Harriet: Hello everyone and Happy Holidays! This is Harriet Barnett, MBA Admissions Advisor. I am going to be in the second chat room with Katelyn. Alexis: Alexis: Hello! My name is Alexis and I work in the MBA Admissions Office at MIT Sloan. Looking forward to answering your questions this morning. SGuptac8b7d3: Hi Harriet...hi Alexis...good morning to both of you VSinhade5cae: Very good morning Alex and Harriet rmajmudar_mit: Good morning Harriet and Alexis! JNovackfce6ee: Good morning everyone! VSinhade5cae: Good 'ol multi-taskin from my office in Connecticut TerrenceYe: morning, Harriet and Alexis EWinckcb8e52: Hello, everybody! I'm from Porto Alegre, Brazil. vijayahir: hello Harriet/Alexis.. vkaushik21: Good morning Harriet and Alexis.. Thanks for taking out time for our questions. RMuranoca5bf5: Good morning from sunny Revere Beach EWinckcb8e52: Can we start to ask? Angel Navedo: Good morning everyone! I am Angel Navedo, Associate Director of Admissions at the MIT sloan School. It is our pleasure to welcome you to today's chat. vipc5338c: Good morning Alexis and Harriet pramod439: hi can we start to ask vipc5338c: Good morning Angel Sandhir: Thanks Angel Angel Navedo: Let's get started. We will do our best to answer as many questoins as we can, but we will not be able to get to all of your questions. vkontos: My first question is: In the application we are asked to provide our grade for Calculus and Microeconomics. I had these credits transfered for bachelor degree as I had completed A Level University of London Economics and Math. The grade showing in my transcript is T. Should I just write that on the application? It does not allow for an explication.Also does this affect for our application or is it to determine whether we will have to take additional classes if we get accepted? VSinhade5cae: Very good morning Angel Sandhir: may we start? Alexis: Yes- go aheaad Angel Navedo: First question from vkontos. vkontos: Thank you :) Angel Navedo: Yes, please write those grades on the application. This question is posed so that we may determine, if admitted, whether or not you will need extra classes in the summer. Thanks. SWehbe2f4640: What is the reach of the school's alumni network? Specifically with respect to Sloan? vip20f8f0: I have a similar question. I've gone through three Calculus courses and four Microeconomics courses. Do I average them, post the grades for the first of each? juaniaqp: Hello! I have a question; I have worked for the same employer, but in different positions. Do I have to fill only one Employment Information, and put my current position? Or do I have to fill one Employment Information for every position I held in the same institution? Angel Navedo: Question from juaniaqp... Alexis: Question about the alumni network at MIT Sloan JNovackfce6ee: Related to vkontos' question, I took only Calculus 3 at the college level (Calculus 1 and 2 were taken in high school). Which grade would you like to see on the application? Alexis: My husband is in the program (he is a 2nd year) and he has been very pleased with Sloan's Alumni Network Internationally Angel Navedo: You should include your current position on the application, but your resume should include all of your work history. Thanks. juaniaqp: Thanks Angel! juaniaqp: Please, I have another question; I took a course, after I graduated from College, that lasted 4 months (more than 480 hours), which was given by the institution where I work, in partnership with three universities, and I have my diploma and transcripts. Do I have to put this education as a new additional degree and upload the documents? I also have my CFA Charterholder diploma, do I have to include this education as additional degree, do I have to upload the Diploma? pramod439: Can i proviide the recommendation from my colleague in my application? SWehbe2f4640: Thank you, Alexis. vipd76a0d: Hi can you elaborate on the interview invites for R1 candidates. How many remaining etc? Angel Navedo: Jnovack, we want to see the basic level Calculus I grade. thanks. rmajmudar_mit: Question: If we have an interesting background (e.g. lived in multiple countries) would you recommend we include that in the cover later, even if it hasn't had an impact on others? Or is there a more appropriate place for that kind of thing? Sandhir: My undergraduation GPA is low...however, I am very much academically inclined. Was able to score only 690 on GMAT Will my work experience in Intellectual Property help? - I think my work experience in Intellectual Property does reflect that I have sufficient intellectual capabilities to handle the course work. Analyzing patents requires a lot of mental efforts, the need to pay attention to minute details, and the ability to interpret the claim language from various (legal) perspective. Also, I was chosen as the Coordinator for APOGEE (CSA) because of the several projects I had worked on. Proba sanka: Can applicants provide more than the requested two letters of recommendation? tzach_r: Hi, I am an Israeli applicant, applied R1. I heard some Israelis got an interview invitation in Tel Aviv, but I have not received anything yet. Will you be sending more interview invitations in Tel Aviv? Thanks! JNovackfce6ee: Thank you, Angel vkontos: When do you call for interviews? How many days does someone have to prepare for an interview? (i am reffering to the Jan4 deadline for applications) SWehbe2f4640: What employers recruit from the program on a regular basis? Alexis: Yes- Interviews will continue to be sent out through the end of the deadline- January 31sr Angel Navedo: juaniqp, you need to include transcripts for any institution from which you received a degree. thanks. vip4b02ed: Hi - with regards to the interview, should answers for interview questions also be based on experiences taken from the past three years (as per the essay instructions) or can we go further back? rmajmudar_mit: If we have an interesting background (e.g. lived in multiple countries) would you recommend we include that in the cover later, even if it hasn't had an impact on others? Or is there a more appropriate place for that kind of thing? vipb9cb9a: Hi Angel, vkaushik21: Hi, do you have tentative date for interview invites for Texas? I believe they get sent out on zone basis. sanka: Is 79% (out of 100) as a 4-year undergrad low enough to warrant an explanatory note using the optional essay? fcosorio: I have a question regarding my GPA from college...due to my young age (16) and not being able to speak and undertand English very well, I did poorly both freshman and sophomore year. However, both junior and senior year were excelent. Should I still apply? I have a really good GMAT score... vip97697a: Good Morning. