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Nov 2007:30 AM PST
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Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
20 Oct 2020, 05:57
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Welcome, all UCR class of 2023 hopefuls. Let's use this platform to know each other, exchange ideas, discuss application strategies maybe?
UCR Business Decision Tracker & Historical Admit Data | Add UCR Business to your profile
UCR Business Decision Tracker & Historical Admit Data | Add UCR Business to your profile
Archived 'Calling All UCR Applicants' Topic
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20 Oct 2020, 06:24
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UC Riverside is going live in MBA Spotlight at 10 AM Pacific. The session will be 50 minutes long with live Q&A.
03 Apr 2021, 01:58
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The following is the transcript of the live chat session with Tamra from the UC Riverside admissions committee and David, a current student.
Question: What quality do you value most in an applicant?
Tamra: Great question. We look at an individual in a very holistic approach. We look at your scores (GPA/GMAT), letter of reference, any work experience. We will look very closely at your statement of purpose. So make it a strong statement. If you have extracurricular leadership activities those look very good. In other words, what do you bring to the classroom? We want to know all of that.
Question: What is the difference between Full-time MBA and Professional MBA, with respect to international students? How will it impact the H1B visa status?
Tamra: Our MBA and PMBA are twin programs - same professors, curriculum and even degree. What makes them different is the PMBA is a more score friendly program. Both are STEM-designated for international students will receive up to 3 years of OPT.
Question: Will gre and gmat have the same weightage?
Tamra: ll take your GRE score and convert it to a GMAT score. Taking either is fine.
Question: Tamra, do you use the ETS score converter or any other tool?
Tamra: We do, in fact, use the ETS score converter.
Question: Hello everyone! It would be greatly appreciated if you could tell us about the competitive GMAT score to apply for AGSM’s MBA or M. Fin program.
Tamra: Our average GMAT score is 612 right now; however, we are making the GMAT test-optional for fall 2021. In saying this though, we are giving very good scholarships to individuals to have taken the GMAT and who have scored in the high 600’s. If you don’t take the GMAT, it will not prohibit you from receiving a scholarship though.
Question: Speaking of scholarships, I was wondering how much of the tuition one may expect as scholarships with a high GMAT score and/ or with excellent academic records?
Tamra: In regards to scholarships, we look at everything before considering the amount. However, someone that has a high 600 or even 700’s and is a good candidate in all other areas can expect a VERY good scholarship. I will work with you and the committee.
Question: A question for David maybe: Anything you would like to mention about the culture of the school? Are there any community clubs(technical non-technical) wherein an international student can enrol and enhance more skills?
David: Great question! I’d be more than happy to answer. The campus culture at UCR is perhaps one of the most alluring elements of UCR. We have a diverse and vibrant student body and faculty/staff, with folks always being more than willing to help support and nurture you in your academic success. There is a PLETHORA of different clubs and organizations that domestic and international students alike can join and grow a lot, both academically and professionally. Some of these include professional Business fraternities as well as specialized business clubs such as the Hylander Financial Group and American Marketing Association. And for all other kinds of support, we have a dedicated Office of International Affairs on campus which is staffed with employees who are always ready to support you in your education abroad.
Question: Is there an influx of admissions and deferrals for this year? Any comments?
Tamra: I was quite surprised at the number of applicants for the current year. And we are seeing the same trend for fall 2021. We have had more than triple the number of applicants, so competition is very tight. We did allow deferrals for this current year, but will not be allowing deferrals for fall 2021 applicants because we will be back in person.
Question: What would be the impact of deferrals on admits for 2021?
Tamra: We don’t see any impact from deferrals for fall 2021 admits. We are making sure class sizes still remain the same so will be offering more.
Question: Will it be a problem if the recommender couldn’t give the recommendation due to any kind of problem.
Tamra: We only require ONE recommender, so choose wisely.
Question: A question from the signup form: How does an F-grade affect the application? Reason - compulsory course and lack of interest. Overall GPA - 3.0
Tamra: It depends on what class you received the F in and if it is a class that would be beneficial for the degree you are applying for. For instance, if you are looking for a Master of Finance program and received an F in a finance class, that could affect your acceptance. However, if it is an F in a class that isn’t really relevant it wouldn’t affect it much.
Question: For anyone who has completed a graduate degree, Is it compulsory to submit a reference from someone from that degree? VS a recommender from the professional front?
Tamra: Yes, if you already have a masters degree you will need at least one letter from someone in your graduate program. This can be your ONE or you can provide two.
Question: David, can you tell us how COVID has affected the current Fall class? How do you think it will affect incoming Fall classes?
