Darden (Virginia) 2013 - Calling All Applicants!

I received this email, too. However, I just applied two weeks ago via the Consortium. They didn't reference my app (I think we got the same email which mentioned that you didn't need to apply to pursue the scholarship). Maybe it's just off GMAT? I'm excited, regardless.

I'm curious... how did you end up getting the email if you weren't registered on their system? Did you end up opening an application and leaving it dormant?

I received that email today as well, it appears to be directly based off GMAT scores (I think you can opt in when you take the test for them to release your score information to schools that want it) because I never signed up for anything directly with Darden and was not planning on applying there. My GMAT (740) is high but not more so than many other qualified applicants so I imagine they must have sent that email to a ton of people.

Does anyone know if this is legitimate? Seems too good to be true (free ride plus $23K stipend per year to a school ranked top-13), especially because they stated in the email that you don't even have to apply to the school before getting the scholarship. On a side note, that also conflicts with the info on the website which says you DO have to apply.

I interviewed last week and got the same email today. I was hoping it was an indication of good things to come!

FYI, I also have a 730 gmat.

Guess I'm the only 730+ left out in the cold - no email here!

I got the email too. I've already applied. The scholarship is definitely real. I'm just wondering if going to the regional interview would be worth it-- everything I've read about the Jefferson Fellowship says they select you as a finalist after you apply at the time you would find out about other scholarships.

Interviewed a couple weeks ago but didnt get the invite for the Jefferson Scholars opportunity (GMAT 740) ...

I went to UVA undergrad and can say that the Jefferson Scholarship is a pretty big deal across the university. It is larger than just the Business School, so I'd definitely recommend going to a regional interview if invited. I don't see the down-side and you might get a pretty nice scholarship along with access to other events at UVA during your two years.

I went to UVA undergrad and can say that the Jefferson Scholarship is a pretty big deal across the university. It is larger than just the Business School, so I'd definitely recommend going to a regional interview if invited. I don't see the down-side and you might get a pretty nice scholarship along with access to other events at UVA during your two years.

I just got the invite yesterday, interviewed on Monday. Based on what I'm seeing, seems completely detached from the actual application process if people who haven't even engaged Darden got the same thing. Agree that the Darden website is slightly misleading in saying that it's only offered to those who are admitted.

Can anyone clarify the relationship between an invitation into the "special competition" for a Jefferson fellowship and a submitted application to Darden? I'm assuming there is none, but I'm wondering if it's something we are meant to communicate to admissions or if it means anything at all to their pending decision on my application.

Thanks

I just checked the Darden website & their process doesn't seem to match the emails that you are saying you received. I'm wondering if these regional meetings are meant to introduce you to the Fellowship in hopes that you'll apply. I've seen that Darden doesn't do the greatest job of integrating it's marketing/outreach arm with it's Admissions arm (ex: I get emails reminding me of the Info Sessions / R2 dates, yet I've applied and interviewed for R1 already).

Link to the Jefferson Scholarship from Darden's page: https://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/MBA/Financial-Aid/Scholarships/Jefferson-Fellowships/
Link to the official Jefferson Scholar's Page on Graduate Selection process: https://www.jeffersonscholars.org/graduate-program/selection-process/

Personally, I think it’s a marketing scheme to boost application volume and consideration. Darden may be using a GMAT/GPA combination to solicit application. What else do they have to go by before you even apply? When I was applying, some schools that I didn’t apply for sent over care packages.

I am very surprised that Darden used the Jefferson fellowship to do this, as it erodes the brand value. Jefferson is a prestigious full ride scholarship. I would say it’s based on the full package, work experience especially. My feeling is that getting the invitation means you passed the threshold for good candidate from a statistics standpoint, which at 730+ and 3.8+ you pretty much passed the statistics bar for any school.

The timing of the invite is interesting, since it’s late in the game. It makes me wonder if Darden is suffering from significant reduction in applications in the previous rounds.

I think this may be right. Either way, if i can actually go through with the fellowship process w/o submitting an application, no harm in doing an interview. Funny thing is say you should be selected, does the mba application just become a formality

I think this is an ethically questionable marketing campaign. To drive up application volume and the fees associated with it, Darden is providing a false sense of security. The reality is that the mailing will not even guarantee admission into the MBA program.

If they are truly interested, they’ll be calling on you like a prized recruit, and offering fee waivers. It’d be funny if they start offering fee waiver after all the publicity.

I think the right way to approach it is to go through the fellowship process, get the offer and apply for the MBA program (if needed). Otherwise, you are just wasting your hard earned $$$$, and your time writing essays and getting recommendations.

But I think it's ok for people to get a scholarship before an admission. I have known big universities in Asia do that. You get sponsored by certain organizations before hand to study in the school of your choice. To add to this I believe in this case, the scholarship comes from UVA but the admission comes from Darden. Although part of the same scheme, totally different desicion making authorities.

No more invites for internationals ? People are not even discussing about the same. Looks like Round 1 discussions have gone to the next level- scholarships.

There have been two waves of intl. invites so far. Comparing with the last year's stats on GmatClub, more than 60 applicants were invited in round 1. Around 40 invites have been reported so far at BTG. Therefore, I think there are still invites left.

I interviewed on Monday at the Grounds. My interview was with an admissions committee member, though it looked like a lot of other people had student interviewers. I am wondering if there is any methodology behind who they place you with for your interview, but I assume not since they are conducted blind (though if anyone has any other idea about this, I'd be interested to know!)

I had already had two interviews (Fuqua and Tuck) at this point, but I was so nervous for my Darden interview because of the one-question format! I saw the potential for an awkward, run-on monologue, especially since I tend to be pretty chatty.

It was indeed the "tell me about yourself" question*, but it went a lot better, and felt far more conversational, than I had initially expected. As always you need to know the basics: why an MBA, why now, why Darden, career goals, etc. The key differentiator is that Darden wants to know more about your background. I read "The Darden MBA Admissions Interview Guide" by Adam Markus and found it to be really helpful for prepping (BTG wouldn't let me insert the link but it's a blogspot post). I basically used the format he laid out: introduced a few main themes from my application, connected them to a couple of annecdotes about my background, and then went into the standard MBA interview spiel about how those themes related to my career goals and school selection.

The biggest mistake I could forsee someone making in this interview (and as someone who tends towards TMI, it was something I had to remind myself while prepping) is that they'd basically tell their interviewer their life story and then not have enough time to get to the meat of the question. This is a lot easier to avoid when you're thrown specific, pointed questions. Because of that, I spent more time prepping for my Darden interview than the others. In the end, though, I thought I did a pretty good job staying on track and found the interview to be a pretty comfortable experience.

Happy to answer more questions if folks have 'em.

*but there were follow up questions later on--she asked about my interests out of work, what I would contribute to my learning team, and a few others I don't remember--anyone else get these?