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MBA Insider: Admissions Q&A August 3, 2009, 11:54AM EST

UConn Admissions Tips

UConn's MBA director Michael Deotte talks about the importance of leadership experience and why applicants should have "clear direction and focus"

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Michael Deotte
University of Connecticut

Michael Deotte couldn't stay away from the University of Connecticut for long. He worked for the school briefly after graduating from the School of Business (UConn Full-Time MBA Profile) in 1998, did a brief marketing stint at Sacred Heart University, and returned to UConn nine years ago as head of marketing and publicity. Last January, he became director of the full-time MBA program at UConn's Storrs campus.

While the economy may be a perfectly legitimate reason for someone to pursue an MBA, Deotte says, it's probably the last thing they should fess up to if they want to land a spot at UConn. Slumping job market or no slumping job market, Deotte says candidates need to be driven and have clear career goals. He doesn't want to hear applicants say, "It makes sense right now. I can't find a job."

In a conversation with BusinessWeek's Rachel Z. Arndt, Deotte reveals his student interview pet peeve and explains why UConn's hands-on learning initiatives set it apart from other MBA programs.

Have you seen any changes in the most recent application cycle, and were they expected?

Absolutely. The number of applications is significantly higher than last year—we're up 26%. We pretty much assumed this would happen.

Why do you think applications are up?

I think some people think that, with the economy down, now is a good time to return to school. That way they can wait out the job market a little bit and position themselves for when things get better. And, of course, there are people who, unfortunately, have been downsized or laid off—going back to school is a wonderful option for them.

Can you take me through the life of an application once it gets to you?

We stay in contact with applicants throughout the process. They'll submit all the required materials: the application, the résumé, a personal letter of intent, two letters of professional recommendation, official transcripts, and GMAT scores. Once all of the information is in, the admissions review committee will look at the file and decide whether or not the person is a good fit for the program.

How does the interview process work?

We set up the interviews with the applicants—though not everyone gets interviewed. We usually spend a half hour or hour with each applicant. We also try to set up meetings with alums or current students who can give applicants school tours and give them information from a different perspective.

Does everyone get an interview?

Not everybody.

What are some common mistakes applicants make in interviews?

They don't ask questions—that's one of my pet peeves. Sometimes it seems like they haven't done their research on the school.

How can candidates make themselves stand out in interviews?

They can make themselves stand out by having a clear direction and focus of where they want to go in terms of their career after completing the MBA program. We like to see applicants with a focus on a certain company, industry, or location. It's nice to see that they have some sort of direction, that they're not just coming here because they think, "Oh, it makes sense right now, I can't find a job."

We also like to hear how they think our program can benefit them.

What do students say is the hardest part of the admissions process?

There are some people who might hem and haw about having to take the GMAT, but, aside from that, there really doesn't seem to be too much that applicants dislike or that is too difficult for them.

What mistakes do applicants tend to make on their applications?

There are no common pitfalls within the application itself or the process. And because we stay in touch with applicants throughout the process, they can always ask us questions and get more information on what we need to see from them.

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