What is the Hardest Part of the MBA Application Process?

The hardest part is always the next step.. If you think about it..

- Acing the GMAT was the hardest part.. you went in nervous, knowing you needed a great score, and studied countless hours mastering sentence correction

- You aced the GMAT, great. How do I even start writing the essays? Which schools should I fill out. Can I use the same essay for each school? Is my grammar 100% perfect. How do I fit so much into 300 words

- Essays are coming together, great. But who am I going to get to recommend? Will my supervisor be pissed I am trying to leave? Will the supervisor give me a good review, should i wave the right to see it? If I dont wave the right, will the school hold that against me. This whole recommendation thing is awkward.

- Great, talked to my recommender. He/She is on board and seem like they might give me positive feedback. Now just to edit the crap out of the essays and scrutinize every little part of the application. Which 3 activities do I talk about as extra curriculars in the space alotted. My transcript wont format right, crap. Spell check for the 300th time, submit

- Everythings out of my hands, this feels awesome. I twiddle my thumbs, this becomesa nightmare. I sit for 2 months, surely this is the worst part. Not knowing what any of the 4 schools I applied to is thinking. Should I set my sights lower in the next round? Ask for more recs?

- Phew, got a call for an interview. I am so money, let me look up the % of candidates that get in based on interview. Oh great, its 65%, I am bound to get it. 1 week before interview, let me just brush up on my app and re-read the questions i think they will ask. 1 day before interview, freak out and cant sleep. What if I am one of the 35% who doesnt make the cut. Interview time, it goes well, but not perfect, but at least interview is over. That was a tough one

- 2 weeks go by. I hear nothing. I wonder if I shouldnt have said that the trees on the campus up by the river smelled funky. That wasnt smart, but it was small talk on the way into the room. They wont hold that against me right? Oh God, I am doomed.

- OMG the WL. A tragedy. More waiting

- Finally getting accepted. Praise be to the greater powers. Its all over. I sit here and say the hardest part is over. But I know its not. The hardest part now become financial aid, meeting classmates, endless homework assignments, interviewing for my real career, internship, more interviews.

So which is the hardest part? In my opinion, the next part. The next thing you are working on is the toughest. Is it silly for me to look back now and say the essay/GMAT was tough? Sure, I laugh at how easy those were compared to my next challenge. Best of luck to all out there. You are the brightest people and most driven. The next part is tougher than the last, but it will all be worth. Many came before us and succeeded. Many will come after us and do the same. Just work at it, good things will come.