Preparing for Fall 2010 Applications Thread

13. Start saving some money now. Between GMAT Prep, Interviews, admitted students weekends, etc, you could easily spend over $5k. We have a poll on this forum somewhere to prove it.

14. Mentally prepare yourself for an emotional rollercoaster. Over the next few months, your mood will likely swing wildly between absolute confidence and complete doubt, between elation and dejection. Xanax helps.

From our archives: Just to make this comprehensive, here is some advice for fall 08 applicants.

memo-to-all-those-applying-to-begin-fall-44024.html#p310572

15) Take into account that getting waitlisted is very much a potential outcome when applying somewhere. For example, it would be easy to say "Oh even though Wharton's my first choice, I'll apply to CBS early decision. Since I'll know whether I got into Wharton by the time my CBS deposit is due, I'll be able to choose". Wait lists totally throw that logic in the crapper!

In summary, don't assume you'll know where you are going by a certain date.

Bostonsparky, as a triple waitlister, I totally agree with your point. It's totally thrown off my timetable.

The other thing that really surprised me was the (in my opinion, ridiculous) levels b-schools go to in order to get "diversity." As a minority, I certainly appreciate diversity, but b-schools are a little too crazy about it, down to the seat level.

As someone who applied for different graduate programs in the past (PhDs), I assumed that b-schools also just took the "best" applicants as well, based on grades, test scores, recommendations, etc. But in b-schools, you are competing for one of the defined number of slots, based on any number of personal factors, whether that's job industry, geography, gender, race, nationality.

It is especially annoying for people on waitlists. Why the heck do these schools need waitlists of hundreds of ppl for what will probably amount to twenty (in the case of GSB) to maybe a few dozen (HBS, W) slots? It's because you're just needed to plug a hole in the case of a vacancy. So if an African-American in finance turns them down, they'll pull another one from the WL. In the end, you realize that unlike other grad programs, a lot of the b-school admissions process is really out of your control.