Bizz

Letters from research-active professors who are well known in your field of interest are the best, especially if they have a connection to a faculty member at a program you're applying to. But, not everyone has that connection, and that's okay. Ultimately a professor with a PhD is better than an industry recommendation or an adjunct with a masters degree. Research-active would be better than a teaching or clinical professor. What's really important is that they understand what is necessary to succeed in a PhD program and know you well enough to speak highly of your preparation and skills. You want writers who are cheering you on, so if someone agrees begrudgingly or seems unsure of what to write, you may be better off looking elsewhere. Some say a lukewarm letter is just as bad as a negative recommendation; it doesn't really help you. One of the faculty members at my PhD program brought up something that my one letter mentioned, and that it was a positive quality they were looking for. My LOR writers are in a different (but related) discipline and did very different research, so although they were not known to the business faculty, their recommendations still mattered quite a bit.

I'll add a few things from my own experiences: 1) Yes, we all have "dream" schools. But it isn't the end of the world if you don't get in, and it doesn't mean you won't produce solid research or get a good job. I was admitted to only one program, which was originally my "safety" school (I almost struck it from my list - glad I didn't!). I think this is because I was least familiar with that program and the faculty; someone had suggested the program when my list was nearly complete, and so I included it on a whim. After learning more about the program and meeting the faculty and students, I couldn't be happier. The culture of the department, faculty productivity, the way the students help each other, the structure for RA and TA requirements, the location, even funding - everything is just what I was looking for. Would I have felt the same way if I was admitted to my top choice? Maybe. Or maybe I would have learned something about that program I didn't quite like. But it doesn't matter; everything worked out as it should and I have no regrets. The pain of rejection from a dream school doesn't (or shouldn't) last long, then you need to move on with your life and do great things. 2) I agree with Silviatx about test scores. My GRE scores translated to about a 580 GMAT :doh: My program is T50 in its field with a great placement history. Apply broadly or retest, but don't give up. 3) I wish I hadn't spent so much time watching GradCafe's results page. I know it's hard to do, but it just works you up and wastes sooo much time. Maybe check once a week, but not several times a day (as I did). But DO check your email daily and don't stress if you haven't heard anything yet. Keep busy, pick up new (or old) hobbies; if you get in, you won't have this much free time for a while, so enjoy it! It was an interesting adventure, but I'm glad it's behind me. Now, on to the next stage! :onthego:

The GMAT tests more basic math skills than the courses you took at university. If you say you did not do well in your math courses consistently throughout the years, you may struggle in the courses required for a strategy PhD program. I agree that you are applying to too few programs, and are too top-heavy in terms of rank. Is there a specific reason you can only apply to a few? Is the research at those universities a good fit for your interests? No, applicants aren't expected to be experts in their field. Having foundational knowledge through relevant coursework is expected, and if you've written term papers or a thesis on a related topic, that is especially good experience. I also recommend reading some recent articles by faculty members you'd like to work with at the institutions you apply to. This will help you determine whether you find the work interesting, and gives you something to talk about in an interview to show some understanding of the topics you want to pursue. Basically, you need to have a good reason for wanting a PhD in strategy at University X, so understanding what research in strategy entails and determining some topics you're interested in will be important. I don't believe any of my business management applications required a writing sample, although they all had an option to upload additional materials (I submitted my honors thesis from undergrad to all of them). If you believe your thesis demonstrates quality thought and writing, it wouldn't hurt to include it. Get feedback from your professors first to see if it represents the type of work a PhD program is looking for (e.g., does it strengthen your application, weaken it, or neither?). Definitely talk with your professors to see where previous students from your university have gone for their PhDs, and what range of schools might be a good fit for your profile. Then find programs with research that aligns with your interests. I've been admitted to an OB program, so I have not directly applied to any strategy programs, but my impression has been that these expectations are fairly similar between the specialties in business management.

In the OB program I will be starting, students are expected to reach out and become involved with faculty research projects from the first quarter. Having an independent research idea comes a bit later. Faculty do not assign students to labs, but rather it is expected that students take the initiative to build relationships and find projects that interest them. I would recommend speaking to faculty whose work you find interesting. Ask questions to see if it's a good fit and if there are opportunities for you to join the project. You can talk to the program coordinator and ask what the typical expectations are for your program.

I'm curious how formal we should dress for visits after acceptance. Would khakis and a nice shirt be okay or should I wear dress pants since it's my first impression? I'll be visiting a friend in the city afterward so I want to be comfortable but I don't want to show up in jeans if that's not the normal attire. I'm not sure yet how laid back the department is in that sense.

Thank you! The nice thing about being admitted at the last minute, is I got my letter/funding info 2 days later :) So now that I know I'm going to accept, I bought thank you cards so I can write a nice note to my LOR writers to inform them of my decision. This particular program only allowed 2 LORs to be submitted, but I had 4 profs write letters for various programs I applied to. Of course I'd like to inform all of them where I will be attending. Would it seem at all insulting/surprising/any-other-undesired-emotion for the profs who did not write letters for my chosen program to find out I was admitted to a school they didn't help me get into? Of course, they still submitted letters for several other programs and I'm grateful for that. I'm probably overthinking it, and I'm sure this type of thing happens all the time.

