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haiwen
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Safe school or reapply next year? 14 Mar 2013, 21:05
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I was admitted into a top20 school (safe school) but not the dream school. My target was a top-10 hwr got dinged for both schools I applied to. So how different exactly is the long-term return between a top10 and a top20 school? Is it worth giving up this offer, retaking Gmat for a higher score, and waiting another year trying to get into a better tier school? Or is a top20 really good enough in general? Thanks guys for the advices.
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kingfalcon
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 04:17
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It really depends. What do you want to do after b school? Also, your GMAT is very good. I wouldn't think it alone kept you out.
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onion253
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 04:28
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Can you mention the schools you applied to? That will make it easier for people trying to assess your situation. Also, what are your career goals post-MBA? You have to consider whether your safety school will provide ample opportunities for you in that particular field.
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ManhattanReview
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 05:10
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It depends is the right answer. Realistically, if this schools is the best option that you have and there are not going to be many changes to your profile in the coming year, then think hard about it and think of ways to make the most of this experience. If you can change your profile, expand your list of schools and improve the quality of your application, then you might consider foregoing this experience that you do not sound so inspired by and try again next year. However, there are so many complicated factors that go into this decision. Just realize that business school is just one aspect of your future career and I am sure that if you are motivated that no matter where you go, many opportunities will be presented to you.

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haiwen
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 06:17
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Thanks guys for the help. I was admitted to Emory and declined by HBS and MIT. My short-term CG is to switch my career and find a better job (I'm not very into my current business and have been demotivated by the company culture/bias towards a non-native). I'm also looking forward to starting up my own company in the next 3 years. Really not sure if it's worth struggling another year in my current job and starting all over for a better school (not trying to be offensive, Emory is a great school!) I wish I had applied more schools so that have more choices.
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kingfalcon
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 06:27
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Thanks guys for the help. I was admitted to Emory and declined by HBS and MIT. My short-term CG is to switch my career and find a better job (I'm not very into my current business and have been demotivated by the company culture/bias towards a non-native). I'm also looking forward to starting up my own company in the next 3 years. Really not sure if it's worth struggling another year in my current job and starting all over for a better school (not trying to be offensive, Emory is a great school!) I wish I had applied more schools so that have more choices.
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Your career goals sound pretty vague at this point (not that there's anything wrong with that!). I'd suggest taking a look at the Emory employment report to see whether you'd like to work for the companies that typically hire from there. Keep in mind, too, that Emory is a more regional school than HBS and Sloan. Would you be happy working and living in Atlanta after school?
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 06:34
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haiwen
Thanks guys for the help. I was admitted to Emory and declined by HBS and MIT. My short-term CG is to switch my career and find a better job (I'm not very into my current business and have been demotivated by the company culture/bias towards a non-native). I'm also looking forward to starting up my own company in the next 3 years. Really not sure if it's worth struggling another year in my current job and starting all over for a better school (not trying to be offensive, Emory is a great school!) I wish I had applied more schools so that have more choices.
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Emory is a solid school, especially if you're looking to work in atlanta, and in the southeast. Since you were rejected from a few top 6/7 schools this time around, why do you feel you'd have better luck next year with that same range of schools? I doubt your gmat was the issue (it's pretty strong). I think the comparison could be... top 20 this year, or top 16-9 next year (ross, johnson, fuqua, yale, darden, haas, stern) Is it worth working another year to go from emory to one of those? Your call.
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 06:56
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haiwen
I was admitted into a top20 school (safe school) but not the dream school. My target was a top-10 hwr got dinged for both schools I applied to. So how different exactly is the long-term return between a top10 and a top20 school? Is it worth giving up this offer, retaking Gmat for a higher score, and waiting another year trying to get into a better tier school? Or is a top20 really good enough in general? Thanks guys for the advices.
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If you're on the younger side, I don't see anything wrong with passing up Emory to go to a school you really want to be at. At the end of the day, you only get to do this once, so make sure you end up somewhere you'll be happy. If you decide to pass on Emory, do some research and find schools that will meet your personal and professional goals. HBS/Sloan then Emory, seems like an odd combo. There's more to MBA programs then rankings.
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Safe school or reapply next year? 15 Mar 2013, 07:06
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CobraKai
haiwen
I was admitted into a top20 school (safe school) but not the dream school. My target was a top-10 hwr got dinged for both schools I applied to. So how different exactly is the long-term return between a top10 and a top20 school? Is it worth giving up this offer, retaking Gmat for a higher score, and waiting another year trying to get into a better tier school? Or is a top20 really good enough in general? Thanks guys for the advices.

If you're on the younger side, I don't see anything wrong with passing up Emory to go to a school you really want to be at. At the end of the day, you only get to do this once, so make sure you end up somewhere you'll be happy. If you decide to pass on Emory, do some research and find schools that will meet your personal and professional goals. HBS/Sloan then Emory, seems like an odd combo. There's more to MBA programs then rankings.
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Agreed. HBS and Sloan are two of the hardest b schools to get into. To CobraKai's point, if you were drawn to HBS because of the case method, why not look at Darden? Or, if you were drawn to Sloan because of its quantitative rigor, why not look into Booth and CMU? Or, if you were drawn to both because they are in/near Boston, why not look into Tuck?
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Whiplasher
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Safe school or reapply next year? 16 Mar 2013, 09:37
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Yeah I think the problem was you applied to two schools in the top 5 and then to Emory which is a top 20 school. You should include a few like Ross, Darden and Duke if you want to reapply next year.