums

Arrion Rathsack, Manager of Sponsor Relations and Programs, Forté Foundation

** Please not this webinar was originally recorded in August 2012, references to the upcoming forum and webinar schedule is incorrect. Visit the following sites for the latest on these programs:

Forté Forums 2013

Forté Webinars 2013-2014

Come the the Forté Forums!

by Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of MBA Admissions, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

Shari Hubert
Georgetown University
McDonough School
of Business

As the Associate Dean of MBA Admissions at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, I am proud that we are a Forte Sponsor School and welcome the newest Class of 2015 Forte Fellows. They are strong women embarking on their MBA and pursuing careers in business, non profit, and government. They are fortunate to have an organization as committed to the advancement of women in business as the Forte Foundation. From undergraduates and pre-MBAs, to MBAs and women in diverse professional arenas, Forte has and continues to be a thought leader in the space and provides women the tools, professional development and strong networks to be successful in their careers.  

At Georgetown, we have increased our number of Forte Fellows to 20 this year to demonstrate our level of commitment to attracting and recruiting more women into MBA programs. We look forward to partnering with Forte during the Forte Forums taking place across the US and in London and Toronto.  I encourage you to register to attend one of these events as well.  The Forums provide an opportunity for women thinking about business school to speak one-on-one with representatives from all of the Forté member schools. There will also be a panel of admissions officers providing helpful tips on creating the best application possible, and a panel of business school alumnae to talk about the value of an MBA education and their business school and career experiences.

Forté’s website also contains lots of useful information about business school, careers in business, and shares the stories of women who have gone before you. It is a great networking, mentoring and educational tool.  For additional information on how Forte can help you achieve your goals, visit www.fortefoundation.org

Mark your Calendar: 2013 Forté Forum Dates Announced

No matter what your current career or industry, nothing gives you the power to shape your own future like attaining an MBA.

• Have you ever considered getting an MBA?
• Do you want to take your career to the next level, start your own venture, or change careers?
• Do you want to design the career that is best for you?
• Have you ever considered studying abroad?
• Do you want to know all the ways you can finance your MBA?

Attend the Forté Forum in the city nearest you to:

• Hear advice and stories from MBA women across multiple industries and career stages
• Learn how an MBA can help you succeed in virtually any career or industry - even the non-profit sector
• Meet women like yourself who are also considering the MBA program
• Connect with admissions members from leading business schools in Europe and North America 
• Find the school that's right for you

Forté Forum Dates:

August 19 - Chicago

August 20 - Boston

August 21 – Washington D.C.

August 22 - Atlanta

August 26 - Houston 

August 28 - San Francisco 

August 29 - Los Angeles

September 3 & 4- New York

September 5 - Toronto 

October (TBA) - London 

Registration to open in early July.

Tips for Forums & Fairs – Spring Opportunities

Whether you are still exploring the benefits and options of an MBA or ready to tackle those applications and essays, Forums and Fairs are a great resource!

I attended a Forté Forum before taking the GMAT and long before I knew which programs I was applying to.  The Forum brings together MBA women and admissions representatives and allows you to make connections and learn which program is right for you!  Below are a few tips for attending forums and fairs:

·         Do your research.  Take some time to study the schools and panelists attending the forum.  What are the application deadlines?  Are the classes lecture or case based?  What kinds of clubs are available for MBA students to participate in?  Did one of the panelists attend your Alma matter?  What motivated them to pursue an MBA?  Come prepared with questions to make the most of your forum experience.

·         Arrive early.  Many admissions representatives will be setting up their booths and preparing their materials.  Arrive early and you’ll have a chance to network before the event begins.

·         Dress the part.  Make an impactful first impression by wearing business professional attire.  Adding a pop of color to your ensemble or wearing a statement necklace will make you stand out among the crowd!

Which fairs will you attend this spring?  Post your comments below!

Liz Schaab, Forté Fellow

MBA 2014, SMU Cox School of Business

QS Top MBA Spring Fairs

The MBA Tour Spring Fairs
Access MBA Spring Fairs
 
Forté Forums return August 2013!

Preparing for the Forté Forums - Part 2

The 2012 Forté Forums get underway tonight in Chicago. Last week, I shared tips from our webinar panelists on preparing for the forums. Don’t forget to spend a few minutes listening to our webinar, Preparing for the Forté Forums. The panel featured Joanne Legler, Associate Director of Admissions at The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and five women who are beginning their MBA programs in the next month. They shared their insights and tips on navigating an MBA recruiting event.

