2008 Notre Dame Mendoza MBA Admissions Chat with Brian Lohr

Please feel free to let us know if you would like to be informed of future chats by sending e-mail to chat@accepted.com. We would also be interested in knowing if you would prefer a different format or different topics.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:00:48 PM)
Hello. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat.  First I want to welcome all applicants to the Notre Dame chat today, and I want to congratulate you for taking the time to learn more about Notre Dame. Whether you are working hard on your application to prepare for Notre Dame’s Round 2 deadline on January 15 or you are doing research with the intention of submitting later this year, you need to know as much as you can to make a sound application decision and gain acceptance to the school of your choice. Being here today allows you to ask the Notre Dame experts about this outstanding business school.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:01:10 PM)
I also want to welcome the Notre Dame representatives who have agreed to participate today:  

• Brian Lohr, Director of MBA Admissions 
• Kim Patton, Assistant Director of MBA Admissions and Student Services 
• Ashley Clark, MBA Candidate, Class of 2009 
• Jon Peach, MBA Candidate and MBAA President, Class of 2008 
• Maryellen Jochim, MBA Candidate, Class of 2008 and participant in Notre Dame’s one-year program. 
• Dharti Trivedi, MBA Candidate, Class of 2008.

Welcome. Thanks to everyone for joining.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:01:55 PM)
I’m going to post basic logistical info now. As I do so, I am wondering if the students could tell us a little about themselves. What did you do before your MBA and where did you do it? What are you concentrating in at Notre Dame? What do you want to do after your MBA? What campus activities and organizations are you involved in?

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:03:54 PM)
Kim: I would like to know about the wait listing procedure of Notre Dame? What does the school expect from the waitlisted candidates?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:04:47 PM)
My background: Training and Operations Officer, U.S. Army. After that I worked in an executive position in a non-profit. I am a Finance / Marketing concentration and will be joining Procter & Gamble after completing my MBA.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:05:46 PM)
Hi there! Before starting the Notre Dame MBA, I was working in Washington, DC as a Project Manager for an IT government contractor. I'm concentrating in IT and Consulting and will be joining Deloitte Consulting after graduation.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:05:49 PM)
My background: BFA, Advertising in India, MFA, currently MBA (Marketing) in ND.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:01 PM)
MBA08asp: If you have received a status of waitlist, you just need to inform us by form that you would like to remain on the waitlist.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:11 PM)
I think that a candidate stands out when they are being themselves and not trying to say things they think we want to hear. We look for candidates that are committed to academic excellence, ethical behavior, community service, physical wellness, and community service to name a few.

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:19 PM)
Hello, I am a first-year MBA candidate. Prior to business school, I was a Sales Representative with the Pepsi Bottling Group in Atlanta, GA. I have a Bachelor's in Public Relations, and am concentrating in Marketing at Notre Dame.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:20 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: What attracted you to Mendoza? Has your experience met your expectations?

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:35 PM)
Kim: NDers: Can you tell us a little bit about the Net Impact activities and consulting career prospect for sustainable business strategy or the like. What consulting firms typically come to ND?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:06:47 PM)
Brian: What makes the Notre Dame MBA different?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:07:42 PM)
What attracted me to Mendoza: some factors that I liked were the small class size, the emphasis on community, and the awesome alumni network. The experience has more than met my expectations

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:08:46 PM)
What attracted me to Mendoza was the size of the program. My research and visit to campus really highlighted a "family" atmosphere. So far, everything has met my expectations: the great people I've met, alumni involvement and the opportunity to really get involved in the program.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:08:47 PM)
What attracted me to Mendoza? The people are simply amazing. You can find a lot of schools with smart, articulate students who know how to get things done. At Notre Dame, the students are that and more: they're genuinely good people who have a terrifically supportive community. Aside from that, the stellar academic reputation and strong alumni network put Mendoza over the top. And, yes, the experience has definitely lived up to my expectations.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:10:05 PM)
The Notre Dame MBA program is designed to achieve excellence on these dimensions: rigorous problem-solving, implementation and leadership skills, values and integrity. Being a general management program, ND offers a program that gives students a balanced mastery of all functional areas of business. ND employs an innovative curriculum and numerous experiences that enable our students to operate from a foundation of strong business fundamentals. Students use this foundation to help analyze business problems from the perspective of each functional area.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:10:07 PM)
I graduated from Notre Dame with a B.B.A so I may be a bit biased but I was looking for a One-Year program and Mendoza was by the far the best I'd seen. I like that the program is small enough to be able to get to know my classmates and Notre Dame has a great sense of community. Plus, I enjoy being able to take many different classes without being forced to stay only within my concentration.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:10:13 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: Is the Notre Dame’s promised focus on problem-solving skills realized? How?

