It may be a little bit early for this, but I figured I'd start this off as my application season has concluded. It was a good way to vent last year (and to see the list of highly accomplished people who were denied). It will also be a good way to keep in touch with fellow reapplicants for next year. I'd like to invite here everyone who applied for the class of 2011 and ended up with zero admits. It would be useful to share a bit of info about yourself. Would be useful for others if you could answer the following (I have filled my own answers): GMAT Score : 710 GPA : 3.5 Work Experience : 3 years Location : US - California #Applications : 3 #Dings : 2 #Interviews : 3 #WL : 1 Which ding hurt the most and why? Columbia hurt the most. It was my best set of essays, best interview, and overall best app. What next? Preparing to re-take the GMAT, beefing up my extra-curricular involvements, taking on more leadership roles at work, and hopefully getting an early start on essays around July/August. I hope to submit 5-6 R1 apps, including re-apps for the 3 schools that I applied to this year. Why the lack of success? 1) Poor Quant GMAT score combined with poor grades in Quant courses. 2) Limited extra-curriculars. 3) Essays that were below par for the highly selective programs to which I applied. 4) Did not apply to enough schools and did not apply to any "safeties".

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The 2009 ZERO admits club

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bherronp

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Joined: 24 Apr 2007

Last visit: 30 Mar 2010

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06 Mar 2009, 11:16

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I may have to start a 2009 zero internships thread in the bschool life forum. That may be an even more depressing thread.

bostonsparky

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Joined: 21 Aug 2008

Last visit: 30 Aug 2010

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Concentration: Management Consulting, Social Enterprise, Environmental Sustainability, International Business

Schools:Fuqua '11

Posts: 348

Kudos: 39

06 Mar 2009, 12:13

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bherronp

I may have to start a 2009 zero internships thread in the bschool life forum. That may be an even more depressing thread.

I hear that. I finally got a summer 'internship' offer the other day (note: I'm not matriculating til this Fall but my peace corps assignment ends this May), for easily less than 1/2 the pay I made as a full time consultant 3 years ago. And I'm probably going to end up taking it! gotta love this economy!

Tarmac

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Joined: 18 Oct 2007

Last visit: 12 Sep 2011

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Location: USA

Schools:Tepper '11

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06 Mar 2009, 18:00

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nink

I am still pulling for you at Gtown!

It's great that you applied to additional safety schools. Let us know if you hear any good news. :-D

nink and GoBruins, your unsolicited support is truly helpful and encouraging. It is hard to express this enough. Thanks guys.

sounds like Belfi and I are in a similar predicament. DK, you are in a much better position than you realize. For you, every passing year makes you look better, for at least 2-4 more years. Of course there is some ego hurt in thinking "I got rejected by everyone this year", but I can't stress enough how much of a 100% lock you are for a top 10 program next year. Think of it this way: you didn't waste too much time and effort doing a bunch of apps this year, and you now know exactly where you stand, you are right on the borderline for the very top schools out there. Anything you do to help, or just more experience, will tip you over.

Lastly, I wrote this somewhere else but I truly believe that any score above 680 is absolutely identical in the Adcom's eyes, for a top 12-15 school. It's only at the less elite schools where a "hot" score can help. The top schools don't care about your stinkin 750. Why? Because they don't need it for anything. HBS certainly doesn't care whether their avg GMAT for an incoming class is 704, 705 or 717.

MBARunner

Joined: 04 Feb 2009

Last visit: 29 May 2009

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09 Mar 2009, 12:54

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Hm I am close to this too!

I received interviews at every school I applied to.

CBS - dinged with a what I believed to be a great interview.

Cornell - this is a funny predicament. I was contacted for an interview on Feb 28th. Called up to schedule an interview for the week of the 15th. No availability since the ad-com will be in closed meetings for decisions. Couldn't do earlier since I caught a nasty cold. Taking vacation from the 20th until the 24th. So my interview is scheduled almost a month later (after decisions are released!). I am not kidding. I tried to allude that it might be better to do a off-campus interview but the phone assistant didn't pick up on my verbal cues.

