The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Katz School is it's accelerated 11-month program. Do you feel that is the most popular aspect of the school?

I think that is the characteristic that really draws candidates to us. They do see the 11-month program first and foremost. When it comes down to making decisions, the 11-month can work both ways for us: Some will select out of the 11-month because it doesn't give them what they're looking for and it appears overwhelming, while for those who choose to accept our offer of admission, the 11-month is a key feature considered with our reputation in career services.

Pitt's 11-month program isn't the only MBA program the school offers though.

No, but it's the program that we compete with other schools to attract top-flight students. Other than the 11-month program, we have a part-time evening program, and there are three start dates for that. The executive office also has a traditional executive education program and as well as a flex program designed for people outside of the Pittsburgh region -- it's a combination of distance learning and on-campus learning. The flex is designed for working professionals with a minimun of 10 years of experience, and they are on campus 6-8 times over a two-year period to attend residence sessions -- the rest is distance learning.

We enrolled a total of 240 students into all of the Katz School programs offered this year. We have a number of dual degree programs that are usually a year-and-a-half long, and some of the dual degree programs have internships built into them. But the number of applicants enrolled into the 11-month track is usually about 190, the largest of the programs we offer. We report statistics on the entire pool, however. (Editor's note: That applies to Pitt's 11-month and dual degree programs. The school's flex programs are administered at a different office.)

For the purpose of this interview, let's focus on the 11-month program. Given the intensity of the accelerated program, what type of applicant are you looking for? What type of person "fits" into the Katz mold?

For the 11-month candidate, clearly it works best for an individual who is really very focused, and has real-world experience -- on average our candidates have about 4 1/2 years worth of full-time work experience. Students should be able to manage multiple priorities. Having a strong focus for why you're going after the degree is essential as well.

What is Katz's official application total for its Class of '98?

We received 800 total applications for both our dual degree and 11-month programs combined. We tabulate our numbers that way because during the first term, we have some people who decide to switch out of the 11-month program to a dual degree program, and vice versa. Everyone has to make the admissions cut for the 11-month program though, because all of our students complete two terms. So we're looking for that person who can survive seven-week learning modules.

According to 1996 data, the acceptance rate at the Katz School had risen to 67%, the highest of our runner-up schools. The hurdle rates don't appear to be what they were just a couple of years ago. Why does it appear to be easier to gain entrance into the program?

There have been a couple of changes that have affected the numbers. In 1995, we restructured the curriculum which affected our calendar year. Companies are coming on campus earlier to recruit, so we bumped our academic calendar up. Now, the program starts in mid-July and graduates in mid-June. The traditional start date for B-schools is September, finishing up in July. The 11-month program (for the Class of '99) will begin on July 13.

How does that affect your numbers?

It collapses our recruiting cycle a bit, and I think we have seen a decrease in applications because we don't have the extra two months available for the latecomers. It also affects the early appliers. We lose a percentage of our candidates to other schools because they may be accepted into other schools at a later date.

With the 1995 change in curriculum, we really decided who we want to have in our program. We changed our literature a bit to really describe what enrollment into the 11-month program entails, and I think we were effective in eliminating the people who do not qualify. In the early 1990s, we could easily reject 200-300 people because they really did not meet our work experience and GMAT requirements. So now we don't have as many unqualified candidates. I think as our reputation has grown, so has the quality of our student body.

What was the yield for the Class of '98?

We admitted 500 students, of which 240 accepted our offer of admission, for a 48% acceptance rate.

How many spots were available to the the Class of 1998?

240, so we hit our target.

Is the number of spots available to students remaining stable?

We're actually trying to decrease the class size. If you look at other schools who appeal to the same constituency that we do, quant and operations people -- schools like Purdue, Carnegie Mellon, Michigan, Indiana, and Penn State -- they are bringing in about 150-170 students. The smaller the class size, the more effective the classwork, and you can spread your resources a lot more. We compete better with the programs who are smaller in nature. We'll never compete with the larger programs like Stanford or Wharton. But if you look at second-tier schools, our students compete hand-for-hand for positions.

Our new dean, Rick Winter, who joined us officially in July of 1997, has embarked upon a strategic plan for the school. We're hoping to decrease the class size by 10-20 students or so for this coming academic year (1998-99).