yves (Jan 9, 2008 1:10:31 PM)
Brian: What advantages does the ND MBA (standard 2 years) have over 1 year programs of other similar level institutions?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:10:35 PM)
gr8: Net Impact Club is very active in the non-profit CSR area, I don't have too much more information about the club, but we can get you the name of the new president to make contact. As far as consulting, we have McKinsey, BCG, Booz Allen Hamilton etc.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:11:03 PM)
Brian, do you see any disadvantage to older candidates with PhD degree but relatively less work experience?

ArTriplett (Jan 9, 2008 1:11:20 PM)
Jon: I have noticed that you have included "heart" in your core foundations; how can such a subjective school of thought be fostered in an academic forum? Especially in 1 or 2 years.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:11:41 PM)
Brian: Tell me how Notre Dame enhances the problem solving skills of students?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:12:53 PM)
Problem solving skills: A couple of core classes like Problem Solving and Strategic Decision Making concentrate on that. And some other classes incorporate that into group/individual cases or in class exercises.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:13:15 PM)
Is Notre Dame's promised focus on problem-solving skills realized? Absolutely. One of the most remarkable classes I've had is taught by an ex-McKinsey partner, Viva Bartkus. The course teaches a rigorous analytic framework for tackling some pretty thorny problems using McKinsey frameworks.

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:13:35 PM)
ND's focus on problem-solving skills is definitely realized through the variety of group work. The projects allow students to collaborate on a variety of subjects and develop/enhance problem-solving skills, while building teamwork skills as well.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:14:34 PM)
It really depends on the candidate's PhD program. Employers really like the practical work experience so that their new hires can hit the deck running. The Notre Dame CD Team works with each individual candidate to create a plan of action regarding career progression. So, it really depends on a number of factors.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:14:51 PM)
Jon, Maryellen, Dharti, and Ashley: What approaches do you take to overcome ND's disadvantageous location factor?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:15:00 PM)
Brian: Several top programs have introduced curriculum changes in the last several years. So has Notre Dame. Tell me about your program format changes?

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:15:42 PM)
To follow up on Jon's response to ND's focus on Problem Solving, there is also a second course called Organizational Consulting that takes what we learned in our Problem Solving class and allows us to use those tools in real-life cases presented to us from various companies.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:16:25 PM)
Kim: What are common and grievous applicant mistakes?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:17:30 PM)
Our problem solving is enhanced by a number of areas, but the most unique is our Interterm Intensives. Candidates are given real problems from organizations and they are asked to investigate and come up with potential solutions. Then they make presentations back to the organizations. It is a great way to put to practical use the new skills our candidates have learned.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:17:48 PM)
"What approaches do I take to overcome ND's disadvantageous location factor?" To be clear, South Bend is definitely not a Chicago or New York :-) That said, it is just an hour and a half from Chicago and you can get to anywhere from the airport, of course. Also, we find that many corporate recruiters aren't dissuaded from making the trip to South Bend. And those firms that don't recruit on campus are still very happy to talk to a Notre Dame MBA.

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:17:54 PM)
Disadvantageous location? I hadn't noticed...actually, I look at it as an opportunity to experience something I probably wouldn't have otherwise, like plenty of snow and freezing temperatures. Fortunately, the MBA program is busy and interesting enough that the focus is more on the ND experience, and not South Bend. Get to know your classmates, have fun outside of class with them. Plus, Chicago is not too far away if you just have to experience a larger city.

