MBA admissions: don't take it personally bro

So this week some of us monkeys will hear final decisions from a number of top schools for round 2 admissions. I'm insanely nervous, much more than I thought I would be. Some of us will hear great news while others will be deeply disappointed. In advance of this week, some words of advice and thoughts. This is based on talking to countless students and alums from top schools, as well as a dean of admissions (i got a private meeting with this person only because a friend's dad is an alum and a huge donor), research, etc.

1. MBA admissions is less about merit and more about building a class. This does not mean that you shouldn't be qualified or that you should slack off on your application. Rather, adcom is trying to create a class that meets certain objectives for the school. Lot of schools are trying to redefine themselves post-financial crash, and this means that people from certain industries are in higher demand than others. The trend may change next year or the year after, but there are many cases where you just get unlucky. I know so many amazing people who got dinged while others of questionable caliber got in. For those who get dinged, i know it will be frustrating, but remember to not take it personally as an indictment of your abilities or potential for success.

2. Certain companies have a huge built-in structural advantage. I actually did not believe this at first because during info sessions, adcom officers would always say "we judge a person by what they did at work, not what company they work at." Haha. Only if this were true. I have very good friends at MBB consulting and megafund PE, and some of their stories were quite interesting. One MBB guy said explicitly that his boss told him that HBS has more or less a certain number of "reserved" spots for people from the firm. And they received a personal visit from a woman named Pam, who is dee leopold's personal assistant at HBS. Her last name is not known, and she did not give out her business card to anyone, but she went around the room telling them that "HBS loves management consultants and that they should all apply to HBS." When one girl said that she's not sure if b-school is right for her, Pam gave her the hard sell on HBS. Another friend at a megafund PE repeated a similar story about receiving visits from HSW adcom, who gave a special presentation on admissions, and implicitly said that pretty much every associate will be getting in. So for those of you who are not at one of those firms, the road is tougher and you have to stand out more. This is just part of the game; do not take it personally.

3. Finally, do NOT let your success and happiness depend on what school you get into or don't get into. Sure, going to a place like HBS will open doors, but most of the work is up to you. And quite frankly most people coming out of top programs end up in regular middle management jobs and are not particularly successful. Getting dinged always hurts since among us overachievers, lot of our identity is wrapped up in this mirage of "prestige" and "exclusivity." But focus on being better, always working towards your goals, and have faith that your life will turn out well.

Stay strong fellow monkeys. And best of luck on those waiting for round 2 decisions.