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The University of Virginia (UVA) Darden School of Business Admissions: Everything You Need to Know

 

Nestled in bucolic Charlottesville, Virginia, the University of Virginia (UVA) Darden School of Business, aka “Darden,” boasts a distinctly tight-knit culture due to its small class size (approximately 350), the interdependence of its first-year learning teams, and its reliance on the case method. In recent years, Darden has been invigorated by 2020 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year Scott Beardsley, who served as a McKinsey & Company director and global board member before taking the helm at Darden. Dean Beardsley arrived at the Darden MBA program in 2015 and promptly went on an ambitious fund-raising campaign, netting the program almost $400 million in donations. How did the Darden administration allocate these funds? Applicants and students will likely be pleased to know that the Darden MBA program’s priorities were 66 new scholarships, 22 new endowed Darden professorships, the Batten Foundation Darden Worldwide Scholarship endowment (which covers every full-time MBA student’s fees for a Darden Worldwide Course), significant new facilities on its Charlottesville campus, and a new Washington, DC–area campus. In addition to the leadership of Dean Beardsley, the return of Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke after a 12-year hiatus (during which time she served as admissions director at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College) has also energized the program. Notably, Clarke has taken a leadership role in leveling the playing field for all applicants. The Darden MBA program now offers test waivers and an array of test options, including the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and Executive Assessment, in an attempt to reduce applicant stress and increase class diversity. We are not surprised that a program that relies on the case method and thereby asks its students to take a leadership perspective is shaking up testing orthodoxies, while making significant investments in itself.

 
 

What Is the Case Method?

Since its founding, the UVA Darden MBA program has taught its students almost exclusively via the case method (pioneered at Harvard Business School), though students still have occasional guest lectures, in-class simulations, and, more rarely, lectures. So what is the case method? Maybe the best way to define a case would be to say that it is a written leadership narrative through which Darden students read about a protagonist and the management dilemma they are facing. As students delve into a case, they are expected to adopt a leadership perspective and develop their own opinion or analysis of how the protagonist should solve the case. Then, each UVA Darden MBA student meets with their learning team—a group of five or six fellow students from diverse professional and international backgrounds—to discuss their various opinions. The next day in class, a Darden professor acts as a facilitator and leads students through case points. Often, the class starts with a Darden “cold call,” in which a student is selected at random by the professor to initiate a discussion of their analysis of the case, after which, the rest of the class jumps in to continue dissecting the case. With the case method, no answer is definitively right or wrong. Instead, a wide range of ideas and opinions are shared, thereby informing Darden students’ “general manager” perspective. Often, the class learns in the end how the protagonist solved the problem, and even then, some in the class might disagree with the approach. UVA Darden students have either two or three case days a week, and the average case is ten to 15 pages, though some are as short as one or two, and others might on occasion be more than 40 pages. Reading cases and preparing analyses each day is demanding, so Darden has often been referred to as a “boot camp.” Although Darden embraces that label and takes pride in the rigor of its program, it balances the intensity of its course work with a warm community, punctuated by Darden’s famous morning coffee (known as First Coffee), which offers everyone a chance to gather after the first class of the day. If you are interested in a highly engaged MBA experience, Darden’s case approach would likely appeal to you.

 

mbaMission’s UVA Darden School of Business Administration Insider’s Guide

The UVA Darden School of Business MBA Insider’s Guide

After consulting with Michigan MBA students, admissions committee members, and alumni about their Ross experiences, we have prepared our Insider’s Guide to the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. We take an in-depth look at life as a Michigan Ross MBA student, highlighting how the school’s location, class size, curriculum, teaching methods, facilities, alumni involvement, and rankings all affect its culture and MBA experience. Then we delve into Ross’s faculty (including renowned finance professor Gautam Kaul) and professional student clubs, revealing how they facilitate the careers of Ross MBA students. Through our guide, you will learn more about the hands-on learning philosophy that underpins the business school—evidenced by distinctive resources such as the Social Venture Fund, the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies’ Michigan Business Challenge, numerous student-run conferences, and other such opportunities. Further, you will come to understand how the LEED-certified 270,000-square-foot Ross building, along with other features of the campus, facilitates collaboration and socialization among students and underscores Michigan’s commitment to sustainability.

