Jenn Holmes, HB Editor

Welcome to Hispanic Business LiveChat!

Jenn Holmes, HB Editor

Nicole Lindsay, Associate Director of Admissions at Yale School of Management, will now be taking and answering questions on Making Your Way to an MBA.

I recently graduated in May of 2004 from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and I have been working with Washington Mutual since August of this year. I would like to attend Yale in 3 years to pursue a MBA education. My question is how do students support themselves financially and pay for tuition? I am married and have a newborn and one of my goals in life is to obtain a MBA education especially from Yale. My biggest concern is not getting admitted.

Nicole Lindsay

Thank you for your question, Francisco. Most students at Yale SOM do not work - so they support themselves through savings, student loans and scholarships. Business school is a financially expensive endeavour, however it pays great dividends afterward.

How will Yale increase opportunities for URMs wanting to pursue Ph.D. opportunities in biosciences?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Anthony. I represent the Yale School of Management and am unable to address your question on PhD programs in the Biosciences. I would encourage you to visit the Yale website for more information at www.yale.edu. Thanks.

Hello, I am about to graduate from RPI (Troy, NY). I am getting dual major in economics and philosophy. What is the GPA requirement for getting into Yale Business School? Or what was the GPA for last year admission to Yale Business School? Thank you!

Nicole Lindsay

Thanks for your question, Nick. Yale School of Management does not have a minimum GPA for admission, though our average for last year's class was a 3.5. Thanks.

My undergraduate G.P.A. is lower than a 3.0 out of 4.0 scale. With great test scores and a solid professional record, what can I do to gain addmission into an MBA program?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Oscar. Unfortunately, I don't know if you would be admitted. We consider each candidate individually. I can tell you that we have students who had GPAs under 3.0. To offset a lower than average GPA, strong GMAT performance, essays, work experience, recommendations and interview are important in gaining admission to SOM. Thanks for your question.

How does the age influence in the admission process?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Mauricio,

The average age of our students is 26-27 years old. We're really not interested in age as much as we are in work experience. We want to be confident that you can engage in the business school experience, which is more than typical schoolwork. You will have large amounts of group work and class participation where you will be required to relate your past experiences to what you are learning.

Professional work experience is not the only way to showcase your readiness for school, but it is generally the most direct way for us to assess your maturity. Thanks.

I recently took the GMAT and was not happy with my score. I studied using the Official GMAT Review Guide. What other tools do you recommend to assist me in obtaining a higher score.

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Raul,

You have to assess what you think will work for you. Many students take prep classes or have tutors. Yale SOM does not endorse any of these and so I'm unable to speak to what would work best.

I would encourage you to break your practice tests. Are there specific areas where you are struggling? Are you approaching the actual test in the correct manner? Thanks.

I'm strongly interested in the MBA program at Yale. I work full-time in investment banking and have 12 years of professional experience. Can you please tell me if I can enroll in this program and take the classes on-line? If so, please provide a step by step procedure with the necessary things to apply.

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Sean,

Thanks for your question. We currently only have a full-time MBA program (must come to New Haven, CT for class) and next fall, we will offer an MBA for Executives (concentration in Healthcare Management).

What's the average GPA of students who transfer to Yale Business School?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Ruben. We generally don't accept transfers to the School of Management. Thanks.

Does Yale help students find jobs after they graduate? What kinds of jobs do your grads get?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Jesse,

Thanks for your question. Yale SOM has a Career Development Office (CDO) that provide assistance with the job serach process. Even with the CDO, students are required to do most of the work - networking with alumni and representatives from companies and conducting a lot of research.

FOr the Class of 2003, 50% of the class went into a Finance related field, 17% Manufacturing, 4% Consulting, 4% Non-profit or Public Management, and 25% into other areas, such as Technology, Entrepreneurship, Energy, Telcom, etc. We are seeing a more graduates this year going into Consulting as this industry rebounds.

Can you tell us about the kind of financial aid Yale offers?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Diana. Yale SOM offers scholarships as well as student loans. I would encourage you to visit our website for more detailed information, www.mba.yale.edu.

Yale SOM provides scholarships up to full tuition; even then students generally must take out student loans to cover living expenses. Thanks.

I've taken the GMAT a couple of times, but would like to improve my score. Does Yale look at the number of times the GMAT is taken and will it count against me?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Cory. Taking the GMAT more than once is not a big deal. When you've taken the GMAT three times or more, you need to consider what value are you getting out of taking it again. Have you already done your best? Did you just take it last month - or did you take it several years ago?

Do the best that you can, but at some point you will probably have peaked and should then work on strengthening the other parts of your application. Thanks.

I’ll be getting my BA this year and I plan on working for a couple of years before getting my MBA. Should I be looking for a certain kind of job to help me get into grad school?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Chris. You should pursue something that interests you and pursue a company that values you as an employee and provides opportunities for you to learn and grow.

We have students who worked in all types of industries and jobs, but the common link is that they performed very well and progressed - with increased responsibility or through promotions. Thanks.

Does Yale Grad school require applicants have a lot of business experience?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Alex. We don't require that students have worked in a "business" role before school. We actually have students who had no direct business experience before beginning school in the fall. Some of our students were in the Armed Services, Peace Corps or Teach for America before business school.

