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Chat Transcript April 23, 2009, 3:34PM EST

MIT Sloan Admissions Tips

Julie Strong and Jennifer Burke Barba answered questions on the admissions process at Sloan during a recent chat. Here's a transcript

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Julie Strong
MBA Admissions at Sloan

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Jennifer Burke Barba
MBA Admissions at Sloan

There is no doubt that applications are up at top business schools, and Massachussets Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management (Sloan MBA Profile) is no exception. That's why a number of applicants turned out for the recent online chat event about Sloan admissions. Participants wanted to know everything from the prospect for jobs during the economic crisis to how to stand out from other applicants. Guests Julie Strong (JulieStrongAtMIT), senior associate director for MBA Admissions at MIT Sloan, and Jennifer Burke Barba (JenniferAtMIT), assistant director of MBA Admissions, fielded questions from them and BusinessWeek reporter Francesca Di Meglio (FrancescaBW). Here is an edited transcript of their conversation:

mba_10: Is pre-MBA work experience from a branded company more important than quality of work experience with a small firm for admission to the full-time MBA? Given that all the other criteria, such as GPA, work experience, etc., are good, what are the chances of an aspirant with a GMAT score over 600?

JulieStrongAtMIT: We are not so interested in the company that you work for. We are more interested in what you did at the company. How did you grow in your position and leverage opportunities to be part of a team [and demonstrate] leadership? Do work that you have passion about.

JenniferAtMIT: Our evaluation system takes a big-picture approach to your experiences. GMAT is just one small piece of the overall application. We are interested in work experience, extracurricular activities, and academic success.

bodhichatterjee: Are there any scholarships for foreign students? Are there any residential facilities for married students. And is it feasible to have a part-time job, along with the course curriculum?

JenniferAtMIT: Yes, we have scholarships that are available to our strongest applicants. They are available to both domestic and international students. Yes, we have married students in campus housing. We do not recommend that students have a part-time job while studying here. But we offer students the opportunity to be teaching or research assistants, allowing them to earn from 30% to 70% of tuition per semester.

ehklos: I see many programs for students about to graduate, such as the Harvard 2+2 program and Yale Silver Scholars program, etc. I noticed that Sloan has also said that work experience is not mandatory for [entrance into] the MBA program. I am interested in Leaders for Manufacturing (MBA+MS in Engineering). Is work experience necessary for that?

JenniferAtMIT: We do not require full-time work experience for MBA applicants. Although in the evaluation process we are interested in seeing that you have had some professional experience via internships or part-time work. The LFM program is a bit different. It does require some full-time, post-graduation experience; I believe you need two years.

mbvaldezjr: I finished my undergraduate degree from a university in the Philippines, and my master's and doctorate from a university in Japan. Do I need to submit all of my transcripts of record from undergraduate until my doctorate? Do I need to take the TOEFL?

JulieStrongAtMIT: Self-reported transcripts are required as part of the online application. If you are invited for an interview, you will be required to present sealed, official transcripts at the interview. TOEFL is not required.

Klarbi: Does the MIT Sloan business school accept the European three-year bachelor's degree as opposed to the American bachelor's degree?

JenniferAtMIT: We consider all applicants who apply. We understand that degree systems around the world vary, and we consider each applicant with a three-year degree on a case-by-case basis.

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