Darden 2012 - Calling All Applicants

Rookie question here - It is advisable to send the admissions team members you meet at an information session a follow up thank you email? I think I dropped the ball on that already.

I think it's good if you do send a thank-you email to the admissions committee member whom you met at the reception. But even if you didn't, I don't think it'll kill your chances. The thank-you email is really just for formality and just like anything other part on your application, the whole is bigger than sum of the parts.

Darnit. Oh well. I suppose it is better to have attended an event and not said Thank You than to not have attended an event at all. Thanks for your input.

Definitely. I wouldn't sweat about it. I wholeheartedly do not think this will even matter in the long run.

Thanks. I won't lose any sleep over it. Unlike the essay...which I will probably lose a lot of sleep over.

Look at the bright side, at least there's only one

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Out of curiosity, just pulled out stats from last year's thread...

Last year in R1, 73 GmatClubbers had applied whereas at this point of time the no. stands at only 47 which is just about 65%... I guess anyone seriously interested in applying in R1 would've probably thrown in his / her hat in by now...

Just wondering if fewer people are applying to Darden this year in R1 or is it just that people haven't yet gotten around to update their profiles to indicate that they will be applying...

Hey bakfed and/or Darden,

I'd like to get your input on something.
For the first short answer question:
At Darden, a core part of your academic experience is your participation in and contributions to your learning team. What will you contribute to your team?

Do you think we should focus on the "What" or the "Who?"
By that I mean, do you think we should talk about who we are and how our life experiences will contribute to our learning teams, or would it be better to focus on what we know (e.g. I've been a CPA for the past 4 years and will help my learning team through the tough cases that involve accounting best practices)?

Thanks to ya both!

So I think personally either one is fine, as long as you can make it sound great. As for me, I've put down, more or less, a combination of the two. I definitely talked about my capabilities that can contribute directly to the classroom discussion and my learning team, as well as the "who" part, which is a bit more ambiguous because it's not something that's quantitative (talking about how confident you are or how much you love dogs aren't something easily quantifiable). However, I do think the "who" part of the equation is extremely important because it shows another side of the person. Afterall, all the interview questions, whether it's from Darden, from Fuqua, from future employers when you're in b-school, will consist of several behavioral questions, which will further assess the "who" part. The quantifiable portion is important, no doubt about it, but I would also put down the more humane side as well. Sorry for the long-winded answer.

And of course, this is my own personal opinion, which may not be a reflection of how Darden views the applications.

@ all members of the Darden 2012 thread +bakfed+darden

The first essay question : Perspective of leadership at WORKPLACE and how globalization has shaped it.

I am really confused about the actual context of the word "WORKPLACE"?

Context 1 :
What leadership means to me at my workplace i.e. me as a leader facing the actual day to day effects of globalization in my industry, my way of work etc.

Context 2 :
How I see leadership at workplace, in general. i.e. not specifically at my workplace, however in general what leadership should be like at workplace- in today`s globalized world

Would really appreciate if someone could elaborate or give his/her personal opinion on this.

I think you're going to have to do both. It's hard to "share your perspective on leadership in the workplace and describe how it has been shaped by the increasing influence of globalization" without relating some of your perosnal experiences (at your workplace) AND tying in external context (showing that you're well versed in trends related to the "generic" global workplace). Without the personal experiences, your essay can become detached, dispassionate or academic. Without relevant context outside of your workplace, your essay can be perceived as myopic.

Anyone else have thoughts?

When I spoke to an admissions officer at an information session she indicated that what they really want to hear are one or two stories that are representative of your best career experience. She said that their best case scenario is to read an essay and then think "dang, we gotta get this person in here for an interview to learn more about them." (obvious paraphrase)
So I think whether you discuss leadership in your workplace versus the workplace is secondary to how well you tie in your personal experiences. I think if you can make a reference to your career goals and then tie it back to "Why Darden" you'll have yourself a nice little essay. Easier said than done, of course. That's just my opinion though, so please regard it as such.

I was really hoping you weren't going to say "both."
That makes sense though. If I only talk about my practical business knowledge, then I would risk seeming one dimensional. Similarly, if I only talked about the kind of person that I am and failed to even mention my relevant professional experience, it might seem a little strange.

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In the Darden Application, there are 2 questions that ask about your extracurriculars - one for your ECs in school, and one for your ECs after graduation.

To what level of detail are you expected to go in these questions? I would obviously like to wax poetic about it, since I was/am actively involved with a few organizations (and my responsibilities went far beyond my designation in some cases), but since Darden seems to be pretty big on keeping everything concise, would this be frowned upon?

Are they just expecting an 'the organization name, your role, elected office held, and dates of participation'? (quoting from the question)

I really do think this is it, that whatever it's asking, just answer it truthfully and concisely. If it's a well-known organization (e.g. big brother big sister, soup kitchen), chances are adcoms will know about it and need not elaborate too much. If it's not, you may want to explain it a bit.

Is there a character limit? If so, feel free to use it all up. If not, I would just try to be as concise as possible, but definitely don't leave out juicy details (in other words, don't sell yourself short). On the flip side, don't write yet another essay explaining your ECs.

Hi Bakfed,

Is it necessary to show involvement to an prganization. I have not been a part of any organization outside my work but am a musician who performs shows with his band in hotels .. Does Darden value that kind of involvement?
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Yes, I believe so. I wouldn't worry too much about not being involved with organizations outside of work. AdComs completely understand that it's quite impossible to always be involved, especially for bankers and consultants (mainly because the # of hours they work). However, think about it this way - if one person works a very regular 8-to-5 job, 40 hours a week, and for the past 5 years, did not get involved with any organizations, and compare that to a person who has the same type of job, but had been contributing to his community for 4 years straight, who's the adcom going to pick if all else equals? So think in terms like that. If you haven't done anything, I wouldn't necessarily rule yourself out. But any uniqueness about yourself should be stated. If performing is your talent and passion, and that's what you dedicated your "off" time to, by all means, showcase that! But be prepared to explain it in interview, as well as be prepare to have prove when asked for.