Rejected from every school. What went wrong?

Question

This is my profile:

740 GMAT (47Q, 46V)
3.5 UG GPA

M.A., History, Top International University, 2008
B.A., Anthropology, Top US Liberal Arts, 2007

Faculty, Private School X, 2013-present
 Three humanities courses, lots of interesting edtech additions to my curriculum

Faculty, Private School Y 2013
 Taught humanities, did curriculum development, part of residential team, worked as "public information coordinator"

Freelance Project Manager, 2009-2012 
– - HYP Uni. Library (2011-2012)
 20k vol. database automation project
– - HYP Uni. Research Institute (2012-2013)
 Built eResource databases, some independently, others as part of an international team
– - Records Management Assistant, Development Company (2009-2010)
 Introduced records management systems

Named scholarship as an undergrad, two significant history publications from HYP days, two community leadership extras and a quasi-professional musician.

Short-term goals, post-MBA:
I want to join the management team of an Education Management Organization (EMO) in a role such as VP of Edtech. I can leverage my HYP academic tech experience with hands on classroom experience to impact learning outcomes on a broader scale.

Long-term goals:
Over the long term, I would like to become the CEO of an EMO.

From the start, I realized I had an eclectic work history with a lot of yellow flags (jumpy resume, too academic, not a lot of traditional management experience, teaching might be seen as a career regression). Someone with their finger on the education pulse might argue that a lack of public sector experience would make it difficult to transition into the EMO world, or that a lack of teaching experience would make me less employable. They'd be right, but I have a great network in education, and these wouldn't be issues for me. Only a specialist (which adcomms are not) would even notice these holes to begin with.

With the help of a consultant, I applied to five schools that fall within the top 15. I didn't bother with HWS. According to two different consultants, my list was realistic. I had a 720 at the time, but my story was clear and convincing. My essays were great, my interviews were solid. My consultant worked on the admissions team at two of these schools and thought I was a match for both. I was invited to interview at two schools and initiated interviews at two more. Every interview went well. Then I raised my GMAT to a 740 and updated schools a month before decisions were released. With my new GMAT, I expected to get in to at least 4 out of 5, possibly waitlisted at one.

Today I learned I got rejected from all five schools, including one where I had a letter of support from an exceptionally successful recent graduate who was a close friend. What happened?

Although I'm still afraid to ask my time strapped and frustrated recommenders for another three ridiculously long letters, I really need to apply round 2. The administration found out about my applications, and I probably won't have my contract renewed next year.

But what was the red flag in my application that got me dinged from every school?

EnigmaD · Answer

Sounds like you just had some really tough luck, sorry to hear it. Not to go GMAT Math on you, but assuming you had a 25% chance to get into any of those schools (the average for Top 10 looks like ~15-20%, so giving you a small boost), you still had a 24% chance of not getting into any of them. It sucks I know - I was dinged entirely the first year I applied. Some things you can do:

a) Get your application read by more people: your family, friends, coworkers, etc.
b) Buy one of those "Ding Reviews"
c) Just curious, what admissions consulting did you work with? Someone reputable? If so, maybe you can ask them for a discount for your next review. Though I might also consider bringing on another consultant.

trivium · Answer

Thanks for the advice. I was working with a large and reputable company, so I guess I can talk to them about solutions. I don't think my colleagues would be very helpful.

What makes this so confusing is that my consultant estimated I was a probable admit at several of the schools. I really don't know where I went off-track. I never worked out my odds mathematically, but because I felt like a shoo in at more than one place, I really thought there was only a 5% chance I wouldn't get in anywhere.y

EnigmaD · Answer

I think that's the issue.. there's no such thing as a shoo-in with so many capable people around. Looking back at your profile once again, I do think there might be one slight flag and one more major one:

a) Age - Considering you graduated in 2007, that makes you ~30 when you start? That's about 2 years older than what most schools like to enroll
c) Quant - this is the bigger issue - I don't see any quant in your background. You have a strong GMAT, but still, it could be a knock against you. How did you do on your quant classes in undergrad?

trivium · Answer

I have AP Calculus on my transcript, and I took a graduate level accounting class over the summer (UCLA extension) where I scored a 4.0. My consultant told me specifically that even though they might like to see a higher quant score, it wouldn't ever be a deal breaker. She also said age isn't as big an issue as people make it out to be, but now I don't know.

EnigmaD · Answer

AP Calculus? Not sure if that really qualifies. The accounting class is great, but still not quant in the same way finance, statistics, or analytics would be. Have you looked into MBAMath? I know they're officially used by schools like Tuck, Cornell, and Duke - might show your quant abilities moreso than AP Calc.

Like I said, age isn't as huge of a concern, but it does hurt ever so slightly.

Like I said, age isn't as huge of a concern, but it does hurt ever so slightly.

trivium · Answer

I guess my biggest mistake was listening to my consultant? She was the one who suggested Accounting.

Do adcoms every consult industry experts on staff when they're uncertain about the likelihood of a person's goals? That's really the only thing I think could have happened, and the consultant would have seen a good story on the surface and encouraged me to run with it.

