Calling all Owen(Vanderbilt) Applicants: (2016 Intake) Class of 2018!!

I went to Discover Weekend this past spring and had an awesome time— I'm in!

Looking forward to help answer any questions that you guys may have as you prepare your application, interviews, and decision! Choosing Owen was difficult at the time, but I will unflinchingly say now that it was the best decision I've made in my life. We're all really passionate about the program and happy to share our experiences.

drivechipputt, What is your opinion on scheduling an on-campus interview vs. waiting to be invited to video interview? This past spring I attended Discover Weekend, met a lot of people, and had a great time in Nashville. If I hadn't already visited Owen, I would definitely schedule an interview trip for this fall. I can't decide whether it's worth another $500 to do a second visit just to interview in person or if I should just wait to receive a video interview invite after I apply.

Thoughts?

I do always think that it's advantageous to make an appearance on campus, but sine you've already done that for Discover Weekend (and I'd really play that up as to when your interest was piqued in Owen) I wouldn't stress about making a second trip out purely for the interview. As long as you demonstrate that you really understand the program, what we're all about, and why you're a great fit, I think you'll be in terrific shape.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the advice!

drivechipputt, how generous is Owen with merit scholarships?

I think I remember the Admissions team saying at Discover Weekend that 1 out of every 10 students was on a full ride scholarship. I imagine that must be one of the highest percentages anywhere.

The below link lists the top 20 B Schools in the US in terms of full rides offered. Owen is nowhere to be seen. So its either that Vanderbilt doesn't divulge its scholarship strategy or the list is bullshit !!

https://www.prepadviser.com/top-business-schools-offering-full-tuition-scholarships/

Soham,
Owen is incredibly generous--among the most across business schools. Nearly 2/3 of students receive scholarship, which is among the most of all business schools, and the average scholarship is ~37%, again a high among top programs. A high GMAT will definitely help your chances, especially for a named scholarship, but you'll want a well-rounded application and a stellar interview.

All that being said, this is an area where you'd be better served talking to the admissions team and conducting your own research; current students won't be as fluent in all of the data. Here's a link to a good Poets and Quants post: https://poetsandquants.com/2014/11/20/mb ... schools/2/

Oh, and yea, that prep advisor link looks like garbage.

Deadlines are out for a while now but still Owen hasn't uploaded 2016 application. I wonder what's taking so long.

Hi drivechipputt,

Congrats on choosing Owen! Could you share your experience of the interview. What type of questions did they ask you, how long was it and who conducted it?

Thanks!

I suppose my best advice for the interview would be...don't overthink it. Most b-school interviews will converge on the same basic themes: why get an MBA now, and why is Vanderbilt the right fit (read: why are you a good fit for us!). There's really no gaming that question; either you see something unique in the program and believe you belong, or you focus your pursuits on the best match for you as a candidate.

With all that said, you'll want to know the character of the program. At ~170/class, we're small, and that's a very important element of our brand. It's how Owen makes the experience very personalized for every student, which isn't just lip service. Personally, I loved that I served on multiple club boards and had a top position in student government, which gave me access to all of the administrators, professors, and distinguished guests (several lunches with Fortune 250 CEOs). We are also in the top handful of programs for health care and human and organizational performance (HR), so if that's your interest, bring it up. Finally, we're in Nashville. And it's amazing!

As far as the mechanics of it, I had the director of admissions (Christie) conduct it and the interview lasted 45 mins. Be prepared for a conversation, and for it to go outside of the conventional "tell me a time when..." direction. We chatted about Brunelleschi's architecture in Florence, baseball, and cooking (all of which you won't find on a standard interview sheet).

*Warning: accurate cliche coming*
Be yourself and have fun!

Owen posted this message on the application login page. That's later than I expected, but good to know:

Thanks a lot for the info drivechipputt! I remember speaking to Christie via email and she came off as a really nice person. I've read up loads about Vanderbilt! Nice to see the interview wasn't really structured when they were talking to you... personally I like that more as it really lets them know who you are and gives you the opportunity to talk about things that interest you. All the best with your MBA and thank you again for responding.

"If you feel like a room without a roof, you're either Pharrell Williams or a Commodore. That's because Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee, recently scored the number one slot in the Princeton Review's ranking of colleges with the happiest students."

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/0 ... 52502.html

Second year in a row at #1.

Anchor Down!

FROM Owen Press Releases: Vanderbilt, top business schools, develop best practices to expand opportunities for women in business

Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management was one of 45 top business schools that visited the White House on August 5.

The application is open! Started mine this week.