Back to school

Small Piece of Wisdom: ISIC

2007-06-25T00:15:00.000+04:00

Before you book your flight to your school, register as a student: sign up for ISIC card (or Youth Card, if you are under 25). It may save you a load of money. With ISIC, I bought my ticket for NY for 30% of its regular price. If you wonder what kind of reference you should bring as evidence of your student's status, in my case an F-1 visa was sufficient.

Your Ideas are Welcome

2007-06-21T11:47:00.000+04:00

Summer is all around, and blogs nowadays become a bit deserted, but if you happen to read this, fellow applicants & students, let's brainstorm the following question:

I want to bring some gifts with me to present them to the Adcom members and students who were in contact with me during my application process. Any idea what would make a nice gift is sincerely appreciated :) To remind you about my stats: I am in Russia and have about 1 month till my transition to USA.

P.S. Bringing a container of vodka is out of question ;)

P.P.S. Guys and gals, if you do not mind, mark your location on Bravenet Guestmap on the right side of my page - I wonder how disperse my readers are geographically :)

Increase in rates on federal loans in USA & New subcategory for J-1 visa proposed

2007-06-19T12:09:00.000+04:00

As reported by BusinessWeek.com

This year federal student loan rates increase in USA is one of the smallest increases on record. Both Stafford and PLUS loans go 0,08% up, which approximately equals to $1 increase a month for loan borrowers with $20,000 in debt. By comparison, last year the rates rose by 1,8%.

***

State Department proposed a new subcategory for holders of J-1 student visa. The new subcategory will enable international business students to apply for internships up to 1 year long. Currently, J-1 visa holders are also able to apply for internships in USA; however, the new subcategory will ease the process in terms of bypassing certain general requirements for applicants for temporary work permits.

Still, experts state that J-1 visa holders are in less privileged position compared to F-1 competitors, as the majority of employers believe that J-1 holders have limited potential for continued employment. This is due to the fact that in many cases J-1 visa forces students to take the burden of staying out of the country for two years following expiration of their visas.

ESMT "Managing Innovation" Master Class in Moscow

2007-06-07T17:24:00.000+04:00

European School of Management and Technology's Director, Professor Francis Bidault, will hold the Master Class in Managing Innovation in Moscow at June 18th.

Innovation is an essential capability helping companies create competitive advantage and even change the rules of a whole industry. Prof. Bidault, who has done extensive research on innovation management and has been a consultant to numerous multinational organisations, will explore together with the participants how to achieve successful innovation.

Registration

Wahoo

2007-06-01T13:34:00.000+04:00

As you may know, many American colleges and universities have nicknames. Formally, University of Virginia's nickname is Cavaliers. Virginia Cavaliers were royalist supporters in the royal colony of Virginia at various times during the colonial period of the United States. Nowadays, it is the common name of UVA athletic teams, a title of a local newspaper, a name of a local PC distributor etc.

Less known but still very popular, an alternate nickname is Wahoo [wu:'hu:]. The official story says that it is a moniker of the athletic teams based on the University's rallying cry "Wah-hoo-wah U-V-A!". Wikipedia says:

The yell was invented as an Indian yell for Dartmouth College by Dartmouth
student Daniel Rollins in 1878. Corks & Curls, the University of Virginia
annual, regularly printed lists of the yells and colors of the various colleges;
in 1888 it included Dartmouth's school yell, a part of which was the phrase
"wah-hoo-wah." University of Virginia students soon incorporated the phrase
"wah-hoo-wah" into their own, longer school yell, and individual U.Va.
fraternities also adopted it and modified it. (It was common for "student
culture" to travel: the University of Illinois also adopted "wah-hoo-wah," and
the tune of the Yale "Boola Boola", for example, became the basis of the
"Boomer-Sooner" song of the University of Oklahoma.) (Dartmouth students,
meanwhile, largely stopped using the Indian yell during the 1980s along with the
accompanying Indian mascots, symbols, and nickname.)

The yell was already in use by the time Natalie Floyd Otey performed at the
Levy Opera House in Charlottesville on January 30, 1893. She sang a song
specifically about the town and University titled "Wah-Hoo-Wah" that began, "Oh,
Charlottesville, illustrious name,/ The home of Jefferson you claim;/ The lap of
learning, font of fame—" and was set to the tune of "Ta-rara-boom-de-ay," with
the catchy chorus sung as "Wah-hoo-wah you-vee-ay." Otey's song was popular
enough with students that Corks & Curls printed it in 1894.

However, there is another story, popular mostly among students, explaining the origin of this nick. It says that UVA students were associated with a wahoo fish - the one known for its ability to drink amounts of water twice its weight without drowning in order to puff itself up for a fight. The parallel is obvious ;D

The Wahoo is a scombrid fish, the largest of mackerels. It is large, up to 70-90 kg, one among the fastest pelagic (oceanic) species, reaching speeds up to 60 mph.

Life After

2007-05-28T16:09:00.000+04:00

A short list of things an international student has to do to prepare him/herself for transition to a business school:

1. If requested by a school, fill in a Request for I-20 based on confirmed options of financing your first year: combine the amount of your scholarships with your loan and supplement it with your personal savings to get the budget stated by your school.
Q&As:
- Do I have to send a request by courier mail?
My request was accepted by email.
- Do I have to show some personal savings to compliment my financing options if my scholarships + a loan exceed the budget set by my school?
I showed no personal savings in my request.

2. Upon receipt of I-20, apply online and pay the SEVIS fee ($100).
Q&A:
- I filled in the form online, but was forwarded to the original page with rules; am I registered or what and where are the payment options?
Fill in the form quickly. No joke here. I don't mean that you have to moist your fingers in haste to complete it in 30 seconds, but if you leave the page for a while, when you return and finalize it, it will not be registered. When you fill in the form successfully, you are forwarded to a payment options page where you can, for example, submit the fee by a credit card.

3. When you get your SEVIS fee payment confirmation, fill in a visa application online on http://evisaforms.state.gov/

4. Make a photo for your visa application in exact accordance with requirements set by US consulate in your country. US consulate's requirements may be significantly different from what you may be accustomed with in other consulates, such as in Schengen countries.

5. Submit your visa application. The application package includes the application form you filled in online, with an assigned barcode, a form DS-158 for application for F-1, your original I-20, confirmation of SEVIS fee payment and a photo. The application package may include, per requirements set by your country: financial documents proving the means of financing your first year at school (scholarship notifications, a loan promissory note, banking statements, credit card receipts, your salary reference from a current employer, tax declaration etc.) and documents that attach a heavy weight to your stated intention to return to your home country upon completion of studies (real estate possessions etc.).
Q&As:
- Do I really have to collect and submit all these documentation?
Strictly speaking, it is not obligatory. Read between the lines on the website of the consulate in your country and research experience of other students from your country who went through visa application process before you. Don't overanalyze. I will report on my own experience in late June.
- Is it quick? Do I have to attend to an interview with a consulate official?
There is a waiting period between submission of your documents, an interview (which may be obligatory for each and every applicant in your country, as it is in Russia) and getting your passport stamped. In Russia, for example, the standard waiting period at the moment is 21 calendar days.
- Uggh, the waiting is so long, can I, like, submit the papers and go for a vacation before I am invited for an interview?
You will hand your passport over to the consulate for the whole waiting period plus 2-5 extra days required for stamping the visa; during this period you will not be able to travel outside your country. Schedule the application process accordingly.

6. Check if your school requires you to submit a medical reference before or upon arrival. The processing of such reference may be a bit of a fuss and will mostly likely include a blood test; also, in some cases you may have to make certain immunizations and tuberculosis screening (chest X-ray).

7. Credit cards: ensure that you will have access to your money upon arrival to USA. Some international Visa cards issued locally are not truly international; in good scenario, they will be operational in ATMs, but will not work in stores, restaurants and hotels; in bad cases you won't be able to withdraw any cash at all.
Bank accounts: if you want to move your account from a local bank to an American, or plan to receive a large transfer to an account you will open in USA, note that bank transfers from abroad undergo an additional verification, and it may take a long before you will be able to lay your hand on your money.

8. Schoolbooks: a lot of your future classmates will ask in your school's forum which schoolbooks are a must have. The three reasons to forget about buying the books before you arrive (imho):
a) They are heavy. You don't want to air freight books.
b) If you need them in an American business school, you will most likely find them in an American-based bookstore online. Why pay for international delivery to Moscow or Mumbai when you can have them brought to your door next day by a courier when you are in Philly, NY, Chicago etc.
c) You can have the books second-handed from students of previous years.

