MBA Insider: Admissions Q&A June 26, 2008, 10:47PM EST

An Italian MBA with International Appeal

At Italy's leading MBA program, Scuola di Direzione Aziendale Bocconi, the emphasis is on attracting students from diverse backgrounds

Rossana Camera
Bocconi

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SDA Bocconi, a university with a small MBA program, is in Milan, the heart of the Italian business district. Among the best programs in Europe (BusinessWeek.com, 3/27/08) and considered the best in Italy, Bocconi will soon offer its MBA program in English only. The admissions office accepted 37% of the 402 people who applied to the school in 2006.

Recently, Rossana Camera, director of admissions at Bocconi (BusinessWeek.com, 3/27/08), offered advice to those who want to get into the program. Here are edited excerpts of her phone interview with BusinessWeek.com reporter Francesca Di Meglio:

What are the basic requirements for entry into SDA [Scuola di Direzione Aziendale] Bocconi's MBA program?

The basic requirements are similar to those of all major business schools in the world. We need applicants to complete the online application form and provide documents—university transcripts, two letters of recommendation, results of the GMAT, proof of English-language skills.

Our ideal MBA profile is a person who is between 26 and 32 years old—the average age is 28—has at least two to three years of work experience, a good GMAT score, and soft skills. We look for people who have the same approach [to business] as we have at our school. They should have chosen our program because they are convinced Bocconi is the best place for them.

Do most of your students come from Italy? If not, from where do they come?

Fifty-five percent come from 30 different nationalities. Forty-five percent are Italian. In one class, we have 30 to 32 different nationalities represented. We look for groups with diversity—different cultures, races, genders, interests, and industries. Women compose 40% of this class. We're running the next program entirely in English, so there will be more international students. We're already noting an increase in the number of international applications. Next year, the class will be 60% international and 40% Italian.

We also look for people with different experiences. We do not want a class of only engineers or only Americans. They can share their experiences and grow together through the program by offering each other different ways of thinking and different cultures. In the future, they will be—we hope—global managers, after all.

Are students also required to speak Italian?

You don't have to speak Italian. English alone is fine. If you want a career in Italy, you can learn the language in the program. In very big companies, that's not completely [necessary] (because sometimes English alone is fine there, too). But to live in Italy, you must learn the language or you won't survive. Most [of our graduates] go outside of Italy for work, but every year there are a few who want to stay here.

What advice do you have on completing the application essays?

We do not ask applicants to write essays in the strict sense of the term. We have a complete application form, and we ask the applicants to express themselves and share their motivation for choosing the MBA at this point in life, [we ask about] their education, and major life goals they hope to accomplish. We also want to know how well they know themselves and their strengths and weaknesses. [Pursuing] the MBA is not only about gaining hard skills, it is also about looking for personal growth. We want to know the person, not only his or her skills and work experience.

What is the average GMAT score of those admitted to the program?

The average GMAT for the last intake was 640. The GMAT is an important indicator of how well you'll perform in class. To present themselves well, applicants need a strong score. It's a good start to increasing their chance of acceptance. But it's only one part of the process. We may reject people with very high GMAT scores if they have not convinced us completely in other respects.

Who should be writing the letters of recommendation?

We ask for two letters, one from academia and another from the professional environment. We want the opinions of a person who knew the applicant while he or she was studying and another who knew the applicant while he or she was working.

What is your best advice to applicants?

Be well prepared [with information about the school]. We want to be convinced that the person who chooses our school knows what our MBA is and what Bocconi can do for him or her. Applicants need to tell us why in this moment the Bocconi MBA is a crucial step in their lives and careers. They must do well on their GMAT. We want people who will let us know them and how they are unique. If they read a guide on how to do well in an interview and follow that word for word, then they are not the right person for us. We want people to be themselves when they present their profile to us. They have to be sincere and convinced that the MBA is right for them and that Bocconi is right for them.

How would you describe Bocconi to prospective students starting their research?

The Bocconi MBA is in Italy, and the country is a specific feature of the program. The way of living and the professional environment is specific to Italy. Milan is at the very center of the country's economy. To do an MBA here is to be near the center of Europe.

Bocconi is one of the major universities in terms of the economy and management in Italy. It has a good history. From an academic point of view, it has very good footing. Our faculty includes some of the most well-known economic leaders in Italy and beyond.

There are two classes of 50 students each. [It] is not so crowded, so we can follow students. There's a personal approach to the application process and the school. You can design your own MBA program, basically. There are career coaches and professors who let students develop their personal and managerial style. They will reach their professional goals.