The Light

September 4th, 2008

by Lori N. Jones-Dessalines

What’s the light you ask? Well, it’s that little bit of brilliance that shines inside all of us to be more than what we are today or what it is we dream of becoming. Unfortunately, many of us navigate through life constantly distinguishing, diminishing and sometimes just flat out consciously ignoring ‘the light’; only to live out our days always wondering “what if” or “who could I have been”.

Shimon Peres, the ninth and current President of the State of Israel, says “From my earliest youth, I have known that while one is obliged to plan with care the stage of one’s journey, one is entitled to dream and keep dreaming of its destination”. This simply means it isn’t over till YOU decide it’s over; a college education can and usually is the key to reassurance that the dream is now tangible. An education can be a life-long majestic expedition of learning and personal growth and/or a means to reaching a specific financial and professional goal. That choice will be up to you.

What greater gift is there than the gifts that are manifested through one’s own abilities? The hardest step in starting anything new is just simply taking a risk on yourself; to look self-defeat and failure in the eye, while standing on the ‘Cliff of the Unknown’ and then jumping. Jump I say, but you better jump like you mean it with your arms open wide and head high. Close your eyes for a second and concentrate, with bated breath, on the exhilarating feeling of belief, as the wind pushes against your face; reminding you that you are alive and in your best moment, right here and right now.

Love is life and knowledge is power, so love yourself enough to empower yourself with information and the skills that college can afford you. Believe in miracles, they can happen to you. Get closer to the light and find your way. Shine…there can be a brighter day.

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Posted by Lori N. Jones-Dessalines in Uncategorized. Post a Comment »

Lori N. Jones-Dessalines is an Enrollment Specialist at Metropolitan College of New York.

The international student experience at MCNY

August 25th, 2008

by Sunay Tamashev

This is a guest post from Sunay Tamashev (Hometown-Sofia, Bulgaria) – MBA Media Management

One day on my way home from an open house at one of the colleges here in NYC, I was thinking: “It is so hard and expensive to get a master’s degree in New York”, but I really wanted it, that was one of the things on my agenda, ever since I had come to the city, I knew I was going to get it one way or another. My head was working all kinds of plans, and situations I might have to deal with. I had to consider so many things before I could even think of applying to grad school. One thing was for sure I knew there was a degree out there that will meet my needs I just had to find it, and so I did.

Anyone that has dealt with immigration issues, especially after 9/11, knows how hard it is to get anything done, all the paperwork, all the filing, the insecurity that you might have to pack your suitcases and leave is always haunting you. A life that you have build here for years might have to end, and you can’t do anything about it. I was thinking about my status, my work permits, and my desire to get into grad school, and was wondering how I can get all this together and somehow make it work for me. That’s when I saw the MCNY advertising in the subway. It had the words ‘We Work Here” written on it. I read it and then went home and did some research through the school’s website. I found out they have an MBA program in Media Management, and that I am allowed to apply my knowledge into the real world, by actually working. When I asked the admission counselor what does that mean, I was happy to find out that it is actually a requirement for the MBA majors, and is officially allowed by the INS. I also found out that the admission process is rolling and that I don’t have to chase deadlines, and worry about missing any dates, I could start immediately.

I was already in New York City when I started the application process at MCNY. I have been in the U.S. since 2001. I received my bachelor degree from a U.S college where I transferred my transcripts from a University in Bulgaria. It is a time consuming process and requires a lot of mail communication and phone conversations, and most of all patience. You have to wait for the mail, then you have to send it back, and make sure it gets to the U.S. on time. At MCNY I was assured that even if I have to go back to Bulgaria and apply from there, I could do it over the internet. There is this application that they use called WIMBA, which allows the international students to have an interactive conversation with an enrollment specialist over the internet. You can ask questions, request forms, they have webcams and microphones, and you can actually get your interviewing done without even having to worry about being in New York. How cool is that? I was lucky that I didn’t have to fly back and forward between the continents, but even if I had to, I was not worried that I might miss a deadline, or get a letter lost in the mail.

The application process went smoother than I thought. I filled all the required paperwork, and the rest was done by the lovely admission staff at MCNY. I was able to start classes two weeks after I had applied. Now my first semester is over, and I am looking forward to the second one. I have already secured an internship with one TV production company here in New York City. I have made great fiends with my classmates, and I am sure we will keep in touch even after we graduate.

I would encourage every international student to come and talk to the admission staff, or at least call. There are always opportunities, and the counselors here will do whatever they can to help you with your enrollment.

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Posted by Sunay Tamashev in Guest Bloggers, MBA in Media Management, International Students. 2 Comments »

Sunay Tamashev is the Design Consultant in the Admissions Department at MCNY and is currently a student in the MBA in Media Management Program.

4 Tips to Consider Before Meeting with An Admissions Counselor

August 11th, 2008

by Monica Ortiz

Having been an Admissions Counselor for the last 3 years, I’ve come to see that each student is unique not only in terms of academics, but also in terms of maturity, readiness, and enthusiasm. While adhering to the college’s mission and the overall requirements of the programs, when meeting with students and reviewing their applications, counselors definitely assess students in terms of what is perceived as their level of interest. As counselors, we are hoping that when a student comes in for an interview, he/she is “highly interested” in attending MCNY, extremely motivated, and has the ability to succeed. We look forward to generating that letter of congratulations on their acceptance and recognizing the contribution they will make to our community of higher education.

