Calling All Stanford GSB Fall 2011 Applicants! https://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/08/0811_stanford_school_tour/image/serra_portal_stanford_business_school_campus.jpg Detailed Program Information: GMAT Club's Stanford GSB School Guide Fall 2011 Application Instructions Round 1 Deadline: 10/6/2010 | Decision Date: 12/15/2010 Round 2 Deadline: 1/6/2010 | Decision Date: 3/30/2011 Round 3 Deadline: 4/6/2011 | Decision Date: 5/18/2011 Essays Essay 1: What matters most to you, and why? Essay 2: What are your career aspirations? What do you need to learn at Stanford to achieve them? Essay 3: Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years. Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations. Option B: Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization. Option C: Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative. Option D: Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, established, or expected. Recommendation Questions (3 recommenders) 2 Professional/Workplace References Please briefly describe your relationship to the candidate, and describe the circumstances under which you have known her or him. How does the candidate’s performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? What (if any) legacy has this candidate left on your organization? Describe the most constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please also detail the circumstances that caused you to give the feedback. Is there anything else (positive or negative) we should know about the candidate? 1 Peer/Team Reference Please briefly describe your relationship to the candidate, and describe the circumstances under which you have known her or him. Describe how the candidate has generated support from others for an idea or initiative. What (if any) lasting impact has this candidate left on your organization? Describe the most constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please also detail the circumstances that caused you to give the feedback. Is there anything else (positive or negative) we should know about the candidate? Essay Analysis Clear Admit 2010-11 Essay Analysis mbaMission 2010-11 Essay Analysis Veritas Prep 2010-11 Essay Analysis APPLICANT LIST: GSB Applicant List Google Doc 0ArAuKBeoP3UWdDdYMHRuRmgtLUtHaWx1OXpqY1hFQ0E Round 1 (101 applicants) Matriculating: N/A Admitted: 11 (11%) Waitlisted: 5 (5%) Denied: 85 APPLICANTS: Please fill out your stats in the Google Doc attached and keep updating your information whenever you see fit!We will keep this thread updated as well Current students: Terry12 , Mikus , quantjock All quoted sections in this post are from the Application Requirements page of the Stanford GSB Website College Students : OTHER RESOURCES: Screenshot: HBS 2011 Applicant List.png

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Calling all Stanford Fall 2011 Applicants!!!

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dei

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03 Jan 2011, 16:05

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emont

rg205

Perhaps its too late to ask this, but does a "what matters most" essay weave in specifically why an MBA? Or is left for career aspirations essay. I've gotten feedback from one of my essay reviewers (who is not an MBA student / alum) that my "what matters most, why" essay does not say anything about why this is relevant to an MBA applicant.

The guidance I got from a handful of GSB students is that essay 1 should be what you're really passionate about and what core values define you...that could be your religious faith, your sense of charity, helping others, trying to figure out the meaning of life, your openness and tolerance for others' points of view, whatever. It's possible you could transition that into your career path or "why MBA" but you don't have to by any means, and for most MBA career paths that would probably be quite a stretch.

I agree with this - you don't need to mention MBA at all (although some choose to). This is an essay about you, and AdCom guidelines on it is to "dig deep and say something very personal to you".

rg205

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03 Jan 2011, 16:14

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Thank you emont and dei. That definitely reaffirms what I thought was expected when I first started drafting the essay. I guess its the last minute jitters (and very divergent reviewer feedback) that's making me question everything!

dei

emont

rg205

I agree with this - you don't need to mention MBA at all (although some choose to). This is an essay about you, and AdCom guidelines on it is to "dig deep and say something very personal to you".

smartperson

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04 Jan 2011, 00:58

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My essay 1 is emotional and mushy. It's surprising how difficult it is to write that kind of stuff compared to essay 2, at least for me.

Working on essay 1 has definitely been an emotionally exhausting experience. I feel like my entire being was squeezed out into that essay, leaving me a withered husk...

EBM

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04 Jan 2011, 07:27

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smartperson

I wish I kept better track of my time, but I think it's very possible I spent as much time on GSB essay 1 as I did on all the rest of my GSB, Haas, and UCLA essays combined. Brainstorm, write, rewrite, get outside edits, rewrite, completely restructure, edit, edit, cut words to get to ~750 then submit was a lengthy process.

redjam

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04 Jan 2011, 10:47

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emont

Sigh! I'm still doing that. I've got so many drafts of that essay and I'm still not happy with it. At this point, I hope it clicks in the next day, otherwise I'll have to settle with my best version of it.

oneofmany

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04 Jan 2011, 11:46

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redjam

emont

Anyone want to take an over/under on versions of Essay 1? I'm on v37 and still making edits (though I'll admit, most of those are edited versions of the same basic essay...probably on my 5th structure overall).

reimon

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04 Jan 2011, 12:58

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Last minute jitters here. Essay 1 is done, 2 out of 3 recs are in. Gmat done, Toefl done. I am not sure if I should apply though.

Profile: Mexican from Tampico (1 of my classmates from elementary all the way through high school is in from Rd 1... MBB... great guy... not sure if that's a con).
WE: Entrepreneur - 2 companies: logistics/warehousing since 2006 - 20+ employees 700k+ annual revenue
land transportation services since this september - 15 employees 90k+ revenue since creation
EC - varsity soccer my freshman year... community service since 2008 doing fundraising
Post MBA goals - transform my companies into a full-fledged logistics consultancy with complete logistics services (shipping, transportation, warehousing) and expand into the US. Open up a nonprofit
Education - BBA at top 5 university in Mexico, semi-decent GPA.
Started my first business after my dad's death. Worked and studied more than 2 years.

Ok could someone give me some honest advice? I will very much appreciate it.

