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Mishari
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Is This Possible? 25 Apr 2007, 20:08
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Me too, I'd like to see it too :)
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polobrute
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Is This Possible? 25 Apr 2007, 20:27
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if you can you send it my way too, that'd be great. thanks!
i'm curious to see what these people have done
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aceman626
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Is This Possible? 25 Apr 2007, 23:39
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Please someone send it my way too, very much appreciated! Thanks.
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gmatmba
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 06:06
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Hi johnnyx9 can you send me a copy, i'll PM you my email

I have worked approx 30hrs/week while going to school as well and graduated with 3.9 GPA. Though it wasn't what I would call a tough school but it was tough after working that much. I would typically work at an insurance company doing programming 10am-2pm (classes would be 8-9am an 2-5pm) and again work on campus between 6-9pm. Did this for 2 years approx.
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GMATT73
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Is This Possible? Updated on: 26 Apr 2007, 06:55
Originally posted by GMATT73 on 26 Apr 2007, 06:47.
Last edited by GMATT73 on 26 Apr 2007, 06:55, edited 1 time in total.
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pelihu
Well, during the first and last few months of college I waited tables. Typically, I'd work 4 evenings a week (best money was Friday & Saturday of course) and Sunday during the day, where you could make great money being nice to old ladies drinking their asses off during brunch. For the 2 years in the middle, I wrote programs for data mining and database analysis for a Health Insurance consultant. I generally worked afternoons and weekends, but after a few months, I was allowed to work from home or late into the night in the office.

Fraternity business typically took all afternoon and evening on Mondays, with intramural sports 2-3 times during the week (I was an "A" league doubles tennis champ - tough at UCLA, as well as QB for our football team & hit 3rd for our softball team and played basketball & softball as well). We usually had a few philanthropic events each quarter that we sometimes did jointly with sororities. As a chapter leader, I also attended several national leadership conferences (drinking with other chapters), as well mid-year and regional conferences. Since we were on the quarter system, I had to plan rush 3 times per year, and lead recruiting efforts. 20-30 hours a week was the minimum, but included social events.

I'd go to class during the day like everyone else, but generally I'd try to schedule the bulk of my classes on either MW or TTh, say four 1 1/2 hour classes straight through between 9 -3 if I could work it out. That left me time to still get to work on the days I had class, and free time on the days I didn't. I never really studied much, maybe 2-3 hours per week total.

It was pretty hectic, but thinking back it was still really enjoyable. I don't recall being depressed about my situation or anything. Of course, I ended up with crappy grades, but to tell you the truth, I probably could have done better. Getting good grades just wasn't a priority at the time.
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I worked my way through undergrad as well, including room and board. Seriously, my old man never offered one penny, and I don't expect it to be any different (except with heavier loans) going through B-school.

The fact that you worked full time during law school is just straight up impressive. Have you got a big "S" carved into your chest Pelihu?
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dukes
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 06:52
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willget800
wait till you guys see your own resumes in a few months after getting it churned from the career services at your schools.. trust me it will look a lot different..

my resume before i began applying for mba and after i began itself looked a lot different.. and i am confident i will take it to another level after i join the school.
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I agree. I think I can make mine look as good as many of those just by highlighting certain parts of my experience. I'm surprised by the number of people who've had 3-5 different jobs between undergrad and their MBA. It actually seems pretty standard.
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johnnyx9
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 07:11
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It wasn't the jobs or the job titles that impressed me as much as some of the extra-curriculars like people who played in the World Cup or who had other really remarkable accomplishments oustide of work.
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GMATT73
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 07:28
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johnnyx9
It wasn't the jobs or the job titles that impressed me as much as some of the extra-curriculars like people who played in the World Cup or who had other really remarkable accomplishments oustide of work.
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Yeah, one Lauder scholar even scaled Everest without the assistance of a Sherpa. The same guy claims he has reached the summit of the tallest peak on each of the seven continents.
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piper41955
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 08:27
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And here I thought my being a rated pilot who flys for the Coast Guard Aux on occasion would be unique.....Mt Everest?!?!? I need to get in better shape! :)
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aceman626
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 08:40
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GMATT73
johnnyx9
It wasn't the jobs or the job titles that impressed me as much as some of the extra-curriculars like people who played in the World Cup or who had other really remarkable accomplishments oustide of work.

