Friday, September 29, 2006

For the attention of Russian applicants

Incoming events in Moscow:

October 2: Official reception of Chicago GSB, guesting stars from the Adcom :)
October 3-4: MBA Access forum
October 9: MBA World Tour
October 16: Official info session of Stanford, guesting Adcom and alumni

Thursday, September 28, 2006

An outline

My news in short:

My deadlines:

P.S. What about Columbia? Guys, thanks God Columbia has rolling admission. Otherwise, I would rather submit an application by regular mail. The online system is very unfriendly to me; despite all my attempts, each new registration ends in being unable to login. And judging from experience of GuyMBA, my recommenders are very likely to experience the same problems. I would better wait for a while and see if technical issues will dissolve :)


Saturday, September 23, 2006

Bad mood - more rage

Regularly checking many applicants' blogs this year (thank you guys and gals, you all do a great job), I noticed that September is a depressing time for many of us. Pressure at work, issues in private life, essays content exhaustion, and all of a sudden the first deadline is in less than one month :) Some people say, after all the race of taking GMAT and TOEFL, winning the best recommenders' attention and so on, they really consider giving it all up for a second round or even next year...

My thought of the moment is that the deeper in problems you are, the more important your application is. Why? Because it is your future. For me, my decision to start application process this summer was in a manner of passing free time after I completed my postgraduate studies. I thought I had a point, that I would not be serious about admission - if I would not be accepted, no problem at all. Of course, my attitude changed very soon after I started. As it obviously can be said about mostly every one of talented business school applicants, if I undertake a task, I go all out on it. But what is the most important realization of my present day is that now I understand: in the middle of my current situation, when my present employer all of a sudden turned his back upon me and, in a bad Russian tradition, exercises in finding illegal ways of dismissing me and several other employees, a chance to win admission to a school gives me a power to hope for better future. No matter if I will not win the fight against my current problems (and no matter if I will not gain admission), what matters is that during my application process I gained a feeling that I am worth a good future. Through reflection on challenges I had in my past, through listing my achievements and valuable gainings of my past and present, I gained confidence. Maybe I am pathetic :) Whatever - I hope that every and each applicant who fights bad circumstances at the moment feels some confidence and high selfestimation. We will do it, this way or other :)

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

I'm loving it

My news in brief:

That's it for today :) Will keep you posted.


Monday, September 18, 2006

Challenge? Oh yes, I have one...

Among applicants to business schools, motivation varies no less than age, professional background or nationalities do... Last week (at my birthday, can you believe it), my employer provided me with a new, very unique motivation for my application. I was informed that my department is under cutting down. As a high-paid manager, I am in the top list of people facing discharge - paradoxically, volume of wage fund at the moment is more important than retaining a chance to rehabilitate the deparment in future by keeping its best resources on board.

Quite likely, the whole process will not take less than 1,5-2 months, and who knows what will actually happen. But still, I don't think it's a good idea to describe this challenge in my application essays :) I only agonize over one question: would it be a fraud if I would not say a word about this issue in my application... Any opinions?

Friday, September 15, 2006

TOEFL - done

Hurray again and many times :) I have got my TOEFL results. It's not 99 as I expected :) It's 111, with stellar Listening (30 of 30). Oh yes, I am a listening, sensitive person ;)

So, what is between me and schools? Essays and recommendations. And technical issue with Columbia, which is a mere obstacle now, when I am done with examinations.

Good luck to all in your TOEFLs and GMATs, ask me for any assistance :)

Columbia Application

Friends, I have a question. I have registered an account for Columbia in late August, but have been not able to relogin ever since. This week I gave up and created a new account, but now every time I am in, I see the following:

THIS IS A JANUARY ACCELERATED APPLICATION! If you meant to apply for the September-start, please contact the admissions office at apply@gsb.columbia.edu.

Anybody experiencing the same problem? Anybody successfully working on application for the Fall'07?

Answer is highly appreciated :)

Monday, September 11, 2006

Wharton Application

Things to learn about online application form of Wharton:

1. In addition to extracurricular activities, there is an extra question with regard to hobbies:


Please describe any hobbies or related activities that are not listed above which hold special significances for you. List dates of participation and hours per week. Also explain which of these activities, hobbies or special interests you have enjoyed most and why?

2. An applicant can use as much space as he or she needs to describe his or her professional duties - the limit is more than 7,000 symbols.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Kellogg Online Application Form

Kellogg School of Management recently made an application form for the Fall 07 available online. Things an applicant should know about the form:

1. Be ready to describe your short- and long-term goals in terms of work title: you will be asked which office you expect to obtain next to graduation and which title is your long-term goal. Shortly (in one sentence).

2. There is a limit of 25 symbols for description of extracurricular activities and titles of full-time and extra employment. Only 25 symbols, mind it. What did you do as a volunteer, in 25 letters?
Ouch? - Ouch!

NB: The application is conveniently split into two parts. Part I is a questionnaire that you need to submit (together with your application fee) at early stage to initiate interview request process. Essays, recommendation requests, transcripts, resume etc. are in Part II that follows after submission of application fee.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Recommendation for Stanford? Ouch!!!

This weekend I had a minute to observe and compare recommendation forms of my 5 favourite schools. In general, all sing more or less in one tune, all but Stanford. My supervisor showed me a questionnaire he received from Stan, and I must tell you it's a pain! Supervisor is asked to provide 3 to 5 pages of review with detailed examples of my projects and, what really made him flustered, with example of a feedback he provided on my work and what I said or did in response... Ouch! It's tricky. We will have to set an extra session to recall appropriate formal examples :)

GMAT? Done!

Hurray, I am a superhero again, I am done with GMAT. It's 730 (quant 48, verbal 44) and I am pretty satisfied with it.

I think I could have done much better if I had not got lost in one specific problem solving. I know that I made two mistakes in quant, and besides, I failed to solve maths in time - I missed all those very important 5 last questions!

The verbal was a candy, I ran through it like a wild mustang in 50 minutes or so :)

Overall, it was a good run and I don't think I will retry. Let's hope that Adcoms will not kick my lazy hip for low quants.

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?