We are looking for students who exhibit leadership potential. Thanks.

What steps would you recommend one takes to have a better chance at getting admitted to the MBA program at Yale?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Ruben. To enhance one's chance of admission, I would recommend that an applicant understand the application process before undertaking it. Know what schools are looking for, the components of the application and the timeline - how long it will take to research the schools and complete the application.

Also I would spend a great deal of time reflecting on why you want to pursue an MBA and what value it has for you. When someone has done this their application really stands out. Thanks.

After I graduated college, an MBA was the popular thing to do. However, after the job market tanked, it seemed like everyone had an MBA and still no work. Do you think an MBA still holds the same weight with employers that it used to?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Hollie. The MBA definitely carries great weight. It of course depends on the industry. For example, in financial services or consulting, the MBA is almost a requirement to move through management ranks.

You have to decide if it makes sense for you. I think the greatest value of the MBA is not necessarily getting "the job", but adding so much to the team/organization that you join. The MBA provides such great perspective on how organizations grow and succeed. Thanks.

Hi Nicole, the last time I took the test was about two months ago. It was the third time, but I still feel I should be doing better. Thanks for the advice.

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Cory. You have to decide whether to take the test again. I would really encourage you to assess your weaknesses and study habits before taking it again. You may need to approach the test differently. Thanks.

I am a successful business owner and am finally in a position to go back to school to pursue my MBA. The only thing is I’m 38 years old. It may sound like a strange question, but do you get a lot applications from people my age?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Tom. The majority of our applications come from people under 35, though we receive applications from and have students in our classrooms who are over 35. Obtaining an MBA is a personal decision, but when you apply you just need to communicate why the MBA is right for you NOW. Also you need to feel comfortable that you will be getting what you need from the program - with your experience, it's likely that your classmates will get a lot from you. Thanks.

What do you look for in application essays? I have a good sense of humor, is it okay to try and be funny?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Juan. Trying to be funny is risky. At SOM, we have six people on our admissions committee. What three of us find funny, the other three may be offended by. While I don't think you need to be somber, remember this is professional school. Be yourself, but don't stray too far from what schools are generally looking for.

In essays:
(1) answer the question!
(2) be yourself - if you don't know, spend time figuring it out
(3) tell the admissions committee your story and your passions (we want to know what makes you tick).

Thanks.

I got my bachelor’s about a year ago and want to go back to school, but I’m not sure I want an MBA. Is there anything I can do to see if an MBA is the right program for me?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Efrain. Only you can determine if an MBA is right for you. I would encourage you to figure out what you want to do with your life long term and then back into what you need to do to get there - maybe it requires an MBA.

I will say that an MBA is a very versatile degree and provides such broad options and opportunities. Thanks.

Jenn Holmes, HB Editor

Thanks for joining our LiveChat with Nicole Lindsay, Associate Director of Admissions at Yale School of Management. She will be answering questions for 10 more minutes.

Hello Nicole -- I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about the students that are in your MBA programs. I know Yale is a really good school, but what is the vibe there like?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Nathan. Yale SOM is a small school (220-240 students per class). It's a very collaborative and cooperative environment (which is fostered by the grading system and non-grade disclosure to companies). Thanks.

Which policies does Yale have to make sure that a diverse pool of students can access its programs in general and the MBA program in specific? Thanks

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Juan. I can only address the School of Management's initatives. Yale SOM is interested in not only providing access to its alumni and students, but also to building the pipeline of future alumni and students. We work with outside organizations that are focused on increasing the exposure of underrepresented populations to business and the opportunities it provides.

We travel throughout the country during the year to introduce people to Yale SOM and then provide assistance throughout the application process - we are hosting an diversity event, Explore Diversity at Yale SOM this weekend; our students are resources to applicants and admitted students. Thanks.

I’d like to speak to an actual person about pursuing an MBA. What kind of marketing and outreach programs does Yale have? Is there anyway to see if you’ll have a representative in my neighborhood anytime soon?

Nicole Lindsay

Hi Pete. We don't get to Bloomington to often, but I would encourage you to contact us at mba.admissions@yale.edu. We would be happy to answer your questions and/or put you in contact with a student. Thanks.

Honestly, how hard is it to get into Yale? Honestly.

Nicole Lindsay

I'm running out of time so I am going to be brief. Fernando, it's hard. You've got to do your legwork, but it's well worth it and LOTS of people do get in.

Hello Nicole. Thanks for answering my previous questions. I have one more question: about how many students apply for admittance into the MBA program and what is the average GPA of those who apply?

Nicole Lindsay

2000 applications. We don't calculate averages on applicants only enrolled students. Thanks.

Hello Nicole. Two questions: Are there any special challenges facing individuals who are over 50 years of age who wish to pursue and MBA at Yale SOM? Does SOM offer any special considerations to MBA prospects approaching middle age?

Nicole Lindsay

I think the "special challenges" facing those over 50 are common to any full-time MBA program. I think the big question is applicability at this point in your career - of course, only you can assess that. Usually an Executive MBA program is more valuable for someone with a great deal of work experience.

Jenn Holmes, HB Editor

Thank you to Nicole Lindsay from the Yale Graduate School of Management. This concludes our LiveChat, but for more information on Yale SOM, please visit http://www.mba.yale.edu.