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.

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Early Birds: Fall 2009 Applicants

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mindgame

Joined: 11 Jul 2005

Last visit: 20 Mar 2010

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Concentration: Bus. Strategy, Entrep.

Schools:Haas, Booth-PT

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11 Jun 2008, 21:20

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Hey guys, just started reading this forum again after 2 years. I was a silent visitor 2 years back when I took my GMAT (scored 740). Did not apply due to some family issues and planning to apply this year. It clearly seems like I am too old to be accepted (28 years)...lets see...

1) What schools are on your list right now? R1: Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Tuck (May be HBS)

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Just started reading "how to get into top MBA" book. Written something that I could recollect from my old engineering school days

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Obviously, the ultimate fear that will not get thru anything. I do have some management experience (Project/Team Management etc), but, immediate fear is of not having any community involvement for the application essays. Any suggestions on how not to appear "just in time" if I join something now...

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Extremely serious. This year in or ......chuk it....

deepti1983

Joined: 27 Jan 2008

Last visit: 03 Feb 2009

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13 Jun 2008, 09:23

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Hi guys!

I applied for Fall 08 to 4 schools - was dinged by 2 (Kellogg, Wharton) ans WListed and then dinged in 3 (Emory, Cornell, Ross). I think it was my lack of WE that hurt me (2 years). Have gathered lots of courage and am re applying again this year!

1) What schools are on your list right now? R1: Emory, Kellogg, LBS (not sure but maybe one or 2 more)

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Am retaking GMAT. Just started preparing again. Do you guys think its a good idea to reapply to the same schools?

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point?
Of not making it again this year. The past 8 months have been absolutely the worst. I can't imagine going through this again.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point?
Extremely serious. HAVE to make it this year

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Current Student

Joined: 16 Jun 2008

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Concentration: Finance

Schools:Texas

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16 Jun 2008, 11:30

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This is my first post on the forum but I have been reading this site for about 3 months now. It is unbelievable how much insight and perspective I have gotten on B-School by soaking up all I can from posters on this site. Thanks to everyone for making this such a great place.

What schools are on your list right now? HBS, Kellogg, Chicago, Texas, Rice

What is the state of your current preparations? Took the GMAT this spring (scored above 700) and have spent the past couple of months figuring out what I want from my MBA experience and what schools would help me acheive that. Will visit the local schools, Texas and Rice (I live in Texas) in September, and am planning go out to Chicago in August to visit Kellogg and Chicago. Starting to refine my resume, brainstorm essay ideas, select reccomenders, etc.

What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Picking the school that will be the best fit for me. I love living in Texas and would like to take my post MBA job in Houston/Dallas. Does that mean I may be best served by staying local for my MBA (Texas/Rice), incurring less expenses in the process, or doing everything I can to get into an Ultra Elite program (HBS/Kellogg/Chicago)???

How serious is your pursuit at this point? I intend to start my MBA in Fall of 2009 no matter what, which is why I have selected a local schools that I stand a very strong chance of getting into as well as a couple of UEs.

stella06

Joined: 17 Jun 2008

Last visit: 03 Dec 2008

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17 Jun 2008, 22:35

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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? UCLA, NYU, HAAS and Emory

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Currently studying for the GMAT. Planning on doing some visits in October

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? realizing how much effort it would take to score my desired 750 on GMAT

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? extremely seriously, currently working for one of the big 4 accounting firms, working like a dog and getting paid nothing

solaris1

Joined: 05 Aug 2007

Last visit: 09 Aug 2011

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Concentration: General Management

Schools:NYU Stern '11

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Updated on: 23 Jul 2008, 09:11

Originally posted by solaris1 on 18 Jun 2008, 08:44.
Last edited by solaris1 on 23 Jul 2008, 09:11, edited 2 times in total.

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Back after a brief hiatus and diving straight into application season!

1) What schools are on your list right now? Columbia ED, NYU R1, Cornell R1, Darden R2, Kellogg R2.

