First of all, Brian, it sounds like there are quite a few changes going on at Notre Dame. First and foremost, Carolyn Woo became the new dean of the College of Business in August of 1997, replacing John Keane. Carolyn has been on the job for about six months now. Has she begun to put her own personal stamp on the school yet?

You bet. You can see that every day. She is walking down the hall and learning everyone's name and making herself very visible. One of the things that she has done right away is bring in new staff people to put a stronger emphasis on customer service. First, she brought in Rebecca Mela to occupy an assistant dean position in charge of the MBA program. In fact, I'm also kind of one of the changes she's made -- she brought me in to join the admissions staff during the early part of the summer.

I think that when a fairly traditional university like Notre Dame recruits an Asian woman and puts her in charge of the B-school, that shows a real commitment to change. There's no one better to fill those shoes.

You are now the acting director of admissions, replacing Liana Cunningham. Is the school in the midst of a search for a full-time director?

Though my title is assistant director of admissions, MBA program, I'll be handling all of the duties a full-time director would. To the best of my knowledge, the school is currently not searching for an admissions director.

What types of things have you, as admissions chief, been emphasizing when evaluating applications?

The driving factor in an application is the candidates' capability or capacity to perform academically. We gauge that through the individuals' GMAT and GPA, as well as through the relative quality of their undergrad institution. We also look at the total person through the essay and recommendations that we receive. That's one of the unique things about Notre Dame: We're all interested in the total person. So an applicant's ethics and academics are probably the top two things that we emphasize when reviewing his or her file. Along those lines, I'm also interested in the person's ability or track record of giving back to the community through service.

How do you evaluate an applicant's ethical nature, their value system?

You can look at it a number of different ways. It's not required that a student is Roman Catholic, but it is important that students conduct themselves in an ethical manner, and you can judge that through the essay. We like to see students who take a strong role in community service. One hundred percent of this year's class participated in community service this year during our orientation. It's not a requirement, but it's something that they all wanted to do.

Applicants can apply to either a traditional two-year program or an accelerated three-semester program designed for those with an undergraduate business degree. Do you evaluate a candidate differently according to the program that he or she applies to?

With the three-semester program, we basically take the first year and compress it into eight weeks. So the student needs to be very skilled in accounting, economics, and finance. That's why we suggest aspiring students have undergrad business degrees. We look closely at applicants' quant skills, checking their transcript to see whether they did well in the quant areas. Nearly all of the students enrolled in the three-semester program have job experience, having already spent a few years in the business world. The three semester student body has a higher work-experience average over their peers in the traditional two-year program.

That said, is work experience considered more closely for three-semester applicants?

We don't look at it any more closely in the acclerated program. The bottom line is that overall work experience is important. The average amount of work experience for the class that entered the three-semester program in June of 1997 (Editor's Note: June is the starting date for Notre Dame's accelerated program) comes out to 4.1 years. For the two-year program, the class that entered in the fall of 1997 had an average of 3.3 years' worth of work experience.

We're seeing a sizable increase in that average so far for this year's admissions cycle. To date, of the folks who have been accepted into the program for 1998, the accepted applicants into the two-year program are averaging 12 months more work experience than their peers in 1997, while accepted candidates in the three-semester program are averaging about 5.5 years of professional work experience. Though it's still pretty early in the game, we're certainly encouraged by those results because work experience adds so much to the classroom interaction -- and that's a key factor in the education process.

A bonus at Notre Dame is the school's small class size of about 260 students. What's the size of the Class of '99?

We had 90 students that we enrolled for the fall, and we want to grow that a little bit, to 110-120 for next year. Probably about 200 go to the two-year program, while the balance of about 55-60 students are enrolled in the three semester program. For the Class of '98, the traditional two-year program is comprised of 109 students.

What were the application totals and yields for 1997?

We received 512 applications for the two-year program, accepted about 215 of those 512 applicants, and enrolled 90 students for a 42% yield rate. For the three-semester program, we received 146 applications, accepted 74, and ended the admissions cycle with a total class of 54 (for a 73% yield).

What is the status of applications for the class of 2000 thus far? Are you continuing to see a steady increase in apps?

We are. In fact, we're currently seeing a 25% increase in applications from this same time last year. In addition, we're very pleased with the quality of the applicants; GMAT scores are about 30 points higher than last year for both the two-year and three-semester programs. That's pretty exciting. Again, it's early in the admission cylce, but those are encouraging results.

What are this year's application deadlines?

We have basically two application deadlines: Mar. 6, for the three-semester program, and May 8, for the two-year.

Is there a separate deadline for scholarship?

To be considered for fellowship, international students need to get their application in by Feb. 16, 1998. It remains the same for domestic applicants.

For those on the fence about applying to Notre Dame, is it too late to apply to the school and still have a good chance of acceptance?

