Finally went 'complete' at Wharton, which is good because I'm eager for my invitation to interview. Can we just get to that part? No, matter of fact, can we just skip to an offer of admission? Yeah, that'd be good. At Columbia I haven't gone 'complete' yet though.
I've been seeing a lot of posts on different boards from applicants who were waitlisted. Now, that's a real hell. I know there are things you're able to do while you're on the waitlist and all of that, but really, it's no way to live. To everyone who's WL at their first choice: don't give up, improve your standing any way you can and good luck.
Now that I've submitted to Wharton and Columbia, I find the wait isn't that hard. The application is out of my hands and I'm still relieved about that. Hmmm, no more exam-taking or editing? That equals free time! And what am I going to be doing with this time? Why, studying some more of course. I decided to take a credited Calculus course to improve my standing in the applicant pool at my choices. Why? Well, it's a smart thing to do that I didn't have time to do before I submitted, I'm still in study mode after taking the GMAT 01/07, and it'll help me prepare for the onslaught of quant core courses that'll hit come fall. At the end of the course, I'll hopefully be submitting an 'A' to both AdComms.
I'm also planning another visit to Columbia...this time a class visit. I'll let ya know how it goes. I've been thinking of visiting Yale...i can hear y'all going "did she just say 'Yale'??". Yeah, Yale. I don't know much, if anything, about the MBA program over there and it couldn't hurt to check it out. I'm mildly curious about Yale. So, if I find time to do that, I'll feel 'em out, see if there are any people of color who have feelings about the school one way or the other. Either way, if I visit, I'm posting about it.
As some of you know, it's been a year of effort with the GMAT for me. I first took it 11/02 and got the 620, then again 11/03 and got that same damned score. I was so let down...there's a blog in here somewhere.
Well, a sister took it again this week and finally added points to her score. Yeah, I was hoping for more but I'm D-O-N-E with that phase finally. I feel like I struggled for those additional points. But what a relief to move on. What a journey that was! The rest of my app. was done, this was the last piece of the puzzle. I met some coool people along the way and wound up taking the exam at the same time as one of 'em (yup, at the same center, too! She added 40 points to her score--in one week!). Also submitted to Wharton this week. (Wharton Rd II in the house!)
To all of you out there working to get the GMAT score you're capable of: keep your head up! Keep practicing and best of luck. You can do it.
Sometimes it's hard to hear that all things happen for a reason, right? But we all know it's true. Another one of the cool people I met last year pointed out that if I'd gotten the kind of score I wanted right off the bat, I wouldn't have reached the way I did to students and alums. And know what? I hate saying it, but girlfriend was right. I probably would've contented myself with just submitting my app and e-mailing my schools a coupla times. Funny the way that worked out. I don't even feel like "I" applied, somehow over the course of the last few months I created this whole support system that read and re-read my essays, gave advice and best wishes...the whole nine.
I don't think I told y'all about my Columbia "fireplace chat" visit. I got a great vibe from some of the most down-to-earth students ever, but then I had an 'in': I know a really cool cat who's a 1st year who pointed out all the people I should meet. Also met a 2nd year Jamaican sister who wasn't shy about giving her opinion of the school: she loved being there but had complaints about the grading of the ethics class. Two brothers from the dirty south kept it really real. They were like "you know what you really wanna ask a brotha: tell me exactly what to do and what to say in my essays so I get in like y'all. Ain't that all you really wanna know, sis?" They had me in stitches! They were like "make sure you come visit when classes start and make sure the committee knows you're here, too! That's the whole point!"
So, in the end, I got offers from a few students that I vibed with to sit in one of their upcoming classes. I'm thinking a core class like Finance and one of the more higher level Mkt'g classes (my major) would be cool to check out. I also have Columbia's application to submit this weekend. Wish a sister luck.