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MBA Insider: Admissions Q&A May 26, 2009, 9:47AM EST

UCLA Anderson: Admissions Q&A

MBA Admissions Director Mae Jennifer Shores explains what UCLA's Anderson school has to offer and what it takes to get in

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Mae Jennifer Shores
UCLA Anderson

Mae Jennifer Shores, the assistant dean and director of MBA Admissions at the UCLA Anderson School of Management (Anderson MBA Profile), says she ended up an admissions officer the way most people do—unintentionally. She went to Russia to teach public policy, but was assigned to teach negotiations at a business school at the last minute. After two years, she wanted to continue her Eastern European stay and almost took a job teaching in Kazakhstan. Her graduate school loans, however, forced her back to the U.S. There, Shores' international and business-school experience eventually led her into the admissions department at Anderson.

Like Shores, many students at Anderson have what might be described as an interesting back story. Anderson's emphasis on diversity extends beyond geographical boundaries to include diversity in thought, Shores says. It's what makes the B-school unique. Almost 5% of the Class of 2008 started their own entrepreneurial ventures, while nontraditional industries like media and entertainment topped the employer charts. In a conversation with BusinessWeek's Mandy Oaklander, Shores discusses how the school's creativity attracts the right applicants, and why the "LA" in UCLA is particularly important for business-school students. An edited portion of the conversation follows.

How are the application numbers looking this year compared to the last few?

The application numbers are down slightly. Like many business schools, we witnessed an increased interest in the program early in the recruiting season, and this did flatten out over time. We have witnessed an increase in applicants from financial services, not surprisingly. We find that the quality of the pool remains very strong.

What are some of the things you're looking for in the interview that show you someone is a good fit for the UCLA program?

In the interview we look for authenticity, an ability to engage in a dialogue as opposed to a monologue, and an ability to be introspective. Many applicants tend to be very rehearsed and interested in impression management. Sometimes they just skirt the issues and look at them from a very broad, superficial level. It's the ability to actually let us get to know the individual and how they approach life and work experiences that is most helpful to us.

Is that the most common mistake people make in their interviews?

Being too rehearsed is one of them. The other is getting so nervous that they get really wedded to their résumé or answers to questions that they've formulated in advance. They sometimes miss the cues of the interviewer or they miss subtleties of the question that vary from what they've been prepared for.

What kind of person is a good fit for the program?

Students who fare well at UCLA Anderson are individuals who pursue excellence but without some of the attitude that is frequently associated with MBA students. They tend to have a sense of authenticity and integrity that pervades everything they do. We look for people who play well in the sandbox; for those more broadly interested in the community around them than in the pursuit of their own individual goals.

Some schools are reporting a downturn in international applications. What is it like for UCLA?

There was a slight decline internationally in certain regions, but it didn't affect the overall quality of the pool. For example, many schools saw a decline in applications from certain countries in Asia, but we're still seeing the same strength in terms of the quality of people that we'd want to admit.

Has there been an increase in applications from other parts of the world?

There was some increase for us this year, and I think part of it is tied to an extension we had in our recruiting effort.

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