No nothing yet!

Just had my interview, thought I'd share my notes - I got quite a few more questions that I was prepared for (had heard it was just "tell me about yourself" type of deal.) but nothing too difficult. We started with why I picked my major, my first internship out of college, why I picked my career path (I'm a non-traditional applicant - work in politics), specific examples of when I've shown leadership, what type of skills I feel I've developed, and what skills I want to develop with an MBA.

Maybe I got more than most because I am a non-traditional applicant, but my impression is that there are people in politics and policy at Darden, so I was surprised. But all in all, it was a good experience - very relaxed. The interview went an hour and 10 minutes- not sure if that's a good sign or not.

I'm not sure how helpful this is, but I figure sharing my experience may help some of you since it's a story of hope . I was accepted last year off the wait list, and was granted a deferral due to some serious family illness issues, so will be attending this year!

I applied R2 through the Consortium to Darden, with an average GRE score/GPA and a background in marketing for small, technology start-ups in solar and biotechnology in San Francisco. I got an interview invite in mid-February of last year. During the interview, I had major technical issues with my Skype interview - and ended up having to do it over the phone with a current student. It went pretty well, but I was fairly frazzled and felt I could have done better overall. Afterwards, after many stressful weeks I found out I was waitlisted.

Now, the first thing I did with this information was frantically google anything and everything there was to know about waitlists. It seemed bleak at first, but I was determined to give it all I had and requested an application evaluation from the admissions staff in April. I was surprised to find that the Darden staff were some of the nicest, most helpful admissions representatives I have had the pleasure to know. They walked me through things I could improve upon, and things that I did not reiterate as well as I could have in my interview (why specifically Darden, why the case method). Once I got off that call, I wrote a short email re-iterating my interest and explaining some of those points to better clarify why Darden is my top choice.

Long story short, I eventually got the call! I could not have gotten in if I had not taken the extra steps in the waitlist process. I hope this helps anyone that might be losing hope, MBA admissions can feel like such a luck of the draw process, but sometimes persistence pays off.

Good luck everyone!

Some info for everyone that may ease some anxiety but prolong the waiting. A friend of mine is a 1st year at Darden. I spoke with him last night to discuss my concern that I hadn't yet heard from Darden about an interview and how I assumed that it wasn't coming and that Feb. 28th was the ding day.

In fact that doesn't seem to be the case. He said they offer interviews up until the last day before decisions are released-- they do some Skype interviews at the end. The real takeaway is that they offer interviews throughout March as well as this month.

So, don't lose hope!

For those interviewing on campus, has anyone stayed at the Inn at Darden, or is it better to be off campus to get some perspective of Charlottesville?

Inn at Darden seems to be a good option. i was not aware of the prospective student rate, so I opted for the Cavalier's Inn, but the Inn at Darden is way more convenient. Nightlife for Darden students is mainly at "the Corner", that is a 20min stroll or $10 cab ride away... Not sure which hotels are closer to that, but I would prefer the sort distance in the morning.

I lived in Charlottesville for a few years, so here's my take. Inn at Darden is an obvious walk, but there is nothing really around there. Cavalier is between Darden and the Corner. However, if you stay at the Red Roof or the Hampton Inn, you'll be close to the corner & some great restaurants (which Charlottesville is known for)...and it's a quick cab to Darden. I recommend the latter. If anyone wants any particular advice on the area, feel free to ask.

The Inn at Darden is very convenient for getting to your interview, but unless you have a car the trip will feel pretty secluded. If you're just getting there the day/night before your interview and plan to stay in your room and prep, it's a fine choice. There is a zipcar at Darden you can use to run out to grab food (if you're a member). I did this for my interview, but in hindsight I wish I stayed somewhere in town.

If you're staying longer, or want to get a better feel for CVille, I'd say stay somewhere in town. If you have a car, any of the hotels on Emmet St and that are are great options. I just recently did this on a second trip down. If you don't have a car, I'd probably stay more in the downtown mall or corner area and use a cab for getting back and forth. I'd probably recommend the car route either way just because you'll be able to better explore CVille on your own and see what it offers.

