Darden (Virginia) 2013 - Calling All Applicants!

They told me my essays were very impactful and I was creative, articulate. They said they liked my leadership, etc etc. Basically, they said my gmat was the problem. Ask them though. Everyone is different.

Schools are sensitive to the GMAT because it is a statistically reliable predictor of success in business school. A rigorous program like Darden is going to screen people who may end up dropping out or under-performing. You obviously didn't do enough to fix their concern that you could handle the program, specifically the quant side of things.

I won't speak to whether it's fair or not, but I don't think you can claim that they're not holistic because they didn't take you. Talk about a logical fallacy. Universalizing from the particularly is a dangerous game, my friend. Sure, they probably take one or two exceptional candidates with low GMAT scores, but at the end of the day, 99% of us aren't going to slide by without the scores to prove we've got the chops to handle the program. Believing you can get into any top b-school with a GMAT below 600 is foolishness, arrogance, or ignorance (or all three!). I'm not sure if that makes me a total jerk, but that's how I see it.

On the other end of the spectrum you have people with 750+ getting rejected from schools. That in and of itself should show that GMAT isn't everything. Follow the admission person's advice and give the GMAT another go.

This article uses a sports metaphor to explain. Although they're talking about R3, the logic still applies.

Schools are sensitive to the GMAT because it is a statistically reliable predictor of success in business school. A rigorous program like Darden is going to screen people who may end up dropping out or under-performing. You obviously didn't do enough to fix their concern that you could handle the program, specifically the quant side of things.

I won't speak to whether it's fair or not, but I don't think you can claim that they're not holistic because they didn't take you. Talk about a logical fallacy. Universalizing from the particularly is a dangerous game, my friend. Sure, they probably take one or two exceptional candidates with low GMAT scores, but at the end of the day, 99% of us aren't going to slide by without the scores to prove we've got the chops to handle the program. Believing you can get into any top b-school with a GMAT below 600 is foolishness, arrogance, or ignorance (or all three!). I'm not sure if that makes me a total jerk, but that's how I see it.

On the other end of the spectrum you have people with 750+ getting rejected from schools. That in and of itself should show that GMAT isn't everything. Follow the admission person's advice and give the GMAT another go.

This article uses a sports metaphor to explain. Although they're talking about R3, the logic still applies.[/quote]

You're a perfect example of the kind of people I do not look forward to meeting during school. Instead of discussing stats, giving examples and maybe making recommendations to me or others who may need it, you come off as a know it all. I recommend you get some feedback on your presentation skills because you will not be well liked at your school if you make judgemental comments such as: "You obviously didn't do enough....Talk about a logical fallacy....Believing you can get into any top b-school with a GMAT below 600 is foolishness, arrogance, or ignorance (or all three!)" I was helping someone by giving my experience. You know, what people do in class at MBA programs. It seems like if someone says something in class that you think is wrong or do not agree with, you will be that dick that tries to put them down. That is all.

I emailed back on Saturday, so no, I have not heard back. I told them that being on campus and have the access to Darden community is an very important MBA experience I am looking for, so the EMBA would cut it. Especially I am switching career, EMBA is not as effective as the full-time.

I'll see how they will respond and will share here.

Well, I wouldn't be so critical here - although it's only my personal opinion nobody asked for (but hey, we are in a forum, aren't we?).

To improve your GMAT is a perfrect recomendation. The fact that someone wasn't accepted with a low GMAT doesn't imply that it was the only reason, nor it does imply that there is some cut-off score or anything like that.

If the adcom tells you that your profile is great, but the GMAT is the issue - in fact, it doesn't imply that you are an exceptional candidate on all matters, and the low score is the only reason that they turn you down. What it means, is that they see a potential issue in GMAT, but they don't see anything which could mitigate it or add value in some other way. They must have a chance to say - well, this guy has a low GMAT, true, but here is one feature which makes him truly unique in this world, and that's why we must accept him.

Working at Goldman Sachs, having a startup development history, contributing to the students council or working in three countries doesn't give anything unique, they have hundreds of applicants like that each year. If you did it and there is someone else who did, they will chose the person with a high GMAT, all other things being equal.

My personal opinion, but I'd rather have an example like working as a close assistant to Barack Obama, or selling a multimillion dollar business, or let's say heading an iPad marketing team in Apple to make a case with a sub-600 GMAT for a top school.

This post is in regards to the invitation to interview for the Executive MBA program at Darden. First of all, congratulations to those of you in this position - even though this may not be the program you applied to, or prefer at this point, I do want to say that the program has a stellar reputation and some great features that might be attractive to you.

To provide a bit more context, the biggest reason Darden extends full-time applicants an invitation to interview for the Executive MBA program is that the applicant’s professional experience is better suited to this program. The school believes that you will get more out of the Executive MBA than from the full-time MBA (which is geared towards students with less experience). It’s all about fit, and Darden seeks to place students in a program that they’ll benefit the most from, professionally and personally.

To note, Darden’s EMBA and Global EMBA (GEMBA) program both cover the same core curriculum as the school’s full-time MBA format, are taught by the same faculty, utilize the same Darden case method and result in the same degree. Regarding the concern about making a career switch, this has actually become a more and more common occurrence among EMBA students, and Darden provides strong resources to support this, including allowing EMBA and GEMBA students to participate in on-campus interviewing.

For more specific information, you can visit the Darden website, reach out to the Admissions Office, and/or contact the EMBA programs at ExecMBA@darden.virginia.edu. Darden can also connect you to students in the EMBA program, including some who were in the same situation last year. Please feel free to send me a personal message with any questions. Best wishes.

I haven't received any update yet for my R2 application.

When will Darden send out R2 interview invites?

I am intrigued by the points raised by CurrentDardenStudent and have some questions about E-MBA.

I understand E-MBA@Darden shares same renowned resources but does the degree say MBA from Darden of E-MBA from Darden?

Also switching career after E-MBA sounds not so plausible. You don't have internship opportunities or clubs. Are E-MBA students allowed to attend the career events meant for full time students? Some schools have strict restrictions i.e. part time career services are separate from full time.

I apologise if my questions have been answered by the adcom or on the darden's website. I haven't really explored E-MBA programs.

Several folks have already gotten interview invites for R2. However, not all invites have gone out. They do a great job of updating their blog with this information (better than most schools, at least).

https://blogs.darden.virginia.edu/admiss ... w-invites/

Interview invites have begun to go out for domestic Round 2 applicants. In the next week or two, international applicants will begin to receive interview invites. Applicants can receive an invitation to interview at any point up until the Round 2 decision release date, which is March 20. Hope this helps and best of luck!

Do they go out in waves or is it now on a rolling basis (like Haas, etc.)?

I had a dream I got my invite and updated my gmatclub profile. My life is officially sad.

For round 1, the invites went out in waves, starting about 3 weeks after the deadline.

Ohhh gmatclub dreams... hang in there

The most specific information available is that applicants will be receiving interview invites up until the March 20th decision release date.

Tease.

Just got my interview invite about an hour ago. Looks like maybe another round of invites is going out today.

I assume it came in an email, right?

Yep.