By Web Communications
This post was written by Maura Clark, Director of Admissions for the Vanderbilt Business Master of Science in Finance program.
Maura Clark
Campus visits are the highlight of my month at Owen. Few events beat hosting excited applicants at the business school. Campus visits are a fun few days where we get to know our candidates and share what we think makes the Vanderbilt MSF program special. Visitors attend class, interview with a member of the admissions committee, meet lots of current students, and check out life in Nashville. During our campus visits, we ensure that visitors have access to our faculty and career management staff and coordinate individual and small group conversations with members of the current MSF class.
Stepping foot on campus helps you determine if Vanderbilt would be the right place for you. You can learn a lot from reading about a school online and talking to staff on the phone, but there’s simply no replacement for visiting campus in person. Throughout the visit, think critically about whether or not you can envision yourself spending a year at the school. Do you like the people? Do you feel comfortable? Is the community welcoming? These are all good questions to ask yourself during a visit.
Throughout the campus visit, I also encourage prospective students to ask both students and staff all different types of questions — from the characteristics the admissions committee looks for in candidates to how one finds a roommate in Nashville. We want students to use this opportunity to interview us as much as we are interviewing them: Don’t be afraid to speak up and make our team and our students really share the ins and outs of the Vanderbilt MSF program. Attending an MSF program is an investment, and students should go into this program with all of their questions answered — and answered well!
Campus visits allow prospective students to talk with current MSF students, as well as faculty and staff.
When preparing for a campus visit, review any materials sent to you in advance like emails, maps and directions. The best way to feel comfortable is to have as much information as possible going in! Our website will help introduce you to our staff and to Owen in general.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered in these materials, our team is here to help. We understand that visiting campus requires both time and money, and we want you to not only feel comfortable but to enjoy the experience (like we do!).
Speaking of campus visits, our next group campus visit is on March 21 and 22. The event includes visiting class, meeting with a member of the admissions committee, great meals at local restaurants and lots of conversation with current students, faculty and career management staff. If there are other dates that work better for you, we are happy to work with your schedule to set up an individual visit.
To learn more, email our Campus Visit Coordinators, Kevin Hoffman and Kaleigh Flowers at msfcampusvisit@owen.vanderbilt.edu or contact me at Maura.Clark@owen.vanderbilt.edu. We look forward to hearing from you!