EnigmaD · Answer

Not really. In the end, I'd chalk it up to bad luck for you. You sound like you have great stats. If everyone says your essays are great and your recommenders were solid, then I'd just cross my fingers and give it another go for Round 2.

t61u · Answer

I also think you were just unlucky. Maybe get a second opinion about your essays, especially how you are framing your short term goals. Good luck!

gcb09173 · Answer

Broadly there doesn't seem too much wrong - so it could come down to a few minor things together that cast enough doubt in adcomms minds to throw to ding pile. The following are just a few possibilities - not suggesting any of them are true but they are the things that I would be concerned might have had an impact given the information above. May be worth ensuring you are targeting these things in your essays etc. when targeting round 2.

The GMAT quant is perhaps a bit lower than the usual 740s they see and may be a bit of a flag given the lack of other quants. They may rebalance you amongst the candidates with a lower total score? (ensure drawing any attention to the additional courses and financial skills you have? - did you manage incomes/outgoings as semi pro musician?)

You may not have explained well enough how the MBA will help you achieve your goals - with very untraditional background they may not get a proper understanding of why you need the MBA and how it enhances your ability to make the transition. Perhaps even why their specific MBA/School will help you.

They may lack understanding of how the MBA will ensure success of getting a job afterwards in that area (job placement and alumni satisfaction affect ratings) and they may be concerned you might be disillusioned post programme as they might struggle to help you get there. Thus it could cause issues down the line.

The age thing whilst not so much an issue generally - might enhance the challenges with the above. (Also I'm your age and have admits at a number of european schools (LBS etc) - definitely worth a look in round 2 if you felt this was an issue as they prefer slightly more mature students. Oxford Said might be a good one to target given your goals, it isn't a 'top 15' globally but could meet many of your needs and is a terrific brand name especially in Education)

Personally I'd drop the consultant. Im not sure how much help they can be when you have an unusual background and different goals - they might be useful if you were from typical background targeting typical exit opportunities, being able to help differentiate your app. You're so different already I think you need to be honest with the school and represent yourself (and not suffer the fees you've been paying). The adcomms maybe saw an app that had been 'tailored' to the buzz words an adcomm might expect and flagged as consultant aided.

The final thing may be motivation - Its not clear from above why you feel you want to join an EMO (i'm sure your essays will cover it but just in case) other than 'impact learning outcomes on a broader scale'. Ensure your motivations are clear, why you have a passion in doing this and why you want to rise to CEO - would be worth trying to indicate how you will rise to CEO - Otherwise it won't stand out from 'MBA is my gravy train to the top' type apps. This is then obviously linked to the how MBA will help you get into EMO etc. above.

Bets of luck in the next round. Im sure your current self reflection will help you build even better apps.

HealthcareMBAGuy · Answer

So did you apply with a 720 or 740? Maybe I read this wrong, but I thought you said you got your 740 a month before decisions were released, which makes me think you applied with a 720...

trinko · Answer

I did, but I updated all my schools. They responded letting me know they added it to my file, which means they all would have known about the 740 when they rejected me.

HealthcareMBAGuy · Answer

If your GMAT was a 720 at the time you applied, I wouldn't be surprised if they only considered that score. Most schools will only consider your updated score if you voluntarily defer your application to the second round.

What was ur quant on ur 720? If it was lower than a Q46 then that may be your biggest reason right there.

EDIT: Just saw that you scored a Q45 on your 720 and also have very little quant coursework from undergrad. To go along with a non-quant heavy work experience, I think that may be where the questions linger. Because other than that, I think you have a very unique background and would be a solid contributor to a diverse MBA class.

trinko · Answer

Hmm...that could be it. Can I ask how you found out they won't consider new scores? I asked the consultant, and she said that most would use my new score this round because it improves their ratings.

gcb09173 · Answer

They would use your new score when calculating their average scores etc. but when deciding on your potential for success in their programme the 45 (followed by a slight increase to 47) may have put flags on your app already.

EnigmaD · Answer

Where did you get that information? I don't think that's true that you have to defer for it to be considered - I think it's more if you got the update in before they read it, then they'll see it. They literally just slot pieces of paper into your folder when you send updated information to them.

trinko · Answer

If anyone is interested, I got two fresh sets of eyes for my application. Both were very qualified (think head consultants of leading companies). One said my choice of schools was great, but my essays were weak, and even though my profile was intriguing enough for an interview, my poor application execution might have hurt me when things got serious in the final review. The second consultant saw a general lack of focus and a disjointed career history that made me look to adcomms like someone still trying to find his place. She didn't think these aspects of my profile could really be fixed and encouraged me to look at schools in the 17-25 range instead.

I'm not really sure what to make of all this. Any thoughts on whose advice I should listen too? If Kellogg-Fuqua was the right range, I could rewrite my essays and try to some other schools (Suggestions?) But if the second consultant is right, I think I might quit while I'm ahead.

I'm not really sure what to make of all this. Any thoughts on whose advice I should listen too? If Kellogg-Fuqua was the right range, I could rewrite my essays and try to some other schools (Suggestions?) But if the second consultant is right, I think I might quit while I'm ahead.

Rejected from every school. What went wrong?

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