Kee

Hey Pauldc, I wouldn't worry about a 4.5 AW, considering your high verbal score. It is my understanding that the AW is not an important factor if the main scores are high. I think most, if not all, of the schools you apply to will happily accept your GRE scores, rather than insisting on the GMAT.

Thanks, Gheffo. You, too! The verbal was 97th percentile, the quant was 89th, and the overall was 99th. I got very lucky.

Hi Restaw, I scored 760 on the GMAT, and english is my first language. Most school websites will give you an idea of the range of scores they expect. Thankfully, I did receive an extra scholarship for being a high ranked applicant.

Hi MacIntosh, I agree with Gheffo's reply. The only thing I might additionally emphasize is the importance of references. I think it really helps to have professors who will say you are worthy of a PhD program. Also, it's advantageous to already have a relevant Master's degree. Most schools prefer their students to have an interest/knack for research, so try to push that in your SOP (rather than, say, an aptitude for teaching). If you have yet to go through the application process, you may benefit from a word of warning. It takes forever; drains you of your money, your time, and sometimes your self-esteem; and is not for the faint of heart. But luckily, forums like this help us remember that we're all going through the same thing, and it usually works out well in the end.

Hi Ellie, I will be starting a PhD program in OB in September. I agree with the previous posters that you should work towards a GMAT score in the 700 range. The research I did before applying led me to believe I wouldn't have had much of a chance without at least a 680. The good news is that is probably achievable with some intense studying. Many people improve their scores by 50 to 100 points with the right kind of effort. Check out the 'Just Finished My GMAT' forum, if you haven't already. I studied hard for 3 months and pulled a 760, and I think that score may have been a factor in my future school's decision to give me an extra scholarship. Best of luck.

Thanks to everyone for the congratulations. I really appreciate it. And as an update, I'm happy to say I've been accepted into three PhD programs, and I'll be starting in the fall. I'm very excited and finding it all hard to believe.:p Shan, I used Arco's GRE/GMAT Math Review (6th edition) as a primer before I moved up to some of the more advanced books. But I'm sure there are a number of good ones out there. As I said in my original post, just make sure it's not a first edition! You want to make sure they found all of the errors. Best of luck to all of you.

Congratulations on UMD, Ancalagon. And your Canadian mum doesn't care where you go as long as it makes you happy.:D

Hey Euges, I think I saw one on the Results page today. Have you had an interview or just a black hole of soul-crushing nothingness from Rotman (like me)?

Hi fgmat, Have you done GMAT prep? If so, what were your verbal scores there? And how did you score in SC, RC, and CR respectively?

Hey Ancalagon, McMaster is a good school. I hope your cousin tells you good things about Ontario. I remember you describing the family pressure you're under. And it's certainly easier to get into a PhD program when you have a masters. Maybe it might be wise to do your MA, then reapply. And when you go through this application process again, you'll be an old pro, and all the schools will be fighting over you! (You'll have to make Stern ask REALLY nicely.) This explains why you didn't answer my question the first time. You don't know if you will be moving yet. I'll be watching to see what you decide... Whatever you end up doing, I know your family will be proud of your success.

Hey Ancalagon, Definitely big sister! As for my profile... I have a MASc in I/O psych., many years of experience in senior HR positions, a 760 GMAT score (99th percentile, if you don't mind the boast!) with a 6 on the AWA, and I'm a part-time sessional instructor at the local business school. One of my LORs was incredible (he sent me a copy) and I think the other one was at least pretty good. I've been out of school for a long time, so I was shocked that my professors even remembered me! I did only apply to Canadian schools because I have small children, and I didn't want to move them out of country. The older one is in a french school, and I really want to give him the gift of a second language. Canada is officially bilingual, so wherever I go here, we'll have the option of a french education at the primary and high school levels. But you didn't answer my question. Have you ever lived in the States before? Are you excited about it? Nervous? If I was planning a move to India, I wouldn't know where to begin...

Wow! Way to go, Modeler!

Hello Brother, Thanks for asking. I've been accepted at 3 out of 4, and haven't heard a word from that last one (University of Toronto). You know when I first got this idea to pursue a PhD, I didn't think my chances were very good on getting in ANYWHERE. So I am feeling very blessed. I just cannot wait to get started! How about you? Are you excited to move and start this new adventure?

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You got a great quant. score, and now you know you need to concentrate on verbal. Lots of people do much, much better the second time around. You'll have the advantage over all of the first-timers who haven't had to face actual exam conditions. Start making a plan...

Repeat

You can only go to one school - so if you have yet to hear from one school, there's still hope for 2008. And if not, 2009 sounds like a good year, too. One more thing, the more anxiety in the wait, the bigger the celebration when that good news finally gets to you!

I'm sorry about Stern, too, Ancalagon. But I know you'll do great wherever you go.

Hi Socio, I'm not 100% sure about sociology, but I think it might be good. I have a master's degree in Industrial/Organizational psychology, and I've been accepted into a few OB PhD programs. I've been told that programs like the I/O background. Psych and soc. are pretty close...

Hey Live4today, I spoke to a CA today who got his masters in accounting from Waterloo. He has some friends who have done the accounting PhD, and he says it is an exceptional program. He wasn't sure, but said he wouldn't be surprised if the accounting PhD program is considered number 1. Hope that helps.

Hey Live4today, I think UofT is really slow on their admits. I've heard from 2 other schools (not on your list), but UofT aren't expected to send results until end of March/beginning of April. I've heard some negative things about Schulich, but all hearsay. I don't know anything about Waterloo's accounting program, but I did my master's there, and really loved the school and the city. The school has a very good general reputation. Where are you coming from?

Ancalagon, That's wonderful!!!! I'm so excited for you. Good for you!! Now take that big sigh of relief...

Hi sunny, It is really hard with kids, but to take the GMAT prep CATS, you don't have to plan a 4 hour stretch each time. The breaks aren't timed for these, so you can do the quant section in 75 minutes, then do the verbal the next day if you want. Or when you need to check your stamina level, you could try starting the test after the baby goes to bed for the night. And when you feel bad because you're not spending as much time with the baby as you'd like, or because your house is a disaster, just remember furthering your education is just as important for him/her as it is for you. You can do it.

Good luck, Acalagon. Just be yourself and you'll do great!

Hey AstralTraveller, I have admits from Ivey and Laurier, and waiting on UofT and McMaster (all Canadian schools). Thanks for asking!:)

I, also, would be interested to know if Rotman has contacted anyone. They certainly haven't been spending any time talking to me about OB...