I want to be a Bulldog!

Wow. A lot of changes going on in my life.

I'm still waiting for the official word on my Harvard app, but as many of you know, it's an insanely competitive year. I am working on my Yale application from now through January and that will be it for this year. While I will still visit USC and UCLA in January, I won't be applying to any other schools this year.

I look at my life as having a lot of options and potential paths. If I am able to get into Yale, I would accept. And if not, then I will work to strengthen my application over the next two years or until cycles change and the MBA goes back to being a less-desired course. As many have told me, I picked the worst year ever to apply. Maybe. Maybe not. I wasn't ready last year. And now that I have considered life without an MBA, I've got some solid perspective as to why I want one or why I need one (that's a whole separate post).

The CFA exam is done. I've spent the last two weeks completely neglecting my health in a drinking-loaded, party-hard, exercise-free orgy of complete sin. Delicious food. No lifting weights. I bought a Blu-Ray player and my first two movies were Dark Knight and Ratatouille. All in all, it's been a fun two weeks, but I am ready to get back into healthy mood. Also, changes coming at the workplace (all by choice, I might add).

So as 2009 approaches, let us all be thankful that 2008 is nearly behind us and excited for the possibilities ahead. For you MBA applicants, I wish you all the best of luck. Just remember, if you don't get in, it's not the end of the world. If you do get in, enjoy your options. ;-)

Reflection

It's been a whirlwind month for me. I work in financial services, so the market chaos is enough to give even the most experienced wall street'ers a headache times ten. Add in business school applications, the CFA, working with an Asian American leadership organization, and trying to balance some time with family, friends, and social networking, and you basically get overloaded.

I got rejected from Lauder (Wharton) shortly after I got rejected from Chicago. My best friend saw a post that I made on facebook which was a snippet from the Goo Goo Dolls song "Better Days" - he proceeded to make fun of me for posting whiny lyrics, then figured out I got rejected. He was apologetic for days.

At least that made me laugh. ;-) (he is my best friend...and we give one another more hell than most enemies, you should know)

After that, I proceeded back to studying for the CFA, an exam which I barely failed in June and one which I have been firmly resolved to pass for a year now. But frankly, there's just too much on my plate right now. A couple people have suggested I pull back a bit, and I plan to.

After much deliberation, I'm going to aim to move to China this spring and ignore finding a new job or MBA program for the time being. I'm hoping to enter a study program in Shanghai to bolster my language skills while also looking for work there, and I may still submit one last app to a second round school.

For any of you who actively read this, don't be afraid to have a plan B. I have a wonderful friend who's at Chicago right now. She pointed out, rightly so, that you don't NEED an MBA to do whatever you like. And I'm 26. Not too young, but clearly not old. I still have time.

I want to see the world. I was just hoping to do so under the guise of a study program with Wharton. But I am going to refocus and learn more about myself. I've been too comfortable for too long. I need to thrive on my own, creating a whole new set of friends, challenges, and stories.

I'll keep posting here until my decisions come in. Good luck to all of you. (and wish me luck on my CFA...t-minus 6 days!)

Chicago says no

Well the first rejection has arrived. Chicago's email arrived this morning, I signed onto their website and in four letter, I read it.

"DENY."


DearXXX

Thank you for applying to Chicago Booth's Full-Time MBA Program. Your application has received the careful consideration of our Admissions Committee. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you admission to the Class of 2011.

The superb quality of this year's applicant pool presented the Admissions Committee with some difficult decisions. Three members of the Committee reviewed your application in its entirety before our decision was made. Applicants are evaluated on several criteria, including academic preparedness, professional achievements, communication skills, extracurricular/community involvement, leadership, self-awareness, understanding the value of the MBA experience, and fit with Chicago Booth.

We certainly appreciate the effort you put into this process, and we wish you every success as you continue to plan for your future.

Sincerely,

Rosemaria Martinelli
Associate Dean, Student Recruitment and Admissions


Hmm. Not totally surprised but not really happy about it either...

Slight heart attack, then relief.

My Wharton-Lauder account status read "Submitted" but not "Complete-Round One" like it should have. It had been several weeks since I clicked "Submit" and I was becoming a bit anxious.

Then I got an email from Nellie Kanjo, coordinator for admissions and student affairs at Lauder the other day. It came to my work email after I had posted on the student2student bulletin board. She asked for my transcript, I sent it, and voila! It was complete!

Now this doesn't really mean anything beyond that my application will be reviewed and a decision (to interview or not) will be sent by November 13th. That's only a WEEK away. But I am surprisingly calm about this. I know Lauder's a great fit for me but there's not much else I can do.

Fingers crossed and optimistic, I can just hope for the best!