So, the following are a few ideas, from the perspective of an admissions counselor, that you might want to consider:

1. Always come in with a positive attitude. Coming in to the admissions office is the first step towards changing your life for the better and it should most definitely reflect as a positive choice you have made. Any other mood will only make the counselor assigned to you think that you don’t want to make changes due to hesitance, fear, or simply a lackadaisical attitude. When you care, we care.
2. Be prepared to talk about yourself. If you’ve taken part in community service, organized events, or volunteered your time, during the admissions interview is the best time to bring it up. A counselor’s knowledge of this can enhance your chances of being the recipient of a merit/recognition award. If you don’t mention it, we as counselors will not ask.
3. Know the reason why you have chosen to visit the college. Know why you are coming in, and be sure that it is a decision you have made for yourself.
4. Prepare as many documents as you can. This implies to your counselor that you are not only taking yourself seriously, but them as well. It also shows initiative. The same initiative the counselor might take to ensure you’re assisted with any scholarships or awards that the college is able to provide. Browse the website of your college of choice to find the various requirements and you will exhibit a sense of responsibility.

Potential students who follow these tips will be sure to have a positive experience with their admission counselor. Also, keep in mind, a decision does not have to be made in one day. Understand that the counselor’s goal is to provide the student with the information they will need to determine if the college is the best choice in leading to the success of their future.

With that being said, good luck and I hope to see you on campus!!!!

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Posted by Monica Ortiz in About Applying. Post a Comment »

Monica N. Ortiz is an Enrollment Specialist at Metropolitan College of New York.

Themed Admissions Events

July 22nd, 2008

by Marc Solomon

What a cool program!  In the admissions office we get to view some of the themed program events that take place here on campus.  Recently, my imagination was captured by the MPA in Emergency & Disaster Management program which often holds truly compelling presentations and Open Houses.  Their last event was about the imminent danger of a hurricane hitting a fictional city called St. Louis Rey located near New York City.  Students were fascinated by the content of the Open House, and stayed speaking to Director David Longshore well after the event was over; actually, it was difficult to have them leave.  Tomorrow’s event is called “Disaster Strikes the City” and will engage prospective students as the Mayor, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and other key roles in addressing a to be disclosed disaster facing a vulnerable metropolis.  With a power point presentation and an interactive model city, our guests get to confront what only high level elected officials deal with behind closed doors.  Director Longshore has worked closely with Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg with regard to the Emergency Management of New York City, and we get to see what that looks like up-close and center.  Each time I watch one of these it is easy to lose track of time and be transported to another disaster in another city.

Check out our upcoming admissions events.

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Posted by Marc Solomon in MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management, Information Sessions. Post a Comment »

Marc Solomon is an Enrollment Specialist at Metropolitan College of New York.

No guarantees in applying to graduate school.

July 15th, 2008

by Steven Lenhart

We all live in very credentials oriented world. A bachelor’s degree is not as highly valued as it once was, but try to get by without one and you are up for a rude awakening. Still, today, a master’s degree still sets individuals apart. Not everyone planned on going to graduate school when they first enrolled in college. Many return to graduate school after many years absence from college. Some with well developed skills and work experience directly related to the studies in which they want to pursue a Master’s, others going off in entirely new career directions.

In either case, an admissions decision will have to be made on the basis of what evidence you provide to build a case that you will be successful in your studies. In most cases it will be the cumulative educational experience exhibited on your transcript (transcripts) or most recent transcript over and above a standardized test taken on Saturday last December.

An admissions interview may help you to identify how your application will be reviewed and how likely it may or may not be that you will qualify for admission.

I have to admit though, too many factors are taken into account in making an admissions decision to justifying whether one applies to one school or another. And, you can’t decide  based on gut instinct alone.

In the worst scenario you may need to look in a different direction or build a better case for yourself so that (better prepared) you may look to receive a different answer at a later time.  Sometimes, additional evidence such as new coursework completed with better grades can help you do this. I know that this may seem harsh to some, but graduate study is serious stuff. It is certainly no place to learn to write.

So, I guess my advice to those who think they want graduate school but aren’t willing to take the plunge and risk rejection is to apply anyway.

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Posted by Steven Lenhart in About Applying. Post a Comment »

Steven Lenhart is the Dean of Enrollment Services at Metropolitan College of New York.

Welcome to MCNY’s Admissions Blog!

June 26th, 2008

by Steven Lenhart

My name is Steven Lenhart and I’m the Dean of Enrollment Services here at MCNY.

We are developing this blog to share with you more about the school, our programs, our students…and to hear from you…help you figure out whether MCNY is the right fit, answer your questions, and address your concerns.

I’ve been with Metropolitan College of New York for over 20 years – it’s an extraordinary school and I feel very passionate about what we do here. What I find so outstanding about MCNY is that, unlike most other institutions of higher learning where so much of the curriculum is theoretical and has no basis in the real world (but the promise is there that one day the learning will prove to be relevant), at MCNY what you learn tonight, you will use on the job tomorrow.

We have created a learning environment where what is learned is entirely relevant and practical and efficient. The focus of learning is on you, your personal and professional growth and development and on making you competitive in the workplace.

One of my goals is just to make sure we can communicate as fluidly and transparently as possible. If you have any topics you’d like to hear about feel free to email me directly at slenhart@mcny.edu.

The entire Admissions Staff will be contributing to this effort – so here’s a big shout out to the group and many thanks, in advance, for your help.

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Posted by Steven Lenhart in Uncategorized. 4 Comments »

Steven Lenhart is the Dean of Enrollment Services at Metropolitan College of New York.

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