A Look Back at Forté MBALaunch While Moving Forward

I actually didn’t realize how much I got out of Forté MBALaunch until I went on my first business school campus visit.

As I sat among 50 other prospective students all anxiously waiting to introduce themselves and think of the perfect explanation of why they wanted to get an MBA, I was prepared. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, and exactly how I wanted to phrase it. I knew because months earlier I had the help of a few Forté Foundation webinars explaining how to Define, and more importantly Own, my brand.

As an alumae I look back and can really appreciate all of the Tuesday night webinars and Saturday afternoon peer group meetings over the last few months. Not only did I gain a lot of very useful information about writing essays, perfecting my resume, and GMAT tips and tricks, but I also gained access to an amazing network or individuals. A network of prospective MBA students who all deeply understand and are very supportive when discussing “the GMAT struggle”; a network of admissions advisors who have a vested interest in my MBA application process; and a network of current MBA students who are always willing to take 15 minutes to give you the scoop on b-school life.

The strength of my network has been proven as I ask my Forté team members to review my essays and provide feedback, when I have admissions officers emailing me to check in and see how my application process is going, and when I am in town to visit a prospective school there are a realm of individuals I can reach out to from the Forté network to get a personalized experience.

The knowledge that I have received from Forté has allowed me to be well-informed and confident in my school search and application process. All of the tools provided by the many sponsors and speakers have been very valuable in organizing my thoughts to identify my most impactful life moments in order to write compelling essays, helping to study for the GMAT, and preparing for my future admissions interviews.

I recommend the Forté MBALaunch program to anyone that is applying or thinking of applying to business school.

This program allows you to explore the overwhelmingly large amount of opportunities and the many programs and specializations offered by all of the top business schools in a safe setting. As a Launch member you are free to engage with current students, admissions officers, and alumni from all of the business school programs you can imagine. You are able to ask questions and build meaningful connections without the restriction of standing in long lines or big groups of people at MBA fairs.

You also have the opportunity to build a really close support network through the other peer group members. It found it really beneficial to have a group of friends who are in the same position as me of applying to business school.

My Launch peer group was so supportive and always provided words of encouragement throughout the process and a free space to vent about anything. Many parts of the business school application process require you to take an introspective look over your personal and professional accomplishments and relate them to the school values, and Forté provides the support you need to be seamless in the process every step of the way. (And a little more if you ask for it!)

I am currently finishing up my applications to apply to my final list of business schools. Although all stages of the MBA application progress can be difficult and stressful, I know that the support and the education provided by the Forté MBALaunch program is always available to me, even after the final webinar!

Veronica Perry, an Atlanta native, graduated in 2011 from Spelman College. Shortly after graduation she started her career at Accenture in the Management Consulting Development Program. At Accenture she works primarily in the strategic change management function with a focus on clients in the Products industry. Post business school, Veronica hopes to further develop her career to focus on strategic retail operations.