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Somewhat advanced: I finished with my GMAT back in January and managed a reasonable score. I've let my two recommenders know of my plans and worked out approximate deadlines with them. I'm trying to line up a few people to guide me through the rest of the application process, now. And am starting thinking seriously about what to showcase in my essays.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? Getting a little more comfortable about "tooting my own horn" so to speak, that's considered extremely undesirable in my culture and I'm concerned about being very conservative in playing up my achievements and experiences. I also anticipate my application to suffer significantly in terms on community involvement, so it will be a challenge to effectively stress on other "extracurricular activities" to make up for that.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Rather serious, although I have no delusions of grandeur and am perfectly willing to try again next year if I do not get in anywhere - and the "zero admits club" thread is testament to that.

2010mba

Joined: 30 Jul 2007

Last visit: 26 Jul 2008

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18 Jun 2008, 15:43

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1) What schools are on your list right now? NYU, Emory, UTA, TAMU, USC

2) What is the state of your current preparations? Preparing to take the GMAT in August. Going to visit schools and complete essays for Rd 1 in Sept-Oct.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point? The GMAT so far. One step at a time.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point? Extremely. I do not have the luxury of age on my side.

sarzan

Joined: 30 Jul 2007

Last visit: 04 Oct 2008

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22 Jun 2008, 18:38

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1) What schools are on your list right now?
Wharton/Lauder, MIT Sloan, HBS (maybe), Yale SOM, Chicago, Columbia (maybe), Cornell.

Do you guys think these are out of my reach? Brief stats:
GMAT: Pending
GPA: M.Sc. in Geophysics from top 5 Canadian university (3.6 GPA) B.Sc. in Geological Sciences from top international university (3.3 GPA).
WE: 4 in oil exploration
Nationality: Canadian
Age: 29
Gender: M
Extra-curriculars/community: lots during undergrad. busy at work (traveling 100 days a year)

2) What is the state of your current preparations?
Still working on the GMAT. Mentally thinking of the essays.

3) What's the scariest part of the process at this point?
GMAT. Its almost July 2008 and I still don't feel ready. I am aiming for Sept/Oct. to take it, but I am worried about being tight for time. I think I will have to apply in R2. Should I be weary about R2s?

I am also worried about my age. I just turned 29. So I would be 30 at matriculation! I have 4 years WE and an MSc in Geophysics, but I really am worried about my age - it seems the schools are in competition to recruit a younger crowd.

Also, do you guys feel/think the 2009 pool will be exceptionally large due to the Wall Street job terminations/resignations and general recession? I think there will be an exceptionally large pool of applicants from the financial sector of the economy.

4) How serious is your pursuit at this point?
Extremely. I am excited about taking a break from work and going back to school and exploring new ventures.

zhenmaster

Joined: 14 Mar 2008

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22 Jul 2008, 14:09

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sarzan

Also, do you guys feel/think the 2009 pool will be exceptionally large due to the Wall Street job terminations/resignations and general recession? I think there will be an exceptionally large pool of applicants from the financial sector of the economy.

That's a damn good issue. I'm surprised nobody else has brought up this point yet. I've been counseling with some of my company's chief executives who obtained mba's 20 years ago, and their consensus has been that there will be more candidates going back to school during a recession. I can't help but think this is one of the reasons I'm applying this year. And the worst part is when everyone is done 2-3 years later, there will be a surplus of mba graduates, fighting for the same jobs.

sonibubu

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23 Jul 2008, 04:48

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zhenmaster

And the worst part is when everyone is done 2-3 years later, there will be a surplus of mba graduates, fighting for the same jobs.

I'm not sure about that. Maybe more overall MBA grads if you include University of Phoenix and Strayer, but top B-schools (UE, E) are keeping their class sizes the same. You could say the caliber of the students is definitely going to be higher, so the competition will be higher in terms of quality, not quantity.

MBAbot

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27 Apr 2020, 15:02

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