Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge is one of the leading business schools in the Europe. ARINGO conducted a short interview with Charlotte Russell-Green, Head of MBA Recruitment and Admissions, to learn more about the school its MBA program:

Q: What is special about your MBA program? In addition to its’ excellent reputation, what differentiates it from other Top MBA programs?

A: Specifically, the strengths of the Cambridge MBA learning experience are:

  • The unique collaborative ethos at CJBS, and how this allows our community to source and harness ideas, and make progress
  • The practical, experiential learning we offer through our team projects (learning milestones)
  • The global nature of the experience, community and range of opportunities enabled
  • The opportunity to customise the learning experience through choices of electives, concentrations and summer activities
  • The unique strengths of CJBS in entrepreneurship and technology, and the opportunities offered by the wider Cambridge cluster
  • The opportunity to learn and thrive within this University, particularly in the context of the strengths in innovation and creativity
  • Our diverse cohort, network, and learning options

Q: Are there any recent changes in the programs or in the admission process?
A: There are no recent changes to the admissions process.

Q: Has the COVID-19 situation have an impact on getting accepted to the programs at your school? Is there any other impact candidates should be aware of?

A: COVID-19 has not impacted getting accepted to the program at all. In fact, after COVID-19 happened we saw an increase in the number of applications we were receiving. As far as the Cambridge MBA Class of September 2021, we don’t anticipate any negative implications.

Q: Can you share some details about the area the school is located in?

A: Cambridge Judge Business School is located at the heart of Cambridge. Cambridge is a beautiful, historic city that boasts of a thriving music, arts and events scene, a diverse restaurant and pub offering, idyllic punting on the river as well as the lucrative Cambridge Cluster/Silicon Fen. Within 50 miles of the city centre there are over 1500 companies generating over £12 billion in revenue annually, and the investment per capita is the highest in Europe, five times that of London. Cambridge itself is located north of London, just 30-45 minutes away on the train.

Q: What is it that you are looking for in a candidate? Who will especially enjoy this school? who will be a good fit to the school?

A: The Cambridge MBA class is very diverse. We appreciate and encourage diversity so we are not looking for a specific “type” of person. We are however, looking for smart people – people with a curiosity to learn, who think creatively and aren’t afraid of innovation or challenging the status quo. We are looking for team players – people who are going to bring energy to collaborative learning; people who are dynamic, resilient, hard-working and ambitious. Does that sound like you?

Q: One most important piece of advice for an applicant based on your experience?

A: Try to show a little bit of yourself in the essays. It’s important to answer the questions and be professional, however, we also want to know who you are so reflect on the questions and answer them honestly. Also, engage with us before you apply, attend events and speak to us, AND leave plenty of time for GMAT/GRE prep!

Q:  What NOT to do in the admissions process?

A: BEWARE of copy and paste. We understand that you may be applying to more than one business school, however, if you do, please be mindful of copying and pasting text as it doesn’t look good if you refer to a different school in your application to us – it does happen!

Q: Are later rounds worth considering?

A: Absolutely! We accept candidates from all 5 application rounds from September to May.

Q: GMAT and importance as a % of the candidacy? What is the minimum GMAT you are looking for?

A: We do not have a minimum GMAT/GRE requirement, as we review each application holistically taking into account all aspects of an applicant’s profile. The current class GMAT average is 690 and the mid-80% range is 640-740. We do require a minimum of a 2.1 UK Degree or international equivalent. If someone does not meet the degree requirement, then we would recommend providing a high GMAT/GRE score to compensate.

Q: Is there anything you’d like our candidates to know regarding the admissions process?

A: All information regarding our admissions process can be found here: https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/mba/apply/.

Q: Can you tell us more about funding – scholarship/fellowship options in your school?

A: Our scholarships and funding information can be found here: https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/mba/fees-funding/.