"Up" is the new "up"!
Two years ago, when no drop in applications was seen as a success, the mantra among MBA admissions circles was, "Flat is the new up." Things have changed dramatically since then. This year, our Round 1 application volume increased more than 50% over last year. Peer business schools across the country appear to be experiencing growth as well, though in varying degrees.
What is driving the increase in our applications? Aside from the general growth in interest for MBA degrees, we attribute our increase to three main factors:
1. Being ranked #1 in the Wall Street Journal for the second time in three years and breaking into the top five again in BusinessWeek
2. Enhanced admissions recruiting initiatives
3. Active involvement of our students and alumni
Building the Pool
The Admissions team actively meets and recruits prospective students all around the world, all year round. In the fall, the team disperses throughout the world to host events, tell the Ross story, and develop relationships with potential students. In many U.S. cities, a member of the Admissions Student Committee accompanies the Admissions team and talks about the student perspective. We also invite alumni in each city to share their experience while at Ross. When prospective students attend one of our receptions and see the numbers and the energy of our students and alumni, they realize that our community is truly passionate about the school.
The team also coordinates recruiting events on campus for prospective students who want to experience Ross first-hand (e.g., Ross Preview Days and UpClose). For those prospective students who attend one of these events, we offer personalized "Visit Ross" days during which they can meet a student Ambassador for breakfast, attend a class, and take a tour guided by another Ambassador. In addition to being "the face of Ross" in person, Ambassadors answer questions to prospective students via email and phone. This year, we made it easier for prospective students to connect with Ambassadors through enhancements on our website. Ambassadors are now connecting with up to 15 prospective students a week as compare to three for the entire year last year.
We also spend a significant amount of time developing targeted e-mails that deliver relevant information to prospective students at every stage of their search for the right MBA program (from an introduction to Ross to tips on how best to manage the application process). This year, we made a concerted effort to include more testimonials from current students since we believe nothing is more credible than straight talk from your peers. We are slowly, but surely, moving into video testimonials and Podcasts. Stay tuned as we reach out for volunteers!
Shaping the Class
In mid-November, the Admissions Committee began reviewing applications. With such a large and high quality application pool this fall, we are thankful for the help of our Admissions Student Committee members who dedicated many hours to conduct interviews with applicants, read files, and help shape the next MBA class. In Round 1, we reviewed 869 applications (vs. 558 last year), interviewed 533 candidates, and admitted 289 students to the Class of 2009. The Round 2 review process started this month. We expect to read about 2,000 applications and interview hundreds of applicants between now and March 15, when Round 2 decisions will be released. Then, we do it all over again for Round 3, which typically accounts for about ten percent of our applications.
Getting Admits to Choose Ross
Probably one of the most enjoyable parts of the recruiting process is convincing admitted students that Ross is the right fit for them. It is truly a collaborative effort as we mobilize current students and alumni to help the Admissions Committee. The Admissions staff personally calls (or e-mails, if time zones are an issue) all admitted students. As soon as the calls begin, eager applicants are on the web boards chatting about "the call" and trying to figure out our strategy for the timing of the calls. We then match current students and alumni with each admitted student, based on location and/or career interest, to make "welcome calls." These volunteers serve as a resource for the admitted student throughout the decision process, connecting them to other members of the Ross community as needed.
Because fit plays an important role in the decision stage, we try to provide admits with many opportunities to experience the Ross culture. Go Blue! Rendezvous (GBR) is our major MBA recruiting event. The phrase, "Seeing is believing," could not be more true than in the case of GBR. Over 70% of GBR attendees decide to enroll at Ross. As such, we strive to get as many admitted students as possible to attend. For students who either cannot attend GBR or cannot wait until GBR to visit, we offer another Ross Preview Day in February.
In addition, we host admitted student receptions around the country, many of which are generously supported by our alumni. We also work with our alumni clubs around the world to invite admitted students to club events throughout the spring and summer.
Finally, we improved the web board (a vital resource for admitted students) by hosting it on Google. In less than 24 hours, over 240 people joined the board. Admitted students from all over the U.S., Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia are connecting with each other and current students to meet their future classmates and plan get-togethers in their region prior to Go Blue! Rendezvous.
The willingness of our students and alumni to be ambassadors for the school and support our recruiting efforts is key to our ability to attract the best students and preserve our unique culture. The Admissions team appreciates the commitment of our community and welcomes your ideas for enhancing our recruiting activities around the world.
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