essays - how're they going?

I'm doing four R1, then 1 rolling admission on Nov. 1. I've got the following:

R1:
Chicago
UCLA
Columbia
Wharton

Rolling:
Texas

Maybe Duke or Emory for R2 if I go 0'fer.

R1 - Columbia? You mean you're doing ED?

essays? oh snap! better get to it!!!

Lol @ ^

I started brainstorming on some essay questions that were released early (ie: Harvard), and I wrote some essays for Duke/UCLA (didn't apply anywhere though), and I've been trying to synthesize my notes from the past 6 months or so of random stuff that popped up in my head that I thought might help me in my essays. Other than that...I've been sort of paralyzed, because once I saw the Yale questions I realized this whole thing has really started. I actually didn't sleep at all that night, luckily I've sort of returned to focus mode (I still need to take my gmat in 1.5 months)...but I really can't lie...I'm getting stressed out at all the work that lies ahead.

Are you planning to do the essays and GMAT at the same time?

If you are planning to, I would recommend trying to avoid doing so if at all possible. I just went through that a couple of months ago. I took my GMAT on June 30th and the Harvard 2+2 application was due on July 1st. I was pretty much doing both of them for the month and a half prior during every waking moment...it was twice as stressful as it could have been, and I kept finding myself cursing myself for not starting the essays in February or March. But if that's your only option, good luck, I guess I'm proof that it can be done. It's just really not fun.

Well, I just started on my goals essay this week and it is SLOW GOING. No matter what I write it just sounds so terribad. It makes me want to rip my hair out.

On a side note, is it OK for your goals essay to sound a bit bland? And by bland I mean lacking copious amounts of personality and spunk. Am I right to assume that the more creative writing is better saved for the personal and/or EC topics?

Fomr the successful essays that I've read. I found one common theme. They are, fo lack of a better word, smooth. It's not awkwardly written, it's not filled with spectacular experiences (life & work), it really doesn't blow you away. The message is conveyed well, and concise to keep the essays dense.

Well, I take my GMAT on Sept.8 (which means I can take it again on Oct.8/9 and still get in on R1 if I bomb the first time), and I'm applying to 2-3 schools R1,and the earliest of the bunch is Yale at Oct.15....so while yes, I definitely need to work on them prior to taking the GMAT, I will at least have about 1 month cushion to really polish them up.

Best of luck man. That's far more than I could ever juggle at once.

It may not be such a bad thing. you're going to have to cram a lot in that month. But if you do well on your gmat, you'll be riding that high and stay motivated all the way through. I took my gmat way before, and my interest wavered quite a bit.

Wow.. And here I was thinking I'll start August 1st. And that I'd be ahead of the game. I'll probably still be ahead of the game, just not compared to all the overachievers on GmatClub.

I'm thinking of applying to 3-4 schools in R1 (Chicago, Kellogg, Columbia ED). Still trying to figure out what the 4th is. And I still need to decide what schools to apply for in R2 if I get no admits.

O yea.. And expect my posting to go up tenfold once August 1st rolls around and I begin my procrastination.

Good list. I would recommend a safety school as the 4th school you apply to R1.

I started this whole process several months ago (hell, I really started it Oct. '07), and I have been working at a steady pace without really feeling any urgency. I've finished all my research on schools (4 schools in person, 2 I still need to visit), enrolled in a GMAT prep course, then next thing you know it's July, essays start coming out, and all of a sudden I feel like I'm behind.

My only recommendation for next years applicants....start studying for the GMAT in Feb...and have it all taken care of by June. I think I would have followed my own advice had there been any prep courses offering classes. That's a pretty dead time of the year for that kind of stuff. Oh well...no sense dwelling, you play the cards your dealt with and that's that. No feeling bad, just power on through!

You likely won't get a chance to wait for admit notices for R1 before R2's are due. Most of the decision dates are only a week or two before R2 are due.

RF

Yea.. I do realize that.. I plan to have my list of R2 schools completed around the time I am submitting R1 apps (mid-to-end October) so that I can work on them in the next 2 months and apply only if I don't get any good news in December. It's gonna take me some time to decide which ones to apply to over there.

You guys think the 4th school I apply in R1 should be a safety school (Tepper) or another top school (Tuck). I can't decide which way to go. Do all top schools in R1 and then safeties in R2 or do mix them between the two rounds.

FYI think I'm gonna apply to 6 schools total (in likely order of preference): Chi (reapp), Kellogg, Columbia, Tuck, Darden, Tepper

Bear in mind, I am still on the Chicago waitlist this year (so I'm holding out some hope for that ), and I think (re: hope) they really like me and am definite that I am applying to Chicago in R1. The other schools I can still mix between R1 and R2.