9. Notebook: to the opposite, even if your school suggests buying a preselected notebook upon arrival, you may find it rational to purchase one before you depart.
First, the cons:
a) If you own a notebook, it is almost inevitable that your school will ask you to bring it to tech department for appropriate setup (probably, chargeable)
b) You may get it with wrong version of operational system. Remember that you don't want your operational system to be in your local language, unless you want to work as a volunteer translator for the tech team of your school. Be sure that you know the requirements set by your school, i.e. should your Windows/Vista be a Professional version etc. It is truly a trouble to try to change an operational system on a notebook.
c) You will have to buy it on your personal savings, before you may get access to your loan, and the amount might be weighty.
There is actually only one pro, but it is crucial for me:
a) A notebook suggested by your school may not meet your demands. In my case, I really cannot drag all over the place a case that is heavier than 2 kg (4,5 pounds). Add schoolbooks here to feel my pain. Then, I am a gamer (I mean, a Gamer, with capital G). A machine with a video memory of 64 Mb does not exist for me. Intel Graphics Media Accelerator? Stick it in your spare pocket, please. Consider your special needs carefully before you decide whether you want to get the beast suggested by your school or a beauty selected by yourself.

10. While it may be a late advice, consider the difference between your present and future location when you plan your pre-matriculation trips. Hey, you will be on another side of the Globe. At the moment Egypt or Thailand may sound like next door banality to you, but for next two years you may find it difficult to take cross-Atlantic trips in order to get a sunbath somewhere in the Mediterranean, for example.

Feedback session in Wharton

2007-05-07T18:00:00.000+04:00

Starting from today, rejected applicants of R1 and R2 in Wharton may request feedback session by phone. Requests will be served on first come - first serve basis. The number is 215-898-6183.

For now, I decided to refrain: the idea is to keep the place in the line vacant for future reapplicants.

Update: all slots were occupied during first 2,5 hours of work of the phone line.

A word of consolation to those applicants who did not make it in time to secure a feedback session: just don't overconcentrate on this issue. Research blogs of current students who were reapplicants, see what they write about feedback information. You will see that no feedback session would give you a clear answer Why you failed to win the place. They won't tell you: there were too many typos in your "What matters". They won't tell you: your interviewer didn't happen to like your orange tie. What will happen is that they will give you bare and banal information: lack of a prerequisite quality, unclear goals, dull essays etc. There is no guarantee that you will have enough time and room till the next year to fill in the gaps, if any - you won't get broad international experience in next 6 months if you have none at the moment, but anyway - aren't you going to improve before your next application? You are, and you will be better no matter whether you got this feedback call from a school or not. Be yourself. In so many cases, feedback information pushes people to pad their applications with not-so-real details designed specifically to meet the expectations of a school. You don't want to go this road, are you? If you arranged a session, absorb every bit of information you will get (but again, don't overanalyze it). If you did not - don't be sorry. Live your life.

Blackout on H-1B visas

2007-05-04T15:16:00.000+04:00

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) froze receipt of applications for H-1B visas for foreign professionals wanting to secure a job in USA this year. Under the current legislation, there is a limit of 65,000 visas to be distributed during each fiscal year, and extra 20,000 reserved for foreign professionals who received Master's degree in USA. This year, the limit was reached during the first two days of application period opened on April 2nd. Any applications received on or after April 4th are and will be rejected. Details are announced in USCIS press release.

Dartmouth College (Tuck) established a website in support of a so-called SKIL Bill (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership) in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Bill suggests exemption of MBA alumni from the H-1B visa and Green Card caps, broadening of Optional Practical Training period from 12 to 24 months and possibility of applying for a Green Card while on a student visa (F-1).

Massacre in Blacksburg, VA

2007-04-17T18:17:00.000+04:00

The tragic news from USA reached the international community a day after horrible events took place in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where a student shot to death 32 people and injured at least 15 in two shooting attacks before committing suicide. Physicians reported that the shooting was extremely brutal, as none of the injured had less than three or four wounds in them. During the second attack, shooting lasted for more than 20 minutes.

It is supposed that a student, 23-year old South Korean, arrived early in the morning in a dormitory looking for an unfaithful girlfriend. Update: New information is that the guy, to the opposite, was a loner, who rarely spoke with his own roommate. It is known that the university staff felt nervous about him due to the level of violence he expressed in his writings (the man majored in English). Prescription medications related to the treatment of psychological problems were found in his belongings. Also, it is said that before leaving his dormitory room for the last time, he left a note describing his anger about moral decay he saw in the students community around him.

The massacre started with a shooting in dormitory. Two students were killed on the spot. The police assumed that the incident was a domestic dispute. Two hours later, the suspect appeared in one of the Tech University halls and opened shooting from two guns in which more than 50 people, students and professors, were killed or injured. The gunman made cool-blooded finishing blows while a number of victims tried to survive by pretending to be dead. In conclusion of his murderous path, the gunman committed suicide by a shot to his head, which left him faceless.

New York, June 20-23

2007-04-12T10:37:00.000+04:00

Anybody going to New York in late June? Any fellow New Yorkers with a vacant guestroom in Manhattan? :)

I am looking for a company to share a trip and accommodation in NY in June, any suggestions are highly appreciated.

It's been three weeks...

2007-04-10T12:56:00.000+04:00

...since the admission news were poured out on me. What do we have now:

1. I was named a Forte Fellow of the Forte Foundation. As far as I understand, it brings no financial benefits, but the honour of being a member of a large network and an opportunity to participate in diverse business and community events sponsored by the organization. That is, my first ever trip to USA is likely to happen in June, when I plan to attend to the Forte Symposium in New York. Now, Big Apple, beware :)

2. FedEx knocked in my door, too, to deliver not a heavy package with First coffee mug, but a lean envelop with congratulations letter from AdCom and a check-list for future matriculation process. Boss, no overtime tonight, please, I am running to the post office to mail my $1,000 love letter to Darden.

3. It's amazing, but looks like my accommodation question in C-ville is already solved, several months to my scheduled arrival. I was choosing between two main options: renting a house that will allow me to host my family and friends in case of their visit, or sharing an apartment in a students' off-ground residential area, which was recommended to me as the best place to stay in the mid of main fun. Privacy or networking? It was a difficult choice until I got a letter from a Law School girl who described herself in a way that put an end to the argument :) It sounded like an opportunity not only to find a roommate, but to make a new friend, and it is not something that I never turn my back to.

4. Off-topic
Admission offer brings a lot of confusion in a relationship. I was brought up in place and time where ladies were taught never to ask a man about his feelings, but I never learnt how to respond when I am asked whether the thing going on between me and my friend is in fact love. No matter if I admit or deny, the question in the air is What are we gonna do now about what will happen then, in summer? I was asked, if it is better to break up now before it goes too far, and the only answer I have is that I don't want it to end.
Is it time of power or resignation?..

Scholarship

2007-03-28T11:06:00.000+04:00

I am still waiting for my admission package to arrive by mail, but the news has reached me ahead of time: I'm granted a scholarship, which will allow me to smoothly process my student visa application without showing any additional means of financing but a loan. Wonderful news :)

Checklist of things to do in next two months, as I see it:

Place admission acceptance deposit
Apply for I-20
Research the accommodation matter
See if there is a need for obtaining medical forms etc.

While I cannot do anything about processing of documentation yet, I took some joy in researching the relocation questions. They say, there is no rental accommodation shortage in Charlottesville, and there are different kinds of property available to graduate students, from dormitory to townhouses and apartments. Descriptions of the college halls community are attractive; also, many admitted people among my future classmates look for sharing an apartment with one or two other graduates, so, there is a broad list of options with regard to accommodation. Anyway, I figured out for myself that I am sort of too old now for sharing bathrooms and coming home on my tiptoes late at night ;) Now, I have to decide what is better for me: having more exposure to the community through cohabitation with another student or enjoying the advantages of mastering my own den.

Important dates:

August 9: Mandatory orientation session begins
August 20: Start of the program

And The Game is Over

2007-03-23T10:39:00.000+03:00

I had six bullets in my cartridge, and all of my shots but the very last one was blank. That's my festive song :)

It's D-Day in Darden Business School, and the news is that I've got an offer. Here I am in my office trying to reach my relatives and friends to tell them that the course of my life is practically predetermined for next two years, and none of them is picking the phone :)

The first thing to do is to log in and re-read the offer message, since I feel like I missed all its sense except for the first line ;D But before I do that, I want to say big great hearty thanks to all of you guys who were my companions in arms during this pretty long ride.

Now, give me some time to digest it :) For so long I was adjusting to a thought that I am not gonna make it!

Off Topic

2007-03-21T12:06:00.000+03:00

Which European nationality should you have?

You scored as Polish.

Polish

75%

Belgian

75%

Russian

63%

Turkish

63%

British

63%

Italian

50%

Danish

50%

Irish

50%

Molvanian

38%

Spanish

38%

Swiss

38%

French

25%

Dutch

25%

German

25%

Which European nationality should you have
created with QuizFarm.com

Research Your MBA Destination :)

2007-03-09T12:06:00.000+03:00

Thanks to the Chronicles of Paisano blog (highly recommended to all people capable of reading in Russian), I came across the following useful link:

City Profile Report

Check it for snapshot info about your next destination in the US: demographics, criminal statistics, cost of real estate, climate data etc.

