A 'Mistake' Leads to Business School

(page 2 of 2)

Bailey Stoler
Cornell (Johnson)
MBA Class of 2009

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I felt inspired. Inspired to revolutionize the food industry so that it supports health instead of sickness. Inspired to lead a successful company from a value base that respects the earth and its inhabitants. A longtime flirtation with business school suddenly became more serious.

A Relaxed Approach

It was Labor Day weekend last year when I decided to apply to B-school. I had been telling my family that I would apply the following year, when my father suggested I apply right then, as a "practice round." He offered to foot the bill, so I agreed.

The idea that it was just practice made an important difference in how I approached school selection. I felt no pressure to perform, which freed me to look for a school that truly suited me. At the numerous MBA forums I attended, I wondered about the prospective students who busied themselves trying to impress admissions representatives. It seemed like a waste of time and energy to me. At that point in the process, admissions representatives were salespeople, and potential applicants were clients to be wooed.

I approached the admissions reps with a polite "what can you do for me?" stance. I simply told them what I was looking for and asked them to describe how their program stood out from the others in the ways that mattered to me.

One school impressed me over and over again: Cornell University. They offer a cutting-edge sustainability program, immersion learning, the opportunity to take classes in their world-renowned nutrition and agriculture schools, and a leadership development program so progressive, it knocks my socks off. In addition to all of this, the people were kind and well informed.

I decided to apply to the Johnson School at Cornell as my first choice. It was mid-September, I'd logged just a few hours of GMAT studying, and Round 1 applications were due on Oct. 9. So what did I do? I took the GMAT and scrambled to put together an application that accurately reflected me: who I was, what I'd done, and what I so passionately want to do. I submitted my application at 11:58 p.m. on the due date. And I was utterly delighted when the director of admissions called a month later to offer me a spot in the class of 2009.

That was it. Applications were easy for me. The fact that I only did one certainly lightened the load, but the real ease came because of the absolute certainty I felt. I knew that the Johnson School had exactly what I was looking for, and I had a feeling they would feel similarly about me.

Know What You Need

If I were to offer any advice to prospective applicants, it would be this: Don't waste your time applying to 10 schools simply because their name would look nice on your resume. Figure out why you want to go to B-school, and actively seek out the programs that speak directly to your passions and career ambitions. If the school is an excellent match for you, chances are good that the admissions team will think you are an excellent match for the school.

So what's my plan? I'm going to study sustainable business with a focus on the food industry. There is a lot that needs to be cleaned up—from the way mass agriculture destroys our land and waterways to the epidemic of nutrition-related diseases that are making people sick and depressed. I'd like to guide food companies to be more socially and environmentally conscious while helping them maintain an investor-pleasing bottom line. I have dreams of being a consultant, a writer, and an entrepreneur, but my true plan is to go wherever this next step—earning my MBA—leads me. Cheers!

Stoler is a member of the MBA class of 2009 at Cornell (Johnson) .