Omne's MBA Journey

The 2nd Year Begins

2010-09-01T20:55:00.003-04:00

What an amazing, crazy, busy, relaxing, unexpected three and a half months it has been. I find myself back on campus for the start of my second, and final, year of the MBA program. I've had a full slate of classes, met some of the first years, and begun the madness that is sure to be the remaining two semesters.

China
In a word, China was absolutely amazing! The trip started with us being deplaned due to the smell of smoke and further delays, meaning our arrival was much later than anticipated. First stop was Beijing and all the sites and attractions it has to offer. Highlights were definitely the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Xi'an and the Terracotta Warriors was next, followed by the World Expo in Shanghai. The trip capped off with a few magical days in Hong Kong. We saw tons of cool sites, met amazing people and learned a ton about doing business in China. If you have the means, I can't recommend it enough.

The Internship
Again, awesome. My number one choice sent me to Chicago for the summer. Anyone who's ever been to Chi-town knows how awesome it is during the summer and I can assure you, it lived up to its hype ten fold! My internship saw me getting lots of exposure to parts of the business I never expected, traveling to many different cities and learning from great people. It reaffirmed why I wanted to work there in the first place and I remain committed to making that work.

The Second Year
So now, the second year has begun. I don't know why, but I had the impression the second year was easier than the first. WRONG! It seems more work, less structure, and much more responsibility. It's one thing to work on three group projects simultaneously when you're in one group for all three; it's quite another to have three separate groups. On top of that, we are now the head dogs in terms of clubs and organizations. No more learning from the older class on what it takes to lead a student club, now it's up to us to keep things moving forward and motivate and include the new first years. It'll be quite a challenge, but one I'm sure we're all up for!

Here's to a great second year!

School's Out, Bring On China!

2010-05-07T12:20:00.003-04:00

It's officially over. The first year of my MBA experience came to an end Wednesday with my last final. It's been an amazing year, filled with highs (Project Nicaragua, an amazing internship offer, etc.) and lows (social dynamics of differing personalities, overloaded schedules). I've learned a bit, grown a lot, seen some cool stuff, done some cool things, and survived the first half. Next up, China for two weeks, then back to Ohio for a few days, then off to Chicago to start my internship!

So, let's talk China. This is a school-sponsored trip, so we'll be traveling with two faculty members and will receive credit. There's a great group of first year MBAs going, but there is representation from the Charlotte and Winston-Salem Evening and Saturday programs as well. The trip will take us to Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Hong Kong (with a possible side trip to Macau). What I'm most looking forward to is the World Expo, which is in Shanghai. Almost 200 countries will be there and it will be an amazing experience. I'm also excited for the typical touristy stuff: the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden Palace, etc. It will also be great to see how the Chinese work and live; we'll be visiting both foreign and local companies.

We leave extremely early in the morning tomorrow, 6AM. Today is packing day, and there's a lot to bring for two weeks!

Almost Done

2010-04-25T19:31:00.003-04:00

Wow...I don't know when it happened. One minute you're trapped under an insane amount of work, figuring out which assignment to slack off on, juggling the coming exams and presentations. Next thing you know, you take a look at the calendar and realize in less than two weeks, it's all over. The first year of your MBA journey will be over. It's amazing how quickly it all happened!

There's only a few days left before the second years graduate, the first years head off for their summer adventures and begin their internships. The coming week will not be fun: exam tomorrow, presentation Tuesday, presentation Wednesday, quiz and paper Thursday. If I make it that far, the following week is just an exam and another presentation. A week from Wednesday, and I'm done! So where will my summer begin?

China! I'll be spending two weeks in China, going from Beijing to Xi'an to Shanghai and finally Hong Kong. It'll be a nice mix of cultural stuff and business visits. My main thing is going to be the World Expo; I think I could spend two weeks there, but I'll likely only have a day. I'm definitely pumped for this trip. Unlike Nicaragua, where the language barrier wasn't so much of an issue, there will be a huge barrier in China. When I get back, I'll have two weeks until my internship starts. So, I'll have to pack up and move to...

Chicago! My last entry I spoke of heading to Atlanta. Literally the day I was going to sign my offer letter, I received word from the CMC office to hold off for a day. The next afternoon, I got an amazing offer from a company that would send me to Chicago. The offer absolutely blew me away, so I had to accept! I've never been to Chicago, so this will be an experience. I've started looking at housing options, I've got my start date, so I'm hopeful I'll have something before I leave for China (don't want this hanging over my head while I'm there).

Things are falling into place across the board for MBAs. It seems people are getting and accepting offers every day, and the mood is starting to lighten for the majority of the class. Exciting things are happening all around us and it's a great time. I can't wait for the next adventures in my life. More to come!

March Ends

2010-03-30T20:24:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is the last day of March. It's been two months since I last updated the blog, and for that I sincerely apologize. Pretty much since the moment school started back up in January, everyone has been running a hundred miles an hour. It's been difficult to get on any sort of legit schedule; things change so rapidly, without notice. Hopefully, things will calm down for the final mini, but probably not.

So, let's talk classes. We are finally at the point where we have declared concentrations and selected two electives for mini four. I'm enrolled in Financial Statement Analysis and Practical Issues of Marketing; my concentration is marketing. I went back and forth between marketing and finance, but in the end decided to stick with what I know. Most of my interviews were for marketing positions, and sitting in on the finance elective found me applying to switch classes DURING class. I'm certain I made the right decision!

Trips: I spent my spring break in Nicaragua for Project Nicaragua. Basically, we consult with local business owners and teach seminars on basic business concepts. The people we taught and work with can have pretty primitive business knowledge, yet they are some of the smartest people I've met. If there was something they didn't understand, it was usually our fault, not theirs. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I cannot wait to get back. This is why I came here, to do things like this.

Jobs: This is where it gets interesting. I did quite a bit of on-campus recruiting. I had an offer from one company, with a deadline to let them know the day I got back from Nicaragua. I had asked for an extension, as I was waiting on two more offers. They said no, so I said no. It was one of the scariest things I've ever done, turning down a sure thing in this economy for possibilities down the road. Luckily for me, it paid off, as I was offered a summer position with one of my top choices! I'm pretty pumped, and it's an enormous load off of my shoulders.

What's upcoming? Two electives, three required courses, finding housing in Atlanta, going to China for two weeks before the internship starts, and becoming an uncle. Things move quickly in B-school!

Such A Long Trip

2010-01-22T18:57:00.002-05:00

Well....it's certainly been awhile! I apologize for not posting for the last few months, but things just got crazy busy for awhile. By the time I was ready to write about something, ten more things had crept up and blogging got put on the back burner for awhile. Hopefully it doesn't get like that again!

So what's happened in the meantime? Thanksgiving, Christmas break (a whole month!), finals, and internship stuff. Last semester ended with a blowout party, which was nice. Finals went well, I got pretty good marks on all my exams and ended up with a decent GPA. Over break I did some networking for my internship, which was somewhat successful. All in all, not too bad.

As soon as I got back to school, things were back in full swing in no time! Three classes carried over from last mini (quant, finance and marketing) and three new ones began (macroeconomics, operations and information technology management). With the new classes comes reshuffled sections. Half of the teams from my old section joined half the teams from the other section. It took a few class sessions for everyone to get a feel for the others, but now the debates are lively.

Internship stuff is also happening. I had two interviews this week, two more next week, and one the week after. This, along with preparations for the Marketing Summit and Project Nicaragua's March trip have kept me super busy! It doesn't stop though, you've got to keep pushing forward as best you can. I still wouldn't trade this for anything!

Is it break yet?

2009-11-11T22:34:00.003-05:00

Things sure are busy in Winston-Salem! It's been almost a month since my last post, and for that I apologize. We were told by the second year students that this time of year is the busiest. They weren't kidding! It seems each week we've got a final, a project, or some mix of both. We've finished two courses so far, Managerial Economics and Management Communications. This weekend we write our case final for Quantitative Methods, then take that final exam Monday. On Tuesday, our accounting projects are due. Next Monday and Tuesday, our accounting and finance exams. Then we have a break for Thanksgiving, then as soon as we get back, our main project for Organizational Behavior is due, followed quickly by a marketing final. Phew!

On top of that, we still have regular classes, complete with pop quizzes and lengthy readings. My advice to any prospective student: invest in a comfortable chair and some good lighting. Your eyes and back will thank you! The quiz count this week is three so far, with another one to come tomorrow. I wouldn't say this was an abnormal week, but definitely a trying one. With all these projects and exams and classes coming to a head, things feel at a bursting point. I keep telling myself, December isn't far away!

In other news, things continue to progress on other fronts. Various groups continue to meet and discuss issues and trips. The Wine Club had a rousing meeting where we tasted various new world reds. The Marketing Summit team continues to plan and strategize for this year's event. Project Nicaragua has selected its group for the January trip. The international trips have been announced and people are excited to figure out where they want to go next May. Football season is about to end, but the Demon Deacon basketball team is set to begin!

It's definitely a period of change right now. The weather is changing. The leaves have packed up and headed closer to terra firma. Some classes are ending, others are beginning. We are nearly one quarter of the way through our MBA, and it feels like just yesterday we started this crazy adventure!

Fall Break

2009-10-16T16:57:00.003-04:00

Today is our "fall break." A whole one day of classes free. I spent my day off sleeping; went to bed at 2AM, woke up at 1PM. It was amazing. A perfect use of my free time! Now it's back to business and getting some work done. Since lots of people headed out of town for the weekend, it should be pretty quiet here in Winston-Salem.

We had our first exam on Monday. 3 hours of accounting was pretty rough. More exams are coming up in the week to follow, as we end the first mini and begin the second. Most classes carry over between minis, so it's not like we have a fresh slate of professors or anything. Just a new seating chart (I move from the cushy confines in the back row to the first row off to the side) and new material.

I've talked a lot about balance in business school, as have several other bloggers. What is the right balance between class work, activities and personal time? Honestly, I don't think there is one. I don't think I'll ever reach a point where everything fits into my schedule. Some weeks coursework is light, so I focus on myself or other obligations. Other times, I have tons of work for classes and everything else falls by the wayside. Mostly, it's a mix of stuff and it's impossible to fit everything in.

They Said It Would Be Hard

2009-10-08T18:50:00.002-04:00

And they were right! From when we first arrived on campus, the second year students told us that October (along with February) is absolutely brutal in terms of workload and the busy factor. They weren't lying. Just this week alone I've had three presentations, a pop quiz, six meetings, a deliverable for econ and many other things. This weekend is my reunion and homecoming, but we also have an accounting final Monday morning. This is a crazy balancing act!

I fully understand what they mean when they say October will test your will. While mine hasn't broken, it is definitely being pushed to the limit. I don't think I've woken up and felt confident about my work for that day. I continue to plug away and try and do the best I can; at the end of the day, that's all you can ask of yourself.

Last Friday I had my first interview for an internship. I had heard about it from our Career Management Center and spoke with several students who did this same internship last summer. For my first interview, I think it went well. It was completely behavioral, as I'm sure most of mine will be. I did get a nice bag of swag, which is always nice! It was also my first attempt at a career fair. It can be daunting, walking up to potential employers and literally throwing yourself in front of them. While a good number of companies were not in my future plans, it was excellent practice.

Things continue to spin dangerously close to the ridiculous line here at Wake Forest Schools of Business. You can see stress levels rising each day when someone has a presentation or interview. It's October, so the first mini is almost over. Can't believe 1/8th of our MBA program has gone by!

Caught In The Storm

2009-09-29T18:29:00.003-04:00

And they say it's only going to get worse! Wow! This whole MBA process sure is a trial-by-fire for time management and prioritization skills! Do you finish your quant homework or work on a cover letter for that internship deadline? Go to your Marketing Association meeting or Ambassador training? Watch How I Met Your Mother or sleep? All tough decisions!

September is coming to a close, and I think all us first year MBA students have a good grasp on just how difficult this whole experience will be. There's simply too many things to do. Too many assignments, deliverables, team meetings, project meetings, clubs and organizations...don't even think about personal time! My DVR is certainly getting a workout.

It's important to take time for yourself, or you'll never get out alive. This afternoon, after my Project Nicaragua meeting, I decided to go for a run. I didn't go as fast as I used to, or as far, but it was good to take a half hour and do something just for me.

So what's coming up in MBA world? Several presentations and group projects, Career Quest MBA fair in College Park, Maryland, and soon...exams. On the unofficial Head Under Water scale, I'd say it's up to my chin right now.

It's A Whirlwind!

2009-09-19T16:39:00.002-04:00

Phew! When they said an MBA program is a lot of work, they weren't kidding. When they said time management is a big issue, they were sugar-coating just how difficult it can be. And it's only been a few weeks! It's not even October yet! It's going to be an interesting two years.

Elections for first year positions in various student clubs took place over the past week. I'm the first year representative for the Babcock Marketing Association and the Communications Committee of the Marketing Summit. I'm also involved with the Wine Club, Strategy and Consulting Club, Student Ambassadors and the intramural soccer team. Of course, I still have a full course schedule and have to find a job for the summer! Yes, recruiting has begun.

The CMC office does a very good job preparing us for the madness that is recruiting. They help you identify your passions and your purpose, so that you can effectively search for internships you can be happy doing. A few companies have held information sessions, industry panels start soon, and the ratio of polo shirts to suits seems to move closer to 1:1 each day. Career Quest, a recruiting fair in College Park, Maryland, takes place in early October. There will be many companies there, even some government agencies.

I had identified a possible internship, and luckily for me, two second year students did the same internship last summer and both got offered full-time positions a few weeks ago! They have been invaluable resources as helped greatly as I scrambled to meet a very tough deadline. I heard about the internship on a Tuesday, and applications and resumes were due on Saturday! I spent a good deal of time working through my resume and talking with my career counselor. I made the deadline, and given the time limitations, I'm pretty happy with my effort!

Things are definitely in full swing here at the Schools of Business. Campus is abuzz with activity, as students work tirelessly on the latest quant assignment, while gathering information for a communications presentation and waiting for a career panel to begin. Intramurals have begun, clubs are starting to set things in motion for events and trips, and quizzes and grades are appearing in mailboxes. Such is the life of a first year MBA student!

Where Does The Time Go

2009-09-04T18:24:00.003-04:00

The first few days of my MBA? Fairly manageable. My first full week? Good lord! Now I know what everyone meant when they said "Just wait, it'll get crazy soon!" I'm experiencing first-hand the whole notion that there's simply too much work and not enough time to do it all. As performances begin to slip, panic sets in. And on top of that...

The SGA Club Fair was yesterday afternoon in the courtyard of the law school/business school. All the clubs were there with their representatives, including the Dean, as well as food and beer. Nothing like spending a sunny afternoon having a beer and learning about the different clubs and organizations! There's simply too many clubs you find yourself signing up for; I think I finished with seven or eight.

Top on my list were the Marketing Summit and Marketing Association. I also signed up for Project Nicaragua, NetImpact, Strategy and Consulting Club, Ambassadors, the Wine Club and the intramural soccer team. Can I do it all? Absolutely not. I figure pretty quickly I'll need to make some tough choices and widdle this list down to something that vaguely resembles manageable. The question is: what to cut?

Tomorrow is the first football game of the season, and with it the first tailgate! I haven't been to a game since 2004, back when Wake wasn't as competitive. I hear things have changed a bit; there's actually a lottery system for tickets now! Luckily I got one. Can't wait to enjoy some free time and watch Baylor go down!

The First Day

2009-08-26T18:37:00.002-04:00

Today was the first actual day of my MBA program. Following about 18 months of GMATs, essays, school visits, interviews, nervous hours waiting on acceptance notification, down-time, and a whirlwind orientation, we finally got down to business. I think I speak for all my classmates when I say, let's get started!

We had been given some pre-work for certain classes...read this book, do these problems, etc. I think everyone was fully prepared, which led to lively discussions and learning interesting things. If the rest of the program is like this, I'm pretty excited! Of course, then the real work was assigned. I think as soon as classes were done, my learning team assembled in a study room for the next few hours and started hammering through the assignments for Thursday and Friday. Accounting and Quant seem to be giving people the most headaches right now.

