Calling all UVA Darden MBA Applicants: 2020 Intake [Class of 2022]

Welcome all Darden class of 2022 hopefuls. Let's use this platform to know each-other, exchange ideas, discuss app strategies, and some profile discussions may be? Give a shout out!

Darden Application Deadlines, Essay Questions and Analysis

Darden 2020 App Status Tracker | Add your name to the tracker

• Early Action Information

Useful Links :

• Application tips video series by Sarah Neher - https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/adm ... ps-videos/
• Explore Darden grounds (Virtual tour) - https://www.darden.virginia.edu/about/u ... ille/tour/
• Keep yourself updated (Darden Blogs) - https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admissions/
• Housing and Residence Life - https://housing.virginia.edu/graduate-students
• Explore Charlottesville - https://charlottesville.guide

UVA Darden MBA Deadlines

Round	Application Due	Decisions Released
EA	Sep 3, 19	Oct 9, 19
R1	Oct 4, 19	Dec 11, 19
R2	Jan 6, 20	March 18, 20
R3	Apr 6, 20	May 6, 20

Visit Darden discussion thread to meet fellow applicants and join the application discussion.

Darden Essay Questions and Analysis

• Essay 1: Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact. (200 words)
• Essay 2: Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission, and they work best when they are an integral and celebrated part of our community. Read University of Virginia’s Diversity & Inclusion Vision Statement. Share a time in which you engaged with a perspective, identity, community or experience that was different from your own and how it impacted your worldview. (200 words)
• Essay 3: The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship provides all Darden students in our full-time MBA program with an opportunity to participate in a Darden Worldwide Course. If you could choose any location in the world, where would you want to travel, and why? (50 words)
• Essay 4: Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you – personally, professionally, or both? (100 words)
• Essay 5: What is your short-term, post-MBA goal and why? (150 words)

Analysis of Darden Essays By: Personal MBA Coach | myEssayReview | StacyBlackman

Useful Links :

• Application tips video series by Sarah Neher - https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/adm ... ps-videos/
• Explore Darden grounds (Virtual tour) - https://www.darden.virginia.edu/about/u ... ille/tour/
• Keep yourself updated (Darden Blogs) - https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admissions/
• Housing and Residence Life - https://housing.virginia.edu/graduate-students
• Explore Charlottesville - https://charlottesville.guide

Thank you of posting those links aalekhoza. I added then in the first post too so that newcomers could find it easily.

Where are all EA folks? SpiderGuy46, Pianoman90, kiryuken, and other EA applicants: you already started working on your app?
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Want to interview Darden adcom/students?

We are planning to interview Darden Adcom and Current students. Many of the applicants express interest and request feedback from both Admissions Teams and Current students. Many of the admitted students, emphasize the value they have received by networking with current students and by getting the inside scoop. Are you interested to lead this initiative? (I would personally encourage you to, as it will help with learning about the school, get your name out there, and also practice your interviewing skills).

We have done it several times last year – mostly as an online chat. However, we think an email or skype interview would work equally well (as long as someone can share it in a text form). We are happy to make the introductions to current students as well as to the AdCom or you can also reach out to the students you may have already connected.

We have prepared some sample questions that most often are asked but these are very generic and you probably will want to customize them somewhat for your program or your current students you will be interacting with. (Tip: It is always best to ask specific questions rather than something very generic – e.g. instead of asking “What do you think about Darden”, perhaps ask, “What are your thoughts about academics or career services, etc” or even better “How is internship recruiting at Darden for consulting as a Domestic Student?”

If anyone is up for this initiative or any questions, please PM me.

Thanks,
Narenn
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Thanks Narenn for bringing this up.
It would be great to be able to interact with AdCom and current students.
There is also a mock class conducted by Darden in Mumbai.
I would be attending the session.
Is there anyone else planning to attend??

Hi kiryuken,

Yes it's on 20th July. I will attend it. Looking forward to meeting you there.

If it were after last week of July, then there would have been three from the forum.
rohan2345 and kiryuken, do share your experience with us.

Overrepresented applicants, if you are applying EA - which you SHOULD - I would strongly recommend you start working on this application ASAP, especially if you have travel or other obligations that will keep you from it between now and 9/3.

There are so many different areas to cover in the essays - and the fact that the essays are short is more of a hindrance than a help. Review the short answers in the application and make time for those as well.

Also, you have to write your essay for the Battenburg scholarship to be submitted on the deadline date. APPLYING FOR A BATTEN SCHOLARSHIP

Prospective students interested in being considered for these scholarships must submit a supplemental essay as part of the application for Darden's two-year, full-time MBA program. Applicants should develop a 500-word essay that addresses how they meet the criteria of the program, how they would contribute to the Darden community and how the award would further their career ambitions in entrepreneurship, innovation or technology.

If you are moved on to the interview, they do what is called "your story" which is basically you narrating your life story for 20 minutes. This requires a great deal of deep thought, introspection and contemplation. But if you do it well, you stand out.

