Edit by Praet: You guys are late for Fall 2008!! Changed subject to Fall 2009! I figure it's never too early to start planning for the next application season. If you'll be applying for the Class of 2011, let's hear from you! 1) What schools are on your list right now? UNC Kenan-Flagler, Duke Fuqua, Wake Forest Babcock, UCLA Anderson, USC Marshall, Texas McCombs 2) What is the state of your current preparations? Currently studying for the GMAT (will take in April). Planning on doing some visits in April or May, especially to Texas and the California schools. 3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Realizing that everyone on the BW forums has a 3.89GPA from an Ivy League school, scored a 760 on the GMAt (first try, too, without studying!), sit on the boards of ten non-profit organizations, swam from Mogadishu to Hawaii with six refugees on their back, and STILL got waitlisted from all their Top 15 schools. 4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Very serious...it's something I've been thinking about for awhile now, and figure now is the right time to make a career switch.

Last visit was: 23 Apr 2026, 13:05

It is currently 23 Apr 2026, 13:05

Toolkit

Business School and MBA

The B-School Applications

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Apr 23
When to Stop Studying for the GMAT and Start Working on Your MBA Application
10:00 AM EDT
-
10:30 AM EDT
Admissions committees evaluate the GMAT/GRE in context — your background, your representation in the applicant pool, the strength of everything else in your file. The same score works for one candidate and falls short for another with identical numbers.
Apr 23
ISB Interview Call Guarantee Module
12:00 PM PDT
-
01:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
Apr 24
Live Coffee Chat- MBA profile enhancement: How to fix your gaps in 4 months
08:30 PM IST
-
09:30 PM IST
Join us for a Live Coffee chat with Jenifer Turtschanow where we talk about enhancing your MBA profile and fixing gaps in just 4 months.
Apr 29
MBA Class of 2028: AMA with Juno's Founder
08:00 PM EDT
-
09:00 PM EDT
Join us for a live Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with Juno’s Co-Founder, where we’ll break down everything you need to know about financing your MBA in today’s rapidly changing landscape.
Apr 30
Applying from a finance background
10:00 AM EDT
-
11:00 AM EDT
Applying to business school from a finance background? Personal MBA Coach is here to help with this quick tips video on how to set yourself apart during the MBA application process!
Apr 30
Amplify Hourly Packages
12:00 PM EDT
-
01:00 PM EDT
Starting at $975 and offering up to $545 of savings, our new Amplify Hourly Packages offer structure and support in certain high-value areas (story development, resume, essays, interviewing) to help get your applications across the finish line.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Early Birds: Fall 2009 Applicants

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

sofla328

Joined: 05 Apr 2008

Last visit: 28 Apr 2020

Posts: 28

Own Kudos:

Schools: LBS '14 (A)

Posts: 28

Kudos: 4

09 Apr 2008, 11:57

Kudos

Bookmarks

aaudetat

My two cents: if you're going into nonprofit, I would worry less about your volunteer service. I spent 6 years in the nonprofit world, and emphasized parts of my application that needed more assistance. for me, that was my quant background and why B-school made sense for someone like me. For me, my whole JOB was a giant volunteer gig. I didn't need extra stuff to prove to the adcoms that I cared about the community, that I wasn't money-hungry, that I was a giver. That was a given with my profile.

I would say, though, that everyone wants to appear well-rounded. If you work in a homeless shelter and volunteer at a food bank, you're a little one-dimensional. If you work at the shelter and enjoy competitive kayaking or showing your dogs, that's more interesting.

Am I making sense?

aaudetat

kryzak

May I suggest you add Haas to your list if you want to do non-profit?

Well, in that case, here are two resources you don't want to miss:

https://beyondgreypinstripes.org/index.cfm
and
https://netimpact.org/displaycommon.cfm? ... lenbr=1020

Be aware that schools vary in what kind of nonprofit work they focus on. One school I looked at was great at environmental stuff, and decent at international development. Domestic nonprofits, however, weren't on their radar.

Very Useful suggestions and resources, thanks guys

spideyeclipse27

Current Student

Joined: 30 Jan 2008

Last visit: 09 Oct 2012

Posts: 156

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Concentration: General,

Schools:Cornell, Duke, Kellogg, Ross

WE 1: 5

Posts: 156

Kudos: 11

10 Apr 2008, 15:43

Kudos

Bookmarks

Thank you aaudetat. Appreciate the response. I visited Duke last Monday and liked the school culture.

aaudetat

spideyeclipse27

Can someone let me know how the national reputation for Duke is like...

From where I sit - a FY student at Duke MBA program - I think it's pretty good stuff.

