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rvsyn
Current Student
Joined: 09 Nov 2019
Last visit: 12 Dec 2022
Posts: 19
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 9
Location: Indonesia
Schools: Darden '23 (WA) Booth '23 (D)
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V34
GMAT 2: 760 Q50 V42
GPA: 3.4
![Darden EA vs Another program [Solved: Darden]](https://cdn.gmatclub.com/cdn/files/forum/styles/gmatclub_light/imageset/icon_post_target_unread.svg "Darden EA vs Another program [Solved: Darden]"){kind=icon}
10 Dec 2020, 21:12
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Quick Intro, I got into Darden in R1 after got waitlisted at EA. I chose the binding option EA back then. but got in during round 1 (does the binding still apply?). However as of now I did not get any scholarship at Darden.
Here's some bits on my profile
GMAT: 760
WE: 4.5 years at Big 4 Consulting and Corporate Finance.
Coming from modest family in the developing country seriously limit my financial capabilities to finance my study. I understand that some people considered the investment to MBA is worth the risk. But then again, where I come from, that sum of money is astronomical.
I am faced with some options right now, with its own pros and cons. If any of you are kind enough to provide your 2 cents, please do. I am crushed beyond words now as Darden is my dream school and the only thing stand between me and it is a giant brick wall called money.
1) Bypass "binding" all together and apply for R2. Pros: I use my savings to pay the deposit and apply for other school while still trying my chances at other scholarship in other school. Cons: This moves might also means I burn the bridges with Darden and possibly end with me not get into any school.
2) Be honest to the adcom and drop my Darden invites to pursue other school. Pros: Darden might take this approach much better than 1). Cons: There's no guarantee I'll get into other business school, let alone get a scholarship.
3) Go into Darden. Pros: Dream school. Cons: Have to get an astronomical loan with no guarantee I'll get the H1B visa.
A bit of disclaimer, I already reach the adcom and explain my condition, in which she recommends me to ask for merit reconsideration. However, she add that reconsideration rarely happen and when it does, it is because the candidate manage to pull up something that is not shown in his/her application.
Thank you all for your kind response.
Here's some bits on my profile
GMAT: 760
WE: 4.5 years at Big 4 Consulting and Corporate Finance.
Coming from modest family in the developing country seriously limit my financial capabilities to finance my study. I understand that some people considered the investment to MBA is worth the risk. But then again, where I come from, that sum of money is astronomical.
I am faced with some options right now, with its own pros and cons. If any of you are kind enough to provide your 2 cents, please do. I am crushed beyond words now as Darden is my dream school and the only thing stand between me and it is a giant brick wall called money.
1) Bypass "binding" all together and apply for R2. Pros: I use my savings to pay the deposit and apply for other school while still trying my chances at other scholarship in other school. Cons: This moves might also means I burn the bridges with Darden and possibly end with me not get into any school.
2) Be honest to the adcom and drop my Darden invites to pursue other school. Pros: Darden might take this approach much better than 1). Cons: There's no guarantee I'll get into other business school, let alone get a scholarship.
3) Go into Darden. Pros: Dream school. Cons: Have to get an astronomical loan with no guarantee I'll get the H1B visa.
A bit of disclaimer, I already reach the adcom and explain my condition, in which she recommends me to ask for merit reconsideration. However, she add that reconsideration rarely happen and when it does, it is because the candidate manage to pull up something that is not shown in his/her application.
Thank you all for your kind response.
11 Dec 2020, 04:18
Kudos
Bookmarks
An MBA in the US coming from a developing country usually comes with a long term commitment to stay in other countries to repay that loan. It is absolutely true that the US in particular has this added complexity that even if you make that commitment, you might not even get to stay for extrinsic factors.
But leaving that aside, the question would be what other options do you have.
- Darden is a T15 school in the US, so it should allow you to apply to good jobs, stay in the US for 3 years and if the worst happens you'd still have the brand to make a move to high paying countries (Canada, SGP come to mind)
- You've been WA at Darden, so it's not clear that you'll get into another highly ranked school with a scholarship. It's not impossible, and it def might happen (some people get admitted with scholarship at HSW and dinged at other schools), but logic would point out to that conclusion.
- If you start going down the list of schools, you might get a scholarship but it might hurt your chances of getting a good job / STEM visa, etc.