Things I learnt about Charlottesville ;)
- Women: 53%
- Median age or residents: 37 y.o.; age distribution: very even
- White collars vs. blue collars: ~80% vs. 20%
- Level of education: over 18% of residents have a graduate degree
- Weather risks: notable risk of storms of various types (hurricanes, tornadoes etc.)
- Average home sale price in Virginia (as of 2004): $266,428; homes owned vs. homes rented: 57% vs. 43%
- Preferred method of transportation: driving (91%), average distance to work: 15 minutes

MBA World Tour in Moscow and Info About HEC

2007-03-07T12:13:00.000+03:00

I have attended to the QS MBA World Tour in Moscow this Monday, March 5th. This time, business schools represented in the tour were mostly from Europe. A few were from Australia and Asia-Pacific; it was interesting to learn more about programs in the region that presents strong interest for me in terms of future career progress. Unfortunately, the main issue with applying for MBA in Australia and Pacific region - absence of loan programs for foreign students - remains unsolved.

I decided to use an opportunity suggested by HEC Adcom and met with the Admissions and Development Director for a face-to-face discussion after the Tour. As I do not apply for this autumn, the discussion mostly went around the school, though the Director asked me a few questions about my CV, academics and goals. She provided me with a resume book of Class 2006, which I studied after the meeting, and I must say that I was really impressed with the content. It showed sound evidence that the diversity is not a mere marketing slogan in HEC. Pre-MBA experience varies a lot in terms of both length and specialization. Financial professionals make a big percent of the class, though the most students come from industry. I knew that the average age of students in the school is a bit higher than in American business schools (traditionally, European schools set tighter requirements towards length of professional experience of MBA applicants), but the age dispersion in HEC still was a surprise: it is from 21 to 40 or so, and when you see short biographies of students behind their names, you really feel what these figures mean.
Along with French students, the majority is Asian (mostly Taiwanese). It reflects the situation with post-MBA recruitment: the percent of job offers coming from Asia is not much below those of Europe and the US.
The former Soviet Union is represented in HEC by at least 5 students, which makes 2,5% of the class. According to the Director, there are about 15 Russian students in the school in 4 current intakes.

My main questions to the Director were about difficulties Russian alumni face worldwide due to visa restrictions, as well as about current options of financing MBA for foreign students. You may probably know about the issue that led to decline of Insead's popularity some time ago: the fact that European banks mostly do not provide loans to non-EU citizens without a European co-signer. With regard to this matter, the Director informed me that HEC is in the stage of finalizing agreement with BNP Paribas for provision of no co-signer loans to students. There is a hope that the agreement will be concluded this year. Good news for applicants :)

With Regard to Rejection

2007-02-27T09:41:00.000+03:00

Thank you all, guys, for your kind words :) As I digested the news, there came some thoughts I decided to share.

First, despite the fact that I do feel weird now ;) I know that it's still early to say whether these rejections really mean that I am not an MBA material. In my R1, I failed to construct sound essay with regard to Why MBA, and it was only in December, after I had two interviews with Chicago, that I understood how I should deliver my story to Adcoms. The positive side of this thought: my first rejections were for very clear reason of my essays not meeting the requirement of clarity and conformity. The negative side: I was very angry that I had to pay a lot to learn this lesson.

Second, despite point 1, decision from Columbia came of a sudden for me. I thought I put a serious effort in my Why MBA essay this time, and overall, enhanced the application significantly. The speed of process and nice interview I had were signs of positive progress, and the heck if I know what went wrong. Now, back to my stats. In my previous job, I managed the Olympic Games project, jeez, and currently I do corporate governance for a start-up worth several million bucks. If I am not relevant to Business Administration, then, who is? The positive side: I have no idea whether I could do anything to enhance my application further, as this time I have no idea what was wrong. The negative side: so, what can I do to not let this happen again?

Third, I love you guys, I know there are many great people among applicants I met in last several months, and many of them got admitted and will form a heart of their future classes, but many great people got dinged, too. I am far from perfect, as all of us are, but, I hope you will understand me, each time I receive refusal I wonder, whether all people who will be admitted to that class are better than I am? The positive side: I don't think that admission is a mere roulette, because I've seen very nice people got admitted, and they really deserve it. The negative side: my self-confidence starts leaking :)

It's a real shame and, probably, arrogance, but I must say that I was almost 99% sure about Columbia. When things like that happen, I always tell myself: I was wrong because I was so sure that I was right :) So, CBS wasn't what the Fortune holds in its pocket for me :)

I like Darden, 200%, but I must tell you that I am quite diffident at the moment about my chances. The recent fail surely left me uncertain about whether I am in the right moment and state to apply for MBA, or do I still have to revise my present and think if I am doing the right thing?

Unbelievable

2007-02-26T18:24:00.000+03:00

I am dinged by Columbia. I thought I would take any decision easier this time, two months after R1 results, but still it gave me five seconds of deep chill till I was able to move further.

Strange. Am I really this weird?

You Wonder How I Look Like?

2007-02-26T12:46:00.000+03:00

Well, that's me :)

MBA news for Russian applicants: two events will be held in Moscow during next week:

March 5th: The QS World MBA Tour

March 6th: MBA & Women: Price of Success

Spring is coming!

No Big News Yet

2007-02-19T10:03:00.000+03:00

Some statistics: I've got about 20 applicants' blogs in my Favourites. The most of them is idle for last one or two months. So, admission (and, unfortunately, rejection) does change lifestyles ;)) Alternatively, it's avitaminotic hibernation all around the globe these days.

The update: my interview with alumnus of Columbia went pretty smooth. The gentleman was extremely nice; we talked at length (1 hour 20 minutes, unbelievable). He started by asking me if I can describe my individuality in a few words, and we wandered into philosophical discussion about the nature of emotions and attitudes towards events around us. In the field of Why MBA, Why Columbia he had a number of very specific questions, such as description of my present extracurriculars (he wrote down the link to online forum I participate in) and list of schools I am applying to at the moment. I put myself into embarrassment by calling Wharton and Chicago "top notch schools" which, I was afraid, could touch his nerves like I wasn't considering Columbia as a school among the best. That was sort of spilling the beans :)) but I hope that I definitely made my point that I will definitely attend if I am admitted. Overall, I mentioned from experience of other applicants worldwide that Columbia is very concerned about possible rejections of admission offers. Probably, it is a bad legacy of Early Decision round.

The interview was at February 15 (Thursday), and while there is no feedback from my interviewer yet, I expect to hear from the school in next two weeks. I'll keep you informed, guys :)

In A Rush...

2007-02-01T10:15:00.000+03:00

...to post that I've got an interview with Columbia. It's been three weeks since I submitted. Pretty fast, isn't it? :)

Details: I have 30 days to organize and complete an interview with an ambassador (alumnus) of the school in my area. I will be given a list of up to 9 ambassadors to choose between, based on who's available. And there is even an option to request an interview waiver, if I can substantiate why I need it ;) Which I will not do - I will be very glad to meet an alumnus and talk with him or her about the school at length.

I Think I'm Done

2007-01-31T12:01:00.000+03:00

Tonight is the deadline in Haas (Berkeley) - the last American business school I considered for this year. And my decision is that I am not applying. I also decided to keep HEC and LBS for next year and to finalize my application process for class 2009. So, it is only Columbia and Darden now.

The decision was taken under influence of changes in my work and private life. I am becoming really involved in my job this time, which is really a news compared to routine of previous two or three years. The risks I took when accepted a job offer from a company of different industry and scale (fashion retail start-up vs. multinational consulting giants which populated my CV for last 5 years or so) paid back by means of truly cheerful atmosphere. My new boss is a young lady, the team made a point of calling her "dear chief" or "bossy boss", a lot of fun ;) She suggested me working in pair in her future projects, and I feel like I enjoy the offer, as she is used to work in international assignments and that's exactly the next step I was looking for after MBA.
Just to top, there are some positive changes outside work, too... Life is full of wonders :)

I planned to start the new year in my blog by listing memorable things that happened with me in 2006. My first trip to Asia, New Year's Eve in Mumbai, whole year spent without falling in love (somehow, it reminds me of Bridget Jones), guerilla warfare at work, my first interview for a glossy magazine, finishing my postgraduate, changing the industry, passing GMAT, starting a blog... It turned to be such a challenge, to recall every meaningful event :) And to list promises of 2007 - family reunion, first time in 20 years celebrating New Year together, new love... Girl is enjoying the momentum.

