Finally an update

03/07/2011
Round 2 admit calls will begin today
The Dean approved Round 2 decisions this morning. Applicants will be able to access their decisions at 4PM EST on March 8. Why the delay if we know decisions now? You might think it's as easy as uploading a decision file and flipping a switch, but it's not that simple. There are many behind-the-scenes processing and coding activities that need to take place to ensure that all decisions are posted accurately.
We will begin calling admitted students later today and continue through tomorrow. There is no method to the order of the calls. Each of the admissions staff is responsible for different regions. The Associate Director who manages your region will contact you if you are admitted. Given the large volume of admits in Round 2, we will likely not be able to call everyone. We will email admitted students we aren't able to call by 4PM tomorrow. We will be admitting some applicants who were waitlisted in Round 1. Those folks will receive a call or email from an admissions officer as well.
There were many nights of working until 3AM last week reviewing and re-reviewing decisions. (Ask my team how bleary eyed I looked last week...) Decisions are not about selecting qualified candidates. The fact is, the majority of our applicant pool is "qualified" to be admitted. Decisions are really about creating the right mix of backgrounds, experiences and goals among our students while preserving our quality and culture. It's not an easy task when the applicant pool is strong.
As we head into making our calls today, I'd be interested in your thoughts on whether we should continue to personally call admitted students. I've heard some MBA candidates say that they'd prefer to know their decision earlier rather than waiting for a call. I've heard others say that though the wait is hard, they like getting a call (or email) from an admissions officer. I'm guessing that people will largely fall into the two camps based on the outcome of their admission decision. Not knowing yet what your decision will be, I'd be interested to hear what you think.