the trials and tribs of an MBA hopeful!

I've always loved the color red...

2007-05-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Let's hope I can adapt to my new school colors of "cardinal" and white!

I suppose it's time to make a decision...

2007-05-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

I promised an update to some of you on Stanford's admit weekend. I also promised myself I'd make a decision by the end of this week. Well, it's T minus 7 hours now. Here's where I stand!

I was pretty anxious for Stanford's admit weekend - truthfully, I was either hoping to hate it or be blown away. I thought the weekend was great...but so was harvard's. Let me break down some of the highlights of the weekend:

1. Meeting the fellow admits. The first day of these things is fun, but exhausting. The string of: "where are you from? where do you work? what do you do? are you decided? what are you doing this summer?" gets old after the first 15 people. But, I felt like I moved past that with more than a few people and had no problem envisioning them as my future classmates! :)

2. Learning more about the new curriculum. I have read and heard bits and pieces about the new, more personalized Stanford curriculum, but feeling like a guinea pig makes me a wee bit nervous. We spent an hour and a half going through the changes, which I think are important but not a complete overhaul of the current program (phew!) I like that you have a lot of flexibility in choosing your classes - while you have to take, let's say, a finance class. You have a choice of 3 different finance classes to fulfill that requirement. A finance guru will never waste his time sitting in finance 101. Also, they are trying to take all the competencies and bring them together in a couple leadership classes & seminars. Innovative: yes. Scary-reinventing the wheel-I won't know anything when I graduate and hence no one will want to hire me: no. (welcome to the irrational inner-world of mba babe!)

3. Flexibility. I got the feeling at Stanford that I could do/be/try anything I wanted. The program really is that flexible. Want to try your hand at entrepreneurship and work a few hours a week w/ an entrepreneur in the bay area? check! Want to take classes at the design school, law school, etc without jumping through a bunch of logistical hoops? check! Want to learn a language but never leave the business school? check! Want to have 2 internships including a 4-week international stint? check!

4. The weather. Silly, yes, but considering my post-mba goals include moving to a place that has a real winter, I could hold out on the snow for another couple years.

5. Derrick Bolton's welcome speech. There is someone in the admitted class that won medals at the olympics! and 2 navy seals! and a tae kwan do champion! he really made each admit feel like they were about to embark on a special journey with a special group of people...the perfect start to the weekend, and many said it was the highlight. Go Derrick!

Sooo...all that raving? Why haven't I sent in my deposit yet?

1. It is hard to say no to harvard. (yep, i said it) And I really liked it both times I visited, even more importantly. So, if i choose stanford, will i regret it?

2. Alumni network. Where I see myself post-MBA has more harvard peeps running around than stanford.

3. Classroom dynamic. Sitting in the same class with the same 90 people for a year creates a unique dynamic - I think this is unparalleled.

Sooo...why haven't I made a decision?

1. Although I know this is my decision, I've received a lot of different input on each school from important people in my life. Seems to be clouding my judgment in an "i don't want to disappoint" type of way.

2. The boyfriend. He's really supportive of my decision either way, but obv it would be easier if I stayed in the area. (yes, this is the boy that is the ONE!) ;) Is it worth it to sacrifice the life we have together now and spend 2 years apart when it's not absolutely necessary?

3. I am a wimp. I know, I need to just commit and I will be happy at either. and i know "i can't go wrong at either" (trust me, that is the saying of the week). But it doesn't matter where you are deciding between, it is a huge decision!

sigh. i'll post again at the end of the day.

BoB!

2007-04-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to everyone who received a BoB today! Your blogs have all been so useful to me throughout this application process. I'm honored to among you :)

So thanks to Clear Admit, the bloggers, and the judges!

one of these days i will figure out how to put that best of blogger thing on my website! (kidding...sorta...)

How I got into H/S?

2007-04-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

"So, how'd you do it? What's your secret? How did you crack both Harvard and Stanford?"

I get asked this question a lot - and often times i'm the one asking it myself! Not that I feel undeserving per se, but there are many, many qualified, amazing applicants who did not get into these schools. So, while I cannot give any sort of formula, I can tell you what worked for me.