Small update

2007-01-23T12:01:00.000+03:00

My Columbia and Darden applications both went under review. That's all news for today :)

And Stanford Too :)

2007-01-19T09:48:00.000+03:00

It's ding in Stanford too, no surprise. They did not send an email notifying about changes in my status, but I checked my application and found a letter from infamous Derrick Bolton. It was a nice letter that underlined several times that applicants cannot control the process and must realize this fact and stay confident about their personality and achievements and not overanalyze the outcome of application. Well, Stanford really put it in nice words :)

As I was looking in my inbox for an email notification about status change, I found a note from Darden introducing to me the European recruitment coordinator / Associate Director of Admissions who, as I understand, will be my personal contact during review of my application :) Good news.

HBS So Stingy For Surprises

2007-01-18T09:39:00.000+03:00

Not to keep the news for long, it's ding of course. I didn't give up hope for good news (interview invitation) from Harvard till the decision date, and I still keep my fingers crossed for Stanford, but it's rather not hanging my head than really waiting for admission falling on my head right from the sky.

I am seconding KorAl, who said in his blog that his HBS application was the rawest one. It's the same in my case. Unfortunately, I must say that all four my applications in R1 were raw :) Only after I met an interviewer, I understood how I should deliver my goals in Why MBA. The best advice I can give to new applicants: do try mock interview, especially if you are familiar with an MBA alumnus. Don't be shy, as I was. You just have to talk your Why MBA over with somebody, to see his or her reaction and hear his or her questions. With someone who is able to criticize you and let you know when you are nothing else but pathetic. In this way you wouldn't write such a dull essay as I did for H/S/W/Ch :)

Though I am applying in several schools in R2, I have already made my mind about the list of schools I will try next year if I am not successful this time. I will definitely try to conquer Harvard and Stanford again :) It's just a shame to leave it as is because of one essay I totally blew off :)

P.S. Still, isn't it strange that, despite promises, there is no evidence of Harvard sending last minute interview invitations?

The Game Is Continued

2007-01-12T15:19:00.000+03:00

I am alive :) And I am again in the application game. It was easy to finalize application to Columbia, because I started it way back in October, and now I expect my application to go under review before Jan 29.

I was in serious doubts about whether I have the courage to try any other school this year. Vacation in Paris inspired me to research business schools in France, and I actually filled in the first part of application in HEC. The school provides brief evaluation to each candidate who submitted the first part of application, and so I decided to give it a try. But as I considered whether I should submit the rest before January deadline, I started realizing that I felt really uncomfortable about low position of HEC in rankings of business schools. I tried to figure out why that aspect really matters to me, and understood that I was just looking for excuses because wasn't ready to apply to safety schools this year (under safety I do not mean HEC in particular, but any school in general for which I do not feel 100% enthusiastic).

I took the list of schools I was still interested in and revised it on the basis of the said realization. Finally, I was left with two very different options: Darden and LBS. I had not considered Europe when I picked schools for R1; if I would - LBS would definitely be my choice. As for Darden, it's the school that I really like (as much as I can like places I haven't been to). It's the case when you can list many pros, and none of these pros will make a school unique, but still you would love it in the whole. So, the news is that I applied to Darden :) I am ashamed to admit that I was nervous about that decision till the last minute, and refrained from hitting the button till a few hours before deadline, because of arrogance: I was refraining from making a first step aside from "the top". I was telling myself that I should save money for next year instead of throwing it on more schools this time, but in the end I imagined my reaction if I get admission... and again, I clearly realized that I would be happy, and there is no doubt I would accept it.

Recommenders told me that Darden asks a tricky question about the way I would spend my day at work if I could do only things I enjoy. That was a difficult question for my former supervisor, the one from job I had in 2003-2005. Time goes by, he is in finance, I am in corporate management, and he can only imagine my current duties :) It was a challenge.

I failed to submit application in LBS this time, because the school requests official transcripts to be sent by courier mail, and I did not have translation available before January deadline. The next deadline is February 23. I am taking a short break before I will finalize my pack.

And at last, I would like to ask my fellow bloggers to tell me your opinion about Haas (Berkeley). I cannot eliminate this school from my thoughts yet because I again and again imagine living in California and studying in a school supported by such an impressive academic institution (do you hear echo of Stanford here? :) Has anybody toured this school? What's your general impression?

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-25T14:51:00.000+03:00

I missed an opportunity to wish everybody Merry Christmas, but it's not late to say Happy Holidays! :) Have a good time and make wishes for next year :) For many of us, applicants, this new year will bring great changes - new location, new friends, recruiting rush and so on. Let it be a productive year. And to others, who won't win a place in business schools, I wish that in the new year life will confirm to you that it is great, in school or not :) I wish everybody all the best.

I had rather untraditional Christmas Eve in the Cabaret Lido. Rather puritanical show in my modest Russian opinion :)) Paris is Paris - it takes your anxieties away the very second you step on its streets. I love this city. If not for climate (I suffer from dank European winters), I would love to live here. Probably, it was my wish to settle in a place like Paris that catalyzed my decision to apply for MBA. That's the ways through which life brings us to its new stages.

Denied Admission to Chicago

2006-12-20T18:26:00.001+03:00

So, the answer is 'no'. Of course, I feel very sorry - sorry of missing this great opportunity to get in one class with people whom I've got used to through blogs :) Congratulations to you all, guys and girls - Alex, Iday, Juggler! I am looking forward to hearing good news from those who have not updated their blogs yet :)

When I received denial from Wharton, I said: well, I have four schools to get all possible options of feedback - DWI, denied after interview, WL and, finally, accepted ;) Two options are realized. Some area for optimism! :)

Chicago Releases Admission Decisions

2006-12-19T12:00:00.000+03:00

Chicago has started making admission calls on December 18th. Best luck to everybody!

Representative of GSB reported in BW forum that status of applications online will be updated at 9:00 am CST on December 20th. Adcom will keep trying to reach all admitted applicants by phone till the end of the same day.

One Week Before Vacation

2006-12-16T11:49:00.000+03:00

Next Saturday I am leaving for my Christmas vacation that will smoothly turn into winter holidays. No matter what news will arrive from Chicago, it's great I will learn it right before leaving, as I am going to use vacation time to relax and temporarily forget about all kinds of unsettled questions. I will spend Christmas in Paris, and I believe that the city won't let me stay upset, whatever happens :)

Applicants to Stanford and Harvard who has not received interview yet: don't lose hope, leave it for January ;) People keep getting invitations. One important factor to consider: these two schools have R1 decision after R2 application deadline, and it is believed that they use two weeks of intersection to compare batches of R1 and R2. Which definitely means that there will be interview invitations in January, it happened every year before. Come on, why give up, is there anything you can do about it before final deadline? :)

Off topic: a famous Russian business news agency recently published online an article that referred to Financial Times ratings of MBA schools. There were several points in the article that I found very funny: the author said that there are so many applicants, that many top schools, such as Harvard and Wharton (which she spelled in Russian as [varton]), currently admit people only for classes to start in 2009-2010. Obviously, the ground of mistake is that the author was confused by the fact that many schools call their future classes per year of graduation, not matriculation. I sent her a note pointing at this funny error, and you guess what :) Her reply was sort of 'ha-ha, caught ya' - she said that even if 2009-2010 is year of graduation, it means that schools admit for 2008 at earliest. So, she did not even know that duration of MBA classes in USA is two years.
The weird thing is that length of my service in MBA marathon is as short as five months... I knew almost nothing about business schools before I went to take GMAT preparation class this summer. And now it feels like I know the process inside out. We are all MABs now - Masters in Application to Business Schools ;)

Stanford delivers interview invitations to R1 applicants from Russia

2006-12-10T13:17:00.000+03:00

Two days ago a Russian applicant posted news on BW forum that he'd got interview invitation from Stanford. His stats:

25 y.o. / GMAT 740 / Employed in Internet business

He is the only one I have heard of, but I assume it marks the beginning of Stanford R1 interview season in Russia :) Good luck to everybody.

Update
Stanford's newsletter of December:
Q: I've heard that Round One interview invitations have already gone
out. Does that mean I won't receive one?
A: It is true that we have sent many interview invitations already, but we
still have many invitations to extend for Round One applicants. We send
interview invitations after a thorough evaluation of your application. For Round One, we anticipate extending invitations through early January 2007.

Another Week Passed

2006-12-08T19:46:00.000+03:00

Time goes by :) New Year is forthcoming. News of this week:

Congratulations to MBABlogger with admission to Darden! Hurray!