Here are some additional tips shared during the webinar:

1.       Talk with other attendees. Some of them may be your future classmates. If not, you’ll be expanding your network. -- Tricia Felice, MBA 2014, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Forté Fellow

2.      Have a clear understanding of what you hope to gain from the forum or fair. -- Stephanie Cadieux, MBA 2014, The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern

3.      After the fair, make a list of what you learned from each school and rank them according to your preferences. -- Joanne Legler, Associate Director of Admissions,  University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Arrion Rathsack, Manager of Sponsor Relations and Programs, Forté Foundation

Defining Your MBA Priorities

For some of you, classes have already started. You’ve begun to feel the rigor of the MBA or perhaps become adjusted to drinking out of the fire hose. You’ve probably heard a few anecdotes on “Time Management” and how it will get you through the year.

Rightly so! Time management is going to be your best friend through the next few months. However, time management can only be fulfilling and productive when you have clear goals that define your MBA priorities. I don’t just mean your concentration, or where you plan to get your summer internship or full-time job, but what you want to get out of your MBA program.

Your MBA experience will be filled with various activities – classes, office hours, recruiting information sessions, networking opportunities, personal activities (i.e. family, friends, working out, sleep, etc.), running for a leadership or representative position, being involved with a club, getting to know classmates,… and the list continues.

When I started my MBA, I set up a few key goals that defined how I spent my time:
*Make sure I learned from every class, the goals isn’t just getting a high pass or A;
*Get to know my classmates and seek out professional mentors;
*Be in a position to drive change and make an impact on my business school, etc.

Once my goals were clear, they defined how I managed my time - Do I want to play tennis with a classmate, meet with a mentor for lunch, or study an extra hour of finance; should I run for the student representative position or settle for a leadership position in a club or both; do I attend the information session or go hear the CEO of another company speak? Neither of the options you face in business school will be unproductive, but having clear goals will help guide your choices amid the flurry of activities and ways you could spend your limited 24 hour days. Remember, priorities can change, so feel free to make adjustments in your goals throughout the next two years.

Oyinade Ogunbekun, Forte Fellow
Class of 2012, Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis

Finding Your Dream School

Finding the right school is as important as any other aspect of your business school application process. After all you will be leaving behind your comforts to spend 2 years in a completely new environment. There are various reasons why people choose to apply to certain schools but I can speak for all MBAs out there when I say that people should apply to the right school based on characteristics that fit their personal objectives. Here are some characteristics to take into account when finding the right school.

Location: whether you prefer metropolitan cities or small college towns make sure the location ties into your expectations.

Student body: More than half of your MBA learning will come from the interactions with the student body around you particularly with the case based studies and leadership learnings. Therefore it is important that the student body is diverse not only in ethnicity but also in industry backgrounds, age, gender, and work experience.

Curriculum: Try to find schools that fit your style of learning. Many individuals prefer to learn in classroom or lecture settings, many prefer team based or case settings and others prefer a balance of both. Read about the professors (i.e. their past experiences, their teaching techniques, where they stand in their fields of study). Additionally, aim to have an understanding of the type of MBA you desire, whether it is customized (Marketing, Finance, Consulting, etc) or general management because many schools vary in these aspects.

Career placement: Many companies have strong affiliations to certain MBA programs so it is important to check recruiting stats by each school. Depending on what industry, company, or functional role you wish to pursue, this could be a deciding factor in finding the right school.

Personal touch: There is always something endearing about a school that makes you feel like you belong to the community rather than becoming just another face in the crowd. Characteristics ranging from size of the class to receiving that phone call from an admissions staff are just some small things that can truly impact your decision on picking the right school.

These are only a few characteristics to help you get started on your school search. The driving force in finding the right school is to make sure the school has the necessary tools and resources to help you reach your ultimate career goals so make sure you DO YOUR RESEARCH!

Piya Dey, Forte Fellow
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University
MBA Class of 2013

Bringing Your Significant Other to Business School

While the decision to attend business school is a difficult choice for everyone, it becomes even more complicated when you are in a committed relationship. The choice suddenly moves away from being all about you and your career, to what is best for you and your family. With dozens of other factors weighing into your decision to attend business school (or even what school to attend!), the process can quickly become overwhelming.

