And the chats keep on coming.

Recent Transcript Excerpts:

• Wharton Waitlist Transcript with Thomas Caleel
  

thurston (Apr 2, 2008 1:01:32 PM)
Hi Thomas, I am a R2 waitlist candidate for Wharton. First, thank you for hosting this chat. Second, I have a quick admissions question for you. Let say we have two hypothetical RE-APPLICANTS. Both have similar app packages: work experience, extra curricular, GPA, GMAT, references, interview, etc. In fact, the only difference is in a previous year one was waitlisted and the other was outright denied admissions. Both are re-applying and both have demonstrated *very similar* improvements in their application. If you MUST chose between the two, who would you admit -- and, more importantly, why?

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:01:47 PM)
Thurston, thank you for the question. It's really impossible to say outright which one.
This process is very holistic (as Dan and Amelia can attest to), and there is never "one" thing that means admit or deny.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:02:48 PM)
I do think you are concerned that being on the WL might give you some preference in the re-app process. The answer there is not really. For re-apps, we look at the learning the candidate has undergone, and how they express that in the re-app.

ThomasCaleelWHARTON (Apr 2, 2008 1:03:23 PM)
By the way, simply sitting down and re-reading your original app will be very helpful should you choose to re-apply...

• London Business School MBA with Zoë McLoughlin & Peter Johnson This chat was unique because it was for MBA and MIF candidates at London Business School, which is still accepting applications for 2008 applicants.  The final deadline is May 2, 2008.
  

andrew (Apr 7, 2008 1:06:25 PM)
Zoe: has the admissions office noticed a large influx of applications this year? If so, please elaborate. Thank you.

ZoeMcLoughlinLONDON (Apr 7, 2008 1:07:16 PM)
Andrew - yes, we have noticed an increase in quantity but there are always places for good candidates, even in Stage 4.

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2008 1:06:37 PM)
David & Helen: do you see MBA recruiting at the MBA and the MiF programs affected by the credit crunch and sub-prime mess in the US? Do your graduates have jobs?

HelenGreenLONDON (Apr 7, 2008 1:08:48 PM)
Linda, recruitment has continued to be strong on campus this year with more recruiters than ever coming to meet with our students. Although the market is competitive, there are still considerable opportunities available and recruiters clearly continue to value our students’ wealth of experience and diverse backgrounds. We are seeing recruiters taking a long term view and continuing to maintain their ranks of associates from the MBA and MiF programmes.

DavidMorrisLONDON (Apr 7, 2008 1:09:23 PM)
Linda, building on Helen's answer, there is also a growing number of companies from the Industry sector recruiting at the school, either coming to campus and/or posting jobs.

Upcoming Chats:

Accepted is hosting the first Michigan Ross Part-Time MBA Program chat tomorrow Tuesday April 15 at 3:00 PM PT/6:00 PM ET. If you are interested in Ross' part-time MBA program, please join Jim Hayes, Senior Associate Director of Admissions and other members of the Ross PT team in Accepted's Chat Room for an informative chat. 

A potpourri :

• London Business School Chat on Monday, April 7 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/5:00 PM GMT when Zoë McLoughlin, MBA Marketing Events Manager & Peter Johnson, Admissions Officer - Masters in Finance, will be available to answer your questions. This will be a combined chat for those interested in both the Full-time MBA Program as well as the Masters in Finance.
  
• Senior Editor Paul Bodine’s book, Great Application Essays for Business School , continues to jump off the bookshelves. It has been ranked no. 2 in Amazon.com’s Business Reference books category for some time. A new Chinese-language edition has been published by McGraw-Hill Taiwan and a Korean edition will be published soon. Finally, McGraw-Hill India is providing Indian readers with a way to order the book in India rather than from the U.S.:  contact McGraw-Hill Education India Pvt Ltd. at UK_Prasad@mcgraw-hill.com or Phone: 091- 044 – 24769557 – 62 (6 Lines), Mobile: 99400 64903.
• Waitlist Chat transcripts. We have hosted several waitlist chats with different program over the last several months. You can review waitlist policies at different schools in the following transcripts:
• Michigan Ross Waitlist Chat with Soojin Kwon Koh
• INSEAD Waitlist with Virginie Fougea
• USC Marshall Waitlist with Kellee Scott
• Cornell Waitlist with Randall Sawyer
• MIT Sloan Waitlist with Jen Burke Barba

Wharton's waitlist chat transcript from today's chat should be posted next week.