Absolutely not. I would encourage folks to apply. Right now we're looking at fellowships and accepting folks. We have about $1.3 million in fellowship money to award, and that can cover a lot of different people. Last year, about 50% of our three-semester students received an average award of $13,000, and nearly 40% of our two-year students received fellowship that averaged $14,000.

Can you list for me the different criteria within the Notre Dame application packet?

Well, we obviously have an application data form; we require three essays; there's a section on employment history; transcripts from each college attended; GMAT score(s); a TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) for international students; and we also have a form for folks to sign if they'd like to be considered for fellowship.

Is there any one variable that you tend to attach more weight to?

They're all very important. The driving factors would be the capacity to perform academically that is measured by the GMAT and GPA -- period. The total person aspect comes through the essays and the recommendations. And finally, the work experience tells us where applicants want to be and where they're coming from. The capacity to perform academically, the total person, and the candidate's aspirations after they graduate are the big things that I evaluate.

Are decisions on an application made on a committee-type basis? Can you walk me through how an application is reviewed at Notre Dame -- how many hands it goes through, for example?

We look at each application on an individual basis. Essentially applications are broken down into three piles: the "Yes", "No," and "Maybe" piles. The first cut is done by the admissions office -- the admissions dean and myself. In other words, those that are clearly qualified for the program will be accepted during the first cut, and the same goes for those who are not -- they will be denied during the first cut. Meanwhile, the "Maybe" pile, which is comprised of applications that we have some concern or questions about, goes to a seven-person admissions committee for a second look. That committee has faculty, admissions, and administration representatives on it who will make a decision based on a majority vote.

As you mentioned earlier, the GMAT scores of Notre Dame students are on the upswing, cresting at a 615 average for the Class of 1999. How do you evaluate the GMAT, holistically or in parts -- AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment), Quant, Verbal?

We look at the entire score. If we see an applicant whose background is not quantitative, then we'll take a closer look at their score and also look at their transcript to see what math skills they have. So we look at the total score and break it down in parts, and then if we still have a concern, we'll go right to the transcript.

Interviews at Notre Dame are not required, but I've noticed that the school really stresses, through its literature, that students try and set up an appointment. Is that because of the relative youth of the student body? (Editor's Note: Notre Dame, according to 1996 data, had the youngest student body in the Next 25 grouping, at 25.3 years.)

The interview is an important aspect of the admission process. Notre Dame is not for everybody. We've broken down the interview into three basic areas. We'll look at a candidate from an admissions, career, and current student standpoint. We in the admissions office have about an hour that we meet with them, career development has about 45 minutes, and a student ambassador has the most time, with about two hours. Students attend class, meet with folks in the school administration, eat lunch, and tour the facility. The key part is the classroom and student interaction that really determines whether they will fit in.

How do you evaluate an applicant from the differing perspectives of an admissions, career-services, and student standpoint?

We ask very consistent situation questions from a career-services, admissions, and student standpoint. It's advantageous for candidates to read our catalog [to deepen the] conversation.

Is it a bonus for those who interview? Do they have a leg up on applicants who do not interview?

Not necessarily. It's good for both parties to see one another and learn more about one another. But the worst thing that happens is for a candidate to come to Notre Dame unhappy. It's not necessary to interview on campus, but it's highly recommended. The more people that we can meet in person, the better assessment we have of them.

Does Notre Dame only interview on campus?

No, we can interview at MBA Forums as well as perform telephone interviews. We also have an extensive alumni network around the world that interviews.

If you have questions about a particular applicant, will you request an interview?

Yes, there are instances where we request that they interview on campus. If they're a long way away, we'll set up an alumni or phone interview.

What advice can you give to applicants about the best ways they should prepare themselves for the interview?

It's important to understand our program and read the catalog thoroughly so that you can spend time in a conversation rather than be interviewed. I like it when candidates can interview me rather than me just interviewing them. Ideally, the interview should be a two-way conversation.

Is it an informational or behavioral interview? Can you give me an example of a question you might ask?

It's an enriching, two-way conversation where we do ask some questions that are situational. We want to see how a particular candidate will respond in a certain situation, and we'll set up a team-environment, conflict situation where they can demonstrate their leadership ability. An example would be: Give me a time when you influenced the outcome of a project by taking a leadership role.

There are three essays incorporated into the Notre Dame application. What do they entail?

The first question asks: How do your past experiences prepare you for an active involvement in the Notre Dame MBA program? The second question has you discuss your post-MBA plans. In particular, it asks you to describe the first position you plan to pursue and explain how your past experiences or personal characteristics make this position a good career choice for you. The final question asks what you do for fun. And that's one of my favorite questions because we get the largest variety of answers.

Are there word limits?

We ask that the essays are limited to two pages, double-spaced. And we like to see folks keep their essays nice and tight and crisp by following the directions.