All in all, it was a good first day. Wednesday is also donut day, we the lounge was filled with boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee, and I think everyone appreciated the opportunity to take a break in between classes and enjoy a snack. It's back to the grind tomorrow. My team is already planning on meeting tomorrow morning, to make sure we're ready to go on that days assignments (and to possibly avoid having to meet three times in two days!)

And So It Begins!

2009-08-23T13:24:00.003-04:00

Greetings all! It's been awhile since I last wrote anything. Honestly, I didn't think I'd keep blogging once school started. But, after some encouragement from my new classmates, I figured what the heck!

So, what's been going on with me since June? I stopped working at the end of June, went to Vegas for a few days, relaxed around the house, paid way too much money to fix various things on my car, packed up my few possessions and headed to Winston-Salem on August 6th. I mostly just set up my room in the house and tried to meet as many of my new classmates as possible. Good times were had by all, and on Thursday of last week, orientation officially began.

Five days of orientation may seem like a lot, and I figured it would drag on. Surprisingly, it's been better than my expectations. Donovan Campbell, our first speaker on Thursday, was awesome. I never expected an opening speaker at an MBA program to be so emotional! I think all 400 people in the room were deeply moved. I've ordered his book, Joker One, and I look forward to finding some free time to read it!

Friday, we got our free laptops, section and team assignments (go team ten!), and learned more about how the next two years will go. Yesterday was team building...for seven hours. I went in with an open mind and had a good time. I definitely came away with a better appreciation for my new teammates! All I can say is, we got eleven people through a hula-hoop in 5.7 seconds.

There's still two more days of orientation...Monday is more information sessions, Tuesday is Community Plunge, where all new students make a splash in the community by volunteering. Classes start Wednesday, and I'm already under a load of assignments to be completed!

I'll definitely try and keep up with blogging during the school year, and I'm also on Twitter. I look forward to sharing this journey with everyone!

Things Are Starting To Roll

2009-06-17T13:02:00.004-04:00

It seems every other day, when I check the admitted students website, there's a new form or piece of information. I posted the other week about some forms being put online; now, most of them are available. Also, the economics pre-term work is up; I need to find a book and start studying. I'm almost done with the Excel portion and plan to do the accounting work when I get back from Vegas.

Housing is taken care of, so I finally have a place to live. It's a house, down the road from campus, with a fellow MBA student. Also, the specs for our laptops have been posted. I held out a tiny sliver of hope that we'd be getting Macbook Pros, but alas, WFU stuck with Lenovo. Each student (Wake provides laptops to every student; undergrads replace theirs after their sophomore year, and you keep the laptop once you graduate) will get a shiny new Lenovo Thinkpad T400 during orientation, as well as a printer. Cool stuff!

I have five more days of work left! It sounds so strange to think, after more than four years, it will soon be over

Let The Work Begin

2009-06-04T15:03:00.002-04:00

Ask and you shall receive! I checked the admitted students website and lo and behold, two of the three pre-term assignments were posted. I've got some Excel prep work to do and I have to choose one of three options for financial accounting practice. I remember a bit of accounting from my undergrad days, but as my current job doesn't use much of it, I've forgotten most of it. I'm most likely going to choose the online option, for $55. I hope it's intuitive and easy to follow!

Also posted was the medical form. I have until July 1st to track down my medical records (not easy when you've moved twice in the past year and a half) and get a physical. I haven't been to a doctor since 2000! There's still more stuff to be posted (insurance, course registration, etc.) but at least it seems like we've officially moved from admitted students to actual students

June....

2009-06-02T12:54:00.003-04:00

The calendar has turned to June. Summer is starting soon, the weather is finally getting some regularity (no more thirty degree temperature differences in a 24-hour span!), and lazy times are descending. I'm in my last 28 days of working at my current job and as I transition things I find myself with tons of free time. I think I only have five more deliverables!

In terms of school, I've started taking stock of what else must be done. I see health insurance forms, medical history and physical to be completed, pre-term work yet to be announced. I wish it would all start now so I can get going, instead of waiting around. Some of my future classmates have already moved to Winston-Salem and I look forward to joining them next month.

One thing I've noticed is that I've stopped following the new applicant bloggers (class of 2012), instead focusing more on the current students and my fellow admits. I'm very thankful that JulyDream has continued to update her blog throughout her internship, otherwise I wouldn't have much to read!

What A Weekend

2009-05-26T15:53:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's been over a week since I last posted. Not a whole lot on the MBA front. I studied my budget pretty hard core and decided that getting rid of my current car is probably a good idea. There's not a whole lot of room for large car payments in an MBA budget! I also started filling out my Master Promissory Note from my chosen lender. Exciting stuff, eh?

Memorial Day weekend was a blast! As I have too much vacation/personal time left, I took off Thursday for Charlotte. What followed was a crazy weekend of too much golf, too much drinking, Lebron James hitting a miracle three-pointer, an Indians come-back win over the Reds, a piggyback ride gone horribly wrong, an escaped Pomapoo, and a near death experience on the West Virginia turnpike. Needless to say, I needed more recovery time than I gave myself.

Next up on the MBA front is to finish my Master Promissory Note so that I actually get money from the government, finally take care of the living arragements, and begin to go through what I have, what I'll bring, and what I'll need to buy.

Why I Decided On An MBA

2009-05-13T20:37:00.003-04:00

This is a post I've wanted to make for a long time, but I think it took me actually going through the process to gain a better understanding of what I meant. It allowed me to more clearly articulate how I arrived at the decision to get my MBA. Essentially, I'm answering the Why MBA question, after the fact and without the limits of a normal essay.

My undergraduate experience was different than most students. I spent two years at one school then transferred into another; however, while I received time credit for what I did at School A, I didn't receive course credit. That meant I would need to retake English, foreign language, math, etc. And I was paying for it myself. I didn't have four more years to restart college! So, I doubled up my course loads, did full summer sessions and managed to finish School B in two and a half years. That's good, but I missed out on a lot of stuff. I never got to go abroad, never took spring break or summer trips, or had the opportunity to take a class for FUN! I missed that.

Cue to that first job, that first paycheck and a sense that college paid off. Cue to a worried feeling of being typecast into a certain job function. Cue to panic over the sense that, despite a degree in business management with a focus in marketing, you find yourself writing SAS/SQL code for eight hours a day with little responsibility or management potential. Cue the fear of being stuck.

In late 2007, that fear grew into a desire to change myself, to step out of the rut I found myself in and do something about it. I spoke with family, friends, work associates, crazy drunks at the bar. Over time, the thought of going back to school and getting my MBA crept into my head. I started looking into it more, reading up on the GMAT, selecting a wide range of schools that interested me, narrowing down that list once I realized they were pipe dreams. By January of 2008, I knew the MBA was the right path. Each little nugget I read, each website I scoured, the lights would flash in my head: MBA!

I felt an MBA would serve two purposes. First, it would allow me to have a real college experience, albeit one a bit more structured. I would start on the same level as everyone else, striving to the same goal at the same time. I'd have the opportunity to go to China or Japan or wherever, visit companies and learn about things I was actually interested in! I'd meet people with common interests yet diverse in their backgrounds. The social and cultural implications fascinated me; I couldn't get enough of reading about the experiences of people already in school and how much I wanted to be a part of that.

Second, an MBA would help solve my career crisis. I could spend two years refining what it is I'm meant to do. Should I be a brand manager? Is corporate strategy more interesting? Does the nomadic lifestyle of a management consultant strike my fancy? Can I actually handle quant-based courses? I'd leave with my masters, with a new set of skills and the knowledge that would allow me to succeed in whatever venture I so chose.

All of these things piled up on me and kept me focused throughout the application process. An MBA almost made too much sense, it solved all my problems in one fell swoop. I couldn't NOT go. I couldn't suppress that desire. I HAD to make it happen. And happening it is.

So, that's my MBA story. The time is right, the desire is there, and I'm ready to get started.

The More Things Change

2009-05-12T13:49:00.002-04:00

Not much really going on the past week, hence no updates. 49 more days until I'm done with work, which is awesome. I got a chance to play some golf over the weekend, and I find myself wanting to play more and more. I know golf is an effective business tool and I'm definitely looking to improve my game. In light of that, I'm heading to Charlotte over Memorial Day weekend to visit my brother and play a few holes. I realized I still have six personal days I need to take from work before I'm done, can't let those go to waste!

The look of the blog has changed a bit. First, I changed some colors to be closer in line with the black and gold of Wake Forest. Second, I removed the Hit List of my schools, replacing it with a calendar of upcoming dates. There you will see what trips I have planned coming up. I'll have more updates soon.

One thing I did want to bring up: if you have been admitted to a school and know 100% that you will not be matriculating, PLEASE let that school know in a timely manner. There are thousands of people in Waitlist Purgatory who die a little more each day, waiting for an update. If you know you're not going, help out the waitlisted kids and withdraw.

Welcome to May

2009-05-04T14:28:00.002-04:00

The calendar has turned to May. What does this mean for MBA applicants? It's pretty much the end of the line for Class of 2011 hopefuls. May is the final round for decisions, so if good news was headed your way, it'd be there by now. Myself? Well, I got an interesting status update at UNC today. I had previously been waitlisted in January and March. At that point, I decided Wake Forest was the choice for me. However, I forgot to actually let UNC know, even though they requested a decision from me several times. So, I get the email, log in to my account, and see that they have selected me for the "Final Waitlist." They mentioned they are oversold for this year, which makes you wonder why they'd continue to ask people to stay on the WL.

I'm committed to Wake Forest. I've paid my deposit, visited twice since getting admitted, met some very cool people and am excited about starting my life once again in Winston-Salem. MBA admissions are never easy. There's no roadmap, no Excel spreadsheet about why or how decisions are made. Why would Carolina, after telling me too many kids sent in deposits, ask me to continue to hold out on the waitlist? Even after I ignored their emails about notifying them about a decision? I don't get it.

Other than that wrinkle, I picked my final work date and let both my current boss and my soon-to-be-new-boss-from-the-new-company know. There wasn't much of a surprise. June 30th, a mere 57 days from right now! It's going to be hard to finish, I can already tell. My work will continue to slow until there's nothing left to do. How will I deal with the boredom?

B-School Photos and Best of Blogging

2009-04-28T20:24:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update.

First, Accepted.com's Beautiful B-School Contest is currently going on and submissions must be in by Thursday, April 30th. I'm a judge for this and can't wait to see all the photos of the various business school campuses that you guys submit!

Second, I'd like to extend hearty congratulations to all the winners of Clear Admit's Best of Blogging Awards! All the winners did fantastic jobs and it was difficult to vote on some of the categories! I hope this inspires everyone to continue with their blogs.

Evolution of a B-school Applicant

2009-04-23T16:17:00.002-04:00

Getting in: that's the easy part! Now is when all the other stuff begins to creep up on you. First, you've got to pay for school. I'm fortunate with my scholarship, but I still need a little bit to cover cost of living. I went through and did the entrance exam and I now feel like I know everything about student loans (other than what I used to know, which is how to sign my checks each month!) Next up is selecting a lender. This doesn't seem difficult: my four options all carry the same rate and the same repayment plans/benefits.

Next, you've got to quit your job. I had targeted the end of June, and I think I'll stick with that. My bosses know I'm leaving, just not the exact date. I'm giving a lot of transition time, as I've seen the horrors of someone leaving without properly setting the stage for others to take over the work. I can't wait for my party!

Keep up to date on Facebook! This may seem a strange topic, but it's true. Most schools have an admitted students page on Facebook. I had met some people prior to RCW, so I felt I had a good base on conversation when we actually met. It's also nice to keep in contact with those you met.

Finally, set yourself up mentally and physically for B-school. Spend time with family and friends. Read non-business books. Catch up on some TV shows, like The Wire or Big Bang Theory. Go to the gym and work out or run. Relax! You've made it this far, the next couple of months are the calm before the storm of school.

Red Carpet Weekend Recap

2009-04-21T15:55:00.002-04:00

After taking a recovery day, it's time for my recap of Red Carpet Weekend, Wake Forest's admitted students weekend. I drove down to Charlotte on Thursday to see my brother, before heading up to Winston-Salem Friday morning for the start of festivities.

As I hadn't yet sat it on an actual class (only mock classes during Showcase Saturday and Scholar's Weekend) I elected to visit one this time; my student host took me to a global competitive policy course. The professor was very engaging and the students had a lively discussion; my only complaint was that it would have been nice to have had a chance to read the case ahead of time so that I could better follow things. Otherwise, it was good. I also took time to visit my old bosses at the law school and talk to financial aid about some questions.

After a lunch (segragated like a junior high dance: boys on one side and girls on another) there was a house/apartment hunt. Having gone there for undergrad, I opted to go see a friend's house instead, where I'll be living next year. Great house! I checked in to my hotel before heading out to the Deacon Tower for a reception. That place is awesome! Met some old friends and some new faces, then split with a group for a dinner. Not as good as last time, but enjoyable. After dinner we all just went home to sleep. We were told Saturday would be a long day, to get lots of rest and eat breakfast!

Saturday was a blur. First, breakfast at the hotel, then a welcome by the program director followed by some lovely games of Human Knots. We all felt a bit closer after that! There was a student services roundtable after that, where I had a chance to learn more about Student Government, Project Nicaragua, the Marketing Summit and other stuff. After another career services panel, it was lunch time.

When lunch was finished, we headed over to Graylyn for more team building. Today's task: in teams of six, build a little pink bike, name it, make a cheer, then race it. One caveat: each member of the team had a "challenge." I was blindfolded; others were unable to speak, unable to touch, unable to use their dominant hand. I got to race the bike (though not blindfolded, thankfully!) and it was tiring! Nap time after that!

We had a wine tasting which was awesome. Outside, sipping some fine wines with my new friends. Dinner was lovely, had some good conversation with a few people I hadn't met yet and good a different perspective on school. We all headed out to the bar after that to unwind before calling it a night (actually, the bar called it a night when they closed!)

All in all, a great weekend. They announced that a few people actually paid their deposits right then and there, a testament to how much fun the weekend was!

Off to Carolina, part 827

2009-04-16T08:00:00.003-04:00

I start my drive down to Carolina in an hour or so (after stopping to get a haircut). I can't wait to get away for a few days and focus on something other than funerals or work problems. I find I can barely contain my enthusiasm for starting my MBA; I'm sure my family and friends are sick and tired of hearing about the clubs and classes and networking and international trips and etc. and etc. It's hard to focus at work, knowing my time is limited and I'm there purely for a paycheck or to pass work off to someone else.

Red Carpet Weekend has a lot of events to do. I'll be meeting with financial aid to go over my scholarship and money issues, sitting in on a competitive global policy class, saying hello to my former bosses at the law school, finding an apartment, reconnecting with the people I met at Scholar's Weekend, finding a place to live, meeting new admitted students, team building activities, learning about Project Nicaragua and various other student services and attending dinners/social events. I'll need a vacation after this!

Lastly, I wanted to say farewell to MaybeMBA. Hers was one of the most honest and refreshing MBA blogs out there, with the added benefit of being told from the perspective of a parent MBA student. We will miss your words and insight!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T12:32:00.003-04:00

What a week...It's been about as emotionally draining as any I've ever experienced. My grandfather passed away on Monday, so we had that funeral on Thursday; a close friend's father passed Tuesday, so we had that funeral Saturday. I only worked for three days, I've spent way too much time away from home doing things I'd rather not do. Now it's Easter Sunday, time for ham, deviled eggs and potato salad.

Thankfully, this coming week is Red Carpet Weekend! I'm looking forward to getting away from the home front for awhile, seeing everyone I met during Scholar's Weekend and just unwinding for a bit. Focusing on something other than funeral arrangements and hugs and tears is definitely what I need right now.

Big congratulations to all of the Clear Admit Best of Blogging Award nominees for this year! Reading the blogs of TienyChesney and JulyDream helped me through my own application process and motivated me to write my own blog. These are excellent resources, and as JulyDream said the other day, extremely therapeutic!

