With our Round 2 Application Deadline coming up on Monday, November 17 we thought it would be worth talking again about the importance of quality, what that looks like in an Ivey MBA candidate, and why it matters so much in the classroom.
Quality Matters
Although we receive hundreds of applications each year and our process is competitive, Ivey is looking for great people, not just great applications. With Case-Method Learning, the quality of your classmates truly matters at Ivey more than it might at other programs — this is because much of your learning is done through the contributions of and discussions with your classmates. Your class will be full of people who have had unique experiences and come from diverse backgrounds ranging from military and medical to banking and consulting to arts and communications to law and engineering.
What we are looking for is the best MBA candidates; those who show leadership potential, bring a strong professional skill-set, and have demonstrated a track record of success and achievement in their work experience.
What does a quality candidate look like?
Management experience and 700-plus GMAT scores do not guarantee admission just as lower GMAT scores and entry-level experience do not automatically eliminate candidates. We want well-rounded people who will both contribute and be willing to learn from the contributions of those in the class; candidates who recognize the skills and knowledge they bring to the discussions and who have an established, focused goal to accelerate their career success. A quality class is only achieved through thorough evaluation of complete applications, a rigorous admissions interview process, and an understanding of the candidate’s fit.
Recruiters respond to quality
Our selective evaluation process ensures that our recruiters are getting the top talent they have come to expect from Ivey. In fact, our recruiters see Ivey’s admissions process as a type of pre-screen for the high-calibre candidates they are looking for because they are familiar with our rigorous admissions process. It’s why our recruiting partners continue to come back to Ivey year over year (even in tough market conditions when they may not be recruiting from our competitors) and why our employment rate is the highest of all the Canadian business schools (92% for 2013). The top organizations in the world recruit at Ivey because they know we have skimmed the top of the pool for the best talent.
Meeting the challenge
If you want to learn from the best, you have to be surrounded by the best. That’s why we put our students in a classroom full of people who will motivate, challenge, and support each other. The entire environment at Ivey is dynamic and collaborative; your faculty and fellow students will support you in your personal and professional growth, encourage your development, and push you outside of your comfort zone to build your confidence and leadership skills. At Ivey we believe that education can be a transformational experience and it’s our job as the Recruiting and Admissions team to put together a class that makes this transformation happen. It’s an intensive and challenging year that will push your boundaries — but quality candidates who are up for the challenge will gain more in one year than they could have ever expected from any other MBA program.
If you want to learn more about what we’re looking for and how our admissions criteria aligns with your background and experience, please get in touch with us at mba@ivey.ca or submit a resumé for feedback — we’d be happy to speak with you!