Live Chat December 21, 2009, 2:51PM EST

Chat Transcript: Notre Dame Admissions

MBA Admissions Director Brian Lohr fields questions on what it takes to get into the Mendoza program and what students will get out of it

Brian Lohr
Notre Dame

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With the next deadline for MBA applications set for Jan. 18, 2009, admissions at Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business (Mendoza Full-Time MBA Profile) recently shared some insights into what the business school is looking for in MBA candidates. At a live chat event, MBA Admissions Director Brian Lohr (BrianLohr) and first-year student Carly DaCosta (NDCarlyDaCosta), who went to West Point and served as an active duty Army officer for five years before business school, answered questions from prospective B-school students. The chat, which was moderated by Bloomberg BusinessWeek reporter Francesca Di Meglio, covered everything from low undergrad GPAs to finding the business school with the right fit. Here are edited excerpts of the chat:

Ellis: Given the current economic situation and increase in applications for MBA programs, is Notre Dame increasing its enrollment in 2010?

BrianLohr: We are not increasing our enrollment even though our applications have increased in recent years. Our dean believes in the value of small class sizes and a sense of community.

Ellis: Do you publish the mean GMAT score and/or GMAT range (middle 80%) for the one-year MBA program? On your Web site you have these statistics for the two-year program but not for the one-year program. Is there much difference between the two programs?

BrianLohr: The middle 90% range for the one-year MBA was 530 to 730 last year. There isn't really much difference between the programs other than the internship. That's the biggest differentiator. If you have a clear career development plan and a business undergrad [degree], then the one year can make a lot of sense. We have a number of employers who have had a lot of success with one-year candidates, and they come here to recruit them, so it's a great program on a number of levels.

Ellis: From your Web site I noticed financial companies, such as Citi (C), Barclays (BCS), UBS (UBS), ABN AMRO (ABN), and Lazard as some of your top recruiting companies. Can you please tell me the types of positions your graduates received in these companies (for example, investment banker, research analyst, trader)?

BrianLohr: We placed students into investment banking, sales and trading, transaction services, and leveraged debt associate positions. Notre Dame has a strong relationship with the Wall Street community.

Ellis: Notre Dame has noticeably increased the marketing of its MBA programs. Can you tell me the reason for this in the university's eyes?

BrianLohr: We're in the process of rebranding the entire business college with the Ask More of Business brand positioning, and as part of that effort we've ramped up marketing for the MBA program and all our programs. We're excited about this new brand position and its relevance in today's business climate and connection to our core values.

Ellis: Given the current economic state of our country and the amount of layoffs over the past couple years, how does Notre Dame view candidates who are unemployed?