Simon School Admissions Blog

Pedagogy and the Simon Curriculum

By: Crissi

Most know that the Simon School’s methodological approach to business is analytical and economics-based.  This is likely one of the reasons that Simon is considered a premier institution for corporate finance.  Additionally, Simon faculty has founded and continues to edit eight academic journals including: the Journal of Financial Economics, the Journal of Monetary Economics and the Journal of Accounting and Economics.  But what does this imply for someone sitting in a Simon classroom?

I have completed the majority of the core curriculum for the Simon M.B.A., and I can tell you it means something different for each course.  I am continually surprised at how mathematics – whether derivatives from calculus or logical functions in Excel – pops up in every class.  With the exception of finance and accounting which clearly denote calculations in the curriculum, mathematics seems to sneak its way into every other business competency at Simon. 

My educational background is in the humanities and liberal arts.  Many people ask me, ‘how can you manage a mathematics-rich program?’  The answer is simple: the professors are fantastic educators.  The dynamic way professors convey course material – with passion and real-life examples that exemplify the logic of these assertions –means I barely even notice that we are manipulating a production function. 

Math is easier to swallow if you know what the numbers mean before you start calculating.  Return on Equity is a meaningless fraction until you know what inputs are being calculated.  Clear explanation and logical sequencing of material is where Simon professors excel.  By the time the professor starts writing equations on the board, it naturally follows from the discussion at hand. 

‘What if I just don’t get it?’ is another question I hear.  This one has the easiest answer of all: use the resources Simon has placed at your fingertips.  Work is done in teams; ask a teammate for help.  Mathematics heavy courses have Teaching Assistants and Lab sections; email the TA, any one of them will gladly meet with you for as long as needed to help you understand.  The professors at Simon have an open door policy; they want you to understand and will happily take the time to go over topics again and address your specific concerns.

Simon has taught me to embrace mathematics as a crucial tool for business problem solving.  I encourage you to do the same.  Still concerned?  Please contact me, I would be happy to allay your fears: crisandra.harrison@simon.rochester.edu

Understanding the Simon Waitlist

Posts by Rebekah:

It's that time of the year when the Simon Admissions committee is busy reviewing applications and releasing decisions.  One of the "mysteries" in the world of B-School Admissions is how the wait list is used.  It varies by school, but here's how it works at Simon, and more importantly what you can do if you find yourself on the waiting list.

First, follow the instructions of the admissions committee.  Simon requires wait listed candidates to verify they are active on the waiting list through a confirmation e-mail within 10 days following our decision to admissions@simon.rochester.edu.

Second, provide updates to your status - this could be an updated resume, additional letter of recommendation, a new and improved test score, or essay providing new information about you.  We don't provide individual feedback to wait listed candidates so the above includes all of the types of items you might consider when choosing what to send us. Be sure that additional information is pertinent to your B-school application.  Pictures, information about hobbies or family members, etc. may be interesting, but if it is not relevant to our decision making process then it should not be included.

Third, be patient.  Contacting the office every week or two for an update on your wait list status goes beyond a demonstration of your interest in Simon.  You need to remind us of your commitment to Simon and then remember that review of the waiting list is not immediate.

A little more on our process.  If you are wait listed, you will not receive a numerical rank - Simon doesn't use this as there is constant fluctuation with new candidates added to the waiting list and others who indicate they do not wish to remain on it.  We review the entire wait list as a batch and any updates from Simon will be communicated initially by e-mail to reconfirm your interest and then formal decisions are posted through the online application system.  Remember we are eager to enroll the best possible incoming class and we typically have a portion of these students who enroll from our waiting list, so be positive if you have a wait list status.

Simon School Application Review Process

By: Tony

Has the distant application deadline of March 20, 2009 got you in procrastination mode to complete your application?

If this sounds like you, then you may want to listen to this important application tip... The Simon Admissions office reviews MBA & MS applications on a "rolling" basiss.  This means that once a submitted application is completed (meaning all recommendation letters and transcripts are received), our office staff will begin to review the application materials.

