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MBA Admissions: Business School Admissions Programs

Published: Jul 19, 2010

 Education       Grad School       

This spring, we asked business school students about the admissions programs that helped them learn about their new business school--before and after their acceptance letter. In many cases, these programs were highly influential when prospective students were deciding between multiple schools.

What unique things did the MBA admissions office offer applicants  and accepted students: Results of the 2010 Vault Business School Student  Survey

The majority of schools have highly available admissions officers and campus visits and tours (73 percent and 71 percent, respectively). But what were the most popular programs beyond the mainstays? Outreach from students and alumni were very valuable to prospective students: it made them feel welcome, as well as gave them a real sense of what the school is like in the classroom and after graduation. Here are some of the programs and events that real students and alumni said were the most helpful in their admissions process:

Once you're in, you're treated like a royalty

Had the head of career services in every individual admissions interview

Info sessions, classroom experience with current students

Detailed one-on-one information sessions

Team building retreat

Subsidized visit costs for admitted students weekend

Military liaison--retired colonel

Value for money program

Weekend-long multifaceted admit activities

Personal phone call to notify immediately about acceptance

Graduate research positions

Mentor program

Optional MBA prep courses on campus with current professors

A very active social networking page with photos of incoming students and a place for discussions prior to school

Mentoring program with current MBA students

Huge international presence through outreach by admissions officers and alumni

Networking and orientation session for admitted students

Three-day orientation and pre-work online courses

Mentorship from Emerging Leaders Program

Off-site coffee chats

Highly available staff in the specific program

Faculty mixer event

Winter Games for prospective applicants

Boot camp before classes started

Attending a class with other students, five- or six-hour orientation session for the program

Leadership building program

Admissions, enrollment and books all provided by the PMBA staff, all we have to do is show up

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