"W" on the transcript

[SO19]

Hi,

Back in 2004, I have withdrawn from a Master of Science program at Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science at Columbia.

I was not 100% sure if I was going to stay at the job that I had at that time and that was when I applied for the program, wanting to go back to school. As my dissatisfaction with the job grew, I was very close to quit it and go back to school. I picked my classes and paid tuition. However my boss offered me a better compensation package and promised me that she would hire a junior person for the group so that I could move up. I then decided to stay at the job and that means I withrew from the master program. Now my transcript has "W" on it. I even went to Columbia for undergraduate so I will have to get a transcript from this school.

How negatively would it affect my MBA admission? I plan to explain it in the optional essays.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[MBAApply]

Just disclose the facts in the optional essay. It's not a big deal so long as you explain what happened in a factual manner that doesn't come across as defensive.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com