For those of us aspiring to apply next fall, do you think applications will be up even further from this year, about the same level of competitiveness, or slightly lower?

Also, do MBA programs adjust their experience expectations, to a certain degree, for women bearing in mind the delicate task of balancing personal life goals with career?

I'm guessing that next year will be rougher than this year, but it really depends on what happens with the economy. The major financial shake out occurred in October, which was too late to take the GMAT and write-up solid applications - so there will be a big group next year with very polish apps - although I'm sure there will be a nice flood in R2/R3s.

Moreover, the financial shake-outs don't seem be over quite yet, so I'd expect more layoffs, and more nasty stuff before it's all done. That said, my guess is next year is probably the worst, and then there will be a recovery (at least in terms of ease of entrance). Just my thoughts based on how the markets are behaving - I'm by no means an expert on application volume.

I would agree with your assessment. Another thing to consider is the number of reapplicants. One reason (albeit not as impactful as the down economy) for the jump in applications is the significant increase in reapps from last year - which at the time was considered one of the most competitive year to get admission.

So I think we will see an even greater increase in reapps, which unfortunately will add to the number of candidates applying next year. But again, so much depends on the economy...

I think that - as long applicant profiles are good, they don't have to worry too much. If you can present yourself well, your stats are above average, you can write nice and polished and convincing essays, the competition won't stop you. Why I say that? Because - if you look at it closely - you see that stats (average GMAT scores, GPA, work exp) are more or less the same in the last two years! It's not like everybody who gets in this year has a 770 GMAT score or a 3.9 GPA in engineering! That's may be true for Indians or Chinese applicants, but that pool has always (and always will be) very competitive! I would be more worried if your profile is that of a laid-off banker working in Wall Street, because this and next year probably many bankers will try to enter MBA programs, and you know how much schools value diversity, hence a lot of them will be rejected. Otherwise, do not worry too much, put your strongest application possible and apply to your dream school! The only thing that makes it more difficult is that GMAT scores at top programs seem to have a lower standard deviation these years. For a top10 program, if two years ago a 680 was acceptable, today a 710 is needed (as long as you are not a former head of state or something).

Good luck to everybody!!

P.S. I'm not that sure that next year's application volume will be higher than this'. Look at the trends: in the last couple of years, the biggest increment of applicants came from abroad, namely Asia. Applicants from the US or Europe were up but only slightly. This and next year, instead, there will be an increase in applications coming from the US. But think about this: the crisis will affect developing economy and foreign applicants the most, as they will struggle to find funds. So, there probably will be less applicants from that pool. In the US, then, I doubt the economy will get any worse! The new stimulus plan will prevent other institutions to fail, and I think that in the next year some jobs will be recovered. Furthermore, the credit crunch and the uncertainty will prevent many people from applying as well. Last but not least, even if the crisis stroke in October, I'm sure there is still plenty of time for applicants to go for round 2 or 3!

Hey guys,

Just a quick question: Is it normal to send a quick thank you e-mail to your interviewer? Also, if you don't receive a reply, does that likely mean the interaction was not all together positive? I had an interview at Wharton this past Friday and never got a reply. I know this is probably a stupid question, but my OCDish mind is already drawing conclusions from this.

It depends. Either an email will be just fine, or you can go a step further and hand-write a note and send it in the day after. As far as a response from the interviewer, he/she might be occupied with other interviews or does not have the time to get back to you. But, it doesn't mean that it signifies a negative interview. Plus, it's the Holidays this week. Everything is always delayed this time around, perhaps your interviewer will reply next week. If not, however, no big deal.

Hope this helps.

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The end of module one has led me take a few days off from school to celebrate and to reflect on my EMBA experience to date. The realization that the technology industry is as much about business as is it about tools and systems is what led me to Loyola's EMBA program. And one of my goals in pursuing a MBA is to compliment my experiential learning with a solid academic foundation in leadership and business fundamentals.

Looking back on the past ten weeks of study, I see that I'm well on my way to getting all that I hoped for. Just as valuable as the amazing amount of learning that has taken place - I am in a diverse and challenging cohort of accomplished professionals. Getting outside my industry and being in a class with lawyers, entrepreneurs, publishers, real estate developers, marines, engineers and educators creates rich dialog and broadens the learning. As I look back on module one, I am delighted with how far I've come and also realize just how much more I can learn.