theworstisover

Eh, I don't think "almost nobody" has one. Maybe not in print, but I think a healthy minority of people from solid programs have a forthcoming or at least an R&R (speaking from the management side of the b-school). And, in any event, it's important to bear in mind at the outset of the PhD program because you have to hit the ground running with substantive research to have the possibility of an A-level pub at the end. Lol, if "almost nobody" had one, it would be tough to sort in two piles... wouldn't make much of a pile...

Work/life balance was discussed on the "Are there other women on this board?" thread, right? It's buried now on page 4 or 5. Off the top of my head, I can think of three people (1 female and 2 males) in my program with kiddos. Their kids range in age from newborn to middle school age. It definitely can be done.

Not that I disagree with the importance of connections or fit with the current faculty research (either similiar or dissimilar interests, depending on the direction the dept is moving in), but the thing I hear over and over (and over and over) again is A-level publication(s). I know that many (but not necessarily all) top schools sort applicants into two piles: those with A-level pub(s) and those without. From what I understand, an A-level pub dramatically increases your chances of getting a job talk. That said, getting a job talk is not the same as getting a job - lots of promising candidates crash and burn in the job talk. The faculty are not only selecting someone with potential for strong research productivity, but also someone that they'd want to sit at their proverbial lunch table for 6+ years.

p.s. boundary-spanning research can be challenging, but - when it's done well - it can also be magical

phdcrazy - What kinds of questions are you interested in asking/researching? Sometimes finding the right fit is a matter of vocabulary, and OB can be a very jargon-y. Before becoming completely emerged in the field, I had a lot of relevant questions, but didn't always know how to frame them in a way that would throw the lights on for profs. In case this a language barrier of sorts, you may want to leverage the collective wisdom of the forum. If you aren't comfortable proclaiming your specific interests on the interwebs, please feel free to message me if you think I can help (I'm OT with a solid background in OB).

I agree completely with socialpsych and phdhope. My gut feeling is that if you continue to show strong interest, stay engaged/productive and grow your research pipeline, comprehensive exams are mostly a formality. Some years relatively few people pass, other years everyone or almost everyone passes - it just depends. But I've yet to hear of a super-productive (wrt publication pipeline) and well-liked student that was booted solely because of comps. Worst I've heard (for this type of student) is a quiet re-exam.

Another thing... After receiving rejections, I sent an email to the admission committee chairs asking for feedback on how I fell short compared to the admitted applicants. While many schools ignored me, several replied with very kind and detailed feedback. This feedback was helpful in developing talking points for interviews (to diffuse any lingering concerns the adcoms may have). Interestingly, I received very different feedback from each program re: the weaknesses of my app.

I am, iceman.

Congrats socialpsych! That's awesome!

vangrey - I never received an email notification, but I checked the website on a whim today and (ding!) a decision was available. :smack:

*bump* Any more great lessons learned out there? Let's pay it forward to the 2010 applicants.

Hands-down Miami. One word: Sunshine. Five years of delicious, beautiful sunshine.

Longshot, you make me happy. Thanks for the dose of perspective in the midst of a process that has set many a'compass off north. :D

How do we make this thread sticky?

Hello Operations, I have a high-paying position with a Big Four firm and most likely will leave my position this fall to begin a Management PhD. I have actually known for some time that my future lies in research and academia, however, the financial and familial realities of my situation made it difficult to apply earlier. I am extremely passionate about research or it would be difficult to leave my current income for the 5-year commitment that PhD programs require. I went to a mid-tier school, so I feel that my extensive experience consulting for Fortune 500 companies helped to strengthen my overall portfolio. (Although I have not heard back from all of the schools I applied to, I have already been accepted to a top-notch program). As a general rule, though, industry experience is not as valued by admissions committees as direct, academic research experience. While there is money to be made by getting a PhD in business, you could probably make more money in industry - so future earnings should not be your primary decision factor. The job market sucks right now and some of the highest paying jobs are being hit the hardest (investments and consulting). If your end goal is to do research and have a career in academia, you may be best off spending the next year on a master's that is either research-oriented, very quantitative (i.e. math degree), or both. All else being equal, this would position you (assuming strong test scores, statement of purpose, etc.) to gain admission in a stronger program than may accept you now.