Darden (UVA) Class of 2016: Calling all applicants!

You're correct about the 5pm deadline.

Also, I noticed something similar with the questions. I had both the current question and last year's question in my spreadsheet of essays for Darden. I'm like 90% sure I pulled them straight from the application, and not from earlier in this thread where there's some confusing discussion making it sound like both questions exist. I would have pulled them within a week of the application going live. I found their overall online application to be less than stellar, so I'm going to write it off to it may have been there by accident at first and they took it down. I was particularly disappointed with their treatment of the 'Description' field within the company popups. Other applications make it sound as though that's asking for a description of the company (some even explicitly say so). With Darden, it changed that field to say 'Job Description' only after you reviewed the preview PDF. The Job Function list in the same popup was also obscure - the list items better described industry than job function.

Anyway, three down and one more to go before I get some breathing room. I'm also starting to really burn out on these, but trying my best to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was probably the lucky guy... i didn't face any such problem, everything was very smooth

this may be because I started my application pretty late

Anyhow... submitted and relieved !!

Hi SyedSan,

Yes, you are right. I think I almost shot myself in the foot. Luckily I submitted beforehand. Not sure when will I learn

Hi sdd996,

I respectfully disagree. Out of the three applications I submitted, I find Darden easiest and quickest. Only thing I felt is that the app has no space for awards.

Thanks,
Prodizy

I have been practically living on redbull for the last 2 weeks. From my experience last year, it does get better !

Oh dear ! Hope you get some rest soon! I am still in the dilemma of whether or not I should go for the Fuqua deadline. Ross and Fuqua have similar criteria. If i get dinged at Ross, highly unlikely that Fuqua would want me. what do you peeps think ?

Hey deviantg,

I visited both the schools. So here's my two cents worth.

I definitely think you should apply either in the first round or the second round. The logic that as I didn't get into school A, I cannot get into very similar school B is flawed. Both schools have slightly different cultures. If, god forbid, you fail at one school, you can use those experiences to succeed at the other school. I have people who got into Ross after failing at Fuqua. Your failure could also depend upon other applicants. May be Ross likes you, but they have already taken similar people like you. May be Fuqua has not seen many people from similar background as you so far. It all depends. Do more research on the schools. That will give you a better idea.

All the best.

Best,
Prodizy

Hi am in for round one. However my application status still says "submitted". As per the instructions it should change to "under review". Please let me know if anyone else faces this issue.

Can you share where you have read that? My application is also in the submitted state. However, I wouldn't worry too much about this.

Best,
Prodizy

Hi

It says the status should change on the how to apply page on the darden Website.

Unfortunately i cant post URLs yet. add the www to the below text

darden.virginia.edu/web/MBA/Admissions/Application-Process/How-to-Apply/

Hi Harishbalaji,

The same page says if the application is not complete, they will contact us immediately. The page also instructs us not to contact Darden regarding this. So we better leave it at that for a week or so.

Guys anyone with a different status other than submitted?

Thanks,
Prodizy

Yeh I'd give it a week or 2 before driving myself crazy re: the status change. My Johnson apps status only changed on the 17th and I submitted on the 2nd...n there were some guys here who's status changed to under review the very next day.

Posted from my mobile device

My app also still says submitted. One of my recommenders hasn't submitted yet, so I was thinking that was why it hadn't changed. (He is holding that rec for ransom until I finish my app for his alma mater!)

Are both of your recommendations showing as submitted?

Thanks!

Hey,

My recommenders have submitted their recos before the deadline. That's a dangerous game your recommender is playing. Most schools give two days grace period for the recommendations to come in. Your application might get moved to next round or it will be rejected. I am not sure about Darden's policy though.

Best,
Prodizy

It will be considered for next round if recommendations come after 3 days of deadline.

But if you can't help it, you may email the adcom after the recommendation is submitted and request them to consider your application for R1.

Yeah it won't be rejected-unsure where that came from. If anything, it'll be pushed to R2.

So, for all of you who where wondering when an invitation for an interview (R1) can be expected, I just went through last year's thread. Here is what I came up with:

- Application deadline: October 15th (the same as this year)
- Decision by: December 19th (2 days later than this year)
- First US applicant receiving an invitation to an interview: November 5th
- Last US applicant receiving an invitation: November 13th
- First international applicant receiving an invitation to an interview: November 14th
- Last international applicant receiving an invitation: November 19th
- People get interview invitations for the EMBA program, being told that they will not get an interview invitation for the FT MBA: November 30th
- It seems like there were always several invitations released on one day (e.g. the November 5th and 8th), and none at all on others

I hope that information is useful for some of you!

Very cool.. Thank you.

Just a FYI, not everyone posts the day they get their invites - so there is some lag in the system.