• Yale SOM has posted an excellent article on its waitlist policies.
  
• BusinessWeek has published a special report on European programs.

A couple of important product announcements:

The Nine Mistakes You Don't want to Make on an MBA Waitlist, our most popular ebook ever, is on special this month -- 20% off. If you are waitlisted, this is the ebook for you. Short, concise, and to-the-point.

All ebooks are going up in price on February 1.

General Admissions

• Submit a Stellar Application: 42 Terrific Tips to Help You Get Accepted
  

College:

• How to Write Great College Application Essays and Stay Sane

MBA Ebooks:

• Best Practices for MBA Admissions
• MBA BlastOff: 45 Terrific Tips to Launch Your MBA Application to Acceptance
• MBA I.V. - Mainline to Top MBA Programs: MBA Interview Questions & Tips
• The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist
  
• The Consultant’s Guide to MBA Admission
• The Finance Professional’s Guide to MBA Admissions Success
• The Techie’s Guide to MBA Admissions
• Create a Better Sequel: How to Reapply Right to Business School

Medical School, Residency & Fellowship Ebooks:

• The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on a Med School Waitlist
• Write Your Way to a Residency Match
• Write Your Way to a Fellowship Match

Law School Ebooks:

• The Nine Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make on a Law School Waitlist

Click on the links to gain access to this library of admissions info. Then beat the price increase. Buy the ebooks of your choice by January 31. That's this Thursday.

The first two weeks of January pass in a blur of deadlines. At most business schools, these critical dates are followed by at least one later deadline. The schools almost all acknowledge that chances of acceptance at these later deadlines are lower. That information frequently prompts the following question in my inbox, my BW thread, and the Accepted Forums:

"Should I apply now?"

 If you belong to the following groups, I advise you not to apply now.

• You do not have a clear post-MBA goal and competitive stats, experience, and community service. In other words, you're not really ready.
  
• Your target schools are not reapplicant friendly?
  
• You are not a US permanent resident and you anticipate visa issues or problems if accepted by the later notification dates.
• You are a card-carrying member of an over-represented group.
  

However, you should apply during the third or later rounds if you are among those who:

• Just missed the round 2 deadlines due to circumstances beyond your control, but have your GMAT and a clear idea of where you want to apply and why you want an MBA.
• Are a non-traditional applicant or member of an under-represented group or have diversity elements in your profile.
  
• Prefer to have now a slight chance of acceptance over no chance, which is what you will have if you don't apply.

A third round application has the following advantages over waiting until Round 1 next fall:

• You have a chance of acceptance this year, even if it isn't as good as it would be earlier in the application cycle.
• Some programs give feedback so that you will be better prepared for a Round 1 2009 application. (Don't apply just to obtain feedback, but the opportunity to receive  feedback could applying educational and worthwhile, even if you are rejected.)

The main disadvantage: The cost and time required to apply.

More resources on applying  "late":

• "Should You Apply Late?"
  
• Late Round Applications Chat Transcript

If you want help with your third round MBA application or advice on when to apply, please consider our MBA admissions consulting and editing.

My birthday is May 10. To celebrate, Accepted is offering you once-a-year savings on our ebooks and CD's.

For all applicants: 

• Submit a Stellar Application: 42 Terrific Tips to Help You Get Accepted

For college applicants:

• Don't Let Writing the College Application Essay Drive You and Your Family Crazy

For law school applicants:

•  The Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on a Law School Waitlist

For MBA Applicants

• Best Practices for MBA Admissions
• The Consultant's Guide to MBA Admission
• Create a Better Sequel: How to Reapply Right to Business School
• The Finance Professional's Guide to MBA Admissions Success
• MBA BlastOff: 45 Terrific Tips to Help Launch Your Application to Acceptance
• The Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist

For medical school, residency, and fellowship applicants:

• The Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on a Med School Waitlist
• Write Your Way to a Fellowship Match
• Write Your Way to a Residency Match

Explore our bookstore. Save 50% off the regular price of every ebook or CD through May 10.