PPPPPP or, Get Started

2009-04-06T13:05:00.002-04:00

I spent my weekend thinking about the things I need to do, or begin thinking about, before school starts. Choosing a school is just one decision that needs to be made; many other decisions, both seemingly trivial and very important, will find their way into your head if you're not careful. Here are just some of the things I'm evaluating...

Career Decisions

- When to quit?: This is pretty easy. I'd love to quit now, but that would a) leave my company in a bind and b) would hurt my finances. I've tentatively scheduled to finish work at the end of June, which gives me time to save some money, train a replacement, and allow for a solid month+ of downtime before leaving.

- Evaluate Employment Report: I went through Wake's employment report for last year, looking at salary numbers and on-campus recruiters. I went to the websites of the firms if I wasn't familiar with them and came away with some more ammo for my internship search. The more work I do on this now, the easier it will be in the long run.

School Decisions

- International Trip: Part of my scholarship allows me to choose my international trip, so I've begun to consider my options. In 2008 the choices were India, China, Japan or Central America; in 2007 another option was Central Europe. Right now I'm leaning towards China, though if the Central Europe trip opens up, I may reconsider. One take-away I have from this is to get my new passport!

- Housing: This should be taken care of during Red Carpet Weekend; I've got some options, so I'm not too worried. Once I know my living situation, I'll be able to answer other housing questions (what furniture should I bring vs. buy, etc.)

- Clubs/Organizations: Like most MBA programs, clubs and organizations are a big part of the experience. I'm fairly certain I'll join the Marketing Club and Strategy/Consulting Club. The MBA Marketing Summit sounds like something I'd definitely be interested in, but would I want to run it, or participate as a contestant?

Many more decisions and thoughts lay ahead. I like that the journey has started, though.

Turn The Page

2009-04-03T12:48:00.002-04:00

The calendar has turned from March to April and spring weather is in full bloom. What this means in Northeast Ohio is 67 and sunny one day, snow the next. And we wonder why everyone is sick all the time! April also brings more admissions offers, so congrats to all the new entrants to the Class of 2011!

I submitted my FAFSA the other day, so that's finally done. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out, but I'm hopeful everything will be alright. I leave for W-S in two weeks for Red Carpet Weekend and hope to secure my housing at that time. I'm hopeful the next few months fly by...I'm excited to quit my job and start this journey for real! After the past 14 months of studying and preparing essays and filling in biographical information and visiting campuses and interviewing with AdComs and current students and networking and....sigh, that's only the beginning! If getting your MBA is like a long road trip, right now we're all sitting at the gas station, deciding which road to take to our destination. We still haven't left the station yet!

I think we're all ready to slide into the driver's seat and get this show on the road

Fun With Money

2009-03-30T21:46:00.003-04:00

For many admitted students, the joy of acceptance is quickly shifting to fear of money. Getting accepted was the easy part; now you've got to come up with over $100k to actually PAY for it! Many students get scholarships to help ease the burden of the financial commitment. Others (such as myself) were lucky enough to receive very generous aid packages and scholarships/fellowships. Many, however, will be forced to max out their available federal lending options.

First, a quick overview. And feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. When you get accepted, the school will tell you how much tuition is and the estimated cost of living. This total number is the Cost Of Attendance (COA). Let's say for our purposes the number is $75k (ie, $50k for tuition and $25k for cost of living). Now, to figure out how much you can borrow from the government, you subtract two numbers: your Estimated Family Contribution (this number comes from filling out the FAFSA) and any scholarships/grants awarded. Let's assume you get a $20k scholarship each year (good job!) and your EFC is zero. $75k - $20k = $50k. That's the total amount you can borrow from the federal loans. From there, you can borrow $20,500 from the Stafford loan program (between Subsidized and Unsubsidized) and the rest must come from the GRADPlus program, up to the total COA. If you need more money than that, I hope you've got savings!

My scholarship covers my full tuition plus a stipend and an international trip. I'm not exactly sure what that means, so I've got a meeting scheduled with a financial aid rep for the admitted students weekend. I've already started the FAFSA (one more piece of advice...START NOW!) and hope to have that submitted within the next day or so. Luckily, I shouldn't need to borrow too much money in order to finance my education. Limiting the amount of debt is a huge advantage for me, especially in this market. Carrying $150k in loans at graduation is not an enviable position.

Shocker of the Century!

2009-03-26T11:48:00.002-04:00

Dinged by UCLA! Can you believe it! As it was my first application, I probably bungled this one more than any sane MBA applicant should. My essays weren't the best, I let a recommender be late which caused my app to get moved to R2 (I submitted back in early October), I didn't follow up with the school very much. UCLA always felt like the longest of long shots with just that hint of possibility that made me click submit. It seemed so far away, so different than anything I had experienced. The ding was not unexpected. Congrats to those who got good news!

In work news, a guy on my team quit today, which has forced my manager to question how much longer I'll stick around. I didn't want to tell him yet that I've been accepted and will be leaving in June, but them's the shakes. I didn't give him a hard date, but told him what my final month would be.

Sign On The Line

2009-03-25T15:05:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I submitted my notice of acceptance to Wake Forest, as well as making arrangements for my deposit to make it there. It's about as official as it's going to get! I've managed to keep in touch with some of the guys I met during Scholar's Weekend and they seemed happy about me coming. The next two years are going to be fun!

Now comes the part where I let Georgetown and UNC know that I do not wish to remain on the waitlist. It feels a bit odd, really; we wait for so long to be told yes and live in fear of hearing the word no. Now, I get to say no. Pretty drastic change. I'll send a polite email to both schools, thanking them for everything so far and wishing them well. No sense in getting an attitude about it!

The other school stuff now gets moved to the front of the burner. Housing, FAFSA, moving plans are the order of the weeks and months ahead. First task is definitely the FAFSA, though. I'll be meeting with financial aid to go over my scholarship, but I want to make sure the form is submitted ahead of time. Housing should be taken care of during RCW so I won't have to worry about that for too long. Once you've got a place, and know how you're paying for it, the rest is gravy!

The Game Is The Game

2009-03-23T21:45:00.003-04:00

Today was decision day for UNC and Georgetown. I had previously been waitlisted at both back in R1 and was anxious to see the results. In short: they suck. I've been asked to remain on the WL at both. Notification for UNC would come May 4th; Georgetown on May 18th. Sorry, folks, not gonna happen.

I had been leaning towards Wake Forest pretty much since I got accepted back in January; my visit for Scholar's Weekend pretty much cemented it, but I wanted to give the other schools a chance. Asking me to remain on the WL is pretty harsh. Yes, I know it's not a straight ding, though at this point it must be. Schools know you applied to other places, and in the four or five months since you've surely gotten an acceptance somewhere with a deposit due. May dates clearly fall outside those dates. Those who choose to remain on the WL either haven't gotten in elsewhere or are willing to eat a deposit. I will not.

So, the choice is made. I will join the Wake Forest Babcock class of 2011 and have zero qualms about it. I've met fantastic people throughout, I love the school and the area, and I know I can be a part of something special. More importantly, I feel WANTED. Georgetown and UNC have had me on WLs since January (and asking to remain until at least May); Wake constantly reaches out to me to see if there's anything I need. Being wanted is a better feeling than being accepted.

I'll never know about Georgetown or UNC. Sure, I could tell them to keep me on the WL until May and find out my status then, but what would be the point? You don't ask a girl to the prom, and when she says yes ask another girl just to find out what she'd say. Me and Wake Forest, we're going dancing.

March Madness!

2009-03-18T13:50:00.002-04:00

Ah, the most wonderful time of the year. All across the world, thousands and thousands of would-be prognosticators are filling out brackets for the NCAA Men's basketball tournament. Even the President has filled out his bracket. Who's going to the Final Four? Who's your 12-over-5 upset? So many questions...

I've got a Final Four of Wake Forest, Memphis, UNC and Pitt. Can't wait for games to start tomorrow!

Wake Forest Scholar's Weekend Recap

2009-03-16T12:32:00.003-04:00

Wow, what a weekend! Scholar's Weekend was an excellent time. I met all the other scholarship students, lots of faculty and staff and current students. It was a lot of fun and very informative. I'm already looking forward to going back in April for Red Carpet Weekend!

Friday morning I headed out to the aiport for my flight to Greensboro. I was met by a representative of the hotel and, along with another prospective, driven to the place. Now, I never knew this place existed, but it was awesome! Graylyn is one of the coolest hotels I've ever stayed at. After checking in and dropping my stuff off at the room, I went down for the welcome reception. There were 16 total scholars there, maybe half of whom had already submitted their deposits. Like any new social scene, things started off awkward and nervous; most topics tended to be your name, where you lived, where you went to undergrad, what job do you currently do and what your future industry will be. After a few hours of schmoozing and boozing, we were broken up into groups and driven to dinner. My group went to Mozelle's and it was excellent. Two current Deans Scholars were there, along with three other admits and a wife. Food was good, conversation was good. Afterwards a few of us ventured to a bar.

Saturday was a very early morning! Breakfast started at seven and the scavenger hunt began at eight. My team worked well together and ended up tying for correct answers. We then were shuttled to campus for a mock class...on statistics...at 9:30AM. But it was actually good! The professor was very engaging. We then had a panel with alumni ranging from 2000 to 2008 and I took away alot of good stuff from that. We then had lunch and a speech by the dean on the future of the school. I think he inspired a good number of people. We then had a break before heading over to the dean's house to watch some basketball and have dinner. These hours were the highlight of my trip.

Before we left, a few of us wandered the grounds in search of stuff to do. We raided the ice cream room (free ice cream!) then walked around for awhile. At the dean's, conversations started getting onto other subjects, a sure sign that people were relaxing a bit more and opening up. Dinner was excellent. Afterwards we went out to a bar and met some other current students. I had an early flight so I left around 11.

Overall, the trip was excellent. I met some very cool people and got a better feel for the program. It's always good to be back in Winston-Salem and to see how much it's changed since I was there last. I'm pretty sure my decision has been made!

Dinged at Duke

2009-03-10T12:15:00.003-04:00

Ah, my first ding after an admit and two WLs. I knew Duke was a long shot, and my interview wasn't exactly the greatest thing. It still stings just a bit though. All that's left on the decision front is my WL status at Georgetown and UNC and my inevitable ding at UCLA (having not received an invite to interview, I think it's safe to say I'm not getting in).

So, my focus continues to be on Wake Forest. I leave for Scholar's Weekend early Friday morning and the schedule looks fun and action packed. Even better, Wake is playing in the ACC Tournament that weekend, so it should be a good time. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting some fellow admits and getting a feel for things down there.

To those that got in to Duke today, congratulations and best of luck!

A Quiet Week

2009-03-06T11:34:00.002-05:00

Virtually nothing happened in the past week. Nothing on the MBA front. Sure, Duke and UNC sent out emails stating decisions will be released soon, but we already knew that. Duke on the 10th and UNC on the 23rd (along with Georgetown). Wake continues its push to get me to commit. I feel like a prized free agent! A member of the Board of Directors called me....from the Caribbean...to tell me why I should go to Wake. Awesome.

Work wise, things are hectic as always. I had my performance review and received a grading of "Achieves Expectations." Complete with my 2% raise in salary, I felt like a valuable member of the bank. Ha! I asked my manager some questions relating to the future, if we'll still be around in a few months, what it takes to "Exceed Expectations" and other stuff.

Other than that, it's been a quiet week. I've confirmed my flight for Scholar's Weekend; I'm arriving a bit early on Friday so that I can get situated then have a meeting with the head of the Career Management Center. I'm really looking forward to this, getting a chance to converse with others and see just why they offered me the package they did. Maybe they mixed my name up with someone else!

Next week I figure blogging will be easier as more will be going on.

Advice From Accepted.com

2009-02-26T16:30:00.002-05:00

I didn't even realize it until today but Accepted.com took my current situation and offered their advice, not only to myself but to others in similar situations. In this admissions season I know there are others who must weigh offers between two very different schools, and they give good insight. Check it out HERE.

Changing The Way Admissions Works

2009-02-26T10:38:00.002-05:00

Having gone through three admissions processes (applying for undergrad, applying to transfer undergrad schools and now MBA admissions) I know the pain it causes those applying and the repetitive and competitive nature for the schools involved. Everyone wants the best students possible; more than that, with certain sects they need not just the best they can get, but better than a competing school. The MBA example of this is Harvard vs. Stanford. Obviously each school can accept the top kids, but they are also very much aware of what the other is doing.

Admissions is a changing environment. It used to be stats, stats and stats. SAT/ACT, LSAT and GMAT/GRE along with your GPA could define your range of possible schools. Now, it seems the tide is turning. B-schools have started accepting the GRE and focusing on a more holistic approach outside the numbers. Some undergraduate programs have stopped requiring an ACT/SAT score. My alma mater (and future B-school) Wake Forest University was the first top 30 school to stop this requirement. There is a growing trend to look at the person and not just the numbers. Anyone can get a 700 GMAT and a 3.0 GPA. What makes you different is more important.

Wake Forest is hosting a long meeting on the changing admissions process, specifically for undergrad. Distinguished schools such as Harvard, Texas and UVA are participating. The goal is to make higher, elite education more accessible to everyone. All students should have a realistic opportunity of attending these schools, not just those with ultra-high SAT scores or grinders who got 760s on the GMAT. I encourage everyone to check out the website HERE.

Could you imagine an admissions world where Stanford didn't care about your GMAT score?

Mardi Gras!

2009-02-24T13:56:00.002-05:00

Ah, good ol' Mardi Gras! Fat Tuesday was usually a fun day back when I lived in New Orleans. I remember staying uptown for the parades and just enjoying myself with other people. Downtown was a different story completely! I hope everyone has a fun time wherever you celebrate. And for those of you in the Crescent City for the first time, remember: There ain't no place to pee on Mardi Gras day!

On the MBA front, nothing new to report from other schools. Hope has completely evaporated for an interview invite at UCLA, but that was to be expected. The Duke notification date is slowly creeping up; I do hope we get word prior to Monday. I know R1 decisions went out on the Friday before the date. Maybe we'll all get lucky!

I RSVP'd for Scholar's Weekend at Wake Forest. I'm working with the travel agent to determine the best flight to Greensboro. Gotta love that this is all paid for by the university! They'll also cover my costs to attend Red Carpet Weekend in April. One thing I'm liking about Babcock is the amount of communication between the school and me. Since getting accepted, I've had students call me and message me on Facebook, the Dean has called, I've gotten an email from a professor. I keep getting letters saying how much they want me to come. It really makes me feel like they're saying "We want you!" instead of "You may not be good enough, but I guess we'll let you in anyway."

Vegas dates are set. July 8th-12th, I found a flight and hotel for under $415, which is awesome. Can't wait!

Is Winter Over?

2009-02-19T12:39:00.003-05:00

The worst part about winter in northern Ohio is the sense of false hope it can give you. Just when you think it's nearing an end and warmer temperatures are coming, we get socked with a foot of snow. This morning my commute took over two hours (normally 45 minutes) and the walk from the car to the office was brutal. One can easily see why I chose the schools I did.

I got my formal invitations for Scholar's Weekend and Red Carpet Weekend at Wake Forest. Scholar's Weekend is for students receiving one of the big scholarships; it's a chance to learn more about the school, interact with other recipients and people, all on WFU's dime. They're covering airfare, hotel, shuttles and food. Sounds like a good time! The invitation came in the form of a call from the Dean. But I have to ask, why call at 10PM at night?

Red Carpet Weekend is the admitted students weekend, and falls a month after Scholar's Weekend. I was given a voucher for free airfare as I live some distance away (more than a five hour drive). Not bad, two visits in the span of just over a month, all for free.

I'm looking forward to these, as well as final decisions from the rest of my schools. Meanwhile, I keep plotting my finances for the next few months (it'd be easier if my roommate had paid me anything since September!) and how much debt I can get rid of. I also started planning a Vegas trip for early July. Prices for airfare and hotel are under $500 for a five-day trip, which is excellent. 138 days to go!