AndyMitch (Jan 9, 2008 1:18:02 PM)
Jon: South Bend seems very small and very remote, can someone comment on what it is like to be so isolated?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:18:25 PM)
This past fall marked two years that we’ve delivered under our new MBA curriculum and format. ND employs a module system that consists of four modules a year, each module is seven weeks. Students participate in Interterm or an off-shore program between the first and second and the third and fourth modules. The module system is designed to offer students a broader and more flexible curriculum covering a wide range of current business topics and live corporate cases. The Interterm Intensives are courses offered for a duration of one week. They provide unique and innovative learning opportunities for the Notre Dame MBA that will serve to better prepare them for the business world of today and tomorrow. One highlight is that Interterm Intensives offer intensive treatments of contemporary business topics from subject experts and opportunities to work on live business cases from top companies. Corporate partners value the fresh perspective Notre Dame MBA students apply to issues that have been concerns or challenges.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:18:30 PM)
Thank you, Kim.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:18:37 PM)
Brian: How is recruiting going this year?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:18:49 PM)
Common mistakes that applicants make during essays is to use the Find and Replace button and sometimes it does not work well - we tend to see essays that seem to read well and then all of a sudden the Find and Replace did not work and a name of another university appears in the essay. Make sure you take time to cater the essays to the university and the question that is asked. The Admissions Committee can tell when the essays are canned responses.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:19:08 PM)
I don't look at South Bend as being very disadvantageous. We're only approx. 1.5 hour drive from Chicago and we've had plenty of recruiters stop by campus to interview. Plus, being in South Bend allows us to be able to focus on cities around the country and world without being easily pulled into just one region.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:19:09 PM)
Gr8: The only way the location could be disadvantageous is networking. The alumni network is very helpful in our career search. I personally try to get to talk to people on the phone, and try to set up an interview. I haven't had to do it so far, but I'd be willing to travel to the company later if required. I think that's the least I can do for my own career search.

vikram (Jan 9, 2008 1:19:20 PM)
ND Students: Does the student get industry involvement right from 1st yr?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:19:43 PM)
Kim: How does application volume at ND compare to application volume last year?

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:20:06 PM)
NDers: Is football a big help in terms MBA recruits? :))

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:20:15 PM)
The applicant volume is a little ahead of last year at this time.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:20:45 PM)
Kim: Do you have any tips for those invited to interview at Notre Dame?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:20:51 PM)
Recruiting is going well. We have had an increase in applications and our city tours are going very well. In fact, I'm currently in Washington, DC interviewing and had such a large response that we had to bring in several alumni to assist in the interviewing process. So, it has been a great year so far, which speaks to the momentum of our program.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:21:27 PM)
"Does the student get industry involvement right from 1st year?" As a career changer, this was an important question to me when looking at MBA programs. Industry experience is a possibility for first year students, even before the internship. Those opportunities were presented to me, though, honestly, you'll be pretty busy first year with course work.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:21:36 PM)
NDers - How's your pass blocking?

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:21:47 PM)
gr8: I'd say the football experience in general (tailgates, the excitement of game day) is a big help, not the actual outcome of the games...Notre Dame is definitely all about the experience!

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:21:48 PM)
gr8: Football is usually the first thing my interviewers have talked to me about... if you can't talk football.... you'll learn to once you get here.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:21:58 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: Who are you favorite professors? What have been your best classes?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:22:20 PM)
Interviews are not required, but we encourage applicants to interview for the program and come to campus to do the interview if possible. Seeing the campus in person, talking with admissions representatives, sitting in on a class and talking with current students is a great help when applying for the program.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:22:25 PM)
Brian: How have you made changes in your career development process recently?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:22:45 PM)
Kim: Do you have any tips for waitlisted applicants?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:23:03 PM)
Working with the student leadership, we re-structured how we deliver career development services to increase our responsiveness to students and employers -- specifically, we aligned around industry specialization to allow us to more deeply consult with our students in placement strategies. We added specialists with great industry expertise in marketing and finance. They join our experienced management consulting and general management team. These changes culminated to a new process called Career Catalyst, which is a unique process that moves students through clear, essential phases of career development. We’ve also introduced an Alumni Mentoring program that takes advantage of the great Notre Dame Network and all that it has to offer our students. In the program, current MBA students are assigned an alumni mentor to ask career or industry questions and to learn vital networking skills. Also, we have an Interview Jumpstart program where alumni come in and host mock interviews with students.