It must be a wonderful moment - to receive the first admission :) I don't know if it will happen with me this time, but I am looking forward to learning this feeling, when you get a phone call from an Adcom telling you that The School Wants You :)

This week was full of doubts. Suddenly, I started recalling things I wrote in my essays, and the more I think about what I said, the more I question myself, did I use the room to express myself at full? I feel like now, two months after submission, I can write a book about what I am and what ideas I have for my present and future :)

This week I went for rock-climbing with my new colleagues. I have seen rock-climbing in movies, but it was my first time in a climbing gymnasium. I chose a track and started ascent, making long pauses to find a right support for my palms and feet, and at two meter height realized that my hands became so tired that I could not make a centimeter progress. I was hanging on a rope like a pear on a branch and whining "I'm gonna down!" :) My experienced friends said "Nope, you have to reach the summit first", but my reaction was "You either take me down or I jump on your heads" ;))

Disclaimer: 10 minutes later, after I was debriefed about my mistakes (such as taking too much time to decide about next step and not giving my hands any rest), I reached my first modest summit, and then repeated that personal achievement several times to get the feeling what this rock-climbing is about. But at that moment when I felt I could not make a single step forward and could only retreat, I caught myself on a thought: that's the case of facing a failure that verifies that I am just a feeble girl who cannot push herself to overcome her weaknesses. If I cannot climb a wall, can I be the one among many hundreds of applicants to be selected for a school like Harvard, for example? Very pathetic, but it helped me to conquer the next track. Something to describe in my applicant's memoirs, too ;)

Three Weeks Before Decision

2006-12-02T13:45:00.000+03:00

It's been another quiet week in R1 applicants' life. In the meantime, guys, it's December! R2 deadlines are coming! :) After early denials in Chicago and Wharton, many applicants return to considerations of applying to safety schools in R2. In my case, I cannot say I am thinking about safety options, but still my R1 pack was a small one and there are several schools beside S-W-H that I am interested in. Returned to thoughts about Europe. I just checked information for applicants in LBS and was surprised to learn that only one recommendation comes from a supervisor, while second is requested from academic fields. That's good news for me, because I feel uncomfortable about asking a supervisor from my 2 years ago job about a recommending favour second time. I guess it's a major problem for all applicants who consider applying in two rounds in a row - chasing recommenders to do their job for a second time.

My cordial congratulations go this week to Kor Al and ScareCrow, who received their first admission decisions from, respectively, Columbia and Cornell. Great news! I wish you that it's just a start! :) Don't stop blogging, we're waiting for more news!

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

2006-11-24T14:04:00.000+03:00

It's been a very calm week in applicants' blogs. It looks like people relax after DWI deadlines in Chicago and Wharton, and, while Stanford and Harvard have started spreading interviews, it looks like it's too early to become anxious about silence from these two schools.

I followed a new tradition founded by some fellow applicants and fell ill. Concentration on health helps to cheat with waiting a bit. Wonderful news came from Chicago. I cannot express how much responsive they turned to be. The Adcom reacted on interview feedback from me and let me understand that my voice was heard and nothing terrible happened.

More news on personal front: I've got a job offer yesterday. If I will get better by weekend, Monday will be my first day in a new office. As I always suspected, application to MBA starts to influence one's life even before an admission decision. After entrusting thoughts about my life and work to paper in my essays and critically reviewing my resume, I started to see rationality and prospects in opportunities that I didn't notice before. I am very glad about the offer I received. If I had to prove the logic of this career move to a business school (and I hope I will have to, if I will have new interview invitations), it would perfectly suit the goals I set in my essays.

I hope everybody had happy Thanksgiving Day, and wish everybody nice weekend :)

Come What May :)

2006-11-19T12:31:00.000+03:00

I took a small break for two days to drift away a bit. I was not happy with my first (and second, and third ;) reaction to my interview with Chicago, because I didn't expect myself to become so affected and possessed with the idea of admission. I always try to comfort every fellow applicant in difficult situations, saying that admission is just a small bite of a lucky pie, there are so many great experiences ahead, don't worry if your short-term goal = admission gives you pains, because you never know what waits for you round the corner. It's a shame that I took a single failure - bad interview experience with yet unknown outcome - so close to my heart. Weren't there events in my life that were worse? :) I think I was very girlish in my reactions. In fact, that's a real test - will I be capable of dealing with difficulties, especially in communication with other people, as a student of a business school in a foreign country far from my friends and people who care about me? Will I overreact every time when there is somebody who doesn't like me, doesn't care or, perhaps, just plays a "bad policeman"?

I think I will be unfair to my interviewer if I will keep returning to that meeting and guessing what happened and why. He is an experienced person, not a monster after all, and I am what I am - a candidate. Of course he could meet many candidates better than me in some aspects, but I think that my CV is worth it to say that I am definitely not the worst candidate for admission :) My background is in my application, and my goals and concerns are in my essays, and the school has already scanned me through before inviting for an interview. So, let it be a life lesson and a base to prepare for future interviews, if any ;) And who can say now, what will happen with my application to Chicago? :) December, 20th is just a month away.

Touchy-Feely

2006-11-17T20:24:00.000+03:00

Guys, if you wanted to say your sorry for me being dinged in Wharton, I hope you saved it for now, because it's the time when I really feel dinged. I had a horrible interview experience tonight. I cried all my way home from the office of Chicago's alumnus (girlish protective reaction).

There is not much of any constructive feedback on interview procedure to report here. The only relevant question popped up tonight was why people like me dare to apply. My resume was reduced into "worked in the middle of nowhere doing things I don't understand", desirable concentration - into "not interested in IB and consulting = wasted her career and my time". No questions about my activities, what matters, how I deal with things and situations. Not a word about finding my candidacy worth a report. And a great fat bonus: "hey, I know your boss, will check with him your CV". Oh, but it's LOVELY, sure thing, go straight ahead!

A bit hysterical at the moment, you see. Frankly, guys, I will live with it, every experience has its value, I only wonder - any advice in my situation? Or I should better forget about Chicago right now?

Ding-Ding

2006-11-16T22:51:00.000+03:00

I expected jingle bells from Wharton to ring right before Christmas, but the school was proactive and sent me a surprise-inside letter a full month in advance. Dinged without interviewing. Well, I can speculate whether I deserve it (who knows?), but honestly, it is quite fair - I don't love this school, why it should love me? :) If they really can read between lines, they should guess. And they probably did.

Now I am even happier with news from Chicago, because I wanted to hear a final decision from at least one school before New Year, and now it will be Chicago :) [Correction: I mean, regular, well reviewed final decision ;)))]

P.S. These two days were horrible for many applicants of Chicago and Wharton, getting bad news after long waiting. I wish everybody good rest this weekend. Guys, girls, take it easy. Schemes of fortune are inscrutable :) Remember that we are the champions!

P.P.S. For some unknown technical reason, recently I experience problems with opening comment windows in some beta blogs. I literally cannot post any comments, while in regular blogs everything is fine. Hobbes, man, I am with you at this moment, you will make it to the best school. Guys who got great news this week, congratulations.

Chicago Brings Decision Deadline Forward

2006-11-15T23:51:00.000+03:00

News in short: Chicago announced that final decisions in Round 1 will be delivered on December, 20.

D-Day in Chicago and news from my FORMER job

2006-11-15T15:47:00.000+03:00

It's midterm decision day in Chicago, and I wish my fellow applicants best luck. Hope everybody received interview invitations. I cross my fingers for you.

Uniqpath discovered that Stanford started delivering interview invitations. Good news! Hope we all hear from the school soon :)

Now, about my job :) Yeap, finally, I can call it my former job. After certain suffering I discovered that I have guts to confront my employer in the open, and it resulted in him offering me a conciliatory agreement with considerable compensation for discontinuance of labor agreement. An amount in question is sufficient to start up a small business and subsidize my relocation in case of admission to a business school. In the same day, I received three invitations for job interviews in different companies, including one for a contract in South America. At the moment, I plan to spend the rest of year in traveling, and must say that I could not imagine happier dissolution of my trouble at work :)

Harvard Turns to Internationals?

2006-11-13T17:39:00.000+03:00

Two international applicants, Indian and Brazilian, reported invitations to interviews to Harvard in Admissions411. The timeline corresponds with that of the previous year. International applicants to Harvard can cross their fingers and start checking mailboxes every day :)

Status Change in Stanford

2006-11-13T11:41:00.000+03:00

I did not expect any status changes in Stanford, assuming that my application will stay "complete" up to the decision deadline, as it should be in Harvard. But surprise! It changed to "Your application is complete and currently under review." This is really lovely. I knew that Stanford starts delivering interview invitations not earlier than late November, and did not expect any news, so, the surprise was pleasant. Just an assumption based on timelines of previous years, I expect that Stanford will keep reviewing applications for one or two more weeks before the school will start spreading interviews.

Meanwhile, I expect certain changes in my professional life, but official announcement will come in its time :)

P.S. I wonder, for what reason did I switch to Blogger beta? No difference at all, except for necessity of additional logging into Yahoo account. Where is the hidden prize elephant? :)

Requesting to replace interviewer :)

2006-11-08T16:01:00.000+03:00

I decided to contact GSB to ask for interviewer replacement. His secretary contacted me today to notify that the alumnus assigned by the school is too busy to meet me, despite the fact that we already confirmed the meeting in my application online. She suggested "calling some time next week to check if he will be available" and pinched me again for disturbing such a busy person with my silly business ;)

I hope-hope-hope that this ridiculous situation will not ruin GSB's impression on my application. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

P.S. No news from Wharton.