General Updates and Thoughts

2009-02-12T14:13:00.002-05:00

I apologize, this may be a post that crosses many subjects...

Having been waitlisted at two schools, with one admit and two more decisions pending, I'm starting to wonder about choices and decisions. UNC and Georgetown will notify me of my updated stats (either Admit, Deny or Remain on WL) on March 23rd. Duke notification is March 9th. My UCLA ding comes March 26th. My Wake Forest decision must be made by April 1st. Here's the quandry: If I get accepted to UNC or Georgetown, I won't know about scholarships (if there are even any at that point) until after my decision is due to Wake Forest. Is the full ride worth passing on UNC or Georgetown? Does leaving school with zero debt mean more than possibly better career prospects? All things to consider...

I think I've settled on a final date to quit my job, baring something else happening (buyouts being offered, getting laid off, etc.). June 30th will be my last day (145 days away!) and it can't come soon enough. The environment at work has been pretty bad given the state of the new company and the economy. 6k jobs will be gone pretty soon, and there's no indication where they'll come from. I plan on moving to my new place in early August, giving myself the month of July to relax. I've decided I want to take a trip somewhere. I may have company but there's a good chance I'll be going alone. Any thoughts on where to go for a week, spending around $1k?

Other than that, it's pretty much Business As Usual. The Dean at Wake Forest called me last night to invite me to Scholars Weekend, a school-funded event that brings together the top scholarship perspective students. It sounds like a good time and I look forward to meeting some fellow admits there.

Waitlisted at UNC

2009-02-09T10:45:00.002-05:00

Another day, another waitlist. Checked my status when I had a free moment and UNC has offered me a spot on the waitlist. They will evaluate me with the other waitlisters and R3 applicants with notification coming on March 23rd, the same day as Georgetown's notification.

This is putting me in a difficult spot, though. First, I have to let Wake Forest know by April 1st if I'm accepting. If I get in to any other school, I'll have a week to figure it out. There likely won't be any scholarship money left either, so now the question will become "Is a full-ride to Wake Forest better than accepted at another school with no money?" This is frustrating having to wait so long.

Is Now The Time For An MBA?

2009-02-04T15:36:00.003-05:00

This is a question that gets thrown around quite a bit, what with the daily news reports of the poor job market and dwindling possibilities. Business Week has posted a few stories about the difficulties with recruitment in the current economic environment, and each school has updated both current students and perpectives on the state of employment.

Now, I came across THIS thread on the Business Week Forums (they are the devil, aren't they?), where a current student at a top-7 school laments his decision to attend, given what he gave up to attend. This thread, although completely crazy, brings up some good questions.

According to them, unless you're attending Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Chicago, Kellog or MIT you might as well not go. If you aren't going into a high-profile position at a brand-name company (ie, McKinsey, Bain, etc.) you might as well not go. Only those top six schools get job offers, all other schools are screwed. If you are attempting to switch to a new career, you might as well not go.

Personally, I find this ridiculous. I'm not after one of those positions. I don't care if I work for one of those companies. I'm not after a $200k salary. No, I'm not enrolling at a top six school. Yes, I am attempting to switch careers. No, I'm not kept up at night wondering if it'll all be worth it. I *know* it'll be worth it. For me.

I'm not going to B-school to "hide from the economy." I started planning this well before markets tanked and banks started crapping on themselves. I applied to zero M7 schools. I want to better myself, increase my network and life experiences, learn some new skills, get a better job. If I get the dead-center average for my target profession, I'm still doubling my current salary. I've never gotten to study abroad; now I can. There are a thousand reasons why I want to get my MBA, and I'll be damned if I let a few cautious stories scare me. Sure, it may be tough, but it'll make it more rewarding.

Sometimes I think people get hung up on names. Do you mean to tell me that the only way to make an MBA worthwhile is to go to Harvard or Chicago and work for McKinsey or Goldman Sachs? I'm sorry, I'm not picking up what you're putting down. I've got my reasons and I'm perfectly content with it.

The Long and Quiet Time

2009-02-03T13:33:00.004-05:00

Boy, the MBA blogosphere sure is quiet these days, especially on the applicant front. Where is everyone? It seems before the new year I could check Hella's list and always see an update. Now it's almost always just Clear Admit or Accepted and maybe another blogger. Wake up people! This is the time to talk things through, make some decisions, vent frustrations. I know waiting stinks, but that's no reason to go silent! I rely on you!

I've started formulating what I want to say in my Georgetown waitlist letter. Accepted had a good three-part idea. First, write about what you've done since applying. Then, address a possible weakness. Finally, reaffirm your fit. Sounds like a very solid plan and I can certainly touch on all three points. I already have my manager working on a recommendation for me. March 23rd is just so far away though. And without significant scholarship money I don't know if Georgetown will ever happen.

UNC decision is coming up next Monday. Wee!

Wake Forest Welcome Package

2009-01-30T18:46:00.002-05:00

It arrived! Woo! DHL picked it up from the Worrell Center yesterday and it was here (well, at my mom's house) this afternoon. It's pretty basic, nothing too crazy (they already gave me a travel coffee mug when I was there for my interview/visit). It has a very nice spiral-bound book of information on the school. More targeted info for CMC, financial aid, the area, etc. It also has a sizeable amount of information on living in Winston-Salem and the Piedmont/Triad area of North Carolina. As I lived there for almost three years, I'm pretty familiar with the area, but it was very nice to get it as its been over four years since I was last there.

I know Wake Forest-Babcock isn't the most well-known program out there, but it feels good to accomplish this. I know Wake Forest is a great fit for me and I'll be happy there. I'm still waiting on the rest of my decisions, but if I get dinged from the other schools, I won't hang my head in shame or think twice about attending.

Wake Forest Visit Recap

2009-01-28T18:26:00.002-05:00

Gotta love 10-12 inches of snow falling in 24 hours. I love Ohio.

Early Saturday morning I woke up and made the 90 minute drive from Charlotte to Winston-Salem for Showcase Saturday and my Done-In-A-Day interview at Wake Forest. I gotta say, it felt odd to be back on campus, but in a very good way. It was like I had never left. Checking in was interesting, as there was no folder with my name on it! I was scheduled to attend the Seat At The Table event Friday evening but wasn't able to make it; talking to the AdCom apparently the miscommunication led to me name being removed. A quick bagel and orange juice later, we were ushered into a room to start the festivities.

First up, a welcome speech by the new dean, formerly the CEO and Chairman of PepsiCo, Steve Reinemund. He told us why he decided on coming to Wake Forest after retiring, his vision for the school, his background, etc. He opened it up to Q&A, and before you knew it we were thirty minutes behind schedule! I loved what he had to say in regards to the future of the program and I think it's on the right track to gain in prominence. Wake doesn't need to get better at what it does, it just needs to let people know how good it is.

After Dean Reinemund left, we had quick overviews with the AdCom, financial aid and career management center (CMC). These were very brief as we were running out of time. We then had a mock class, given by Kenny Herbst, marketing professor. Kenny is a former WFU basketball player (played with Tim Duncan) and he is awesome! I think his class sold most of the applicants on why Wake Forest rules. Very engaging, humorous, yet managed to foster some discussion amongst 30 or so wide-eyed and nervous applicants. We didn't want class to end, but had to keep moving on to other things.

We had a quick Q&A with current students, learning more about the program from the student perspective. After this, we picked up a boxed lunch and went into concentration-specific classrooms to learn more intimately about them. I was one of two guys that went into the marketing room and ate lunch with Kenny, a CMC guy devoted to marketing and a current marketing student. I liked what they had to say and the time went by too quickly. We learned just how receptive faculty are to their students. We had a quick tour (the Worrell Center isn't exactly up to par with other schools' MBA building, probably a big downside for some), then had time to relax before interviews.

Sixteen people were scheduled for Done-In-A-Day interviews. Essays are waived for those participating, though we are expected to answer them. Each interview lasts between 40 and 60 minutes with three people simultaneously. In my room I had two faculty and a CMC person. Some might find it odd that an AdCom wasn't present, but thing...faculty and students spend more time with actual students. They asked some tough questions but I felt I was prepared. Before I knew it, time was up. They said they'd start sending out status updates around 9PM. Prior to my interview I spent over an hour talking to some current students and other perspectives, just shooting the shit. It was awesome.

6:40PM, I get a call from an unknown number so I didn't answer it. I listen to the voicemail from Stacy, she says congrats and that she has more good news. She calls back a few minutes later and tells me I was awarded a Dean's Scholarship. Full-tuition scholarship, $10k stipend each year and my international trip taken care of. Awesome! I felt bad that my phone died in the middle of this conversation though! I was ecstatic and went celebrating afterwards! Woo!

Overall, I loved the visit and it'd be hard for another school to match that offer. Wake is a fairly unknown power, one I feel will climb the ranking soon.

Duke Visit Recap

2009-01-26T16:07:00.002-05:00

I've calmed down a bit and gotten a tiny morsel of rest. Unfortunately, work isn't cooperating with me wanting to take it easy. I'm still high off my admittance though!

Wednesday, January 21st, I visited Duke's Fuqua school. Parking was a hassle, as the lot they told me to park in was closed, so I parked at a visitor's center far away and walked back. The guy checking students in said the lot was really open and gave me a pass to go back. Oh well. My interview was at 10AM with a second year student. We had a good conversation, nothing out of the norm. After I mentioned my work with the Humane Society, she asked me to educate her on shelter animals and why they're a good choice. It put me on the spot!

I had a break between my interview and lunch/tour, so I moved my car then went back to the building. There were other first year students there, just answering questions and shooting the breeze with other potential students. I'd say there were about 20 other people there. The group was pretty diverse and nice, I had a good time talking to them. Our tour started very late, as the student host never showed up. We were eventually led to the cafeteria, grabbed some food, then took an abreviated tour. I sat in on an operations core class after that. It was interesting, though as we hadn't read the case it was a bit over our heads. There also wasn't much discussion among students, mostly just answering direct questions.

Overall, I'd rate the facilities as amazing. The building is absolutely gorgeous; I could see myself sitting in the Fox Center doing work and drinking coffee. After class I headed back to Charlotte. Total driving time: 5 hours.

Admitted at Wake Forest

2009-01-25T21:34:00.002-05:00

I'm way too tired to blog about my Duke visit or the whirlwind tour of Wake Forest. I've spent 24 hours in the car the past few days. I'll give details tomorrow. But, I got a formal acceptance call yesterday around 6:30. Further, I was offered a Dean's Scholarship. Essentially, full tuition, $10k stipend each year, and they'll pay for my trips abroad. Awesome deal, one that will surely complicate any future acceptances (no chance I get this deal from any other school!). I'm happy, excited, nervous, and tired all at the same time.

Let me just say this...having an admittance in my pocket makes me feel a thousand times better.

Very Tired

2009-01-24T17:58:00.003-05:00

Just got back from Winston-Salem. Tuesday: 8 hours in the car. Wednesday: 5 hours in the car. Today: 3 hours in the car. Tomorrow: 8 hour drive home. Ugh. The good part is I've completed my visits to both Duke and Wake Forest. I will have write-ups for both once I get home and unwind a bit. The Done-In-A-Day experience was a good one, one others will hopefully enjoy hearing about!

Anyways, I'm off to let loose some steam. To all the people I met at Duke on Wednesday and Wake Forest today, good luck!

Carolina Bound

2009-01-19T22:16:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow morning, I head off to North Carolina for the second time in 30 days or so. I'll drive to Charlotte from Cleveland on Tuesday, wake up early Wednesday morning and drive to Durham for an all-day visit to Duke (interview, class visit, tour, lunch with current students), then back to Charlotte. Thursday is my only free day. Friday I have a dinner for Wake Forest so I have to drive to Winston-Salem, then back. Saturday I wake up very early, drive to Winston-Salem, and do class visit/tour/lunch/reception/interview at Wake Forest. The bad news: that's a ton of driving. The good news: I will have a decision from Wake Forest that day. I'm looking forward to this experience, as it's fairly unique among MBA programs.

More bad news: the weather on my drive will be awful. Now, I've made this trip a thousand times over the years. Yet I have never had to drive through the mountains of southern West Virginia and Virginia during snow before. I'm definitely a little nervous. I'll be leaving earlier than I had originally planned to compensate. It figures, the time I want to visit, Durham is expecting a high of 20 degrees and an 80% chance of snow. Knowing North Carolina they'll shut down the state!

Even more bad news: OmneGirl won't be making the journey either. A work issue has come up and her vacation time was cancelled. I'm definitely bummed out that I have to go alone, and I know my brother's girlfriend was looking forward to having a female visitor for once.

I'll try and blog from the road. I'm very much looking forward to both visits. As I did Wake Forest for undergrad I'm very familiar. The Done-In-A-Day event is something I'll definitely give a full recap of, as I don't think anyone knows what it is really like. Until then, happy hunting (welcome back, BSG)

My Wait List Strategy

2009-01-14T15:25:00.002-05:00

The snow needs to stop. Seriously, it's getting ridiculous. Over 10 inches this past weekend, and it just keeps on comin'! Anyone wonder why most of my schools are in warm weather locations? Sheesh.

While I was at first upset then happy about landing on the WL for Georgetown, I have now come to terms with it. Last year, Georgetown waitlisted 300+ applicants and eventually offered admissions to 100+. That's a mighty fine ratio for someone in my position, factoring in those who took themselves off the WL to take a spot at another B-school. I had until February 1st to notify the Waiting List Administrator (such an official title); I sent in my acceptance notice at about 5:15PM!

So, now it's time to develop my strategy for getting off the waitlist. The status letter gave some options on what to send: 1) Updated GMAT score; 2) A third letter of recommendation; 3) An additional essay highlighting personal/professional changes/experiences since applying.

1) Updated GMAT: I don't think this is very necessary for me, for several reasons. I would need to submit this score by March 16th, leaving just about two months to study. I got a 680 the first time I took it, which is right inline with other admits/WL people. Marginally improving my score won't make a difference. If I retake it and get a 710, will that really make the difference? Also, this score will only apply to Georgetown. Is it worthwhile to spend the two months and $250 to marginally improve my chance? Not an efficient usage of time or money.

2) 3rd Letter of Recommendation: This is a definite. I have already spoken to my new manager (I got a new manager in August 2008) and he is all about helping me. I had my previous manager and another colleague write the first two. I've already put together a packet of information for him, and he said he could get it out the door either this Friday or early next week. Awesome!

3) Additional Essay: They provided almost no guidance on this one, in terms of length or format. Just a basic prompt of describing professional or personal changes or experiences. Well, since I applied back in November, I have been promoted and given a title, been put on a very select team to basically solve the ills of the department, been put in charge of training an additional team member, and survived a buyout. I also want to use this opportunity to reiterate why I want to go to Georgetown.

So, that's my strategy. I'm reaching out to people on the various clubs I'm interested in to gain more insight. I am also talking to an alumnus, the only person I know who went to a top 50 school. Hopefully these all pan out for me and I get an offer. I would like to know if offers for us on the WL go out on March 23rd, or anytime between now and then.

Waitlisted at Georgetown

2009-01-12T17:30:00.003-05:00

When the calls started going out this afternoon and my phone was conspicuously silent, I knew it wasn't good. Shortly after 5PM, I get the status update email. I login, breathe, and click the link. Waitlisted. I had prepared myself for a ding, so I guess this is better than nothing. I'm really not sure what the likelihood of getting off the WL will be this year. I know Hairtwirler made it off the WL with a much-improved GMAT score. Maybe that's a possibility for me, though it's only two months to study. I've been promoted since I applied, so that will help, and I can do the third recommendation they suggest.

I was fearful of this decision. If I was rejected from Georgetown then odds were good that I'd be rejected from UCLA, UNC and Duke. Wake Forest remains my most likely shot at an MBA now, so I surely hope I knock it out of the park. I do wish Georgetown would provide some feedback but I understand why they can't.

