Back to school

Don’t be mad, Nat4MBA, but you should look for reasons inside your application/personality as well… It appears it’s not enough to have some extracurriculars, work as financial controller, blog extensively and pay application fees to feel sought after MBA celebrity. I would not call it a bad luck being rejected at all the schools I have applied, rethinking strategy itself might be quite useful: you are applying to top schools only, do not care about most of them (it’s seen from your posts), and are surprised that you are not admitted. I don’t know if I’m first to tell you, but you are very arrogant, dear. You would have my sympathy if you would just get rejected, but you are bitching about all admission staff as if they do not notice such jewel as you just because of their shortsightedness. And at the same time they pick brightest to those schools.. Think about it.
PS. I hope you will not delete this comment, as there are no negative comments on your blog, and I think I am not a first to post one.
 

Nat, this is very sad... But you have to believe in yourself. If you want to identify your mistakes, you need to review your essays and interview strategy.
And, if you need any help with Darden, drop me a line ;)
Some steps to strengthen your candidature can still be taken.
 

Well, you might be surprised, but I do not delete comments. I would probably do, if there will be spam, but not for critics.

So, you are a frequent visitor, despite your opinion of me as of an arrogant bitch? There is a name for an interest like that. But please excuse my irony. All that matters is that you probably missed all my posts about Darden, and about the fact I was sorry to realize that I was in blinkers about choice of schools till recent time, that's all I can say.
 

2golden shadow: If I will have no success with Darden this time, I think I will try to change my attitude to essay construction. Such as, I will pay more attention to advice of other people, as this year I was too shy to ask my friends to review the essays. Who knows, maybe they were really that bad? :)
There is indeed a number of questions I have about Darden, and I will be very glad to discuss them with you by email, thank you for suggestion :)
 

Nat - For what it is worth, there is little correlation between being qualified and getting in.

I work at what is globally recognized as the pre-eminent i-bank on the planet. I know several high up people who went to these schools. I also know several high up people who applied to these schools, did not get in, and yet made it big in life. So whatever this anonymous "Observer" has to say...

In addition, I have a friend who was waitlisted at Cornell and got in at Wharton...he was on the AdCom there and tells me that if he were to apply again, he probably would not get in.

Keep your hopes up and your head even higher. I will never let an AdCom decide my future :)
 

Nat, don't forget about the "fit" factor.
I truly believe that it is not enough to be in b-school, just any business school, because it is good, top, and you have great career prospects after it. You should know students, professors, adcoms personally before you go. And like those people. Maybe not everyone :) You should be sure that the school admits the right people. Why don't you go and have a look at your top-choice schools before applying next time? :)
 

let me chime in with my two cents here, I think that sure getting into B school is about during research on the schools, but most importanly demonstrating to adcom you DID this research.

I think your experience shows only one thing so far - you need to re-think your essays strategy and essay/interview approach. Show them to MBA students, alums. may be in these essays you were the "deadmeat", as Sandy on BW puts it, from the very beginning, and schools interviewed you just for their numbers?

as for Columbia specifically, well, don't feel too bad, Columbia has become notoriously hard to get into, they said the acceptance rate is 15-17%.

hope Darden will do the trick for you.
 

Nat, my e-mail: mba111 (at) yandex.ru
 

Guys, thank you all as always. I will definitely try to reconstruct my essays next time. Actually, that is what I did for both Columbia and Darden - tried to rewrite my story for each school separately.

I know that personal experience is very important, but it is quite risky for me to try to get US visa for a tourist visit in order to make a first-hand impression about the schools. I try to visit World MBA forum and info sessions each time when there is an opportunity, and to communicate with alumni and Adcom.

You mention that I apply to certain schools of which I have negative impression. Yes, that is what happened with Wharton. The further I went in application process, the further I thought I wouldn't fit. And so I wasn't sorry that I was DWI - that is fair. I understood the importance of fit factor only in the middle of R1, that is my mistake I fully acknowledge. And this understanding was the reason why I applied only to two schools in later round and did not submit my applications in HEC, Haas and LBS. I wasn't sure I know enough about these schools to be certain about my willingness to attend. And that is why it is not a tragedy at all if I will have to miss a year. If I will reapply, I will reapply only to the schools I really want to be in.
 

why do you need a tourist visa ? and why is it risky ? usually tourists dont need a vist to go to the US i've never applied for a tourist visa , unless you intend to go for business ?
 

Darden was my first admit and if i remember it correctly you had mentioned that in your post. I really really hope it turns out to be yours first too :)

You sure seem to have a very diverse and interesting work ex. There are so many friends of mine who are as good as I am or better. and they have not either got just an admit or a waitlist or nothing.. So I am very sure it is by no means an indication on anything.. I do agree that the self confidence does take a hit.. but then I am sure you must have learned a lot athrough the process and next year if you have to apply you would be well ahead in the race and better prepared.. I am sure you will make it to a great B School !
Good luck!
 

Just hang in there Nat - I am almost going through the same state as you are. I'm sure this experience in itself is a great learning for us.
All the Best with Darden!