Ross, LBS and Darden reception

Updates from last week
Oct 20th, I attended the Ross reception for prospective students and Alumni at New York. It was a yearly Ross school alumni reception. Prospective students who had earlier attended the information session were invited for the event with 1 hour allotted for the prospective students before the alumni reception. I went to the event with the primary objective of meeting Dean Bob Dolan. He is a nice friendly person. We introduced ourselves in the lift and then had a personal conversation for about 10 min. I also talked to the admissions director Soojin Kwon Koh and few other staffs, students and alumni of Ross. The number of alumni attending the event was around 300. It was a good networking and fund raising event. Few information for the readers:

1. The new building at Ross would be ready by end of this year ($125 million for the $150 million building was raised from alumni).
2. No increase in class size planned.
3. Ross would increase its global presence by including more international MAP projects (if you do not know about MAP check about my previous blog entry http://mbaapplyagain.blogspot.com/2008/09/ross-and-sept-25.html)
4. Admission tips: differentiate you from your cohort; visit the school and connect with admission staffs and students.

On Oct 21st I attended the London Business School (LBS) information session. Though I have already submitted the LBS application, I wanted to talk with alumni and the admission staffs. I clarified about the delay by my recommender. She confirmed that I would be considered in round 1. I talked to few alumni and left early. I had to work on my Duke and Darden essays. Few information for the readers:

1. LBS has started a new program called Masters in Management for people with less or no work experience. Check out http://www.london.edu/mastersinmanagement.html
2. The MBA class size would be increased this year from 320 to 370.
3. The application numbers for round 1 is similar to last year.
4. Every alumnus I talked to had chosen LBS over US schools for its global focus.

On Oct 22nd, the b-school reception crashing continued. It was University of Virginia’s Darden School of business. The event for an informal alumni and prospective student’s reception. Talked to few alumni present in the event. Dean Bob Bruner gave a short speech. He answered the questions: Should I do an MBA? Should I do now? And where should I do my MBA? He focused on Darden’s USP which the Dean referred to as high touch, high tone and high energy

1. Darden is a 100% case study school -3 cases per day and around 600 cases in 2 years. (High touch).
2. Darden has the best rated faculties. (high tone)
3. Darden is proud of the allegation of being called as the most toughest MBA program (high energy)

Ross and Sept 25

Is Sept 25 the only day for Business schools to visit New York? Three top schools - UCLA Anderson, Dartmouth Tuck and University of Michigan Ross - conducted their admission reception in New York yesterday. The schools should talk to each other and schedule these events with no clash.

I decided to go attend the Ross reception. UCLA is visiting NYC again in Nov. I am visiting Tuck next month. Here are the takeaways from the event

* Ross is pride of its 16 years old Multidisciplinary Action Program (MAP) and claims it to be its USP. For those who do not know about MAP, it is a team based 7 week full time consulting assignment to solve real business problems at corporates with faculty guidance. MAP is scheduled during the last term of first year and just before internship.
* Ross follows a 7 week terms.
* Ross MBA does not have concentrations or majors. It is a general management program where you can choose your electives vertically or horizontally.
* One third of the class end up in consulting school.
* Students can select 3 electives in the first year to prepare better for MAP and internship.
* 40,000 Ross Alumni and 500,000 living alumni of University of Michigan. Ross is pride in being part of a university that has the largest living alumni for any university.
* Alums from other schools of UMich were also present at the event. The Ross school is well integrated with the other schools in the university.
* The alums present at the event were very enthusiastic about the Ross’s collaborative environment and non-competing students
* A significant other of a student was also present in the event. She explained about how her friendship with her husband’s classmates and how much the ODC (Office of Career Development) helped her find a job in Ann Arbor.
* "Go Blue" and football were in the blood of every UMich alum present.
* Tips for admission - Visit school, apply early, explain why MBA in detail, differentiate from your peers and show passion for Ross. “GO BLUE!!!”