Tulane University Freeman School BLOG

A bunch of you have emailed me asking for more info on the admissions process. After visiting the Admissions web site, there’s still a lot of unanswered questions. I asked Freeman School admissions director, Bill Sandefer, to shed some light on the following:

- How’s the admissions season stacking up so far?

Admissions is busy with lots of inquiries to the programs. We have completed most of the recruiting tours and that is a great gauge of interest in Tulane. Now it is all about finding the right person for the Tulane program. The international markets have really come into their own. In Hong Kong, the recruiting event featured 70 international programs with only 20 US schools participating. Hundreds of international programs have emerged to take advantage of increased mobility and a dynamic international market. On the domestic front, Tulane continues to be competitive with some schools at delivering a great MBA.

- What programs are candidates attracted to?

A recent survey of students and prospective students really emphasized the position of Tulane in the Finance area. However, rankings in Entrepreneur, have emphasized that Tulane has some interesting specialist programs that can’t be missed. I think it is a shame that more people don’t look to Tulane to support their Marketing background. Freeman offers some top scholars in that area, and when combined with the strengths in Mgt. or Finance, the degree is formidable. Fortunately this year it looks like a few people have made this discovery and Marketing is the 2nd largest area of applications.

- Is the admissions office reaching out to any new target countries or areas they haven’t targeted before?

Dean DeNisi has spent a lot of time on the international issues. Recently we were talking about the range of programs and where Tulane would be able to add strength in the international portfolio. With Latin America, Asia, and Europe enjoying long standing programs – I think there are only a few areas of major economic consideration that are under consideration. The economics and economies in these areas would make great complements to the diverse portfolio of international experiences offered at Freeman.

- Any tips on the interviewing process? In person vs. over the phone?

So Joel, - you want me to give away all the secrets in admissions… Ok, here’s a hint.

Interviews. Most of our interviews are over the phone. It is just a process choice for us, but we want the interview to really focus on the candidate’s decision making process. A lot of ‘Why’ questions should be followed by well reasoned answers. This interview is not a personality assessment where some alum decides if they like the candidate. It is a assessment of how the candidate will handle some of the opportunities presented at Tulane. A lot of admits suggest it is a ‘nice conversation’… well, the GMAT is easy if you know all the answers. A staff member does all the interviews.

- What’s the best thing a candidate can do to enhance his/her standing in your eyes?

What can a candidate do? Our admissions process is designed to move very quickly. I guess it is from my banking background, but I think we need to be able to do our assessment and let the candidate decide. A lot of applicants are surprised how quickly they get a decision. Think of it this way; my office is 50 ft from the application processing – the Dean’s office 50 ft from mine. In the span of 100 ft we can answer almost any question about an applicant’s prospects at Tulane.
So, what can make a candidate stand out? Getting familiar with Tulane quickly. We have a mountain of information available, and lots of people ready to answer questions (your blog for instance). I want the applicant to get a real picture of life at TU, The City, and the Program. Tell us why this is right for you. How does this experience fit into your goals? What do you find attractive about the Tulane Program. I know you are going to get a great education. I’ll check the test scores and transcript to make sure you can handle the purely academic part. It is the relationships with the school and your peers that most concern me.

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