Update

Well, its been a few weeks since I last posted, and so much has happened...

First, the good news - I was admitted to NYU! This means that after months of stressing, I'm definitely going to business school this year - woohoo! I'm also really excited about New York - after visiting Stern's campus for interview it looks like a great place to spend two years.

I've also been interviewed by Wharton and UCLA and am still awaiting news (keep your fingers crossed!)

Now for the less good news - after interviewing at Berkeley, I've been waitlisted :-( I'm gutted as I really got a good feeling from the interview and thought that my application was pretty strong. Realistically I cannot wait too long before applying for my US visa so it doesnt look like Berkeley's going to happen. Today's email was actually the first piece of bad news that I've had in this whole app process, and it's hit me harder than I thought.

Oh yeah, mustn't forget the big S - no word as yet. I've basically given up hope (the bulk of interview invites have gone out already), but until I get the final word, I cant help obsessively checking my email for news! Looks like sunny california is off the cards for the next couple of years.

Roll on March 31 (final decision day).

Empire State of Mind

The New York schools are playing tricks on me, I swear...

Last week I got some great news - Stern want to interview me! This means my application can't have been too far off the mark! Unfortunately, Stern only interviews on campus, so cue a frantic search for cheap transatlantic flights and a short notice vacation request at work. The upside - I get to spend a weekend in New York (I'm hoping the big lights will inspire me) and poke around Stern, as well as another school on my list - Columbia.

Here's where it gets weird. I've been trying to finish off my Columbia application for a while now, but have been slightly put off by the school's attitude to international students. Firstly, international students are not allowed to apply until after January 6th - effectively a 'round 3' application. Secondly, they do not provide loan facilities for international students, saying

Most international students rely on family funds, personal savings, government or company sponsorships and/or loans secured in their home countries

Seriously? No loans? Poor show, Columbia. Despite this, its a great course, in a great place, with a great reputation. So I'm just on the verge of biting the bullet and finishing off my app (bugging recommenders, etc.) when an email lands in my inbox.

It's from Columbia.

Are you interested in an MBA from Columbia Business School, and want to learn more about the various options available?...While we recognize that the distance may be too great for some of you to travel for this information session, we wanted to extend the invitation to all in case you happen to be in the area during this time.

In case I happen to be in the area? I live in the UK, so the chances of me being "in the area" of New York, on a different continent, are pretty slim. But here's the thing - I AM in the area! The session is on the same day as my Stern interview.

This is so weird, and coincidental, that I'm compelled to ask - are Stern and Columbia sharing info about applicants? All I know for sure is - they're messing with my mind!

Anyways, I'm off to do some Stern prep. Will report back on how it goes. Wish me luck...

The decision process

I thought I'd finish my initial posts with a quick chat about how I came to the decisions that I did on which schools to apply to:

First of all, the easy bit - I knew I wanted to study in the US. I've done some work over there and like the idea of studying there. Plus I like the sound of a 2 year course better than most of the European single year courses. But which schools to choose?

I did make use of the rankings as a start point. My ranking ranking is here:
1. Financial times
Defo considered the authoritative source here in London. The methodology seems pretty comprehensive (although there are flaws). My view is that they are possibly a bit keen to place non-US schools higher up in the ranks!
2. Business Week
As far as I can tell, this one is probably the most authoritative in the US. Has slightly more info on each school than the FT, too.
3. US News
Basically sensible, but I dont hear people talking about it much
4. The Economist
Truly crazy rankings, in comparison to the above sources. This is slightly strange, as otherwise I pretty much consider The Economist as gospel on most subjects. Someone famously said "I don't have an opinion any more, I wait for The Economist to tell me what to think". I know that feeling! The rankings on this one are pretty strange and, as far as I can tell, not generally trusted. However, the fact sheets that go along with the rankings do give some good opinions on the schools.

From the rankings, I narrowed down my target schools to the top 20, and began to dig around their flashy websites a little.

Once I had a feel for each school, I tried to get opinions from as many alums as I could. Discounting the natural bias to always recommend their own school(!), I did get some great advice.

I heartily recommend that everyone asks as many alums as possible. I was given advice on the schools with the best reputation in the sectors that I want to go into post-MBA (This is hard to find out from websites alone - each school says its great at everything!). I was also given advice on the learning style that people think would best suit me - this came from people that know me well.

I think its also good to look at the personality of alums that went to each school, and see how they match with your own personality. I was quite lucky, in that I had contacts from most of the top business schools around. However, where I didnt, I used linked-in and other 'friends of friends' to connect.

Another good way of accessing alums were the school presentations and MBA fairs that came to London. Again, I'm quite lucky that all the top schools tend to take a trip to my home city sometime in the autumn. Yet another unintended consequence of the change in my job situation in the summer was that my plans to visit US schools were cancelled. I therefore had to rely on these tours more than I thought I would.

My last tip for anyone still deciding is to check the stats of the industries that recruit at each school. When job sectors are given as percentages (e.g . "16% technology"), it really does show the different ways that schools can skew.

My decisions:
East coast: NYU, Columbia, Wharton
West coast: Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA

No Harvard, despite the fact its probably got the best global rep. That was a tough decision, but I just dont think its right for me. Equally tough was discounting MIT. However, I know Boston well and am keen to experience a different American city.

Where are you applying, and what tools did you use to make your decision? Comments welcome!