Part-Time MBA - Application Process

Application Process

1. Select Your Deadline
At UVA Darden, we offer a series of deadlines, usually beginning October, and we will continue to accept applications until the class fills. Each deadline functions as a discrete round - with a target interview period, decision release date and deposit deadline. All deadlines are focused on our class starting in August the following calendar year. 
Which deadline is right for you? Our general advice is to apply as soon as you feel like you can put together a strong application. With each passing deadline, fewer seats in our class will be available, and we will have less scholarship money to award. However, we offer frequent deadlines to provide you maximum flexibility.
2. Review Our Application
Once you have identified your target deadline, we encourage you to review our application. During this first pass, don’t worry about completing anything. Just read. What is required? What information will you need? How much time will it likely take you to complete each of the sections?
Taking 10–15 minutes to review our application as you embark upon this process will help you better plan and strategize.
Additional Resources:
• Video: Admissions Tips: Crafting Your Narrative
3. Acquire Your Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts are fine for the purposes of our application process, and we require transcripts for all degree-related coursework. An unofficial transcript is a transcript issued directly to you. It could be in the form of a PDF download or a document you scan and upload to your application. An official transcript is a transcript issued directly from the institution in question to our office.
If you completed your education at a non-English-speaking institution, you will need to make arrangements to have your academic records translated and sent to our office with the official transcript. All translations must be complete and literal versions of the original records.
If you matriculate at Darden, we will require you to submit official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions prior to the start of school. But for now, unofficial copies are just fine.
4. Make Your Test Plans or Submit a Test Waiver
When it comes to standardized tests, in the Part-Time MBA application process, applicants have two options: 1) take a standardized test or 2) submit a test waiver request.
Remember: Standardized tests are just one piece of information in a much broader, holistic evaluation
Take a standardized test. We accept several standardized tests - the Executive Assessment (EA), the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, the MCAT and the LSAT and we view these tests equivalently. We will also accept an older or expired score for any of these tests, but candidates who wish to submit an expired score will need to have access to their full score breakdown. 
If you plan to take a test, we recommend choosing the test that best aligns with your strengths and your application plans. 
Applicants planning to submit a test score with their application do not need to have taken the test by their target deadline. As long as we receive the test scores at least two days prior to the decision release date for the round in question, we can keep an applicant on schedule for an on-time decision release.
Self-reported scores are fine for the purposes of our application process, but you should also arrange for GMAC, ETS or Pearson Vue to send your official score report to the Darden Admissions office.
School Codes
• GMAC: KC7-0X-21
• ETS: 4629
• TOEFL: 5820 Dept. 02
• IELTS: 5099
Submit a test waiver request. We also offer standardized test waivers on a case-by-case basis. In the Part-Time MBA application process, our test waiver request form can be found in the “Test Scores” section of the application, and candidates who feel they have a strong case for a test waiver are welcome and encouraged to submit a waiver request. Waiver requests are considered along with the full application, and an update regarding the outcome of the waiver review will be provided at the time of decision. 
Applicants may use the text box in the waiver request field to highlight any aspects of their educational or professional background they feel are relevant to our Admissions Committee’s evaluation. In considering waiver requests, our Committee will pay particular attention to your prior coursework (both degree-related and non-degree-related), advanced degrees, professional certifications and work responsibilities.
 
5. Sharpen Your Resume
When it comes to resume length, we generally recommend one page for every 10 years of work experience. If you’ve reviewed our application (see Step 2), you know there is an Employment History section, and, in this section, you will provide basic details about your various roles and responsibilities. We encourage you to keep this in mind when crafting your resume. Remember, we will be evaluating your application holistically, so try to think about your application with this lens as you assemble your materials.
Consider using your resume to highlight your leadership and impact. What have you accomplished in your roles? And whenever possible, try to quantify your results.
In addition, a resume is also an opportunity to display your personality and offer insights about your passions and interests. Hobbies, favorite activities, books you’ve read recently, podcasts you’re currently listening to, countries you’ve visited. It’s all fair game. Including a few of these personal details can help us get a more complete picture of you.
Additional resources:
• Video: Resume Advice: Leadership with Dawna Clarke

