So what next?? Ihave decided that I am not going to apply anywhere else this year. I would rather concentrate on the interviews of the remaining schools. Here’s a quick wind up of the four threads that are still active:

• Tuck: They have written back after waitlisting me and an interview is coming up in first week of Feb. I am also getting an additional reco from professional front. There have been some positive updates for me professionally. (No promotion yet, but some increase in responsibilities) Hope my recommender covers these well.
  But one thing that worries me is the money-factor. Even if Tuck takes me in, I doubt the availability of fin-aid for a candidate that they had earlier decided to waitlist.
• Emory: The interview is coming up in a week from now. I do feel that I have a good chance here.
• ISB: Interview done. The results would be coming on Feb 10. The wait is already killing me. Not sure how I am going to survive waiting for three more weeks.
• Darden: This has been pretty weird. I have dug extensively on BW forums, Pagalguy and admissions411. No Indian applicant has reported an invite yet. The official interview dates were upto Jan 9 only and although Darden says that they can decide to interview a candidate any time b4the decision date, I have almost lost all my hopes. But I find it improbable that they have already sent out invites to Indians, but none of those in active on  any forums. Somehow I get a feeling that if they don’t call me for the interview b4 the decision date, another WL is coming my way on Jan30. ( Naah, I don’t believe that they’ll ding me w/o an interview.)

So as you can see, it is not all rosy. But still,as shahrukh says in OSO, “Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost.” (“The movie is not yet over, my friend”) I am hopeful that the movie will end on a happy note in next few weeks.

PS: Some of u may have guessed this already; The title of the post (“i think i’ll stop here”)  is a quote from a current favourite book: Fermat’s last theorem. It’s an amazing book, do read it.

But then, you don’t need a “significant” news for posting on your own blog, So here’s a quick round-up:

Tuck: Application submitted an hour before the EA deadline. Status changed to Complete in next 3 days.. No change since then. With AppleTuckBoy (BW forums) and Italian Stallion (PG forums) already getting invites about 1-2 weeks back, I am losing hope now. Only ray of hope is that they are perhaps visiting India in Dec first half. May be they’ve decided to keep Indian files on hold till then.. (AM I hoping too much?? I guess so )

Fuqua: Again submitted an hour before R1 deadline. No status change till date. With the EA applicants getting their results yesterday, I expect some action now for R1 applicants.

Darden: The status is showing “Application received.” As I get to know from other applicants, it’ll change to “Pending” (ready for review) next and then to “Under Review” before I can hope to get an invite. So it looks to be a long wait. 

Emory: This is what I am targetting next. Will submit my application in next two-three days. Theirs is a roling admission system. But it seems I have allowed it to roll for too long. Sometimes, I feel strict deadlines work better for me. I am sure I would have managed to submit on time had the deadline been some time around November 5 (non-rolling).

ISB: Have started the apps. Will manage to submit by their R2 deadline.

Kelley/UNC/Ross: My R2 targets (if need be) Will need to write TOEFL for Kelley and UNC. :’(

BTW, just saw this video from Darden. Ignore the obtrusive font size and you’ll really like this video:

[youtube=http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=XffeU37icjg]

These people are doing phenomenal marketing through youtube. ( I guess you must have already checked Sara Neher’s video-blog.) Videos like these are exactly what the international students need to get to know more about the school. And I am really impressed by the efforts the school is making to reach out to prospective students. Great going, Darden!!

My experiences with last 2 apps later.
Too tired and sleepy to write anything else.

Then, there were a couple of mail-exchanges with the Darden finaid director Larry, who ensured me that the school is trying its best to arrange for a scheme for international students and the deposit deadline will be readjusted to give the admits time to decide and to arrange funds. He also stressed on value of apping in R1, b’coz it’s in R1 that majority of merit-scholarships are given out. I also confirmed about the deferrals, which are actually awarded on a case-to-case basis. Larry has also left a comment on my previous post.

I’m really impressed by the school’s concern for deserving students and thus Darden is back in the list for me. I’m sure they’ll find a way out in case I manage to find a way in.

Propelled by this enthusiasm, I sat out yesterday evening and in a day, I have almost completed my first  drafts for all the three essays.. I had thought over the topics for quite some time, when I had got the news, so it didn’t take much time in assmbling my initial thoughts. Current status of the essays is draft version 0.9; After some basic more content addition, I’ll send my version 1.0 to my reviewers.

Right now, it’s Tuck time.. Giving final touch to the essays and filling up the data-forms. Also added the names of both my recommeders to the app-form. My recommeder #1  (my manager) is out-of-reach today, will call him tomorrow to push him in action ASAP. My recommender #2 (from my extra-curricular involvements) promised that she’ll be keying in the reco maximum byMonday.
Overall, Tuck application seems to be in good shape. (as far as timely submission is concerned at least. ) I believe I’ll comfortably meet EA deadline.

With in 24 hours ( I appreciate that!!), I got a reply from them::
The Darden School does not currently have a contract with a bank to provide international no-cosigner loans.  Because of the crisis in financial markets now, schools will need to renegotiate such non-cosigned lending programs for international students.  The earliest any banks are willing to have this conversation is December.  We will keep our website up to date with developments.  We certainly regret any difficulties this delay in information may create.

Summary:: Darden out of my list; at least, till further updates!
Lesson learnt:: Check out the other schools too!! Before it’s too late..  (For Darden, I had just started the first drafts.)

Other updates::
1) Tuck essays geting final shape; Should be manageable to meet the EA deadline.
2) Kelley may figure in my R1 list.. Met their people at Delhi BA fair, sounded impressive. (Though I need to fig in more before I decide)
But they need TOEFL.. Not sure whether I’ll be able to fit in that before their R1 deadline on Nov15.