Background Verification

2006-11-07T15:19:00.000+03:00

I don't know about you, guys, but I have been wondering for long about how the schools in USA verify things that international applicants say about themselves. Do they simply pick up the receiver and phone HR departments of a company somewhere in Russia, Vietnam, Argentina etc. to ask whether Mr Smith is indeed employed and in which role? If so, how do they cope with language barrier?

Yesterday I visited an info session held by a representative of Columbia Business School and asked the question. The answer is pretty simple: the school uses background verification services. Columbia, in particular, uses Kroll. Marina provided some details of the process.

Cooling experience of scheduling an interview

2006-11-07T12:47:00.000+03:00

My high-ranked interviewer got his secretary to call me to arrange a meeting. A secretary. She started with suggesting a time that was out of question for many reasons - not during lunch, but in the middle of office hours, saying that Her Boss is a Very Busy Person. When I asked about evening hours, she recoiled with a cold response about her not finding it convenient to ask her boss about opportunities outside working hours - which showed that, very likely, she has no idea about the background of this meeting. And that the interviewer did not read my letter (or did not pay attention?) We agreed on a compromising time, and now I wonder, should I confirm the meeting in my application or wait till I have any confirmation note from the interviewer himself...

Not to complain, but I did not expect to force my way through an unkindly secretary. Is it a sort of trial of my persuasive/communicative skills? :)

No matter, it will be great to have my first interview!

Received Invitation from Chicago

2006-11-04T15:50:00.000+03:00

Almost jumped out of my pants, of course :) It's so much fun to go through application process for a first time!

I checked the Admissions411.com to review progress of applicants to Harvard and discovered that number of interview invitations gradually grows. Maybe just a wild guess, but it looks like only Americans get invitations at this moment of time, which probably means that invitations are spread by hubs.

It's national holiday in Russia, till Tuesday, and I assume that my interview with Chicago alumnus will take place not earlier than in the end of oncoming week. Time to brush suit and polish boots :)

Important Dates In Chicago

2006-11-01T10:09:00.000+03:00

Chicago announced important dates for R1 applicants.

The Admissions Committee will begin to release interview invitations on
Wednesday, November 1st, and will continue this process through Wednesday,
November 15th. By November 15, 2006 all applicants not invited to
interview will receive notification via the online application system that they
have been denied admission to Chicago GSB for the Class of 2009.
If you are invited to interview you must complete your interview no later than Monday
December 4, 2006.

It's just two more weeks! :)

Chicago Status Upgraded

2006-10-27T10:24:00.000+04:00

Application to Chicago checked - status Complete.

Wharton Status Upgraded

2006-10-26T09:47:00.000+04:00

Tonight my application status in Wharton was upgraded to Complete - Round 1. People in the Wharton S2S Forum started getting interview invitations. Good luck to everybody :)

Stanford Done

2006-10-25T09:51:00.000+04:00

Submitted my application to Stanford in the morning. Kept it for the last minute, got up at 5 am to make final strokes and discovered that I FORGOT about one of smaller essays. Yes, I mean it. I forgot about existence of this question, completely, and had to write it from zero :) People, don't repeat my mistakes ;)

Nevertheless, about 2,5 hours later I was ready to submit. Overall, it looks like Stanford's is my best set, with the nicest essays ever.
Invitations for interview will be distributed until one week prior to decision deadline (R1 - January 18).

Now, guys, to news about application process, specifically for Stanford. In submission follow-up I received a letter with two points that caught my attention.

1. The Adcom says:

We hope to interview between 800 and 1,200 applicants this year, and offer
admission to between 400 and 500 candidates.

I wonder, does it mean that the school is ready to enlarge the class? Or this number corresponds to usual statistics, taking into account number of people declining matriculation for some reason?

2. Stanford encourages potential students to apply for financial aid as soon as possible after submitting applications. You don't have to wait till you learn the decision.

Processing fee for financial aid application for international students is US$23. A copy (and translation, not certified) of a tax return report is requested. either recent or for 2005. It is not mandatory, though. My note to Russian applicants: tax return report may be obtained from your employer: ask for reference form "2NDFL".

*****
Stanford's is my forth application, which completes my list for Round 1. As always, good luck to all fellow applicants :)

Russian Applicants

2006-10-24T14:16:00.000+04:00

I was glad to notice that two fellow Russians joined me in Admissions411 lists of applicants for Class 2009 :) Go Russia!

I am working idly on my last essay for Stanford. Gonna submit my application tonight... Very crazy lazy lately :)

Tell us about a time when you did something that was not established, expected, or popular

2006-10-20T16:45:00.000+04:00

Title is taken from Stanford's list of essays. The following is not a draft for my application ;) but some melancholic variations on the theme.

There were about 20 people forced to retire from my company this summer, and about 10 more are waiting for their turn. Right now the target on the agenda of the day is me. How would you feel if you are under constant pressure to sign cancellation of your labour contract on your initiative because an employer is cutting wages and suddenly decided that he does not want you anymore? What if you are facing disciplinary punishment based on counterfeited grounds in order for an employer to use the only available legal option to dismiss you? Probably, you are feeling like you have no choice and should better leave before your reputation is marked with a labour dispute. The next moment, out of the frying pan into the fire, you think that whatever is going to happen, you will fight back. You spend your valuable time reading legal regulations to learn your rights and jump high in histeria each time there is a new message in your mailbox, because the last one was from venal HR manager, full of poison, telling you that starting from this moment you are not allowed to leave your workplace during office hours even for a lunch.

But you are not soft enough to give up and sign your leaving notice. Or, maybe, you are not flexible enough, as your colleagues, who already packed their things, say about you behind your back. You feel bedraggled. And lonely. Unsafe as never before. And not confident, because you ask youself - why I am the only one who is foolishly trying to oppose?

You ARE feeling like you are doing something non-established and painfully unpopular. There is nobody ahead of you to pave the way.

***
Ok, I think, it's a bit pathetic :) I just had to write this down because this is how I feel at the moment. Psychotherapy for myself.
How comes that a prospective MBA student got in such a mud up to her neck?!

Things To Do While Waiting

2006-10-19T12:03:00.000+04:00

With the end of Round 1, more and more bloggers transit from pre-application rush into after-application suspense. There is a list of things to do While You Wait:

- Design and prepare/order presents for your recommenders, exam tuitors and other people who played significant part in your application process;
- Create a blog for future applicants to systematize all the useful info you got;
- Start designing a trip of your dream that you would probably take between leaving your job and starting classes;
- Prepare official transcripts, if you haven't done it before;
- Use the rage you accummulated during preparation to GMAT to conquer any certification or examination in your professional field, if any; if there is no such opportunity, do GMAT tuition to local applicants :)

+ Make yourself a Christmas present: embroider the emblem of your dream school(s) :))) No gal talk: seriously, do you know, that among cross-stitchers, each 1 of 3 is man? Stitching is a great way of relaxation.

Add your suggestions to my list :)

Chicago Done

2006-10-18T09:57:00.000+04:00

After some struggle, I succeeded in submitting my app to Chicago GSB. Based on local time, I guess that overnight troubles with accessing payment system were due to large number of applicants trying to submit from USA.

There were minor troubles this morning, such as with essays - file upload button did not work, but there was an opportunity to upload the text right into a text field on screen.

Chicago application looks good on paper :)

Problems with application form in Chicago

2006-10-18T00:22:00.000+04:00

I am caught in a last minute trap. Cannot submit my application payment - payment interface fails.

It's past midnight in Moscow. Nasty situation. If there is no help in next 20 minutes, I am going to bed and will give a try tomorrow, in the deadline day.

Beware of Columbia Academic Transcripts

2006-10-17T17:44:00.000+04:00

Prepare to spend more time on your transcripts for application to Columbia than you had for those to other schools. In a regular self-reported transcript, an applicant has freedom to copy&paste subjects from his or her diplomas right into an Excel form. In Columbia, you have to choose a corresponding Department from a given list, for each course in each term. It can by tricky (which department is Ancient Mythology? What about History of Science? And I actually had to assume that Physical Training is a General Study :)

Don't leave it for the last moment.

Trigger Sentence

2006-10-17T15:21:00.000+04:00

In some funny way, sometimes you cannot kick a key and start an essay for days in a row till you run into an original, captivating sentence that makes a really good preamble. I call such a preamble a "trigger" (borrowed the invention of someone else ;) A good, self-explaining word in many ways. It triggers you to pour all your thoughts out on paper in one mighty stream after many hours of painful silence and triggers your reader to follow you right out to the last detail.