Congratulations to all the Georgetown admits who got good news. Oddly enough, no one has reported a ding yet.

Not Dinged by UCLA

2009-01-08T15:36:00.003-05:00

Shocker of the century! R1 decisions went out today (well, other than the early admits they sent out a month ago) and I wasn't dinged. Or accepted. Or waitlisted. It's official, my application was moved to round 2. It's good because I know I HAVE to be the first person to submit for R2, having submitted my application on October 9th. A rogue recommender ruined my R1 chances and submitted 20 days late. Now it's a whole new ballgame. Of course, knowing what I know now I'd probably change some things on my essays.

The bad news: I won't get my official ding until March 26th. For those of you keeping score at home, I'll have submitted my application almost SIX MONTHS prior to getting a decision. Talk about a waiting game. I have pretty much given up hope on UCLA as neither my GPA nor my GMAT is really up to par with the rest of the class. It would be nice, though, living the dream out in LA.

Congrats to those that made it into UCLA Anderson Class of 2011!

Duke Submitted

2009-01-07T16:34:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Years celebration. I enjoyed the festivities with friends and family and it was wonderful.

At 4:15PM EST I submitted my Duke-Fuqua application. Phew! This one came down to the wire as I kept editing my essays. I think I put together the best possible application and hope for the best. I have to give big thanks to Vitaly for giving me some pointers, it was nice to have someone look at them who has been through the process.

So, where do we go from here? My Duke visit/interview is January 21st and my Wake Forest visit/interview is January 23rd-24th. I've got basically two weeks to prepare. The good news is that all applications are submitted and out of my hands. It was a trying experience, and I'll write about it more in depth when I catch my breath.

I know more decisions are coming out in the next few weeks. UCLA notification is January 8th. I haven't heard anything since October, so either I was pushed to R2 like they said or I'll expect a big fat DING tomorrow. Fate will see! Best of luck all!

My Last Post...

2008-12-31T17:45:00.004-05:00

...for the year. Corny joke, and I apologize. Well, today is the last day of 2008, and the new year beckons in a few hours. I tend to take it easy for New Years Eve, just dinner and drinks with friends. I'm not one for like $200 cover charges and stuff.

What a year it has been. At this time last year, I was beginning to think about getting my MBA. I discovered Business Week's forums and started reading around. I did research on Harvard, Stanford and a few other schools (seriously, it was nuts). I ordered a few GMAT books and began studying off and on around February, with a target date of June. Forgot to schedule it, so I moved my date to July. In April, I flew out to LA to visit USC-Marshall, which was my first ever visit to an MBA program. I learned a good deal (mostly that the area around USC isn't very nice) and started a target range of schools. Took the GMAT in July and just missed my overall goal of 700 but ended with a 680. For my demographic and background, not terrible.

After that, school research began in earnest and I started filling out the generic applications. I began getting ready to apply in R1 or ED for every single school. Around this time, I completely freaked out, decided I couldn't do it and stopped working on my applications. A few weeks later, I started it back up with a more realistic mindset and spread out my applications. Submitted UCLA for R1 but a rogue recommender destroyed that and I was moved to R2. After a visit to Washington, DC, I decided to apply to Georgetown. In a quick whirlwind, I submitted my app and interviewed. I have since submitted and interviewed with UNC and have interviews set up with Wake Forest and Duke.

This has been a taxing process, one that at times I thought would defeat me. I've gone from confident to scared to depressed in very short periods of time. I don't know what my future holds, but for me, this is a now-or-never decision. Either I get in and go, or I don't get in and need to figure out how to get where I want to be.

Overall, 2008 was a growth year. One relationship ended, another began. Some family moved away, others joined our clan. I successfully took the GMAT and submitted four applications. I traveled to LA, DC and Charlotte. I played Wii. I got promoted. I saw my bank get sold to a competing firm and lived through the turmoil of rumors. None of my Cleveland sports teams saw success (like they ever do). I can only wonder what 2009 will bring, who will still be in my life, who may walk out, who may come walking in the door. Maybe I'll be in the same place I am now. Maybe I'll be living it up in DC or Chapel Hill, doing exciting MBA-related things and moving forward in my life. All I know is that I'll take what comes and go as far and as hard as I can.

Happy New Years everyone!

Taking Stock of the Holidays

2008-12-26T10:44:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays to all! I hope your vacations are going well, filled with family, friends, and maybe some relaxation. With some of my brothers moving away and getting married, the Christmas celebrations have become a bit spread out and there's much, much more running around to different places. My Christmas Eve day started at 8AM by driving to the airport to pick up one of my brothers and his girlfriend, taking them to mom's, then our local bar (yes, at 11AM), then to my brother and sister-in-laws, then my girlfriend's, then to the brother's girlfriend's dad's house, then I went back to my other brother's, then back to the bar, then home at 11PM, where I promptly crashed. Luckily Christmas morning was easier, just going over to mom's. I got some good loot: a Wiimote, Mario Brothers Galaxies, lots of clothes, an autographed picture of Bernie Kosar (replacing the one I lost in the fire) and a new Calloway driver, which I really needed! All in all, a successful day.

MBA season has been in a holding pattern for the last few days, and it'll continue until after the New Year. I guess the Adcoms deserve time off as well! I'm sort of in the home stretch for a few schools, with decisions from three schools (Georgetown, Wake Forest and UNC) all due between January 12th and February 9th. Duke won't release until March, and who knows what is happening with UCLA. Either I was moved to round two (likely) or I'm getting dinged.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe New Years! And remember, if you're going to make resolutions, try to keep it to just one or two. Too many and you won't do any of them!

Wake Forest Submitted

2008-12-20T13:11:00.003-05:00

I submitted my Wake Forest-Babcock application today. My interview isn't until 1/24/09, but I had the option of submitting it today and getting a fee waiver (in honor of Wake going to a third consecutive bowl game). Saved me $75, so yay! On the 23rd of January I'll be attending a dinner with alumni, faculty and current students to learn more about the program. The 24th is a busy day, with a mock class, tour (I used to work there, so I'm pretty comfortable in that building), information sessions, then my Done-In-A-Day interview. I don't have to write essays, but I sit for a panel-style interview and answer the essay questions. By doing this, I will receive an admissions decision within 24 hours. When I get home, I should have an admit in my pocket if all goes well.

All that's left to do is submit Duke in early January then prepare for my second Carolina trip for interviews and visits. I've already started the Duke essays, so I'm pretty confident I'll finish early. I kind of like submitting apps on a rolling basis. My original plan was to submit everything for round one, but this would have been very taxing for both myself and my recommenders. This way is better, staggering them. Although, it also means my decision notifications are staggered. Oh well!

So, who works next week? I'm off starting Wednesday.

Duke Admits

2008-12-18T16:27:00.001-05:00

It appears Duke wanted to start their holiday vacation early, so admissions decisions went out this afternoon. Congratulations to those that got happy news; regrets to those that did not. Seeing the jubilation on BW definitely made me wish to be a part of the celebration!

Wait or Stress

2008-12-18T09:39:00.002-05:00

Now that a few applications are in and interviews are complete, the waiting game has begun in full. When I first started this journey, I thought I would enjoy waiting each day for a decision, as opposed to knowing exactly when it would come. In essence, I felt it better to know it could happen any given day, rather than some far off date. My tune has definitely changed.

I have seen many people stressing each day over at the BW forums, wondering if today is the day they'll become one of the chosen few. Meanwhile, I can sit back and relax, knowing that my decisions are all coming on a certain date. I don't have to wake up wondering if I'll find out some news; I KNOW I'll get news on January 12th or February 7th or what have you. Sure, I'd love to know early, but not at the expense of my sanity. Adding in Duke and Wake Forest, I'll know exactly the date of my decisions, good or bad.

It's funny how this process changes your thinking. I thought waiting would keep me interested, when the stress has been removed by NOT waiting. I thought non-invitation interviews would stink, as I wouldn't know my place in the pecking order, but instead I love it (more on this to come). I've gone through an emotional roller coaster, thinking I can get in, then wondering if I'm good enough, then realizing this is a crap-shoot and I have no idea where I'll fall in the spectrum of 2011 applicants!

Quick notes: Duke decisions come out tomorrow, best of luck everyone! Wake Forest informed me that if I apply on 12/20, the application fee is waived. Woo!

The Weekend That Was: Charlotte and UNC

2008-12-16T11:55:00.002-05:00

Phew, what a weekend! 18.5 hours in a car, by myself. Love it! My record is still 34 hours by myself, driving from New Orleans to Cleveland, and back, for a long weekend. This trip took me to Charlotte to see my brother, then to UNC for my interview.

Charlotte is just plain awesome. I'm tempted to just move down there if I don't get in to an MBA program this year, live it up and apply (with NC residency!) next year. It'd save me some money, definitely. The area they live in is very new, clean, and fun. We took a trip downtown to Blackfinn, Howl at the Moon, Suite, then back to Fox and Hound. Too much fun. Sunday was a tour of some other parts. They definitely gave me a hard sell!

Monday was ridiculous. I woke up at 4:30AM, then drove 2.5 hours to Chapel Hill for my 8:30AM interview. My interviewer arrived plenty early, so we got started around 8:15 or 8:20. He said it would last 30 minutes, he's only seen my resume, and his purpose is to provide a voice in the committee meetings. He knew of my hometown, including my high school, so we developed a quick rapport (this is key!). I was actually able to articulate the nature of my undergraduate GPA, which I think was key. He seemed genuinely interested in my circumstances and I hope he repeats that to the committee.

The main topics were fairly standard and the conversation flowed nicely. We walked through my resume, he asked the standard why MBA/why now/why here questions. He threw some curveballs, such as "If given a day off, what would you do with it?" and "What would be your legacy if you left your current position right now?" I felt I answered them convincingly and I didn't forget huge portions like at Georgetown.

Overall, I felt this interview rocked. We had fun discussing things, and he had to stop us once we reached 45 minutes so that he wasn't late to his next appointment. We continued talking into the hallways, and he advised me on talking to random KFBS students, which I did. The facility is awesome, the students and staff friendly. He definitely sold me, now I just hope I sold him!

Prepping for an Interview

2008-12-10T15:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who wrote in about the Fuqua essay topics. I figured the long essay would be the most difficult, and it seems everyone had a wide range of topics covered. It could be a big differentiater.

I'm preparing for my UNC interview next Monday. I know the basic questions, resume, why MBA, why now, why here, etc. I've also got the teamwork, leadership, ethical dilemma, failure, strengths/weaknesses, etc. questions down. Is there anything else I should be prepared to answer? I'll be checking out Accepted.com and the Clear Admit wiki for interview write-ups, though I don't think anything has been posted for awhile.

I know we've got some UNC applicants in the blogosphere, so any hints or advice would be very welcome. I do wish I could have done a class visit, but it'll be alright. I'm not looking forward to waking up at 5AM, driving from Charlotte to Chapel Hill, doing my interview, then driving the 8.5 hours to Cleveland.

Few-qua vs. Fooqua

2008-12-09T16:12:00.003-05:00

I have officially started the Duke application for R2 (due January 7th). I already scheduled my class visit and interview for January 21st. The application seems pretty basic, nothing out of the ordinary. The essays are a mixed bag, however.

The first essay states "What do you hope to gain from The Duke MBA? How does it fit into your short- and long-term goals?" This is the fairly standard goals essay, with a focus on how the Duke experience will help you get where you want to go. One full page should be a decent enough amount of space to get this across.

The second essay, "How will you contribute to the overall experience of your peers?", appears to be a place to state where your characteristics and desires match those of the Duke community and what you will bring to the table. I also get the sense of "Why Duke?" in that question. I've got a lot to say, so hopefully one page is enough.

The last short essay asks you to discuss a person, event or experience that has significantly shaped your life and why, with emphasis on NOT being from the professional world. This one is interesting, something I've seen in UCLA and a few other apps. Picking one person, or one experience as a lynchpin moment in my life is going to be difficult, as I think it's the series of events and people that affect us. There is no one defining moment in my life.

The long essay, at two pages, states "Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, emotional intelligence as well as business acumen. Upon graduation, a Duke MBA will be a leader of consequence - able to deal simultaneously with complex matters and engage skillfully with colleagues, clients and community. What impact do you hope to have as a leader of consequence?" Oh boy, that's a mouthful! Leader of consequence...this feels like a fairly idealistic question to me. Something tells me this is the essay where the Adcoms will find must of the BS.

So, any advice on tackling these? What was the hardest for you? Can you actually pronounce the name properly?

UNC Submitted

2008-12-05T13:52:00.003-05:00

Phew, three applications done and submitted! My interview for Kenan-Flagler isn't until next Monday (the 15th) so I have ample time to prepare for that. Anyone gone through their interview there yet? I'll head down on Saturday and spend some time with my brother and girlfriend beforehand, to relax a bit and avoid paying for a hotel.

The UNC essays weren't terribly difficult. They asked the standard questions, just in a different way and with a smaller word limit. The typical "Walk me through your resume" question was reworded, asking for a few characteristics that have driven your career success to date and any future characteristics you'd like to leverage. I used teamwork and challenging myself as my main points, which allowed me to walk through and hit the high points of my resume. I felt pretty good about this one.

The second essay is the career goals question. I've got a firm grasp on what I want to do, so I wrote about my short and long-term goals, why they appeal to me, etc. It's basically a shorter version of my McDonough career goals essay. This is probably the easiest of the four required essays.

The third essay was interesting. It basically asked what life experiences or personal qualities make us a unique candidate, and how these will equip us for the K-F experience. Interesting! This is the one I had to widdle down the most, as once I got started the writing just kept on coming. My readers suggested several changes to more aptly answer the question, which I followed. The final version came through late last night and I'm happy with it. It's a slightly different tone than previous essays. I feel this one is the differentiating factor among applicants. Sure, resumes and career goals may be different, but the "Unique Person" essay gives you 500 words to state exactly how you're different, why you're different, and what this'll do for the K-F community.

The last required essay was the "Why Kenan-Flagler" question, with the added twist of measuring the ROI. I knew why I wanted K-F, so I talked about the courses, projects, organizations and professors that I want from the school. Again, if you know why you want that school, it's a fairly easy question.

So, that's it for the UNC application! I can attest to the fact that apps get easier the more you do. Next steps are to prepare for my interview and work on my Duke and Wake Forest applications.

The Work Continues

2008-12-03T11:50:00.003-05:00

Been awhile, dear readers, hasn't it? I trust everyone had a happy Thanksgiving break. I myself enjoyed a four-day weekend. I woke up early Thursday morning to run the Turkey Trot, a four-mile fun run for the homeless. Big props to everyone who braved the 30-degree weather, but a big thumbs down to the people who stole my bag containing all the T-shirts for my group and my sister-in-law's ID. Boo! On Thanksgiving, come on people! I followed that up with lots of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc. The rest of the weekend was devoted to relaxing after a stressful couple of weeks.

The UNC essays are in full swing. They're due Friday the 5th and I continue to tweak them, though the 500-word limit is killing me! I feel like I can only scratch the surface of what I want to say before I have to move on to the next topic. Hopefully I'm not the only one in this predicament and my interview will give me an opportunity to more strongly convey what I want. Question: How many words over that 500-word limit is acceptable? I've got some that are 513 or so, which I think is ok. I've got another that currently sits at 548, which I feel is too much. I want to rework that one, take out one paragraph that basically reiterates my teamwork background and add in some other stuff, maybe that'll solve the issue.

I basically have until Friday to finish UNC up, then I drive to North Carolina the weekend of the 13th for my interview on the 15th. When I get back, it's time to start Duke. Luckily, since I'm doing the Done-In-A-Day program at Wake Forest, the essay requirements are waived; however, the interview is conducted panel-style and I still need to answer all the questions. Should be an interesting experience.

Waiting Stinks!

2008-11-20T10:39:00.004-05:00

I received an email from Georgetown informing me of a status update...so I log in and see that my application is listed as complete and under review by the admissions committee. Awesome. Only thing is, Georgetown doesn't release decisions until January! That's cruel! Now I know they're looking at my scores, my essays, my interview already, but won't let me know anything for nearly two months! I find it funny I don't really worry about where I am with UCLA, but I'm dying to know about Georgetown.

