In at HBS

And out at Stanford...

Not getting an interview at Stanford was a left hook to the ego but an accept at Harvard is a pretty good restorative. Overall I'm not sure which one I would have chosen had I gotten into both but the choice (or lack thereof) is a lot easier now. Between Wharton, HBS and Sloan Im leaning towards HBS (and in danger of toppling over shortly). I'd still like to visit Wharton before deciding and will try to make it to Philly for the admit weekend.

Interesting difference between HBS and Wharton - within a few hours of being admitted at Wharton I was deluged with phone calls and emails from current students welcoming me into the fold. At HBS other than a link with the magic congratulations no fireworks ensued. I guess they dont think they have to sell me - they're probably right. Still Wharton seems to have students that are a lot more accessible and involved (in cyberspace anyways).

A tragicomedy in 2 acts

The title of this post is a reference to 'Waiting for Godot' - given where I am in the application process, an opaque reference to an absurdist play seems about right (I have too much time on my hands, no inclination to do anything productive with it and am stuck in purgatory).

Status on applications remains pretty much unchanged. Stanford remains aloof(no interview), MIT deigned to finally acknowledge me (interview next week), Harvard made eye contact (Interview last month) and Wharton is giving the come hither vibe (Accepted).

I'm cautiously optimistic on Harvard and increasingly pessimistic on Stanford - which is strange since before I began my applications I would have thought the opposite would be true. Anyways this week is the intermission between acts - time for me to nurse my post new year hangover and to begin work on a new one this weekend.

A procrastinators guide to the application process

Sometimes the application process can seem a little overwhelming when you begin (thats because it is - but having just begun you don't know that yet). If you're a chronic procrastintator like me, you probably haven't done much research farther than having a vague notion that an mba would be a good idea. Couple that with a misplaced sense of overconfidence and you're in my shoes of a couple of months ago - here is some advice to turn those lounging slippers into running shoes.

1. Write the GMAT early (but not too early)
I actually wrote the GMAT in the summer in an uncharacteristic fit of activity. I got a good score, patted myself on the back and then promptly forgot about the application process for a few months - after all this was the hard part right? Turns out the time you put into the GMAT is a lot less than the time you put into the application. I'd say once you're done with the GMAT you're about a quarter of the way done.

2. Those essays take time - even the 400 word ones
I always knew that it was going to take a while to write those essays but it was kind of like knowing that San Fransisco is eventually going to join Atlantis after the big one. Impending doom in the distance but I wasn't making travel plans just yet. One hint I have is to sit down one weekend and try to actually write one of the essays - nothing like a couple of hours of writer's block to jolt back to reality.

3. Manage your recommenders
'Manage'in this case is a synonym for the high wire act between unabashadely pleading that they should not procrastinate and not annoying them enough so they actually write you a glowing review. Trust me this takes time - so give them plenty of time (and check in often).

4. There is more to the application than essays and GMAT
This one is really near to my heart (in the sense that a 5inch stab to the heart is near it). Here I am a few hours to deadline with my essays done and feeling pretty good about it. Just need to fill out my contact info in the online application - then I come across questions like "200 word description of your most significant activities while in college" masquerading like a drop down on a webpage. Budget at least a day to fill out this stuff .

5. Have fun
I'm kidding - traditionally this is supposed to be a grand processional of self discovery with even applicants who dont get in describing how the journey was worth it. My father would definitely relate to these people - they could swap stories about how trudging to school barefoot through five miles of snow was worth it because of the life lessons they learned. Personally I'd rather skipthe frostbite and application altogether - but in this case you dont have a choice. So dress in layers and start walking. And who knows, you might actually enjoy it (if you do please contact my dad - hes trying to get a masochist conference going).

In at Wharton

It's official - Wharton here I come!
(disclaimer: unless I decide to go somewhere else, in which case I won't be - now there is a truism any lawyer would be proud of)

Dec 22 was a red letter day - also a bleary red eyed one as I was up most of the night waiting. However an intravenous caffeine drip and a couple of hundred F5s later I was the proud owner of a Wharton "Status = AD". The s2s forums deciphered this as an admit, of course this was the same forum that offered me the sage advice that if I got an interview on the last day (which I did) I didnt stand a chance, so I was quite relieved to get a phone call from an adcom member shortly thereafter.

So looks like MBA plans are actually shaping up and as of this time next year I'll be gainfully unemployed, many tens of thousands of dollars poorer and stressing about the job market - I can't wait.

I blog therefore I am

The obligatory first post, according to popular wisdom, is supposed to be a justification of the existence of this blog. As with most aspects of my life this blog has no clear purpose, its a meandering travelogue of my journey to an mba.

About me:
Like any other self respecting mba applicant I have an inflated sense of my own importance and will view any rejection as a complete travesty of justice.
Most posts will be thinly veiled attempts to justify said sense of own importance.
Im still working on the MBA mantra of taking everything too seriously - to aid in this I plan to start reading the WSJ instead of the onion and to read a few psalms from Montauk (MBA applicant bible for the uninitiated) everyday.
I like denial.
I have a great self deprecating wit (did I mention I dont take criticism well and like denial?)

Thats about the extent of things for now - more meaty details (schools, status etc) to follow.