• Video: Resume Advice: Global Experience with Dawna Clarke

• Video: Resume Advice: Interests and Hobbies with Dawna Clarke

• Blog Post: Resume Guidance
6. Identify Your Recommender
We require one (1) recommendation, but we will accept to two (2) recommendations as part of our Part-Time MBA application process.
Who makes a good recommender? It depends, but we typically suggest someone who knows you well and has supervised you in a professional setting. 
Identify a person who will be a strong advocate for you in the process and will help us learn more about your accomplishments and leadership potential. In addition, because you will be working during our program, we typically prefer to hear from your current supervisor. If you choose not to ask your current supervisor to be your recommender, consider including a note about your recommender choice in the Additional Comments section of your application.  
Of course, this is general advice, and we defer to you when it comes to actual recommender choice.
When choosing your recommender (and setting your recommender’s expectations), be sure to keep in mind what he/she will be asked to do. Our recommendation process is completely electronic, and your recommender will fill out two pieces of information — a ratings grid in which he/she will evaluate you across a set of competencies and a series of short answer questions. The short answer questions are:
• Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.

• How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?

• Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
The recommendation is typically the slowest part of the application process, so identify your recommender well in advance of your target deadline. Make sure he/she understands why you’re pursuing an MBA and why you’re interested in Darden. 
We also suggest sharing a copy of your resume with this person so he/she has some perspective on the full arc of your career. And last but not least: Stay in touch. We find that most recommenders are deadline-oriented, so make sure your recommender knows your application timing.
Additional Resources:
• Video: Admissions Tips: Recommendation Advice
7. Respond to Our Short Answer Questions
For this application cycle, we will again feature multiple short answer questions. Why multiple questions? To allow you a broader platform to showcase your background and personality. These questions are a great opportunity for you to help the Darden Admissions Committee understand who you are and who you will be at Darden.
Remember: We are not reading your responses with a prescribed or “right” answer in mind. We want to get to know you, not us. These questions are our opportunity to begin to get a sense of your voice, your perspective, your experiences and your writing ability. In fact, how you choose to answer a particular question is often as insightful as what you choose to write about. The best essay responses are those that are responsive to the question but also authentic and genuine. Whenever possible, show don’t tell.
Additional Resources:
• Video: Admissions Tips: Crafting Your Best Short Essay Responses
8. Complete the Application
Now that you have pulled together your supporting materials, you can focus on filling out your application. This includes everything from providing basic information about you (address, date of birth, contact details, etc.); to detailing your educational and employment history; to uploading your resume, transcripts and test scores; to adding your short answer responses and more.
Once you’ve entered all of this information, take a moment to think about your application holistically. Are there any gaps or ambiguities in the information provided? Consider using the Additional Comments section of your application to provide additional context, if necessary. The Additional Comments section is not an additional essay, just a place to connect the dots.
Our advice is to be brief, make your point and provide action items if appropriate. Be mindful that we are reading many, many applications, so anything you choose to share should be valuable to both you and potentially our Admissions Committee.
Additional resources:
• Video: Additional Comments Advice with Dawna Clarke
9. Application Fee
A nonrefundable application fee of $250 is required to process your application. However, we do offer fee waivers in select circumstances.
The following are eligible for application fee waivers:
• Teach for America corps members and alumni
• Peace Corps volunteers 
• Education Pioneers fellows  
• Forté MBALaunch members 
• Current undergraduate students 
• U.S. military members 
• African citizens living in Africa 
• Citizens of countries on the UN's list of least developed countries also qualify for an application fee waiver 
Earn a fee waiver by engaging with our team and learning more about the program:
1. Connect. Participate in a phone conversation with a member of our Part-Time MBA Admissions Committee AND
2. Join. Attend one of our upcoming webinars or in-person events. We have an exciting slate of webinars on deck, including career-related sessions, application tips, a program overview, student life highlights and more. 
If you qualify for a waiver or have been accepted into the above programs, your application fee waiver will be applied automatically and you will receive an email confirmation for any fee waiver applied. If you have further questions, please email us at ptmba@darden.virginia.edu.
10. Interview Invitation
As noted above, interviews are offered by invitation only. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview after their application has been reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Interviews play a critical role in our assessment of candidates and are required prior to acceptance into the program.
All interviews are conducted by a member of the Admissions Committee. For the foreseeable future, all interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.
Our interviews are conversational in nature and typically last around 35-40 minutes. Applicants should be prepared to share their narrative during the interview, and key questions include:
• What's your educational background?
• What's your professional background?
• Why are you interested in pursuing an MBA?
• Why are you interested in Darden?
• What are your goals post-MBA?
Other relevant topics include leadership experience, global exposure as well as hobbies and interests.
Additional Resources:
• Video: Admissions Tips: How to Prepare for the Interview