MBA Insider: Admissions Q&A January 22, 2009, 7:27PM EST

University of Virginia's Darden: Admissions Q&A

Admissions Director Sara Neher talks about what Darden B-school offers for a hard-working applicant and what it takes to get in

Sara E. Neher
University of Virginia

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The University of Virginia's Darden School of Business may be tucked away in the quiet hills of Virginia, seemingly a world away from business meccas like New York and London, but its director of admissions, Sara E. Neher, claims that the school's widespread network of successful alumni coupled with an innovative approach in the classroom keep it competitive with top MBA programs.

To a greater extent than many other programs, Darden relies on the case method. Instead of cavernous lecture halls echoing only with the voice of the professor, the sound of students debating and sharing ideas is heard too, as they are required to interact during every class period. Students learn through interaction, not simply lectures. Neher argues that this creates a student-driven community that more efficiently cultivates leadership.

Neher, a UVA grad with an MBA from Emory's Goizueta Business School, spoke to BusinessWeek's Brian Burnsed about what Darden looks for in an applicant and what potential students should expect during the application process. An edited transcript of the conversation follows:

In the wake of the economic meltdown are you seeing as many applications as you did in the past?

We haven't seen much of a change in the total number of applications, but there has been a bit of a change in the makeup of the applications. We're seeing more people from the finance industry and fewer people from other industries.

What's the most unusual or difficult essay question on your application, and what's your advice to students on how to tackle it?

The question, which is very unique to a school like Darden, is how do you fit with the case method? We're 100% case method and focus on a participatory pedagogy in our program. I think it can be challenging for people who have never been in an environment like that and have only had a lecture-based education. We have a video of a class that walks students through how the case method works, why we employ this method, and how they can get the most out of it and contribute to it. I advise people to watch that video if they can't come to a class in person before they write that essay.

What do students tell you is the hardest part of the admissions process at Darden, and how do you advise they deal with it?

I'm not sure that we hear that any particular part is hard, other than that we have a word limit on our essay. If you can't convince us in a few minutes that you understand business or a point you may be making in class then it's going to be difficult to be successful in business or at Darden. Our biggest limit is 500 words, and they go down from there. I think people find that challenging. For instance, I worked at Procter & Gamble for six years, and if I couldn't say what I needed to say in one page then I was not going to get my job done. We're trying to help people show us that.

By contrast, we have a 45-minute interview. So we spend a lot of time getting to know the people we interview on a very personal level. Our interviews are blind, which means that the person interviewing you has not read your application or your résumé. It's not a typical interview, where people have certain things they're trying to get from you. We're trying to get to know you and create an unbiased advocate for you in our process.

What do you look for in the application essays?

We're looking for a fit with Darden. And we perceive people to fit if we believe they have leadership potential. We see that either through their experience, what others say about their potential, or what we think about their potential though their activities, essays, and their interview. In the essays in particular, we're also looking for an ability to write well, and an ability to convey your thoughts in English if you're an international student. The way you can describe your work experiences is important.