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. This is Russ from Detroit. One of my letters of recommendation is from a gentlemen who knows me very well; however, I have not worked with him in just over a year (I rotated departments). Will this hurt my application? My other letter of rec is from my current supervisor. Alexis: rmajmudar_mit- It is fine to include that in the cover letter if it is important to you rmajmudar_mit: Thanks Alexis SKimf984dd: Hi I have Master of Science in business administration in seoul national university. However, this is totally different course from global MBA. Would it be disadvantage to hold MS in business? JLiubb9d36: CV/Resume: I understand the essays, recommenders, and GMAT score are of the utmost importance.However, with regards to the restricted (for a reason!) 50-line, are there "general templates or web-links" that MIT prefer to see? 50-lines is rather restrictive (for a reason!), and would like some tips and guidance so that I can make your lives easier! vip125aa3: Angel/Alexis, I am 33 years old, and I have worked in China 3+ years and UK 6+ years in high-tech area. MIT Sloan requests older applicant to demonstrate better career progress than peers. Majority of my previous colleagues in China are now director or managers in leading companies. I am a system engineer for product solution, customer RFx and algorithms definition, based in London for a UK company. Compared to my peers in China, I have better international experience and top-notch professional expertise, but not a formal management title. In my case, what qualities I should demonstrate or highlight in my application to prove I progress better vip125aa3: Is my age an disadvantage? pramod439: Hi i am indian applicant, i had a low score in my undergrad from a top College india.Also i am expecting a gud GMAT score of 740+.Does a gud GMAT score can compensate my low undergrad score in consideration of my candidature by admission team? yishizuka: Hello from Osaka, Japan. MIT's application seems unique in that it asks its applicants to write a cover letter and behavioral essays as well as to conduct a behavioral interview. What policy or belief do these types of application reflect? sanka: Are Canadian students viewed separately from U.S. applicants in terms of admission buckets? Alexis: Applicants cannot provide more than 2 recommendations RPuthenveettild240d5: could you briefly explain the process once we submit the application Angel Navedo: Sandhir, regarding grades and GMAT, we do not look at these scores in isolation and will look at many factors to assess your academic abilities. Thanks. Alexis: Age is not a disadvantage ronak: How do additional credentials affect your probability of entering the program. I have a background in engineering and will be optaining my Professionals (P.Eng) soon. griyen: is mit the place for finance major Angel Navedo: We are getting a lot of questions regarding interviews, so let me speak to that in a second... pramod439: Hi i am indian applicant, i had a low score in my undergrad from a top College india.Also i am expecting a gud GMAT score of 740+.Does a gud GMAT score can compensate my low undergrad score in consideration of my candidature by admission team? Alexis: MIT is a great place for people in Finance Sandhir: Can i avail an opportunity to work with the technology transfer office while pursuing MBA? fcosorio: I have a question regarding my GPA from college...due to my young age (16) and not being able to speak and undertand English very well, I did poorly both freshman and sophomore year. However, both junior and senior year were excelent. Should I still apply? I have a really good GMAT score... Angel Navedo: If you are a round one applicant, we are sending invitatoins for interviews through January 31... Angel Navedo: We do interview off campus and tend to send invitations by region, but if you were not invited and interviews happened in your city this does not necessarily mean you will not be invited for an interview in the coming weeks. Angel Navedo: For round two, we will be sending interview invitations starting in mid February. thanks. round1applicant: Angel, what exactly are you looking for in the interview? I've known people that were granted interviews at Sloan, thought they did well and got rejected...and also people who interviewed, thought they did poorly and got admitted. What is it that you are looking to assess in the interview? bkrokad: When I filled out the R1 application, I self-reported the GMAT score, do I need to officially report them now (waiting for an interview invite)? ulzysaihan: I am from Mongolia, Asia and my undergraduate institution is local university. How does one's undergraduate institute affect during admission? How important is it? ZHu1a276c: Hello, I have one question. I am the R1 applicant from Shanghai and just saw that the interviews invitations were sent out on Monday. So does it mean that there is no hope at all for people who did receive such invitation? Sandhir: Does having work experience in Intellectual Property domain reflect to the admission committee that the candidate has sufficient intellectual capabilities to handle the corse work? pramod439: Hi i am indian applicant, i had a low score in my undergrad from a top College india.Also i am expecting a gud GMAT score of 740+.Does a gud GMAT score can compensate my low undergrad score in consideration of my candidature by admission team?Also i have a work experience of 5 yrs in infrastructure development! JNovackfce6ee: I work in a matrix organization. Would you prefer to see a letter of recommendation from my vertical manager (who is responsible for assigning me to programs) or from my project leads (who work with me on a daily basis in small teams)? vipc5338c: Hi Angel / Alexis - do you have any advice on common pitfalls for candidates at the interview stage to avoid? vipb9cb9a: Hello Angel. Do you translate the university degree grade to a GPA? If yes can you please advice what is the corresponding GPA grade for a 2.1 and 1st degree from a UK university? Also do you look at the percentage score? Thank you danielrudewicz: Can you please provide more insight into the numeric ranking of applicants. More specifically what are some of the characteristics (besides GPA, GMAT and work history) that are scored? Angel Navedo: In interviews, we do ask that examples be recent but we do not require them to be in the last three years. thanks. rmajmudar_mit: If I have a transcript from an exchange semester abroad, which uses the same scoring scale as my primary institution but a lot tougher to get higher grades, do I need to explicitly call this out in the optional essay? It is bringing my GPA down but not really an apples to apples comparison samuelbburke: If you are not going to be offered an interview, when will you find out? Will you just find out on 1/31, or willyou find out earlie? vip4b02ed: thank you. reetinder: Hi Angel, I have a question about the choice of recommenders.. Teh application instructions clearly ask one to quote examples that are not more than 3 years old. Does this imply that the recommenders should also fall in this bracket ? I have been working for abt 6 years now and would like to give a recommendation from a supervisor i worked with abt 4 years back (but hv