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:23:40 PM)
Brian: Can you tell more about the fellowships and scholarship programs?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:23:41 PM)
Vikram: I agree with Jon - you do get the opportunity, but you'll be pretty busy learning the skills to be able to perform in the industry. The second year will offer a whole lot of opportunities - after your internship.

vikram (Jan 9, 2008 1:24:00 PM)
What is the basis of offering fellowship and scholarships?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:24:02 PM)
My favorite classes / favorite professors? Problem Solving (Viva Bartkus), Micro Economics (Barry Keating), Applied Investment Management (Jerry Langley), Brand Strategy (Carol Phillips).

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:24:32 PM)
Students, what is your impression of the new career catalyst process?

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:25:04 PM)
Kim, how many are actually recruited by Mckinsey, Booz , etc. each year?

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:25:28 PM)
My favorite classes/Professors: Statistics with Sarv Devaraj and Technology Risk Management with John D'Arcy.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:25:39 PM)
My favorite classes/professors: Innovation (Matt Bloom), New Product Development (Guiltinan), Micro Econ (Keating), Promotion Strategy (Moore)

RunnerGirl (Jan 9, 2008 1:26:11 PM)
Can each of the upcoming graduates comment on where (region or city) they'll be working upon graduation?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:26:15 PM)
All of our fellowships are merit based. We evaluate a candidate's undergraduate GPA, their work experience and leadership within that experience, their GMAT, as well as the applicants essays and recommendations. We actually have a mathematical formula that we use to make sure we are fair and consistent on our offerings. Our fellowships are open to both domestic and international students.

ArTriplett (Jan 9, 2008 1:26:40 PM)
Jon: I continually notice that much of ND's core emphasis is on ethical leadership as well as push towards philanthropic and societal responsibility. My question is "how can ND foster the growth of these ideologies in such a short time frame?" My point being, are these characteristics something you are searching for in the incoming applicants, or something that you try and implement in them once they join the school?

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:26:50 PM)
RunnerGirl: I will be in Chicago upon graduation.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:27:17 PM)
What is my impression of the new Career Catalyst Process? It's a pretty big deal and leverages Notre Dame's core strengths: its reputation and its alumni network. It's also given a tremendous focus in career coaching sessions. I think I can safely speak for the student body and say that it's delivering well above expectations and is the most exciting development we've seen this year.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:27:17 PM)
Who generally conducts interviews? I live in NJ. Do you recommend an interview here with Alum. or on campus at ND?

vikram (Jan 9, 2008 1:27:21 PM)
Is the telephonic interview drastically different from the in person interviews?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:27:32 PM)
RunnerGirl: I will be in Cincinnati upon graduation.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:27:44 PM)
New Career Catalyst Process: It is definitely more organized than earlier. However, we'd done aspects of it last year. The new format only makes it more structured and easier to follow. It also has a timeline to follow. And a regular involvement of the alumni helps a whole lot.

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:28:07 PM)
Dharti: What type of guidance do the students receive in terms of career growth and curriculum selection?

Derek Silcox (Jan 9, 2008 1:28:19 PM)
I interviewed on campus and would highly recommend it.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:28:45 PM)
gr8: If a candidate is not able to come to campus, we will try to schedule an interview with an alumnus in your area and if that does not work then a telephone interview can be scheduled with an admissions representative.

RunnerGirl (Jan 9, 2008 1:29:27 PM)
Brian: Are the companies recruiting at ND primarily from the Chicago area or also from other metropolitan areas?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:29:29 PM)
Vikram: No, they are not drastically differently.

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:29:55 PM)
How are job prospects after MBA from ND, what % of students get job offers at graduation? Is there any kind of difficulty an international graduate faces while getting jobs?

ayodele (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:04 PM)
Hi Brian, for students intending to major in investment management, what sort of companies recruit from ND?

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:11 PM)
As a first-year, I have been impressed with the Career Catalyst process so far. I really have nothing to compare it to though. I think it's a great, very organized process. However, the students have to be dedicated to it as well, it's not just the job of Career Development. With the right amount of effort from everyone (students, CD, alumni) it's a great way to job search and network.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:28 PM)
gr8: In terms of placement - 17% went into consulting from last year's graduating class.

Derek Silcox (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:32 PM)
Brian: Can waitlisted applicants be admitted at any time or is it just when other decisions are sent? Thanks!