Speed of time == 5 seconds/second!!
Now this is what I’m feeling these days!! Time is running out so fast..

It feels like yesterday, when I was talking to ahembea “With September starting tonorrow, every deadline would be “next month!!”". I find it hard to believe that 10 days have already passed and I’ve not achieved much. I know everyone around is feeling the same.. September is perhaps the fastest disappearing month for R1 applicants. (And perhaps December the slowest, when the results take their own sweet time to appear)

Meanwhile, here’re a few highlights:

• Have got my scores sent to Ross, Tuck and Darden. Amongst my target schools, I had already sent the scores to ISB and Emory on the G-day. Will wait for Duke. (See next point.)
• Duke is confusing me. The info regarding the no-cosigner loan on their website has changed from “guaranteed loans without a US cosigner ” to ” Information about the International Student Loan is forthcoming.” What does this mean?? Are they planning to discontinue their “International Student Loan “??
  My apping to Fuqua will depend on answer to this Question. I’ve written to them, but no response yet.
  (FAQs page still confirms theavailability, but I’ll trust the finaid site more)
• Talked to my recommenders:: Had told my boss even before writing GMAT. Needed to talk to two more. One of them, an ISB grad, is a program manager in my team.. He’s a great guy to talk to!!  I discussed the feasibility and practically of B-school targets and post-MBA goals with him. He’s ready to write a reco for me and to review my essays as well!!
  Today called upp my third recomender too. She too is happy to write a reco for me. She’s my supervisor from one of my extra-curricular invovements. And since it was she. who recommended me for one of the leadership positions in the organisation, I’m sure she’ll write a gr8 reco here too.
• Transcripts:: Stll trying to get hold of a junior to get these. If anything doesn’t crystallise in next 6-7 days, I guess I’ll have to make a trip to my alma-mater myself.. That has been a dream for long, but I don’t think that I’m in a position to afford that luxury at this stage.
• Goals-essay:: First draft mostly done.. Though need to add the “Why MBA” and “WHy now” part to it in addition to “Why school X” for  each school. This is the essay that needs to undergo a reality check by a few experts. (And may need a good amount of overhaul in case I’m not specific enough.)
• Tuck essays:: Leadership essay and Constructive criticism :::: first draft done.
  Personal deadline for rest of the first drafts:: Sept 13.
• Ross essays::
  Developing outlines for “alternate career” and “most challenging time” essays.
  Personal deadline for all first drafts:: Sept 16.

Hope I’m able to stick to these deadlines. Given the shape of the drafts that I’ve ready, I know that they need a lot of polishing as of now before they can be even sent to be reviewed by some of my close friends.

BTW, if anybody gets to know anything confirmed about Duke Interational Loan, do let me know.

However, I managed to get in one more component to select schools:: the essays!! I remember somebody big (perhaps Senapati at Pagalguy) saying “Thou shalt not select schools on basis of essay Qs.” But I don’t find myself completely agreeing with this. Though selecting schools purely on basis of this would be sheer idiocy, but when confused between two equivalent schools, the essays can be used as an effective tie-breaker:: Based on your profile and experience, how answerable the schools’ Qs are or do the Qs allow you to project the best of you through your answers.  On this basis, I had eliminated MIT Sloan long back;I don’t have answers to most of their Qs..

So based on all this, here’s my (almost) final list in no particular order::

• Stanford:: All depends on Dhirubhai Fellowship. If I get selected as a finalist, Stan will be my top choice. If I don’t, I’ll drop it.
• Ross:: Loved their action-based learning.. Interesting essays, helping me to project the best of me.
• Fuqua (Duke)::  Looks very good. Need to dig more and contact a few students as well.. Qs totally changed from the last year and are quite different from other schools.
• Tuck:: Fierce alumni-loyality. Would love to be a part of such a closely-knit community. My only two concerns were:: Tuck brand in India and the rural life @ Hanover. As I dug in, the second doesn’t appear to be too negative and the first is mostly compensated for by the fact that the strength of the community matters more than mere numbers.
  Essay Qs quite answerable..
• Darden:: As mentioned above, initially I was very apprehensive about 100% case method. Am still not fully convinced about using this method for some subjects.. Still the strong curricullum and the tremendous opportunities in consulting make it too hard to ignore.
  Still waiting for the essays. (I’m expecting some changes from last year.)
• Emory::  the Pagalguy thread on current Emory students taking Qs was very useful.. I read it to the full and at the end of 4 hours, I had finalised Emory in my list.
  Essay Qs look good. (Last year’s; this year’s Qs not released yet) 
• ISB:: The one school taht has never ever left this list:: In fact, it was the only school with which the journey had started 18 months back.It’s almost sure that I’ll be applying to all the seven schools above, though I still need to divide these into R1 and R2 schools. Will try applying to minimum five schools in R1. I do think I can manage that.. Let us see how it goes.  AFAIK, All the schools above offer good program in General Management, provide loans upto costs of attendance without an cosigner and offer decent to excellent opportunities in consulting.  Blog-readers, please let me know if you locate any discrepancy here.

  In addition to above, I’m also considering HBS and Yale. But the latter is very,very selective with its small class size and the former is almost prohibitive with its exorbitant fee (I’m not expecting any schol, even if I pull-off a miracle ad get an admit). The Qs of both are very good and I’ve good answers to almost all of them.. lemme see, if I need to drop any of the above seven or if I need to expand my list for R2, then I may consider taking a chance at these two.