According to our records from 1996, Katz had the second-highest international class makeup (only Iowa had a higher percentage) in our Second 25 grouping -- with some 37%. Has the school continued to accept such a high number of international applicants?

We have. Indeed, I think we were among the early group of schools that looked at internationals. We began recruiting internationally five years ago in places like South America, Europe, and Asia. I think in 1991 our class was comprised of 19% foreign students. We really pride ourselves on the composition of students in our program. We bring in international students from 20-25 countries who represent a multitude of different fields. The diversity of the group enhances the cross-functionality and business management teams, and that's carried into the classroom experience.

What are this year's deadlines?

We have a rolling admissions with suggested application dates. We try to have people adhere to Jan. 15, Feb. 15, and Mar. 15. Anything that comes in after that, we indicate that there is a possibility of a waitlist -- that starts usually in April.

What's the turnaround for response?

We try to do it in a four-week time frame. We don't always achieve that during February and March, though.

Is there a security deposit that you require accepted applicants to submit?

We ask for a $200 deposit two weeks after acceptance. Because it is rolling admissions, however, we'll hold their spot until Apr. 15. After that, we need their security deposit.

Have you noticed a trend in the type of applicants who apply in the first round and those who apply in the second round?

Generally speaking, I think the highest quality would apply early. Those who have planned in advance, have taken the GMAT in the fall, have seen us at recruitment fairs -- we tend to see their applications in by the Jan. 15 date. The good news this year is that our applications are a good increase ahead of this time last year. We were a bit more specific about our requirements and emphasized our earlier deadlines.

I really think our overall marketing has contributed to our application. When Business Week came out with the best bang for your buck story (BW--Oct. 21, 1996), for example, we didn't see a lot of noticeable reaction. It didn't generate a lot of immediate activity. This year, however, we're actually hearing more reference to that. Similarly, last year was the first year that we went to South America. We saw a lot of people, but they did not have a tremendous effect on applications. That's having an effect this year. So I think our success is a testament to our overall marketing effort.

What are the different criteria assessed within the Katz application packet?

I look at work experience because I like to see where people are and what they're currently doing. I also evaluate the GMAT and academic record because both help us determine how well someone might do academically in the program. I like to see how specific their goals are because the more focused they are, the better they'll do in the accelerated program. But we do accept about 15% of the class straight from undergrad who have no full-time work experience. We don't require an interview but request them for everyone who does not have full-time work expereince. Generally, we'll sit down with somewhere between 30%-45% of our applicants. We interview a lot when we're doing our recruitment in the fall.

Is there any one element that you tend emphasize more so than the others in the application?

It's a tough question to determine what comes first. Those applicants who have a low GPA still have a chance of being accepted into our program, while those with a high GMAT aren't guaranteed admission. I look primarily at where a person is right now in their life. Somone with mediocre grades and not very exciting work experience would not really have much chance of being admitted. Someone who went to a good school with a good discipline, performed under a B level, but has eight years of work experience and has progressed -- that person would interest us.

We don't use a formula for evaluating the files. Applications are first reviewed and processed by the admissions staff. We have five full-time staff and hire two undergraduate students and six MBA students to assist us with the data processing and follow-up work. I read all of the feedback made by my admissions staff, read the application itself, and then make a recommendation to a seven-person admissions committee (which is composed of the career services director, the MBA program director, admissions director, and four or five faculty members). All decisions made on an applicant are done through a commitee process -- the final decision is made by a majority vote.

Is Katz now using the Web as a way for applicants to fill out and return applications?

We have a new system in-house, and the dean has just brought on some new people in the systems area. We don't currently have an application online right now, however, but we'll be talking with Snap Technologies (an online application provider) in the near future to discuss that capability further. Our goal is to have the application online by next month. It won't help that much for this admissions cycle but should kick in for next year. We also have our application on disk with MultiApp.

Do you segment the application pool into various industries and then look for the most outstanding candidates?

That's not one of the primary reviews that's done. We do look at the type of industry that they're coming from, but because we have a number of concentrations in the program, we aren't looking to bring in X number of people from a specific industry. We do have four areas of primary interest, though, with the majority of our candidates studying in our finance track; the second-most popular track is marketing, then it's information systems, and the fourth is operations. Finance is really the largest, though, with 40% of our class pursuing that area of study.

How do you evaluate the GMAT, holistically or in parts -- AWA or Analytical Writing Assessment, Quant, Verbal?