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:55 PM)
All: Notre Dame is well-known as a general management program that strongly emphasizes values. Concretely, how is that value emphasis present in the program?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:30:59 PM)
ARTriplett: "are these characteristics something you are searching for in the incoming applicants or something you try and implement in them once they join the school?" I'd say it's both. I think Notre Dame attracts a certain kind of student, admissions screens for that kind of student and the on-campus culture fosters it once you're here. The culture is driven by the alumna's legacy, the faculty, the administration and, of course, the course work.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:31:03 PM)
MBA08asp: 98% of the class of 2007 were placed within 3 months of graduation.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:31:52 PM)
I believe that we reflect our Catholic heritage in all aspects of our University. That doesn't mean you need to be Catholic to attend Notre Dame. We often talk of unity, not uniformity. We have a significant number of other religions represented. In fact, we have a large group of Mormon (LDS) students in the program. Our program is very diverse and is representative of society. Fr. Jenkins, our President, has indicated that this is an important aspect of the Notre Dame Experience.

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:32:50 PM)
Values are emphasized during Mod I in the required Business Ethics class. Values are further emphasized through the honor code, collaborative environment and student involvement.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:35 PM)
In terms of values, I think it's evident not only in our ethics classes but also in the fact that our program is smaller than others. We value each other's work and responses in our classes and students, faculty and administrators all highly value the Honor Code.

vikram (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:38 PM)
Kim: I had a query concerning the application form. It asks for the documentation substantiating the necessary financial resources for the entire course. What if the students expend a major part of it through fellowship/scholarship? Is there any cap on this amount?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:56 PM)
How are values emphasized in the program? From my perspective, the emphasis is concretely "operationalized" in two ways: 1) inside the class room and 2) outside the classroom. In the former, students are encouraged to consider a decision's impact on more than just the bottom line. How will this impact our communities, employees and other stake-holders? In the latter, values are lived out in community service and outreach.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:56 PM)
Ethics/values has always been an essential piece of the Notre Dame MBA program. We are widely recognized as a leader in business ethics and in producing ethical leaders. Our success can be attributed to many things, but it all starts with the original mission of the University which is to develop wise, ethical leaders that operate from core values and strive to make the world a better place. ND is very rigorous in our approach to teaching ethics. First, ND requires two ethics courses that are taught by recognized leaders in the field. Second, ND ensures that ethical, moral, and social aspects of business are explored in core and elective classes. Finally, ND offers numerous experiences to deepen one’s understanding of the importance of ethics to business and the world.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:57 PM)
Values: The core ethics class, plus one ethics elective is required. There are a number of ethics in business courses to choose from - ranging from international, marketing, finance etc. Plus, the school and everybody associated with it demonstrate it daily.

PMD (Jan 9, 2008 1:34:57 PM)
Kim: At ND, is there a minimum requirement in terms of the number of years of work experience?

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:35:15 PM)
Brian: Is not interviewing on campus considered against you in the admission process?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:35:35 PM)
Brian, could you tell us about the opportunities for international study at Notre Dame?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:35:53 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: What are your favorite extra-curricular activities?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:36:41 PM)
Vikram: You may wait to submit your proof of financial resources until after you have been admitted. If you are admitted to the program, you will also be informed if you have been selected for a fellowship. The fellowships range from $5,000 to full tuition fellowships.

ayodele (Jan 9, 2008 1:36:51 PM)
Kim: For those students who were contacted by MBA admissions office to apply to ND, through emails and other means. Are there any advantages for those students?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:37:21 PM)
Vikram, I know your question was to Kim, but as an international student - I'd say you should be able to demonstrate considerable financial readiness even for your visa process as your scholarship is only valid for a year after which it is reinstated based upon your academic performance - so you'll need to consider this for your visa application.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:38:22 PM)
PMD: There is no minimum requirement of work experience. Just to give you an idea of this year's class that started in August, the average amount of work experience is 4.5 years. Work experience in general, does bring a lot of value to the classroom.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:38:30 PM)
Kim: What's the strongest area at ND- investment, consulting or GM?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:38:34 PM)
Favorite extra curricular activities: I've given a lot of time to student government, I play on a broom hockey team and I've been picking up some consulting work on the side. Between that and having a family, it keeps me pretty busy.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:38:43 PM)
Extra-curricular activities: I enjoy being a part of the MBAA (MBA student government) which helps me stay connected to students and faculty. I also enjoy attending football and basketball games as well as concerts at the Performing Arts Center on campus.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:38:45 PM)
Favorite extracurricular activities: I'm involved with the Marketing club. There is tons of stuff to get involved in and many networking and fun opportunities. And then there is football.

