2012 Round 1ers, Unite, Discuss!

[sunman]

Hi everyone,

I'm sure a lot of us are thinking about Round 1 applications already, and scrambling to establish further rapport with recommenders, networking like a ninja with students and alumni at our target schools, tracking when essay topics are released, and polishing up our resumes.

Let's share our grievances, thoughts, concerns and mutual encouragement here.

Schools:

Round 1:

Extreme Reach:

Harvard Business School (only because they opened their apps early, so I can get a hard start. If I do enough to get an interview, I can set myself up to compete.)

Targets:

Northwestern Kellogg (Dream School)
Chicago Booth
Duke Fuqua
Michigan Ross
Virginia Darden

Safety:

None

I just started on my HBS application a few days ago. My strategy is to find some influential recommenders who may not know me as well as my immediate bosses, since it's a bit of a stab in the dark anyway. I'm saving my immediate bosses for my target list, that's where I'll need them the most. The 2x400 word essay is really cramping my style, because one of my greatest strengths is my global perspective. I've lived in South Africa for six years, I speak and read Chinese fluently, I'm deployed in Afghanistan. I won't be able to share it with the HBS adcom unless I find other ways to sneak it in my application.

Join the discussion! Let's chat and motivate eachother!

[Jim@StratusPrep]

Sounds like you have a good plan! Good luck!

[Grismath]

Schools:

Reach/Top Choice:
Wharton - I have two potential recommenders in mind; one is an alum of the MBA program, the other is an alum of the undergrad business school program.

Targets:
Berkeley Haas
INSEAD

Safety:
Go big or go home! None also

I'm also considering applications to Stanford GSB, HBS, and potentially MIT or London Business School, but depending on time and how realistic I consider my candidacy, I may only apply to the schools listed above.

[sunman]

Schools:

Reach/Top Choice:
Wharton - I have two potential recommenders in mind; one is an alum of the MBA program, the other is an alum of the undergrad business school program.

Targets:
Berkeley Haas
INSEAD

Safety:
Go big or go home! None also

I'm also considering applications to Stanford GSB, HBS, and potentially MIT or London Business School, but depending on time and how realistic I consider my candidacy, I may only apply to the schools listed above.

Dude, Berkeley's acceptance rate is 12%...I'd apply to 1 or 2 more extra schools if I were you. If you get dinged by Wharton and Berkeley, you're pretty much all or nothing on INSEAD.