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Key Takeaways

• Connect Early: Engaging with admissions through info sessions and coffee chats helps clarify program structures and career alignment before you apply.
• Conversational Interviews: The review process is designed as a collaborative, two-way dialogue rather than an interrogation.
• Community Starts Immediately: The months between your deposit and day one are when your cohort network actually begins to form.
• Tailored Preparation: Pre-program bootcamps and workshops ensure every incoming student arrives feeling academically secure and energized.

Getting into a graduate business program at the Leavey School of Business at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ is an achievement worth celebrating. But for almost every incoming student, that initial wave of excitement is quickly followed by an important question: now what?

This step-by-step guide will walk you through every major milestone along your journey, from your very first interaction with our admissions team to your first day of class, ensuring nothing catches you off guard. While much of this roadmap applies to both MBA and MS students, we will flag exactly where the experience differs so you can prepare to level up your career with total confidence in Silicon Valley.

1. Engaging with Admissions Before Applying

The graduate student journey begins well before you officially submit an application. Connecting early allows prospective students to demystify the admissions process and map out their future academic paths thoughtfully. Leavey offers several structured ways to engage and explore our programs early on:

• Information and Learning Sessions: Participate in virtual or in-person information sessions, program webinars, and direct class visits.
• One-on-One Consultations: Schedule personalized advising appointments with admissions counselors or chat with current students.
• Networking Opportunities: Attend program-specific events, open houses, and recruiting mixers to connect with faculty, alumni, and current students.

These touchpoints are designed to help you deeply understand the unique culture, curriculum structure, and career outcomes of each degree track. You can also follow Leavey on social media channels to access digital resources and stay updated on upcoming events.

2. Application & Interview Process

Understanding the review process helps reduce anxiety, allowing you to concentrate on putting your best foot forward. The core application components include your personal statement, letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and test scores where applicable. It is important to approach these materials thoughtfully and authentically without over-engineering your answers.

Once your file is initially reviewed, selected candidates are invited for an official interview. View this meeting as a mutual conversation, not an interrogation. Discussions cover your experience, goals, and fit for the cohort. After your interview is complete, you can typically expect an official admission decision within approximately two weeks.

3. Admission Decision & Deposit Process

When a final decision is reached on your file, the admissions team will communicate the updates directly to you. Your official offer letter contains critical details that you should review carefully, including exact program tracks, scholarship allocations, and response deadlines.

To officially accept the offer and secure your seat in the incoming class, you must submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit. Submitting this deposit early is highly recommended because it acts as your official confirmation and is applied directly toward your first quarter tuition payment. Once your deposit is processed, you'll soon unlock access to critical onboarding materials, resource updates, and timelines regarding class registration, orientation, and housing.

4. Pre-Enrollment Engagement & Networking Opportunities

The months between your deposit and the start of class are a great, often overlooked time. This is when the Leavey community starts coming together, before you even set foot in a classroom.

Incoming graduate students are regularly invited to participate in a variety of intentional networking and community-building activities:

• In-person and virtual welcome receptions and formal admitted student events.
• Virtual cohort meet-and-greets and dedicated platform communication channels or groups.
• Student ambassador panels, faculty Q&A sessions, class visits, and targeted career workshops.

Getting involved in these activities early pays off. Many alumni note that their closest professional connections and networks started at these pre-enrollment mixers, well before the first syllabus was handed out.

5. Academic Preparation & Pre-Program Coursework

To ensure incoming students are ready to hit the ground running, Leavey offers strong academic preparation pathways, which vary by program including workshops and bootcamps. This early world builds foundational skills and confidence before classes start.

Use this time to decide on your MBA concentration or talk to an advisor. If you find yourself navigating curriculum questions or trying to align your professional background with a specific track, you can easily connect with a program director or academic advisor for guidance.

Remember that true "preparation" doesn’t mean you need to have your entire graduate career mapped out perfectly before step one.

