With the launch of the new Michigan Ross website, my blog also got a refresh. And, the new admissions cycle has officially kicked off. So in our world, a new year has truly begun!

And there’s no better time for a quick catch up:

1. Students are back on campus and have already engaged in intensive career prep and leadership development activities
2. Since July, my team and I have been to more than 50 events in cities across the world to meet with prospective students and we have another 40 events on the docket in the next 30 days
3. The Round 1 deadline is Oct. 6

The start of school

Before classes started last week, MBA1s made a profound impact on the southeast Michigan region through their work during the Ross Leadership Initiative Impact Challenge. In four days, our first year students researched, developed and launched a for-profit business that helps connect Detroit youth with entrepreneurship opportunities.

This year’s Impact Challenge winners secured $50,000 from General Motors to help launch the new venture. The student-run Revitalization + Business Club and RLI's Ross Leaders Academy will now take the reins and help make the team’s vision a reality by the end of the school year. Read more about how Ross students are making an impact.

Where in the world…

Since July 1, my team and I have been to 55 information sessions, MBA fairs, multi-school events, Forte Forums and Consortium events in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Seattle, Toronto, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Lima, Bogota, Santiago, Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei and Shanghai.

Between now and Oct. 6, we are attending or hosting another 40-plus events, targeting the southeast region of the U.S. as well as Chicago, New York, D.C., San Francisco, And L.A.; plus Europe, India, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.

If you haven’t already connected with us, there’s still time to meet us at an event near you or an on-campus visit. You can also connect with our Student Ambassadors or view an admissions webinar with application tips from the team. What’s the value in connecting? You’ll get a clearer sense of a school’s fit through the conversations and interactions you have with members of a school’s community. Don’t just focus on getting in – focus on getting in to the right place(s) for you.

Let me know what questions you have or what you think of the new blog in the comments below!