MBA Insider: Admissions Q&A August 17, 2009, 2:05PM EST

Admissions Tips from UC Irvine

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Mary Clark
UC Irvine

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At that point, we determine if that person is invited to interview. We prefer in-person [interviews], but do accept some over the phone.

Have there been any curriculum changes to your full-time MBA program?

Not in the last few years. We're constantly adding new electives to our offerings, but there hasn't been a radical change in curriculum.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing the admissions department right now?

It's interesting because year after year our mission is the same, which is to recruit and enroll the very best students we can. So it continues to be raising the bar higher to accept high-caliber students every year. It'll be interesting to see what happens this year with the economy to see what kind of decisions people are making because in some ways we haven't been able to tell if everyone who applied for business school is able to attend. Some people may get cold feet and are afraid to leave the work force where they have stable jobs. I think that will be the challenge in the next year. We're optimistic and believe that students are still taking a calculated risk and investing in themselves.

How has the economic crisis affected your number of applicants?

We have seen a significant increase in applications, over 30% both domestic and internationally. I don't think it's 100% due to the economy. I think that a big [reason] is the growing reputation of our program here at Irvine.

How is the economic crisis affecting job placement of Merage grads?

It has definitely had an effect. But I'm pleased to report that the percentage of people who have jobs this year is approximately the same as the number of people who had jobs last year. Overall, the statistics are looking O.K.

How is your alumni base, and how do they help students?

Every student has access to our alumni database. We have a number of events we organize so students can actively engage with our alumni group, and we have several alumni who are very involved with the business school, serving as mentors. Our alumni are constantly offered continuing education opportunities and asked to speak at different events.