My first ever realization of what a trigger sentence means came from reading a sample essay published by current student of Wharton&SAIS, Alex Fleming. Check it here:

A sample essay by Alex Fleming

In terms of capturing attention, an essay written by qzoink, found in Hobbes' blog, is the best piece of applicant's literature I have ever read:

An essay by qzoink

Enjoy! :)
P.S. This topic is written instead of completing my current application essay...

Wharton Timeline

2006-10-13T12:02:00.000+04:00

Wharton posted a topic confirming the end of R1. Important dates listed in the post:

Thursday, 26 October: by this day, all received applications will be processed and, if all the requested materials are present, be assigned "Complete - Round One" status
Thursday, 16 November 06: up to this date, the AdCom will spread interview invitations. Applicants who will not be considered further, will receive a denial on this date.

"The Admissions Committee will begin releasing interview invitations on
Thursday, 19 October 06 and continue to do so daily until 5:00pm EST on
Thursday, 16 November 06. Due to the nature and complexity of the
admissions process, there is no particular order in which invitations are
released.
...
Candidates who are offered an interview will receive their final admissions
decision by 5:00pm EST on Thursday, 21 December 06."

Some statistics for applicants from Russia

2006-10-12T12:44:00.001+04:00

A resource to compare your application to those of other people applying for the same class (plus, list of blogs of both admitted and dinged):

Admissions411

The link was found in commens to ScareCrow's blog.

Archive for Russian applicants for Class 2008:
Queen (f): GMAT 770 (5 tries), 34 years old, GPA 4.0, diploma with honors, 18 scientific publications, 8 years of experience - applied to Chicago, accepted.

eandrey1 (m): GMAT 720 (1 try), 29 years old, GPA 3.6, background in IT and entrepreneurship, 6+ years of experience - applied to Columbia in R1, Wharton, Stern, Kellogg and LBS in R2, accepted in Wharton and Stern, waitlisted in LBS, matriculated in Wharton.

Underhill (m): GMAT 710 (1 try), 24 years old, GPA 3.9, background in consulting, 3+ years of
experience - applied in INSEAD in 2005, accepted, refrained. Applied in Harvard in 2006, accepted and matriculated.

KAnd (m): GMAT 700 (3 tries), 30 yearls old, GPA n/a, background in manufacturing, 7+ years of experience - applied in Chicago in R1, waitlisted, in Darden and Michigan in R2, waitlisted in Darden, then admitted to all three schools. Matriculated in Chicago.

Unknown: GMAT 660, 27 years old, GPA 4.0 - applied in Michigan, accepted.

zzeee (m): GMAT 640 (2 tries), 25 years old, GPA n/a, CEO, 6+ years of experience - applied in Stanford in R1, dinged, in Wharton and Chicago in R2, dinged by Wharton, status in Chicago n/a

All kind of outcomes.

Grade obsession

2006-10-12T12:06:00.000+04:00

I came across an article that would be interesting to applicants of any school which uses Grade Non-Disclosure principle. It illustrates situation in Wharton, though no offence intended. Have a look, it's worth your attention.

First-year alarmed, distracted, and disappointed over grade-obsession

Oops, I did it again (Applicant's Song)

2006-10-12T02:50:00.000+04:00

I hit the button in Wharton. Despite certain lack of motivation (no Really Personal Reason Why Wharton) :) Why not, if my recommenders did such a great job to present me to the school? :) The last one of my recommenders spent two days in a row in recommendation form elaborating his opinion on my sense of humor in 1,000 characters ;))) How could I let him down after all?

Decisions will be released at December, 21. Lovely date, two days before my Christmas vacation =) And hey, it's less than three months away!

Arrogant? Who?

2006-10-11T13:07:00.000+04:00

Yesterday I attended to an info session of Wharton. Usually I don't comment on my impressions, though in this particular message I can summarize that my single Stanford's session was lovely, with a fantastic, vivid representative of Adcom and an informative screen presentation, and Chicago's numerous sessions (GSB is the most active in Russia, to my observation) are always held in very friendly atmosphere because both alumni and current students are extremely devoted to the school.
I wouldn't write this topic if I wasn't very unpleasantly surprised with a speech made by Wharton's alumnus yesterday. When asked about advantages of Wharton against other top schools, the alumnus said literary the following: 'Among business schools, there are three Schools - Wharton, Harvard and Stanford - and all the rest. Harvard's students and alumni are arrogant, and Stanford's are very narrow-minded. Then, after the first 6-8 positions in rating, level of education in other schools swiftly degrades'. And sure thing, they in Wharton are a piece of cherry pie, who doubts... The guy himself was a typical milksop, no presentation skills, Very General Opinion about his Wharton Alma mater, not a single useful word about Why Wharton. Actually, why Wharton - he said that 'Business education is a frame; expect your study in Wharton to be sort of a vocational program in technical college'. Maybe I am subjective, sorry, guys, but I really did not expect an alumnus of one school say such stereotypic and rude things about other schools. I have waited for a session of Wharton for several months, as they are rare guests in Russia, and I am very disappointed with outcome.
The screen presentation was a copy of a brochure. The official representative of the school was friendly, though we were surprised to hear that in giving loans for tuition and living the school expects students to make a contribution of 10% ($6-7K+ a year) BECAUSE students must show how much they are ready to sacrifice for the honor of being admitted. I don't know if it is a common case for all schools, but others at least did not put it in words like that!
The second present alumnus, an expatriate living in Russia after graduation from Wharton-Lauder program, was a lovely gentleman. If I can say something good about the session, it is that that gentleman's contribution was very informative. And that we were offered some snacks (irony implied).

AdMission Possible

2006-10-10T17:55:00.000+04:00

Guys, it's oh-my-God-I-did-it message :) I hit the button in application to Harvard. The admissions decision will be available on Wednesday, January 17th.
It was my first ever application to a business school. Three more applications will follow soon in next two weeks, but the first time is the first time! Guys, we are a club now :)

I would love to repeat this exciting experience of submitting my story to a school tomorrow, before Wharton's 1 round deadline, but there is some absurdity going on between me and one of my main recommenders. He has actually prepared the letter and everything, and even submitted his recs to two of my schools, including Harvard, but each time I remind him about Wharton, he caresses me with "Don't worry" and "I'm on my way to submit" stuff, but hey, it's one day before the deadline, what's going on? =7

Two of my main recommenders are submitting their opinions in form of letters. I've learnt from them that the schools actually ask for answers on certain questions, and who knows whether a letter, even a really big one, will substitute short, but precise answers? This question tickles my nerves. Let's see! Now, I am leaving to mark January 17th in my planner, hope to see you all soon in the club of successful "submitters" :)

MBA World Tour in Moscow

2006-10-01T13:14:00.000+04:00

The Wall Street Journal / Harris Interactive ranking's best schools at the MBA World Tour event in Moscow:

[international rank (USA rank)]

1 ESADE Business School
2 IMD (International Institute for Management Development)
5 Thunderbird-The Garvin School of International Management
6(4) Columbia Business School
11(5) Haas School of Business - UC Berkeley
12 IE (Instituto de Empresa)
13 York University, Schulich School of Business
15 IESE Business School
17(7) Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
18 INSEAD (Executive MBA only)
21 SDA Bocconi
22 University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management

Leaders of USA ranking:

1 University of Michigan, Ross School of Business
3 Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University
12 Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business

And a school which reputation, due to opinion of participating recruiters, is underestimated:

Washington University's John M. Olin School of Business

For the attention of Russian applicants

2006-09-29T10:39:00.000+04:00

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

An outline

2006-09-28T19:06:00.000+04:00

My news in short:

My first recommender submitted his letters to Stanford and Wharton and will very likely submit recommendations to Chicago and Harvard tomorrow. I still have to check that my second main recommender and my colleague (the third recommender for Stanford and Harvard) are making it in time;
I am swamped with avalanche of letters from Canadian and European business schools arriving in Moscow in next two weeks for MBA Access and MBA World Tour events. The schools organize brief info sessions and tete-a-tete interviews;
I have reorganized the outline of my application strategy. I will limit the list of my first choice schools by three names: Stanford, Wharton and Chicago. Instead of hurrying up with Kellogg, I am going to challenge Harvard in Round 1. I am not ready with Kellogg, and still I will try to be in time, but now I am comfortable about keeping Kellogg for Round 2. After info sessions with Chicago and Stanford I am confident that these two schools together with Wharton are my targets. A pity I have no Wharton people around to learn about their first-hand experience, but for me Wharton is #1 and needs no apologetics. P.S. Why Harvard, all of a sudden? Mechanically :) The school is so apart from others that challenging it is sort of making a wild shot - if I am lucky, I will be glad about trying, if I am not - I will not feel sorry even for a second.

