Rejected in the Prelimiary Review by application advisor?

Question

I admit I was shocked to get an email from an advisor saying she would not proceed with my application. 
Has this happened to anyone else? Is this supposed to happen this early before I even submit a full file?
 She claimed the admission committee did a cursory review but I suspect she meant the application advisors reviewed it and for some reason decided not to advocate for me.

I only submitted the preliminary review information (Step 1 items). Which was basically my resume and the online form, no gmat, no references, no essays or responses.

Is this normal or has this happened to anyone else? No where in the steps to apply does it say that the application advisor will reject your application before you can even submit a full file. The website seems to indicate the advisor's role is to support your file not make a decision on it. I would have an easier time accepting this decision but I believe my resume is strong (or least strong enough to be given a chance to apply). 
1. I have worked in a big four consulting firm, straight out of my undergraduate degree, as a Consultant (skipped over Analyst). This was a post-MBA position for most. Even some friends I knew from bcomm started as Analysts (position below me) at the same firm.
2. I then worked as a Communications Advisor advising senior management and the CEO of a large organization. This job paid almost 100k. The CEO is my reference and is doing his executive MBA at Queens right now.
3. I also worked in political campaigns and worked with Hewlett Packard and the government in co-ops.

All she saw was my resume and says I cannot continue with my application. My MBA friends who graduated Queens encouraged me to apply there, many referencing my strong work experience. Some were accepted to Queens with much less work experience.
I honestly believe she or the other advisors just decided they didn't want to represent me and that the admission committee did not actually sit for a cursory review of my highly incomplete file. According to Queen's website the advisors are supposed to take you through the next stages of your application but she will not allow me to proceed further. Do I have any recourse in this situation? Any help or if others experienced the same, would be great to know. thanks!

pushpitkc · Answer

Hey scotchhudgins

I suppose you could check with a current student on this thread
https://gmatclub.com/forum/queen-s-mba- ... 619.htmlng to the

Btw, this is really bizarre. With a profile as impressive as that, if you can't
even finish your application, god knows what's in store for the others.

Binggm14 · Answer

Scary

study mode

scotchhudgins · Answer

Thanks for the response and link. I sent an email to the school and plan to follow up in the coming business days. I really want to understand their explanation or to be able to actually apply.
A friend went on their chat support Saturday and kept the transcript where the advisor said they only make a decision after the full file is received. Their website also says quote "Each candidate's file will be considered in its entirety. Consideration will be given to previous academic performance, work experience, letters of reference, and your GMAT score. If you fall a little short on one parameter, but are strong on the others, you may well be a qualified candidate for this program."

It's bizarre indeed. Last year's valedictorian of the Queen's MBA was in my same national consulting unit that I was staffed in when I worked there and we did consulting school together with my team winning the case competition. 
Even more bizarre is my friend (Queens MBA class 2017) advised me to even apply to their executive MBA program because he thought I had enough good experience and shouldn't bother with their regular MBA. 
My only direct and indirect connections to queens prior are:
1. indirectly, my older brother finished his med school residency there a few year years ago
2. I was accepted to an MPA last year but decided not to go because I realized I'd rather have MBA (maybe I got blacklisted now?? if so others need not worry)

saswata4s · Answer

Maybe they felt that your profile is too strong and and finally you'll not admit to their school. Did she mention any reason? Did you ask her how can you improve your candidacy?

scotchhudgins · Answer

I have requested more information and hope to get a clearer picture this week from the admission's office. The admissions manager contacted me and is trying to arrange a phone call, although I made it clear I want to speak to the director. Another odd thing, the email the admission manager Maryann Young reached out to me from was forwarded from applicant advisor Andrea Wright with the subject "disgruntled applicant"...wtf, the Manager didn't even change the subject line to something more professional like "applicant appeal or applicant requests review' or something. Suffice to say I feel like I am being treated like dirt. I also think they are not following process properly. Though it could be possible I am overqualified I personally do not believe I am overqualified as I graduated undergrad in 2014 and have not worked as a Manager or higher. Also, Queens was high on my list because of their focus on strategy and leadership. Also the duration of their program is shorter and likelihood of actually attending is high for me. I'll let you know if more details emerge.

scotchhudgins · Answer

So I had a phone call with the Associate Director Geoff Coon. He apologized for how the process was not followed and apologized for the poor customer service.

