Long Overdue
Just realized I haven’t blogged for almost a month now - wow! I had gotten used to blogging, and suddenly was not used to it anymore? Hmm … something’s amiss.
While I figure that out, I don’t have much good news to report. I have ended most of my recent posts on an optimistic note, but if there was any shred of hope that that could work, it has evaporated. I was dinged without interview at Wharton, and while HBS didn’t hurt me much, Wharton did. I visited the school in April this year and thought I submitted strong essays. i even got them reviewed by someone who got admitted last year and who I think is a rockstar at reviewing essays. Somehow, I am perplexed as to what went wrong. This led me to do some research on Wharton, and the conclusion I arrived at is that I shouldn’t have applied in the first place. Plainly due to statistics, and here’s why:
1. Wharton, as everyone knows, is pushing for a higher percentage of female participants in its class. India is known to historically have the least number, atleast percentage, of female applicants. To improve diversity, Wharton is really trying to get more Indian women in its class. A friend of mine from India started at Wharton this year - I think she told me (I don’t remember the numbers) but that close to 70-75% of those accepted from India were women and that most of the true Indians (studied in India, work in India) are in fact women. Assuming 100 people apply from India and 70 of them are men, and Wharton selects 25 with 70% women (i.e. 18) as a guy I have a 7/70 or 10% chance of getting in. I know a lot of you will feel I am over exaggerating and maybe venting because I didn’t get in - don’t know about the former, but the latter is definitely NOT true - it’s pure stats
2. Find me someone who went to Wharton in the past 2-3 years who either wasn’t from an IIT OR didn’t work at a premier firm such as Bain, McKinsey, Schlumberger etc. In most cases, you will find that people have done both, OR graduated from a university in the US, then worked at a good firm in India. No one, like me, who doesn’t have both on his resume, has made it to Wharton in the past 2-3 years. I am happy if someone proves me wrong, I’ve been trying to do that myself
These two reasons themselves are enough for me to not have applied, but I did. I am sure my app was read by Ankur Kumar, but a 5 minute read versus some pre conceived notion of what type of people will be accepted, doesn’t bode well with me. Sorry Wharton, but I should have been more prudent and chosen a Booth over you.
I am a reapplicant at Kellogg, which means they may not interview me this year even though I requested an interview (I was interviewed last year). I don’t know if I can be admitted in that manner, but if not, then the game seems pretty much over. This ding will hurt me brutally. I put in a VERY SOLID application at Kellogg this year - the people I showed my essays to literally fawned over them. I educated my recommender very well so I am confident even that was fine. The GMAT improvement and strong career progression are of course there.
MIT will only give some indication in Dec, but given how competitive a school it is, I am again not too optimistic as even the ones I was confident on (eg: kellogg) havent shown love.
Which bring me to R2. I am applying to Cornell - I had thought I will apply when I took my GMAT (sent them a score report there and then) but wanted to wait on how my other apps turned out. Applying 28th Nov, racing against time to wrap up my essays. I will be applying for the MBA/MILR degree. I will also apply to Booth and Darden in Round 2, and I am thinking of having a go at INSEAD. Its a tiresome process applying to INSEAD and I am leaning towards a Jan 2014 start instead of fall next year - a work issue.
So that’s what I have to update the loyalists who read my blog. I must point out that many of you sent me PMs on various forums and left me comments - most were positive and a common underlying theme was that you enjoyed my blog, found it helpful, and would like me to blog more often. I will try not to disappoint.
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