Director of Admissions: Rebekah Lewinインタビュー
2006年2月22日、Director of Admissions のRebekah Lewin女史に以下のインタビューを行い、日本人学生・受験生へのアドバイスなどをお伺いしました。ちなみにLewin女史はSimonの卒業生でもあります。
What do you think are Simon's strengths and weaknesses?
The Simon School is known as one of the most diverse of the smaller M.B.A. programs in the U.S. That diversity allows for the global exchange of ideas, both inside and outside the classroom. Just as important, our economics framework that uses a common language to frame, analyze and communicate business decisions. Our smaller size allows the faculty to collaborate across disciplines - both inside and outside the classroom - which translates into a cross-functional approach within our curriculum. Also, Rochester has a high quality of life and low cost of living (especially compared to Tokyo)!
As far as weaknesses, being a smaller school means that we have a smaller network compared to some programs and also a fewer number of elective classes in some areas of study. On a somewhat humorous note, some students argue the winter weather is a tough adjustment - especially those students who come to us from San Diego, Singapore, or Brazil.
Ultimately, Dean Zupan's enthusiasm and accessibility to students is unlikely to be replicated at any other top M.B.A. program. The School has a great reputation as a top-25 U.S. business school, but our focus is to continue to improve and achieve the University of Rochester's motto of "Meliora" or "Ever Better".
Why has Simon decreased its class size over the past two years? Why do you think the number of Japanese students decreased over this same period?
In the midst of an industry-wide decrease in applications to M.B.A. programs, the Simon School has made a conscious decision to increase the quality of our enrolling students. Due to competitive pressures, we have chosen to decrease our class size to achieve a higher caliber of incoming M.B.A. students.
Over that same period, we have seen a proportional decrease in applications from Japan. We continue to remain significantly diverse and expect to grow both our class size and our international representation over the upcoming recruiting year. We visit Japan at least 1-2 times each year for recruiting events and are committed to enrolling the best and the brightest students for the class of 2008.
While the School intends to remain smaller, our goal is to increase the class of 2008 to around 140 entering students (including both the traditional 2-year and accelerated M.B.A. programs).
Could you outline this year's admission policy?
The Simon School strongly recommends that applicants use our online application - accessible through our Web site at www.simon.rochester.edu/. Once an application is on file, the Admissions Committee will review the file to determine if an invitation to interview will be offered. All candidates who are offered admission to the Simon School have had a telephone or in-person interview prior to the final decision. Applicants are encouraged to visit campus for their interview, but we request that you wait to arrange your trip logistics, until you confirm the Admissions Committee's availability for an interview slot. While on campus, the Simon School will connect a prospective student with a current student from Japan to attend class, tour campus, and go to lunch. Students offered admission generally have 3-8 weeks to consider the School's offer before making a commitment to enroll (timing is dependent upon when a candidate applies).
The School is committed to enrolling a diverse group - with respect to age, work experience - both quality and quantity, academic background, geographic region, and other unique characteristics. Along these lines, the School has developed a more flexible policy in considering candidates with less work experience but very strong academic credentials. While I expect this recruiting effort to largely target domestic candidates, in certain circumstances, the Admissions Committee may also consider international candidates with limited work experience. Beyond strong academic credentials, the Admissions Committee expects these individuals to demonstrate excellent interpersonal communication skills, a team focus, leadership potential, and an interest in extra-curricular activities and involvement outside the classroom.
What criteria does the admissions office use to evaluate applicants?
First and foremost, we look at academic potential to achieve success in the M.B.A. program. Most applicants demonstrate this through the undergraduate record and their GMAT score. Next, for international candidates, we closely scrutinize English communication skills - speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The tools we use to evaluate these areas include the GMAT verbal score, AWA, TOEFL, application essays, and personal interview. Other important factors include depth and breadth of past working experience, commitment to and interest in the Simon School, fit with our academic and extra-curricular offerings, team skills, and leadership potential. There is no specific formula that guarantees admission, it is a combination of all these factors that helps the Committee make a final decision on each application.
What is your general impression of Japanese students in Simon?
Japanese students at Simon School generally do very well academically. They often have a background in law, economics, or engineering, and strong quantitative skills. This is a great match for our curriculum, which focuses on quantitative analysis in applied economics. The Japanese students report that they really appreciate the quality of life in Rochester - a large enough city to offer a variety of cultural activities, but a lower level of crime, and a family-friendly environment including outdoor activities such as golfing, snow skiing, baseball, and hiking. In my visits to Tokyo, Japanese alumni have often reminisced about how much they miss the city of Rochester - especially the world-class golf courses. I am pleased that the Japanese students have continued their commitment to Simon School through active involvement in the community as alumni - especially in our efforts to recruit future M.B.A. students.
What is your general impression of Japanese applicants this year?
We have a great group of applicants from Japan this year. I have met several personally and interacted with many more via e-mail and telephone. We have a combination of company-sponsored and self-sponsored students who have been admitted to Simon already and we are in the midst of looking at more admission offers over the upcoming weeks and months.
Do you have any specific advice for Japanese prospective students?
While I don't know if this advice is specific to Japanese prospective students only, I would absolutely recommend for them to do their research on Simon. Know the specifics of why they are interested in the Simon School and convey this in their application and interview.
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