Admissions Q&A

Questions from yesterday’s Weekly Wednesday Admissions Chat are included below:

Question: My profession requires me to be out of the country until the end of the year. I am planning to apply first round for Fall 2013 entry. How might this affect my interview timing?

Answer: Please make note of your travel timeline in the comments section of the application. If you are invited to interview, we will work with you depending on where you are.  We do require those living in the U.S. to interview on the Darden Grounds; however, in your situation, we can conduct a Skype interview or delay the interview if you would like to come to Darden.

Question: How do you evaluate GRE test scores? Do you compare them to the GMAT score?

Answer: We do not have a preference between the GMAT and the GRE.  We will gladly accept either test and do not convert the GRE score to the GMAT. Rather we look at the percentile of performance. We decided to accept the GRE several years ago because it is more accessible worldwide and more affordable. We also wanted people who had already taken the GRE not to be turned away from applying to business school just because they had not taken the GMAT.

Question: Have you noticed a trend in more GRE scores submitted with applications versus GMAT?

Answer:  We have not seen a significant trend in the increase of those who apply with a GRE instead of a GMAT score.

Question: How many essays are in this year’s application?

Answer:  We have one 500 word essay, which you can find on our website, and the application will have a few short answer questions.