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staind
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 01:59
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Yeah, I had the same issue with the opportunity essay, I wrote a draft and decided I was really stretching it and scrapped the essay. Good luck!
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staind
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 03:37
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I just uploaded my resume to the application and when I viewed the converted PDF it randomly deleted one of my bullet points in the middle of the resume! Weird as!
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Jerz
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 07:51
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staind
Based on the information you provided it sounds like you've answered the question "Discuss a time when you navigated a challenging experience," which is not the same as the Wharton question.

As to how the application reviewer will perceive this, we can only speculate.
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Not very hard to speculate how this would be received by the reader: it would be a big black mark against the applicant. Rule #1 in writing essays is to answer the question being asked. Not being able to follow directions is not a trait any school wants in its students.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants Updated on: 02 Oct 2010, 10:04
Originally posted by CarpathianRidge on 02 Oct 2010, 08:25.
Last edited by CarpathianRidge on 02 Oct 2010, 10:04, edited 1 time in total.
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I disagree. If the experience is truly strong and moving, I think that sincerity can overcome aiming slightly left or right of the question. It's all about how you draft your essay too. It may not appear to answer the question initially but if you can make the connection to the "intent" of the question, I think you are fine.

A powerful, visceral, personal experience that is slightly off-mark is more valuable than an ordinary, "check the box" answer many people provide. Don't be afraid to take a chance if you think you need that make-or-break aspect to your application. Remember, the adcom's primary goal of the essays is to get to know who YOU are and these questions are just prompts to do that. There is no right or wrong answer. I say go for it.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 11:59
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I do think it demonstrates the essay was recycled from another app if you're not directly answering the question but are directly answering another textbook MBA essay question

Posted from my mobile device
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 15:21
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Does Wharton require an official copy of the GMAT score prior to the round's deadline?
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 15:45
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CarpathianRidge
I disagree. If the experience is truly strong and moving, I think that sincerity can overcome aiming slightly left or right of the question. It's all about how you draft your essay too. It may not appear to answer the question initially but if you can make the connection to the "intent" of the question, I think you are fine.

A powerful, visceral, personal experience that is slightly off-mark is more valuable than an ordinary, "check the box" answer many people provide. Don't be afraid to take a chance if you think you need that make-or-break aspect to your application. Remember, the adcom's primary goal of the essays is to get to know who YOU are and these questions are just prompts to do that. There is no right or wrong answer. I say go for it.
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In my experience Wharton is very strict about the questions it asks and the stuff that deviates from them. Their essays are very different for a reason. That essay specifically tries to figure out how you work with PEOPLE. Because that is key to Wharton's culture. Talk about something other than that and they will think you are ducking the question. You can pick 3 out of 4 essays, if this one doesn't fit, can you do another one?
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 15:50
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MBAgirl2010
In my experience Wharton is very strict about the questions it asks and the stuff that deviates from them. Their essays are very different for a reason. That essay specifically tries to figure out how you work with PEOPLE. Because that is key to Wharton's culture. Talk about something other than that and they will think you are ducking the question. You can pick 3 out of 4 essays, if this one doesn't fit, can you do another one?
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I would disagree. I had to overcome a challenging developmental problem that was at the center of how I interacted with others because it fundamentally altered the way I viewed myself. Navigating my personal relationship with myself was, in fact, the beginning of my ability to engage those around me. While 'managing relationships with others' does feature in my essay, my personal relationship with myself is the heart and meat of it. I am not trying to proselytize or defend my essay here, but it's all subject to how you present your argument.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 22:25
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I think the healthy argument we've had proves my point that you can only speculate at best as to how ad com would perceive an essay deviating from the actual question.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 02 Oct 2010, 23:05
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Random thought: airport layovers are the best place to work on essays - the busy humdrum allows for focused writing, but with a sense of urgency to finish before takeoff.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 00:11
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gkumar
Random thought: airport layovers are the best place to work on essays - the busy humdrum allows for focused writing, but with a sense of urgency to finish before takeoff.
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lol, that was very random.

I completely agree with you. Especially a 2 or 3 hour layovers (not enough time to really venture out of the airport, but not short enough to just turn on your iPod for a quick song or two)...I know I've produced a couple of my drafts using layovers.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 00:24
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bakfed
Does Wharton require an official copy of the GMAT score prior to the round's deadline?
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No
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 00:33
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I'm pretty much done! (it's past midnight here).

I'm going to take the time all day to review last minute changes before I hit the submit button tomorrow.

Good luck everyone! I've decided not to re-write my essay #4, but rather, tailored it a bit more so that it addresses the question more clearly.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 05:18
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gkumar
Random thought: airport layovers are the best place to work on essays - the busy humdrum allows for focused writing, but with a sense of urgency to finish before takeoff.
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As does drinking a lot of water and, well, sitting tight till you get it right. My failure essay would have been a lot less passionate otherwise. :-D
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 06:54
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xerox
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Wharton's engineered a surprise for applicants this year. Any guesses?

Something to do with the interview? It seems to be too late to spring surprises on the application itself!
Yes, the interview will be different.
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Any more info you can give us???

Also, to bump staind's question, what is the usual timetable with regards to notification of interview invites, etc.?
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 12:20
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In for Round 1.
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 15:48
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My re-application has just been submitted for Round1. Off to the races again :)
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 16:26
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Submission Status: Submitted
Submitted Date: 10/3/2010 7:29:00 PM EST
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 16:50
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MBAgirl2010
My re-application has just been submitted for Round1. Off to the races again :)
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Best of luck MBAgirl2010 and adalfu! Can you both add your names to the spreadsheet if you haven't already? Can't wait to submit tomorrow, want to take one last look.
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hm2009
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Calling all Wharton 2011 Applicants 03 Oct 2010, 21:14
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Submitted for R1 (Re-Applicant from '09). Best of luck to everyone in R2. One interesting note was the 'headers' Wharton's "Print Your App" button adds to the top of each page of your essays. For example, the Optional-1 question had the header "Engagement" -- I thought it was interesting to see the context in which the AdCom might be looking at each essay.
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