I was placed on the waitlist at the program I interviewed with recently (for OB). From what I can tell from Grad Cafe results, I believe I was 2nd on the waitlist. Yesterday I was informed a spot came available and I will receive the official offer soon. :) According to the management productivity rankings, it is a top 50 school. It sounds like a great fit, and I'm in the process of scheduling a visit (all interviews were by phone). Very exciting news so close to the end. I hope it gives some hope to those of you still waiting for an opening!

I've had a lot of interest lately from a school that is T45. It is for OB, and none of my recommenders had a connection to any of the business schools I applied to (I have a psych background). I also had lowish GRE scores which translated to a 580 GMAT, but I had a good reason for poor performance, so I included a brief explanation in my SOP. One thing that I know did hurt me at some schools is that I was a bit too specific with my research interests. I started off broadly when writing the first SOPs, but narrowed in a bit as I applied to more programs. I think some of the POIs were looking to go in new directions than they had in the past 2-3 years, so I wasn't a great fit anymore. But, no regrets at this point regardless of what happens. I know there is debate about being too specific with research questions in the SOP, so I thought I'd throw in my experience. Not sure if I'll get an admit from this program or not, but it seems to be perfect and is only 1.5 hours from my home and family. And I got this far with low GRE scores, no connections - just a kick-butt thesis, solid recs, and SOP (and probably some good luck). At least I learned a few valuable things in the process, should I need to try again in the future.

I just had a phone interview with an OB program on Monday, and I know one of my other programs historically interviews very late, in mid-late March. So I agree that you should reach out and not give up hope just yet. I was also just waitlisted at an I/O Psych program today, so there's still movement among programs.

Thanks for the replies. I'm a woman (I think some assume I'm male), so maybe that's something to do with it, but I don't know that I want to wait until I'm almost 40+ years old to get married, buy a house, etc. I don't want kids, so that's not the issue. I just feel like I have to be mobile right now, to move anywhere for a PhD. I just started dating a great guy, who owns a home, so he's not going to be moving. And then if I don't meet anyone during school willing to relocate anywhere...I know there are people out there who would for the right person, but it's all seeming like I waited too long. Sure, lots of people go back at an older age, but many have spouses/families and friends to support them. I have none of that. My friends moved away, family is unsupportive, and at this point, I think I value building a personal life over a professional one (my career is already pretty solid). Of course I could change my mind and reapply next year or later on. I just expected to be pretty upset about not getting in - and I really feel very indifferent. I guess that's better than devastation. By the way, congrats to everyone who received offers! :) It has definitely been a learning experience.

I'm wondering if anyone else has ever had this type of feeling. So, I've been waiting 9 years to apply and pursue my PhD. It's the only thing I saw myself doing. I put my life on hold, didn't settle down, just waiting to save up enough money and pay down enough debt. This was the first year I applied. I had a phone interview to one of my top choice schools, and I was over the moon happy. Then, I didn't get an on campus interview. I felt like... meh, oh well. Then I received three rejections from other schools...no heartbreak. There are still 2 schools I applied to that historically do really late interviews. And I think I'm emotionless about the whole process. I think it finally hit me that I'd like to start focusing on my personal life instead. I'm almost 30 and I don't want to be "on hold" anymore. Plus, I'm reading through all these posts about academic attitudes and letter writers not responding, finding the "right" interview answers to prove you're the right fit...it's all sinking in. I love research, writing, and teaching. It really is the perfect career. But I don't think I'd like the culture, the competition, and all of the other political stuff that goes on. So at this point, I'm just ready to move on. I didn't withdraw yet, I would still like to see the outcome and I do think the right department could still rope me in. I'm just not upset if it doesn't happen. It's just a really strange feeling after dedicating 9 years of my life to get to this one goal.

I think that OB applicants aren't all that active on GC, at least this year. Hardly anyone wrote in the forums over the last few months, so I am wondering if we'd even see a lot of results regardless of what schools are up to. I've searched the history of my programs and for some of them, I don't see a single result from OB/Management in the last several years.

I had sent one. It's customary in the business world to do so after an interview, so I figure it can't be anything less than a nice gesture in the academic world. It's also a good opportunity to add anything you may have forgotten, or to clarify something you may not have articulated well. Not that a thank you email would make or break their decision, though.

I had a phone interview at one school. It appears that they may have sent out the on-campus invites already, but I only saw one person post about it so far. I assume it didn't work out; I don't think my research ideas were the fit they were looking for. No idea if I'm waitlisted, though. Have departments been contacting those of you who know you're waitlisted, or did you follow-up with the departments yourselves?

Has each school received at least one letter? Three of my programs are still missing one letter and I didn't hear back from the writer, and all 3 have still considered my application, temporarily "waiving" the third letter until a decision is made. If I'm admitted, then I would need to get that 3rd letter in. I would still email the programs though, as each may differ. Yep.