MBAJourney 2 - MBA Adcoms 2

It's even.
I started with an overwhelming 2 - 0 in my favor, but last Friday, in a lapsus of 3 hours, it was a draw. I received 2 dings: Wharton and MIT!
(By the way, I couldn´t post because I had very limited conectivity during a trip I had to do the last couple of days).

It was kind of a bummer the MIT ding. I believed it was a good application, and having interviewed with Wharton, I had the feeling that I would have the chance to interview with MIT! However, it did not happen.

Anyway, I am very happy that Chicago Booth and Kellogg had admitted me! And I look forward to getting to know the schools even better to make a decision! Furthermore, don't forget about Tuck!!

MIT submission, no news from Wharton nor Chicago

It's too much going on today!

First, after having a weekend of proof reading my Sloan essays, and adjusting minimal details (which I hope they give more bright to the essays!), I submitted Sloan's app. I will now call my recommenders to remind them that the deadline is over us!

Second, Chicago Booth is supposed to start sending inteview invites today! But i still didn't receive one. As with Wharton, I don't expect to be one of the first people who receive one. I will be happy if I receive one in the first days of november! Some guys in the Business week forum claim to have received an invitation. All the luck for them in the interviews!

And finally, Wharton's inteview invites are shining for their absence. They were supposed to be sent since October 22nd. Only one person in the Business Week forum claimed to have received one! (I'm getting adicted to that forum... I read that it could happen). However, it is kind of rare that almost no one in the internet received and invitation.

I believe the best thing is not to worry about this issues until November 7th... but it is VERY difficult!

Wharton interviews and uploading MIT materials

Just a notifier for those waiting for Wharton: Today the adcom was starting to send invitations to interviews! Of course, I haven't received one. I hope to receive one more close to the mid decision deadline, which is November 12.

Regarding Sloan, Today I will be uploading the transcripts. The essays are almost done, and my recommenders told the have started working. Hopefully everything will be ready by Monday!
Sloan allows you to upload many scanned transcripts file, which is great! Because I don't have to worry about the file sizes when appending new scanned pages. As I am an international applicant, I have to also scan the translations, which means I have to send double the number of scanned pages! But Sloan makes it easy for me :).

MIT essays weekend

We have only seven days to the Sloan deadline!
This weekend was a very productive one, in terms of the essays. I spent more than 18 hours writing the essays! I will now wait a couple of days to review them, to refresh my mind.

I feel much better writing the MIT essays, which reflects my past performance. Also, they are not asking to suck up to the school, as most of the others are.
Furthermore, I am happy I could meet the word limits in all of the essays! I still have to cut some words off from the cover letter.

Now I will start bugging my recommenders, because I think they haven't written anything yet!

MIT essays!

MIT's essays are very different from the other schools'!
As reviewers say, they look for your demonstrated leadership and all that MBA stuff in the past. Nothing about goals nor plans.
I went to an information session where the presenter said "we don't ask you for your goals, because we don't believe you!". Although it was a joke, it was kind of scary! However, I believe it is a correct approach. Although I would like a more direct way to demonstrate my fit and genuine interest in MIT Sloan.

If you would like to read some tips on MIT essays, take a look at this links:

• http://accepted.mbablogs.businessweek.com/archive/2009/06/10/rl04odaopt6c
• http://www.stacyblackman.com/2009/09/01/tuesday-tips-mit-sloan-essay-tips-2/
• http://www.vibranture.com/essay/sloan-mit-mba-essay-writing.htm
• http://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/06/28/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-sloan-essay-analysis-2009-2010/
• http://mbagameplan.wordpress.com/category/mit/

Hope they help!

My short list

I am a round 1 applicant for the following schools:

• Kellogg
• Chicago Booth 
• Wharton 
• MIT 
• Tuck (maybe)

As for today, all of the schools have something that really wake my attention.

For Kellogg, the community and collaborative philosophy. I went to an information session, and it was filled of alumni! They all conveyed this positive about their community.

I believe that Chicago Booth's academic rigor is definitely a plus. I see Chicago Booth graduates as highly intelligent and analytic people.

Wharton's rank says a lot of the school. Consistently ranked among the best three, it has a great reputation in many fields, specially finance. Big network.

MIT, for now, my favorite. I can't hide the engineer that is inside me!

Tuck. In addition to an excellent and intellectually demanding program, probably the best community and one of the most active networks. The only issue that doesn't convince me, is the little town. I want my significant other to capitalize the experience by studying or working. Living in Hanover imposes some limitations, although not completely.

So well... that is my short list. You may be asking about HBS and Stanford!! Those will go for 2nd round ;).