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UVA Darden Interview Guide

The UVA Darden Interview Guide

For all MBA program interviews, we suggest thorough preparation, and that of course is true UVA Darden, where the interview is never an interrogation but almost always a warm conversation that lasts 30–45 minutes. Darden applicants are often put at ease, but that does not mean that their interviewer is just passively participating—the interviewer is always evaluating the applicant’s communication and interpersonal skills, attempting to understand what kind of participant they would be in a case environment and on a learning team. The Darden interview is “blind,” meaning that the interviewer does not read the applicant’s file or even their resume beforehand. As a result, the interview generally opens with a broad introduction, after which the interviewer moves on to ask about specific experiences as the applicant continues sharing their story. Of course, beyond their personal and career narratives, applicants should have very clear reasons for applying to the Darden MBA program specifically, because one’s fit with the classroom and community is critical in Darden’s candidate evaluation process. Typically, Darden interviews are completed on campus by trained students and admissions officers, with international applicants being interviewed via Skype or Zoom, though the pandemic has necessitated that all interviews be conducted via Skype or Zoom. For sample essay sequences and commentary from past applicants, download a copy of our UVA Darden School of Business Interview Guide.

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University of Virginia Darden MBA Essay Analysis, 2021–2022

“Inclusion,” “purpose,” “community,” “perspective,” “support”—these words appear prominently and often in the essay questions for the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business this year. Although Darden has pretty much always focused on the strength of its community, the way students collaborate both inside and outside the classroom to learn and grow, and the value of bringing people from diverse backgrounds and with differing mind-sets together, the school’s updated prompts seem to emphasize these ideas even more than usual. Applicants must provide five short essays—which the school interestingly refers to as “short answer questions” instead—ranging from 50 to 200 words, and for two of them, candidates can choose between two prompts, though the overarching theme is the same. As a whole, the essays cover applicants’ personal, educational, and career objectives while touching on aspects of Darden’s particular character and ethos—notably, its learning teams, vast international reach, and diversity. Candidates who feel they have still more they need to impart to the admissions committee can take advantage of the application’s 250-word “Additional Comments” section as well.

In our UVA Darden MBA essay analysis, we provide in-depth guidance on each of Darden’s application essay questions:

  • Learning Team Learning Teams are an invaluable peer resource for Darden students as they navigate the core curriculum. Every student is assigned to a Learning Team consisting of 5–6 students from an array of backgrounds and perspectives, and this built-in support system serves as an important connection to the broader Darden community. Tell us what you would want your learning team to know about you that is not on your resume. (150 words)
  • Leadership and Impact: Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please respond to one of the following prompts. (200 words)
    • Q1: Tell us about a time when you acted with a team to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. What role did you play? What did you learn from this experience?
    • Q2: Tell us about a time you acted to solve a problem for the greater good. What drew you to this issue? What did you learn from this experience?
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission and they work best when they are an integral and celebrated part of our community. Review the University of Virginia’s Commitment to Diversity. Diversity stands with ethics, integrity, and academic excellence, as a cornerstone of University culture. The University promotes an inclusive and welcoming environment that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, and disciplines. When people of different backgrounds come together, they exchange ideas, question assumptions (including their own), and broaden the horizons for us all. A University of Virginia community rich in diversity affords every member equal respect and provides a forum for understanding our differences as well as our commonalities. The Darden School develops, practices and cultivates a culture that reflects and incorporates the worldviews of its many community members. In this inclusive culture, the community learns important—and sometimes uncomfortable—lessons from one another, resulting in more conscientious global leaders and citizens. Please respond to one of the following prompts. (200 words)
    • Q1: Share a time when you learned something related to diversity, equity or inclusion that was previously unknown to you. How did this experience impact your perspective?
    • Q2: Share a time when you advocated for a perspective, identity, or community different from your own. How did this experience impact your worldview?
  • Career Goal: Darden’s Career Center delivers personalized career searches, support and resources to empower students in their goals to create value as purpose-driven leaders. The team of dedicated, expert career coaches spans every major industry, function and geography and collectively represent over one hundred years of coaching experience. Coaches are prepared to support students wherever they are in their search, as career goals shift and evolve while pursuing an MBA. Through a wide variety of career-related programming, students gain lifelong skills they will continue to leverage throughout their careers. And this support continues after graduation. All Darden graduates have access to complimentary career support for life through Darden’s Alumni Career Services. What is your short-term, post-MBA goal and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (150 words)
  • Darden Worldwide: The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship provides all Darden students in our full-time MBA program with an opportunity to participate in a Darden Worldwide Course. Darden has an incredible network of alumni and partners around the world, and, in a typical year, the School connects with over 80 countries. If you could choose any location in the world, where would you want to travel? (5 words) And why? (50 words)