Here's why:

Duke is especially well-known for marketing (#2, behind Kellogg) social impact (top 10 - don't remember exactly), and HSM. Overall, we're a well-regarded general mgt school.

We get lots of recruiters from all industries and from all parts of the country. The Big 3 in consulting, the big dogs of finance, the major CPGs, etc, all recruit here.

Our students work in companies all over the country. We've got a decent distribution, though it is, I am sure, no surprise that the south, mid-atlantic, and northeast take most of our graduates. We've got 12, 13 and 15 % abroad, the west, and the midwest. (Only about 7% in the Texas-y part of the country.)

And, of course, we're Duke. Duke's a well-known university with strength at both the undergrad and grad levels.

So that's my VERY biased opinion. In spite of our recent slide in the rankings, we've got a solid national brand.

aaudetat

Joined: 01 Nov 2006

Last visit: 10 Jan 2016

Posts: 1,854

Own Kudos:

233

Given Kudos: 2

Concentration: Social Enterprise

Schools:The Duke MBA, Class of 2009

Posts: 1,854

Kudos: 233

10 Apr 2008, 17:57

Kudos

Bookmarks

spideyeclipse27

Thank you aaudetat. Appreciate the response. I visited Duke last Monday and liked the school culture.

R3 applicant, or super-on-the-ball for next year??

Omne

Current Student

Joined: 09 Feb 2008

Last visit: 07 Apr 2010

Posts: 148

Own Kudos:

Schools:Georgetown, UNC, UCLA, Duke, Wake Forest

Posts: 148

Kudos: 8

13 Apr 2008, 13:45

Kudos

Bookmarks

Well I am back! Actually, I got back late Tuesday night, but I've been busy since then. Quick notes: I LOVED USC! Seriously, the visit was wonderful. Sat in on a global strategy class discussing the Russian oil market, and I found the discussion extremely lively and interesting. First day there ended up sleeping 16 hours (went for a nap at 4PM, woke up at 8AM..oops!), but Sunday I went to Hollywood and Highland, did some sightseeing and shopping, ate lunch at the Pig N' Whistle, then dinner at LA Prime. Monday, took a cab (seriously, I don't remember cab rides being as expensive as they were in LA) to USC, walked around campus for awhile, then did the info session and class visit. Overall, I loved every minute of it!

I'll post a more detailed recap, including everything said to us in the info session, when I get some more time. Oh, and to anyone who was with me during the info session (11:15AM with Veronica) or class visit (12:30, Global Strategy), it was good talking to you all!

agold

Joined: 11 Mar 2008

Last visit: 01 Mar 2009

Posts: 1,577

Own Kudos:

302

Location: Southern California

Concentration: Investment Banking

Schools:Chicago (dinged), Tuck (November), Columbia (RD)

Posts: 1,577

Kudos: 302

13 Apr 2008, 13:48

Kudos

Bookmarks

Omne

If you were this fascinated by USC, I highly recommend you take some time to visit UCLA. UCLA's campus/neighborhood/curriculum blows it away, and to boot it is cheaper than USC's program. Cabs out here are expensive - that's just a fact of life in LA. You will require a car if you want to live out here.

kryzak

Major Poster

Joined: 04 Jun 2007

Last visit: 10 Aug 2013

Posts: 5,452

Own Kudos:

751

Given Kudos: 14

Status:Um... what do you want to know?

Location: SF, CA, USA

Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship, Digital Media & Entertainment

Schools:UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA 2010

GPA: 3.9 - undergrad 3.6 - grad-EE

WE 1: Social Gaming

Posts: 5,452

Kudos: 751

13 Apr 2008, 14:38

Kudos

Bookmarks

Sounds like a great trip Omne! From the sounds of it, UCLA should be even more interesting, as that's the impression I got from visiting both campuses (not the business school per se for USC).

sm332

Current Student

Joined: 14 Apr 2008

Last visit: 26 Apr 2011

Posts: 449

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 16

Schools:F2010 - HBS (R1 - denied w/o interview ), INSEAD (R1 - admitted), Wharton (R1 - waitlisted & ding), Ivey (R2 - admitted w/ 60% tuition)

GPA: 3.8

WE 1: 3.5yrs as a Strategy Consultant - Big 4

Products:

Posts: 449

Kudos: 39

14 Apr 2008, 13:11

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now? Harvard, Wharton,Kellogg, followed by INSEAD,LBS followed by Rotman. and Ivey

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Taking GMAT (Apr 26th), researching different program strengths. Specifically I'm looking at programs providing strong mobility to career changers and with a long term view to moving to Indial.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Examining the blogosphere and forums to learn that there are a multitude of accomplished people competing against me.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Fairly serious although given my age I may decide to push it out by a year such that both me and my wife can go together.

ashaker

Current Student

Joined: 04 Jan 2007

Last visit: 13 Aug 2010

Posts: 169

Own Kudos:

Schools:HBS Stanford Kellogg Wharton Tuck MIT Sloan

Posts: 169

Kudos: 16

14 Apr 2008, 21:54

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi Folks,

After postponing my apps for a year (with an intervening marriage, and a good career break that hopefully bolsters my application..) I am ready to jump back into the application process.