stayed in touch with since then) Angel Navedo: Regarding GPA, if you feel your GPA is low compared to others at your institution, and there is a reason for this poor performance, you should address this in the supplemental section of the application. thanks. Alexis: Here is the employment report from the class of 2010- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/cdo/class10.php pramod439: thanks angel for your reply Angel Navedo: questoin from Russ from Detroit... SKimf984dd: Hi I have Master of Science in business administration in seoul national university. However, this is totally different course from global MBA. Would it be disadvantage to hold MS in business? Angel Navedo: Hello Russ, I believe we met a couple of months ago... Angel Navedo: It will not hurt your recommendation to have a rec from someone you worked with over a year ago. Thanks. mkthaker: Hi, Angel. I wanted to ask the difference between the SF application path and the MBA application path. Can one apply to both? Is there a Sloan Fellow I can talk to to see if my qualifications are a good match? RPuthenveettild240d5: Do you have a fixed percentage of international applicants? SWehbe2f4640: Would it be fair to say that the next two weeks are the busiest of the entire admissions season? There seems to be quite a bit more activity at a few of the programs I'm interested in. Would it be fair to say that we should not become overly concerned if we don't hear quite as frequently from admissions? Sandhir: Can I get to be ivolved with CTT/ Start up Ventures at MIT? Angel Navedo: SKim, it is not a disadvantage to apply with an MS in business administration. However, if there is much overlap in the coursework, you should address this in the supplemental section. Thanks. Alexis: vipc5338c- Just be yourself in your interview bstohr: Angel, thanks for the clarifications on interview dates. Angel Navedo: JLiu, we are not strict on the 50 line requirement of the resume. Thanks. WSpalding8511c0: For interview purposes, I live in Nashville, TN. What region would MIT categorize me as regarding destinations to conduct interviews? ZHu1a276c: Thanks for your answer. Besides waiting for someone to give up their interview, is there anything I can do at the moment to show my passion to Sloan? Alexis: We do not have a fixed percentage of international applicants RPuthenveettild240d5: Thank you. CWuae264c: hi this is Wu from HK, i see the range of working experience is large, say, 0-12, how does Sloan allocate resource on career services, more on entry level or on experience hires? fcosorio: I have a question regarding my GPA from college...due to my young age (16) and not being able to speak and undertand English very well, I did poorly both freshman and sophomore year. However, both junior and senior year were excelent. Should I still apply? I have a really good GMAT score... vikalpsabhlok: Hi Angel/ Alexis, is this the right forum to discuss about the kind of placements happening in Energy sector at MIT Sloan? Sandhir: Can i get to speak directly with an admissions represenatative for help in applications/essays? juaniaqp: Thank you Angel! VKulshreshthac7330b: Hello Angel, I've got a diploma in business administration (a two year course - similar to an MBA) apart from a degree in economics. I want to get a business education again this time after some work experience, does Sloan have any preferences regarding this... vipd76a0d: Hi when will people not offerred an interview be notified? hp0122: Can I ask you when the admission committee send the invitati on letters to the applicants in Korea? Angel Navedo: question from yishizuka... JLiubb9d36: Angel, that's a relief! I assume the Resume needs to be of legible font-size, strictly on ONE SIDE ONLY (cf. 2 pages?) ssinghal87f617: hello Alexis, This is Sumit. I am from India. I have total work exp of 5 yrs in IT Industry. After MBA I want to pursue the career in same industry but in different job functions such as product strategy and planning. Alexis: WSpalding- We will give you different options to choose from when we contact you about an interview. RMuranoca5bf5: Hi Angel, R1 applicant. I suffered a medical condition that impaired my ability to complete courses during my first stint at undergrad (though I tried and did poorly). Since then I had a surgery that changed that and completed undergrad v2 with a GPA of 4.0. However, these events happened outside of the 3 year window for essays, so I did not address them. Is there somewhere this could be appended to my application? I really didn't see anywhere to bring it up. Angel Navedo: Our application reflects our belief that past performance is the best predictor of future success... ssinghal87f617: How do I fit in MIT MBA program? WSpalding8511c0: Thanks. vkaushik21: I used an example for one of my essay that was about 10 months off the 3 yr limit. But the experience was life changing for me and defines how i am today. I explained why i did this in supplement information essay.You think this might make my application look bad? ACoradin7a7411: Would you consider MIT a good place for someone trying to transition into marketing? SKimf984dd: Thanks angel! Angel Navedo: We do not believe in asking hypothetical questions but prefer to hear what you have done. Thanks. vikalpsabhlok: Hi Angel/ Alexis, is this the right forum to discuss about the kind of placements happening in Energy sector at MIT Sloan? Angel Navedo: Question from sanka... fcosorio: I have a question regarding my GPA from college...due to my young age (16) and not being able to speak and undertand English very well, I did poorly both freshman and sophomore year. However, both junior and senior year were excelent. Should I still apply? I have a really good GMAT score... pravarth: In what way is the Sloan Sustainability certificate going to be significant to a Sloanie? Are there any prerequisites for one to enroll onto the courses required for the Sustainability certificate? yishizuka: Thank you, Angel. Your answers are really helpful. tzach_r: Thanks Angel! Angel Navedo: We do not separate students into "buckets" but rather review randomly and choose the best candidates who apply to interview. Following up on that, I will speak to our process once your applicatioh has been submittded... Alexis: As far as Energy is concerned- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/pdf/Roadmap_Energy.pdf RSharmab27214: Yes even I have same question as Krithick..what weight does undergrad gpa hold in final selections? Angel Navedo: Your application will be reviewed by the director and then distributed to a member of our admissions committee... wshen1: Is MIT seeing more applications in R1 this year as compared last year? orana123: When are the round 1 interviews for London UK applicants? Or are they expected to join the Paris hub city applicants? JNovackfce6ee: Hello, I have a question regarding recommendation letters. I work in a matrix organization. Would you prefer to see a letter of recommendation from my vertical