We actually look at it in parts. Obviously the total is used in statistics. But as we're evaluating a candidate, we do look at all the parts, including the written part. For international students we look very carefully at the verbal component and look at it in conjuction with their TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) score. And we also do follow-up phone calls to international students because language is pivotal. What tends to happen is internationals have very high quant skills, so we look very closely at their verbal. Because of the one-year program, with students taking five courses in seven weeks, we really want to make sure that they have both the quant and verbal skills.

I know that Katz encourages admissions interviews, but in 1996, the school interviewed only 42% of its 879 applicants. Is the school putting more emphasis on interviewing?

Yes, that's fair to say. We're incorporating additional days at our recruitment sites, so we are interviewing more. Again, it's really only two staff members that do the interviews. On occasion, however, we do use alumni and faculty when they travel.

The 42% figure is misleading as far as the total amount of interviews that was conducted, however. It is only reflective of the number of people that applied to the program.

Does the interview increase applicants' chances of acceptance into the program?

For most individuals, yes, probably. The people who are requesting interviews are usually very driven and qualified, and having that additional information certainly gives them some advantage. But it would not overide such factors as academic performance or lack of work success.

What should applicants do to prepare themselves for the interview?

We don't require that candidates bring in a resume or data sheet to the interview, but find them helpful. Background information allows us to focus a bit more. The key questions that we ask attempt to elicit why an individual wants to pursue an MBA at this point in his or her career. Another element of that question for us is why Katz and why the accelerated, 11-month MBA? We'd also hope to understand what their interests, talents, and extracurricular involvement include.

How many essays are included in the Katz application?

We have two, plus an optional essay.

What do they entail?

The first question is required and asks why the individual wants an MBA, what they hope to accomplish with the degree, and once they've earned the degree, what their career interests are. Then applicants can choose the second required question from among three possibilities, and we have fun with them each year. The students who work in the admissions offices come up with new ones each year. This year, the first option asks: If you had the opportunity to interview one person from the past or present, who would it be and why? The second possibility asks you to assume that you have unlimited capital to start a venture. What would the venture be? And you have to describe you customer base, marketing plan, etc. The final option asks: What, in your opinion, is the biggest problem in the world today? You then need to describe a solution, and how you can contribute to the solution.

The final essay is optional and allows the applicant to explain or describe anything else he or she might want to.

We had three required essays, at one time, and reduced it to two after the GMAT introduced the writing component (AWA) in October of 1994. We ask applicants to limit their essays to roughly two typed pages, double-spaced.

What themes should applicants incorporate into their essays that indicate they are a good fit with the Katz culture?

Again, we're looking for focus, for very specific career goals and a purpose for wanting to accomplish the MBA. We're also looking for what an individual hopes to contribute to the program. We want to see what an individual can bring with them, not only what they can impart from the program. We also really want to find out what people are like outside of their work -- how well-read they are, what they like to do in their leisure time. Usually, what comes out of the essays is a little about people's beliefs and what they might want to do when they have the time to delve into something deeper.

How many recommendations do you require?

Two.

What do you want to come away with after reading the recommendations?

Indications of a person's leadership capabilities, their ability to function on their own but also do well in a team environment. I want to see evidence of the candidate going the extra mile on a project. The recommendations should shed light on the individual's general management skills -- how they get along with people and how they negotiate. My belief is that the recommendations more often than not support everything else in the application. It's rare to have a negative recommendation.

How would you like the two recs broken up?

We really leave it up to the applicant. If they've been working for a while, we'd like them coming from the work environment. We're really looking for information from someone who has worked closely with the individual and can evaluate the different measures of their performance, and their personality. There are a number of people who are very active in either political or community events, and sometimes they will have the chairs of their committees or key people within their community structure write them recommendations as well. But it really depends on one's nature of involvement. Sometimes a recommendation from someone who is not a CEO can say more than one from a CEO who only knows your name.

Sounds like you're attaching increased importance on work experience. What's this year's range?

83% of this year's entering class have some type of full-time work experience, which is consistent over the last three years. This year probably only about 8% came directly out of undergrad, of which many are pursuing dual degrees, working with the law or health administration program. Some are also international business students. Remember, we are trying to attract two groups of people: one to the dual degree programs and the other to the 11-month program. For the 11-month program, work experience is very important. The majority of the students have 2-7 years of full-time work experience.