ITS A TON OF WORK. It requires research. underestimate it at your peril. I do feel it is a worthwhile effort however, especially if you are looking at consulting. I really believe in the case method for hopeful consultants.
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Thank you and appreciate your positive response.

FYI all, kiryuken will be interviewing Darden adcom on behalf of GMAT Club. It will be an email interview. kiryuken is currently working on preparing the question list for this interview. If anyone has any questions they would like to ask, please reply to this post with your questions asap.
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I'll be there. Would be great to interact with all.

Posted from my mobile device

Good luck to all of you for the mock class and info session today. Look forward to reading your experiences.
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I am excited to announce that kiryuken will be the Darden moderator and leading the discussion.

He is applying to Darden and few other schools this year. Darden is ofcourse his top choice and due to his affection towards this great program, he readily agreed to conduct an interview of Darden adcom on bahalf of GMAT Club. We look forward to see new initiatives being taken by him for the prospective Darden applicants.

Anyway, please join me in welcoming the new Darden Class of 2022 moderator!
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Thanks Narenn for such a warm welcome

Coming to the mock class, one of the key focus of the session was on the collaborative learning approach and the case methodology used by Darden. If you are interested to learn more about that, you can visit the Power of the Case Method section of their website.

As mentioned by Narenn, we are organising an interview with Darden adcom soon. So if anyone has any specific query, do reply to this post.

Just wanted to drop a quick note. I am currently enrolled at Darden and will be starting school from next month. I was admitted to multiple business schools last application season and eventually chose Darden due to a combination of fit and scholarship.

I am really grateful to this forum and would love to pay it forward. If you have any questions regarding the essays, interviews etc., specific to Darden, please feel free to post on this forum tagging me or DM me and I'll get back as soon as I can.

Hey Guys!!
For those who were not able to attend the mock class of Darden at Mumbai, here are the key highlights of the event:

• Classroom experience: Darden focuses heavily on classroom participation of students. The case methodology entirely depends on how students engage into lively discussions on the cases. Faculty members play a vital role of enablers. Enthusiasm and high energy are vital for the entire learning experience.
• MBA MSDS Dual Degree: Darden is also offering dual degree program, MBA+MSDS. The application process and deadlines are different that MBA program. Prospective dual degree students will first apply to the Darden School of Business. Once that Darden School of Business application has been submitted, prospective dual degrees will need to complete a separate application to the DSI. For deadlines and further details, please check out the MBA MSDS and MBA/MSDS Degree sites.
• Outdoor activities in Charlottesville: Charlottesville provides abundance of outdoor activities and sports like trekking across Blue Ridge Mountains, River rafting, cycling and so on.
• Darden Partners Association: The Darden Partners Association (DPA) is an inclusive community for spouses, families and significant others of Darden Students. The DPA connects Partners to each other, Darden and the Charlottesville community. Partners have access to Darden resources such as Library, gym and so on. In fact, in some of the cases, partners are allowed to attend the class as well to add their perspective to the classroom.

I hope other attendees can add if I missed out anything.
Thanks!!

Hi Darden,

I plan on applying to Darden in the early action round. As part of the application, we are required to submit GMAT scores. I have two questions pertaining to this section of the application:
1. The application asks for the number of GMAT attempts. Should I include only the tests for which I accepted the scores, or should I include all attempts, including the ones for which I cancelled the score?
2. I had better Quantitative score in a previous attempt but will be applying with an overall score with a lower Quantitative score. How does this bear significance on the overall application, and could you please shed some light on how all reported test scores are evaluated in the purview of the overall application?
3. How do I send the score to Darden? In the application, where we enter test scores, I could not find any link to submit test score or pay for the score to be sent to Darden. Or is it the case that only admitted students have to send the official scores to Darden at a later point in time?

Thanks!
tt

Guys,

We are premiering our interview with one of the current students of Darden.
Please join us to learn more about the school and some insights on application.

Include only the scores that you have accepted.



Did you accept your previous attempt? If so mention this. How they evaluate test scores is something only they can comment.



I find the following on their website. So, Yes, it looks like you only need to send the official scores once you are admitted.


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Quick question for all....it appears that Darden removed their student ambassadors page online. Am I overlooking the page? Or do we need to reach out to students on LinkedIn or some other platform?

One option could be to contact our forum members who got into Darden in recent years. I don't know how many of them are active on forum yet but it doesn't hurt to send PMs to a few of them. Even one of them responds and agrees to talk, it could serve your purpose.

Here is a list of forum members who indicated on their profiles that they are attending UVA Darden.

2019 Intake
dwhitman
saragrace
lam91
mck112
GoalMBA2019
christine98765
wrosen
himanshu04

2018 Intake
kromay
adrianmoral
Twister123
cshector
JGanthier
yatesaj8
Duraith
rodrigoleyva
pingsc
playerone
alexchill
bigo2398
deldrid
CUTiger59
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