Scheduled my interview with UNC, set for December 15th. I traded emails back and forth with some admissions people regarding interviews, the whole telephone vs. on-campus debate. Ms. Nair said that although there is no difference between the two, she would expect applicants in the US to visit campus. I wanted to avoid applying in round 3 (although technically it's round 2), so I made sure all my scores and stuff were already there. All I have to do is finish my essays and do my interview. Shouldn't be too tough.

I'm not going to reschedule Wake Forest or Duke (all set for late January). I'll continue working on them, regardless of an admit from Georgetown. The cost of living is so much cheaper in North Carolina, I'd definitely have to weigh the pros and cons of each before I make any sort of decision. But, I'm ahead of myself!

This weekend I'm working as a poker dealer for a charity tournament in Cleveland, to benefit the Humane Society. Should be a good time, and I'm recruiting players. Also planning on running the Turkey Trot 4 mile walk/run on Thanksgiving morning. Look at me, Mister Charity!

Back To Work

2008-11-15T12:17:00.002-05:00

In the words of Jed Barlett, what's next?

Georgetown application is done, all recommendations and transcripts are in, and it is now the waiting game. Anyone know if they release their decisions all on the same date, or in spurts? It'd be awesome to know before January 12th, but it's ok. I'll survive. The more I found out about the program, the more interested I became, and now I'd be pretty down if I got dinged. Their ranking in BW dropped a ton, which surprised me.

Next up is the North Carolina triumvirate: UNC, Duke and Wake Forest. I've scheduled my Duke interview/tour/visit for January 21st, and I hope to do UNC on the 22nd. Right now they only allow scheduling for 2008. I've also registered for all the events at Wake Forest on the 23rd/24th. Friday is the dinner, Saturday is the info session and panel interview, what they call the Done In A Day. I'd get a decision on the same day, which would be nice.

It seems lots of interview invites and offers/dings are going out now. I'd just like to wish all my fellow applicants best of luck! And remember, a ding isn't the end of the world. Trust me!

Georgetown Submitted

2008-11-06T17:04:00.002-05:00

After a last-minute change of heart regarding an essay, I submitted my application for Georgetown's McDonough School of Business. I'm pretty happy with my essays. I did use the optional essay to write about my undergraduate performance, explaining my GPA being low due to finishing school in two and a half years.

I did find this experience a bit easier than UCLA, mostly because I had been through it once before. It's true what they say, the essays get easier the more you do. I wish my recommenders felt the same way!

Best of luck to everyone who's applying to McDonough! And happy birthday to me!

Georgetown Interview

2008-11-04T14:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had my interview with Georgetown. McDonough is candidate-initiated until December, so I scheduled this one myself. Six hours in the car Sunday allowed me to listen to football, and remember everything I forgot back home (ie, an undershirt, a TIE, and cufflinks). I spent that night at a friend's place, jotting down notes and reading interview stuff on GMAT Club and accepted.com.

I woke up early on Monday and headed into Georgetown. I had to run into some stores to pick up the stuff I forgot, but didn't have any problems there. A current student helped me find my way to the admissions office, which was nice. The place was pretty well packed with prospective students waiting for either interviews or an information session. I wish I had scheduled my interview around one, but it didn't work out that way. My interviewer met me a few minutes before my scheduled time and led me to a room.

For those that don't know, Georgetown allows second-year students to interview prospectives. My interviewer was extremely friendly, and helped keep things casual. He started it off by giving a quick background of himself, and what is expected both in the admissions process and the interview. He stated that everything is taken together, and no portion outweighs any other. Good to know!

The first question was the "walk me through your resume" one. I'm pretty confident that I completely botched this! I gave a quick spiel about undergraduate studies, then spoke awhile about my first position, telling about leadership opportunities and teamwork and success. Then, when I started talking about my current position, I completely left out the main points I had worked so hard to get across! How could I forget to mention the main project I've been working on for over a year! Ugh! He probably thought I was nuts, though he didn't ask many follow-up questions. After that he asked about short-term goals, and I went into detail about those as well as long-term plans. He asked a pretty good follow-up question, probably to see how serious I was about my career trek. Hopefully I answered that well.

He asked the "Why Georgetown" question, and I nailed it. I spoke at length about the international curriculum, clubs, classes, professors. I mentioned that I had been exchanging emails with a current student, who turned out to be his very good friend! When it came time to ask him questions, I had tons, and he answered them very truthfully. I think we split our time pretty evenly between his questions and mine, and the whole ordeal took 25 minutes. We continued to talk about stuff on our walk back to the admissions office. I sent him a thank you note this morning, as well as the current student, letting him know we talked about him in my interview!

All in all, I thought it went well, and everything I saw or learned completely reaffirmed my interest in Georgetown. I've got until Friday to complete my application, but I find it so hard to limit my essays to 750 words each!

Nervous Anticipation

2008-10-30T15:53:00.003-04:00

My UCLA application is finally complete! I guess what happened was my second recommender had mailed in a printed copy of her rec, instead of following the online instructions. So, that app is all done; now I wonder if I'm still up for R1, or if I've gotten moved to R2. Either way, it's all a waiting game now.

On the Georgetown front, the main three essays are about complete. I don't really consider the fourth required essay as an all-important one, as it's basically just a list of your extra-curriculars and community organizations from college through the present. I've got lots to write about there: founding a chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi at Wake Forest, freelance promotional and event work, and volunteering for the Humane Society. That one should be fairly easy.

My interview has been confirmed for November 3rd. The tentative plan is to drive up Sunday afternoon, stay with a friend to avoid getting a hotel, then nailing my interview with a current student! I've been studying up on the questions frequently asked on accepted.com, as well as speaking with a few other people. I feel I've got a good grasp on this, it all comes down to execution. Any advice?

Now, I've heard that Georgetown is truly rolling admissions, and that once everything is complete, you can get a decision within two to four weeks. I'm not sure if this is still accurate, given the changes in MBA admissions the last year or so, but it would be amazing to have a decision before Christmas! Especially since my company was recently acquired, and no one is sure what will happen.

Mental Block

2008-10-27T15:44:00.003-04:00

The whirlwind surrounding Georgetown continues! I've gotten good feedback on the goals and leadership essays, and am continuing to tweak them. I've also scheduled my interview: next Monday, November 3rd! It's so soon! This is such a tight deadline for me. I've gotta get my scores and transcripts sent over as soon as possible as well. I'll refrain from submitting my application before the interview, though, as I'm sure I will gain more insight from another visit. The third essay, the one about the most significant change I have made to an organization is proving to be very difficult, as I can't use the experience I wrote about in essay two. Any suggestions?

I also reached out to a current student whose blog I found on the McDonough website. He's been extremely helpful, and serves as another example of how awesome the MBA community can be! I'm pretty sure a family friend went to Georgetown as well, so I'm going to contact him as well. Hopefully I can get them to read my essays and provide feedback.

Other than that, I continue to track down my second recommender for UCLA (note: she is NOT doing any other recs for me). My status has officially been moved to On Hold. I don't know if that means I can still be considered for R1 if she gets it in, or if I'm already moved to R2. If I don't hear from her soon, I'll have to call UCLA to have her removed. I'm sure that won't look to positive!

Dreams Die Hard

2008-10-23T09:28:00.002-04:00

I just can't shake it. The desire to get my MBA is always there, in the back of my mind. Just when I think I'm resigned to the fact that this year isn't the best option, those people who tried to talk me out of it in the first place then say I shouldn't give up and to keep going! Sure, my ambitious plan of trying to apply to eight or nine schools, all in the first round, wasn't feasible.

New plan: be choosy. What schools would I, if accepted, love to go to? UCLA is obviously there, and my portion is done (oddly enough, my second recommender STILL hasn't done it yet!). UNC and Duke were always high on my list, as was Wake Forest. My trip to DC and further research has also brought a new horse into the game: Georgetown. I've already started the app and have a draft of the career goals essay finished. I hope to have drafts of the other ones soon. That leadership essay is pretty tough!

I got an email from an admissions person from UNC regarding my application, just a sort of "hey, how is everything going" message. I responded back and said I'm having difficulty finding the time to leave work and get to Chapel Hill to interview, and if she has any suggestions. We'll see what she comes up with. I figure it'll be the standard "An interview is a very important component that allows us to get to know you better, and is required" spiel, but who knows.

That's my updates for now. Five schools: UCLA (done), Georgetown, UNC, Duke and Wake. Feasible? Absolutely. Will I get in? Wake probably, the rest, doubtful but you never know!

The Fall Season

2008-10-17T11:08:00.003-04:00

It's my favorite season of the year! I find fall and spring to be the best times, a period of active change. Sure, summer is nice and winter has its moments, but there's something about fall, changing your wardrobe to sweaters and jackets, Halloween, college football that really matters (Go Deacs!). MLB playoffs. The weather gets cooler, the skies a bit greyer, but I love it all.

Thanks for all the comments about my recommender situation. I finally tracked her down yesterday as I had another business matter to discuss. She said she was working on it and said "I've still got time, right?" I informed her the deadline had passed, and that the constant reminders of the 10/9 due date weren't a fabrication in my head. She actually had an upset look. To reiterate my cautionary tale: choose your recommenders very, very carefully!

UCLA is done as far as I'm concerned. I did start the application for Weatherhead, and I've looked more into Georgetown. I know it's not too late for me to change things up, and I may end up still applying somewhere in the short-term. Having to prioritize my finances has really made me think of why I want those schools in particular. It's some good soul-searching, let me tell you! Rather than just saying "hey, let's apply to eight top-20 schools in the hopes that I get accepted to one of them," I can say "My money is very tight; I can only apply to those schools I would absolutely kill to be admitted to!" I'd suggest everyone does this with their list, as it will undoubtedly lead me to the right school for me. If not this year, then next. Hopefully UCLA looks past my poor recommenders, my awful undergrad GPA, and my less-than-stellar community activities and let's me come in for an interview.

My upcoming plans are pretty tame. I was scheduled to be on vacation this week (Monday was a bank holiday, so I'd only use four vacation days and get the whole week!) but I cancelled that, due to a higher than expected workload and the fact that my trip was mainly to interview at UNC/Duke/Emory. Tonight I'm going to Mansfield Prison for a Halloween thing (parts of Shawshank Redemption were filmed there), then a clam bake tomorrow night.

A Cautionary Tale

2008-10-15T19:29:00.004-04:00

Well, something told me it wouldn't be that easy. I recommend everyone sends this post to fellow applicants, as it should provide a cautionary tale about application risks.

I asked my manager and another person I work with to write my recommendations. Both were very enthusiastic, and I asked them two months in advance. As soon as the UCLA application went live, I put their names in, sent them the information, and put together packets about my goals, my essays, resume, everything. I sent follow-up reminders, put it on their Outlook schedule, called them, went over in person. Both assured me they were well on track. My manager emailed me to say he finished his several weeks ago. My second recommender said she was well on her way.

Applications were due October 9th. My manager again said he was done. My second recommender became harder to find. Monday the 6th, she said she was about done. Wednesday, she said she'd upload it that night. I wake up on the 10th, and neither of them submitted theirs. She hadn't even started. Even worse, she is now actively dodging my calls and emails. My manager said the system must have made an error, and I contacted the admissions department at UCLA to check. Their response was to wait until the 24th of October for the system to "catch up." I'll take them at their word for now, but something tells me my application will sit there until January, with me unable to further edit my essays or application.

Here's the crux of this tale: be sure to select recommenders who not only will accentuate your positives, but will also actually DO your recommendations! Needless to say, I will not be selecting her for any future applications (more to follow).

UCLA Submitted

2008-10-09T20:06:00.002-04:00

Wow, seems like a popular topic today! I sent off my UCLA application tonight. I feel the essays were pretty good, and I know I'm a huge long shot, but I figured I'd take a stab, otherwise who knows! One thing that has me freaking out now are my recommenders. My manager said he submitted his over a week ago, yet the ApplyYourself website doesn't mention this, just that it was started. My other reviewer told me yesterday she wasn't finished yet, and according to the website, she hasn't even started! I gave them more than a month advance warning, followed up several times (including this week, where he assured me it was done and she said it was almost done. If my application gets pushed to R2 because they let the deadline slip, I will not be a happy camper!

Right now, it's in God's hands, so there's not much I can do. Either the admissions committee sees something in my application, or they don't. There's always next year, and I'm approaching this with zero expectations. If I get dinged without an interview (the dreaded DWOI!), it won't be the end of the world and I won't be curled in the fetal position for a week. I'll be bummed, sure, but it'll be ok.

Up next for me is my other application for this year, my ultra-backup-plan school of Case Western Reserve. That one is due awhile later, so I'll get started soon. There's still an outside chance of applying to one more school (most likely Wake Forest, to give me an out-of-Ohio option). As for Emory, USC, Texas, Virginia, Duke, Chapel Hill, and NYU, you will have to wait until next year! Unless, of course, Anderson wants me!

This blog will not die, so no worries. I'll continue my updates on whatever is happening on the MBA front, including further analysis of my schools and other visits and such.

Best of luck fellow UCLA applicants!

Tough Decisions

2008-10-07T15:38:00.002-04:00

Greetings everyone in the MBA Blogosphere. It's been a bit since I've last posted...I've been busy with work, and I took a weekend trip to DC the other weekend. It was a lot of fun, and we had an absolute blast! Three days wasn't enough, as there is so much to do. We loved exploring the National Mall, the Zoo and driving through Georgetown.

On the MBA front, things have drastically changed for me. First, the economy has officially hit me. Well, it really hit my brother and roommate, who has had some trouble in keeping up his end of rent and bills. This has caused me to cover his share of the bills, as well as help him out from time to time. The net effect of this is that my savings has dwindled to almost nothing. This hurts my MBA aspirations greatly, as I can no longer afford to visit schools, send in application fees, or heaven forbid not have enough money to pay for a deposit!

This has forced me to evaluate my options. First, see that list of schools? Forget about it. I can't possibly afford all those applications. I've already called Guizeta and Fuqua to cancel my visits and interviews. This season, I'm applying to one school: UCLA. The main reason is that my essays are essentially done, and my recommenders have already submitted their parts. It would be a great disservice to them and everyone that has helped me so far to not apply. So, ED for UCLA. I may apply to Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead SOM later in the year, in order to have a backup plan if the markets continue to decimate my current employer.

I know it sounds like I'm giving up, but I have little other choice. I refuse to take on further debt just to have a chance at a top MBA. I'd rather wait until next season, and maybe things will have shaken out. If anything, I've had some practice in the application process, and I've made contacts at my schools of choice. This is a positive I'm focusing on. And hey, UCLA might still come through.

This extra time will provide another benefit: GMAT. For those of you who don't know, I got a 680 the first time I took it (44Q/38V). I could spend the extra time studying, refining the goals essays, and knock the GMAT out of the park. I can also continue to build my alternate transcript with further courses.

So, any words of advice? I know it's a big change, and I might be the only person cutting back on applications because the money simply isn't there, but I think it's a wise decision.

A Gimme School?

2008-09-18T15:07:00.002-04:00

Let's see, still working on applications and essays. McCombs posted their application, so I'll start getting the little stuff out of the way. I've also sent off requests for class visits and interviews to Duke, UNC and Emory, so hopefully I'll be able to finalize my plans for the Magical MBA Tour 2008 soon.

One thing I've been thinking...do people choose gimme schools anymore? What I mean is, a school you are about 95% sure you'd get accepted to. Back in undergrad, these were called safety schools. I was looking at my list the other day, and realized that Wake Forest is the closest I have to a gimme school, and even then, who knows. It got me thinking: Do I want an MBA from only a top school, or do I want an MBA to really get me into a new career?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was doing this for a career change. I can't progress any further than where I'm at, and all avenues outward don't appeal to me. To switch careers, I've chosen an MBA to accomplish that goal. Now obviously, I'd prefer to get my MBA from UCLA or UNC, but sometimes that's just not in the cards (and based on the meltdown on Wall Street, MBA programs will be flooded this year, not good news for the little guys like me!). I knew I'd apply to Wake Forest, due to its ties in the Carolina area and international exposure, but I've decided to look into Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management here in Cleveland. It's a decent program, and one I would be completely shocked if I didn't get accepted.