Do you allow accepted applicants to defer?

We do. Once we make an admissions decision, we allow a candidate to defer within one year. They do need to supply us with a reason and actually make an official request. Generally, because we are so careful with our first admission, 98% of the time we would defer that candidate. About 50-60 defer a year.

How many applicants are waitlisted?

That varies. But generally speaking, I don't think we've had more than 50. Again, depending on the yield factor, we may take 10-20 of those individuals. We have different demands. We really don't have as much time as other schools to change the numbers, so we have to work pretty aggressively with the people we're trying to admit. For residents that are in Pennyslvania, some can pursue our part-time program. For the full-time program, many candidates will actually wait a year and apply early for the next cycle. That works to their advantage because we're a one-year program, so they can get another year of experience and earn their MBA at the same time as other more traditional programs.

Do you provide counseling?

Our letter of rejection does not state specifically why they were rejected, but it does suggest if they would like to discuss their file, that they can call the Katz admission office. If they decide to pursue that option, we'll give them some specific feedback.

What's this year's tuition?

We are state-related, so we have in-state and out-of-state price tags. The cost of the program for in-staters is $15,376, and for out-of-staters it's $26,190.

What would you estimate the annual cost of living to be in the Pittsburgh area?

With living expenses and fees, you're probably looking anywhere from $11,000 to $16,000, depending on whether you room, live by yourself, have family, have insurance, and those types of things.

What kind of financial aid and scholarship does Katz offer to offset the financial burden of, at the higher end, roughly $42,000?

We review every candidate for scholarship assistance and award somewhere between 27% and 34% of the class with scholarship money. Award amounts can vary from $3,000 to $25,000 based on merit and in-state/out-of-state residency. We award scholarship all the way through the start of the MBA program. Our top awards are awarded very early, so as it gets closer to the start date, the most significant awards have already been scooped up already. There are still some around, however. Once a candidate is admitted, they would be reviewed throughout the cycle. We estimate that 60%-70% of the class borrow through the tuition loan program.

Katz has created what I believe are called Management Learning Organizations (MLOs) to expose students to the team decision-making process. Can you elaborate on what MLOs are, and what you hope to accomplish through them?

Sure. At the beginning of the year, we assign the students, based on academic discipline, work experience, and region of the world they are from, to about 25 teams. The teams are comprised of 10-12 members who select a project to work on over the course of the entire life of the program. Each group works with a company, be it in a finance or marketing capacity (projects are defined by the company) to solve the specific problem presented to them by their company. Students make presentations about their direction and work continuously through them. The final project is a paper that the teams write for and send to the companies. It might be about a growth or market strategy to a service industry, or, in another context, it may be about their ideas on developing an information system. Basically, because we lack the internship element, the MLOs really give students the hands-on experience that they would be garnering through a summer internship. And throughout the year we do a lot of workshops surrounding teamwork, project management, conflict resolution, and workplace diversity to complement work in the MLOs.

I know that Carnegie Mellon is situated just across the street from the University of Pittsburgh. Do the two MBA programs interact or collaborate on any projects or coursework?

There is not much curricular interchange. Students do have the opportunity to take elective courses at Carnegie Mellon and vice versa, however. There is some interaction between the career service offices at the two universities as well. For example, we sponsored a joint placement event with Carnegie Mellon in October of 1997.

1996 grads posted an average starting salary of $57,918, an increase of 22.9% from 1994. Is the return rate for Katz graduates continuing to grow?

Yes, it is. This year's average salary is $58,000. That's up 8 1/2% from the previous year. The range was $35,000-$115,000.

Is the number of companies recruiting Katz students growing?

Yes, I believe it is. We particpate in several consortiums in Miami, Orlando, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., where participating schools pool their recruiters. They keep a steady flow of companies in contact with our students. The Chicago Consortium, for example, is similar to what some of the Southern schools, like Emory, have done. It is sponsored by 14 or 15 schools, including ours, Thunderbird, Case Western, University of Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington, and some others. Last year, we had 111 companies on campus, and we're near there this year already.

Who are your toughest competitors?

Many of our finest students are looking at NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Indiana University, and Michigan. We also overlap a bit with Purdue because of their one-year program and their systems and operation concentration.

Thanks Kathy.