No invite yet. Pretty much the end of road, I guess !!

FROM Darden Admissions Blog: Round 2 Admissions Updates: Interviews and Class Visits

As February draws to a close, we would like to give you a few admissions-related updates. Darden continues to invite selected Round 2 applicants to interview on and off Grounds. Applicants can receive an invitation to interview at any time up until the decision release date of 25 March. As a reminder, your application status will not be updated until 25 March, when you will be able to view your decision on your application status page. Due to the spring break and exam schedule, there will not be any full-time MBA class visits available in March. Class visits will resume in April, and registration for those will be open in late March. All admitted students will be invited to attend Darden Days on 11-12 April. This event will include a mock class taught by members of Darden’s highly acclaimed faculty. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application, we encourage you to email us at darden@virginia.edu.

Thanks, all - very helpful! I will have a car, but am totally new to Charlottesville, so I'd love to get a feel for the place and not just see UVA. I'll aim for something near the Corner. You mention it's known for great restaurants - any places we should try in particular? We're coming from Portland, OR and we love good beer and good food. Thanks!

Happy to help. I would recommend heading toward the downtown mall (no, this is not a shopping mall, it's more of an open boardwalk) for your best food options. I really enjoy Bang!, which is an Asian-tapas fusion place, and Ten, which is a sushi place right on the mall. If you've got some time and feel like exploring, Devil's Backbone and Blue Mountain Brewery are a ~30 minute drive from Charlottesville, and both have fantastic microbrews and a great food menu. Likewise, there are plenty of great vineyards out in the same area. There is also a new microbrew place called Three Notch'd that has a pretty decent IPA. This is a few blocks off of Main St (between the Corner and the downtown mall), but is about a 15 minute walk from the Red Roof. Overall, there are some great good places from the Corner, through Main St, and on to the Downtown Mall. If you have anything/food type in particular you are looking for, let me know, but you really can't go wrong.

If you've been interview or invited to interview at Darden during R2 and have NOT YET updated your status in your applicant profile here on GMAT Club, please do so. It helps us get a sense of whether any remaining invites are set to come out based on the pattern that has held in prior years.

Thank you!

Hang in there guys:

So does anyone know if there are still on-campus interviews in March (for domestic students) even with no class visits? My significant other is a current student at UVa and I was really hoping I'd get to do an on-campus interview with the added bonus of a visit.

I just checked the interview schedule and it looks like currently there are just a couple dates left. 2/28 and 3/3. That being said, those dates weren't initially available when I signed up for my interview, so I am sure if they needed to, they would make more dates available. Good luck!
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Im thinking its pretty much done with the invites, looking at the last two years boards - it was pretty much over last week of Feb for '12 and '13. I know what Darden just posted; but, the track record and the stats on the front page dont look too promising. Plus, someone mentioned the Deadline for round 1 applicants to submit there deposits last week (Friday) - I would think by the beginning of the week, they would have had a solid number and the final interview spots would have gone out to be scheduled.

Maybe and hopefully, I will be proven wrong...but its been way to quiet for ~ a week now.

Round 1 interviews were able to occur on campus after classes had been suspended for winter break, so I imagine that the same would be true for spring.

I'm wrapping up my waitlist update for Darden. Do any of you have any advice for what to include/exclude, length, tone, etc.? Thanks!

FROM Darden Admissions Blog: Love is Love: Promoting Equality and Inclusion in Business

“Love is Love” is an annual series of events that the University of Virginia and Darden host each year. Its purpose is to promote equality and inclusion, particularly among the LGBT community in business. 2014 “Love is Love” Darden community photo This year, the Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Darden (GLAD)  student club hosted several events throughout February that included: A workshop for students, faculty and staff interested in creating a supportive environment for LGBT professionals in and out of the workplace Movie screenings hosted by Darden professors Yael Grushka-Cockayne and Peter Rodriguez Drag show brunch at Fellini’s #9, a local Charlottesville restaurant Watch the video below to learn more about GLAD and Darden’s inclusive community: Video: 2013 “Love is Love” Event at Darden