APPLICANT BLUES

I am running late . I have so much to do before the end of next week. I still have to finish my second drafts of Michigan,MIT and Stanford. I have to finish my resume to day and request a Michigan Interview. I have already requested a Kellogg on-campus interview. I was weighing between Michigan and Kellogg for the on-campus interview and finally decided on Kellogg. Since i have been once waitlisted by Michigan - I presume i have a better chance this year to go through. But who knows?

I don't understand the lackadaisical attitude taken by Adcomms towards Indian applicants. It may be due to the fact that scores of applicants are from India so they don't have any dirth of good Indian applicants. I remember what Alex Brown told me once, as Whartonites we try to encourage the best to apply - if that is the case the adcomm members should be smart enough to figure out who is genuine and who is not. I am tired of getting the cold shoulder everywhere - in most of the info sessions. I posted the question to Sandy - why people don't hesitate to flame indian applicants? Is it because we are dime a dozen? Though I agree that people tend to get frustated with the same thread title - "What are my chances?" I am sure my fellow countrymen need to research more before posting or asking silly questions - No one in this world can predict your chances without seeing your entire application, whoever is telling anything is totally based on certain presumptions. I am sure that if i post i would get the same answer - H/W/S - Hell no !!! So, let's see if i can prove the entire world wrong who says that in order to get into H/W/S - you need a solid GMAT, a blue chip experience, blah blah blah !!!

As i have said before, we as Indians tend to forget that there is life outside numbers. "What is your GMAT score?" is not the right way to initiate a conversation. There is a person outside those numbers - GMAT and GPA only forms a part of the application. Don't expect that it would be a shoo-in with 4.0 and 780 - nope !! There are other more important factors - your career focus and performance, your personality, the essays, the interview, the recs, your extra-cirrucular and community activities and your leadership potential. So don't gloat that you have great stats or that you are from IIT - try to look inside yourself and I am sure you will have the right answers.

I remember sweating after reading the boards in 2001 - i had a GMAT score of 700. Everyone was saying that it would be impossible to get into good schools - "ohH!! you don't have the numbers" "You only have 3 years of experience - Impossible." I think my involvement with the non-profit boards made a difference and my essays were very genuine. My fiance helped me a lot in previous year's application. This year i am doing most of the work but i will still consider her opinion - she is as shark as Sandy is? [ I am sure she was a guaranteed admission if she ever thought about Bschools - but she prefer the nerd profession Ph.D , ohhmigosh!! ]

I have to get back to work, finish the Resume and send the Michigan Interview Request. I have to still work on the Achievement Essay for Berkeley - I am still thinking whether i should write the optional essay. If i get time i would write a synopsys of my impression about the various schools i am applying. Expect me to very busy this week. Next week, my fiance will be here - so i have to find some time for her [ I am really panicking to think that i won't work for 5 days :( ].

Life will go on.