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gmattester123
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Tell adcom that I've been accepted by another program? 27 Apr 2010, 03:07
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Hi all! Thanks to all the help I've received from this forum, I have now been accepted to an MBA program! However, the issue for me is this:

I applied to two different MBA programs. I have a primary choice and a secondary choice. Now, my secondary choice has sent me an acceptance letter so I am in if I choose them. As for my primary choice, I still have to do an interview with them.

My dilemma is this - during the interview with my primary choice, I can tell them that I have already been accepted by my secondary choice or I can keep it a secret. There are pros and cons with telling my primary choice I've already been accepted by another college:

Pro: By telling my primary choice I've been accepted by another college for their MBA program, it shows I am in high demand and that the other college determined I met their standards.

Con: The primary choice may determine that I have another option, and if my primary choice wants to fulfill their enrollment quota, I am a risk for declining an acceptance from my primary choice. I'm not sure how adcoms think, but when I work with recruiters, and I tell a recruiter that I may have a job offer incoming, the recruiter loses all interest suddently because they cannot put my resume forward to the client, knowing that I may decline an offer from their client.

I'm not sure how MBA adcoms think. If anybody has any suggestions on whether I should tell my primary choice during the interview that I have been accepted to another program, or perhaps not tell them and keep it a secret, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
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PaulLanzillotti
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Tell adcom that I've been accepted by another program? 27 Apr 2010, 15:29
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gmattester123
Hi all! Thanks to all the help I've received from this forum, I have now been accepted to an MBA program! However, the issue for me is this:

I applied to two different MBA programs. I have a primary choice and a secondary choice. Now, my secondary choice has sent me an acceptance letter so I am in if I choose them. As for my primary choice, I still have to do an interview with them.

My dilemma is this - during the interview with my primary choice, I can tell them that I have already been accepted by my secondary choice or I can keep it a secret. There are pros and cons with telling my primary choice I've already been accepted by another college:

Pro: By telling my primary choice I've been accepted by another college for their MBA program, it shows I am in high demand and that the other college determined I met their standards.

Con: The primary choice may determine that I have another option, and if my primary choice wants to fulfill their enrollment quota, I am a risk for declining an acceptance from my primary choice. I'm not sure how adcoms think, but when I work with recruiters, and I tell a recruiter that I may have a job offer incoming, the recruiter loses all interest suddently because they cannot put my resume forward to the client, knowing that I may decline an offer from their client.

I'm not sure how MBA adcoms think. If anybody has any suggestions on whether I should tell my primary choice during the interview that I have been accepted to another program, or perhaps not tell them and keep it a secret, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
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Hi gmattester:

I would avoid using your acceptance as leverage against your first choice. I speak from experience as I was an admissions interviewer at UCLA Anderson. It is going to be a turn-off.

In fact, during the interview there will not really be too much of an opportunity to bring this up. The focus is on you, your background and your fit with the program.

Remember that at the end of each interview will be a specified time to ask questions of the interviewer. Avoid bringing this up, at this point. It will be tempting.

Additionally, I would not think of it as keeping a secret. It is really just focusing on the business at hand.

In summary, it is just a simple expected outcome calculation. What good can come of it? So you were accepted by a lower ranked program. If you disclose, then the interviewer will think to themselves - "then go to the lower ranked school." If you keep your cards closer to your chest, then you avoid making irrelevant comparisons. The 2 schools are different and, in general, comparing schools to each other is bad politics.

Respectfully,
Paul
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gmattester123
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Tell adcom that I've been accepted by another program? 28 Apr 2010, 20:12
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Hi gmattester:

I would avoid using your acceptance as leverage against your first choice. I speak from experience as I was an admissions interviewer at UCLA Anderson. It is going to be a turn-off.

In fact, during the interview there will not really be too much of an opportunity to bring this up. The focus is on you, your background and your fit with the program.

Remember that at the end of each interview will be a specified time to ask questions of the interviewer. Avoid bringing this up, at this point. It will be tempting.

Additionally, I would not think of it as keeping a secret. It is really just focusing on the business at hand.

In summary, it is just a simple expected outcome calculation. What good can come of it? So you were accepted by a lower ranked program. If you disclose, then the interviewer will think to themselves - "then go to the lower ranked school." If you keep your cards closer to your chest, then you avoid making irrelevant comparisons. The 2 schools are different and, in general, comparing schools to each other is bad politics.

Respectfully,
Paul
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Thanks Paul. I've received similar feedback after asking around. I will probably keep quiet about this. Thanks for your advice!
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PaulLanzillotti
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Tell adcom that I've been accepted by another program? 07 May 2010, 02:10
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Glad to be of help gmattester. Let me know if you run into a snag and if I can answer any more questions.
-PL

gmattester123
PaulLanzillotti


Hi gmattester:

I would avoid using your acceptance as leverage against your first choice. I speak from experience as I was an admissions interviewer at UCLA Anderson. It is going to be a turn-off.

In fact, during the interview there will not really be too much of an opportunity to bring this up. The focus is on you, your background and your fit with the program.

Remember that at the end of each interview will be a specified time to ask questions of the interviewer. Avoid bringing this up, at this point. It will be tempting.

Additionally, I would not think of it as keeping a secret. It is really just focusing on the business at hand.

In summary, it is just a simple expected outcome calculation. What good can come of it? So you were accepted by a lower ranked program. If you disclose, then the interviewer will think to themselves - "then go to the lower ranked school." If you keep your cards closer to your chest, then you avoid making irrelevant comparisons. The 2 schools are different and, in general, comparing schools to each other is bad politics.

Respectfully,
Paul


Thanks Paul. I've received similar feedback after asking around. I will probably keep quiet about this. Thanks for your advice!
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