manager (who is responsible for assigning me to programs) or from my project leads (who work with me on a daily basis in small teams)? Alexis: People will find out if they have gotten an interview by January 31st RSharmab27214: Yes even I have same question as Krithick..what weight does undergrad gpa hold in final selections? Angel Navedo: Our admissions committee is comprised of full-time members only, no part-time students or alumni... ssinghal87f617: hello Alexis, This is Sumit. I am from India. I have total work exp of 5 yrs in IT Industry. After MBA I want to pursue the career in same industry but in different job functions such as product strategy and planning. As long term goal, I am planning for my own startup. How do I fit for MIT MBA? SWehbe2f4640: Thank you, Angel. I appreciate the direct, honest insight. ronak: How do additional credentials affect your probability of entering the program. I have a background in engineering and for example, I will be optaining my Professionals (P.Eng) soon. Alexis: Marketing- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/pdf/Roadmap_Marketing.pdf Angel Navedo: The reader will read your entire application. At the end of the reading round, the reader will recommend the candidates whom they feel merit an interview (usually about 20-25% of the pool)... sudipdhingra: Hi Angel. I am from the Boston area and applied in early October for R1. I have not received an interview invite yet. Does that mean I should be expecting a ding? Alexis: Finance- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/pdf/Roadmap_Finance.pdf Angel Navedo: We then conduct interviews in Cambridge and in major cities around the world... JObriant2bf0b4: Do you have any suggestions on the best way to learn more about healthcare related classes/programs at Sloan? Angel Navedo: Interview invitations will continue to go out for folks through those weeks... Angel Navedo: Once all of the interviews are complete, the interviewers will make recommendations for decisions and the director will make final decisions. Thanks. Alexis: Sustainability Certificate Info- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/sustainability/certificate.php pravarth: Hi...In what way is the Sloan Sustainability certificate going to be significant to a Sloanie? Are there any prerequisites for one to enroll onto the courses required for the Sustainability certificate? VSinhade5cae: Hi...This is Vishwas from Connecticut, an applicant for round 1...I'm a reapplicant. I have very good accomplishments at my current work over last year. I moved to the much happening healthcare domain and doing very well here too. I am pursuing my six sigma project management course which I expect to finish soon. Also, I submitted my application in round 1 this year and wrote more representative essays...However, I did not take GMAT again, as I learnt from my interactions with Sloan students and staff that my GMAT score was good enough (710, AWA - 6.0)...My academic history remains the same too. I will like to have your insight, how stronger you think my candidacy is this year? Vikasyadav.y: Alexis: round1applicant: Angel, what are looking to assess in the interview, though? Angel Navedo: question from round1applicant regarding intevrviews... Alexis: We look at your GMAT and GPA, but that is just one part of the whole application. Angel Navedo: We are looking for more evidence of your strengths in the interview... Vikasyadav.y: Good Morning- How does MIT views candidates with Advance degree's in fields such as Industrial Engineering. samuelbburke: You say that interview invitations continue through Jan 31st, but don't decisions go out Jan 31st? Angel Navedo: Many candidates do very well in the interview and are not accepted simply because we have a small class and cannot admit all of the qualified candidates who apply. Thanks. SWehbe2f4640: Could any moderator touch on the issue of the importance of teamwork at Sloan? How often will we be working on a team? What percentage of our own performance be gauged on work submitted as a team? Thank you ADodad2f99f: is a gmat score of 650 competitve for MIT Sandhir: Alexis, Can I write in my optional essay that work experience in Intellectual Property (patents) establishes that I am academically inclined ssinghal87f617: What are the different scholarship options for an Male applicant from India? Alexis: You do need to send your official scores RPuthenveettild240d5: Do your alum follow the same interview pattern for international applicants? Angel Navedo: Lots of academic related questions, so let me that briefly... Alexis: Biopharma and Healthcare- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/pdf/Roadmap_Biopharma.pdf Angel Navedo: We look at your GPA and your GMAT to assess your academic potential in the program... JChipman94700c: Hi Angel, Alexis. Thanks for your time today. I was wondering how extensively Sloan participates in the Forte Fellows program? RSharmab27214: I submitted my application a few hours after the first deadline? shud i conisder myself a purely R2 applicant? Angel Navedo: We want to accept candidates who can excel in the rigorous academic setting at MIT, but still have time to get involved in the many important activities going on outside the classroom... Vikasyadav.y: 2nd Question- Does and advance degree and 5 years of experience places a candidate out side the age spectrum of selected candidates. Alexis: Samuel- Yes, decisions go out Jan 31st but there are people who receive interview invitations up to Jan 31st SKimf984dd: I am very much interested in MarketLab program. What is the most distinctive point of this program compared with similar ones of other schools? f.g. here students can interact more with real workers in consumer goods brand? Angel Navedo: The GMAT and GPA are one part of the application and will not make or break your application... Sandhir: Angel, So how do you view a GMAT of 690 and GPA of 6/10? Alexis: You will be working a lot on Teams at MIT Sloan Angel Navedo: However, if one is very low, it does help to have the other high to offset that... alfmastrokalos: Hi Angel. My name is Alfredo and I have a question: At the moment, I'm leading a very important project at work, and, even though is far from being finished, I believe it is a big step in my career. Can I use it as an example in one of my essays? AGarg79cfa9: Hi, generally what %age of the interviewed candidates selected? Angel Navedo: We focus on many factors in the evaluation process, and academic achievements is only one of those factors. Thanks. VSinhade5cae: Angel...can you take my question please? Hi...This is Vishwas from Connecticut, an applicant for round 1...I'm a reapplicant. I have very good accomplishments at my current work over last year. I moved to the much happening healthcare domain and doing very well here too. I am pursuing my six sigma project management course which I expect to finish soon. Also, I submitted my application in round 1 this year and wrote more representative