Interview
with the Director of Admissions, IMD MBA
Program
by
T H E B - S C H O O L N E W S
How
does your admission process look like?
There
are five application deadlines throughout the year: February 1, April 1, June 1,
August 1 and September 1.
After
the IMD MBA Admissions Committee has received and reviewed a written application,
the applicant will be informed that either (i) his/her application has been
unsuccessful or (ii) s/he will be invited to an interview for further evaluation.
This decision will be communicated to each applicant within 6 weeks of each
deadline.
An
invitation for an interview day will be extended to selected applicants who have
passed the first screening process. Interview
days are conducted at IMD by the Admissions Committee members and consist of an
interview, a presentation and a case study. Final decisions will be made after
the Admissions Committee has re-discussed the applicant’s file.
Normally a response will be sent to you within 1 month of the interview.
What
are the main criteria for selecting an applicant for your MBA program? For what
characteristics do you look?
Application
Requirements
Minimum 3
years full-time work experience (average 7 years)
Bachelor's degree
or equivalent from an accredited institution
GMAT
(average 670, range: 620 – 780)
Strong command of
written and spoken English
3 letters of recommendation
Solid intellectual
ability
Given the
demanding pace of the program, you must have the ability to grasp complex
concepts and synthesize new knowledge rapidly.
Demonstrated career
progression
More
important than the length of your career is the quality of your experience: we
look at how your responsibility has increased, the breadth and depth of the
knowledge you have acquired in the workplace, and the impact you have made on
your organization. Given the significant level of experience, the average age of
candidates is 30 years old.
Demonstrated
leadership potential
Developing
leadership skills is an integral part of our program. To make the most of the
IMD learning environment, you need to possess the foundation for strong
leadership: knowledge, vision and courage; openness and willingness to learn;
empathy with, and understanding of others; how to motivate and orchestrate.
Far-reaching
international outlook
We look at
the time you have spent living outside your country of origin, the international
scope of your career and your knowledge of foreign languages.
The IMD MBA
is highly interactive. Both in the classroom and out, communication is key to
staying on top.
How
important is the GMAT score and how do you interpret the results of the GMAT?
Due
to the enormous diversity in each class, the GMAT score is not viewed in
isolation. While the average score is 670, a high score does not guarantee
admission and a lower score does not necessarily eliminate an applicant.
How
do you compare and assess the degrees from various countries (with different
grading systems)?
The
degree is just 1 small part of the application criteria, a good score will
normally be backed up by a strong GMAT. Obviously achievements over 7 years of
work experience will tell us a lot more on how qualified an applicant is to
become a future General Manager. In general, we compare German applicants to
other German applicants and look not only at score but also school reputation
and rank. Throughout the years, the admissions committee has built up an
excellent understanding of education systems in different countries. When in
doubt we use our alumni contacts.
What
are most common mistakes in applications?
There
are 2 common mistakes. The first is not giving enough information: leaving it up
to the admissions committee to fill in the gaps. The second mistake we often
find is that essays are written from a personal perspective than keeping the
audience - the Admission Committee - in
mind. An application is a candidate’s one chance to convince the Admission
Committee of his/her potential as a MBA candidate and as a future leader. To
write a good application, that stands out, requires a lot of effort and time.
Besides
the application itself, how can a candidate improve his chances for admission?
What factors can help a candidate to stand out?
The
IMD MBA is looking for future leaders with a lot of energy and drive. Only those
that are convinced about what the IMD MBA will bring to them, what they can
contribute to the class, and where they want to go stand a chance.
What
else should a potential applicant should know?
It
is important to be better than good. IMD will only take those applicants who
show outstanding achievements. We look for energetic young people who stand out
from the crowd through their work experience, intellect, leadership, courage and
drive.
How
has the applicant pool changed over the recent years?
The
overall quality and quantity of applications has gone up steadily.
How
many Germans are currently in your program enrolled? And what is your experience
with them?
We
currently have 3 (4% of class) German participants who are all doing extremely
well. It is important to keep in mind that no single nationality represents more
than 10%.
Where
to apply (address, email)?
MBA
Admissions Office, IMD
P.O.Box 9154, Chemin de Bellerive 23
CH-1001
Lausanne, SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 21 618 0298
Fax: + 41 21 618 0615
e-mail:
mbainfo@imd.ch
31.10.2001