What about you? Do you have an ultra-gimme backup school? Or is it H/S/W or bust?

In The Thick Of It

2008-09-11T11:18:00.003-04:00

Here's the updates on the application front: UCLA general application is about done. All four essays are drafted and I'm starting to get feedback from my readers. I do wish I had someone who went through this process...everyone I know with an MBA got it from part-time local colleges. I'd like the opinion of someone who went full-time at a Top 25 program.

I'm about to send my UNC Part I application and fee so I can schedule my interview. My trip is planned like this: Drive to North Carolina the weekend of October 11th-12th. On the 13th, do my visit and interview with Duke; on the 14th, do the visit and interview with UNC. Afterwards, drive to Atlanta and visit Emory (with an interview). This'll take me to Thursday, during which I'll either stay the night there (and visit the largest aquarium in the world!) or drive to Charlotte and relax for a few days with my brother before heading back home. This would take care of my interviews at Duke, UNC and Emory all before the first deadlines. I'd also be able to use visit information in my essays!

My recommenders have started their UCLA parts, which is nice. I've provided them with a quick fact sheet, my resume, and some talking points (ie, School A focuses on leadership, School B on teamwork) to help them along. They both seem enthusiastic, and I've given them plenty of lead time.

Other than that, I'm writing my final exam for my online math class. It's been a good experience, and it definitely makes you focus. I'm heading to Washington, DC on the 25th for some downtime and to check out the sites. Can't wait!

PS: USC, hurry up and post some deadlines and essays!!!

Quick Update

2008-09-02T18:20:00.001-04:00

Just a quick update...

Been working on my UNC app, so I can schedule my interview. I've also been working on the first two essays for Anderson. I'm keeping the dream alive!

I gotta give props to Soni (link in the blogroll) for mentioning The Faceoff video at The Leveraged Sellout. I think I peed my pants watching that!

Avalanches!

2008-08-29T11:40:00.004-04:00

Emory's app went live, so I briefly started that one. I'm trying to focus on the ones with the soonest due dates, especially UCLA. I'm almost done with the application part, and I've started my essays. The good news is my manager (soon-to-be former manager due to the re-org) agreed to write my recommendations, and he was very enthusiastic about it! I've got another person in mind for the other recs, hopefully she's as receptive.

Does anyone else get worried when apps aren't available? Duke still hasn't posted theirs, and USC hasn't even updated deadlines from last year! Get on the ball people!

All these Business Week stories and what not, about the surge in applications making it nearly impossible to gain admittance, are a bit scary. What if I spend all this money, call in these favors, go through the long and arduous process, and get rejected from every single school! I keep telling myself "You're not an investment banker. You're not an IT guy from India. You're non-traditional, so those 750 GMATs don't really apply to you." But am I deluding myself?

Schools are back in session for the most part, so I'd like to welcome back to newly-minted SYs, as well as welcome the first year students. I've followed some of your blogs throughout the process, and you've served as inspiration throughout. Keep on blogging so we know it's all worth it!

UPDATE: Of course, shortly after this is posted, the Duke Fuqua application goes live. It's all on you, USC!

UCLA App is live!

2008-08-26T10:17:00.004-04:00

I was creating a handy dandy spreadsheet to keep track of admissions dates and deliverables, and noticed that UCLA Anderson's application had finally gone live! So, I started that one, even though I think my chances are very, very slim. So that's three apps started.

My mid-year review is today, and I'm going to ask my soon-to-be former manager (we went through another re-org, and he's moving to a new role) if he'll write recs for me. He's very big on continuing education, and he knows of my plans, so this should be a smooth one. I've got an idea on my other recommender, I'll ask her this week as well.

I also am starting to plan a trip to hit the three schools that don't have invitation-only interviews (Duke, UNC and Emory). I figure a solid week of vacation time in early October, spend a day at each with a travel day to get to Atlanta. I may try to plan it around the Columbus day holiday, so I technically only use four days of vacation, and can travel on the weekends.

One thing I noticed on the Anderson application: in the education section, they ask for a) last two years cumulative GPA and b) an explanation on why you've failed a class before. My Tulane GPA was wiped out when I transferred to Wake, so that should be easy. I did fail two classes at Tulane my first semester there (Japanese and Calc); I retook Calc and got a C+, and switched back to Latin and got As in all those classes. Any suggestions on how to explain why I failed in 200 words or less?

Apps Have Begun!

2008-08-21T10:35:00.002-04:00

First, you probably have noticed the new look to my blog. The black and green was starting to look a little...dark. I decided to switch it to something lighter, a bit easier to read. Hopefully everyone likes it. I also updated the school list a bit, which brings me to...

Application time! Emory had posted their application a bit ago, so I've begun going through the bread and butter info (name, address, education, work experience, etc.) and thinking about their essays. Clear Admit informed me that UNC's application and essays *finally* went live today, so I also started that one. So, two essays started, quite a few more to go! It does feel good to be moving forward with the process; I just want all my other schools to hurry up and let me start filling out the apps!

I've also started thinking about interviews. I know it's early, especially for schools that are invite-only. I personally think all schools should be invite-only. For a school like UNC, it is required of all applicants, regardless of whether you are seen as a compelling candidate. You need to take time off work, travel to Chapel Hill, and go through the interview process, without knowing your status. At other schools that are invite-only, such as USC, you know if they ask you to come in for an interview, you have crossed that first hurdle into "This candidate is interesting!" territory. I like that idea better than blindly interviewing.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's good a school allows everyone to interview. I just think it's easier for those schools that are invite-only. What do you think?

School Choices

2008-08-20T13:43:00.003-04:00

I received some comments about my school list, and how it's a very large number to apply in one season. Well, I'm not crazy, I didn't actually think I would apply to all nine! They're broken down into several layers, which I will discuss in a moment.

I picked a fair number of schools, because a) I really want to gain admissions to a solid program, and I feel that spreading a wide net would hopefully yield a positive result at least once, and b) I understand my undergrad GPA will be a hindrance, and I feel a large sample is best. The schools I picked all have solid brand recognition, are in warm climates (except NYU), and have good reputations in the programs I am interested (marketing, consulting).

Here's my breakdown:

Super Reaches
UCLA: Tough, given the fact that my GMAT/GPA are sub-standard for them. Ideal location for The Dream Job. Solid marketing, and the contacts within the entertainment industry are excellent. I'm debating whether to apply, as this is the longest shot I'd take. Maybe App

NYU: Another tough one given my stats. Stern has a great marketing program with an emphasis on entertainment, and even has a class based on Cannes. Expensive (aren't they all?) and a cold-climate winter are some negatives. Maybe App

Duke: Good brand management program, although the Health Sector Management option intrigues me a great deal. High ranking would mean my stats stand out at the bottom of the barrel. Loved living in NC so location would be nice. Definite App

Reaches
UNC: Strong brand name, good brand management/consulting concentration. Feasible with my stats, NC location. I think my non-traditional background would help me. Definite App

UVA: Great consulting program, though might be tough to gain admission. The stories of workload are a bit scary, but the case method approach is something I like. Decent location. This is another program I'm not sure I'm 100% committed to applying. Maybe App

USC: THE perfect choice for The Dream Job. USC has amazing contacts within the entertainment industry, has a great alumni network, and its marketing/entertainment programs are a perfect visit. Only school I've visited so far. Definite App

Good Chances
Wake Forest: My undergrad alma mater. I wouldn't mind returning, as I took a great deal from my Calloway experience. Love the international business aspects, and I'm more than familiar with the environment. Not as good brand recognition, and heavily finance focused, but consulting is still good. Definite App

Texas: Great consulting opportunities, with emphasis on technology (another passion of mine). Stats line up well enough here that I'd be a little surprised if things didn't go well. Definite App

Emory: The more I read up on this program, the more I like it. Small, community based, good consulting background, tons of top firms have headquarters in Atlanta. Stats are fairly ok here also. Definite App

Bottom line, nothing is a sure thing in MBA admissions. I know my GPA could kill me if I don't do a good enough job explaining it away. I feel this list is pretty good, and I've identified the definites and the maybes. Thoughts?

Craziness...

2008-08-17T22:43:00.003-04:00

It's been a crazy few weeks. After my GMAT, I wrote about taking some time off (thanks for the suggestions on doing so, everyone!), then had my brother's bachelor party, followed by his wedding yesterday. I had an amazing time, danced by butt off, but now it's time to buckle down once again. Luckily I have no big events coming up, so I can focus.

My online class at UCLA is going well. I feel I'm taking something from it, which is good. I've also been doing lots of thinking about what schools I'll apply, and in what rounds. Ideally, I want to know if I'm going somewhere as soon as possible, and my original idea was to apply in R1 for everything, but that might not be possible (as well as being very exhausting for my recommenders!). I'd feel more confident had I gotten that 700, but a 680 is damn good, and I don't think 20 points will make the difference between ding and admit.

So, here's a list: UNC, UCLA, USC, Duke, Wake Forest, Texas, Emory, UVA, NYU. Obviously, the big reaches are Duke, UCLA and NYU. Mid-level would be USC, UNC, UVA. I think realistically Wake Forest (my alma mater for undergrad), Texas and Emory are very doable. I'm going to look at some more programs. but that's the list I'm fairly comfortable with right now. I may drop some of them, depending on my confidence levels. I'm definitely applying to USC, UCLA, UNC and Wake Forest no matter what.

I feel these schools are 1) realistic, 2) a good fit with me wants/needs, and 3) can get me where I want to be.

I'm not dead!

2008-08-04T22:19:00.003-04:00

I swear! After the GMAT, I decided to take some time off, and forget about MBA applications, deadlines, tests, everything. And it's been wonderful! I've got so much else going on, with big changes at work, my brother's bachelor party and the ensuing wedding, another brother preparing to move to North Carolina for a new job (congrats!). I'll provide more updates and do this more frequently from now on...

It's Over...

2008-07-12T17:10:00.002-04:00

Today was my GMAT appointment. After Thursday's GMATPrep Test (610) I was pretty nervous. I got a good nights sleep, woke up, ate a good breakfast, and left with plenty of time to make it to the center. Walked in, read the rules, got fingerprinted, they took my picture, and I was led into the actual testing room. I went through the administrative stuff, selected my schools (USC, UCLA, UNC, NYU, and Wake Forest), then started the AWAs. I felt both of these went fine.

I opted not to take the break in between AWA and Quant. I don't know why, but I just wanted to keep going. Unlike practice tests, I used every available minute for the Quant section. I felt I did a good job here, and gladly took my break before Verbal. Now, my Q had been pretty consistent lately, but my V had started dropping. Once again I found myself on the last three questions with 25 minutes to spare, never a good sign. There were a few questions where it seemed like two answers were perfectly acceptable, and others where none seemed correct. After the exam, I went through the survey and stuff, then accepted my score (I didn't pay $250 to NOT see where I was at).

680. A bit below my target of 700, but above what I had been scoring at lately. My practice tests, in order, were: 580, 600, 660, 700, 680, 650, and 610. So, this score actually sits at the top part of my distribution. Here's the kicker: I got a 44Q/38V split. That's the best I've ever done in Q, but well below my usual mark in V. Had I gotten a bit better on V, I would have nailed that 700 I was looking for! So close!

In all, I can't complain about Q, but I'm fairly upset about V. I had always tested much better on Verbal, and struggled with Quant, and it seemed everything switched at the end. Maybe it was the change from Manhattan GMAT tests to actual GMATs that did it.

Now, I have to decide if its worth applying to my target schools. I know with my GPA it's a hard sell at any of my schools, but maybe it's worth shooting for them anyway.

D-Day Approaches

2008-07-10T21:38:00.002-04:00

Sorry All! It's been a crazy few days, which is why I haven't gotten to post. Work, family drama, relationships, and the 4th of July weekend took most of my time. My GMAT appointment is Saturday at noon. On Sunday, I took MGMAT #6 and got a 650. Lower than my last two (700 and 680), but I chalked it up to the fact that I had been partying since Thursday, and probably wasn't in the best frame of mind.

Tonight, I took GMATPrep #1. I wanted to get a sense of actual questions (other than from OG11). I got a 610. I still can't believe it. My splits were 41Q (actually about right) but 33V, which is INSANELY lower than what I typically get. Did I just get accustomed to answering Manhattan GMAT questions? What the heck happened? Mom offered some words of encouragement...I was on an unfamiliar PC (which I'll be on Saturday), the room was insanely hot, and I had spent 10 hours at work. Maybe she's right. I felt OK going into it, and I know a few of the verbal questions hung me up, but I still couldn't believe it was that bad. I've never scored that low on verbal!

This has obviously scared me for Saturday. What if this score is more reflective of my tests, and not the MGMAT scores? Also, why are my scores so spread out (580, 600, 660, 700, 680, 650, 610)? Very strange.

Hopefully the last two were just outliers, and I'm actually closer to the middle range of those scores than the first or last few.

Studying, Scandals, and Puppies

2008-06-26T10:03:00.004-04:00

There's just over two weeks to go for my GMAT appointment. I keep working through the quant parts of OG11 (my verbal is pretty good, so I'm not focusing too much on that), slowly going through the last few questions and beginning to focus on DS. I've got one more MGMAT prep test, and of course the two GMATPrep tests. I'll definitely do at least one this weekend, maybe two. I'm excited to take a GMATPrep, as they're the closest representation to an actual GMAT score.

One thing I've been focusing on is slowing down. It may sound strange, given there are about 37 questions that need to be answered in 75 minutes, but some of my problems on quant are that I move too fast. This has lead to careless mistakes (ie, I know the answer is c)4, but I pick D as my choice because I'm flying through). I've also started double-checking my work in order to be as sure as I can. Another skill I need to learn is knowing when to cut my losses and move on. This happens often on the geometry questions, especially the 700-800 level ones. I'll try and figure it out, but become hopelessly lost. This results in time wasted on a problem you can't answer, forcing you to move even faster in later questions.

Just some random thoughts on the whole GMAT cheating scandal: Getting into a top notch MBA program is filled with lots of pressure, and the prospect of spending thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours studying and preparing and yielding zero results has led to people making poor decisions. As Tinydancer said in her blog (and detailed on the Clear Admit blog and over at Businessweek), this is not the first time a cheating scandal has happened, nor will it be the last. Those I feel truly sorry for are the ones who didn't know what ScoreTop was about, and who thought they were simply buying a question bank to better prepare themselves for the GMAT. This could potentially hurt legitimate prep resources, such as the GMAT Club question sets, or Manhattan GMAT, as prospective applicants wonder where the questions are from. I know it made me pause and think for a moment. In the end, those who used the service may find themselves unable to apply to most top schools (as their scores were cancelled and they are banned from taking it again), and students already in school may be expelled.

This weekend there's not much going on outside of GMAT-related activities. The Humane Society is selling tickets for a wine tasting, so I'll be helping out with that, and we've got some adoption events. I've been planning something for the HSGA, and hope to sit down with the volunteer coordinator soon and show her what I've got in mind. It would make things a lot easier for everyone involved, and hopefully lead to more volunteers!

Not Too Smart!

2008-06-19T15:15:00.002-04:00

Apparently I hadn't actually confirmed my GMAT appointment for June 28th. I was checking it a bit ago (procrastinating once again!), and I realized I hadn't followed through. And, naturally, that date - and all around it - are full. Next available slot: Saturday, July 12th, at 12:15PM. Maybe this is actually better, as it will give me more time to buckle down. I just hope it doesn't lead to me procrastinating since the test isn't for a few weeks now.