Applied to other M7 and top 15 schools already for Rd 2. Have some great recs at some M7s, not for Stanford though.

Thanks!

PadawanOfTheGMAT

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04 Jan 2011, 13:53

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Can someone please explain me what "double-spacing" means.

Does it mean:
1) two spaces between each word.
2) lines have double space between themselves.

oneofmany

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04 Jan 2011, 14:15

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PadawanOfTheGMAT

Can someone please explain me what "double-spacing" means.

Does it mean:
1) two spaces between each word.
2) lines have double space between themselves.

A blank line between each line of text (or using Microsoft Word, select "Double" as your Line Spacing in the Paragraph options window).

srjaidev

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04 Jan 2011, 14:16

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PadawanOfTheGMAT

Can someone please explain me what "double-spacing" means.

Does it mean:
1) two spaces between each word.
2) lines have double space between themselves.

I suppose double spacing means.. 2 spaces between lines.

You can do this in word by clicking on Format (one of the buttons next to FILE, EDIT, etc) and then clicking on the Paragraph option. and selecting Double from the drop down list for line spacing.

runnergirl

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04 Jan 2011, 14:22

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redjam

emont

+1, unfortunately

smartperson

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04 Jan 2011, 15:55

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I think that when you're done with your Essay 1 you can "feel" it. Mine resonates with something deep inside - it's actually a little overwhelming...like feedback from a speaker to microphone.

BeeSkool

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04 Jan 2011, 16:18

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smartperson

I think that when you're done with your Essay 1 you can "feel" it. Mine resonates with something deep inside - it's actually a little overwhelming...like feedback from a speaker to microphone.

I feel the same thing except I haven't written the essay yet so it must be that I've just had too many Red Bulls

dei

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Updated on: 04 Jan 2011, 17:05

Originally posted by dei on 04 Jan 2011, 17:03.
Last edited by dei on 04 Jan 2011, 17:05, edited 1 time in total.

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reimon

What would you stand to lose by having a go, especially if you have your recommendations in already?
Also, doubt they would realise that you have known the other guy since elementary school. I think that yes, they have accepted X number of Mexicans already, but surely you could be another acceptance in round 2?

If you like Stanford, then go for it. If you don't see yourself at Stanford, then don't apply.

smartperson

I think that when you're done with your Essay 1 you can "feel" it. Mine resonates with something deep inside - it's actually a little overwhelming...like feedback from a speaker to microphone.

My Essay 1 was finished approximately one hour before submission - I think panic and a great sense of relief were my greatest emotions...

rg205

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04 Jan 2011, 17:13

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All those applying to Stanford with a foreign undergraduate degree (India, Britain, Australia and many other places known to commonly not use GPAs), what you you putting on the online form?

It asks for
1. Individual GPAs for each year
2. The cumulative GPA for all years

I don't know what to put in (1), and feel it is better to put nothing and have them calculate, than put something myself which somehow undercuts me -- the various conversion formulae on the Internet vary. Also putting "percentage" also does not feel right, since it looks way lower than percentages people score in the US. The top scorer in my university scored a 70.2% (here that would be like a C ?)

For (2), again different universities calculate cumulative grade -- the grade point average equivalent listed on your degree -- differently. My university uses only the last 2 years to calculate final grade, not all the four years (turns out that is slightly advantageous to me -- I progressively got better). Where do I explain that.

I somehow feel I'm at a huge disadvantage since my academic performance is open to so much interpretation, based on which formula is used for comparison, or how the academic system of different countries are compared. Any way I will stop whining, but could someone let me know how they are dealing with the online form? It wont allow a blank field, so I was wondering whether to put a -- there, and explain.

dei

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04 Jan 2011, 17:20

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rg205

For 1, Individual GPAs, I ignored and put "NA" across the boxes because I don't have an annual GPA.
For 2, Cumulative GPA, I also ignored and put "NA" because I don't have a cumulative GPA.
Instead, for GPA scale, I put my degree class (i.e. First Class or Upper Second) and then I also put my rank in the year (i.e. top X%). Does that help? I would think for international students that the important part is "rank in the year" rather than any of the GPA components.

FYI, I think the Admissions Office is well versed in the international systems because otherwise, they would be rejecting basically all international students and particularly those from the British and Indian undergraduate systems. My transcript shows a highest mark of 74% (I was pretty pleased with this), so hopefully they understood what that meant!

rg205

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04 Jan 2011, 17:39

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Thanks Dei, that is probably a good strategy. Although I don't really know my rank -- it is not listed on my transcript. While I could guesstimate what X would be in top X%, I don't think that's a good idea since it would not be "official".

I hope you're right about them being aware of disparities in grading. BTW, the scale box (where you put your degree class) does not have enough room to spell out my class! Another abbreviation they'll have to guess the meaning of...

dei

rg205

LaVerdad07

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Concentration: General Managment

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04 Jan 2011, 21:01

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SUBMITTED. Thank god. Now we just sit and wait for interview invites. Has anyone calculated the day that we can expect invites to start rolling out based off last years R2 or this years R1?

d3xc

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04 Jan 2011, 21:19

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Based on last year's R2, I think the week of Jan 31st should contain the bulk of the invites but it does sound like the R1 pattern was little different than past years. Also looks like they were a handful of earlier invites last year, as well.

chaoticsilence

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Schools:MIT (R2-ding), Stanford (R2), Haas (R3-Int), Columbia (RD-Feb)

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05 Jan 2011, 07:19

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Does anyone know if stanford allows for recommendations to reach a day or two late? One of my recommenders might not be able to submit it in time.. he's been totally swamped this week and is travelling tomorrow!

There;s nothing I can do about it and I'd hate for my application to not make it because my recommender couldnt submit in time..

Anyone has any knowledge on this? Should I contact the admissions team?