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:39:19 PM)
MBA08asp - It's not counted against you at all, but it really benefits you by coming to campus. By attending a class and spending time with current students you can get a feel for the organization. You get a chance to see the company culture in action. By doing this you can then ask yourself if you would be comfortable at this school. It is a huge investment, so the more leg work you put in upfront, the easier the decision process.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:39:37 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: If you had to point to one “take-away” lesson or benefit from your time at Notre Dame, what would it be?

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:39:53 PM)
Brian: Can waitlisted candidates also expect fellowships and scholarships?

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:40:08 PM)
Extra-curricular (continued): MBA's are also active in intramural sports (softball, flag football, basketball etc.).

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:40:23 PM)
What do you mean by family atmosphere, do you have any kind of child care options on campus?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:41:05 PM)
MBA08asp - Yes, candidates from the wait list are considered for fellowships.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:41:34 PM)
Kim and Brian: Your preferred deadline is next week (Jan. 15).  Any last minute tips for applicants?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:41:41 PM)
Benefit from my time at ND: The great people I've met, the friends I've made, the support from the administration as well as alumni.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:42:04 PM)
One take-away: Get involved! Whether it be through clubs, committees, sports, MBAA etc. I've had a great time getting to know my classmates, faculty and administrators through non-classroom events and activities.

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:42:23 PM)
"One take-away" lesson? It's tough to distill my experience down to just one! I guess it would be the family that I come away with: the alum, my colleagues and the faculty.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:42:24 PM)
Brian: Would you advise someone with an undergrad degree in business who wants to make a change from investment banking to management consulting or general management to go for the one-year or the two-year MBA program?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:43:58 PM)
Ashley, Jon, Maryellen, Dharti: What do you wish you would have done before starting your MBA that would have made the beginning/transition easier? Did you do anything especially effective that helped you?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:44:27 PM)
MBA08asp: Childcare options. I have two children (3 & 4 yrs. old). Notre Dame has excellent and very affordable on-campus childcare that is about a 5 minute walk from where you'll have your classes. My wife and I have been delighted by the quality of care (including quarterly hour long parent teacher conferences). It's worth visiting while you're on campus - it really is great!

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:45:04 PM)
I am responding for Kim who is having connection problems. The top 3 concentration areas are finance/investments, marketing, and consulting.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:45:34 PM)
Brian and Kim: Do you believe applicants should “clean up” their Facebook and MySpace pages before applying to b-school? Before starting their job searches?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:45:46 PM)
It depends on the other work experience - if the candidate does not have any previous work experience in the intended field, then I would suggest going to the Two-Year Program because of the internship between year one and year two. This gives the candidate a chance to try out this new direction and make any adjustments during the second year.

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:45:48 PM)
Making the transition easier: The orientation and first semester classes make the transition easy enough. What I did find tough due to my design background was sitting through a class for 2 hrs. Just try getting used to that again if you haven't been to school in a while.

allen (Jan 9, 2008 1:45:52 PM)
Brian: How do you consider those candidates who do not acquire calculus knowledge?

Ryong (Jan 9, 2008 1:46:17 PM)
Kim: I have a question about TOEFL min requirement. From the website, major candidates have 250 CBT and above. What about the score for iBT TOEFL exam. I have 96 iBT score. Is it good to apply ? Or I must re-take the TOEFL exam to increase my score?

AshleyClarkNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:46:38 PM)
To make the transition a little easier, I wish I had taken another trip to South Bend to research apartment options. From personal experience, don't rent an apartment sight unseen! However, everything has worked out and I really like my place now. Otherwise, I can't think of anything else I would have done.

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:46:48 PM)
Brian: What about the placements for international students requiring visas , what type of help do they receive?

JonPeachNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:47:51 PM)
What did I do to prepare for my MBA and what would I recommend? You don't have to do this, of course, but since I had a non-traditional background, I took a Financial Accounting class and a Micro-Economics class. I had never had an accounting class, and that eased the transition. And, if you've never had a statistics class, I would also look into taking one.