An earlier application review can be especially beneficial for those pursuing tuition aide since an earlier submission will maximize opportunities for merit-based scholarships.  Sure the next application deadline is a couple months away, but if you can muster up some motivation and complete the final tweaks to your application for an earlier submission, it can pay off.

Good luck with your application... we are looking forward to reviewing it in the coming weeks!

The Admissions Interview

By: Crissi

The admissions interview is an important component of your application.  It is an opportunity for the Admissions Committee to get to know you better as a person. More importantly, it is a time for you to get a clearer picture of what Simon has to offer you, and how you will fit in within the Simon Community. Once you have completed and submitted your application, the Admissions Committee will make a determination about the interview. Here is a brief description of each interview format:

On-Campus: We in the Admissions Office love to welcome applicants to Rochester for a visit. If you choose to interview between Monday and Thursday – when classes are in session – you will also have the opportunity to go on a campus tour with a current student and sit in on a Simon class.

Phone: This is a 30 minute call where you will be interviewing with an Associate Director of Admissions or a Simon Alumni. At the conclusion of the interview, you will have the chance to ask one to two questions of the interviewer about the Simon community and life in Rochester.

Event: The Admissions office holds events year-round. Events are a great chance to learn more about Simon along with others, and meet with staff, faculty and current Simon students.
http://www.simon.rochester.edu/ftevents

No format of interview has any advantage over the next. The most important point is to be well prepared for your interview, relax and allow your interviewer to get to know you. Remember, you were already chosen to take part in an interview.

Time to Re-Charge

By: Greg MacDonald, Executive Director of Admissions

While the holiday season generally brings an opportunity to spend some more relaxed time with friends and family, in the world of admissions work it also marks the conclusion of the fall recruiting season.  Many of us have logged thousands of miles since mid-September meeting with prospective students at a variety of outreach events.  Now is the time where we can put away the suitcases, reconnect with our families and co-workers, and settle into the process of reviewing admission applications.  After what seems like an endless routine of airports, rental cars, and hotels, being at home for an extended period is a treat.

From the candidate’s perspective, this also marks the time when the applications are pushed off your desk, and onto our desk’s.  Or perhaps I should say from your PC to our PC’s?  In a sense, the process is now out of your hands, and can be cause for some distress as you await final admission decisions.  My advice is to use this time to re-charge your batteries, and get the rest you need to resume your graduate school decision making process as the offers roll in.  Soon enough, you’ll be back in charge of the process, evaluating perhaps multiple admission offers, and deciding what is the best fit for your needs.

In other words, hang in there.  The admissions finish line is in sight.

Simon School Full-time Application Deadlines

By: Rebekah

Are you wondering which deadline to target to have the best chance for admission to the full-time M.B.A. or M.S. program at Simon? 

First and foremost, don't rush to submit your application just to hit the earliest deadline.  We would rather see your most competitive application - including properly proofed essays and a competitive GMAT score - even if this means that your application comes in for a later deadline.  Simon uses a waitlist to ensure that we can make admission offers across every application deadline.  We don't have a specific number of available offers for any given application deadline - each year our offers vary, depending on the quality and size of the applicant pool. 

Financial Aid Information

By: Stefanie

It's getting to be that time of year when admitted students - as well as those beginning to research b-schools for next year's application cycle - inquire about financial aid options at the Simon School.  There is detailed information on our website itself, but I will try to sort it out for you here as well:

Merit-Based Scholarship: the Simon School offers merit-based scholarship to well qualified full-time admitted students - regardless of program (M.B.A. or M.S.) or citizenship (we make no distinction between internationals and domestic students).  "Merit-based" means your candidacy as determined by all parts of your application and also as compared with other admitted students.  Any scholarship offer is given at the time of admission.

Loans and Other Financial Aid: most likely, you will need additional funding for study and living expenses - regardless of whether or not you were offered a scholarship.  In general, to receive U.S. federal loans or supplemental educational loans, you need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.  Some options may be available to internationals who have lived 3 years or more in the U.S. and also have an established credit history.  For more information on loans, please go to the University of Rochester Financial Aid Office website.  Please pay careful attention when on this website to choose the options for "Graduate Students" as there is information that does not apply to Simon students - for example, the information for undergraduate international students.

