#149 Wisconsin MBA Program & Admissions Interview with Betsy Kacizak and Brad Chandler – “Focus Creates Advantages”
“Part of our cultural fit is looking for the career passion that people have. And I think that level of enthusiasm and that desire to move into a new area or enhance the current field that you’re in really comes through. In a smaller program the students are really supportive, collaborative and want to help each other out because they value the unique experiences they each bring to the table.”
Betsy Kacizak, Director of MBA Admissions and Recruitment, and Brad Chandler, Director, Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking at the Wisconsin School of Business of University Wisconsin-Madison, discuss what makes the Wisconsin MBA unique, the school’s admissions process, career opportunities and more.
Program Highlights (5:36) | Admissions (29:56) | Scholarships (45:32) | Careers (49:08)
About Our Guests
Betsy Kacizak is the Director of MBA Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Betsy excels at walking you through the admissions process, including helping guide you toward the specialization that best fits your passions and career aspirations. She has expertise as a leader in the field of graduate admissions. She has worked for the Wisconsin School of Business for 11 years and worked for seven years at Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
Brad Chandler is the Director of the Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking at the Wisconsin School of Business. At the Nicholas Center, Brad is responsible for both administering the Center’s specialized programming focused on MBA and undergraduate students and teaching a number of its core courses. Prior to joining the Nicholas Center in 2017, Brad was a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley in New York City. While at Morgan Stanley, Brad advised corporate and private equity clients on mergers and acquisitions, shareholder activism and defense, leveraged buyouts, debt and equity financings, restructurings, and fund-level financings. Brad successfully executed over 55 transactions representing over $225 billion in transaction value. Representative transactions include advising Dow on its merger with DuPont, advising Axiall on its hostile defense against Westlake Corporation, advising Agrium on its proxy contest victory over JANA Partners, advising Dresser Rand on its sale to Siemens AG, the Trinseo and Sensata IPOs, and numerous financings for Bain Capital, Advent Capital Management, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, CF Industries, and Eastman Chemical.
What is unique about the Wisconsin MBA? What are its key advantages?
- The Wisconsin MBA asks students to choose from 10 career specializations from the start of the program: Brand and Product Management, Marketing Research, Corporate Finance and Investment Banking, Applied Security Analysis, Real Estate and Risk Management and Insurance, Operations and Technology Management, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, and Arts Administration
- Center Directors running Wisconsin’s 10 specializations play a big role in admissions, curriculum design and career advising, as they connect students to alumni, recruiters and thought leaders in the space
- Wisconsin offers a tailored and customized approach to 80 students
- Wisconsin was one of 3 founding members of the Consortium in 1966
Touch MBA’s Wisconsin MBA Fast Facts
last updated February 2018
Program Highlights (5:36)
- Founded in 1900, the Wisconsin School of Business established one of the first five business programs in the United States
- 1 intake/year in Fall
- Length: 2 years
- Campus in Madison, Wisconsin
- 80-100 participants/intake
- ~15 nationalities/intake, class is ~25-30% international
- Choose from 10 career specializations within 4 broad tracks of marketing, finance, operations and strategic management
- Rankings: #81 Financial Times 2019, #37 US News and World Report 2019
- Accredited by AACSB
Admissions (29:56)
- 1 early decision round in Sep, 4 more rounds until Jun
- Avg GMAT: 670, GMAT or GRE accepted
- Avg age: 28, Avg work experience: 5, no min work experience requirement
- 1 recommendation required, up to 2 recommendations accepted
- TOEFL / IELTS / PTE required for international students
- Interviews done by admissions team or a center director
Financing (45:32)
- Full-time MBA Tuition: $42,000 for residents of Wisconsin/Minnesota, $81,000 for non-residents
- Recommended budget: $47,000 USD for 2 years
- Merit-based scholarships available, ranging from several thousand to full-tuition
- Wisconsin was a founding member of the Consortium, and has Consortium, ROMBA, and Forte Foundation fellowships
Careers (49:08)
- Full-time placement report? Yes
- Class of 2018: 93% of graduates received job offers within 3 months of graduation
- Average Salary (Bonus) for Class of 2018: $98,463 USD ($21,182 USD)
- Percentage increase on pre-MBA salary: 65%
- Industry: 27% Consumer Packaged Goods, 14% Technology, 12% Manufacturing, 9% Real Estate, 8% Financial Services
- Function: 43% Marketing/Sales, 21% Finance/Accounting, 11% Operations/Logistics, 5% Consulting, 5% Human Resources
- Geography: 63% Midwest US, 14% West US, 8% South US, 6% Southwest US, 5% MidAtlantic US
- 43,500 alumni worldwide
- Connections with over 600 corporate partners
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