Post application regrets...

Question

Looking over my XYZ b-school application after submitting this morning, I am feeling very unsettled. 

Top ten things I wish I had done differently. 

I wish I would have... 

(1) ...caugth that one glaring S-V error in middle of the fourth essay 
(2) ...submitted on 1/14 instead of 1/15 (hint of procrastination) 
(3) ...researched just one school in greater detail rather than four over the holidays 
(4) ...visited the school 
(5) ...sent my transcripts in one package rather than separtely from each undergrad 
(6) ...contacted the adcoms earlier 
(7) ...previewed my supervisor's LOR before he uploaded 
(8) ...paid for a professional resume editing service 
(9) ...mentioned better schools in the survey section at the end 
(10)...utilized an essay service for that one final check

johnnyx9 · Answer

You mention that you wished you had named better schools in the survery section at the end. What is your take on this? I wasn't sure what schools would take away fromt it, for instance if my safety school sees that I'm applying to elites and ultra-elites do they think "This guy doesn't really want to go here, screw him," or do they think, "We need to offer him a scholarship to get him here."

Similarly do the elite schools look at the list and think, "This idiot is applying to some very different schools, and he's telling us he loves the case method and a large student body, but half the school's on his list don't fit that profile." Or maybe they just don't read anything into it.

After submitting my applications I decided not to look at them ever again, don't want to torment myself if I find small mistakes that I can't fix.

Nsentra · Answer

I think we all can relate on some of these points... no need to stress on them now, but rather concentrate on phase #3 - the interview for a chance to polish off some of the glitches.

Say, what do you mean "contacted the adcoms earlier". For what? and how do you think it affects application process?

* Some grammar errors after submit
* Beginning GMAT studies too late in the year
* For Chicago question about "something that most people don't know about myself" I chose the safer route and lost a chance to include some unique things. 
* Forgetting to include some extracurricular activites
* Not spending more time with recommenders and not having more essays ready to show them for potentially more complete LORs

3underscore · Answer

1. Still sitting on my Columbia app. Need to get rid of that tomorrow.

2. Maybe sitting my one GMAT on Jan 8 with deadlines on Jan 10. But that shows a bit of confidence I guess.

3. Having to ask my boss for a Rec (Stern were very direct on this, the others I chose not to). So my boss now knows I have applied, just seems at a loss on the number of schools. And continually asks when I would theoretically be leaving (more time taken up on this than the Rec).

I think your number 7 is just wrong, but I am British. People should be allowed to submit on you privately. If they know you are going to read it, it will just take on a more false air.

GMATT73 · Answer

You mention that you wished you had named better schools in the survery section at the end. What is your take on this? I wasn't sure what schools would take away fromt it, for instance if my safety school sees that I'm applying to elites and ultra-elites do they think "This guy doesn't really want to go here, screw him," or do they think, "We need to offer him a scholarship to get him here."

 

Better doesn't necessarily translate to higher ranking schools, rather those that have roughly the same (small) class size and less of a cutthroat attitude on campus. I mentioned three other schools that were quite different than XYZ in those respects.

GMATT73 · Answer

Open, clear communications with the adcom, and faculty for that matter, tend to bode well for one come decision day. At least the adcoms can remember who you are and all those questions you asked prior to submitting. It's a better indication of enthusiasm for their unique program (IOW, you will enroll if admitted).

GMATT73 · Answer

Not necessarily. We are given to the option to view LORs when we register recommenders. Besides, my supervisor printed out what he wrote and showed it to me after I submitted. Unfortunately, some of the things he mentioned didn't jive so well with the future plans I articulated under the future post MBA plans essay. My recommender wrote as if I would be returning to my company and my essays show a clean break from the industry.

3underscore · Answer

Well... I still don't know Matt. I know we have the opportunity to do some things, but sometimes it is a decision that you should avoid even though tempted.

As I say, I think it is a cultural difference. Plus, after years of 360-degree feedbacks, I really can't be arsed with doing that. The recommendations are a seperate view on my app, not part of it tailored by me.