A common form that will be needed for most Simon students will be the "Graduate Financial Aid Application" and this is now available for the 2008-2009 academic year.  Additionally, U.S. citizens should also complete the FAFSA for consideration for federal student loans.

Business School Admission Tips: Interviewing

By: Rebekah

Hi again from Rochester - I am wrapping up the series of posts on admissions tips with some helpful hints on the admissions interview.  Here goes:

• Interviews at Simon are by invitation - after your application has been reviewed we will contact you if an interview is requested
• Treat the interview like a job interview - dress in business attire, arrive a little ahead of schedule (10-15 minutes) if the interview will be in person or call on time if the interview is by telephone (be sure to check the time difference if you are calling from outside the U.S.)
• Your interview may be conducted by an admissions officer or a Simon School alumnus - depending on when and where you complete your interview.  In either case, the interviewer will have a copy of your resume to review prior to the interview appointment
• Be prepared to discuss your background and interest in graduate study and specifically your interest in attending the Simon Graduate School of Business
• Rather than repeating essays or reading off your resume, be prepared to go into more detail by providing specific examples to our questions
• Also prepare 2-3 questions that you would like to ask the interviewer to learn more about the program
• The interview is just one aspect of the application review - be yourself and be honest about strengths and weaknesses.  Strong self awareness of what you need to develop (and how Simon can help with this) is just as important as making a compelling case for yourself in the admissions review

That's it on interviewing - but best wishes as you are working through the application process at Simon!  I look forward to reviewing your application in the coming months.

Business School Admission Tips: Resume and Prior Work Experience

By: Rebekah

Hi again from Rochester! I am actually typing this in the airport on my way to my first recruiting trip of the season for 2007 - 08. The focus of my post today will be discussing prior work experience and our assessment of your resume. The Simon School Admissions Committee spends a significant portion of our review of candidates to understand prior work experience. Here are some of the things to keep in mind when you are putting the finishing touches on your application:

We review traditional post-baccalaureate work as well as summer internships/jobs for those with limited work experience and pre-baccalaureate experience (such as military or other related experience) for those with a non-traditional educational background.

We consider both business and non-business experiences, but will look for transferable skills from all current or prior work that will translate into contributions in the classroom and success in the post-MBA or post-MS job search.

We look at both the quality and quantity of work experience and how it relates to the decision for pursuing graduate study. You need to be prepared to answer the question of why "now" is the right time to pursue and MBA or MS degree.

Please follow the 2-page format we suggest and include the items suggested in your resume (as well as any other details you feel are relevant). Ultimately, your resume needs to include enough information to help us assess the skills you have developed, projects you have managed, and contributions that you have made at the organization(s) where you have worked.

Your essays and interview should validate and reinforce the information provided in your resume and should elaborate where appropriate. You can expect that we are viewing your resume from the perspective of a future professor or employer to best understand how you can contribute in a case discussion in class, on a study team with fellow graduate students, or in your first post-graduate position.

If you have questions on how to best position yourself for success in the application process, feel free to contact us at Admissions@simon.rochester.edu. Best wishes with your application!

Business School Admissions Tips: Transcripts and Your Academic Record

This week, we are talking about undergraduate transcripts and your academic record. Our admissions committee will review each transcript for a college you have attended – regardless of whether or not you have received a degree from the school. Some things we are looking for:

• Overall four-year trend during college – we’d like to see an upward trend in grades throughout your undergraduate record.
• Grades in math, business, or analytical classes – to help determine expected performance in Simon classes; we will review grades in classes taken within degree and non-degree programs.
• Although we don’t require undergraduate training in business, we do recommend that if you have not had classes in statistics and calculus, you may wish to consider taking one or both classes on a non-degree basis.
• If there are areas of your undergraduate record that may be a concern to the admissions committee, use the optional essay to help us understand any circumstances that impacted your performance.

Next time, we will discuss your resume and prior work experience.