AndyMitch (Jan 9, 2008 1:47:54 PM)
Kim: Does admissions use any guidelines when considering UG quantitative course work and grades?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:49:17 PM)
Ryong: We do not have a minimum TOEFL score requirement, however most of our international students receive a score of 105 on the iBT TOEFL. It is crucial that you have a good understanding of the English language since the courses will be taught all in English.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:49:48 PM)
Brian and Kim: Do you believe applicants should “clean up” their Facebook and MySpace pages before applying to b-school? Before starting their job searches?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:50:08 PM)
You know your strengths and weaknesses better than I do. If you are not strong in the quant area, I would strongly encourage candidates to have a background in either statistics, calculus, or both. We offer math and accounting workshops to help our students early in their experience.

th3414 (Jan 9, 2008 1:50:21 PM)
Can you use MBAMath.com for prep or do you recommend auditing?

DhartiTrivediNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:52:32 PM)
Facebook and Myspace: I once had a recruiter check up on my Facebook profile. I don't have any wild stuff to put on there so I was safe. It doesn't happen all the time, but its a good idea to be careful.

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:52:59 PM)
I have seen that some of the schools allow students to take online courses for the second year if they get full time offers during interning? Does ND have any such cases?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:53:02 PM)
If you have any concerns with your Facebook or MySpace profiles, I would definitely address them prior to applying.

ArTriplett (Jan 9, 2008 1:53:25 PM)
What is the typical average AWA on the GMAT?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:54:03 PM)
Brian and Kim: Does Notre Dame encourage early career applicants to apply? Does it require a minimum amount of experience?

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:55:02 PM)
Maryellen, do you feel that the one-year program gave you the preparation and network you sought from an MBA?

AndyMitch (Jan 9, 2008 1:55:16 PM)
Re: UG quant/grades: more specifically, does the admissions committee rely on any formulas or other guidelines? Most admissions departments don't limit themselves with hard & fast requirements, but perhaps there is a general course background and grade range that is normal for admitted ND MBA students? If so, what is that?

MBA08asp (Jan 9, 2008 1:56:05 PM)
When are the decisions communicated to waitlisted candidates? Are those on-going or at the end of all the admission rounds?

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:57:18 PM)
Linda, are they still here? Appears they are responding slowly. We still have tons of questions.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:57:18 PM)
They are typing and should respond to the outstanding questions.

MaryellenJochimNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:57:23 PM)
The One-Year program definitely gave me the preparation and skills I was looking for in an MBA. Our summer classes were intense but small enough that I gained great friends and knowledge from the classes in order to jump into the Fall semester with the 2nd years.

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:57:37 PM)
We also do not limit the requirements unless applying for the one-year program. If you apply for the one-year program, you need to have a foundation in business/math courses.

gr8 (Jan 9, 2008 1:58:28 PM)
Kim: What financing options are available to international students other than fellowships and their own funds? Will loans be readily available?

KimPattonNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 1:58:59 PM)
MBA08asp: The waitlist decisions are on-going for each applicant round. It depends on the applicant pool during each round as well.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 1:59:51 PM)
Any last thoughts before we close...?

BrianLohrNotreDame (Jan 9, 2008 2:00:19 PM)
Thank you Linda for hosting us today. This has been great. I wanted to remind everyone on our chat today that our next app deadline is January 15. If anyone on the chat has any additional questions about the Notre Dame MBA---One-Year program or Two-Year program, please feel free to call us at 1800-631-8488 or visit us online at mba.nd.edu. If you would like to correspond with me directly, please feel free to email me at blohr@nd.edu.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 2:00:37 PM)
The transcript of this chat should be available next week at http://www.accepted.com/chat/transcripts/.  Thank you again all for participating today. Special thanks to Brian, Kim, Ashley, Jon, Dharti, and Maryellen for answering all these questions.

Linda Abraham (Jan 9, 2008 2:00:53 PM)
Upcoming chats:

• Emory Jan. 14, 2008 
• UCLA Jan. 24, 2008 
• UNC Jan. 30, 2008 
• Consortium Feb. 5, 2008

Good luck with your applications!

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