GMATT73 · Answer

Appears you may have misunderstood me. Let me clarify: essentially my recommender thought that I would be returning to my current field and clearly stated so in his comments. In actuality, I have chosen to move into a related, but different field, and detailed so in the sample essay (future goals) I provided him with. Unfortunately he never read the essay, so the adcoms may be a little confused. 

Saying that it's cultural might be stretching the issue; it's just plain regret over how I could have filled in those last few holes in the overall package. Oh well, what's done is done.

johnnyx9 · Answer

I think what 3underscore is saying is that British people are more honest than Americans, they would never dream of influencing their recommenders' letters because they have higher moral standards.

GMATT73 · Answer

Bahahahahahahahahahahahah :lol:

lepium · Answer

I'm with you on some regrets (or maybe a few other regrets of my own). Just make sure you do not let it get to you too much. There's always next year. Or safety school. Or neither.

Keep your calm. It's an important event in your life but not crucial.

Cheers. L.

3underscore · Answer

Johnny / Matt

I wasn't really commenting on the moral side of things really. I think it is more the reserved manner that Brits follow compared to Americans. It is something I am acutely aware of and have discussed at great length - my partner is American, so we see a lot of elements of this in our relationship.

British people are much more reserved - biting their lip in arguments, avoiding confrontation, not being too forward about things. For me, asking someone for a recommendation I give them the warranty that I will not see it (to encourage them to be honest - people hate knowingly saying something good about someone with them being there, it makes your skin crawl!) so that they can put what they believe.

Sure, they understand what it is for, and I selected them as I expected they would be complimentary. As for my career path from here, giving them direction etc - I feel it is wrong for me to do, and none of them ever spoke to me to ask.

It really is a cultural difference. My girlfriend (an English teacher) edited the hell out of my first drafts of essays about my acheivements because I was being British (read humble, not really playing up my acheivements, more stating what I had done). 

I do find on here that people worry an awful lot - the idea of people entering exams purely to add to an app sounds crazy to me, as does bothering the adcoms. I expect they see I am British and expect me to be reserved, though.

GMATT73 · Answer

There's always the PT-->FT transfer contingency option, but we all know that employs more brute force than it does finesse.

johnnyx9 · Answer

3underscore,

I hear what you're saying, but I don't think there's anything wrong with sitting down with your recommenders and explaining why you're going to business school.

For instance if you said to your recommender, "These are my greatest professional accomplishments, this is where I think I'm heading in my career, and by the way, I think Harvard would like it if you can address my leadership potential, and Wharton would like it if you could elaborate on my quantitative strengths." I don't think there's anything wrong with doing that. It's not in my nature to do that, and i was sort of cringing as I wrote up my list of accomplishments because you have to sort of set your humility aside and really sell yourself.

The thing is, to get into business school, you can't play it cool and coy. I think there's a way to "sell yourself" to people without being totally arrogant and cocky. And that's what you have to do, it's kind of the role you have to play.

I wish things weren't this way, but the thing is if you're going up against people who are doing this, then you're at a disadvantage if you take a noble stance and leave it all in the hands of your recommenders. Obviously you don't want to extend this concept of "everyone else is doing it so it must be okay" too far, but in general if other people are using admissions consultants to write their essays, then should you feel bad if you have your best friends read and edit your essays? If other people are writing word-for-word, their own recommendations and having their recommenders sign off on them, should you feel guilty about giving some guidance to your recommenders? At the end of the day, we're not applying to seminary school, we're applying to business school. I know business schools have this great pretense about strict ethics, but I think people sell themselves short if they try to be too noble.

3underscore · Answer

johnny - I do understand what you mean.

As it is, I am approaching two guys who recruited me and know my strengths, and I am applying to schools that work with that (simply - I am in Finance, I am wanting to stay in Finance, you should be able to guess the schools I am applying to as a result pretty much).

I guess it is more if you are looking to change career that you would ask them to be loosly managerial rather than vocational, but I can't say I minded. Just my situation there though.

I don't know if it is so bad. Admissions people must have seen enough apps in their time to spot recs that gel too well with the application whole. Well, I don't know, time will tell. It's all conjecture.

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