The latest admissions newsletter from Yale School of Management includes an explainer on the admissions process which is helpful whether you’ve already applied, or are planning to do so in March.

Interviews
Invitations to interview can happen at any time during the admissions process. SOM has already extended a small number of invitations for the second round, and more will go out in the coming weeks. An interview invitation is definitely a positive sign, though not a definitive one, as roughly 35% of the applicant pool is interviewed.

What SOM is Looking For
The admission process is a holistic one, and no one aspect of an application alone is determinative, the school says. Candidates should have a strong academic background, as well as leadership and professional experience that will add to the SOM community. The goal is a cohort of 220 students from diverse backgrounds and industries.

Decisions, Decisions
R2 candidates will hear from SOM by April 2, 2010 (May 7, 2010 for third round). Decisions may come before the response date, but you’ll definitely hear by the end of the round. Applications are reviewed in random order so the timing of an interview invitation or decision isn’t indicative of the strength of an application, the school explains.

Show Me the Money
Business school is an expensive investment, so don’t wait until you’re admitted to begin getting your finances in order. Be proactive, research scholarships and industry-specific programs, as well as federal and private loan options. That way, you’ll have time to enjoy the few months before beginning your MBA studies.

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If you are feeling stumped by your application essays and need some additional guidance, check out our NEW series of essay guides for MBA applications. Columbia, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford and Wharton available now. They are seriously terrific and we are proud to say that almost every person who has ordered one has come back for more!

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“Relax, regroup and refocus” is the mantra handed out earlier this week from Dia D., a blogger from admissions at the Tuck School of Business. “Whether you are on the waitlist or you’ve applied and you’re waiting for your admission decision,” she writes, “there are some things that you can do to prepare yourself for B school or for another year in the workforce.”

Step One: Enjoy the Accomplishment

Take a moment to savor the moments of peace you have once you’ve hit the submit button. Bask in the satisfaction of having managed all those deadlines, created insightful essays, and conquered the GMAT.

Yes, many MBA applicants are Type-A personalities more prone to focus on the goal rather than the process, but, as Dia explains, “The journey to B School is long, expensive and if you are doing it right, peppered with opportunities to get to know yourself a bit better.”

Step Two: Relax

Maintaining pre-application stress levels isn’t healthy, so cut loose and do whatever it is that you do to unwind and get back in touch with the world and yourself. It may sound New Agey, but Dia urges applicants to take a deep breath before pushing ahead, which allows you to reduce your stress and anxiety and deal with your B-school support network from a place of confidence.

“Putting your effort, application and future in perspective helps you formulate a strategy based on wisdom, not fear.”

The admissions committees at Tuck and elsewhere really do care deeply about the entire process and are sensitive to applicants’ jangling nerves; that’s why candidates are informed of their status as soon as possible, Dia explains, so that they can begin working on the multi-layered admissions process…or a Plan B.

“You’ve done the hard work, and now we get to do what we love. We hope that helps you to relax, even if only for a moment or two,” Dia urges.

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If you are feeling stumped by your application essays and need some additional guidance, check out our NEW series of essay guides for MBA applications. Columbia, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford and Wharton available now. They are seriously terrific and we are proud to say that almost every person who has ordered one has come back for more!

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NYU Stern’s new dean, Peter Henry, took over the reigns on January 15th and wants to take the school in a new direction…away from Wall Street to become the top-tier B-school that produces a diversified graduating class destined for jobs in a variety of industries, not just one, BusinessWeek’s Francesca Di Meglio reported earlier this week.

Few schools are as dependent on a single industry as Stern is on finance, Di Meglio writes, and few schools have paid a steeper price.

Redirecting Stern’s course requires a two-pronged approach: developing recruiting relationships in new industries, and making the academic changes necessary to produce the kinds of graduates that the new industries want.

“The future is really in emerging economies,” Henry said Monday in the Financial Times, “And for business leaders in the twenty first century, it’s going to require an education that’s not just focused on finance, marketing and economics, but that takes a broader and more integrated approach and looks at how all these things fit together.”

To read more about how Henry plans to steer Stern beyond Wall Street and embrace a global perspective, read his letter to the student body here.

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If you are feeling stumped by your application essays and need some additional guidance, check out our NEW series of essay guides for MBA applications. Columbia, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford and Wharton available now. They are seriously terrific and we are proud to say that almost every person who has ordered one has come back for more!

We are on Facebook – join the Stacy Blackman Consulting group, or become a friend of Stacy Blackman.

I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman

There are almost 600 accredited MBA programs available worldwide, which can make the choice of where to study daunting, to say the least.

“Probably the majority of people applying to business school are at a point in their careers where they know they want to shake things up, but they don’t know exactly what they want to do with their professional lives,” Stacy Blackman says in a piece on how to choose an MBA program, published Monday in the Financial Times.

“If that’s the case with you, look at other criteria: culture, teaching method, location, and then pick a place that’s a good fit for you with a strong general management program. Super-defined career goals don’t have to be a part of this process.”

Jumping Off Points to Choosing a Program

• Research the rankings to determine your reach, target and safety schools.
• Become a regular reader of school websites and blogs.
• Take some time for personal reflection. Why an MBA and why now? Where do you want to study–in a big city or smaller community? Future professional plans?
• What’s your learning style? Some schools are lecture-based; others are a hands-on, experience-based learning environment; some schools offer a blend of all three.
• Visit the campus to determine whether the culture makes it a good fit for you. Go to as many school-sponsored events as possible.

FT also published advice  this week on making the application, getting the right visa and securing outside funding. Remember, there’s an MBA program out there for everyone. With just a bit of research, you’ll find the program best suited to your career goals and lifestyle.
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If you are feeling stumped by your application essays and need some additional guidance, check out our NEW series of essay guides for MBA applications. Columbia, Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford and Wharton available now. They are seriously terrific and we are proud to say that almost every person who has ordered one has come back for more!

We are on Facebook – join the Stacy Blackman Consulting group, or become a friend of Stacy Blackman.

I am on Twitter too…click to follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/stacyblackman