Yeah, one Lauder scholar even scaled Everest without the assistance of a Sherpa. The same guy claims he has reached the summit of the tallest peak on each of the seven continents.
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I'm just curious, is it just me or are there any others out there who don't believe this stuff? One story I heard from the bschool circles is that some guy in China claimed that he saved a bunch of people in a flood....and got into HBS. But how exactly do you prove that kind of stuff? Another story about how a Berkeley applicant completely made up her application, from the company she worked at, recommenders, etc. That one eventually got caught however, like the person used the same phone number for 2 places or something like that.

I'm just saying, there are plenty of people with great accomplishments and I applaud them for that. However there are also tons and tons of shameless people that will make up all kinds of stuff just to get into bschool.

I can believe working 20-30 hours a week while going to school, even 40 hours a week if you have easy classes or going to an easy school. But working 70 hours a week? come on dude...that's over 100 hours a week easy including classes..and they still had time for extra curriculars? I don't think that's physically possible. Even if it is possible, the type of person who can accomplish that is no longer a well-rounded person, more like a super freak who's got like no social skills. Probably more suited to like PhD in Nuclear Physic and not business school.
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ps_dahiya
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 08:51
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aceman626

I'm just curious, is it just me or are there any others out there who don't believe this stuff? One story I heard from the bschool circles is that some guy in China claimed that he saved a bunch of people in a flood....and got into HBS. But how exactly do you prove that kind of stuff?
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Even I did a lot of stuff (supplying food and rescuing people in home made boats) during the 1995 flood in my home town. (Google: 1995 Rohtak Flood) Even most of my relatives' houses were under 5 feet of water. I rescued people and their important stuff from house that too when rain water was mixed with the sewerage. But I never mentioned this in my essays because it was too old (1995). I have medal and certificates from the state level non-profit to substantiate my claims. So it is possible that people might have done that kind of stuff. Don't always think that people from China and that part of the world always make up stories to get into business schools.
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EconGirl
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 08:57
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Also, many top programs require all applicants to go through verification process after you get accepted. I know that Wharton employs Kroll for these services.
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johnnyx9
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 09:05
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For some of the extra-curriculars and community involvement stuff, I would guess that a lot of people make things up. Some people will go backpacking across South America and they can easily say that they spent that time tutoring or helping build houses or whatever.

I'm just speculating here based on anecdotes from friends who tell me how once they got into school and went out drinking with classmates, people tradee stories about stuff they put on their apps, and some people fessed up to their exaggerations or fabrications. Nothing horrible, but maybe they'll transform a one-time algebra tutoring session with their little cousin into something like, "My senior year of college I was a high school algebra tutor."

And other things can be misleading sort of half-truths. One person in a Vanderbilt resume book said they were training for the Olympics. Well I actually go running a few times a week, I guess I could say that I'm training for the Olympics too. My guess is that this person actually is training for the Olympics, but to what degree who knows.
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lepium
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 09:40
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johnnyx9
Some people will go backpacking across South America and they can easily say that they spent that time tutoring or helping build houses or whatever.
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Don't worry Johnny, if I find any of those, I'll drag 'em down here and make them actually build houses or tutor people. :lol:

One question, though, why would you build houses in S. America and not in your home town? Is everyone well off there? And do you expect to land any leadership role in S. America that you weren't able to land in your home town? I don't think the story will sound coherent, so adcoms will probably dismiss it as either:

a) a one-off situation, sort of "I gotta tick the community service box for my apps."
b) a probable lie.

now, if the person in question has done a similar sort of activity before, then I'd expect him or her to tell the truth about it and I assume so will the adcoms.

