UMBS MBA Admissions Interview
(cont'd)
How
helpful do applicants generally find a campus visit?
I
believe it is very important for an individual to
visit our
campus to get a better understanding of our
program and one's overall fit with the school. We have a
number of opportunities to experience Michigan through
tours, class visits, and specialized weekends. As an
admitted student, many will come for our admit weekend. In
some instances, students, particularly those coming
internationally, have never visited our campus until they
come to search for housing and the first semester begins.
This can also happen to military applicants and others for a
variety of reasons. Most of these students, however, have
had the opportunity to meet us on the road and have engaged
with one of our many alumni to get a strong feel for the
Michigan experience remotely.
Editor's note: Here are some additional links that may be
of interest:
http://www.bus.umich.edu/Admissions/Mba/forumsreceptions/default.htm
http://www.bus.umich.edu/StudentLife/CampusTown/
Do you
have any special instructions or advice for applicants who
wish to visit the business school's campus?
Michigan Business School has a specific
web site. They also have ambassador programs such as "Your
Day at Michigan" where a student spends the day on campus
that coincides with his or her scheduled interview time.
Applicants are encouraged to attend special weekend events,
conferences, and meet and greet the students.
How are
re-applicants viewed by Michigan Business School and what do they
need to do to be successful the second time around?
Some
re-applicants are offered feedback, but generally they are
asked to step back and think about whether their goals are
clear, how well they are able to articulate these goals, and
ask themselves about their weaknesses and strengths. We do
not interview re-applicants. Instead they are asked to write
a cover letter in which they highlight new achievements,
extra-curricular activities, and reiterate their interest in
Michigan Business School. This cover
letter frames the re-application.
Describe how the financial aid process works and what
admitted students can expect in terms of scholarships,
assistantships, and loan guarantees.
Applicants for financial aid should complete the FAFSA. The
school carries the CitiAssist Loan, a guaranteed loan
program.
From a scholarship standpoint, there is typically a pool of
dollars for need and a pool of dollars for merit. We try to
allocate some of these funds to international students as
well. Scholarships are awarded at the time of admission.
Could
you talk about the activities occurring in Career Services
at your school?
Michigan
Business School had a great year this past year in terms of
student career success. In a sense, this year was a
throwback to a "normal" year for MBA recruiting. As of
mid-July, those who reported receiving offers have risen
significantly from last year, with close to 90% percent of
students receiving at least one offer – a figure
representative of the mid to late 1990's. Additionally,
on-campus recruitment schedules and slots for company
presentations have increased significantly for the second
consecutive year, so we are continuing to be optimistic.
What
specifically should IT applicants do to differentiate
themselves in their applications?
IT
applicants come in many forms. They tend to think that
they are all going to be lumped together into one pool and
we will only select the best few from them. This is not our
approach to selecting students for the program. What they
forget is that they are all different people and they are
all unique. They have made different decisions about where
to go to school and where to work. They need to bring these
out in their applications. The personality and individuality
must stand out. I remember going to forums and being asked,
"Should I leave my job to join a start up to differentiate
myself?" I would ask them if they were happy at their
current position and if they had room for further
development. Often times they answered yes. Well in that
case, stay where you are!
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