essays...However, I did not take GMAT again, as I learnt from my interactions with Sloan students and staff that my GMAT score was good enough (710, AWA - 6.0)...My academic history remains the same too. I will like to have your insight, how stronger you think my candidacy is this year? Alexis: Team work is very important- especially in your first semester when you will have a core team of people who you work with RSharmab27214: I submitted my application a few hours after the first deadline? shud i conisder myself a purely R2 applicant? Angel Navedo: JNovack's question about recommendations... ssinghal87f617: Alexis, Angel,What are the different scholarship options for an Male applicant from India? ulzysaihan: Hi Alexis/Angel, what most important advice would you give on ESSAY Alexis: GMAT range for this year's incoming class is- 680-760 TMiyashita8c5921: Dear, I understand Slaon is the strongest school in environmental business. Do you agree with this view? and do you welcome environmental engineering background? I am not a typical MBA person, such as banker or consultant. juaniaqp: I have a question about scholarships, in the internet online application, you can select for which scholarship you want to apply, however I think I am only eligible for the McKinsey Award? is there any other scholarships or fellowships than the one mentioned in the online application? vittawatp: If applying, I will be a re-applicant from last year. Could you please advise what is the chance of re-applicant? Perhaps the proportion of successful re-applicants in each class. Angel Navedo: Choose recommenders who know you well and can speak specifically to how you work and behave. We want representative examples of your strengths as opposed to general comments. Thanks. Alexis: Here is a link to Financial Aid Info- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/admissions/finance.php Angel Navedo: We do not translate GPAs to a 4 point scale. RSharmab27214: I submitted my application a few hours after the first deadline time? shud i conisder myself a purely R2 applicant? Alexis: Yes, Sloan participates in the Forte Fellows program Angel Navedo: question from Samuel regarding candidates who are not invited to interview... buicaokhanh: Hi, my GPA is 6.80/10.0, but it was rank 3 of my class (264 classmate). Is it considered low or not? JNovackfce6ee: Thanks a bunch, Angel! Angel Navedo: We will let some candidates know ahead of time if we know we will not be able to admit them. Thanks. SKimf984dd: I am very much interested in MarketLab program. What is the most distinctive point of this program compared with similar ones of other schools? f.g. here students can interact more with real workers in consumer goods brand? Angel Navedo: Sorry for the delay folks, we are doing our best to answer as many questions as we can :) fcosorio: Alexis- I have a GPA that is not that high but is not that low. 3.08. And i do have an excellent background I hope..Internship with T. Rowe Price, current exectuive leadership development program at BB&T, did Fed Challenge back at my school and got ranked 8th in the nation, ROTC Army and Div I #1 tennis player..I also went to college at the age of 16...Should I still apply? My GMAT score is high..thanks JLiubb9d36: Simple quickfire question -Resume: Strictly 1-page, or may it be 2-page? RPuthenveettild240d5: We appreciate your best efforts Angel Navedo: mkthaker, I encourage you to call the Sloan Fellows Program office to see if you qualify for their program. Thanks. rexnarito: is 580 GMAT score and 1.884 GPA enough to get into MIT Sloan MBA Program? vikalpsabhlok: Dear Alexis/Angel, should i get as specific about my career goals as possible or should i keep a balance and give a moderate outlook in the cover essay. vkontos: is a 690/6.o AWA GMAT considered low that an explanation in the optional essay is necessary? thank you JNovackfce6ee: I have a 10:30 meeting to attend. Thanks again for taking the time to answer our questions, and have a great day! Alexis: RSharmab- You will be in R1- Same day is fine. We understand that some people may submit a little late RKunaparaju: Hi, this is a question in general.. I am from a biotechnology background with the intention of working as a strategic consultant for large biotech companies in future. Is having such a focussed goal before joining MBA good? I hear its good to keep your mind open and join an MBA. later on, decide on the specialization.. Angel Navedo: SWehbe, these are definitely very busy times in the MBA admissions world, so do not worry if you do not hear from the schools to which you are applying. Thanks. FMa9b47e7: Hi, can anyone answer my question: I am a civil engineering Ph.D. with engineering experience in engineering, design and consulting and management in transportation, nuclear stations and infrastructure projects to rebuild New Orleans. I wonder whether MIT has a lot of similar backgrounds like mine? If not, I mean can I take advantage of that? anmol.chopra@ymail.com: has adcom started intimating Asian students on interview invites? ssinghal87f617: Angel, How can I connect to some current students or alumni from India? Can school provide the contact details? rexnarito: Are u going to Manila next year for an information session? THoangb99e68: Hi, we're asked to provide GPA and GMAT scores in the application online. Do the official reports from the University and GMAC need to be sent before we submit the application or can it wait util later, if I get the admission offer? Alexis: Being focused is a great thing as recruiting starts almost immediately Angel Navedo: You can address any factors that affected your academic success in the supplemental information section. Thanks. fcosorio: Angel- I have a GPA that is not that high but is not that low. 3.08. And i do have an excellent background I hope..Internship with T. Rowe Price, current exectuive leadership development program at BB&T, did Fed Challenge back at my school and got ranked 8th in the nation, ROTC Army and Div I #1 tennis player..I also went to college at the age of 16...Should I still apply? My GMAT score is high..thanks lesliec: Hi Angel, how does the Admissions team evaluate candidates that are applying for dual degree programs (e.g. with Harvard's Kennedy School) compared to those applying for just the typical 2-year MBA program? i.e. would candidates for the two programs be evaluated any differently from each other? I imagine the HKS admissions team would review some of these applicants? Please advise. Thanks. Angel Navedo: The supplemental essay and the cover letter do not have the 3 year limit, so you can include older examples in those sections. Thanks. Alexis: Here is info about MarketLab- http://mitsloan.mit.edu/mba/experience/peer-marketlab.php vipd76a0d: Hi could you share the data on % interview invite already sent? vip66a796: Do we need to upload transcripts from noncredit continuing education courses? RSharmab27214: is cover letter used for initial screening of the applicants? Alexis: its difficult