MBA Blog: News & Admissions Updates from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business
In the following video blog, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions Sara Neher discusses the next steps Darden Round 1 applicants should take if they were admitted, placed on the waitlist or denied:
Question: I was wondering if there are going to be any other information sessions held in other cities in the next few months?
Answer: There are coffee chats hosted by our current students being held throughout December and early January. Visit http://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/MBA/Admissions/Events/Home/ . Aside from that, we’re actually just planning our early 2013 events, so check our website in mid-January.
Question: Are interview invite still going out for Round 1 applicants?
Answer: Actually two additional interviews were just added to my schedule, so invites are still going out. I don’t want to overpromise, though. The number of remaining invitations is likely to be very small.
Question: Do you have any guidance on how much technical language should be included in our resume?
Answer: I think it’s fine to perhaps list areas of technical expertise at the end of the resume, but I wouldn’t make job descriptions too technical. I’d write them for the ”lay-person.”
Question: In the Education History section of the application, should I list study abroad experiences as additional institution entries separate from my undergrad entry?
Answer: If your grades from your study abroad experience are listed in your undergraduate transcript, there is no need to include a separate entry. There is a question in the Education History section in which you can indicate whether you pursued academic study outside the country from which your degree was earned.
Question: In the Activities section of the application, is there a limit to the number of activities you can list? Should I limit this list to only the professional associations and community activities that I have had high involvement with?
Answer: Our application provides space for providing information on 4 organizations and 3 hobbies or activities, so you will want to prioritize and list those most significant/meaningful to you.
Question: I’m a Round 2 applicant. I would like to know which aspects need to be highlighted in hobbies/interests/activities. Should it indicate team based/ individual achievements?
Answer: Both team & individual achievements are helpful. And showing us a range of activities is valuable also (community, career, fun-sports etc.).
Question: I am deciding between a few different people to for my recommendations. I have two supervisors who have agreed to write them for me, but I also have a client that I worked directly with, and I believe can also provide a lot of insight. Do you think it is a negative to have a one of my recommendations come from a client, rather than two supervisors?
Answer: Using a client can be helpful in providing a different perspective. However, I’d think about whether or not that client is able to speak to and evaluate the qualities we ask about. We do see recommendations from clients who sometimes express hesitency in commenting because they feel they don’t have a full picture of the candidate.
Question: I know the GMAT/GRE scores are good for up to 5 years but in some business schools they prefer a closer date during the application process. Does Darden look for anything specific when it comes to test dates?
Answer: On test scores, we’re not all that picky. As long as you’re within that 5 year period, you’re good.
Question: What type of funding opportunities does Darden have outside the scope of the G.I. Bill?
Answer: We have approximately 6 million dollars in scholarships to award each year. There are also federal and private loans. Beyond the very basics, I leave financial aid to the experts and suggest you email your questions to financialaid@darden.virginia.edu.
If you missed this week’s session, be sure to join us next Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET for our live Q&A.
We have been receiving several phone calls and e-mails regarding visit opportunities in December, Darden events and Round 1 application updates that we’d like to address:
Visiting Darden
Since classes are out of session, we will not be scheduling any visits or open houses until Term 4 begins in late January. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about Darden, we invite you to attend our weekly online chat on Wednesdays at 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. ET or reach out to our current students at a “Coffee Chat” this winter (see below).
Events Around the World
Our students have organized a series of “Coffee Chats” in their hometowns around the world. These “Coffee Chats” are a great opportunity to meet current students and learn about their Darden experiences. Visit our Events page for a complete schedule.
Round 1 MBA Application Updates
We are continuing to interview Round 1 applicants on Grounds and via Skype for international applicants. We will still extend invitations to interview until the 19 December release date.
All decisions will be released on 19 December.
Every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (ET), Darden hosts a live Q&A with an Admissions committee member. Here is the transcript from today’s chat.
Question: Have all Round 1 applications been reviewed?