So it seems that they intend to follow the process as stated, but some manager of the applicant advisors and the applicant advisors themselves can block or veto someone early without actually having the admission committee sit if they feel like none of the applicant advisors want to advocate for you. (Don't know if this is officially condoned or if it is done under the radar but it is certainly not part of their applicant process). It all seems a bit shady and unprofessional to me.

He offered me a chance to apply. I told him I would follow up with some friends I know who did the program last year, including their valedictorian who did consulting with me and let them know in a few days.

In summary, he said it was mishandled, apologized for the handling of it. Like I said it seems a bit odd that the applicant advisor team could act as a screening wall and a sloppy screening wall at that. Looks like I exposed an inside part of the process. Be advised.

jboog · Answer

Wow that sucks.

Sounds like it was a blessing in disguise.

God knows why anyone would want to go to a school that so badly mismanages its admissions process.

hiren2011 · Answer

Indeed it is a shady practice.
But at the least you got a chance to speak up and let them know what you thought of it.
It is kind of a bad situation. Just because one or two advisors, the whole school gets a bad rep. I have totally opposite experience and being asked to submit my application by the reviewer. And yet, I am not sure if I will submit. Your experience too influences here a bit.
Let's see.

scotchhudgins · Answer

I agree. Don't let this change your mind if you are set on applying. Mr.Coon was very professional and likable. It's just too bad the administrative practices are a bit shady and Directors definitely either know or ought to know what is going on.

scotchhudgins · Answer

I am thinking the same. I can't let that pass, it tarnished their integrity to me and I will probably move on to other schools.

arijit2 · Answer

That's a really scary story. A reject with a profile like yours is unheard of.
I've been awaiting my Initial Profile Evaluation as well, but I guess I have no shot at it.

arijit2 · Answer

Well, nevermind. Got rejected.

hiren2011 · Answer

Is it a rejection from initial review too? That's kind of crazy..

arijit2 · Answer

Yes, it is.

scotchhudgins · Answer

Damn, sorry to hear. I don't feel that's right since it is not the actual admission committee sitting and evaluating your whole story. You do not even get a chance to sell them on your narrative. Their website (and if you call or talk on chat support) says that only a decision is made by the admission committee once references are checked. This is blatant lie and violation of an 'applicant contract' with regards to process that they are promising on all of the published materials or from their point of contacts. Instead, is it one Manager of the applicant advisors and the applicant advisors themselves behaving as the admission committee when they are not the official sitting admission committee nor are qualified as such? I am pretty sure the Applicant Advisor Manager, even though she sits on the admissions committee, as herself (one person) cannot or should not carry "the full authority of the whole committee actually sitting" and reject people willy nilly. If that is how they are practicing, it is not advertised and is it possibly a rules violation? ... unless Queens lets any member of the admission committee make a full decision on applicants without actually getting the entire admission committee members to convene? But instead I would question if the Manager of the Applicant Advisors has usurped admission committee power entirely so that ONE PERSON DECIDES, i.e. her, with no actual committee hearing? Do the directors know and allow this to happen to filter (short cut) through the thousands of applications even though their office claims the admission committee only decides on the entire file? (which I guess technically they are right, since the admission committee did not decide on these files, but then they are lying to applicants in the emails they sent out saying the admission committee actually sat when it didn't and said they would not proceed further) Are these rules violation? Even though I do not want to spend more time on this, it is an integrity issue, and I may follow up with the President's office at Queens and inquire on admission committee policies and how much flexibility they have to self govern or adhere to their policies. If anyone else as a story similar to rejection in prelim feel free to let me know. Also let me know if they claimed "the admission committee reviewed your file" because they write that in the email but in actuality the admission committee may not have sat that early to review an incomplete file as I found out from the Associate Director himself.

arijit2 · Answer

In my case as well, it was Ms.Andrea Wright who replied and conveyed the rejection. She claimed that the Admissions Committee decided not to move forward with my application. It is possible that she could have done the evaluation herself or she represents the Adcom for the applicants. Although, I must admit that she was very courteous in her approach and suggested I make my profile stronger and then apply again. Either way, looks like Queen's isn't happening for me this time

bb · Answer

Rejected in the Prelimiary Review by application advisor?

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