to answer questions that are very specific on chats, but if you have a specific question, you can email us at mbaadmissions@sloan.mit.edu HChoie4fea3: Hi, I live in Seoul, Korea. I've heard that someone has received interview invitation in the first round. Have all of invitations been sent??? Angel Navedo: Lots of questions regarding interviews... SWehbe2f4640: It's been an honor to have as much interest in my application to MIT Sloan as I've had over the last several months. That being said, I believe I read that the program contacted me due to test scores after opting in for the GMAC program. The range for GMAT scores you stated for the incoming class started at 680. Would that make me an ineligible candidate as a student who scored 650? I'm sorry for touching on the GMAT after all the questions on it already; I thought I was clear enough on the issue, but could use some clarification about the range--is that a cut-off of 680 or an 80% lower level? RKunaparaju: Thanks Alexis. KArorab893a9: hi ! i am looking for a general management career in Energy sector, and then a long term aim of a start up in Asia .. how would u rate my decision to get an MBA from MIT and get back to Asia ? stevelau: Hello - would someone be able to tell me where candidates typically go wrong during the interview? Thanks in advance TMiyashita8c5921: Dear, how important campus visit is to the admission? I made telephone inverview with current students and almuni, but find the campus visit difficult. Angel Navedo: We will be sending most interview invitations in the next three weeks, and most candidates who will not be interviewed will hear from us in that timeframe as well. Thanks. vikalpsabhlok: What are the sholarship oppurtunities at Sloan? Alexis: ssinghal- Unfortunately, we cannot connect prospective students to alumni RPuthenveettild240d5: Could you provide contact details of any of your alums from India RSharmab27214: is cover letter used for initial screening of the applicants? Alexis: vipd- we cannot share that information unfortunately vikalpsabhlok: Also are the scholarship merit based or need based? Alexis: We just care about your degree transcripts danielrudewicz: Hi Alexis, one of your previous answers read, "You do need to send your official scores." I submitted my Round 1 application but self-reported my GMAT score, do we need to send the official score report before any interview or is it only required after the applicant has been accepted? Thank you. Angel Navedo: Vikas, many candidates have advanced degrees in our program. This is not an advantage or a disadvantage but it is an important part of your story and will be evaluated as such. Thanks. Alexis: Invitations will continue to be sent out until January 31st berus: Hi! I have already submitted my application for R2. But i read here that it is strongly reccomended to provide an explanation if you're not subbmitting a recomendation from your current supervisor. This is exactly my case. Can I still provide an explanation? Angel Navedo: Sandhir, yes you can write about anything you think is relevant in the supplemental section. Thanks. Alexis: stevelau- don't overprepare- just be yourself Angel Navedo: We do not have alumni interviews; full-time members of our staff will be traveling to conduct all of our international interviews. Thanks. RSharmab27214: is cover letter used for initial screening out of the applicants at MIT, coz most other colleges dont ask for it? Alexis: The cover letter is just one part of the application- we look at the entire application when making decisions Angel Navedo: Questoin form Alfredo... Alexis: Scholarships are merit based only anmol.chopra@ymail.com: has adcom started intimating Indian students on R1 interview invites? ulzysaihan: Nice to hear that vkontos: If I am an applicant from Cyprus and I make it to the interview stage, where would I go for an interview? Could I do a telephone interview or I would have to fly to a nearby country? RajB1234: Hello, Angel, can u pls advse if sloan is aware if we visted a class and if this is factored in the decision making? Angel Navedo: Yes, you can write about an important project you are involved in now that is not yet complete. Thanks. XXu2abac6: Hi, I have 10 years work experience ,am I too old to take the programme? Alexis: daniel- you need to send the official score report before your interview Angel Navedo: Please keep your questions to one or two sentences. It is difficult ot answer longer questions. Thanks. ssinghal87f617: Will all the interviews be personal (face-to-face) or there can be telephonic interviews also? rower7: Hello, am I at major disadvantage with only 3yrs WE, in a field that is not engineering or hard computer science? Alexis: berus- if you have already submitted, you can send an explanation to mbaadmissions@sloan.mit.edu and we will add it to your application round1applicant: Is it most likely that admits who haven't taken Economics will be required to do so the summer before? berus: Thank you, Alexis! vijayahir: QUESTION--->I have my academics on 0-100% scale,I just wanted to ask what common method u follow to make sure that each applicant is treated similarly?? orana123: Will interviews for round 1 be conducted in London UK? rshreenath: Thanks for keeping up with the swath of questions - I want to quit my current job (before the interviews/admits) and move to work in the social sector with a close friend - how do I inform the ad-com and how do they look upon this? Alexis: vkontos- we will give you different options throughout Europe Angel Navedo: Reapplication is not an advantage or a disadvantage. We do not publish the admissions rate of reapplicants (or any other population within the pool). Thanks. anmol.chopra@ymail.com: has adcom started intimating Indian students on R1 interview invites SKimf984dd: is it better to get my recommendation letters from partner level? or MIT alums? Angel Navedo: Resume must be one page. Thanks. DOtarolab91961: What level of the verbal part of the GMAT or score of the TOEFL do you consider OK? KArorab893a9: are there any cutoff on AWA in GMAT scores ? Alexis: XXu2abac6- You are not too old- we have a range of people who have various work experience JLiubb9d36: Cheers Angel -you are a trooper! SMantravadi9484d1: I passed CFA Level 2. Should I include that information in the application? Angel Navedo: Vikal's question regarding career goals... Alexis: ssinghal87- Most interviews are personal, we do our best to do face-to-face, but we do not go to Australia for example Angel Navedo: We do not ask your career goals, but if this is important to you and you want to include it, you may do that in the cover letter or supplemental essay. Thanks. vikalpsabhlok: Thanks !! :) vip56186c: Hello everyone, I would like to ask whether Gmat is preferable than GRE or not. XXu2abac6: my GMAT is 730 but the AWA is 3, how you evaluate the score? Alexis: orana- yes in January Interviews will be conducted in London stevelau: Thanks Alexis. During the interview, are we