MBA vs. MS: Where the Experience Differs

While the overarching enrollment framework is consistent, your pre-program coursework and orientation requirements are tailored directly to your specific degree path:

• Executive MBA (EMBA): Students participate in an intensive pre-quarter “Mini Term” featuring workshops focused on executive communication, innovation training, and executive decision-making. This is followed by an off-campus residency intensive in Monterey Bay for the EMBA 900 course, which includes prior coursework like a Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) evaluation and a paper.
• Evening MBA and Online MBA: Candidates complete the MGMT 3000 course during their residency weekend or prior to their term start, which includes pre-course assignments like an LPI evaluation and an essay.
• MS in Finance and Analytics (MSFA) and Online MSFA: Students participate in a targeted Accounting Essentials Workshop during orientation weekend. Online MSFA students also complete specialized FNCE 2400 Financial Forecasting & Analysis and ISBA 2401 Data Analytics Bootcamp sessions during their residency.
• Online MS in Business Analytics (MSBA): Students complete foundational ISBA 2400 Math for Business & Analytics and IDIS 2401 Data Analytics Bootcamp sessions to solidify their quantitative skills.
• MS in Marketing (MSM): Students begin their studies by completing their first course, MKTG 2300 Marketing Trends & Technology, during their orientation weekend, which requires specific pre-course reading and assignments.
• MS in Sports Business (MSSB): Students participate in a weekend intensive to kick off the program, including assignments like an LPI evaluation and networking with our partners, including representatives from major Bay Area sports organizations.

Note: While our offer maximum flexibility, these required in-person residencies are a major highlight—designed to bring your cohort together so you can experience the collaborative energy of Silicon Valley firsthand.

6. The Incoming Student Orientation Experience

The official orientation experience is designed to build excitement and anchor you successfully into graduate student life. It provides a comprehensive space to familiarize yourself with Leavey resources, campus spaces, and academic expectations.

During these events, you'll experience a packed schedule of essential introductions and structural deep dives:

• Leadership Welcomes: Receive warm welcomes from the Dean, program leadership, and faculty directors.
• Academic Logistics: Review thorough curriculum overviews, registration assistance, and training on essential technology platforms.
• International Support: Access specialized CPT and OPT logistical overviews for our international students.
• Experiential Prep: Explore Practicum and Capstone project explanations for specialized MS programs (including MSFA, MSBA, and MSIS)–creating invaluable networking opportunities with your project group members and partner organizations.
• Career Resources & Networking: Connect with professional development teams and interactive panels featuring successful alumni.

Leavey intentionally shapes orientation around community-building, not just administrative logistics. If you’re feeling nervous or slightly behind, keep in mind that orientation is the exact place where the entire cohort resets and aligns together.

7. First Day of Classes for the Incoming Student

When the first day of classes finally arrives, you'll find that the logistics fall into place naturally thanks to the preparation you’ve already completed. By day one, an incoming student has typically onboarded smoothly, explored the campus layout, reviewed course expectations, and logged into necessary academic platforms like Camino, Workday, and Zoom.

As a working professional balancing tight schedules, managing your time efficiently will become part of your daily routine. For full-time students, graduate school is an incredible opportunity to get involved on campus, take on a heavier workload, and launch side projects. Fortunately, you don’t have to walk this path alone; the Leavey admissions team, dedicated student services staff, world-class faculty, and your peer cohort remain fully accessible to support you every single step of the way.

Take the Next Step on Your Graduate Journey

Every single milestone of this transitional process—from your initial inquiry to the final walk into your first seminar—is intentionally engineered with your personal and professional success in mind. At Leavey, our admissions philosophy is focused on much more than just evaluating applications; we’re deeply committed to building an impactful, collaborative cohort of ethical business leaders in Silicon Valley.

Whether you’re still researching potential programs, refining your personal statement, or eagerly awaiting your official orientation schedule, our team is dedicated to meeting you where you are.

Reach out to our graduate business admissions team today to get your questions answered and start mapping out your future at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ.