I have to admit, I've taken an extended from applications. I feel so blank when I load up Uni. Chicago GSB's essays. Staring at them, willing for the perfect essays to be written. I'm done with the first draft, completed my GSB resume and started part of the application, but I can't seem to find the extra drive to move on and complete them. Partly because the deadline is in January, and partly because I'm a bit tired of applications.

But hell, I'm going to push myself and complete them!

So, what have I done in my spare time? Nothing much actually, re-started my Calculus course, and done quite a bit of chatting on MSN. It's no wonder companies bar MSN from the workplace, chatting is truly an attractive waste of time.

Once again, I've been looking at the available options to what if I don't get accepted. I think, if I don't get accepted this year, I'm going to skip a year or so before I reapply. So, I'll probably only apply for the Class of 2012 if I don't get accepted. What do I plan to do for the 2 years? Stay on at my job or move to a consulting company, and maybe draw up a few business plans for practice.

One of the organizations that I'm with has happily agreed to write my letter of recommendations - standard letter format, so I'm submitting one to Tuck as an additional information. Hopefully it will strengthen my application. I'll be awfully disappointed if I get rejected from Tuck with an interview again.

After much discussion with many people, I've come to realize, if your essay word limit is 500, and you're not hitting it, or even going beyond it - you are doing something wrong.

If you're hitting 480 words, you are missing out on the opportunity to fully present yourself. You should maximize your word usage - every sentence or even word can make a difference. Don't sell yourself short.

During my first drafts, I ignore the word limit and write as much as I can. Using all the adjectives and adverbs that I want. Once I'm done, I then sit down and cut everything down. I find that if I sit there and try to write something to conform to the limit, I'll be more focused on my word usage than writing a good story.

So write that story before worrying about that word limit.

With the exception of Essay 2, the rest of Columbia's essays are pretty easy going. I've completed the first drafts and will be finalizing the rest. I'm also planning to send in my transcripts to Columbia instead of completing the self reporting transcripts. I also need to get on the GMAT and forward a copy of my scores. Suddenly everything seems so sudden!

That seems to be the common thing about applications - you seem to have a lot of time, then when you sit down and start doing it... you suddenly wish for another month or so. But when you're done with an application, you start to wish that time would pass faster so you would be getting that interview call.... and then that admit!

You know things will be well when you start looking forward to being able to work on your application. When the stress isn't in the application itself, but the fact that you have to do other things before you hit the applications. Like the GMAT, applications can become enjoyable after a while - I look forward to editing the essays every night, it gives me a goal, no matter how fleeting. Sometimes I wonder, what would I be doing if not pursuing an MBA - would I be out partying? would I be sitting around, watching TV? As I said before, MBA applications become a lifestyle, at least for me it has.

It's a bit sad, scary, but true.

You know you're an MBA applicant

1. When you give up party nights to stay at home to edit 3 words out of Essay 1 to bring it to 500 words....
2. When you know a number can be divided by 3 if the sum of the digits can be divided by 3....
3. When you realize that you can't speak English properly....
4. When the letters H, S and W aren't just alphabets in your soup....
5. When you begin to hate people that started multi-million dollar businesses when they were 17, started 2 charity organizations, climbed Mount Everest, and scored 750+ on the GMAT....
6. When you start wishing you had sold your house 2 years ago and went to do volunteer work in Ghana/Burundi....
7. When you start discussing Round 1, Round 2 and Round 3 on forums and you're not talking about boxing....
8. When your family, friends and loved ones start giving you dodgy looks over dinner when you talk about your day at work and how it let you tap your leadership potential....
9. When you give vague answers to your colleagues and supervisors when they try and discuss dreams and ambitions....
10. When you suddenly get in touch with all your ex-supervisors....
11. When you start clicking refresh on your e-mail every 30 minutes hoping to get an interview invite....
12. When you start dreaming about talking candies...

Stuff that I've read over the past 2 years....

Early Action/Decision

Comment that was left:

What's your view on renegging (renaging?) on Early Decisions, since you are applying to more than one? What if you get into HBS and CBS/Tuck-ED?

Tuck's Early Action round is as follows:

For reapplicants or prospective students who have completed their business school research and know that Tuck is their first choice, the Early Action round is a great option. Early Action provides you with the certainty of learning that you have been offered admission to Tuck by no later than December 14, 2007. This offer is nonbinding, giving you the opportunity to explore other options up until the January 2008 response deadline. Any applicant who is accepted in the Early Action round and who would like to secure a spot in the incoming class will be required to submit a nonrefundable deposit of $3,500 by January 7, 2008, which is applied against tuition.

And Columbia's famous $6000 Early Decision round:

As an Early Decision candidate to Columbia Business School, I understand that if I am admitted I will submit my non-refundable $6000 deposit to secure my place in the September entering class. I am committed to attending Columbia Business School, and will withdraw all applications and decline all offers from other schools upon admission to Columbia Business School.


Tuck's early action round is to notify applicants of whether they have been successful admitted or not. Fortunately, Tuck's is a non-binding EA. Columbia's ED however, is a binding agreement where successful applicants are required to withdraw their applications to other schools. Given that I'm not HBSing now, I guess there's no worry :) If I get accepted to Tuck and Columbia, that might prove tricky, but I will honour my agreement with Columbia and head off to Columbia (if Tuck provides full tuition etc, then I really would be hard pressed). But that scenario is unlikely to occur.

But, I would love to get accepted at EA/ED round :) Heck, I would love to get just accepted.

dodgy

Yup. So, with my spotty work experience and my dodgy undergrad degree, what should I do?

I'm most likely dropping Wharton and Harvard for Round 1 as it may truly be too unrealistic to apply to them. They were a good dream while it lasted. So, onward ho, who's left on the list?

i) Tuck EA
ii) Columbia ED
iii) Duke
iv) Ross (possibly)

In fact, there are no safety schools on my list. Yup, that's how dodgy my background is... but heck, I'm going full steam ahead. After all, at worst, I get rejected.... *GASP* REJECTED!!!! :(

But anyway, I've started on both Tuck and Columbia and will complete them by September 15. I've also got to look at Duke or Ross. Duke requires some quant skills, so I'm hoping that if I say "I'm doing some sexy quant stuff." that Duke would be willing to look past my lack of quant in my undergrad. Surely Duke won't be that superficial? I mean, it's only quant....

I'm hoping that Columbia gives me a chance, I'm willing to put the $5000 downpayment upon acceptance and withdraw from other schools. So who knows? Maybe...