allowed to speak about experiences in our essays? or should we stick to stories that haven't already been covered? Angel Navedo: Question regarding applying with a low GPA... Angel Navedo: We do not turn candidates down on one data point... vittawatp: Thanks Angel SKimf984dd: is it better to get my recommendation letters from partner level? or MIT alums? vijayahir: how are the cover letters weighed while making a decision for an applicant?? Alexis: Skim- get your recommendations from the people that know you best and can speak to your strengths effectively Angel Navedo: We will look at your GPA, GMAT, work experience, demonstrated leadership attributes, etc., to evaluate your application. Thanks. vipb3b805: Hello! Are GMAT/GRE scores self-reported, and then officially submitted after acceptance, or, is official submission required for a complete application. SWehbe2f4640: Moderators, thank you all for taking time out to speak with us this morning. Warm regards and happy holidays. Alexis: we do not require the TOEFL at MIT Sloan vkontos: thank you for your answers and hope to meet you personally also one day. Have a nice day.Merry Christmas everyone Angel Navedo: There is no GMAT cutoff. If we had a minimum score, we would let you know :) SKimf984dd: Thank you, Alexis! Alexis: GMAT and GRE are both accepted and one is not better than the other Angel Navedo: We do not evaluate your reasons for pursuing an MBA... PlayerG: Regarding the cover - my full address + Director of MBA admissions full address (as in an official cover letter) are already taking up 1/3 of the page. In that scenario, with Times New Roman size 12, I have space for around 340 words. How can I solve it? vijayahir: how are the cover letters weighed while making a decision for an applicant?? Angel Navedo: We evaluate the qualities you ahve demonstrated in your career. Thanks. al80981: Question: Apologies if I misunderstood - you mention that invitations are being sent for interviews in January - are you referring to the Round I applicants? juaniaqp: A question regarding degree, my university give the degree of Bachelor of Science with major in Industrial Engineering and also after I did a thesis I got the professional title of Industrial Engineer? which one do I have to put in the education informaction? Sandhir: Thanks a lot Alexis and Angel! It was a pleasure interacting with you. Merry Christmas and Have a great new year! vip56186c: Thank ypu Alexis ;) Alexis: steve- I would recommend answering the interviewers question and not worrying if you are talking about what is in your essay or not- if its applicable, then you should definitely talk about it Angel Navedo: RajB's question regarding class visits... vip125aa3: Alexis/Angle, is it suitable to get recommendation from line manager/colleagues more than 3¬4 years ago? We keep in touch till now. JKunnackal7b8c66: Hi, what would be a possible timeframe for interviews in Asia for applicants from Round 1? Or has this process already begun? DKIM8b30b7: Hi, From what year do I have to consider the "last 3 years"? the year 2007? 2008? Also, my major gpa is lower than my overall gpa. Would it be better to mention it on the optional essay? stevelau: Thanks Alexis. Much appreciated TMiyashita8c5921: Do you want to see professional and personal characteristics of a candidate in essays and cover letter? I am afraid if I am writing too much professional matters. ssinghal87f617: thanks. one more question.... what all documents we have to upload while applying? can we upload our gmat score report, merit certificates, awards? SMantravadi9484d1: Thanks Angel for your time!! Angel Navedo: We do not factor visits to a class or to an event into the evaluation. Thanks. Alexis: Player- we dont include the header into the word count so dont worry SMantravadi9484d1: Thanks Alexis!! Angel Navedo: rower, 3 years of experience is typical for many of our successful candidates. Thanks. Angel Navedo: question from round1applicant regarding economics class requirement... PlayerG: I do know the header is not word counted, but in that scenario - my cover letter is 2 pages long, is it OK? BMinehanaf5d97: Can you talk about the seven criteria you use to evaluate applications? Alexis: vip125- thats fine if you worked with them 3-4 years ago- just make sure they are the best people who can speak to your strengths Angel Navedo: We will require some candidates to take a class in the summer prior to enrollment... vipd76a0d: Do we need to bring a sealed official transcript on the day of interview? vip125aa3: Thanks, Alexis Angel Navedo: Usually these courses are required for candidates who have lower than average scores. Thanks. vipeced92: May background is nonprofit management. What percentage comes from that background. Tips? vijayahir: How are the prerequisite subjects covered well before?? Alexis: We want to see both personal and professional characteristics in your essay and cover letters, just make sure it is honest and true to you Angel Navedo: You can inform us of a change in your professional career inthe cover letter or supplemental essay. We do not look favorably or unfavorably upon any specific career change; choose the opportunities that best fit your aspirations and talents. Thanks. Alexis: PlayerG- yes, its ok if it is 2 pages long RajB1234: Thank, you, Angel, Appreciate the help. :) Raj B TMiyashita8c5921: Dear Alexis, thank you! I will try AGarg79cfa9: Is the official transcript returned after interview? Or is it retained? Angel Navedo: Yes, include CFA complete in the application. Thanks. Alexis: vipd76- yes, bring a sealed official transcript on the day of your interview al80981: Question: Are all applicants informed on the same day of admit/deny status? Thanks. Angel Navedo: Steve Lau, in the interview, we will ask that you include only examples that you did not write about in the application. The interviewer will have read your application and are looking for new examples. Thanks. PlayerG: Last question regarding the cover letter issue to be on the safe side - the most important guideline is that it should be limited to one page, even if it would be in the cost of changing the font to size 10 from 12, or is it wiser to use font 12 and keep the letter 2 pages long? Alexis: Agarg- no it is retained JObriant2bf0b4: Great job on keeping up with these questions, it is very informative. I do have a general question as I work through my essays. Can you touch on a few of the key factors/themes that differentiate Sloan from other top programs? (i.e. curriculum, concept-based learning, etc) vipd76a0d: What should we do if the school won't send a sealded transcript on time? ssinghal87f617: thanks. one more question.... what all documents we have to upload while applying? can we upload our gmat score report, merit certificates, awards certificates? Alexis: al80981- no, people are not informed all on the same day, it is spread out al80981: Thanks Alexis. Alexis: Player- resume can be only one page, but cover letter can be 2- dont worry