The Right Fit for Georgetown

flyingty · 发表于 2004-1-25 21:34:00

Admissions directors often look for MBA candidates who can show their compatibility with the B-school program. Georgetown University's Monica Gray agrees. She says she looks for fit, among other attributes, when selecting candidates for the full-time MBA program at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business (No. 30 in BusinessWeek's latest rankings), where she's admissions director.

Gray joined Georgetown in 1999 as associate director of admissions and became director in 2002. Before working at Georgetown, she was the director of marketing for the School of Political Management at George Washington University. She also has more than six years of experience as a consultant for clients in the public sector and with educational institutions. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Georgetown and a master's in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

BusinessWeek Online reporter Mica Schneider spoke with Gray in Georgetown's admissions office on Dec. 5. Here's an edited transcript of their conversation:

Q: With application volume now lower at business schools [Georgetown had 1,963 applicants in 2003, vs. 2,900 the year before] is it an easier year for MBA hopefuls to get admitted to Georgetown's program?
A:A: It's a good year for strong candidates to apply -- we're still seeing very strong candidates who have a good sense of where they're going. As long as the pool stays that way, we can build a strong class.

Candidates should not become careless. But they can look forward to closer interaction with the admissions office and with students. With fewer applicants, there are more opportunities to get a better sense of the Georgetown community -- including more one-on-one time with alumni who attend our events and forums.

Q: What type of students are you trying to attract to the MBA program?
A:: We're looking for well-rounded students who have a broad understanding of world affairs and an understanding of the interconnectedness of all the activities of a nation, from politics to business.

In fact, a global business experience project is required of all Georgetown MBA students. It's an opportunity to travel to places such as Prague, Vietnam, Brazil, and China in the second year to work on a consulting project for a company. This program has attracted a lot of students.

Q: Where is Georgetown currently working to recruit more MBAs?
A: Over the past several years, we've worked with partner schools to recruit in large cities in the U.S. For instance, we now have small fairs in Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Austin, [Texas], Houston, Cincinnati, Columbus, [Ohio], Kansas City, [Mo.], and elsewhere. We're seeing a proliferation of young professionals in these areas, with the growth of consumer products and technology companies in the Midwest. We've almost tripled the number of applicants coming from the Central and Midwestern states.

Most of our large MBA [recruiting] events are coastal, since the big markets are the easiest places to go and offer the largest concentrations of candidates.

Q: Which countries produce the most applicants for Georgetown?
A: This season, we're getting a reasonable number from Korea and from Great Britain.

In previous years, Korea and China have sent the most applicants -- more than 100 each -- with Mexico, Argentina, Turkey, India, and Spain each sending dozens of applicants.

Q: Which areas outside of the U.S. are proving fertile new ground for MBA applicants?
A: Eastern Europe has become a surprisingly promising area. Over the last several years, the number of events in Eastern Europe has increased, and there's a significant improvement in the candidate pool. Alongside other schools, we've held forums in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, and Russia.

This year, students are also going to host Georgetown events in Tel Aviv and in Beirut.

Q: Female enrollment -- 30% of the class of 2005 -- has dipped slightly from 33% in 2002. What's your read on this population?
A: In down economic and application years, the female population is one of the first to drop. Last year, applications from women were down for all B-schools. Our application pool didn't drop as much as those of other schools did. This fall, we see a slight increase in the number of women in the applicant pool, and it could be that we're going to see a higher percentage of women in the first and second rounds of MBA admissions.

Q: Of the 530 people Georgetown admitted in 2003 for a class of about 265, just 47% opted to enroll. Which schools is Georgetown losing students to?
A: The University of North Carolina, New York University, Virginia, Duke, Michigan, Chicago, and Wharton. On the West Coast, we lose students to the University of California at Berkeley and to UCLA, as well as to Southern Cal.

flyingty · 发表于 2004-1-25 21:34:00

Q: In the previous admissions season, your office interviewed 95% of admitted students. Many schools require all admitted MBAs to sit for an interview. What's Georgetown's philosophy?
A: Interviews aren't required, but we're trying to accommodate everyone. Between September and December, anyone can interview, even before submitting an application. After December, it's by invitation only.

Q: What attributes are you watching for during the interview?
A: We're looking for people who can articulate their career goals. We're looking to see that we can be the bridge between where they are and where they're heading. We're also assessing their leadership abilities.

Q: What are some common mistakes applicants make in admissions interviews?
A: One common mistake is saying that they want an MBA because they're unhappy with their current job. We're looking people who have done a self assessment and asked, "Where am I strong, what are my skills, and where can I make improvements?"

We also look for fit. Have they done their homework on Georgetown? I want to get a sense that they've looked at other [MBA] programs, have narrowed their list, and now are focused on Georgetown.

Q: Where do most Georgetown interviews take place?
A: Either on campus in an admissions office or off campus with a student, an alumnus, or one of the admissions officers. It could be in a hotel lobby, for instance.

Q: What can an applicant expect to be asked?
A: Students and alumni tend to be more challenging interviewers than staff members. Interviews aren't meant to be a grilling or full of trick questions. Half of our interviews are just reworded application questions, so we can see how well you articulate your answers. Usually when I'm interviewing, I spend 10% the time getting the applicant to relax.

Q: How should applicants aim to compensate for a low GMAT score?
A: With coursework. We look at their grade-point average, and we look for general business courses, such as statistics, accounting, and finance. Applicants aren't required to take these courses, but it's strongly encouraged.

Q: What GMAT score is too low for Georgetown?
A: Generally, we don't admit applicants who score below a 600, but there are exceptions.

