Hello @nk9285 - thanks for the question.
Sorry for the delay in responding. It's been a busy few days around the MBA office.
In terms of timing, we admit students from all our various application rounds. And we assess files the same way in each round as well. You can review the evaluation criteria here:
http://business.nd.edu/mba/admissions_a ... ncial_aid/The timing of your application isn't nearly as important as making sure that you are submitting the strongest app you can. If that requires you to wait another round to get some things done, then that's what you should do.
With regard to fellowships specifically, it's much the same. We have awarded merit-based fellowships in every round since I have been part of MBA admissions. So timing isn't that important, but again the strength of your application is. Our fellowships are all merit-based and the primary criteria are GMAT/GRE, GPA and length & quality of work experience. So if you need more time to improve those items, then I would advise you do that.
With regard to TOEFL scores, you basically stated the rule. If you can submit a transcript or letter from your university registrar that states that the medium of instruction in your undergraduate institution was English, then we can waive the requirement. Please keep in mind that we don't issue some sort of formal waiver notice. We just allow your file to proceed to Committee without a language test score. Hope that makes sense.
Regarding your question about concentrations, I would say that all our concentrations are strong!
In truth, it's all a matter of perspective. If you look strictly at the number of students in each track then Corporate Finance is definitely our largest concentration track. Nearly 1/3rd of all our students are in this track in a typical year.
But I wouldn't say that this the number of students in a given track is necessarily an indicator of strength. We have a fantastic entrepreneurship program that our students love, but if you look at the numbers of students who formally declare that as a concentration track it is very low.
Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies -
http://business.nd.edu/gigot_center/I think if there is something we are known for it is the way we integrate ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability topics into *all* of our courses across the various disciplines. To the heart of your question, I would say that ethics integration is ultimately what we are "strong in."
That being said, I don't think the choice of concentration track really matters all that much in a program like ours. Our curriculum is so flexible that most students end up completing the requirements for two concentration tracks. And so there is a lot of crossover.
Also, there is not always a connection between what people declare as their concentration and where they go from a placement standpoint. Speaking for myself personally, I spent a lot of credit hours on marketing but took a consulting job when I graduated. That's not uncommon.
In the end, getting an MBA isn't about being a mile deep in a particular area. It's about being a mile wide across the various disciplines and understanding how various functions integrate and connect together to generate business results. I think we do a good job of that "cross pollination" for our students and I would encourage you to reach out to them to confirm this using the links below:
MBA Student Blogs -
http://business.nd.edu/MBA/Student_Life/Student_Blogs/Contact A Student -
http://webapp.business.nd.edu/mba/get_i ... a_student/Finally, you had asked about placements. This changes from year to year but you can review the most recent numbers here:
http://webapp.business.nd.edu/mba/your_ ... tatistics/As you can see, percentage-wise we do best in financial services industry but we also have 20% of our class going into consulting. Beyond those two stalwarts, it's pretty diverse. I would remind you that we only graduate 200-ish students a year and so these percentages can fluctuate significantly from year to year if just a dozen or so people in a class change direction. So don't read too much into the percentage in any one category, especially with the smaller numbers.
The thing we always stress to students is that where they end up is up to them, not us. If you come to Notre Dame with a gameplan and a work ethic, you can get a lot done. We surround the students with a lot of support & personal attention - from career coaches, to a career development curriculum, to academic advisers and much more. We try to expose them to as many opportunities as we can to meet great companies and alums and we try to give them every opportunity to work on the career skills that will help them land the job they want - interviewing, networking, resume writing, etc. But ultimately it's up to them to make it all happen. The results you see reflected in that link are a direct result of all their hard work.
Hope this answers all your questions. Let me know if I can do anything else for you. Have a great weekend!
Andrew
Andrew J. Sama
Sr. Assoc. Director, MBA Admissions
University of Notre Dame
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