Admitted students...now what?

I'm holding out for more decisions. Manchester, is one of my targets, and i've been admitted there, so its a case of waiting for those stretch goals.
First choice is Stanford, second Kellogg (Had to apply to find out if i could make it or not), then probably Cornell (Stretch target). HKUST, NUS and Manchester are the realistic schools. Hult was my back up, which i can now dismiss

I started the MBA application process quite late, school selection took a couple of weeks, started studying for GMAT at the end of October sat the GMAT in mid November, and then focused on applications for 4 weeks.
Managed to apply to 7 schools in those 4 weeks, and the first school came up sweet . Manchester's deadline was November 23rd, so i applied there first and managed to get in. A lot of pestering of recommenders needed . Even though we had a tight project schedule (Product launched Nov 14th, now in maintenance phase).

All the other schools either have later R1 deadlines ( HKUST, Hult - Dec 15th, NUS - 31st Dec)
R2 Schools ( Kellog - 21st Dec, Stanford 7th Jan)
R2 Schools Cornell 9th Jan.

All had to be done in advance because I had already booked a holiday with the family for December before i decided to apply for an MBA. Off to Singapore and Vietnam to relax over Xmas and New Year.

Just hope i get some earlier decisions from Cornell, Kellogg, Stanford (ding or otherwise) because deadline for deposit for Manchester is Feb 28th. If i get dinged from those 3, i'll be fine, because those 3 schools are stretch targets due to my GMAT of 610, and paying a deposit just to get dinged wouldn't feel good. But in the offchance i do get accepted. It would be worth it.

Can't you rent the house out? Or is the are you live in not feasible for renting?

For me, I have a house in London, but its rented out.. Wife won't be able to work if i go to the USA, no work permit. Plus i will have a newborn in May to go with the 2 year old ... That will make for even more sleepless nights at the start of an MBA!!!

Renting is a no go. Yes I could rent it but it wouldnt cover the cost of my mortgage, taxes (where I live has some of the highest property tax rates in the US), heating costs ($500 a month), and I would have to hire a company to manage it. Besides I am just finishing a complete remodel so I dont want to deal with renters and want to sell when its looking the best it will. Even if a renter takes good care of it, there will be wear and tear and everything will age.

ah right, don't know how the tax laws work in the USA, but for the UK, you can claim 10% wear and tear off as tax deductibles, and losses can be carried forward to the next tax year. Interest on the mortgage is also deducted off any income tax payable.

Isn't it a tough environment to sell a house in the USA at the moment?

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision? I've decided (one admit lol) and will join Wharton in the fall.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over? No where, although for some reason I'm getting a lot of pressure to apply to Stanford from my folks.

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind? Umm no...no why mba essays, no more school research and most of all no more endless revisions up till the submission date.

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school? Absolutely, I was all set to take a 4 month vacation and become a bum before school started. But now I have to start a new office and become the shmuck who has a blackberry glued to his ear and is on a conference call every 45 minutes. Not that I'm complaining, I love blackberries but I'd love to just wear sweats and do nothing for a bit.

5) Sobered up from the celebration? Ask me on Monday, I'm still working but hopefully will have a few drinks tonight. It's a bit sad really it's only been 2+ years since I graduated but I can no longer go out and get wasted...guess I'm old now.

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision?
I am 100% matriculating to Columbia.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over?
All of my other submitted apps were withdrawn...please refer to answer #1

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind?
I am saving on application fees, and putting that money to travel for the admitted students events, to renovating my condo so I can sell/rent, and to my savings in preparating for the absurd NYC living expenses.

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school?
Consumes my thoughts on a daily basis. I, like River, am also trying to sell my place. Well, if anyone knows the real estate market in South FL, it is one of the worst in the nation--if not the worst. Therefore, I'd rather not sell my place when prices are so depressed, but that equity could really help when it comes to funds for school. My guess, I will end up taking on more loans and being a landlord while in school.

5) Sobered up from the celebration?
Yes. That is until a friend buys me yet another congratulatory shot.

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision?
I only applied to Emory, got in, and of course I'm matriculating.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over?
If HBS called me out of the blue and offered a full ride, without applying, then maybe I'd consider it.

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind?
Applications? What are those?

