Yale Admissions Chat

(page 6 of 6)

Bruce DelMonico
Director of Admissions
Yale School of Management

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The framework I recommend is: Where have you been in your career? Based on where you've been, where is it that you want to go (who is it that you want to be)? And why do you need an MBA (and specifically a Yale MBA) to get there? Strong candidates that I speak to can answer all of these questions in a coherent, logical way.

BruceAtYale: The two things I tell people are: No. 1: Pay attention to your essays. A good, clear, well-written set of essays can go a long way; and No. 2: Pay attention to whom you ask to write your recommendations. Make sure they are people who know you well rather than just a high-level executive at your job. Those two things can make a big difference in your application.

AbbyAtYale: I'd say that before beginning the application process, it's important to figure out what makes you stand out from other applicants, and to determine how best to communicate that. Also, it's always a good idea to figure out what you think you'd like to do and, if you're not sure yet, to at least be able to communicate clearly what you're passionate about.

stephane88: Is entrepreneurship a strong focus of your program?

AbbyAtYale: Entrepreneurship is an important component of our program, yes. We have a very strong class in this area, where students create their own business plans for entrepreneurial ideas.

guoan: What area/aspect of SOM can be improved?

AbbyAtYale: We are all looking forward to the construction of our new building/facilities, planned for fall of 2011. This will be a huge improvement for all of us.

SGT: Are there any additional changes planned for the curriculum?

BruceAtYale: We are always looking to tighten the curriculum in terms of how it is delivered, including building out more SOM-branded cases. In addition, we are looking to implement an exchange program with select international schools starting next fall. And with our new building coming, we will have all of the cutting-edge technology in place to fully exploit the unique features of the curriculum.

saukumar: Are there any specific guidelines for applicants for alumni interviews? How are adcom interviews different from alumni interviews? Do the alumni have access only to the résumé?

BruceAtYale: The guidelines that apply to on-campus interviews apply equally to alumni interviews. In fact, many of our alumni interviewers interviewed for us when they were students, so the hope is that the experience is as close to as possible to the on-campus interview experience.