Q: What's your advice to applicants who are fretting over their recommendations? Who's the best person to write a recommendation?
A: Choose someone who knows you well and who you are certain will write you a good recommendation. Around 5% to 7% of recommendations are not strong or are negative, which is an indication that the applicant chose unwisely.

A direct supervisor is best, and we'll read whatever they write. I'm impressed when I see four pages [of a recommendation]. We recommend that people talk to their recommenders and give them either a copy of their r閟um?or a statement of purpose and talk about their career progress and goals. Your supervisor might not know about your outside activities.

Q: How should applicants approach Georgetown's two required essays? What are some common mistakes to avoid?
A: The most common mistakes are using the name of another school or not answering the question asked. Frequently, applicants make the mistake of not realizing how important the essays are to us. They don't realize that we want to get to know them and what motivates them. We don't just want to learn about work projects.

Another common mistake is not taking full advantage of all of the opportunities to respond to questions. Because we don't ask a lot of questions, if you don't do the optional essay you're missing a chance to tell us more about yourself and your goals.

[Editor's note: Georgetown requires that applicants write two essays. 1. What is the most significant change or improvement you have made to any organization with which you have recently or are currently affiliated? Describe the process you went through to identify the need for the change or improvement to the organization, how you managed the process of implementing the change, and describe the results. 2. A) In one or two sentences, please state your short-term and long-term career objective(s). B) How have your prior academic, personal, and professional experiences influenced your career plans? C) Specifically, how will MBA studies and your participation in the Georgetown MBA program contribute to your career objectives? Students can also write one additional essay about whatever they want, as long as it's relevant to the application.]

Q: What's an example of an optional essay that told you more about an applicant but was far from anything you'd asked in previous questions?
A: Most applicants tell stories of a personal triumph over adversity or tragedy, or talk about someone in their life who has been inspirational. These tend to be one to two pages.

Q: Your office appears to have a good record of recruiting minority students, with 15% of Georgetown's current first-year class made up of underrepresented minorities.
A: Part of it is just working with our minority student organizations and having them help us work that [applicant] population directly. We also hold small question-and-answer sessions for minority applicants. We're not a member of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management.

[Editor's note: The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is an organization that encourages underrepresented minorities to attend business school by offering full fellowships to study at 1 of 13 member business schools, and by providing professional development support.]

flyingty · 发表于 2004-1-25 21:35:00

Q: What needs to be fixed in your admissions office?
A: We're seeking to do a more effective job of communicating the Georgetown MBA story. We have a great program and lots to offer students who have diverse professional goals.

We also want to send the message that an MBA education is very broad, and it widens students' career opportunities and interests. For instance, our graduates have worked at nonprofits, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. They've also gone into education. And obviously, they go into Corporate America.

So at the front end, we're looking at how we educate prospective students about the degree. And we always look at preparing the students better for the process of applying to business school.

Q: The B-school placed 320 applicants on its wait-list in 2003, and 68 of those applicants ultimately enrolled in the program. What's the best strategy for someone placed on Georgetown's wait-list?
A: We advise them to assess themselves against our student profile. If their GMAT score is significantly lower than our average, they may want to consider retaking it. If their GPA is low, or their undergraduate coursework is lacking in quantitative coursework, they may want to take a business course at a community college. They should review their essays to ensure that their career goals are well-defined and thought out.

If they haven't done so, they should take an opportunity to interview [with the school] if one is presented. And they should update the admissions office on any work promotions or outside activities.

Q: In 2003, 6% of applicants had applied to Georgetown once before. Of those reapplicants, about 37% were admitted. What services or advice can Georgetown offer its reapplicants?
A: We offer feedback in the summer after each admissions season. It tends to be that the strong applicants reapply and they may retake the GMAT, for instance, if that was their weakness in the prior application.

Q: What's the best strategy for an applicant from outside the U.S.? What do they have to show your office that a U.S. citizen may not have to prove?
A: Once international students are admitted and enroll, they have to provide documentation showing that they've got the means to cover [the cost of] tuition. There's no difference during the admissions process.

Q: Georgetown's last admissions deadline -- of five -- is Apr. 22, 2004. Is it too late to apply to the program at that point in the season? What percentage of the class is filled by then?
A: No, it's not too late to apply to the program. By the end of round two, we've admitted 70% of the people we plan to admit.

Q: So applicants should get their applications to your office by the second-round deadline?
A: We only admit 70% through the second round. Thirty percent (for the next three rounds) is still a large number.

Q: What's your pitch to admitted students who are on the fence between Georgetown and another business school?
A: It's really a fit issue. We offer a strong foundation of international business, our Washington, D.C., location, a slightly smaller community, and a slightly higher number of international students -- 38%. Ultimately, we really want someone here who's going to be happy.

Q: What words of wisdom can you offer applicants?
A: The MBA is an extraordinarily valuable degree and can move people from diverse backgrounds in new directions for their long-term careers. The good news is that there are a lot of excellent programs out there, but the challenge is for the applicant to look at all of the options available and to determine which [MBA program] is the best fit for them.

Take advantage of opportunities to get in touch with current students and get their perspective. This is an extremely important decision in your life, and the people who can best give you perspective on the benefits of the experience are people who are going through it or recently have. Contact current students who share common interests with you, and follow the links and networks to the student clubs.

I strongly encourage students to visit the campuses of schools that interest them. If they're unable to do so, try to attend an event at which they can meet some alumni and current students. If they're unable to do that, they should interact in whatever ways they can with current students.

shuishuile · 发表于 2004-2-22 23:15:00

谢谢flyingty gg...

The Right Fit for Georgetown

The Right Fit for Georgetown

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