Category: Posts by Rebekah

Advice from the Senior Assistant Dean: Five Reasons Why Now Is the Ideal Time to Start Business School

The following post was written by Rebekah Lewin, senior assistant dean of admissions and programs

There are many factors to consider when you’re deciding when you should pursue your graduate business degree. Timing is an important one—here are a few reasons you shouldn’t wait to take the first step toward your future career at Simon:

1.) If you were hesitant about pursuing your MS or MBA degree due to the cost of tuition, consider that Simon Business School’s Full-time post-MBA salaries are at an all-time high—which means an even more impressive ROI after you complete your studies. Just as noteworthy, data in our most recent career highlights report shows that 95% of our full-time MS graduates secured employment offers within six months of graduation. Additionally, our working professional students continue to earn an income (and sometimes qualify for employer tuition benefits) to financially support their studies.

Even more compelling is the opportunity to qualify for scholarship support. Scholarship levels scale from mostly smaller partial awards if you are considering part-time study while continuing to work to both partial- and full-tuition awards for candidates considering full-time graduate study. The availability of merit-based scholarships, loans, and a significant salary increase provide a persuasive case to pursue your MBA or MS degree now.

2.) Simon offers flexibility to waive or complete the standardized test requirement, which could fast-track your application process without the time and cost involved with test prep. Starting in Spring 2020, Simon introduced new opportunities to qualify for a test waiver. Learn more about the standardized test waiver criteria on our website, and contact us with any questions you have.

3.) All Simon MBA formats (full-time, part-time, and executive) and our full-time MS programs are STEM designated—sending a strong signal to potential employers of your quantitative and analytic skills and your readiness to contribute or manage in a world that increasingly depends on data to drive business decisions. Furthermore, international students in any of our full-time programs qualify for three years of post-degree employment in the United States while remaining on a student visa.

4.) Simon offers application advice to prospective students to guide you through the application process and allow you to put your best foot forward with the Admissions Committee. This includes Application Tips webinars with opportunities for live Q&A and 1:1 informational meetings with a member of the Admissions team (offered on a space-available basis). If you didn’t attend our Round 2 Application Tips webinar live, I encourage you to review the recording if you’re planning to submit your application to one of our full-time programs by January 5.

5.) Simon’s enduring commitment to EDI is woven into the fabric of our B-school experience, with longstanding partnerships with The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, Forté, ROMBA, and Management Leadership for Tomorrow. As a result, our Full-Time MBA was ranked the No. 1 most diverse MBA program among top-50 schools by U.S. News & World Report. We offer both virtual and in-person engagement opportunities to meet our students and alumni, confirm what makes Simon distinctive and special, and learn how you fit in our community.

Interested in taking the next step in the application process? There’s still time to meet our January 5 application deadline for full-time programs. Don’t forget: if you apply a few days early—by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 1—your $90 application fee is waived! When you submit your application, you’ll bypass the payment screen; it’s as simple as that.

If you’re interested in our part-time or executive programs, contact the Admissions team for information about the application and admissions process—the early admission deadline for Fall 2022 entry is February 15, so there is still plenty of time to work on your application.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about any of our programs. We’re here to help you find the program that best fits your personal and professional goals. Best of luck to you as you continue to prepare for B-school!

Dec 20, 2021 | 0 comments View Post

Update from the Senior Assistant Dean: Plans for Fall 2021

The following blog post was written by Rebekah Lewin, senior assistant dean of admissions and programs

I wanted to share an update on our plans for Fall 2021 based upon information available to us today. We expect to continue offering in-person instruction and co-curricular and social activities, with a hope to expand these opportunities to the extent that it remains feasible and safe to do so. We have learned a lot about how to offer these activities this past year, and this information will guide our decisions and plans. This will likely include mandatory mask wearing on campus and using larger classrooms where we can continue to spread out students to ensure lower density in classrooms.

Because the timing for global vaccinations and travel remains a bit uncertain, we also expect to offer a hybrid learning option with online classes that allows students (regardless of location) to study online if needed. Although the hybrid format will accommodate students with health concerns, we strongly encourage physical class attendance both to enable the advantages of in-person learning and to help build our community through the informal interactions that naturally arise before and after classes. We, of course, expect those interactions to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Similar to this year, we will continue to proactively collaborate with the International Services Office to understand the impact of our policies and practices so our international students remain “in status” and fully understand the impact of their decisions and options. We are committed to helping each student complete their Simon degree, and we realize in some cases that there are circumstances outside of a student’s control that impact location or study format preferences.