Envy

I must admit some jealousy creeps out whenever I meet Wharton MBA alums. I went to their recent info session and spent a good hour talking to three of them. One was a Lauder grad from the late 80's, one was a current Lauder 2nd year and the last was a Lauder '04 grad. A nice spectrum of opinions. The one thing I was envious of was their common views on how much fun they had/were having and how many friends they were making.

Beyond the technical benefits and the career transitions, the single thing that excites me is a ton of new potential friends. Is this weird? Each time I've gone into a new situation - grade school, high school, college, study abroad, working - I've always enjoyed the "honeymoon" phase the most. The time when you're just meeting tons of people and trying to figure out who people really are underneath the accomplishments, the jobs, the courses, and the smiles/frowns.

I should be hearing if my Wharton app is complete by the end of the week, but I am not concerned. I have my halloween costume (Rick James), I'm healthy and pounding the books for the CFA. Life is good. :-P

post-Hawaii

I just got back from a five day holiday to Maui to celebrate the submission of three apps, visit my best friend, and most importantly to recover from the stress of the last nine months (CFA Level I exam in June, Chinese class, GMAT's, apps, work, volunteering with a mentorship program).

The whole time in Hawaii thought put a lot of clarity in my mind. Besides speaking more slowly, wanting to wear "slippahs" and occasionally breaking into pidgin (yo bruddah, how's it?), I really found myself at ease despite all the stress in the economy and the markets. I work at an investment bank in technology and operations and many people are stressed, but I now tell them: why be stressed? You can only control so much. Don't overload on company stock, plan for contingencies, and be thankful for the prosperity and fortune you've had thus far in life. It can ALWAYS be worse. Much worse that being able to apply to business school or any of the things we take for granted.

Now that the applications are in though, I find myself eagerly awaiting some kind of response. It's hard to balance that feeling that a certain school is right for me with the sobering reality that it MAY NOT be. It's a lot like dating - it has to be a mutual thing. Ever noticed that?

Of all the girls - ahem - schools, whom I'd like to come a calling, Lauder is that ultra hot one in the corner who knows she's the shiznit. And when she comes to ask for a dance, it's like any scene in a horrible teen movie where the geek gets to dance with the prom queen. I'm the geek, in case you missed the reference. I'm going to bed now. I hope I have the same dream I did last night - where I imagined my first week of bschool. :-P

HARVARD AND CHICAGO ARE DONE

What a day.

First, I completed both my Harvard and Chicago applications. God, is it done for now? I think so... :-D

Second, I went to a Wharton info session tonight and had a chance to speak with Marcy Bevan, Director of Admissions and External Affairs for the Lauder Program. It was refreshing to see the woman behind the decisions again. I had met her last December on campus and after speaking with alums tonight, I am even MORE convinced that Wharton is the school for me.

I won't get picky if I get into Chicago or Harvard, but dude...Lauder is PERFECT. I just want to get to the interview!! :-P

Quick Reply

This is the timeframe for Wharton, according to the email they sent me:

Thank you for submitting your application for Round One.

The following will provide you with information concerning the processing of application materials, timeline for the release of interview invitations, and final decision releases.

If your online account reads "Complete - Round One," your application has all the required materials, has been processed by the Operations Team, and has been forwarded to the Committee for review.

If your online account reads "Received," then the Operations Team needs to process your online application submission and any materials submitted by hard copy. After your materials have been processed (assuming they arrived before the Round One deadline), your online account will be changed to "Complete for Round One" and your file will be forwarded to the Committee for review. Due to the high number of candidates who submitted their application during the past few days (more than 60% of candidates applying for Round One submitted their application within 24 hours of the deadline), it will take the Operations Team a few weeks to complete the processing of all materials. Therefore, please allow the Operations Team until Thursday, October 30th before inquiring about the completeness of your application.

Candidates who applied by hard-copy will receive information by e-mail about how to access their online account when the processing of their application is complete. All applications submitted by hard-copy will be processed by Thursday, October 30th.

The Admissions Committee will begin to release interview invitations on Thursday, October 23rd and will continue to release invitations on a daily basis until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, November 13th. Due to the nature and complexity associated with the admissions process there is no particular order in which invitations are released. Also on November 13th, the Committee will release all final admissions decisions to candidates that are not being invited for an interview and therefore no longer being considered for admission.

If you are invited for an interview, you will need to complete your interview by Thursday, December 4th. Interviews will be available on campus with second-year Wharton MBA Students who are full members of the Admissions Committee, off campus with alumni, and off campus in various "Hubs" around the world by Admissions staff members. All interview options are equally considered within the admissions process.

Candidates who are offered an interview will receive their final admissions decision by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Monday, December 22nd.

Thank you again for applying to Wharton. We look forward to reading your application.

Sincerely,

Wharton MBA Admissions Committee
Lauder Admissions

Is that not crazy? I will find out by Nov. 13 if I have been selected to interview and final decisions come out by Dec. 22. DAAANG.

