The Prospective Panel: Judging B-school's Diversity Events 2004-2005
by Glory Alcantara

Getting In Focus at Kelley

The NetWork taps prospective MBAS to give their take on minority recruitment events at various B-schools across the country.

Glory Alcantara's verdict:

Like many of you, I am in the middle of the complex and exhausting MBA application process. Identifying the “right” program that best suits my needs is a critical step in ensuring future educational and professional satisfaction. I certainly do not want to enroll in a program that cannot meet my goals.

I am evaluating my target programs through a combination of students/alumni contacts, regular Internet searches, and participation at minority recruiting events. I derive the most benefit from the recruiting events; as they provide prospective students with an excellent opportunity to see, hear, and feel what a particular program is all about.

B-School #1: Indiana University, Kelley In Focus weekend, Oct. 8-10
Overall Experience: Amazing
The Plus: The people
The Minus: Lack of initial introductions

I felt welcome before I even arrived at Indiana University. The weeks prior to my visit were spent exchanging e-mails and phone calls from current Kelley students; all eager to answer my questions about the school, the program, and grad student life in general.

The first evening of the “In Focus” weekend was spent at a welcoming reception hosted by an impressive group of current students, professors, staff, and alumni. This event provided an excellent opportunity for prospective students to establish contacts, ask questions, and become familiar with the other participants. The school hosted a post-reception dinner and social gathering at a local restaurant where we continued to network into the evening.

Our next two days were spent in the Kelley School of Business; a newly constructed and beautifully modern building. There were insightful information sessions throughout the day. Topics included Consortium Applications, Admissions, Financial Aid, and general program overviews. Two case study discussions also gave us a taste of real-life class discussions. We participated as group in the case discussions and generated recommendations. The Marketing case discussion, in particular, was very engaging and energy-filled – the professor’s style and knowledge of the subject matter allowed for an interactive session. Our evenings were spent attending dinner/social networking activities hosted by the minority student associations. The weekend included additional activities like tours of the Kelley building, the IU campus, and the city of Bloomington.

Suggestion for improvement for Kelley In Focus: I would have liked for all of the prospective students who attended to introduce themselves and give their background. It would have been nice to see what types of people are attracted to the program.

Overall Verdict: The 2004 In Focus weekend confirmed Kelley’s reputation of a having a supportive environment with caring people. I was able to interact with a diverse population of alumni, students, faculty and staff that treated me with respect during my entire visit. It is clear that everyone at Kelley is proud of their program and proud of the people who make their program strong. I am now equipped to make a well-rounded decision about the Kelley program.

Inclusiveness at Olin

B-School Visit #2: Olin School of Business, Washington University
Overall Experience: Very good
The Plus: Staff, faculty, and campus
The minus: Lack of campus/city tour

Welcome back for another minority recruiting weekend perspective. This time, On December 3-4, I attended the “Inclusiveness” weekend offered by the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

December 3 kicked off with an evening reception hosted by a friendly mix of staff and current students. This event provided an excellent opportunity for prospectives to network, ask questions, and familiarize themselves with the other participants. A post- reception Christmas party, hosted by the current students, allowed for additional networking opportunities and general socializing.

December 4 began at the hub of the MBA program, Simon Hall. The program opened with an energetic welcome and curriculum overview by the Associate Dean of the MBA program. His presentation highlighted the differentiating attributes separating the Olin program from others B-schools; small class sizes and a three-tiered high/low/no pass grading system. Admissions/Financial Aid was next…followed by an informative presentation from a CGSM representative. This was particularly valuable as many of our curious and unanswered questions were addressed by a Consortium expert.

Each prospective was then paired with one or two current MBA students for lunch. This lunch-buddy format provided a more informal dialogue for asking specific questions about the MBA experience, post-MBA goals, and general professional aspirations.

The second half of the day started with a Marketing case study presented by Professor Branch, whose energetic and engaging approach made the session insightful and quite fun! The discussion provided prospectives with an interesting peek into a real-life class environment at Olin. Next was an informative panel discussion consisting of current MBA students…followed with a presentation by the Career Resources Center. The event concluded with a closing reception at the very stylish and modern Knight Center. Overall, the day was well-planned and the presentations were very informative.

An area of improvement for the Olin Inclusiveness weekend: would be to provide prospectives, especially those from out of town, with campus and city tours. This definitely would have rounded out the overall experience.

Overall Verdict:The Inclusiveness weekend allowed me to see first hand what the Olin School of Business is about: good people who support each other to succeed in a challenging MBA program. Olin’s commitment to diversity is reflected in the way people treat each other. During my visit, someone said, “We are not just seeking out the differences among us, but rather celebrating those differences”.

This concludes my school visits. I hope you found my reviews to be informative.

Editor's Note: MBADiversity is proud to announce that Glory Alcantara was recently accepted at UNC, Kelley, and Wash U. She was awarded a Consortium Fellowship to Kelley, and will attend in the Fall of 2005.

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Prospective Shaquita Murphy gives her verdict on:
Fuqua School of Business, Duke MBA Minority Workshop, November 18-21, 2004

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