The GMAT or GRE is one consideration in the applicant review process. It does provide insights into your quantitative ability, analytical skills, and verbal skills. This information, when combined with your essays, recommendations, academic transcripts, and resume, provides a complete picture of your candidacy.
In regards to undergraduate study, does the Graziadio School of Business and Management consider other factors besides performance? For example, does it matter where an applicant completed his or her undergraduate schooling?
The undergraduate degree and the awarding university are considered, alongside the cumulative GPA, grades in the last 60 units, and grades in individual quantitative courses. Campus involvement and extra-curricular activities are also weighed.
What is your position on people who apply to the Graziadio School of Business and Management MBA program directly out of college?
A minimum of one year of full-time work experience is required. For most students, this experience is secured post-bachelor degree. The knowledge gained from full-time work, even if only one year, provide many points of reference for the student. It also allows the student to positively participate in the educational process of their classmates.
Does race, ethnicity, sex, and cultural background play much of a role in your admission decisions?
It is part of the overall application review, but is not considered a deciding factor. The Graziadio School of Business and Management is committed to helping underrepresented minorities enter into business leadership. It is also working to provide a diverse entering class, which means admitting students from a variety of backgrounds; national origin, ethnicity, gender, etc.
What qualifies as a good letter of recommendation?
The recommendation should come from someone who knows your work personally. A recommendation from a person with a grand title may seem like an attractive option, but the admissions committee wants to hear from someone who knows the applicants’ work habits, abilities, goals, etc. The committee is trying to get to know you. The more vague/general the recommendation, the less impact it will have on the application process.
What is the most common mistake that Graziadio School of Business and Management applicants make?
Applicants have asked, “What do you want to hear?” Don’t worry about what you think the Graziadio School of Business and Management wants to hear. Be yourself—this is about you. The essays are designed to illustrate things about prospective students that are applicable to the school, and the letters of recommendation are telling assertions about an applicant’s skills and abilities. Prospective students should be searching for a school that will be a good fit, and trust that they will be selected based on the honest, personal information they provide.
How can an applicant stand out among their peers?
See the answer to the previous question! Also, an applicant who demonstrates the following characteristics:
- Aspire to lead – they have taken leadership opportunities, and it is obvious they want to improve their leadership.
- Bright – they have an inquisitive and analytical mind.
- Comfortable with ambiguity – everything does not have to be spelled out for them; they can look at a situation and see the potential for problems or possible solutions; today doesn’t have to be just like yesterday for them to function.
- Mature – they have a mature outlook on their career and they’ve demonstrated a strong work-life balance.
- Part of a community – they show that they see things that are bigger than themselves and want to be involved. They look for opportunities to become involved and give back.
The key differentiators are:
- We are collaborative and community-focused. We want an environment where students not only work in teams, but are involved in the campus community. It is through working together with world-class classmates, faculty, and staff on committees, industry clubs, service organizations, and event planning that the student grows and the program improves. It is here that networks are strengthened and where deep learning occurs. It is here that lives are changed.
- We have a strong commitment to ethics and values-centered leadership. We endeavor to be true to our mission of looking beyond shareholder wealth in order to make a difference for all stakeholders—employees, clients, the community, and the environment. This means we stress the value of the individual by providing a personal experience. It also means that we advocate leaders who are socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. This is further emphasized in our student-run clubs, Values-Centered Leadership Lab and Net Impact, where students focus on issues such as business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability. We value global orientation. Since our beginning, we have stressed the significance of international/global/cultural awareness. This is achieved by enrolling a globally diverse class, providing options for students to participate in international experiences (ranging from one week to one trimester), and offering global business-specific degrees such as the International MBA and master of science in global business.
- We eat, sleep and breathe the entrepreneurial spirit. The Graziadio School of Business and Management has historically been known as a program that produces entrepreneurs. This is born of our practical approach to experiential education. While our students spend time learning the theory, we progress to the practical application of the theory, then move to the experiencing of these business practices internships and co-curricular programs, such as E2B.