1) What schools are on your list right now? Harvard, Stanford, Wharton. MIT Sloan, Kellog, Haas, INSEAD and IMD. I am still thinking about the R1 R2 strategy.. am also wondering if i am being too ambitious in my apps..none of these feel like a "safety" school. !

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Did the GMAT last year, managed a 770. Doing some introspection now into what I want to do after doing the MBA.(Stick to Industry? Try to move to IB/consulting ?)

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? I am going to have to really work hard on developing my "arc". and expressing it well in the essay.. Co ordinating the MBA with my spouse's career is also going to be very difficult since we are in very different industries..

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Very serious...Have already discussed it with my employer and lined up potential recommenders. I am planning to visit US campuses in July with my spouse...Not sure if classes would be ongoing in the summer ? May have to go earlier..

ALL the best to everyone guys !

sm332

Current Student

Joined: 14 Apr 2008

Last visit: 26 Apr 2011

Posts: 449

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 16

Schools:F2010 - HBS (R1 - denied w/o interview ), INSEAD (R1 - admitted), Wharton (R1 - waitlisted & ding), Ivey (R2 - admitted w/ 60% tuition)

GPA: 3.8

WE 1: 3.5yrs as a Strategy Consultant - Big 4

Products:

Posts: 449

Kudos: 39

15 Apr 2008, 06:10

Kudos

Bookmarks

Good luck mate although I reckon classes wont be in session in the summer. I too missed the boat on that one.

ashaker

Maple

Joined: 16 Sep 2007

Last visit: 05 May 2009

Posts: 98

Own Kudos:

Posts: 98

Kudos: 23

16 Apr 2008, 09:51

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now?
Stanford, Haas... some place that does not freeze.

2) What is the state of your current preparations?
Took the GMAT 3 years ago for my public policy app(1 week study). Currently preparing for a 700+ GMAT run.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point?
Reading the ding/accepted/WL posts.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point?
Not very... but I have time.

kryzak

Major Poster

Joined: 04 Jun 2007

Last visit: 10 Aug 2013

Posts: 5,452

Own Kudos:

751

Given Kudos: 14

Status:Um... what do you want to know?

Location: SF, CA, USA

Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship, Digital Media & Entertainment

Schools:UC Berkeley Haas School of Business MBA 2010

GPA: 3.9 - undergrad 3.6 - grad-EE

WE 1: Social Gaming

Posts: 5,452

Kudos: 751

16 Apr 2008, 10:31

Kudos

Bookmarks

Maple

1) What schools are on your list right now?
Stanford, Haas... some place that does not freeze.

LOL! quoted for truth. :lol:

let me know if you need to know anything about Haas (and STanford) this fall.

Omne

Current Student

Joined: 09 Feb 2008

Last visit: 07 Apr 2010

Posts: 148

Own Kudos:

Schools:Georgetown, UNC, UCLA, Duke, Wake Forest

Posts: 148

Kudos: 8

16 Apr 2008, 15:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

I finally got around to posting my trip recap, the link is in my signature.

As far as summer visits: I'll be doing a few, and from what the AdCom at USC said, they are always open for people to walk in and visit. You just miss out on a class visit or speaking with many students

lumone

Joined: 25 Nov 2006

Last visit: 26 Oct 2010

Posts: 275

Own Kudos:

298

Schools:St Gallen, Cambridge, HEC Montreal

Posts: 275

Kudos: 298

17 Apr 2008, 04:19

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now?
Insead and the others: HEC, IE, Esade, Oxford and Cambridge

2) What is the state of your current preparations?
Taking the GMAT some time in June/July
Started to write Insead essays and downloaded the other applications

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point?
Nothing really "scary", a few problems that every applicant has: will I be able to finance it? who can I ask for rec's? can I really handle the workload of b-school? etc.. etc..