Knowing more about what you're aiming for in terms of post MBA job/earning potential might be useful. If you want to do IB/MC Darden is a great choice, you can get a job in the US and if the H1B doesn't work you can ask for a transfer to Canada/SGP or wherever you want to go (more for MC in this case). If you want to do NGO/social impact then the scholarship becomes much more important so it might be worth giving that a shot.
Lastly, I'd consider speaking to an admissions consultant. Some have knowledge on who's giving scholarships, and all of them have the knowledge to know whether your profile fits those schools.
Sorry if I'm not being clear on which direction to choose, but I completely empathize with the fact that looking at a 250k loan seems scary. If you do go the debt path, it will help you to maximize the value of the MBA and do everything necessary to get yourself out of that situation, and after that your earning potential will have grown considerably.
Good luck!
But leaving that aside, the question would be what other options do you have.
- Darden is a T15 school in the US, so it should allow you to apply to good jobs, stay in the US for 3 years and if the worst happens you'd still have the brand to make a move to high paying countries (Canada, SGP come to mind)
- You've been WA at Darden, so it's not clear that you'll get into another highly ranked school with a scholarship. It's not impossible, and it def might happen (some people get admitted with scholarship at HSW and dinged at other schools), but logic would point out to that conclusion.
- If you start going down the list of schools, you might get a scholarship but it might hurt your chances of getting a good job / STEM visa, etc.
Knowing more about what you're aiming for in terms of post MBA job/earning potential might be useful. If you want to do IB/MC Darden is a great choice, you can get a job in the US and if the H1B doesn't work you can ask for a transfer to Canada/SGP or wherever you want to go (more for MC in this case). If you want to do NGO/social impact then the scholarship becomes much more important so it might be worth giving that a shot.
Lastly, I'd consider speaking to an admissions consultant. Some have knowledge on who's giving scholarships, and all of them have the knowledge to know whether your profile fits those schools.
Sorry if I'm not being clear on which direction to choose, but I completely empathize with the fact that looking at a 250k loan seems scary. If you do go the debt path, it will help you to maximize the value of the MBA and do everything necessary to get yourself out of that situation, and after that your earning potential will have grown considerably.
Good luck!
11 Dec 2020, 08:42
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Bookmarks
Awesome points by rtbs15. I wholeheartedly agree. It sounds a bit like applicant's remorse. Which is totally common so do not feel bad about it. We all have opinions and then we change them as we get feedback (admit, ding, WL, etc). As mentioned, if you are looking for IB jobs, Darden is an awesome choice and hard to beat. Yes, the loan is scarry, but not sure what options you will have.
I would perhaps make one comment - while you did get a WL at Darden, and that's an indicator, I feel it still should be possible to improve your profile by working on the essays, applying your Darden application experience, etc. I would hate to just sit a twiddle my thumbs and just be burning time (again, you have an admit in your back pocket to your dream school).
At the same time, I don't know if you can count on getting into a top 10 with a scholarship but again, you won't know if you don't try. Would you be happy to go to Tepper or McCombs with a 50% scholarship or Jones/Owen with a full scholarship? I am totally hoping you would do much better than that but we only have a single data point and we don't know much about you (not that I am saying I am dying to learn about your life in intricate details
but I am saying as one stranger on the internet to another).
My take on this would be - you have an opportunity now and unless you are really busy, I am concerned you will regret not taking it (I would) so I am thinking you accept Darden and then work on resolving regrets so they don't haunt you on those cold nights when you watch your balance grow.
I would perhaps make one comment - while you did get a WL at Darden, and that's an indicator, I feel it still should be possible to improve your profile by working on the essays, applying your Darden application experience, etc. I would hate to just sit a twiddle my thumbs and just be burning time (again, you have an admit in your back pocket to your dream school).
At the same time, I don't know if you can count on getting into a top 10 with a scholarship but again, you won't know if you don't try. Would you be happy to go to Tepper or McCombs with a 50% scholarship or Jones/Owen with a full scholarship? I am totally hoping you would do much better than that but we only have a single data point and we don't know much about you (not that I am saying I am dying to learn about your life in intricate details
but I am saying as one stranger on the internet to another). My take on this would be - you have an opportunity now and unless you are really busy, I am concerned you will regret not taking it (I would) so I am thinking you accept Darden and then work on resolving regrets so they don't haunt you on those cold nights when you watch your balance grow.