gurakshun: How have post-graduation employment statistics changed since last year? Any significant increase or decrease in the percentage of graduates who can find a job? PlayerG: Great Alexis. Thanks.Regarding essays 1-3, which font and font size should be used? rshreenath: I had a set of C's in non-major related courses due to a work overload (Goverment and History classes at a community college) While my degree is engineering, do I need to explain this in a supplemental? vipc5338c: Hi Alexis, could you possibly clarify by what you mean as "sealed transcript"? I have official copies (stamped / signature) issued by my undergrad university. ATiwari14c2c6: please answer vipd76a0d's question: What should we do if the school won't send a sealded transcript on time? buicaokhanh: Regard the sealed transcript, what should I do if the school issued only on copy of Official transcript for me? vijayahir: QUESTION-->Do a person required to take prerequisite subjects well in advance before the course starts??Eaxample-->Class of statistics well before taking Fianance.!! Angel Navedo: Question regarding sealed transcript... Alexis: gurakshun- MIT Sloan grads did Very well with placements this year despite the economy. Better than our peer schools, in fact. Angel Navedo: You should plan ahead and get those transcripts now... HChoie4fea3: Alexis, is the interview invited via email?? or phone?? Angel Navedo: If you do not have your transcript to us by the time we make decision, we will not be able to provide a final decision. Thanks. vijayahir: QUESTION-->Do a person required to take prerequisite subjects well in advance before the course starts??Eaxample-->Class of statistics well before taking Finance.!! Alexis: vipc- the envelope should not be open sudipdhingra: Angel, have the majority of the interview invites for Cambridge been sent out already? al80981: on GMAT: when do we have to submit the official report? I am taking my GMAT tomorrow for R2 submission... Alexis: Interview invite is via email gurakshun: Does the question of whether the right to view recommendations is waived or not have any bearing on admissions? Angel Navedo: Sudip, no, we interview about half in December and half in January in Cambridge. Thanks. RPuthenveettild240d5: How do you conduct for Indian applicants? Is it telephonic? Angel Navedo: We have a little less than 5 minutes left. Diego.fe: Good Morning, I am Diego from Colombia. How do you think MBA applicants can develop a great leadership skill set??? Thank you very much and merry christmas! Angel Navedo: We will be conducting interviews in India this year. Thanks. sudipdhingra: Thanks Angel! vijayahir: QUESTION-->Do a person required to take prerequisite subjects well in advance before the course starts??Eaxample-->Class of statistics well before taking Finance.!! RPuthenveettild240d5: Thanks vijayahir: please answer my question!! Angel Navedo: I do not understand your question Vijay. TMiyashita8c5921: Dear I understand you consider the highest score of GMAT. Do you also consider the number of tests taken? The more, the more negative? PlayerG: Which font and font size do you recommend to use for essays 1-3 and for the cover letter? buicaokhanh: What should I do if the school issued ONLY one copy of Official Transcript for student? I can not request a sealed official Transcript vipe7fc97: Hi Angel, Regarding the sealed transcript, could we have it sent directly to MIT Sloan? I'm a candidate in Asia who went to a US university for undergrad Angel Navedo: Font size 12. Alexis: We dont care how many times you take the GMAT- we consider the highest score ssinghal87f617: one more question.... what all documents we have to upload while applying? is it only transcripts or can we upload our gmat score report, merit certificates, awards? TMiyashita8c5921: Thank you! Angel Navedo: If you only have one copy of your transcript, you may submit a certified copy. Thanks. Alexis: Leadership Center website- http://mitleadership.mit.edu/ Angel Navedo: Do not have any thing sent directly to our office. YOu should hand the transcript over to your interviewer only. Thaks. buicaokhanh: Thank Angel >:D< AGarg79cfa9: Can i submit sealed marksheets later (in case I am unable to arrange them from my undergrad school at the time of interview )? RPuthenveettild240d5: Thanks. It was a very informative session. Angel Navedo: Only upload your transcripts in teh academic section. Thanks. RSharmab27214: thanks for all d info.. vijayahir: i meant to ask you does MIT arrange for prerequisite subjects for grads coming from non MBA background?? vijayahir: such as B.A. guy may not have sound knowledge of statistics!! stevelau: quick question rshreenath: This was very insightful all - thanks! - quick comments - what is the major developments in 2010 that the Sloan Ad-comm is most proud of? I feel like it is the outreach this year has been more than other years! Angel Navedo: MIT does have a preterm week where you can get caught up on some of the concepts you will need for the core curriculum. Thanks. Angel Navedo: Thank you for all of your questions! sonmezh: Hi , is it Ok to have three (3) letters of recommendations submitted for MBA Application? Thanks. stevelau: do transscripts need to be sealed when we hand them over during the interview? Angel Navedo: We wish you hte best of luck in the applicaiton process... PlayerG: Thank you very much. Happy holiday season. Angel Navedo: Happy holidays and happy new year! ssinghal87f617: thanks and same to you! PanayiotisN: Thank you Angel Alexis Alexis: Thanks Everyone! I hope we were able to answer some of your questions. If you have specific questions, please email them to mbaadmissions@sloan.mit.edu. Have a wonderful Holiday! Boston/Cambridge will have a white Christmas! vijayahir: happy holidays to u too Alexis/Angel!! XXu2abac6: Thanks. Alexis and Angel! JObriant2bf0b4: Thank you. TerrenceYe: Thank you sudipdhingra: Thank You! vipc5338c: Thank you very much Angel and Alexis, have a great Christmas and New Year - and best of luck to everyone in this chat! vip19a697: Thank you very much! vijayahir: transcript of this chat will be available?? ADubey99abdb: I am a Round one applicant and a couple of days back, I sent a mail to adcom informing about my recent promotion at workplace. However, I didnt receive any acknowledgment. Should I consider that it would have been taken into consideration by the adcom? yanjacki: Thank you Alexis and Angel and have a great holiday juaniaqp: thank you! PanayiotisN: Have a great holiday and a Happy New Year! Diego.fe: thanks! merry christmas!!! SKimf984dd: thank you! VSinhade5cae: Thanks Angel, thanks Alexis...and thanks everyone. I have answers to many of my questions now rshreenath: Adubey, I sent some updates on my career too recently, and I did get a note back from them - just wait =) vijayahir: will the transcript of this chat be available?? SKimf984dd: have a nice holiday! rshreenath: vijay - i can send you vip20f8f0: Thanks for your time, and happy holidays everyone. :)