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point?
90%. The other 10% are the scenario whereby I change my mind and take the Chartered Accountant course and exam. In the event whereby I got ding's only, I will go for CA.

sterny

Current Student

Joined: 02 Aug 2007

Last visit: 23 Feb 2011

Posts: 162

Own Kudos:

182

Schools:Wharton

Posts: 162

Kudos: 182

19 Apr 2008, 11:15

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now?
Chicago, Columbia, Stern, Tuck , Yale and Cornell

2) What is the state of your current preparations?
Took the GMAT once and just broke past 700. Given that I am an Indian I will be part of the competitive pool, therefore retaking the GMAT.
Also, giving CFA1, as I want to transition from management consulting to IB and want to show in my apps that I have done my homework regarding finance
Started to write draft personal statements essays and researching school. Yet to reach out to professors/alumni fully.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point?
I think I have a solidified story, but the scariest part of the whole application is knowing your 'own worth'. It is easy for me to think that if I execute well, I have a shot at the schools listed above. But the reality may be something different. What makes sense to me may not make sense to the adcomm in terms of my career aspirations. Also, given that the applications are expected to rocket up next year, its a little disconcerting that my best may not be good enough.
Of course, leaving my current comfort zone of work and income to go back to college life and being broke and under debt is scary as well!!

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point?
It is the only thing I think about.

dghazer

Current Student

Joined: 03 Sep 2007

Last visit: 19 Mar 2011

Posts: 136

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Concentration: Entrepreneurship

Schools:Ross,Johnson, Darden, McCombs, Simon

Posts: 136

Kudos: 2

20 Apr 2008, 17:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now? Johnson, Ross, Darden, McCombs...maybe Columbia, MIT, Wharton.

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Retaking GMAT in a month or two. Took it a year ago, scored 700, but did not prepare properly at all. I have a weak undergrad transcript that I would like to counter with an amazing GMAT. We'll see

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Trying to figure out what level of delusion is necessary to take a look at schools like Columbia, MIT, and Wharton. Finding recs will also be a little more difficult as I own a business and have not remained in consistant contact with former employers.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? 100%

isa

Current Student

Joined: 04 Dec 2007

Last visit: 21 Jan 2010

Posts: 1,687

Own Kudos:

224

Given Kudos: 31

Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy, MC

Schools:Kellogg '11

Posts: 1,687

Kudos: 224

20 Apr 2008, 17:43

Kudos

Bookmarks

1) What schools are on your list right now? in no order: MIT, Duke, Chicago, Columbia, HBS, Stanford, Wharton; am still considering Cornell, Tuck, Kellogg; yes the list is still getting sorted out.

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Took the GMAT, got a 760 (yay); working on amping up the extracurriculars. I just really have one - don't think it'll be sufficient by itself. Short-term goals also include creating the list of schools, figuring out when to go visit.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Trying to figure out my "story" and how to best explain why I want the MBA at this point in the career.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? #1 priority!

sonibubu

Current Student

Joined: 20 Aug 2007

Last visit: 18 Aug 2011

Posts: 810

Own Kudos:

158

Given Kudos: 1

Location: Chicago

Concentration: Strategy, Management, Finance

Schools:Chicago Booth 2011

Posts: 810

Kudos: 158

20 Apr 2008, 21:01

Kudos

Bookmarks

dghazer

Finding recs will also be a little more difficult as I own a business and have not remained in consistant contact with former employers.

Use your clients as recommenders.

dghazer

Current Student

Joined: 03 Sep 2007

Last visit: 19 Mar 2011

Posts: 136

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 1

Concentration: Entrepreneurship

Schools:Ross,Johnson, Darden, McCombs, Simon

Posts: 136

Kudos: 2

21 Apr 2008, 03:52

Kudos

Bookmarks

sonibubu

dghazer

Finding recs will also be a little more difficult as I own a business and have not remained in consistant contact with former employers.

Use your clients as recommenders.

That's what I have been thinking about. Is this considered acceptable by most schools? Also, what about a recommendation from my banker? Is that a possibility?

sonibubu

Current Student

Joined: 20 Aug 2007

Last visit: 18 Aug 2011

Posts: 810

Own Kudos:

158

Given Kudos: 1

Location: Chicago

Concentration: Strategy, Management, Finance

Schools:Chicago Booth 2011

Posts: 810

Kudos: 158

21 Apr 2008, 09:04

Kudos

Bookmarks

dghazer

sonibubu

dghazer

Finding recs will also be a little more difficult as I own a business and have not remained in consistant contact with former employers.

Use your clients as recommenders.

That's what I have been thinking about. Is this considered acceptable by most schools? Also, what about a recommendation from my banker? Is that a possibility?

Not sure if a banker will work, unless they are a client/customer and can talk about you in detail. In other words, somebody who relies on you as a customer will not work, whereas somebody who you rely on and interact with frequently will work as a recommender.

I've heard more than one adcom say that clients/customers usually will not hesitate to discuss an applicant's shortcomings when asked to, i.e. they have very honest recs.