Queen's...MBA through a fire hose!?

The personal touch of Queen's is slowly having its effect on me.The more I research about it, the more I seem to be liking it.Yup, placements will be a problem.
But I get a feeling that I can somehow manage it.Don't know what I'll end up doing but yes,am for sure in bit of a problem.! I simply spend 60% of the day doing some nonsense research about some stupid schools.My yahoo chat conversations are with ppl whom I have never met but are either ISB fans,queen admits or prospective CMU guyz.!

Anyway,herez an interview of the Associate Director Shannon Goodspeed.She talks about the Science & Technology MBA program at Queen's University. This was featured in the MBA insider.You gotta pay money to get in there ;) ! You can read it here for free.:)


Q: What's the draw of your MBA program?
A: The one-year option. And while our [students] often don't stay in their pre-MBA careers in science and technology -- some switch to investment banking or consulting, for instance -- they're in class with high-caliber students.

Q: Are certain science or engineering backgrounds more impressive to you than others?
A: No. In fact, we like the breadth. This year we're going to target nurses and physiotherapists, because we don't have enough women in the program. Some nurses also want to change their careers, just as scientists do, or want to go into management within hospitals.

Q: Just 22% of your class is female, a percentage well off the average of your peers...
A: We're working at it.

Q: How is David Saunders, the school's dean of one year, faring?
A: MBAs love him. If we have a function, he's there until the very end, talking one-on-one with students. He's got a great vision for the school and is looking to do a lot of work abroad.

Q: When new MBAs arrived at Queen's in May, 55% of them were from outside of Canada, up from 30% in 2003. Why did that international figure grow?
A: We're looking for a high quality student who can handle our program. We kept standards high, and whoever met those standards was in. We have eight countries represented in the class, not including Canada.

Q: Should prospective students expect that the MBA population is going to remain as international as it is?
A: Yes, but it will depend on the applicants. We are also striving to ensure that the international students [we admit] understand [English].

Q: The majority of Queen's international students hail from Asia. How might you diversify your international applicant pool?
A: We're hoping our new Web site, which launches this summer, will attract more applicants from Europe and South America. It will include information about Canadian immigration policies, how to pay for the degree, and life in Canada. We're also planning to do more face-to-face interviews with our applicants when we're traveling abroad.

Q: Why does the school struggle to enroll U.S. students?
A: They don't tend to apply as much. For the first time, we are going to go to New York, Boston, and Chicago for MBA recruiting fairs this year.

Q: When is the best time to apply?
A: Immediately. With rolling admissions, we'll admit you early if you meet the criteria. Our final deadline is Jan.15, but we've already accepted one or two people for the next class.

Q: Which piece of the MBA application carries the most weight?
A: Prove that you can manage this intense program while working in a team. No one part is more important than another.

Q: You say that it's an intense program. How so?
A: Classes run from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. After class, it's back to the team rooms to do work.

We're giving the MBA to you through a fire hose. But we're very service-oriented: Each MBA team has a dedicated room. On the first day, your textbooks and all your case studies are sitting on a desk that's dedicated to you for the year. There are two phones per team room, but each person has a dedicated phone line. You also get a bag of candy, and a good luck note. It's service, service, service, the whole way.

The first week of the program is all about team building. Students have frequent team meetings. We also have team facilitators, so if a team goes into crisis, there's someone trained to help them.


Q: In such a program, you'd expect the MBAs to arrive with enough quant knowhow to sail through, but you still require the GMAT. Do you make any exceptions to low scores?
A: I can't think of an example where we've gone below 600. Work experience and work in technology is very important. We have bent the rules a bit on undergraduate degrees if the person has been working in a science or technology field, but even that's rare.


Q: Queen's requires that applicants answer five essay questions, six if English is not the applicant's native language. Which is the most important essay?
A: One is their plans for the future. The other is their ideas about working in a team. What will they get out of it? Have they had [team] experience? Do they see the value...and [teamwork] as an important part of learning, as we do?

[Editor's note, Applicants to Queen's MBA program are asked to respond to the following essay questions:
1. Please explain why you are applying to Queen's MBA, what you hope you will contribute to the program, and what you hope to gain from the program.
2. Describe a situation when you were part of a team that was successful in meeting an objective; explain what you learned from the experience, and how you contributed to the process and outcome.
3. Please describe your greatest achievement and why you view it as such.
4. You are a team leader with responsibility for mentoring workers and confidentially reporting on their performance. One of your team members, Robin, is not meeting expectations. You have spoken to her, but there is no improvement. You would like to maintain the positive relationships you currently have with your team: do you (a) tell your supervisor and jeopardize Robin's career, or (b) attempt to resolve the problem yourself? Please explain your viewpoint.
5. What are your post MBA career objectives? Please indicate your short-term and long-term career goals.]

Q: How long are Queen's interviews? What questions can applicants expect?
A: Anywhere from a half-hour to an hour. We test their verbal communication skills, their interest in the program, and their understanding of the program. Did they apply on a whim, or have they looked into this?

Q: To which industries are your MBAs heading as graduates?
A: Biopharmaceuticals, investment banking, and of course, some go back to the industries they came from, such as the energy sector or high tech. We have a new ventures stream in the MBA, so some go into entrepreneurial positions. They work across Canada, in the U.S., and in China.

Q: Why do companies hire Queen's grads?
A: Looking at the students' background, combined with the program, employers know how hard these MBAs can work, and what they can produce. Our graduates have the ability to think ahead, to be creative, and to help a company move forward. The team aspect is really important.

Also, we're considered the Alumni University of Canada: Once you're in the Queen's family, you're part of a group that self-identifies in every city across Canada with meetings, dinners, etc. Queen's alumni look for Queen's alumni when they're hiring.

Q: What sort of applicants do you routinely turn down?
A: We don't want someone who hopes to let someone else do the work or someone who wants to take notes, regurgitate them on an exam, and otherwise be left alone.

Q: What final tips can you offer prospective Queen's MBAs?
A: Get your applications in as early as possible. Work with our team of advisers, who will help you, advise you, and review your application as you complete it. Visit campus. You'll be buddied up with a student, go to class, and see everything.