David: Honestly, UCR has done a phenomenal job of transitioning all available courses on campus into a remote format, and in a very short turnaround. Quite frankly, remote instruction has had a tangible impact on the MBA experience-- but even then, the resilience of the student body and willingness of the AGSM staff to facilitate a positive learning experience despite our circumstances has made all the difference. For example, we still have a wide variety of academic and professional development workshops and events that occur virtually, our cohorts get together on Zoom to do homework or study for exams, and through various messaging applications, we have gotten the chance to get familiar with our classmates. As for Fall 2021, UCR is planning to be back on campus for in-person instruction! Now, the extent to which that will be occurring has yet to be determined-- however, graduate classes will likely be almost entirely in-person, due to the fact that our smaller class sizes as compared to undergraduate courses are easier to accommodate in-person. Then again, we are still waiting for updates as time goes on to truly assess the extent to which we will be on campus for Fall 2021. I’m super excited to be returning to campus and meet all of my peers in person!
Question: What are the plans for delivering curriculum for this coming Fall and Spring?
Tamra: Our Chancellor has committed we will be 75-80% in person. To me, this means our smaller class sizes will be in person and larger (undergraduate core classes) will be virtual. But we don’t necessarily know what all this means. It could mean in person one day a week and virtual one day a week, but our campus and the entire UC system is committed to getting students back on campus. The vaccine is readily available (I’ve already had both dosages) and we expect this to continue for students as well. I can’t wait to get back in person and see everyone!
Question: What are the points/ elements we should include in having a compelling statement of purpose?
Tamra: In regards to your statement of purpose...tell us a story. Help us get to know YOU. How did you get where you are now (any challenges, anything that stands out), what do you want to do with your master's degree, what do you bring to the class? I will say those who have a fantastic opening paragraph that is compelling and makes me want to continue reading are worth their weight in gold!
Question: Did the online setting had an impact on networking?
David: To a certain extent, it did-- at least in regards to the absence of a human connection. But like I mentioned, there are still plenty of events organized by AGSM as well as AGSM’s very own Career Development Center, which offers various networking opportunities-- including the opportunity to interact with fellow students, alumni and even Business professionals. In fact, today the Career Development Center is hosting a Graduate Student Networking Event, in order to give us as MBA students another chance to network with one another and get to know our peers. UCR and AGSM have definitely done everything in their power to ensure that we still get the chance to expand our networks and meet new people, as it is such a crucial part of pursuing an MBA.
Question: Is there any age limit for MBA admission?
Tamra: We do not have an age limit! And honestly, I think that is amazing. We have a very diverse student population from ethnicity, gender, undergraduate major, work experience and age. Everyone brings something different to the classroom! I personally didn’t finish my graduate degree until I turned 50. Trust me I brought something much different to the class than someone fresh out of their undergraduate study.
Question: Of course Covid 19 has had a great impact on job opportunities across the globe, What plans does UCR have in their arsenal to help students secure employment post MBA, considering the H1B limit of 3 months post-graduation. As most of them carry heavy financial burdens with respect to educational loans and are worried about future prospects.
Tamra: This is a GREAT question and to be very honest COVID 19 was NOT our friend at all. It was difficult for students to get jobs, but....and this is a big BUT....things are changing. We are seeing job opportunities opening up for our students. In addition, we just hired a fantastic director of our graduate career development centre who is on top of her game. She is working diligently with employers, holding workshops for students to network and learn how to get themselves in front of employers, she is going to be a game-changer for us!
Question: Is MBA stem credited
Tamra: Yes, all of our graduate business programs are STEM-designated!
Question: What are the points/ elements we should include in having a compelling statement of purpose?
David: From a student perspective, I would say that you should really do what you can to have your voice stand out in the statement of purpose. The Admissions readers want to get to know YOU and all of the things that make you a great candidate for the program in which you are interested. We all have had trials and tribulations that have strengthened us and made us qualified for these kinds of opportunities-- so leverage that!
Question: Do you consider family business as full-time experience after doing undergrad?
Tamra: Yes we absolutely do. You are gaining valuable experience in any type of job you hold!
Question: What would the ad-com weigh the most for someone who has applied without a Test score. Can you please rank it from top to bottom- Academics, SOP, Personal History Essay, Resume, LORs. and what is most impactful in scholarship decisions?
Tamra: We would weigh the GPA the heaviest; however, we truly do look at it all and take it ALL into consideration for the scholarship. Through my interviewing of a student and getting to know them personally we gave a VERY good scholarship, even though their GPA was only a 3.0!
Question: From the signup form: What proportion of the cohort receives a grant/scholarship?
Tamra: This year 90% of our students received some form of scholarship! The average was 20%.
Question: Most of the GMAT test centres are open now and the test is available online as well. For those of us who have been unable to take the GMAT may scores be submitted after the deadline? Do you provide conditional acceptance or scholarships on the basis of the GMAT score a prospective candidate can bring in to overcome his low academics?
