The Clock has started ticking.

Saw the posts on Dave's blog

HAAS has released deadlines and essays

Round 1 Nov. 6, 2006
Notification Jan. 29, 2007

Round 2 Dec. 11, 2006
Notification March 19, 2007

Round 3 Jan. 31, 2007
Notification April 30, 2007
Round 4 March 12, 2007
Notification May 14, 2007


Chicago Announces new deadlines

Per Chicago GSB:
The 2006-2007 application for admission will be available by August 1, 2006. Our application essays will be posted on this website by July 1, 2006. We will also post a downloadable version of the application to this website in August.

Round Submission Deadline
Round One October 18, 2006
Round Two January 10, 2007
Round Three March 14, 2007

But none of my target schools have released the deadlines so far :)

The last week has been a little unproductive. I am done with the first draft for my Kellogg essays except for one.

I am taking turns to revisit the essays so that I have some time gap between my second reading and the first one. This helps in looking at it differently.

The draft seems fine, but somehow lacks a very personal touch. It sounds more like I did this, I achieved this and I learnt this. There is not much of my motivation, passion and me in those essays.
Its more like achivements essays and leanring from them.

In kellogg I have used different essays to highlisght different aspects as the word limit prohibits you from taking a lot in one essay.

All 2008 applicant blogs are a little too inactive now a days and I check for any updates everyday but then there are none most of the times :)
I guess they are all busy getting ready to get back to school.
All the best to them.

Working on First Essay

I finally took the first step after a lot of delibration on which schools I am going to target. I think I have my list more or less finalized. I still feel that as I would spend more time writing the essays and introspect more I would be able to decide wether I am really interested in the school or not.

I also got the book How To Get Into Top MBA Program and I am finding it really useful.

I spent last two weekends and few more hours trying to get started on one of the essays for Kellogg's. I ended up exceeding the word limit by a lot. Thanks a ton to MBA JackAss for the amazing post on Kellogg essays.

I reworked my strategy and I am using different essays to highlight different aspects of my personality to bring out a complete picture. Earlier I was trying to talk about everything in the same essays and thus excceded the word limit.
Going forward before I work on essays of any school I will first decide which essay I am going to use to highlight what aspects and then start writing. It should save me some precious time.
I know some guys must be thinking I am starting too early, but keeping in mind my other commitments and work pressure I think I need to do this. Also I need spectacular essays to reach for my dream schools and I plan to give the applications my best shot.