Suggestions

If you're reading this and applying round two, PLEASE learn from what I've done.

-Make sure you review your essays WELL in advance and get critical feedback early on. Nothing worse than having great feedback come too late to make appropriate changes.
-Don't overwhelm your reviewers with too many essays. Target them!
-Make sure your comments and answers are consistent - make it easy for readers to read!
-Stories are an excellent way to make a point. Be a good story teller and you'll help your reader understand it.
-ANSWER THE QUESTION in one sentence before attempting to do so in a 400-500 word essay. If you can do this in one sentence you can do so in an essay.


On that note, Harvard and Chicago are almost done! Yay! And vacay in two days. Uber yay.

WHARTON APP IS DONE

There it is. My 24 page PDF is now in the hands of Wharton. I spent so many hours reviewing, polishing, re-writing and now it's done.

I sent off my app to Wharton tonight and both my recommenders submitted their respective recommendations. I paid my fee and my app is submitted. Hot dog. I really really really really really really want to go to Lauder.

Now Harvard and Chicago next week - yippee. :-P

technology sucks

YIKES. The Wharton app is down. I was trying to resend the link to my recommender so she could finish it and what happens? The Wharton site crashes. And there's still two days! WTF!

Alright. The GMAT is, for better or worse, done. I am preparing my application and finishing my essays so I can submit to Wharton next week and then Harvard the following week. Chicago is still up in the air, but I may try to get that app done as well.

Here goes...

Once this is done, Hawaii for a week, then the CFA prep for December begins. I want to be in b-school!!!! NOW!!!

Sunsets

I think I'm close to done with my Wharton/Lauder apps! I just sent off a general draft to my reviewers, but I feel really good to be closing in on October 9th!

Cause beyond that is Harvard and Chicago on October 15th and then it's off to Hawaii for a week to tan, sleep, surf, swim, run, and sightsee like a good old tourist should do. Any advice on what to do, see, eat and drink on Maui? ;-)

close to deadlines

Alright. T-minus less than five days til GMAT. I made significant progress in critical reasoning studies tonight. And my timing is spot on, according to my gmat class prof. You know what? It'll all be good.

I've been spending a bunch of time review my essays and getting them to be easier to read, more personal, and less BS. Admissions essay reviewers know how to spot a canned explanation for why you should be admitted. They want to hear stories - good ones. Triumph, courage, failure, motivation, accomplishment, emotion, humor. And it took me so long to figure that out.

So if you're reading this and applying round 2 or 3 or next year, keep this in mind and start doing some thinking. It'll save you a lot of time later on! Promise.

crap

oh crap.

now i'm in trouble. less than 2 weeks til GMAT part deux and I've scored the EXACT same on my GMAT prep as I did before. WTF. I know this stuff better?!?

My strengths have gotten stronger (Sentence Correction and Problem Solving). My weaknesses have gotten worse (notable in data sufficiency and critical reasoning).

What do I do?

Advanced Mid!!

So I took my OPI (Oral Proficiency rating) test Thursday, which is a language test conducted by a native speaker. I was really nervous since I haven't studied Chinese since college, but this past spring I took a class and I recently bought Rosetta Stone and both have worked wonders.

I got my score today and it was an Advanced Mid! That's good. :-P The scale goes:

Superior
Advanced High
Advanced Mid
Advanced Low
Intermediate High
Intermediate Mid
Intermediate Low
Novice High
Novice Mid
Novice Low

The Lauder program at Wharton says "Students are admitted with an oral proficiency rating (OPI) at the Advanced level, preferably Advanced Mid (according to the guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)," so I am really quite stoked that there's one less thing to worry about.

In other news, I have two weeks til the GMAT part deux, and hopefully I'll kick it's butt. Only another month til all first round apps are in...here goes a whirlwind month!

Doubts...and casting them aside

My mentor put a good thought in my head the other night. As she gave me a ride to a meeting we had down south, she asked me if I had considered the possibility of not getting an MBA. She had been admitted to Andersen (UCLA) years before but decided to stay with her company and now she's a very senior person at her firm (having been there since she graduated roughly 20 years ago).

This was one of the first times I'd ever thought about not getting an MBA. How would my life be different? A lot of times we find ourselves so committed to a path without acknowledging even the possibility of not going down that road. We always ask - how can I get to this destination or that school? But what if we don't even go in that direction?

It's worth asking yourself.

Now that I've articulated my doubts, let me re-affirm, that an MBA *IS* for me. I know it. I've known it, and despite letting my surroundings temporarily drown the belief, I have confirmed it is where I want to be. Will I be disappointed if my plans don't work out for this spring/fall?

Sure.

But will it define me as a person or discourage me from pursuing the dream later on?

