Year End Regrets from Your BSchool Journey (So Far)

Question

2008 is almost gone.
It feels like it was just yesterday when i enrolled in MGMAT courses to prep myself for GMAT.

But now, our journey to bschool is almost complete...

Let's state one or two things that we've learned during our journey to bschool so far. (So others don't make the same mistake)

nink · Answer

I will start:

1) I wish I found GMATClub sooner when I was actually prepping for my GMAT. Otherwise I wouldn't have spent 1500 dollars on that course!!!

2) I wish I knew how much more difficult waiting period (in the app process) was compared to actually TAKING THE GMAT!!

rjacobs · Answer

I regret not involving more people in the process from the beginning. By and large, I did things in solitude: studied for the GMAT, wrote essays, researched schools, etc. However, I have one close friend who is also applying to business school, and we started sharing ideas more and more, and even just vented when we were frustrated. We also traded essays. I also started sending essays to my parents and girlfriend for proofreading, because I wanted their input but also because I wanted them to better understand exactly how I was spending all this time. It's all helped keep me sane.

If I had the whole process to do over again, my very first step would be to find everyone I knew applying to b-school that year (local friends, friends on facebook, etc.) and bounce ideas off of them early. Just basically build a support network.

If I had the whole process to do over again, my very first step would be to find everyone I knew applying to b-school that year (local friends, friends on facebook, etc.) and bounce ideas off of them early. Just basically build a support network.

Jerz · Answer

I don't have many regrets, but here goes:

1) I wish I had asked a wider group of my network about MBA programs. I found out after decisions had been rendered that I had colleagues who had MBAs from Kellogg and Booth, and they would have been another great resource during my school research and applications.

2) I wish I hadn't stayed at the Congress Plaza hotel on my first visit to Booth.

3) I wish I had discovered GMATclub earlier on.

PleaseSleep · Answer

I wish someone told me that for many of these schools - we have to either visit them personally or meet them at local MBA fair - before we can even start our application.

Otherwise, they won't consider your app seriously...

BearStearner · Answer

I wish I had started my bschool applications in another year....

maverick2011 · Answer

I really wish I would have applied to all 4 schools that I was targeting in Round 1. I ended up moving one of them to Round 2 because I ran out of time. While this isn’t the end of the world, there are two main issues:

1) If you get into a school in Round 1, your motivation for writing anymore applications will be very low.
2) Since I got into one of my Round 1 schools, my deposit is due before my Round 2 school’s admit weekend (assuming I get into the Round 2 school).

Save Round 2 for either your safety school(s) if you don’t get in Round 1 or your super-reach school(s) if you do get in Round 1.

Raabend · Answer

I wish I had not decided to accept my GMAT score since it was 30-40 points below my practice test range.....this could have made the difference between Waitlist and Admit.

cereal255 · Answer

I wish I would have waited a year to apply.

I would have been less on the borderline with my WE and would have had more time to really write more convincing essays. My lack of clearly defined career goals hurt me in my opinion.

nink · Answer

Don't think that way.

You have bschool app experience under your belt now. You can learn from your mistakes and make your application stronger - should you decide to reapply next year.

Also, many adcoms look at re-applicants favorably.

cereal255 · Answer

On a related note, I also wish I had discovered this forum a lot earlier so I didn't have to gain the application experience the hard way.... I could have just used everyone elses experiences from prior years that I found when browsing the archives after my apps have been submitted.

I haven't given up on myself yet ninkorn, it's just been a rough couple of weeks (outside of application land) so I have a giant black cloud over my head. Being buried in 18 inches of snow doesn't help that either haha

agold · Answer

1) I wish I spent more time on the GMAT and took it more seriously. A 710 is seemingly no longer very competitive unless you have other things in your profile that are locking you in.

2) I wish I spent more time on the essays and took them more seriously

3) Last, but certainly not least, my biggest regret of this year was not applying to Columbia Early Decision. If I have to re-app next year, this will be at the top of my list of things to do.

Av · Answer

As someone who plans to apply next year, this information is all really helpful. Thanks!

msday · Answer

I don't have too many regrets about this process. The only one would be that I wish I had done more (any) research on backup options for people with <3 yrs WE who don't get into consulting.

young_gun · Answer

hahah hilarious

Yahsek · Answer

I just saw that too, LOL. I can't say I've ever run into that fellow while in chat. Maybe I need to chat more...or less if I value my butt :rotate

Anyway, my regrets: 1. Not doing my Kellogg application FIRST. It's the longest and most time consuming set of essays, so it would have been nice to get it out of the way and to be able to edit the content to shape my other, shorter applications. 2. Not backing up my data. I basically set myself up so that one computer crash crippled my chances of submitting Haas for R1. To all you future applicants: back your data up on a memory stick, email, Google Documents, work computer, and/or even by hand if you really have to!!!

FN · Answer

my biggest regret..is being born to live for the day i would score 640 on gmat..

Anonymous · Answer

I wish I started studying for the GMAT earlier so I didn't leave 1.5 months to do 5 applications.

And I wish I stuck in one more reach school in my R1 apps.

krispy · Answer

My regrets:

1. Trying to apply to 10 schools (6 in R1 and 4 in R2). I had to move 1 school to R2, but I got totally burnt out after squeezing 5 schools. Haven't done anything since my 5th application which was submitted on 10/29

2. Along this line, I should have secured more time for my essays. I got dinged early for schools where my application was rushed. Especially, essays for Kellogg, my top choice, turned out be the weakest.

jb32 · Answer

Submitting Chicago and UCLA as my first two schools - my essays have gotten phenomenally better for Kellogg and Texas, and I've already been dinged from my top two choices

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