3 down!

With just over three hours to spare, I submitted my NYU application tonight, which closes up my Round 1 efforts. Next up is Chicago interview prep and Michigan essays. I hope to make a big dent into Michigan over the Thanksgiving holiday.

In running news, I aggravated my plantar fasciitis this past week so I haven't been running. Just lots of ibuprofen, stretching and icing my left foot while writing. Hope I get better or I may change my blog to mbalimpinggirl.

i've finally arrived!

So I'm a little bit of a dork, but I was really excited to merit a mention in Clear Admit's Friday on the Frontline. I've been reading the blog for months so I got a little giddy when I read it this morning.

My nose is to the grindstone as I work on my two NYU essays (standard essay one and a "how have you improved since last year" essay 4 for reapplicants) I am finding it difficult to simply refactor what I already have for these essays, but I am determined to get them done and good despite a nagging cough and an out of town wedding tomorrow.

Those of you who may be struggling with NYU's essay 3 (or even Chicago's ppt), think how you express yourself to your friends and family now. Without giving away what I did last year, I will say that I did not think it was that creative (though it was a tangible item that I sent in versus an essay) but it got the feedback "This is so you" from my close friends. This was exactly what I was going for (yay) Look for something that is truly representative of the awesomeness that is you - like your love of tennis, travel, basket weaving, and knitting tacky holiday sweaters. Good luck!

nail biting...

With only two applications out the door, I'm constantly checking my email in hopes of word from Columbia. I saw a former roommate at a wedding this weekend and she is a first year at CBS. She just got me even more stoked about the idea of going there. NYU is coming along slowly. I should make the November 15th date without a problem, but work has been manic and I come home drained.

I had lunch with a friend and co-worker yesterday. He is considering applying next year, but is very early in the game. No GMAT, no short-term, long-term goals - he just knows that he wants to be doing something else. It was great to coach him a little bit on how to determine his goals and how to approach the MBA application process. I'd like to think I've learned something in the last 18 months about applying to business school.

my dog hates application season

because he doesn't get quite as much play time as normal. With my roommate gone on a vacation, he just sits and watches me type away.

As of today, one week before the deadline, I put Michigan to Round 2. Now I can just breathe a little bit and can focus on NYU due November 15th.

some decisions...

I'm still on the research trail. I am putting feelers out for friends of friends who go to the business schools I'm adding to my application list. I like Duke and Michigan a lot so I am pretty sure about those which just leaves one more school for my list.

I think I'm going to attack my reapplications first: Columbia and Chicago. I also signed up for an MBA tour at the beginning of September and then I'll start my Duke and Michigan apps since I'll be better informed at this point. I'm still a bit indecisive on what schools I'm applying to for R1 and R2. Most likely it will be Columbia, Chicago, NYU and Ross R1, Duke and maybe one or two more programs R2.

On a more fun note, I'm planning on prepping for a half-marathon in January. It'll be a nice contrast to the hell that is applying to MBA programs and hopefully a stress reliever.

Feedback!

I had a feedback session last week with Columbia. Like what I heard from some others out there, it was mainly "you were great; we just had a really competitive year." About 10 minutes into the conversation, the admissions officer eventually said that while my transition to my post-MBA goal was believable and defined it would have been more elaborated especially compared to my peers. I was glad to hear that since it is feedback I can use and apply to my reapplication effort.

I'm still researching programs. The maybes include Tuck, Emory, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown, Haas, Michigan and Duke. I only want to apply to six (maybe seven) programs so with Columbia, Chicago and NYU, I only have room for 3 more. Next up, scouring school websites and finding people I know at the maybe schools.

starting off...

I've decided to join the MBA blogging community because I pity my friends and them having to listen to me discuss MBA admission, ad naseum.

I applied to four MBA programs last year and was rejected after interview from NYU, Columbia, Kellogg. I am actually still on the waitlist at Chicago, but as I am a optimistic realist I have begun preparations for re-applying for Fall 2008. I feel that I have learned a lot in my first application effort and I'm ready to start early and hard-core :)