L.
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flapjack
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 09:45
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johnnyx9
For some of the extra-curriculars and community involvement stuff, I would guess that a lot of people make things up. Some people will go backpacking across South America and they can easily say that they spent that time tutoring or helping build houses or whatever.

I'm just speculating here based on anecdotes from friends who tell me how once they got into school and went out drinking with classmates, people tradee stories about stuff they put on their apps, and some people fessed up to their exaggerations or fabrications. Nothing horrible, but maybe they'll transform a one-time algebra tutoring session with their little cousin into something like, "My senior year of college I was a high school algebra tutor."
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If they are making claims like that, those people are liars. I really wonder about how much the average applicant exaggerates/lies in his/her essays.
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luminos24
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 10:44
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me too....pass on the link through a pm please
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johnnyx9
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 10:51
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I'm probably being too cynical because I know that there are a lot of people who are truly altruistic. There are people on this board who have talked about some of the work that they have done and it's really impressive. These people I'm talking about have shown that it was a pattern of behavior, not a one-off sort of thing as Lepium mentioned.

But I guess I'm jaded because I've had conversations with people who are attending or did attend ultra-elite schools where they have said more or less to me, in response to my denials from b-schools, "You should have beefed up your profile, that trip you took to X, you should have described that as a humanitarian mission. You work in a group with six other people, you should have said you managed those people. Those intramural sports you played in school, you should have said you were the captain of those teams, who would ever check that?"

Maybe I just hang with some unscrupulous pr*cks, but I have a feeling there are a good number of people who embellish to different degrees.
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EconGirl
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 11:18
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johnnyx9
I'm probably being too cynical because I know that there are a lot of people who are truly altruistic. There are people on this board who have talked about some of the work that they have done and it's really impressive. These people I'm talking about have shown that it was a pattern of behavior, not a one-off sort of thing as Lepium mentioned.

But I guess I'm jaded because I've had conversations with people who are attending or did attend ultra-elite schools where they have said more or less to me, in response to my denials from b-schools, "You should have beefed up your profile, that trip you took to X, you should have described that as a humanitarian mission. You work in a group with six other people, you should have said you managed those people. Those intramural sports you played in school, you should have said you were the captain of those teams, who would ever check that?"

Maybe I just hang with some unscrupulous pr*cks, but I have a feeling there are a good number of people who embellish to different degrees.
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Honestly though, I think that AdCom would see through it - I mean, if someone takes on saving the world a couple of months prior to applying, it is pretty transparent why they are doing it. If they talk about significant achievements at work that their recommenders never mention, it would raise some red flags (assuming they did not write their own recomendtations ;-). Maybe I am too optimistic about human kind, but I really can't imagine that a good number of people would actually lie like that.
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 13:18
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The real question is how do people find the time to do some of the activities they claim. I mean personally I never feel like I really have enough free time to do the things I have to do, let alone volunteer to do much else. Hell how can one afford to scale the 7 peaks. Its got to cost upwards of 20K for a couple of them just to get there and have all your supplies shipped.
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flapjack
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Is This Possible? 26 Apr 2007, 14:42
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riverripper
The real question is how do people find the time to do some of the activities they claim. I mean personally I never feel like I really have enough free time to do the things I have to do, let alone volunteer to do much else. Hell how can one afford to scale the 7 peaks. Its got to cost upwards of 20K for a couple of them just to get there and have all your supplies shipped.
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I agree. If you're in a high-stress and high-responsiblitiy job where you are working your butt off how can you have time for all of this volunteering?

I personally would not be impressed by someone who took months off from work to climb a mountain, but maybe that's just me. I don't know much about mountain climbing, but as far as I know mountain climbing doesn't require any special skills other than a lot of saved money to be able to afford to do so.
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