Darden 2012 - Calling All Applicants

What do you mean by "informed"? If you mean - ways in which you could strengthen your application, just think of it this way: the school looks for initiative and persistence, it wants you to come up with creative ideas. If you mean, dates in which they will inform you next, well, I think there are many possibilities so they can't commit. Even if other schools give you dates they can still keep you on the waitlist on the notification date and just give you another date... And I'm pretty sure no school gives a feedback while one is waitlisted. Bottom line, a lot of uncertainty but try to keep motivated, the list in Darden is usually small!

Wharton sets a firm date of March 30th (which is reasonable) of when they will decide on your application, up or down. They also send updates every two weeks on where they are in the process and when students will expect to hear their fate. The also explicitly tell you NOT to submit anything else, do NOT reach out, etc. I wish Darden didn't just leave waitlisters twisting in the wind to wait until (possibly) July. Even a simple e-mail stating, we've begun reviewing waitlist applicants, would help. Is that too much to ask? Also, there are schools out there that include as part of their waitlist policy, 'if there is some change or something in your candidacy we should know about please inform us'.

Finally, and I failed to mention this before, I applied via the Consortium and to do date I don't know of a single Consortium candidate that was granted admission in Round One. I may be wrong, but the general sentiment was that we all got waitlisted so Darden could see what would come along in Round Two. If this proves to be true I think it's tough to argue against the fact it's a bit disingenuous, especially for those of us who were excited by the prospect of Darden as a potential school.

I'm not trying to argue and I think you provide a valid point about persistence but I'm asking for a simple communication that would take all of 15 minutes to draft a bulk e-mail. Again, I ask, is that too much to ask?

^^ Completely agree!!

I'm on the waitlist of Kellogg and Booth as well and both schools have been WAY clearer with the dos & don'ts for waitlisted students.

Darden just dented its image in my eyes by making the waitlist a huge black box and not being upfront or clear with what waitlisted students can/should expect...

Some emails with updates do get sent out once in a while. Sometimes they narrow down the list and update what's going on etc. I'm on the student Admissions Committee so I'll pass the feedback along. In the meantime if someone wants to talk one on one about his/her specific situation you can send me a private message and I'll send my number. Good luck!

Applied R2 and just got my interview invite. Any other R2ers get theirs yet?

I just got my invite to interview! I'm very excited, I thought I'd have to wait much longer to hear back.

Damn, I got nothing...hopefully I get something soon...

Nothing here yet. I submitted the day the application was due. For those that have received invites, what was your timing regarding when you submitted?

It's literally been less than 10 minutes since I got my invite... I trust there are many more in the works!

Congrats and ATB LadyRoadWarrior & spacecurves.

Lets hope others (including me ) get invites soon as well.

Btw did your application status change after you received the invite ?

I submitted 1 day before deadline.
App still shows submitted status, but my interview invite is on the app page as well.

Just got the invite email! (3:00 PM CT) Excited to visit Charlottesville! I submitted my app on Jan 10/11.

I submitted the day before the deadline.

Hey guys, I had a question. In the apply home page, in the bottom left hand side, there is a "Apply Online" Section. THere you would find a line -
Program - MBA, Application Due Date - Round 3, April 4, 2012, (Application Submitted).

What is the value of the Application Due Date for you guys? One of my recommendations was a little late so I am a little afraid that my application went over to the 3rd round!

You should be fine. I believe it just shows you the upcoming due dates. Since you have already submitted, you cannot submit again so it shows you the submitted status. I would confirm but I am in the same boat as you so my screen showing the same would be of now value .

Congrats to everyone getting invites for R2 thus far and good luck with the interview.

You should be fine. I submitted about 3 am the day it was due and my screen shows the same as yours. If you are truly concerned that your recommender missed the deadline and that will push you to round 3, it may be worth calling the Admissions office or sending an email, although they likely are very busy right now. If the letter was submitted only a few hours (or even days) late, I think you will be fine. I don't know Darden's policy but both HBS and Booth said they give a couple day grace period on the recs since they know they largely are out of the applicant's control. I would think that's industry norm.

they are ok with recommender being late by 1-2 days, they mentioned this in one of their admission chat.