NYU - invited to interview for the summer start program. They have until Wed to notify me (that is the 3 week mark). I had a terrible interview (actually no fault of my own). I got a bad vibe from the counselor - like she had some agenda and wanted me to mess up. Played a few mind games with me. I hear they get back to you pretty quickly so hope is fading.

Georgetown - had an interview this past Friday. Thought it went really well. G-town may be my last hope.

wonderhaven

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Joined: 17 Dec 2008

Last visit: 11 Jul 2009

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Concentration: General Management

Schools:Cornell Johnson School

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09 Mar 2009, 23:25

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Ozzie - aren't you on the tepper WL? If so, pursue them - they are very open to updates and want you to show them love! If you are serious about Tepper - I think getting off the wl is very doable - follow what raabend did (cornell thread). Good luck!

ozzie123

Hate to say this, but I'll be joining this club soon. Got 3 interview from R1 and only 1 WL (with a very slim chance to convert into an acceptance since I don't actively pursue them), and NO invite from R2 which is surprising because the second round application is definitely stronger than the first one + I coached the recommender intensively.

Oh well, I will surely come back again next year stronger and better prepared :wink:

ozzie123

Joined: 11 Nov 2008

Last visit: 21 Jan 2018

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Location: Indonesia

Schools: Stanford MSx"18 (D) Kellogg 1YR '18 (II) Stanford '19 (D) Judge"18 (A$) Oxford"18 (D) Haas '19 (S)

GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V40 Verified score

GPA: 3.64

WE:Asset Management (Finance: Investment Banking)

Schools: Stanford MSx"18 (D) Kellogg 1YR '18 (II) Stanford '19 (D) Judge"18 (A$) Oxford"18 (D) Haas '19 (S)

GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V40 Verified score

Posts: 100

Kudos: 13

10 Mar 2009, 00:06

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wonderhaven

I surprised you mentioned this since not even my mom remembered it

My main reason for not actively pursuing it is that if I postponed my MBA study this year, my company is going to put me in charge on our next project (which is very significant for my career, this means more responsibility, expanded network, and more money that I can put toward b-school). So I guess rejection by all school that I applied to this year is a blessing in disguise because next year (or two - let's see how the project going) my application will be stronger overall.

GoBruin

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Joined: 05 Aug 2008

Last visit: 26 Jan 2017

Posts: 1,262

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175

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Concentration: Management Consulting

Schools: Ross 2012

WE 1: 5 Years at Fortune 50 Company in Manufacturing

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14 Mar 2009, 09:13

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DK,

Welcome your NEWEST MEMBER!!!

<Cheers>

GPA: 2.1 Enough Said
GMAT: 760
WE: 4 Years

DONG: CBS ED, Booth R2
DING: Ross R2
WL: Kellogg R2

Which school hurt the most?
Ross - I thought Booth will, but Ross hurts because I know they are low GPA friendly and offered me an interview.

Why lack of success?
Grades? Grades? Grades?
Ross: Bad interview + grades
CBS: Bad essays (which I thought were decent until I started my other essays) + Grades
Booth: Last minute essay, Errors in my optional essay, and completed the whole app in 2 days + Grades

Next year?
1) Reapp, same schools may or maynot reapply CBS... May or May not apply UCLA.
2) OR start Stanfords MS Program in engineering management
3) Just go on with life without another degree

Legend

Joined: 03 Apr 2007

Last visit: 14 Aug 2019

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14 Mar 2009, 10:04

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GMAT Score : 730
GPA : 2.9 (from small, private US school)
Age : 29
Work Experience : 5.5 years
Location : UK
Nationality : Indian
#Applications : 3 (Columbia, Wharton, and LBS)
#Dings : 3
#Interviews : 0
#WL : 0

Which ding hurt the most and why?
Columbia. Thought the school was a great fit for me. I would have picked it over Wharton. Love the electives they have to offer. Like their emphasis on a more practical approach to academics. Would've loved to live in NY.