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school?
Its unbelievable how much I think about this. My job has really become a drag. It's really one of the worst environments to work in. I, being the good worker, would like to give my company a few months notice, so I can train anyone they need to come in and fill my role. But, my president is so crazy, he'd probably just assume let me go if I told him I was leaving. Crazy.

5) Sobered up from the celebration?
I doubled up on the celebration with a Bachelor Party the same weekend after finding out my admit. I was hurting for about 4 days, no kidding, but I'm finally feeling normal.

Take heed: Start researching industries and really really thinking about what you want to do, including really thinking about what you don't want to do. Think industry, think function, think geography.

I am focusing on getting financial aid applications completed soon. Then it looks like at Kellogg we have pre-start online classes we need to do.

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision?
Strong chance I'll happily end up at Wharton. If I were fortunate enough to get into Stanford (and I know what a huge if that is), I'd have a very difficult decision to make.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over?
Stanford, as above. See Kellogg below.

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind?
Already finished Kellogg part I and sent in my fee, and my recs have been sent in too. I'm planning on submitting the remainder of the application. Kellogg's got a great Health Management/Biotech Management program, and every K alum I've met has been incredibly happy with the Kellogg experience. Besides, I grew up near Chicago and my family's still there. I really want to go visit the campus and interview. We'll see what happens after that...

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school?
Hell yes. I can't get this stupid smile off my face.

5) Sobered up from the celebration?
I'm on call this week, so my celebration last night was a bit restrained (in a cruel twist of irony, I got to watch my friends drink). After I sign out my pager at 5:30 tonight, though... yahoo!

rhyme, ive already made a new MBA resume with Chicago GSB at the top

LOL... dabots, there's a specific format you must follow to be in the resume book. If you want to see it, let me know.

Dabots, what if you get into MIT or off the Wharton WL...better come up with a few different resumes just incase.

You do have like a 70% chance of getting into MIT after an interview.

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision?

In at Kellogg but holding out for Haas.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over?

I'm holding out for Haas because the healthcare program is better than Kellogg's and its a lot cheaper for me. Duke is mentally out of the picture for me although I'm curious to see if they'd want me or not.

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind?

Hell no! I'm too lazy now. I applied to the programs best suited for me in R1. R2 was super backup.

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school?

Almost immediately after my Kellogg call. Still trying to figure out where my travels will take me this summer. Most likely East Africa.

5) Sobered up from the celebration?

nope. I'm in sales/marketing. It is a continual celebration.

I have to imagine with your Cal undergrad, you will be a shoe-in at Haas. Too bad for us who likely will end up at K! Although I would argue it's good to have two different alumni networks to access, the tuition savings is just too much to ignore.

I've always considered my undergrad a liability in my Cal application. Mostly because there are so many other Cal grads in the area that want to go to bschool...and if you're looking for diversity in a class of 250...chances are slimmer because you're competing against a much larger pool.

But yeah, $50k. I could hire a personal assistant to get me through business school.

1) Have you decided if you are going to matriculate or are you still holding out for another decision?
I still keep my options open. Kellogg is a great school, arguably the best for what I want to do (marketing and general management) but I still want to see what other schools have to offer $-wise. If there is $0, then Kellogg is an easy win.

2) Where are you holding out for or what would it take for a backup school to win you over?
I am holding out for Ross, Duke (R1) and Chicago, Darden, and possibly Yale and UNC (R2). Since I am not planning to go to i-banking or other high-flying crazy dollar-making industries and given that all of these schools mostly have the same companies recruiting for marketing and general management jobs on-campus, scholarship offers might sway me to attend.

3) Are you still planning on working on R2 applications or are you gonna save the application fees and enjoy your new found peace of mind?
Since I am like 80-90% through with my R2 applications, I am planning to finish them up and see what happens. My logic about this is the following: this is a once in a life-time opportunity, and working my a** off for another 2 weeks or so is not going to kill me.

4) Have you begun to dream what its going to be like to quit your job and head back to school?
Heck yeah! I am getting increasingly sadder about existing in New York for at least another 6 months...

5) Sobered up from the celebration?
Haven't had a chance to celebrate with friends yet. However, my Kellogg admit call came in on the same day we had an office holiday party. And I got pretty wasted. Too bad no one knows why I was so darn happy that day