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... :-)