I hope that everybody is settling into the year and that your experiences, both academic and extracurricular, are having a positive impact on you. I am thankful to the SGA for offering me this opportunity to update you from time to time on all of the exciting things going on in the Full-Time MBA program.
Today, I’d like to talk about two areas, the bookends if you will, of our program: Admissions and Career Services. There are some very exciting things going on in the Admissions Office this year. As the recruiting season gears up, our admissions officers have been on the road, visiting with prospective students from all over the country. Wonderful stories are coming in about the interesting students who’ve approached the Wake Forest table at recruiting events. The applications are already beginning to roll in and I can’t wait to see how the Class of 2012 shapes up.
You might be interested in a couple of new ways we can attract great students to our program: First, we now have a Health Concentration to offer. Both alumni and prospective students seem to be reacting very favorably to this development. Also, like the university, we are attempting to attract a wider base of talent. We have made the decision to begin accepting the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT. To be sure, we will hold students submitting the GRE to the same rigorous standards as we do GMAT-takers, but the GRE will allow us to reach out to a wider audience of individuals who may not have anticipated attending business school, but who have seen the light! Finally, we have changed our interview policy to “invitation only.” Students may sign up for a 15-minute phone counseling session so that an admissions advisor can give them all the critical information they need. While the majority of applicants will be invited to campus (or SKYPE) for an interview, we reserve the right not to interview individuals who clearly do not meet our basic criteria (e.g. insufficient work experience for the FT program).
You might ask, “How can I help?” There are indeed some things you can do. First, I’d like to thank those of you who signed up for the Ambassador Program. You are on the front line when it comes to prospective students visiting campus. In addition to welcoming them and giving them a realistic preview of what a Wake MBA is like, you are their lifeline for questions after they leave campus. All students can be instrumental in helping us identify interesting, talented and intelligent individuals to come to Wake in the fall. The Admissions office is currently in the process of developing a formal referral program and if you send a prospective student who we admit and who enrolls, you will be rewarded! I will discuss the details of this upcoming program in a future column. Meanwhile, don’t hold back. If you send somebody who ultimately enrolls, you will qualify for the reward. Remember to tell prospective students about the new Health Program and our new GRE policy.
At the other end of the spectrum is Career Services. I have been informed that most full-time students are focused and engaged with their career search and I am very happy to hear this! I echo the mantra, “focused, directed and connected.” If you engage in all of the activities and processes the CMC recommends, you will have the skills to not only find a great job or internship now, but in the future as well. The skills they teach you will last a lifetime, just like a good regression or DASeR! I know that there are many career-related activities coming up, including company visits and career panels. I encourage you to attend as many of these as you can. These are wonderful opportunities to explore career opportunities and to network with people who can help you find a job. The CMC has an open door policy so please take advantage of your wonderful counselors, who are there to help you at every stage.
Finally, keep in mind that we are all here to serve you. Student Services is available to students from all programs and can direct you to the resources you need. Soon, I will begin a series of lunchtime feedback sessions where we have two-way conversations about what’s going on and how we can enhance your experience. If you ever have problems of an academic nature, please do not hesitate to contact me. I encourage you to set up an appointment with me using Outlook. Just find an empty spot and put yourself on my calendar!
Sherry Moss ~ Director of Full-time MBA Program and Associate Professor of Organizational Studies
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