When my husband and I started deciding whether I should go back to school (an eventually which school I should attend), we did several things that helped make the decision much easier:

1. Make a 10 year plan. It may sound silly, but if where you want to be in 10 years doesn’t involve a path where you went back to school, getting your MBA may not be the best choice for your family.

2. Reach out to the admissions committee in any school you are potentially interested in, specifically regarding their support of spouses/partners. Many schools have official programs to help partners through the transition of business school, including both career resources and social programs.

3. Talk to the state department of labor for each school you are interested in. I was surprised with how helpful they are in job searches, and for information regarding the job market in specific areas.

4. Decide whether or not a long distance relationship is an option for you. Every couple is different, and from my observations of my classmates thus far, there is a pretty balanced mix of partners who moved together, and partners who have chosen to live apart for the two years of business school.

5. Have completely candid communication with your spouse/partner. Make a deal in the beginning of the process that both of your opinions matter and deserve to be heard. It’s hard to come so close to making a decision, and then realize you were not on the same page.

While there is no right choice for everyone, thoroughly examining every option before making “the decision” will only help you in the long run. For my husband and I, the right choice was moving together to Ithaca, but that did not come without hours of research and open conversation.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions at lep32@cornell.edu. I’m happy to help in any way I can.

Lindsay Petrovic, Forté Foundation Fellow
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University

Insider's Perspective of an MBA Friend

As it's back to school time for most MBA programs, talented prospective applicants have been seeking advice from my business school classmates and I on applying.

Without knowing a friend or two enrolled at a top MBA program, it's challenging to identify all the resources that some better-informed are aware of. While occasionally downplayed in its use for self-perception, these resources are what I would share with you if you turned to me as a friend.

Apart from your GMAT/GPA stats, your MBA application can be distilled into three distinct areas you control:

I. Experiences:
I've gifted this recently published book, The MBA Reality Check: Make the School You Want, Want You, to friends seeking to best position their profiles and experiences into their applicancy, short and long-term goals included. As of this blog post, all 13 Amazon.com reviews are rated 5 of 5.

II. Written Application:
a. Essay/Recommendations/Application:
Find a trusted friend - possibly one in business school - to help proofread your essay and offer a counter-opinion. Yet, as friends and family are often all too eager to offer an opinion, don't share your essay with too many readers for risk of losing your distinct voice and internal compass on where to head. I found my own sister the most brutally honest with me, and she became the only person to proofread my essays.

b. School visit:
Make an effort to visit business schools before you write your essays. In writing about why you want to attend program X, there's no greater substitute for genuine interest in attending a program than if you invested time into witnessing a class, speaking with a student group, etc. This would also crystallize why you may want to attend one program over the other, helping prioritize your application submissions.

III. Verbal Interview:
Talented candidates on paper may be invited to top-tier schools for interviews, yet a bottleneck for admissions can be the interview itself. You are competing against applicants who may have prepared by seeking the counsel of family and friends, bulleted out their responses, and crystallized their answers. MBA mock interview services such ZoomInterviews.com videos of benchmark interviews, and InterviewBay and Accepted.com's mock interview services may be worth exploring.

This is the first in a series of blog posts to level access to information and opportunities for prospective MBA students. What topics would you like explored further? Please comment, and I'll respond in-line or via a future post. All the best!

Tiffany Kosolcharoen, Forté Fellow
Class of 2013, MIT Sloan School of Management

B-School in your backyard? Don’t stop there.

As the start of my first year of business school approaches in just a couple of weeks, I wanted to reach out to everyone to help you avoid making the same mistake I did. You see I almost missed out on business school and the amazing opportunity of being a Forte fellow.

When I decided to go to business school to earn my MBA, I zoned in on only one school, my alma mater which happened to be in the city I was living in at the time. It seemed logical at the time. I’m a non-traditional student. I am older, married with a teenage daughter. Going back to my alma mater would cause the least disruption for my family. So I only applied there with no thought that I would not be accepted. Wrong! I was shocked when I was rejected. And unfortunately I didn’t get the rejection until after many top-tier programs final deadlines. I truly feared that I would have to wait another year to go to school.

So what did I do? I had a total pity party for a day, and then I made the decision which I should have made initially. I expanded my search and looked at schools all across the country that were still accepting applications. I submitted four more applications, and I was accepted at all of them. The closest school was over 900 miles away, and the farthest school was over 1600 miles away. I finally accepted the offer from the school that I was accepted to last, The University of Illinois. It is over 1000 miles from my hometown. But it is the right place for me and my family to be.

