Ah..so we meet again...my Chicago GSB visit!

My first visit to a B school this year was to the ONLY school that showed me a little love last year. And an all-time favorite and top choice!!! The Chicago GSB. I like the GSB because of its great infrastructure and because it is a "good" school if you know what I mean. I have always found the GSB to be a school that gives credit where it is due and does NOT use the admissions process to boost its numbers and yield statistics. The students are awesome, the location great, the facilities fabulous and the professors par excellence. I knew all this. But why did I visit again? I guess I wanted to start this year on a good foot. And I have always felt something special for the GSB. So where better can I start? Also, I wanted to "feel" that connection again - hoping that it will make my essays better.

It was a nightmare finding a parking spot near the GSB campus. I finally tried my best at parallel parking between two cars on a narrow lane two blocks away from the GSB. I then broke into a sprint and reached the info session breathing heavily (now, for the Paw, running has become a way of life :)). Admissions director Kurt Ahlm patiently answered our questions on the essay questions, the admissions process this year and on reapplicants. Here are the main takeaways -
1. Essay 1 is the most important.
2. The "step into a person's shoes" question is asked to further know the applicant's personality and his creative bent.
3. The PPT is designed to make the applicant "stand out". It is used to test how creatively an applicant can present oneself. (I think it is the most difficult but rewarding part of the whole application process. I also think the best way to answer this question would be to first devise an overall strategy - or a bulleted list of what you want to convey. Then use the other questions to convey most of that. The remaining can be conveyed in as creative a manner as possible through the PPT). Mr. Ahlm said he is not sure whether the applications will go up or down because of the PPT question. But he expects one of the two to happen. My guess is that it will go down because it might be a part where people shooting off apps to other schools might not be able to reuse from other essays. This will be a major dissuading factor. However, all the more better for us chicago devotees :).

I could not manage to meet current students as it was summer break. However, I am in touch with a few of them I met during my last visit. So that is OK.

Also managed to click a few pictures of the GSB (for those applicants who have not had a chance to visit).



The above shows the main entrance to the Hyde park..oops Harper center. Below is a picture of a conference room I shot. I know this room is in the admissions office. So I GUESS this is the place where our fates are going to be decided :)



I am now gonna look at this picture everyday and imagine the ad-com sitting around in circle around the table going "ooh" and "aah" over my reapplication essays. Suddenly they will all jump up in joy. Ah! the perfect application! A Jonathan livingston seagull amongst the applicants. And they will unanimously vote for my admission. I believe such vivid imagery will help me "manifest" my destiny :)).