Calling all Darden Fall 2010 Applicants!

In for R2

Could someone confirm that the below is in fact the rec format? Cheers.

Hey everyone, just got to Darden and this snowstorm HAMMERED the place. If anyone else is planning on coming in today/tomorrow be safe on the roads. The state of Virginia apparently is lacking in the equipment necessary to plow the roads 24 hours after a snowstorm!

Hey guys, sitting the the Charlottesville airport right now (they have FREE wifi, none of that Boingo crap, another plus of Darden!) and just got done with my interview, tour, lunch, etc. Great time overall. We had a bit of a skeleton crew in that they said many people from the admissions office wouldn't be able to make it in due to the weather (they even tried to get some of us to reschedule) but that just added to the already extremely relaxed atmosphere. Overall I'm going to just gush about the school and the people, so if you don't want to hear it feel free to turn away.
- The first year students we got to talk with were extremely relaxed and laid back. All seemed to be exceptionally smart and had great futures but didn't seem to take themselves too seriously which is a nice change of pace.

- The facilities are gorgeous. I felt like I was at a southern plantation. I'm sure its even better without 20'' of snow on the ground.

- The interview was with a 2Y student, some had it with an ADCOM member,although they gave the impression that it was random. My interviewer was a terrific guy that was in the MC industry so he gave me great insight into the school and the MC career path that is afforded to Darden students.

- The other people that were there for interviews all seemed like good people. They had a great turnout, which was a shock considering the weather. I'd guess there were about 20 other people there interviewing.

- The interview was just as everyone else has explained it. "Tell me about yourself." I talked for about 30 minutes and he interjected a few times to clarify or have me delve deeper. I transitioned the "Tell me about yourself" up to today's date and what I wanted to do in the future and then went straight into the "Why MBA, why now." After the 30 minutes or so he just said we have a few minutes left and asked if I had any questions. Asked him about why he chose it and career prospects and it was very back and forth. He reiterated what I had initially thought after several receptions, that the Darden students are different and that its the people that really made the school in his eyes.

-Virginia does NOT know how to deal with snow. Only negative I can think of on the trip. Can't really hang that one on Darden.

Anyway, I hope it went well. It seemed as though the interview was good, conversational and we even were joking around with each other a little bit so hopefully he enjoyed it too. Can't wait for January 28th. Have officially decided, that despite what happens with my R2 schools, that if I get an acceptance on that date I'm accepting it.

Thanks ACNguy! Great debrief, I am even more excited about applying in R2 now!

anyone from Latam area got any offsite interview calls yet?

ACNguy, great job of describing what goes down at a Darden interview. My experience was nearly identical, except I interviewed with a member of admissions committee (she was cool and it was the most relaxed interview I've had yet - very similar to the one at Yale). And Darden has the cutest girls of any of the business schools I've visited so far. Could be a southern thing.

I haven't been, but the girls part is what different alums have told me on multiple occasions...I can't wait to see for myself!

charming to know how my future classmates will be be perceiving me and my abilities....

smadge, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your abilities will definitely be respected, by me especially. I'm not allowed to be looking at the coeds, my girlfriend will kill me.

But yes, Virginia does have a good looking student body. The southern girls, and their accents, make me melt. HAHA.

LOL

I don't want to get on my soapbox - but I wasn't trying to be funny. Compared to its peer-group Darden has a huge women's recruiting issue (partly I think because of perceptions like those on this forum), which as man, you may not think is your problem, but it actually is.

Many banks/consulting firms are looking to recruit women (which I don't think is necessairly right - I want to be recruited for my abilities, not my gender) - if they don't think they can find qualified women at a business school, they're going to look elsewhere - and then everyone, including men, lose out on that career opportunity.

Also, on a less serious note, I would manage expectations, guys. I was probably the cutest girl there yesterday and that's definetly not saying much....

Haha, smadge, relax we are all 100% kidding. Not actually trying to get into anything with anyone. Harmless banter, that's all it is.

Overall, what'd you think of it yesterday?

Sorry - I didn't think Darden had any women's recruiting issues. Anyone on my learning team will be pulling their own weight regardless of what they look like.

My sentiments exactly ! 100K's is a huge investment to me, and no way I would let "peer-hotness" into my school choice decission and I would put absouletely 0 value on looks in my study group...

I would like to hear about you experience as well, if you feel like sharing!

I'm not trying to start anything - the "harmless banter" though does leave an impression though on how I'll be perceived a woman in school (which isn't unique to Darden - I was pointblank asked in one interview if I was just looking for my "M.R.S. degree," which as a woman at a top private equity firm, I found a highly offensive suggestion) and on the priorities of my classmates. That being said, I certainly have mentally rated every business school I've visited by the attractiveness of the student body as well - I would just never say it on a forum because I'd be scared of being judged as "just looking for a husband", which luckily, you guys don't have to worry about. (Aside, the men are attractive at Darden too). And that's all I have to say on the topic - wasn't trying to be inflamatory at all, just trying to remind everyone that they are women on the thread too.

I really, really loved Darden and my interview was probably the best I've had thus far. ACNguy, I agree with you that I think it was definetly to our advantage that we traveled through the snow - not just because it showed our dedication. Yesterday was uniquely intimate - Sara Neher sat at my table at lunch, for example - and I felt like we had better access to the students in the admin office. My tour was with two current students and probably four prospectives(?) so we could each ask whatever questions we wanted. There was a really great first year just hanging out in the office who didn't even work for admissions just answering questions and helping prospective students. Overall, I was just highly, highly impressed by the dedication to the M.B.A. program as an "education," and not just a stepping stone (something you don't find at H/W/S). And, I know this is so trivial, but it makes a huge difference - they were SUPER organized.

Then we shall modify the rules of this thread. No more talking about the attractiveness of either sex to ensure everyone that pays attention to it feels respected. Glad to hear you enjoyed your time at Darden smadge.