I challenge each of you to not be bound by where you currently live when thinking about getting your MBA. That is the easy road to take. Life is about taking risks. Don’t settle. Demand better. You are worth it.

I’d be happy to talk to anyone about my experiences, especially if you are a non-traditional applicant like me. My email address is sabarry2@illinois.edu.

Stephanie Barry, Forte Fellow
Class of 2013, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Networking: Maximizing Your MBA Investment

Wondering how you can maximize the benefit of your MBA investment? Prospective and current MBA students are increasingly concerned with how they can distinguish themselves among their peers in an increasingly competitive post-MBA job market. According to a recent survey of over 250 current MBA students and graduates, the overwhelming majority of respondents noted that “networking” was the number one way that they could improve their job prospects and career search success.

The good news is that 85% of your peers felt that their career choices and job prospects improved over the previous graduating class and nearly 70% of respondents were satisfied with their school’s efforts to provide them with opportunities to help their job searches. That being said, past and present MBAs have reiterated time and time again that proactively seeking out and engaging in every opportunity to learn more about and connect with people who are already engaged in your field of interest are essential aspects of the job search process.

MBAs advise prospective students to “develop a refined networking strategy prior to enrolling” and to “start networking immediately after starting your MBA program, rather than waiting until the last few months before you start applying for jobs.” While it is certainly important for prospective MBAs to choose a program that fits their learning objectives and professional interests, current MBAs advise prospective students to be increasingly cognizant of the strength of the program’s networking opportunities. Current students and recent graduates noted that programs which offer practical experience in specific professions and industries are invaluable in that they allow students to test whether or not their career aspirations are realistic and, most importantly, a good fit.

What are some specific actions you can take to develop your professional network and improve your job prospects? Here’s some of the advice that your peers had to offer: attend industry specific seminars/conferences, go to career fairs/exhibitions, set up informational interviews with professionals in your field of interest, and take on more industry consulting projects to get firsthand experience and exposure to management in the area of business that you are most interested in pursuing. Additionally, don’t forget to keep in touch with the people you meet while attending networking events, participating in internships, and working on consulting projects.

One student wrote that, “An MBA program is a chance to get to know a lot of people that can be interested in your work or even recommend you to a job.” Among the most important people to develop connections with are alumni, mentors, and professors who may work in industries or professions that interest you. Finally, a group of individuals that MBAs can often overlook when thinking about expanding their professional networks is their MBA program’s student body. Don’t underestimate the value and potential of connecting with your peers!

Peter von Loesecke
CEO, The MBA Tour

The MBA Tour is an international business education recruitment platform with emphasis on personal interaction between prospective MBA students, business school admission representatives, alumni and other like-minded education enthusiasts.

The MBA Tour is hosting upcoming events in:
Asia: Toyko, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Bangkok
Europe: Istanbul, Moscow, Kiev
India: Bangalore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune
Canada: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary
As well as future events in the USA and Latin America

Register at: http://thembatour.com/

2011 Forté Forums: Inspiration, Opportunity and the MBA

The Forté Forums are open for registration! From professional success to personal fulfillment, don’t miss this opportunity to discover what an MBA can do for you. It’s an investment in your future that will yield dividends for a lifetime.

Are you ready to invest in yourself? Perhaps you’ve been thinking about your next career move, how you will get there, and what impact you want to have. If so, the Forté Forums are a critical next step. You’ll have the opportunity to ask candid questions of women who had similar questions, have lived and breathed the MBA experience, and are now pursuing their dream careers. You’ll meet admissions representatives from top B-schools who can enlighten you about the MBA application process and provide insight into their specific program subtleties, all within a smaller, more intimate atmosphere than other B-school events. And finally, there will be hundreds of women just like you in attendance—women searching for that next career move, trying to determine if the MBA is the right fit. What a great opportunity to start building your MBA network for the future!

The best thing about the Forté Forums is that they are 100% focused on helping women explore the MBA. The questions are different for women and so are the answers. That’s what why Forté created the Forums.

Are you convinced yet? Please join Forté at our 2011 Forté Forums: Inspiration, Opportunity and the MBA this September and October. Past attendees have said that the Forums are unique because of the “support” and “encouragement” received and the “abundance of valuable information provided.” Take advantage of this great opportunity and invest in yourself—you won’t regret it.

Elissa Sangster
Executive Director, Forté Foundation