Darden MBA Class Profile (Class of 2023)

Class Size 351
Average Undergraduate GPA 3.52
Average GMAT 715
Average GRE (Combined) 321
Average Years of Work Experience 5
Women 40%
International (Born Outside United States) 40%
Countries Represented 40
US Minority 21%
Consortium Members 52
Military Service Members 7%

UVA Darden MBA Rankings

Darden appears consistently among the top 20 in rankings of U.S. business schools. The school came in at fifth place in Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2020 domestic ranking, up from 2018’s ninth position. The school also shifted upward internationally in the Financial Times’ 2021 survey, from 18th to 11th, and from 12th to sixth place domestically. The program fell from ninth to 16th place internationally and from eighth to 13th place domestically in The Economist’s 2019 rankings (the school was not included on the following year’s list). Moreover, in its more detailed 2019 breakdown, The Economist survey ranked Darden second for “education experience” after reaching the top spot on that list the previous year. In U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 survey, the Darden MBA program fell two spots from 11th to 13th in the country (in a tie with Michigan Ross).

UVA Darden MBA Deadlines (2021-2022)

Early Decision
September 9, 2021

Round 1
October 6, 2021

Round 2
January 5, 2022

Round 3
April 6, 2022

mbaMission Testimonials from UVA Darden MBA Applicants

Accepted to Top 3 Choices Round 1!

Julie-Anne played a huge role in my being accepted to my top three choice schools, Harvard Business School, Wharton/Lauder and UVA Darden in Round 1 of the 2020-2021 Admissions Cycle. While I had all the right pieces (720 GMAT, high GPA and strong recommendations), I struggled to develop my MBA story through my essays and short-answer responses. More specifically, coming from international development, I was completely lost about how to contextualize my background and skills through a business lens and articulate how I could contribute uniquely to the classroom.

Julie-Anne exceeded my expectations on every front. She was accessible, diligent, kind and strategic. She listened closely early on to understand who I was, why I wanted an MBA and what I hoped to do, and then used that knowledge to help me strengthen my voice in my essays. She read countless drafts, jumped on dozens of brainstorm calls when I hit a roadblock (even on Sunday mornings!), and calmed my anxieties the night before my interviews. She was highly professional and knowledgeable; I always felt that she knew exactly what she was doing, whether helping to tweak my resume or determine how to conclude my essays (and the results showed!). Her expertise on what the Admissions Committee values at each particular school heightened my applications and helped me to really shine. Also, the fact that Julie-Anne attended HBS, one of my top choices, and worked in consulting, my intended post MBA career, made her a real role model for me throughout the process. I highly recommend Julie-Anne!

Highly Recommend Harold!

I had the pleasure to work with Harold throughout my MBA application process. Harold is extremely kind, proactive, and helpful. I spoke with a few other consultants before choosing Harold but felt that Harold really took the time to personally understand my story and that he would be the best to help me on my MBA process.

During our process, Harold was supportive, timely, and invaluable. He was very quick to get back to me and was happy to hop on the phone if I had questions or concerns. I ended up doing a final push for rolling admissions during COVID, and Harold would immediately get back to me and help me meet my last-minute deadlines. His feedback on essays and overall applications was extremely helpful. He had great attention to detail, and really knew the schools inside and out.

Ultimately I was accepted to UVA Darden and am excited to attend! I know I couldn’t have done it without Harold and am extremely grateful. I would highly recommend Harold to anyone (in fact I’ve already referred one of my friends)!
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