SMU Cox: Admissions Q&A

(page 2 of 4)

Patti Cudney
Southern Methodist University

Story Tools

• post a comment
• e-mail this story
• print this story
• order a reprint
• suggest a story
• digg this
• save to del.icio.us

And we look at work experience and see if they have had the opportunity to be quantitative. We want to see quantitative ability throughout the application; we want to see you can be successful through what you've accomplished, including the GMAT score.

What are good reasons for wanting to get an MBA at SMU?

I would say wanting the opportunity to learn in one of the strongest business communities in the U.S. Dallas is still feeling pretty good when it comes to the economy. We have a diverse mix of types and sizes of companies and try in a variety of ways in the program to engage students in the business community. It's not just theory; you're getting the chance to work on projects through companies. I think Dallas is a very different type of community . People overlook Dallas as being one of the top business communities in the U.S. and the world. They'd be surprised if they looked at what's offered and saw how we as a program engage students with the business community as much as we can.

Another reason is that we're one of few programs that requires students to have an international experience and pays for it. We have a special program called the American Airlines Global Leadership Program where we send all students overseas at the end of their first year for two weeks for a business trip. They come back with a perspective on the global business environment.

The last thing is that we are a smaller-sized program, so it allows students to develop deep relations with each other and with faculty, staff, alumni, and the local business community. Students get to know each other very well and see friendships and relationships turn into professional relationships as well.

What's the typical amount of work experience you're looking for in an applicant? How do you regard applicants with less business experience than that?

Last year's entering class had an average of four-and-a-third years work experience. We like to see people with work experience because it helps them shape their future goals and gives them more to draw from. When it comes to younger candidates, we have something called the Cox MBA Direct, which allows a small number of candidates to come in without work experience. These are typically people with lots of internships. In general, there is a tie between work experience and having an understanding of what an MBA is about. Younger candidates don't understand that tie as much and don't express it to us as well in their application.

What do you want to see in applicants' recommendation letters?

We want it to be more than a list of adjectives. We're hoping students will take the time to sit with their recommenders and refresh them so when they are filling out the form they can give us good detail and insights. Really thinking who your recommender should be and taking the time to work with them gives them more time to write a better letter.

How do interviews work, and what are some of the key mistakes that applicants to SMU tend to make?

We do our interviews by invitation. Once the application has been submitted, we will invite a candidate to interview. An interview does not mean an invitation for admission, but it's an indicator you're being considered. There are people who get nervous. One thing to keep in mind is that we're on their side. We're not looking for them to fail, so I hope people come in relaxed and are really here to talk with us and show us who they are. One mistake that I see that is very correctable is not having a clear understanding of why they're interested in our program. We would hope people would be able to pick out special programs or specific faculty they have heard about or courses that we offer to show that they have really done their homework. It's a two-way street. We are there to answer their questions, but we hope they come in with a foundation as to why they're here and interested enough.

What financial-aid opportunities are available to students?

Half of students receive scholarships. The average award is half of tuition and fees. Our philosophy is to help as many as we can with as much as we can.