Calling All Fall 2010 Washington U. (Olin) Applicants!

stler645, please do not apply to Olin. It sounds like you have a very bad view of the program (especially after your visit) and that is a sure no-no before you start school. I agree with you that damage to the brand could trickle donwstream but there is no evidence that such exists. Despite the negative comments I've heard here, I still think that Olin is a wonderful program! I am sure they have as top a talent pool as you can find anywhere. I assume the ROI is competitive. There are many such reasons why they are ranked in the top-30.

For me, part of what will determine my success is what I put into the program. If I go to Olin, study as hard as I can, make as much networking/connections as I can, do a carefully chosen study abroad program, prepare for interviews and internships like my life depends on it and have an open mind, believe me when I say that after 2 yrs, I will out-compete and out-WOW the fellas with HBS/Wharton/Booth/LBS MBA's. No question about it! But I have to do all the above and for me to do that, I have to believe in the program. I cannot argue that you do so please dont apply there. Look for other schools that satisfy your needs and pls do NOT sounds as negative as you do about Olin. With your 730 GMAT and 3.97 GPA, you are indeed a top talent. Sad to hear about your dings. I know how it feels. Hope R2 is better for you. It appears you dont really have a "fall back" school. Maybe do some R3 on some top-30-but-maybe-less-WOW programs(BW ranking, I trust it more...)

Per your questions, despite the bad economy, on-campus recruitment at Kelley appears to be holding. The guys I met when I went had internships and jobs lines up. They also explained a striking breakdown of the employment stats. Students who really applied themselves to job hunting and worked with career services very well almost all got jobs:~98% or thereabout. Those who were "average" per applying themselves and workin with CS were something like ~70% or less, folks who were "just there": very low %. So it goes back to my previous point that a lot of it depends on the student. Of course, brands matter tons, but after all is said and done, WE have the most impact on OUR future.

Let the conversation continue...

has anybody received interview invitation of R2?
I am from China.
submitted on Jan 3. under review on Jan 22.
still haven't received any info.
55....

I applied R2 and had my interview by phone this morning.

It was with the Assistant Admissions Director and she basically asked me to review my resume and experience before asking me more questions.

It took about 15 minutes for me to review my resume and experience with her, after which she asked questions like what I think an MBA will prepare me for and what I would like to get out of the program. She also asked me about challenges I've had during my time in management.

I was a little nervous, but I feel it went well. I was surprised to learn that she hadn't seen any part of my application except the resume. The resume was the only document of mine that she had. I had to elaborate on things that I had spoken about in my essays because of this, so I would recommend elaborating on key points from your essay during the interview.

All together it was about twenty minutes. She did ask me if I had any questions so I asked about the town of St. Louis and the neighborhood of the school. I probably should have asked more questions, but I couldn't think of anything more to ask at the time.

hi, ri0tp00f,
which country do you come from

I'm from the USA... live in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ao...thank you:)

Hi All,

I have created following group for all admitted colleagues to have discussions regarding next steps required for joining class of 2012..Please join and contribute

Homepage: https://groups.google.com/group/olin-bus ... ss-of-2012
Group email: olin-business-school-class-of-2012@googlegroups.com

This is a pain to join. Why the need to contact the owner etc...Am not sure the restrictions are warranted....

One question, I cannot seem to find any course at Olin that is similar to a Global Consulting Practicum. Or basically where I would learn about another country, handle a small consulting project from that country and got at the end to visit that country.

Is there any course or opport. like this at Olin?

thanks,

Hi everyone-

I was accepted from round 1 and my decision and $2,000 deposit is due by March 1 (next Monday). I'm curious how others are doing with their decisions. I am leaning towards accepting and I'm really excited about it! The only outstanding concern I have is the career services reputation that has been discussed on this forum extensively - any last minute thoughts out there?

Also, anyone headed to the weekend in April? I'm a bit disappointed that the decisions are due BEFORE that...

That's a huge reason I'm during down 45k in scholarship. I can't even visit the school before forking over 2k? No thanks.

Twinks, are you in anywhere else? I think any "last minute thots" will be useful only is they are comparative. If however, Olin is your only admit, you really wanna start B-school this fall and you are "really excited about it", then there's no need to welcome doubts with "last minute thots". Just go for it. Do your best at Olin, give it your all, bust your balls if you are a dude , your behind if you are a dudette and am sure you'd be fine per jobs when you are done. Hard work always pays...somehow.

Good luck with your decision and keep us updated....