For the two recommendations, what do you want to see?

We want to see a recommender that knows that individual's skills. That's critical. That doesn't necessarily mean that it needs to come from a big-name person, but it should come from someone who knows what the candidate's strengths and weaknesses are. It needs to come from someone who has real insight into the individual.

Ideally, how do you like the recommendations broken up?

I'd like one from a supervisor and one from a professor -- that gives us a good insight. The bottom line is that we want to have insight into this individual. We debate here on campus whether the recommendations are a value-added initiative, and I think they are if they come from the right people.

I know that Notre Dame has been saying that it would like its applicants to have a minimum of two years' worth of work experience. You also mentioned earlier that the class average has increased. What's this year's range of work experience?

Currently for students accepted into the two-year program for fall of 1998, the average is 58 months. For those accepted into the three-semester program for 1998, it's about 62 months. For the Fall of 1997, the average amount of work experience is 3.3 years, and it's 4.1 years for the three-semester program.

How many students don't have any work experience to speak of?

We have a handful -- they were admitted because they're exceptional students. They have outstanding GPAs, GMATs, and are good people.

One of the more popular Notre Dame offerings is its London Program, located in its Law/MBA Centre in the heart of London's financial district. Do you evaluate applicants to this program any differently from those applying to the MBA program?

Normally, students will identify themselves as candidates during the admissions process. Once on campus, through the assistant dean, they can make arrangements to attend the London (England) or Santiago (Chile) program. We don't evaluate them any differently and encourage our students to experience something different.

Do you allow accepted applicants to defer?

Our official stance is that we may grant a deferral, but it's handled on a person-by-person basis. If we do have a candidate that defers, then we ask them for updated information so that we can have a completed file when they arrive on campus. They don't have to reapply, but they do have to update their file.

How many applicants are waitlisted?

Normally we waitlist between 50 and 60 students a year. And we admit a handful off of that waitlist.

What's the best way for waitlisted applicants to get themselves off of the waitlist and into the program?

The best way to get off of the waitlist is to communicate with our office. They can ask: "What can I do to be considered?" and we'll provide guidance. We may ask students to retake the GMAT, or provide better insight into their work experience.

Do you also provide counseling for rejected applicants on the things they might do should they want to reapply?

You bet. We provide guidance for folks that have been denied and suggest courses of action for them to take to improve their chances of coming to Notre Dame. They just need to contact our office directly. I have personally called folks that have been accepted, waitlisted, and denied. In our denial letters, we actually address the areas that are of concern. If students want to pursue that further, they can contact me personally, and I'll be glad to talk to them about what they need to do. Quite honestly, we call every accepted person that we make an offer to, and we do not call every denial or waitlisted person.

What's this year's tuition?

The estimated tuition amount for the two-year program is $21,430, and for the three-semester program it's $30,000. Those have gone up slightly from last year.

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

That's one of our prime advantages. It's just $4,600, which is a very, very, low cost of living. (Editor's Note: That includes just room and board fees.)

I understand that candidates with GMAT scores of 600 or higher and at least two years of professional experience will receive priority attention in the scholarship pool. Is that true?

That's true. As I stated earlier, we have $1.3 million to award to a pool of about 260 students. Students that have excellent GMATs, GPAs, and work experience are going to be given strong consideration. Obviously, they need to have good, strong essays and recommendations as well. No further paperwork needs to be filled out for fellowship consideration; you just need to check off a box on the application.

Are all of Notre Dame's scholarships merit-based?

The majority are merit-based, but we do have some private loans that are not.

In 1996, 92 companies came to recruit MBAs at Notre Dame -- a fair amount considering the 160-person graduating class. Many of the companies, however are from the Midwest. Is the number of companies recruiting growing while moving outward, outside of the region?

You're right. We have 92 organizations that come directly to campus to recruit, another 40+ that recruit at consortia events, and about 50 companies that request resume books of our students. So we have a very large cross section. The Notre Dame name itself opens up a lot of doors. Among the big names that recruit our students, we have Ford Motor Co., Delta Air Lines, GM, IBM, and Kellogg, so we have a variety of companies that come to our campus. The average starting salary for our students is $57,000, and 93% are placed within three months of graduation.

What do you feel are Notre Dame's strongest course offerings?

Two of our shining stars are corporate finance and consulting. One of the nice things is that during the first year, you are given the nuts and bolts -- I was going to say blocking and tackling... In the second year, we give you the opportunity to explore electives in other areas. That's nice because you get the fundamentals in finance and then can explore.

Who are your toughest competitors?

I would say Michigan, Texas at Austin, and North Carolina. Locally, Chicago, Northwestern, Purdue, and Indiana. Those are the folks that we see most often as overlap.

Thanks, Brian, for talking with me about the Notre Dame admissions process.