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Undergraduate business school applications are due in four days. Are you ready?

UNC student Trey Sullivan (left) and Assistant Director of Career Services, Jonathan Adams (right), participate in a business school workshop in Hanes Hall on Aug. 28, 2017.

UNC student Trey Sullivan (left) and Assistant Director of Career Services, Jonathan Adams (right), participate in a business school workshop in Hanes Hall on Aug. 28, 2017.

The applications for Kenan-Flagler Business School's Undergraduate Business Program are due Sept. 1. Roughly 800 students apply annually, while only half will be admitted.

The process of applying to Kenan-Flagler is a combination of essays, a resume and a video submission. Lisa Beisser, director of admissions and strategic initiatives, said the video submission was only introduced a couple years ago.

“The whole video interview piece is something we tried for the first time last year,” Beisser said. “We liked it in terms of being able to have a lot of people in the admissions committee look at the video clip, or if they had questions to look back and see what they said. The video interview also gives us a little window into verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills.”

The 50 percent acceptance rate looms over students applying. Sophomore Joanna Kuang said the process is high-pressure because it seems as if everyone is applying for a limited number of spots. 

“The information sessions they held caused a lot of anxiety because it seemed like they were looking for people who had already caused a lot of impact in just their first year of college,” Kuang said. “But seeing that everyone else was stressed out made it more manageable.”

However, Beisser said the admissions board is focused on the potential future success of students, and therefore focuses on what students have been able to accomplish in this limited time.

“We’re always looking for leadership skills and indicators, even if they haven’t had any significant leadership positions in college we’re looking for some results or impacts in the groups that they’ve been a part of,” Beisser said.

One of Beisser's strongest messages is — contrary to popular belief — not getting into the business school the first time is not the end of the world.

“I like that UNC and Kenan-Flagler allows students the opportunity to reapply,” Beisser said. “There’s still time in the academic plan that they can reapply as juniors because I know a lot of our peer undergraduate schools that we compare ourselves against you have one chance to apply to the business major, and if you don’t get in you’re out of luck.”

Many students already have backup plans in case they are rejected, focusing on majors in related fields such as Economics, Management and Society, Advertising and more. 

“I would most likely major in Econ,” sophomore Camaryn Richmond said. “The main stress is not knowing if all the work you have put in for completing the application will be worth it.”

Applications are due on Sept. 1, with acceptances released in mid-October. The acceptance deadline follows shortly after. 

university@dailytarheel.com

@jordynw6

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