Last night I got three straight PS questions wrong in OG11, all in the 170s. I nearly wanted to throw up when I checked. I blame it on a brain fart; definitely shook my confidence a bit. I studied the correct answers and really tried to shore up what I had done wrong. Sometimes it feels like I'll learn from a mistake, only to be done in by the new process when I see a similar question! Frustrating.

I've also thought about my target schools. With my GPA (2.82 at WFU), are they realistic? Could I even get an interview at USC/UCLA/NYU? Should I start looking more at the 25-45 range of schools? It's disconcerting to see my GPA below the 20% mark.

Some People Have It All...

2008-06-17T12:09:00.003-04:00

While attempting to avoid work and responsibility, I came across this article in the NY Post about an 18-year-old high school senior who was accepted into every single Ivy league school. Talk about hitting the jackpot! To be able to make the choice of where you want to attend college (although MIT rejected him) is insane. Some of in the MBA world are praying for admission to ONE school on our lists, and this got went 17 of 18. Unreal.

Talk about a motivating factor...

2 Weeks to Go

2008-06-16T22:22:00.005-04:00

June 28th is rapidly approaching. I took MGMAT #5 and got a 680...a bit down from MGMAT #4 (700). My verbal held steady at 41, while my quant dropped back to 41. It's very clear that quant is my weak area...I feel fine going through practice sets in OG11, and get the overwhelming majority of them correct. For some reason, doing the Q portion of the MGMAT tests kicks my butt! I don't get it. I'm going back through the MGMAT books, to sort of kick-start my brain and bring me back above the 70% mark, which I clearly need to get a 700 or higher. Pretty soon I'll start with the GMAT Prep tests that you get when you sign up for the test. I've heard they are the most accurate representation.

On a side note, yay me for getting mention in last week's Fridays From The Frontline on the Clear Admit Blog. People do read this! Yay!

I'm up for a new position at work, moving more into a marketing/analysis role than the data role I've been in for the past 2 years. I know this may look strange on my application, that I'm taking another job (albeit within the same company) so close to application time. I just don't feel that, because I plan to apply to an MBA program in the fall, to begin in fall of 2009, I should pass up any other growth opportunities until the app season sorts itself out. I think the only downside that can't necessarily be explained is why I'd put my firm in a position where they put me in this job, train me, and I leave in a year. Any thoughts?

The Mythical 700

2008-06-08T12:38:00.003-04:00

I took Manhattan GMAT test #4, and got a 700. Midway through the quant portion, I wanted to quit and start over, as I felt I was doing terrible. Verbal felt good. When I got my score report, it was Q43/V41, a 70/93 breakdown for a total score of 700. I love my verbal score, but disappointed in my quant. My problem solving questions have gotten worse from last time (though my DS has gotten better), and I'm just not improving as much as I need. Still, going from 580 to 700 isn't a bad jump!

It's Been Too Long

2008-06-04T17:40:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I seem to be posting once a week. Maybe it's just because it's the summer, and I can only comment on my GMAT studying so many times before all seven of my readers shout out "Enough!" Studying has been going ok...I think I'm doing well, especially when I get into a mental fight with OG11. I swear, sometimes I know my answer is right, and the book is wrong. I did the first 50 RC questions and got 45 correct, so that's pretty good. I'm through the first 140 PS questions, and I'd say I've gotten 120 correct on the first pass. I really want to take a GMAT Prep test to see how I'd do on a legit test, instead of relying on my Manhattan GMAT scores (660). Maybe Sunday.

The work situation hasn't improved much. It's just so frustrating sometimes. I have a meeting with my manager on Friday to discuss some things, and my future. Hopefully we can have a constructive conversation and actually move forward. I'm heading out to go golfing for the first time, hopefully I don't do too poorly.

Fear...

2008-05-28T22:04:00.002-04:00

It happened. It was something I always feared would happen, something I've tried to prevent. It seemed to have been confirmed on Tuesday. The issue: being pigeonholed!

When I first starting working at the bank, I intended it to be a stepping stone to better things, more marketing related. I was promoted twice in the first 17 months, gathering more and more responsibility. The entire time this was happening, I was trying to get out. Not a serious job search, mind you; I'd just shoot of resume's every now and then, go on some interviews, but nothing ever materialized. I was worried people would start to see me as this data-centric, SAS/SQL programmer, and not the campaign manager that I am. I worried I'd be lumped in with IT people, or database administrators, or even worse, data entry.

I've started to be a bit more active in my job search. I know it sounds odd, I'm planning to apply this fall to many business schools, yet I'm also looking for a new job. I feel I've got good reasons for it: the new experience, how I shouldn't let me MBA aspirations put the rest of my career on hold, etc. But, after speaking to several hiring managers, it appears everything about my previous positions screams back-office data guy. I was specifically called that on Tuesday, as I sat in a conference room at a competing bank. Needless to say, I walked out feeling awful.

It's a pretty terrible feeling, like you're trapped under the weight of a decision you made over three years ago, that you'll always be the bank data guy. I try and push my other accomplishments, my leadership experience, project management skills, but it always seems to come back to data. I can do more! I think this fear of being trapped is what initially led me to want an MBA. I'm the perfect definition of a career switcher. Problem is, I just have faint ideas of what I want to do. MBA AdComs do not like faint ideas of future goals. Being rich doesn't count.

Now, I must combat this fear head on, and figure out a way so that admissions committee members do not see me as the Bank Data Guy, and as someone who brings so much more to the table. I'm not an engineer, I'm not a sales guy. I don't do financial services or consulting. I feel I'm a category loosely defined in the MBA world. I just pray it's enough to gain acceptance to a single school.

And me and the GF have gone our separate ways...

Love The Long Weekend

2008-05-25T10:33:00.001-04:00

Happy Memorial Day everyone! I've been spending my weekend running errands, seasoning my smoker, laundry, cleaning, all sorts of fun stuff. Sunday should be a day of studying, while Monday will be a day of gourging myself on burgers and ribs. Yummy!

June 28th is rapidly approaching!

Evidence of Progress

2008-05-18T14:42:00.003-04:00

Another crazy busy weekend! Friday night was a going-away party for a co-worker, then just the usual stuff. Saturday was an early start. I had a Humane Society event at a bank branch opening, and we raised some money and more awareness, which is always good. It's cool to see the look on people's faces when they see a puppy. After that, running errands with mom, then studying for the GMAT, then to a friend's birthday party then to another party. I need a break!

I decided to take another Manhattan GMAT test (I seem to be saving the GMATPrep tests), and wasn't sure how I would do. I keep working through the OG11, but wasn't sure how it would translate to Manhattan GMAT. To recap, my first two tests were a 580 and a 600. After this time, a 660 popped up. Woohoo! That's gotta be more than a variance in guessing, right? Definitely made me feel better. Quant jumped up three points (from 40 to 43), all of which came in DS (I actually missed more PS questions than last time); verbal jumped four points, to 37, with gains in CR and RC. Definitely happy about the gains in DS and CR, as those were my weakest, but I'm concerned about my score dropping in PS.

Regardless, this does instill some confidence as I approach my June 28th test date. Overall, I've raised my score 80 points, and have 40 more to go for my goal. I feel good, knowing I haven't focused much on SC (I've got the Manhattan GMAT SC bible, so that'll help) and I've got plenty of more practice questions in the OG to go (I've only done 56 PS questions!) Moral of today's story: My confidence that was shattered is slowly coming back!

D-Day is set!

2008-05-15T12:33:00.002-04:00

I did it. On Saturday, June 28th, 2008, at 8AM Eastern, I will sit for my (first) attempt at the GMAT. People had long been telling me that once a date is set, you really start buckling down and have a clear end in site. No more aimless studying, or putting off that last problem set because tomorrow is another day. I have roughly six weeks to get it done. There are no trips scheduled in that timeframe, no birthdays or vacations. It will be all GMAT, all the time.

I went through some of the Problem Solving sets in OG11. I got 31 out of the first 32 correct, and thought to myself, "Hey, maybe I've turned the corner and I'm gonna do it!" Then I realized that the questions at the beginning of the group of 250 are much easier than those at the end. Oops. False hope stinks.

This Saturday is a Humane Society event...the bank I work at is having a branch opening near my house, so I'll be volunteering there, handing out literature and trying to get some dogs and cats adopted. It's good to get back into this, as I haven't done anything since early April (right before I left for LA); I don't want the AdComs thinking I'm just doing it to put it on my application! Though, now whenever another volunteer opportunity comes up (Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, etc.) I wonder if I join now, will they think I did it for resume filler? Will they see a lack of leadership positions within my extra curriculars and say "He's full of it!" This is what I worry about.

In other news, let's all keep the people of both Myanmar and China in our thoughts and hearts as they deal with their natural disasters, the cyclone and earthquake, respectively. I've lived through a few hurricanes, an earthquake, more tornadoes than I can count, and I can say that none of them are fun. The loss of life from these events is astounding...estimates of 100k and 50k from these latest disasters. That's more people than I've met in my life!

Buckling Down

2008-05-13T12:39:00.002-04:00

I realize it's been nearly a week since my last post, and I apologize. Why does it always seem that once I get motivated to buckle down and study, real life creeps its ugly head and prevents me from doing what I need to do? It's downright annoying and frustrating sometimes...I wish I could disappear for like a month, and study all the time until I get my target score.

I finished the diagnostic test in OG11. I got Average marks for Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency (which I expected), Excellent on Sentence Correction (17 out of 18...a definite surprise there!), and Above Average in Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning (first one I expected, but the AA in CR was a bit of a surprise). Some of that gibed with my Manhattan GMAT scores, but things like SC and CR were much higher. Maybe the rumors are true, and Manhattan GMAT isn't a good representation of a score. This weekend I'll be taking another practice test, and I should see some improvement based on my last test (which seems like ages ago!).

It's still crazy to check out the BW forums and see people still languishing on waitlists and wondering about their status. It makes me wonder about my own future status...lots of questions pop up. Will my undergrad GPA kill any chance I have? Will I meet my target score on the GMAT? Are my EC's enough (about one year volunteering at the Humane Society), and if I start more, will it look like I'm just doing it for acceptance? Is my work experience facsinating enough when compared to people working in PE or MC? Will the Cleveland Indians ever score some runs!?!

Too Nice To Be Inside

2008-05-07T11:53:00.004-04:00

Admit season seems to be coming to a close. Reading the BW forums or checking the blogs, it seems everyone who applied this season knows whether or not they were accepted somewhere. Apologies to those who are still in waitlist purgatory; I hope the wait doesn't kill you, and that in the end everything works out ok for you.

I've been doing the diagnostic test from OG11. Both Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency left me squarely in the Average category, which wasn't surprising. Reading Comprehension put me in the Above Average category, while my marks for Critical Reasoning was right at the cusp between Average and Above Average; that WAS surprising. My scores on Manhattan GMAT were pretty awful. I guess when everyone says the Manhattan GMAT tests are more difficult, they weren't kidding. Next up, I'll take the Sentence Correction portion to finish the diagnostic test.

Let me ask you this...is it true that your scores on the OG practice tests, Manhattan GMAT practice tests, etc., are all lower than your score on the actual GMAT? Seems to be that that is the consensus. I sure hope that's true. I've read of people getting 630s and 640s on Kaplan practice tests, then scoring 750s and higher on the actual GMAT. I'm not looking for a score that high; I just want something around 700, to give me the best possible chance at my target schools. I know my GPA won't allow me to even think about the big schools (H/S/W, Chicago, Columbia, MIT, Kellog), but I figure with my alternate transcript (more on this later) and a 700 or so GMAT score, then my schools (USC, UCLA, UNC, Duke, Darden, NYU, Texas) would be slightly in reach. Or maybe I'm still too far out of it. Won't know until I apply, right?

As for the alternate transcript...I enrolled last week in the UCLA Extension Online program, and signed up for Math for Managers. Veronica Ho at USC's Marshall Admissions Office specifically recommended it, and I had heard other good things about it. It's a for-grade course and will end before the application season starts, so I'm hoping I can go to AdComs and say "I know some marks on my undergrad transcript are lower than usual, but I took this course to show that I can handle the rigors of the MBA program). I sure hope this works out for my benefit.

In other news, it's 70 and sunny, and I'm not meant to be caged inside right now! I may eat lunch outside instead of at my desk. I love the office at lunch, because it's so quiet, I can get a lot of work done. Oh, and for those who are interested, the meeting with the parents went well. A good dinner on the grill (including some smoked venison jerkey!), a walk around their farm, and just some good conversation. I apparently got the seal of approval from both the parents, the sister, and the dog. Yay me!

The Cost of the Journey

2008-05-02T15:51:00.002-04:00

After receiving much advice, I decided to finally purchase the Manhattan GMAT SC guide, as well as the OG11. I guess I'm sort of re-starting this process, as my old methods weren't yielding the results I need. It also got me thinking...just how much money have I spent on my MBA journey so far?

Study Stuff: I've bought the OG11, and a total of five Manhattan GMAT books (SC, Number Properties, Equations/Inequalities, fractions/decimals, and Geometry), as well as a general math refresher book. Total cost of all this: $124.29

Class Visit: I took a trip to LA to visit USC-Marshall in early April; flight + hotel = $640. Adding in food and cab fare, total cost of the trip was close to $900.

Others: I bought two books, How To Get Into The Top MBA Programs by Montauk, and Your MBA Game Plan by Bouknight and Shrum. Total cost: $32.03

So, prior to actually signing up for the GMAT, or writing any application fees, I've spent $1056, the bulk of it coming from the trip to LA. And who said an MBA isn't an investment with high costs

The Studying Continues...

2008-04-30T21:48:00.002-04:00

First off, thanks to all those who left comments talking me down from my anxiety attack. I think at some point we all question whether this journey is truly the one for us, and I thank everyone for telling me I can do it and to keep at it. It meant a lot to me!

I went through and redid the CR questions from the back of my Kaplan GMAT book, and got 10 out of 11 correct. Yay! I've also spent all of yesterday and today focusing on geometry quant questions, as those seem to be my weakest points. I ordered the OG11 and Manhattan GMAT SC book, the so called bibles of studying. I don't know why I didn't buy them sooner, as everyone and their mothers has recommended them as essential to any GMAT studying.

In other news, it appears I've been named a moderator over at the GMAT Club forums, which is awesome. For those of you who don't know what it is, head on over to http://www.gmatclub.com/wiki/Main_Page and click the Forums link. I started a thread for 2009 applicants, and I encourage all of you to join in on the discussions. There is an insane amount of knowledge there; those who used it as a resource tend to stick around even after they have matriculated, so it's an awesome resource.

I'm hoping Friday after work I can sit down and take another Manhattan GMAT test. This weekend will be pretty busy, with a wedding Saturday and driving to Youngstown to see the GF's mom and step-dad - first time meeting them! Wish me luck!

Random Thoughts...

2008-04-29T18:46:00.003-04:00

First of all, congratulations to all the Best of Bloggers award winners and nominees! You guys do an amazing job, and are very helpful. You may not realize it, or set out for it to happen, but I can honestly say that those of you active on Hella's list are an amazing resource for MBA hopefuls such as myself. Congrats to all of you!

The word for the day is confidence. Or, lack thereof. Lately I've been feeling like I may not be cut out for this whole thing. Sometimes it's hard to study. Sometimes I think I'm making headway, then I falter. My GMAT practice scores are 580 and 600, respectively. With my GPA being what it is, I need that score to be 700. I had heard that doing CR questions from the LSAT is helpful for the CR portion of the GMAT, so I took some practice sections. I got 38 out of 39 correct; I started wondering, why doesn't this translate to the GMAT, where I got 4 out of 14 correct on my last practice? What am I doing wrong? Does my mind not work to properly answer these questions.

I read stories of people with 750 GMATs and 3.6 GPAs from Ivy schools getting rejected from every single school they applied to. If they couldn't make it, how can I? What will set me apart and above them? I've started reading current student blogs to see their journeys from start to finish, and it has helped me focus on my dream, but not instill too much confidence. I want to proceed, I want to set my first test date and stick to it, knock the GMAT out of the park, and get accepted and move on.

Any thoughts or words of wisdom blogosphere?