12th Aug 2022: Darden has now made the open interview available for the Full-Time MBA applicants through Early Actions. The deadline to schedule the interviews is September 8th, 2022.
The perk that Darden’s Early Action Applicants enjoy is that they don't have to wait for an interview. Also, Early Action is the only round in which Darden offers open interviews.
Due to the limited open interview availability, all the Darden MBA applicants must be quick to schedule their interview before the mentioned deadline. Along with this, students can check the additional availability of the open interview released by the Darden Admissions team every week.
Applicants can select the mode of an interview between the on-Ground interviews in Charlottesville, VA, or virtually via Zoom. Both the interview modes will be considered evenly, and no preference will be offered based on the mode of interview.
For the applicants who intend to appear for a virtual interview, the availability will be released on an ongoing basis from 15th August through 16th September 2022. Applicants must schedule their interviews by the Early Action Deadline of 8th September 2022. All the virtual interviews will be conducted via Zoom. The applicants who aren’t familiar with Zoom are advised to explore the video and audio settings and practice before the interview.
Four dates have been assigned for the applicants who intend to appear for ON-GROUND INTERVIEWS. They are Thursday, 8 September, Friday, 9 September, Thursday, 15 September, and Friday, 16 September 2022.
An on-Ground interview day will require travel to Charlottesville, Virginia. The Interviewees may also get the chance to observe a class in case they visit on Thursdays (that is 8th Sep or 15th Sep 2022). They can also get an opportunity to have lunch with current students and take a tour of Darden. Space for the session is very limited.
The applicants who want tips on interviews can watch Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke’s short video on Darden’s approach to interviews. Or they can also sign up for the webinar on “All About the Application: Interviews,” which will be held on the 19th of August 2022.
Students can also visit Darden’s site to sign up for the webinar. The results of the interviews will be announced by 19th October 2022.
If you need help with interviews, sign up for F1GMAT's Mock Interview Service
31st May 2022: Darden School of Business has announced the application deadlines for the 2025 graduating class. As is the tradition, Darden has an early action round on 8th September 2022 in addition to Round 1 (5th October 2022), Round 2 (5th January 2023), and Round 3 (5th April 2023).
Taking a cue from Harvard MBA Application, Darden has also introduced what more you would like to share that is not covered in the resume.
Darden MBA Essay #1: The first Darden Essay Question is Given that you will be forming lifelong connections with your classmates that extend beyond the classroom, what is important for your classmates to know about you that is not on your resumé? (200 words)
Darden MBA Essay #2: The second Essay is about interpreting the University of Virginia's commitment to inclusive leadership and citing an example where you as an applicant have promoted or created an inclusive environment. You must also mention how you plan to replicate the experience at Darden's global community. The question is:
Consistent with this ethos, the Darden School of Business seeks to improve the world by developing and inspiring responsible global leaders. We are committed to developing the School’s ability to leverage our global diversity — the multitude of different experiences and backgrounds among our stakeholders from around the world — to achieve excellence in business education in today’s complex marketplace. We do so in the service of our mission, adhering to an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe all key stakeholders - students, faculty, staff, alumni - play a critical role in cultivating an inclusive environment, and every action - whether big or small - in service of this goal is important.
Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)
The third essay is about goals - a narrative that you typically see in other MBA programs as well. The question is:
Darden MBA Essay #3: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)
Related: Download F1GMAT's Darden MBA Essay Guide