Why the lack of success?
1) GPA
2) Lack of a global brand on my resume
3) Nationality didn't help either

. ( Have a Finance background though)

What next?
I'm doing quite well already and am going to take my savings and invest them myself. Let's see how my currency trading takes off :-D

. Plan to work for a few more years and then take my savings and start my own thing.

Just want to point out to fellow members of the Zero Admits Club that an MBA is one way of getting to wherever it is you want to be, but not the ONLY way to get there. Good Luck with your careers.

nomsg7111

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Joined: 04 Oct 2008

Last visit: 19 Apr 2009

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Location: San Francisco, CA

Concentration: Healthcare and Operations

Schools:Michigan

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14 Mar 2009, 10:46

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You might want to consider some part-time programs too (UCLA, Haas, USC, UCI, UCD).

GMAT is very nice...

GoBruins

liubhs02

Joined: 09 Nov 2008

Last visit: 09 Dec 2014

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24 Mar 2009, 23:38

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GPA: 3.9
GMAT: 700
Work Experience: 2.5 Years
#Applications : 3
#Dings : 2 (soon to be 3)
#Interviews : 1
#WL : 0

What next?
Seeing where life takes me and retake the GMAT.

Leverandon

Joined: 24 Aug 2008

Last visit: 12 Dec 2009

Posts: 278

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Location: New York City

Concentration: Non-profit, GM

Schools:Ross, Darden, Yale SOM, Wharton, Kellogg (JD/MBA)

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25 Mar 2009, 05:53

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GPA: 3.3 (massive upward trend after first year)
GMAT: 710
WE: 2
# of applications: 5
# of interviews: 2 (3 if you count Kellogg).
Dings: 4
Waitlists: 1

What's next? Since my ideal is a JD/MBA, and I've been admitted to a couple of law schools, looks like that might be where I'll be in the fall, unless Darden pulls me off the W/L.

LeftOut

Joined: 05 Nov 2008

Last visit: 05 Feb 2010

Posts: 132

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Location: NY, NY

Schools:Darden, Stern, CBS, Johnson, Fuqua

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25 Mar 2009, 06:52

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With my waitlist at Darden, I have officially been admitted into the Zero Admit Club!

GMAT Score : 710
GPA : 3.0
Work Experience : 4.5 years
Location : NYC
#Applications : 5
#Dings : 3
#Interviews : 3
#WL : 2

Which ding hurt the most and why?
Cornell. It was my first and didn't bode well for the rest of my applications. It really left a sour taste in my mouth.

What next?
Move on and focus on something new. I will still actively pursue my W/L's, but my heart isn't really into it any more. I might re-app next year, but that's to be determined. I have a new opportunity at work, which I originally was hoping to skirt by heading to school. Since that won't be the case, I will refocus and try it out.

Why the lack of success?
1) Grades/GMAT didn't help, but I don't think they really hurt me (except at CBS).
2) Interview at Cornell didn't go well at all, but I thought I killed it at UVA and still managed to get W/L'ed.
3) Lack of extra-curricular leadership? I think I'm grasping at straws here.
4) Overall, I think the whole package was mediocre. As a white guy working in finance looking to head back to finance, I certainly didn't stand out this year.
5) Timing - along the same lines as not standing out. With an increase in the number of finance-type apps, applying this year didn't help at all.

mba07

Joined: 08 Feb 2006

Last visit: 19 Oct 2011

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Schools:Ross, Kellogg, Darden (i/v)

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25 Mar 2009, 11:39

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I'm in the club as well. Rejects at Kellogg, Darden and Ross.
The Darden ding hurt the most, though I would say I had an average interview.

Yet to decide on re-app. Need to focus at work and get my career back on track. Haven't been focusing too well since the start of the app season.

GMAT: 730
GPA: 8+ on a 10 scale (International)
Nationality/Industry: Indian/IT
Age: <25. Workex: 4 years.

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