Tamra: Great question. If you know you are going to be taking the GMAT after you submit it, please let us know the date. We will wait until after your test date for admission and scholarship decision. It is best to submit earlier rather than later and give us the test date. We do not provide conditional acceptance; however, if you get accepted and then take the GMAT later, please let us know because you could be considered for an additional scholarship at that point.
Question: David, Do you think it is possible to come into the program with a specific career path in mind, but later switch, such as from marketing to investment banking for example?
David: Absolutely! In fact, that is what the core classes during the first year of the MBA program are for. They give students a taste of most aspects of Business so that by the time it comes to declare a concentration, students can feel more certain about the career paths which they will settle on. However, it is important to determine this by the end of your first year in the program, in order to begin taking the necessary concentration and elective courses in order to receive a specialization on your degree for your desired career path. By the way-- I strongly encourage folks to pursue internships during their MBA education! Internships are a wonderful opportunity for you to get hands-on experience in various career fields, and determine what you do and don’t want to do as a career path. And once again, our wonderful Career Development Center at AGSM has PLENTY of resources available to MBA students to help them find internships, explore career paths, network with professionals, etc.
Question: I’d like to know if someone who has scored a low GPA but has compensated that with a great academic score in a masters program with respect to the same stream, Does he/she stand a better chance?
Tamra: Yes absolutely. We will look at that master's program scores for consideration in both admission and scholarship. We just did it this week and gave a nice scholarship.
Question: Is there a significant difference with respect to admission and scholarships for those who have applied in R1 Vs those who have applied in R3. Also, How do you treat reapplicants? Any tips or feedback you can provide them?
Tamra: I will be honest there is a difference in scholarship for R1 and R3; however, we still give scholarships but do consider those who submitted in R1 for higher amounts. In regards to reapplicants....we know this past year was a tough one and some people just decided it wasn’t the right time, so we don’t hold any of that against the applicant. Maybe in your SOP say why didn’t join the first time you were admitted. Know we all understand this past year wasn’t typical and many factors went into why individuals did not join our program at that time.
Question: Can you tell us how has the school assisted the students in internships during the pandemic?
David: There is a resource available to all UCR students called Handshake, which is an online platform for career and professional development. It is sort of a hybrid between LinkedIn and Indeed. Besides the ability to search for jobs and internships on the search engine, our Career Development Center has a curated page on Handshake which features listings for various job and internship opportunities for Business students and MBA students, since we have recruiters contacting our school all the time in order to get students to work with their companies. On top of that, you can schedule appointments with the Career Advisors at the Career Development Center so that they can provide you with resume critiques, mock interviews, and general career and professional advice in order to aid you in your internship search! On top of that, the curated page from the CDC has all sorts of resources available, such as Resume Templates, Interview Practice questions, as well as a software called StandOut, which is a mock interview program. Essentially, you can record yourself answering different interview questions, and then review them to see how you did. It’s a great way to practice for interviews because you can make sure that you’re prepared for all kinds of internship opportunities and job interviews once you start getting offers to interview.
Question: Which mistakes do applicants do in their applications?
Tamra: Only doing a one or two paragraph SOP. Not telling that story. Those show the student isn’t looking at the details.
Question: For the students who have got admitted without scholarships, What other forms of financial aid do you offer? Can you brief us about the opportunities in Teaching Assistantships Or Research Assistantships? How competitive can it get? and what are the on-campus job opportunities for students willing to work part-time?
Tamra: We offer teaching assistant positions to 2nd year MBA students. This would provide an additional $39,000 in your second year. You apply during your first year. In your first year, you can be a reader for a professor or graduate student worker on campus, these are all paid on an hourly basis. There are quite a few on-campus jobs students can apply for. I always say the student who wants the job will get it if they are persistent.
David: Thank you, everyone, I had a great time answering your questions today. I hope that you will all take the time to apply to our wonderful MBA programs at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management. I am a Teaching Assistant with the School of Business and have to teach a class starting at 9, so I will be leaving you all now. By the way, you can connect with me later through the UCR forum. Thanks again, and good luck!
David
Question: Also do you provide financial aid to students who chose to live on campus
Tamra: So you know...David is a first-year MBA student, but due to a student needing to quit their TAship this quarter, he was asked to take it. David is active with our staff and we know him, so when this opportunity arose he was asked first. It is always great to get to know the staff and faculty and be connected. The more we know you the more we can help!
Question: Any aspect of the profile which is given more importance?
Tamra: Honestly not really. We truly do look at each applicant individually and in a very holistic approach.
Tamra: Thank you everyone for joining today! You can always connect with UCR on our UCR School of Business forum page. We look forward to seeing many of you apply to one of our graduate programs. I will be happy to give anyone who joined today an application fee waiver! Please make sure you joined this session when reaching out to me. tamra.johnson@ucr.edu