My deadlines:

October 11: Harvard
October 12: Wharton
October 18: Chicago
October 25: Stanford

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 :)

Bad mood - more rage

2006-09-23T15:03:00.000+04:00

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 :)

I'm loving it

2006-09-20T17:32:00.000+04:00

My news in brief:

Reception hosted by two current students of Chicago GSB in Moscow this Monday was very nice. I must confess that by now I had a chance to attend to info sessions of only two schools - Chicago and Columbia (Stanford will be added to the list tomorrow), and there is not enough ground to make a rating, but alumni and students of Chicago really "burn": they are so positive about their experience in the school that can encourage anybody. In my original list of five schools to apply to, Chicago was on the modest fifth place ;) But only till a fresh alumnus of the class 2006 hosted an info session and described all the cookies Chicago can offer. P.S. I would also like to add that, in my opinion, essays of Chicago are the most creative. P.P.S. Well, Stanford's "what matters" is a lot of fun, too.
I am enamoured of application process. I took one or two brief looks at Harvard's site and today decided to add the school to my list :) If I will be in time to apply to five schools, the sixth one will not kill me, right? :) Harvard has a small hidden question that can puzzle an applicant and should not be left for the last moment: "In what context are you currently reading, writing, and speaking English? (250 symbols for each skill)".
Kellogg stuck a knife under my rib: it's the only school in my list that requests academic transcripts to be delivered by courier mail instead of online submission. It's OUCH. Fortunately or not, submission of The Academic Transcript Request Form "is strongly encouraged but not required", which means that I won't ruin my application completely if will not waste another week on visiting 2 schools in order to get the Forms signed and sealed. Still, I will have to waste some time to mail the transcripts. Overall, this news is not good.
Now my target list consists of six schools (bad, bad unfocused girl). It means that I will have to request additional score reports. Btw, Harvard accepts IELTS as an option to TOEFL.
Last week GMAC accidentally spread notifications about availability of AWA results among those applicants who passed the test in early September. I was dancing all over the provided link, but could not get through. Today I was informed that notifications were sent by mistake and results will be available next week. False start :)
Online application system of Columbia still fights through technical imperfection. Content of previous series: in August I could create new accounts, as many as I wanted, but could not relogin after the first session. Since the beginning of September I can login to my application, but it's for January accelerated program, and whatever I do, I cannot switch to regular one. Funny. Good that Columbia has rolling process.
My second recommender is on vacation again. Luckily for my nerves, this time I am on vacation myself, till next week. I hope that all my recommendations will be provided by the end of September.

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

Challenge? Oh yes, I have one...

2006-09-18T09:49:00.000+04:00

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?

TOEFL - done

2006-09-15T16:08:00.000+04:00

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

2006-09-15T16:05:00.000+04:00

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 :)

Wharton Application

2006-09-11T22:31:00.000+04:00

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.

Kellogg Online Application Form

2006-09-08T15:52:00.000+04:00

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.

Recommendation for Stanford? Ouch!!!

2006-09-04T14:23:00.000+04:00

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!

2006-09-04T14:13:00.000+04:00

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.

Admissions Events in Russia

2006-08-31T13:56:00.000+04:00

Chicago GSB:
18 Sept, Moscow (reception - alumni)
11 Sept, St.Petersburg (reception - alumni)
2 Oct, Moscow (official admissions info session)

Wharton: 10 Oct, Moscow (admissions info session)

Stanford: 16 Oct, Moscow (admissions info session)

Columbia Business School: 6 Nov, Moscow (reception: Senior Associate Director of Admissions Amanda Carlson and alumni)

MBA World Tour: 9 Oct, Moscow

Getting transcripts - don't leave it for the last moment

2006-08-31T11:58:00.000+04:00

A day ago I spent several hours in my first university (where I completed my undergraduate program three years ago) persuading the faculty to provide me with info requested by business schools. Things I had to get:
- The number of alumni of my class;
- The average and minimum GPA of my class;
- The breaking of all courses between terms, hours per course per term.
All these things are not provided in graduate certificates (the diploma) in Russia and can be obtained only from the faculty. GPAs are also not provided, but there is a list of all courses with final marks in each certificate.

As I said, I spent abot 2 hours in my university running between several departments. People played the famous game of passing the task to someone else :) In my search for a responsible person I made a full circle and finally received all answers in the faculty. "The answers" actually were a pile of copies of my classmates' certificates. So, don't expect your faculty to calculate all those dusty GPAs for you ;)

Humilating experience of TOEFL :)

2006-08-28T14:43:00.000+04:00

Last Saturday I made my next step towards admission - I took TOEFL iBT in Moscow. My scores will be available at September 15 or earlier... A present on my birthday :)

The test: if you have by chance passed IELTS (which is a standard requirement for educational institutes in the UK, Canada and Australia), the idea of iBT is alike. The same division into four sections (reading, listening, speaking and writing), with minor distinctions: there is no sentence correction in TOEFL, and, an aspect that is widely discussed between activists of these two examinations, speaking in TOEFL is not in front of a real person, but tete-a-tete with a computer (in IELTS an examinee has a short interview with an examiner).

More about speaking. I was all flustered up with the conditions. Designing new Internet-based exam, the ETS made a point that TOEFL will test the ability of an examinee to speak coherently in irritating circumstances close to those present in real life. Be serious about it! :) I expected that I would have to speak simultaneously with other examinees and the challenge would be in ignoring various noises and distractions. But really, it was much worse! All of examinees (there were about 10 of us) started at one time, and as I was very fast with my Reading and Listening, I started Speaking when other people had break. Which meant that as I was trembling all over trying to make as less mistakes as possible, to speak loud and with expression, 10 other people stood around with their headphones off, listening to my pathetic speach :))) Grrr! Horrible, horrible experience :)
Mind this when you plan your exam... maybe it is better to drag your Reading & Listening on till other people are finishing, so that during your Speaking everybody else is busy with his or her own business ;)

Pains

2006-08-25T13:19:00.000+04:00

What an international applicant should gain from his or her previous educators:

- Dates of terms, credit hours per term, credit hours per each course per term;
- Quantity of people in class, applicant's rank (rating) in class;
- Average GPA in class (everybody knows his or her own GPA, but how many people know GPAs of every classmate?);
- Contacts of a registrar (if there is no such person, which is a common case for Russia, contacts of the faculty representative will do).

An applicant may also be requested to put into application some details about his or her parents that may not be at hand:
- When parents attended to their colleges (years);
- Graduate majors of parents.

Costs

2006-08-25T11:55:00.000+04:00

Unavoidable:
GMAT - $250
TOEFL iBT - $155
Applications (to be paid) - from $200 to $250 for each

My investments:
Preparation for GMAT (courses) - $700

Paid to date: $1,105
To be paid: $1,000-1,500

Additional costs that may occur to international applicants:
- Books and courses for preparation for GMAT;
- The same for TOEFL;
- Official report of TOEFL results to schools in addition to first 4 ($17 per each additional school);
- Cost of campus visit(s);
- Dinners with your recommendees ;)

Weekly news

2006-08-24T18:01:00.000+04:00

News from top-X (select your own rating):

Applicants to Stanford and Chicago, say hurray - applications for the Fall 2007 are available online.

Note that there is an extra "essay" question hidden in the application to GSB:

"Describe significant study, employment or travel outside your home country. Why did you pursue your experience abroad? How long did you stay (include dates)? Did it enhance your foreign language skills?"

Very likely, the question is designed only for international applicants.
International applicants: note that Chicago likes to learn not only about your average GPA, but also about average GPA of your class (it is not a kind of information usuallyprovided in graduation certificates), so, be ready to contact your alma mater for these additional data.

Columbia BS published rolling application for the Fall 2007, but the service does not function properly yet. Once you register, the application is available as long as youdo not clear cookies. Once you clear, oups! you're in trouble: a password, not known to you, is generated in activation letter that you cannot get yet, and so you cannot get into your application till activation letters are spread. Don't clear cookies or wait till the service is in full power.

Introduction

2006-08-24T18:00:00.000+04:00

Hi All,

Let me introduce myself as Nat from Moscow. Glad to join a community of wannabe-MBA bloggers :)It's my first application - or my first five applications, as a matter of fact. My targets are the cream of business school ratings. Let's just say it's 5 schools in the 1 round.

What I have to date:
- GMAT: appointed at 09/02
- TOEFL: appointed at 08/26 (the day after tomorrow!)
- 2 of 5 applications complete, 2 of 5 are not published yet (see next posting for details)
- 3 recommendees: ready to make their input
- Transcripts from graduate and post-graduate programs requested, unofficial transcripts submitted
- Essays: 2 main and 2 optional complete, others (how many?.. 5 to 10) pending
I do not worry much about my GMAT. My expectation is 700, plus/minus 10. If I'm in this range, you will get a detailed report on my preparational steps :)

And the last - but not the least, of course - about myself: female, 26 y.o., Russian, graduate and post-graduate with honors, nice CV, passion for writing and travelling. I am looking forward to majoring in finance and international management. Hope to see you all in the same boat! :)