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

No, I'm not in anywhere else - I got dinged from Kellogg and Booth. However, I'm in the Chicago area and so could always apply for part-time programs at either of those schools. That's my alternative to Wash U. I don't really like that idea, though, because I'm wanting to career shift, and I'm also anxious to leave my current job.

I think my decision is pretty much set to go to Wash U. I also was lucky enough to get a half-tuition scholarship, and that is a factor for me in the decision. I guess I am just having a tough time with the final commitment!

Oh, and I'm a "dudette" so I'll be working off my behind. =)

I say pull the trigger, Twinks.

I've read disparaging remarks about careers services at Olin too, but their alums seem to be doing just fine. You've probably seen the BW article referenced in this thread noting Olin's top placement #'s, even if their grads are stuck earning a mere 90k Now if you're patient, work hard, and keep reapplying to top 10 programs like Booth or Kellogg you may very well end up with greater opportunities. However, you sound ready to get back to school now, and you never know what circumstances may come up (whether career, family, financial, or otherwise) that could keep you from getting your MBA anywhere in the future. Olin is a great school that should enable you to break into a terrific career, and your circumstances make it sound as though this is the time to earn your MBA.

Go for it!

Hey All,

I'm a current first year student at Olin, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. I'm going to try and address a lot of what everyone has been questioning/wondering/pondering.

1. Kelley does have a great program and their career services is a big reason for their success. Last year, in January I think, Olin hired their assistant director of career services to run the career services at Olin. So, a lot of the same methods that have brought success for Kelley in career services are being applied at Olin. I'm not saying that Olin is at the same level as Kelley in these regards but career services is working their tail off to utilize the extensive Olin and Washington University networks to find/create internship opportunities and jobs for Olin MBA students in this down economy. Which brings me to my second point.

2. Olin's network, though small and not as prestigious as many of the top schools that Olin likes to think it competes with, has been invaluable in my internship search. Beyond that, however, is the Washington University network, which is vast and full of success stories. Olin is Washington University's worst ranked graduate school. Every other graduate school is ranked higher from the Med School (#3) to School of Social Work (#1) (Is that a good thing or a bad thing :/). In addition Washington University's undergrad jBSBA program is ranked 15th in the nation. Therefore there is an extensive group of excellent graduates in the market with which you can build your network

3. St. Louis is what it is. It's a medium sized city with it's ups and downs. I have classmates from New York, LA, Miami, San Fran, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Hawaii, India, China, Israel, Nigeria, Honduras, etc. Surprisingly, they don't find St. Louis to be that bad, though admittedly, most miss their homes to some degree. On the surface, St. Louis looks like it doesn't have much to offer, but once you get to know the city, there is a lot more to do than you'd think.

4. As far as part-time programs go, I don't think it should reflect on the full-time. They are two different animals entirely. However, I understand the concerns with the market being flooded with people that may not reflect as well on the full-time program. It is important to understand that all of the part-time students are St. Louis residents and likely plan to stay that way. Full-time students, however, end up outside of st. louis much more often than they end up in St. Louis. Regardless, if you wanted to stay in St. Louis, Olin's program is highly regarded, both part-time and full-time.

5. Olin is working on expansion plans for the building, namely into the parking lot right next to it. We'll see where that goes.

6. There are lots of opportunities at Olin and to Washington University as a whole to be involved in practicums inside and outside of the US. One of my classmates is going to Madagascar for a couple weeks over spring break as a part of his practicum. Others are going on GMS (Global Management Summit) trips to Japan and Beijing, I think, to visit executives from global companies (much like other business schools).


All that being said, my decision wasn't easy. I had other admits at lower and higher ranked schools, however, the decision to go to Olin was framed by my campus visit and the scholarship offer. I have a relatively high GMAT score, solid GPA, and 4 years of work experience. I had opportunities outside of Olin but when I visited the school and sat in on class, it just felt right. Then, during admit weekend, I met my potential fellow classmates and realized what Olin had in mind when they recruited. My Business School experience to date, has been every bit as challenging and enjoyable as I could have ever expected and I don't regret my decision. You work hard, you make the most of the experience (clubs, internships, practicums, etc.), and the opportunities after graduation are there if you put forth the effort. If you all have any questions, let me know.

Best of luck in your MBA search. It's a stressful but exciting time!

Thanks for all your time on that post. That is certainly helpful and interesting perspective. Curious -- why does your profile say kellogg? Was that one the schools you chose Olin over?

bigdre,

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't updated my profile since I started applying to schools and I haven't posted on here since I was going through the process of applying. I was on the waitlist for Kellogg and took my name off once I decided on Olin. So, no idea if I ever would have been accepted.