Not a chance.

I know it's the right path for me. And if you're reading this and you have these kinds of doubts, ask yourself a simple question. Don't overthink it. You may find clarity is far easier to discover in silence than in a noisy room.

Inspiration

Oh for any of you who read this blog, have a read/listen - preferably both.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6196795

This link will take you to an NPR podcast by Jon Carroll, a very gifted columnist from the San Francisco Chronicle. His quote:

“Success is boring. Success is proving that you can do something that you already know you can do… Failure is how we learn.”

So as we all write about success and failure and what we've gained from it, don't necessarily look towards your grandest success as your shining moment. Why not consider the greatest defeat or setback you've experienced and how you recovered from that experience?

Oh and if that doesn't work, go download the theme to the movie Rudy with Sean Astin, or the track "Final Game" from said soundtrack. Make sure you've seen the movie too because it will convince you that anything is possible if you are willing to make it happen.

Giving Back

Hmm. As I progress through essay writing and topic analysis, one issue has been perplexing. How do I go about describing my involvement with former schools? I've done more recently with my college's alumni network, as I have been involved with applicant interviews for my college here in my hometown, represented the university at a couple college fairs, met with prospective students and their families, and I am coordinating events for the local alumni chapter. In addition I have been back to the school once to give a talk to business majors and give some of them advice on career selection.

I've also been working with my high school alumni council and was just asked to become a member of the executive committee.

So how can I incorporate this into an essay without sounding too cliche about wanting to give back to schools that have given me a great education?

scores

Well ups and downs.

Sunday I spent 4 hours taking a CAT exam through ManhattanGMAT (the provider I'm using). I had scored XXX on the real exam back in February with only independent studying to prep me. I was also double timing the CFA which was not a good idea AT ALL.

A few weeks ago I do my first practice CAT exam and got XXX +20. I was jazzed. Improvement. Sunday, I got XXX...again.

Talk about discouraging! And I figure I need a substantial jump in score to balance out a weak GPA. Anyone have thoughts about that?

in lighter news my classmates all reported difficulty with this test...one guy's score dropped by 60 points!!

essay this. essay that.

yikes. essays are really a piece of work. I have been working on Harvard and Wharton's essays for several weeks now and the ability to condense what you've accomplished, felt, and lived into 400 or 500 words is actually a very difficult process!

Add to that GMAT prep (51 days til the exam), getting all of my recommendations arranged and then taking my OPI (foreign language profiency exam) for Lauder, plus work, volunteering, working out, and an occasional social outing and it really means I have no life.

But it's all worth it in the long run. I just hope things work out... :-)

Jealous and Testing

If ever there were a sense of urgency, it is now. I have met two former grade school and high school classmates who are going to Columbia and Berkeley respectively this fall and it's got me thinking...why can I be in their shoes?

I'm enrolled in my Manhattan GMAT prep course now, having already taken it once and received a reasonable score (but not what I wanted). I got a 39 on the verbal in a practice exam today which puts me in the 89th percentile in Verbal. Is that an accurate assessment? Anyone have any ideas?

Alright. We'll see if I can keep on top of this in addition to waiting to find out about the CFA results in three weeks, balancing work with a comedy class, giving tennis lessons, giving my sister the badminton coaching she needs, and the actual GMAT studying and applications!

It is now July. I'm going to do a GMAT review course through the summer, take the exam (for a second time) in September, and work on apps throughout the fall. Have you ever had that feeling that you KNEW something was the right fit for you? When I started studying for the CFA, I *knew* it was the right thing to do. The same applies for business school, only a thousand times more. When people mention they are in an MBA program or just graduated, my mind is temporarily flooded with all the good vibes that you normally get when thinking back on undergrad or an old flame. No, I am not a nerd. Nor am I a glutton for debt or punishment.

But I can't wait to get there. With any luck, round one for Wharton will lead me there. :-P ::fingers crossed::

Post #1 (of many)

Well here goes. Hello there! This is the first post. I am applying to business school this coming fall (2008) for summer/fall 2009 enrollment. I graduated from college in 2004 and actually started the search process that fall, attending a business school forum here in San Francisco. Each fall after that, I kept up my visits to business school information sessions and MBA forums in an effort to figure out which program was for me.

After numerous people telling me an MBA was unnecessary or a waste of money, I changed positions within my company and pushed ahead with my MBA search process.

In December, I took a big step and visited Wharton, Columbia, NYU, Harvard and MIT - and that definitely cemented my desire to go to b-school. I sat for the GMAT a few weeks ago and while not displeased at my score, I'll definitely be re-taking the exam in the summer after I sit for the CFA Level I exam in June.

Any and all comments are welcome - especially from my girl Paige (aka JulyDream) who's headed off to Darden this fall and is a constant source of sagely advice.