In this edition of our ongoing Admissions Director Q&A series, we hear again from Director of Admissions for the University of Florida (UF) Warrington College of Business Dr. Naz Erenguc.
Dr. Naz has nearly two decades of experience in higher education. Combining her passion for inclusive excellence with business, academic and global health expertise, Dr. Naz is one of the most versatile voices in graduate education today. During Naz’s tenure at UF, she has worked as an undergraduate academic advisor for both the College of Health and Human Performance and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For over 15 years, she has led the admissions and recruiting efforts of Warrington College of Business in the MBA program. Her tenure in the admissions and recruiting space has provided her with the opportunity to rethink outreach and create innovative ways to connect with prospective students.
But Naz is not only focused on the health of not only her MBA program, but the entire globe as well. In addition to her role as an administrator, she has also taught several undergraduate and graduate courses: Personal & Family Health, Trends and Issues in International Health, Health Disparities in the U.S. and Abroad, and First Year Florida. Although much of her early research focused on disease prevention with the use of holistic medicine though complementary and alternative medicine, her current teaching focus is on global health. Lastly, when she’s not recruiting for the MBA program or teaching a course, Naz serves on the Executive Board for the Association for Academic Women and is the Institutional Representative for the American Council of Education Leadership Network of Florida.
In this Q&A Dr. Naz shares what to expect from the admissions process this year, what’s unique about Warrington’s MBA program, and how applicants can put their best foot forward.
Clear Admit: What is one aspect of your MBA program that you wish applicants knew more about?
Naz Erenguc: The Warrington MBA program is small by design. We not only offer a customized approach, students get an incredibly personalized– including one-on-one career coaching, professional development, experiential learning, alumni connections, and an ecosystem of support with academic advisors, and a strong network of peers that become teammates and fellow Gators.
CA: Walk us through the life of an application in your office from an operational standpoint. What happens between the time an applicant clicks “submit” and the time the committee offers a final decision?
NE: My team and I pride ourselves on a speedy review process. We understand that applicants have countless options, therefore, I deploy a concierge style approach to working with MBA applicants. We review files on a rolling basis and notify candidates within 2 weeks if they are moving forward with the interview phase or we let them know if there is something else they can do to strengthen their candidacy. Interviews are conducted by both Admissions and Business Career Services to assess the candidates’ academic and professional readiness to commit to the Warrington MBA student journey. After the completion of the interview, the admissions committee releases decisions within 2-3 weeks. We urge applicants to reach out at any time throughout the process if they have any questions, and would like to provide additional documents, or learn more about the student experience. We even host applicants on campus, coffee chats, and virtual meetups.
CA: How does your team approach the essay portion of the application specifically? What are you looking for as you read an essay? Are there common mistakes applicants should try to avoid? What is one key thing candidates should keep in mind as they sit down to write?
NE: In today’s world it is easy to use AI to curate an admissions essay. And easy is not better, not when it comes to your MBA application. My team and I review thousands of applications each year, and it is quite easy to spot when someone is using AI in their application. I’m here to tell you that my team and I value most is authenticity, introspection, and self-awareness. There are no right or wrong answers to an essay question; these are the first, and sometimes, only glimpses we get to learn more about a candidate. We don’t need cookie cutter responses or quotes; rather, we want to hear the candidate’s voice and understand why they are attracted to joining the MBA community here at the Warrington College of Business.
CA: Could you tell us about your interview process? Approximately what percentage of applicants are invited to interview, who typically conducts interviews, and what should candidates expect in terms of interview style and format?
NE: Interviews are conducted via Zoom (unless a candidate requests and in-person interview). They last an hour and are split between the admissions team and business career services. An applicant spends the first portion of the meeting walking us through their decision to apply to the University of Florida, their professional and personal goals, learn more about how the candidates work in teams, how coachable they are, and how they receive feedback. We also ask other situational questions on topics such as leadership, conflict resolution and stress management. The second portion of the interview covers topics related to career objectives, such as what types of companies and roles the candidate is interested in, where do they see themselves in the next few years, and how have they demonstrated grit up to this point.
CA: Is there anything in particular international students should keep in mind during the admissions process?
NE: I strongly urge international applicants to connect with my team, they can assist with program selection, timeline, documentation and test scores requirements. Additionally, applying by Round 1 (October 15th) allows for the best chance to process applications and scholarship awards in a timely manner.
CA: Conversations about MBA value often center on jobs, salaries, and ROI. What are some of the other ways students benefit from the MBA experience that may be harder to quantify upfront?
NE: Wow, I love this question. I think most students enter an MBA program thinking they are going to learn business concepts and get a job. But it’s so much more than that. The Warrington MBA program creates intentional opportunities for students to grow personally and professionally. We have dedicated staff who develop co-curricular opportunities and experiential learning to complement what is being taught in the classroom. In fact, all Full-Time MBA students are required to participate in our Rise to Leadership series that combines industry expectations with academic competencies to ensure our UF Warrington MBA are set up for success. Additionally, we host our annual conference, domestic and global immersions, and MBA Summits, to provide students across our whole portfolio of programs, opportunities to network, upskilling, and learn from industry leaders. These experiences, coupled with the congregation of Gators you’ll join is invaluable (trivia bonus- the collective noun for a group of alligators is a congregation).
CA: Are there any trends in the applicant pool, admissions process, or MBA experience that you are particularly focused on right now?
NE: At Warrington College of Business, we’re focused on creating stronger pipelines, courses, and experiences that are industry focused. We just hired a faculty director for the program along with a faculty director of our Consulting Academy. These two will work together to ensure that all the efforts, including admissions metrics, course offerings, and career strategies align with building strong Warrington MBAs ready for careers in consulting and finance.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to highlight about your MBA program or admissions process?
NE: As we tell each applicant, ‘We are here for your success.’ We want to get to know each applicant as best as possible. My team and I are here to navigate the admissions process and foster accessibility through regular phone calls, virtual meetups, weekly virtual information sessions, coffee chats, preview days, and open houses. Our office’s student-centric focus starts the moment an applicant browses our website and continues beyond commencement when they join the Gator Nation alumni community that is well over half a million and growing.
