Another CBS Convert

If you think I'm crazy for loving CBS as my number one choice, check out Soni's post on his CBS visit. His blog's link is on the right side of the page under "Fall 2009 bloggers." Yeah yeah, he still likes Wharton and GSB more but whatever.

My days are a bipolar mix of anxious and content. Content cuz I feel like I'm making steady progress on my app but anxious because there's still so much left to do. I'm sure some of you are well familiar with the feeling. One of my recommenders said he'll submit by this weekend and the other said he'd submit by next weekend. That's good- at least I can cross that off my list. Afterall, recommenders are the one part of the app where you don't have 100% control.

I've also started pondering the format of my short answers to the "Activities" and "Work History" section of the app. The activities section is confusing because the directions tell you to list up to 3 activities (each for college and post-college) and to keep it under 400 characters! Christina on the BW forum even clarified that it should be 400 characters for all 3 activities. Yet the text box allows you to write up to 60,000! Hmm, I wonder if they'll notice if we don't abide by their rule. Not that I'm going to risk it but why do they tempt us so? :P 400 characters is also incredibly little if it hasn't hit you yet. You basically have to describe it in one tiny sentence. Good thing one of my essays is about an extra-curric but then again, maybe that's not a good thing because if they don't emphasize extra-currics on the app, then how important can it be to them right? I still don't know if the 400 characters is with or without spaces. Sigh.

The "Work History" section seems easy- just a straightforward list. Until you start filling it out. It asks you for your duties and reason why you left. Does this mean we have to write them out really nicely? Or can we just be direct and answer the questions? I feel like the anal-retentive side of me wants to write super sweet answers but that's yet another thing to edit and draft and stress over. Sadness.

Also, breaking news alert! It appears I will definitely be submitting an optional essay. An adcom member had originally said the best way to use the optional essay is not to use it. haha! Talk about cryptic. Well I have no choice, I have to use it to address why I didn't use a current supervisor (very legit reason as our current project manager has only been there for two months). I also have to explain my grade conversion of my study abroad coursework because I am not following the CBS guidelines (which is okay, I called them and they said so). I'm debating if I need a third paragraph explaining my work history though. I've already had 5 jobs (not counting my part-time family business stuff) so i know that can be a red flag. But upon closer observation, I've really only had 2. That's cuz the first job after graduation was a crummy sales position for only 1 month... and then I worked at Refco for 3 months before it had the accounting scandal and went bankrupt (not my fault i swear)... and then before I was a hired temp at a staffing agency that placed me at Deutsche Bank so technically I worked for the staffing agency for 5 months even though I was at Deutsche. Oi vey.

Having to address three points in the optional essay worries me a lil :/