Please keep in mind that the CDC, New York State, and the University have made a number of updates in their guidance and requirements over the past year, and we will continue to adjust our plans if required.

If you have additional questions about our plans for the fall semester—or about your candidacy or the admissions process in general—please feel free to reach out to the Admissions Office. We are here to support you every step of the way!

There is still time to apply to begin your full-time MBA or MS degree in 2021! We have two remaining application deadlines for 2021 entry (March 31 and May 1), and merit-based scholarship is always available for qualified candidates. Don’t wait—apply today!

Mar 22, 2021 | 0 comments View Post

Reflections from the Assistant Dean: The Value of a Graduate Business Degree

As we “zoom” into 2021 (literally and figuratively), I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on the past few months and also illuminate the road ahead for candidates who are preparing for graduate business school. Although the global pandemic has changed so many aspects of our lives (some temporarily and others permanently), the value and ROI of a Simon graduate business degree remains unchanged. 

  • Throughout the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, we have operated in a hybrid learning model with a combination of on-campus and virtual classes and have hosted programming that prioritizes the health and safety of everyone at Simon while creating connections within the community.

  • Despite some challenges in the economy, the hiring outlook for many corporate partners is stable (and in some cases even growing) with 2020 MBA salaries higher than in 2019 and employment rates comparable to the prior year. It’s clear that companies desire candidates with a STEM-designated degree who possess an analytical mindset, along with the management and leadership skills to add immediate value to their organizations.

  • Our commitment to the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) remains unwavering—beginning with joining The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management more than 50 years ago—through present day, where we hold the No. 1 spot for the diversity of our student body among the top-50 business schools as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

  • The Economist ranked Simon No. 25 overall and No. 16 in the US among the world’s top full-time MBA programs. Simon was also ranked No. 3 for percentage increase on pre-MBA salary, which is an excellent indicator of the return on investment your degree from Simon will provide. In addition, our faculty teach and our staff support across all programs, so MBA rankings are a strong signal of the value you can expect while studying at Simon—no matter which degree you pursue.

I can personally attest to the ROI a graduate business degree from Simon offers. My time at Simon spans more than twenty years of my career and also includes pursuing my MBA along the way. In two weeks I will transition to an expanded role, where I will oversee admissions for all full-time and part-time programs, along with the Office of Student Engagement, the Benet Career Management Center, and our school’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts. I look forward to working to further build on our existing strengths as we invest in the student experience (international immersions, experiential learning, student clubs and organizations, leadership, and more) and partner with our students to achieve their career goals. 

My Simon degree has given me the tools I’ve needed to be successful at every stage in my career, and I’m confident it will do the same for you. Now is an amazing time to apply to Simon Business School. In fact, if you apply by our Round 3 deadline on February 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST, your application fee will be reduced to $50 (originally $90)!

We look forward to supporting you throughout the admissions process—don’t hesitate to reach out to the Admissions team with any questions you have.

Feb 05, 2021 | 0 comments View Post

A Special Message to International Candidates from the Assistant Dean

After an unprecedented year, I wanted to share some thoughts and encouragement if you are considering overseas graduate study. Simon Business School at the University of Rochester has welcomed and supported international students for more than 30 years, with our 18,000+ alumni representing more than 80 countries around the world.

Here are a few reasons Simon may be a great fit for your graduate business study:

  • Our longstanding history of student global diversity uniquely equips us to anticipate needs as we support our international students.
  • We celebrate the global diversity of our students through special monthly “Broaden Your Horizons” events that showcase the culture, food, and ways of doing business in different regions of the world.
  • With STEM-designated MBA and MS programs, the majority of our international students secure internships or full-time employment in the United States for up to three years post-graduation while remaining on their student visa.
  • Despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, we enrolled a slightly larger cohort of international MBA students this fall from 19 different countries. The large majority of those students arrived to Rochester for face-to-face learning during the first few weeks of school.
  • After receiving a US-based education, you’ll enter our network of Simon alumni who are eager to help one another. Because Simon graduates are all over the globe, it’s likely you’ll make short- or long-term professional connections in your home country or region.

Following the recent US election, I expect policy changes that will further benefit and support international students, so now is a fantastic time to invest in yourself with graduate study. I’m confident a Simon Business School STEM-designated degree will equip you with the analytic and quantitative skills that employers expect.

I encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Applying earlier in the cycle not only maximizes your consideration for both admission and merit-based scholarships, but it also allows ample time to secure a student visa and arrive in the US to begin your studies.

Please reach out to us if you have any questions—we are here to support you every step of the way.

We hope to review your application soon!

Dec 11, 2020 | 0 comments View Post
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