Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 03:56 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 03:56
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
avatar
JackDaniel19
avatar
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
Last visit: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 12
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 12
Kudos: 0
Acceptance rates out of whack? 17 Sep 2006, 23:17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Acceptance rates for the following schools:
Darden: 49.1%
Johnson: 34.4%
Fuqua: 45.6%

as reported by US News seem a little ridiculous and almost suspicious. Was 2006 a freak year or is this fairly typical? These rates hardly make these schools sound selective. Not that this makes me doubt their quality. I just dont want to have a false sense of hope.

Also, I'm confused about what exactly schools like Cornell look for. I mean they have 2 short essays. How are they supposed to get a feel for who you are and how much research you've done from this? When compared to Columbia, Cornell's application seems ridiculously easy. I'm just not sure if this is a good thing though.

Does this make the school visit for Cornell ultra important? The trek to Ithaca will not be an easy one.
User avatar
PaulBodine
User avatar
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Last visit: 11 Jul 2018
Posts: 1,794
Own Kudos:
192
Status:Trust Experience, Trust Success
Affiliations: U. Chicago, Johns Hopkins, AIGAC
Posts: 1,794
Kudos: 192
Acceptance rates out of whack? 18 Sep 2006, 20:52
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
JackDaniel19
Acceptance rates for the following schools:
Darden: 49.1%
Johnson: 34.4%
Fuqua: 45.6%

as reported by US News seem a little ridiculous and almost suspicious. Was 2006 a freak year or is this fairly typical? These rates hardly make these schools sound selective. Not that this makes me doubt their quality. I just dont want to have a false sense of hope.

Also, I'm confused about what exactly schools like Cornell look for. I mean they have 2 short essays. How are they supposed to get a feel for who you are and how much research you've done from this? When compared to Columbia, Cornell's application seems ridiculously easy. I'm just not sure if this is a good thing though.

Does this make the school visit for Cornell ultra important? The trek to Ithaca will not be an easy one.
Show more


Jack Daniel,

Well, I believe Business Week reported the same "ridiculous" selectivity rates for these schools as well. They are hard to believe, but not completely incredible in my opinion. I believe they are "nonrepeatable" aberrations caused by the tail-end of the B-school slump that followed the economic slump that began in 2000. I also believe they reflect an increasing competitiveness among applicants toward getting into the best-branded schools. These are three great programs but they don't have the brand of H/S/W etc. and so the people who apply to them probably tend to be the ones who are most motivated to attend these particular schools. That is, because their brands are comparatively weak, they receive fewer of the non-due-diligence "I wanna elite MBA!" crowd that inflates the application volume of the top schools. It's something the discriminating applicant can take advantage of.

I don't think Cornell's 2 essays make their application easier; they make it harder. You have less space in which to make your case so you need to execute extremely well in using that space to stand out. Yes, at Cornell, the importance of the campus visit -- and in fact of every non-essay part of the app (reco letters, resume, school network who will go to bat for you) -- is magnified.

Good luck,