Answer: Yes, all have been through some sort of review but having said that we are so busy right now — still reading and conducting interviews.
Question: If you receive a request for an interview, what is the general turn-around time between receiving the request and coming to Charlottesville?
Answer: It is generally about 1 to 2 weeks. We can be flexible on the timing though.
Question: I am a Round 2 applicant who is interested in visiting the school before the end of the year. Are there any opportunities to visit, even if the visit is informal?
Answer: Our students are now in exams so there are no class visits available — it would be best to visit in late January when classes are in session.
Question: As a Humanities major, am I at a disadvantage in applying?
Answer: We prefer a diverse group of students. Having a humanities background is not a disadvantage.
Question: How does admissions perceive taking the GMAT multiple times? How many times is too much?
Answer: 3 times is probably the limit.
Question: How much of a disadvantage is it to apply as Round 2?
Answer: No disadvantage at all. We see our largest pool of applicants in that round. It’s more difficult to distinguish yourself in Round 3 though.
Question: Can you walk us through the process post-decision date for people on the waitlist?
Answer: If you are placed on the waitlist, please stay in touch with us to let us know if anything in your personal or professional life has changed. We will continue to review your application in the following rounds. We will be in communication with the candidate regarding their status.
Question: Can you be placed on the waitlist if you do not interview? And if so, would you then need to interview to be admitted from the waitlist?
Answer: You cannot be placed on the waitlist without an interview.
Question: I’m an international applicant, and I understand that those interviews are typically conducted via Skype. However, if I prefer to do an on-Grounds interview, how do I convey that in my application?
Answer: If you prefer to interview in person, you can indicate that preference in the Additional Comments section of your application.
Question: Does Darden view first-time applicant and re-applicant the same way, or is there a preference for first-time applicant?
Answer: There is no preference given to first-time applicants over re-applicants.
Question: Can we submit an optional essay?
Answer: We actually do not have an optional essay, but we do have a section where applicants are able to make additional comments. Please note the distinction. We do not want to read an extra essay, but sometimes there are things an applicant wants us to know that are best communicated through additional comments.
Question: I noticed the average entry age is 27. I am older and was wondering if I need to explain why I waited until now to apply in the Additional Comments section. I am not sure how many older applicants Darden actually accepts.
Answer: One of the questions the Admissions Committee will be thinking about when reading your application is ”Would this applicant get more out of a classroom where the average student has 4-6 years of work experience or out of a classroom where the average student has between 10-15 years of work experience, as found in our executive format programs. If there is a specific reason you can point to about why you will thrive in the full-time class room as opposed to an executive format classroom, it could be useful. But, make sure you do your research on both programs before drawing any definitive conclusions.
Question: What attributes do you look for in an applicant while reading an application?
Answer: In the application, we are looking at a candidate’s background and trying to discern what the candidate will contribute to the classroom dynamic. What industry perspective will they bring? Why do they want an MBA? Are they someone who is involved in activities outside of work? Do their goals line up with Darden’s goals to improve society? Have they demonstrated academic success?
Question: What are the most important attributes Darden is looking for when interviewing an applicant?
Answer: There are a lot of things we are looking for in an applicant during an interview. How well does this person communicate? Is it someone we think will work well on a team? Does this person exhibit characteristics of a leader? Is this person self-aware? Does this person have clear goals? Does this person really want to be at Darden? We are looking for things like that….
Join us for the next Weekly Wednesday Admissions chat on 5 December at 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET.
In today’s video blog, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions Sara Neher has several updates regarding the MBA application process. She discusses:
We would like to announce that there are only five days left in 2012 to attend a class visit. If you are interested in experiencing Darden’s case method first hand, a class visit is the best way to learn more about what to expect as a Darden student. During class visits, you will have the opportunity to have lunch with a current student, talk to an Admissions representative and tour the Darden Grounds.
