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Applying at the same time as co-worker

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Applying at the same time as co-worker

by Powers18 » Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:34 am
My coworker and I both plan on applying to business school the same year and are targeting some of the same schools. We both work on a high profile international project for the company and would likely both write about that in our essays. Although I believe I have a fairly competitive profile I think his is a little stronger than mine (His safety schools are more my target schools). I am worried that while I might be able to get into a given program on my own...if we apply the same year from the same company with the same "special" project experience and he has a better profile I would be rejected solely for being the lesser of the two similar candidates?

Is there any truth to this concern?
Does the ad-com make comparative judgments like that?
If so, is there a way to work around it or would it be just better to wait a year?

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks
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by Jon@Admissionado » Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:47 am
Hmmmm,
I can tell there is some truth behind your concerns. I had this with two McKinsey clients last year. Having another person with a very similar profile, from the same workplace applying to the same schools can make things tougher, as you are always going up against your pool. I would do two things here:
1. Play it safe - Make sure you are applying to 2/3 schools that he is not (without making compromises about your dreams)
2. Play it different - What do you mean he's "stronger"? a better GMAT? a better university? Then don't play the same game as him. Play up your unique factors. Are you an entrepreneur? an athlete? Were you a military commander? Differentiate yourself, and show them how unique you are, and the AdCom will consider you of your own right.
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by PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:18 pm
I think if you are applying from a larger company with a larger class of MBA-aged employees, then this is less of an issue versus applying from a smaller company. However, this can be an issue as yes, comparisons are inevitable. Do you share the same boss? In what specific ways would his application be stronger?

The suggestion of applying to some schools he is not targeting is a good one.

To best answer whether or not you should wait is hard to answer in isolation from your gpa, gmat, college attended.....

Perhaps you are both stars and will get in. Certainly MBA programs have taken multiple folks from the same company in the same year.
Alex Leventhal
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by Powers18 » Tue Aug 02, 2011 2:28 am
Thanks for the quick reply. To give a little more information...
"¢ We come from a huge company
"¢ He went to a better university
"¢ We have the same GPA
"¢ I have not taken the GMAT yet
"¢ We work in different consulting areas. I am in Strategy. He is in Supply Chain so we have different bosses. This project is under strategy.

The follow up question I have is whether or not it is possible to actually both hurt each others chances. While neither of us would lie is it possible that through our essays and recommendations we would have different perspectives. Could a different version of events hurt both of us?

Also, if I do apply and get rejected because of the comparison does that hurt my chances at the same schools next year?


Thanks for your help.
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by PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal » Tue Aug 02, 2011 9:18 am
I must admit this is one of the more interesting scenarios/posts I have seen:)

It's good that you are in different areas and have different bosses/recommenders. You have the same GPA and you might even do better than him on the GMAT.

I don't think you could hurt each other unless your treatments of the same project are so off in terms of data/dollars/impact that veracity becomes an issue. This is highly unlikely.

In terms of reapplication, one generally has to show material growth in some areas and this can be challenging in one year, less so in two. Your age is also important here. If you are 25 or 26 you can wait a year if you are really concerned about this, and you could take the extra year to buttress your extra curriculars.

My overall advice is you are perhaps too concerned about this given it is a large company that probably feeds multiple top B schools every year with multiple candidates. If you are close with him, maybe you can compare notes on this project for the essays so it's less of an issue.

And yes, apply to a few schools that he is perhaps not targeting.
Alex Leventhal
Harvard MBA, 1998
Prep MBA Admissions Consulting
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by Jon@Admissionado » Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:00 pm
Having different perspectives is no problem man, and at any rate unless he is your boss or soemthing you are likely to choose different stories. The "problem" is one of application pool. The AdCom might be "Okay we have two fellas from the same place. We only need to take one. Let's diversify". That's why it's soooo important that you differentiate yourself.
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