The remaining class visit dates are as follows:
Applicants who are invited to interview on Grounds will also have the opportunity to visit a class if they interview before 29 November. Once you sign up for an interview, you will have access to a link that enables you to register for a class visit.
Class visits will begin again on 23 January 2013. Click here to view the latest schedule.
We will begin interviewing Round 1 applicants for the full-time MBA on 15 November. Interview invitations will be extended beginning in early November and applicants may receive an invitation to interview at any point up until the decision release date on 19 December. This is a random process, so the order of interview invitations has no reflection on the quality of the applicant.
If you have any questions about your application status, please e-mail darden@virginia.edu.
Do you have any last-minute questions regarding the Darden application before the Round 1 deadline?
On Wednesday, 10 October, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions Sara Neher will host an online video Q&A session from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (EDT) for prospective students applying to Darden. You’ll be able to ask questions about the application process, as well as general questions about the MBA program. Participants will type questions into the chat interface and Sara will answer the questions directly via video.
To access the chat, go to the following link a few minutes before the chat begins: http://connect.darden.virginia.edu/apply2012
If you have started the application process and have given yourself enough time to be reflective and thorough, we recommend that you apply in Round 1 because:
In lieu of our Weekly Wednesday Admissions Chat, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions Sara Neher will host an online video Q&A session from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, 10 October. You will be able to ask questions about the application process, as well as general questions about the MBA program. Participants will type questions into the chat interface and Sara Neher will answer the questions directly via video.
To access the chat, go to the following link a few minutes before the chat begins: http://connect.darden.virginia.edu/apply2012
Questions from today’s Weekly Wednesday Admissions Chat are included below:
Question: As an international student, is it necessary to provide translated documents at the time of application or can I submit it post admission?
Answer: The Admissions Committee needs the translated documents in order to evaluate your application, so we need them at the time you submit.
Question: How is a graduation CPI (out of 10) converted into a GPA (on a 4.0 scale)?
Answer: We don’t convert GPA’s into the typical U.S. 4-point scale. Members of our Committee are familiar with various grading scales around the world. However, if you are concerned, feel free to explain your school’s grading system in the Additional Information area of our application.
Question: On the application essay, does the ”challenging work situation or complex problem” have to be related to professional experiences or can I cite challenges that I faced in an extra-curricular event?
Answer: It’s fine to use an extra-curricular event as the topic of your essay.
Question: Is it okay to write about lessons learned or should the focus be on the approach to the problem? Also, should we restrict the focus to only one situation or can we focus on multiple work situations?
Answer: You should 1) describe the situation, 2) describe your consideration/analysis of the situation and 3) what you learned. If you fully develop your essay answer, you’ll only have space for one example.
Question: Is it safe to assume that the application reviewer will have read my resume completely prior to reviewing any of my essays?
Answer: Yes, the Admissions committee reviews resumes before reading essays.
Question: Do we need to have GMAC send official GMAT score reports at the time of application or can we wait to do that if/when admitted?
Answer: We won’t need/request the GMAT score until a candidate has accepted our offer of admission.
Question: If a student applies at an early deadline and is not accepted, can he or she reapply at a later deadline?
Answer: No, you can’t reapply in the same year. If you think delaying until the Round 2 deadline will help you create a stronger application, do that.
Question: What is Darden’s approach to the different deadlines–do you target certain numbers or percentages of admitted applicants at earlier deadlines?
Answer: We don’t really have targets for the various deadlines. However, keep in mind in Round 1 that we have every seat to fill and every scholarship dollar to award. We also know that first round applicants are more likely to accept our offers. The second round is typically the largest number-wise. Third-rounders have challenges related to number of seats and scholarship dollars.
Question: Should a candidate use the Additional Information section as an opportunity to explain non-involvement in extra-curricular activities since graduation if the reason is due to time constraints with work place commitments?
Answer: Yes, I would use the Additional Information section for the purpose you describe. That section is primarily for candidates to explain anything that might raise concern in the minds of Admissions committee members.
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