I could tell you about my GMAT score, undergrad grades, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendations. Having strengths in those areas is definitely a huge plus! I scored below 80% on my quantitative though which I had heard was the kiss of death, so apparently there are no hard and fast rules.

But, I think the biggest strength of my app was the essays. I'll go through a few things I did overall, and get into a few specifics for each school.

I had a few main goals of my essays:

1) Show i'm amazing without sounding arrogant :)
- I guess I'm only half-kidding. You have to sell yourself. I am not a boastful, arrogant person by nature, but I did figure out what all my strengths were and weaved them into my essays. Any fast promotions, good rankings, awards, etc should find a place in your essays. The trick is telling how awesome your accomplishments are while still sounding like a great teammate/classmate. I talked about what I learned from each accomplishment and how I grew as a leader.

2) Tell my stories in a personal, first-person, vivid way.
- Stop following all the rules, and let them know who you are and what you are about. I read so many times not to bring religion into your essays. In each school I brought up my family's religion and heritage. Not in a preachy sort of a way, but in an "this is what matters to me" sort of way. And no, not just for Stanford. When HBS asked "What else do you want the adcom to know?" I talked about 2 things: inspiration and identity. Those are what define me, and if they didn't like ME, then their loss not mine :)

>> I would like to take this opportunity to share some personal stories with the Board in efforts to help you understand my background and the motivation behind my achievements. >>

Also, I had 2 of my closest friends read all my essays (non-business peeps). They know me, but not exactly what I do at work. I asked them 2 questions:
- Do you clearly clearly understand what I did, what my accomplishment was?
- Does this sound like me?

3) Keep the reader interested - adcom is reading many many more of these

- If you read my blog, you know I tend to pepper my sentences with exclamation points. While I toned it down a bit, I didn't hold back from using exaclamation points and let my personality show through. Some of my leadership qualities come from staying calm/making jokes in otherwise stressful situations. Maybe HBS cared about that and maybe they didn't, but i did tell them!

>> I also motivated the team through many late nights and frustrating roadblocks by exemplifying total commitment and dedication to our vision while maintaining a white board with humorous quotes to increase team morale. >>

In one school I applied to, I took a big risk and used a metaphor through my entire first essay to explain my career goals. Coincidentally, I met one of my student readers at admit weekend. We started talking and he remembered my essays. He said they were "endearing" and it was his favorite application. That sums up exactly what I was going for. (yay!)

4) Don't focus on "what" they want to hear

- Some of you may remember I held off on applying to Stanford until round 2. One of my problems was that pesky Essay A. What matters most to you and why? I spent 2 months trying NOT to write about things that sounded generic - family, friends, blah blah blah - everyone talks about that, right?

After about 10 drafts with 3 different "what matter most" topics, I realized, friends and family DO matter most to me. It's about HOW you write your essays and the WHY. In my Stanford welcome packet, DB referenced my essay about family and how he felt it would make me a great part of the class.

5) Love every word of your essays.
- I recently went back and reread some of my essays and although it's silly, I really love everything that I wrote. I wish I was a writer who could type out full applications in a week, but I spent hours upon hours upon draft upon draft until I really loved what I was turning in.

In my Kellogg app, I actually re-wrote a couple entire essays mere days before the deadline because I thought my essays were too generic and boring. A creative idea came to me while I was falling asleep one night, and I'm glad I took the time to re-write and make it the best most compelling application possible.

So, I'm not sure if the above suggestions will help, but I truly believe that letting the true me flow into my essays gave them a sense for who they would be admitting into their class. I used a few main ideas throughout all my essays and made sure when they were complete, my story was told in its entirety.

My philosophy is: If you are writing the same essays as everyone else, how are they going to know to choose you?? :)

Worst of Apps '07: my top 10

2007-04-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

Just read the last few days' installment of applicant blogs: I think I'm going to jump on the "advice" bandwagon, too! :) Iday and Juggler(among many others) have written amazing, detailed advice for any applicant - I wish I had their blogs when I was getting started! To take a slightly different angle, I'm going to summarize my thoughts in 2 installments: the Best of Apps and the Worst of Apps. Written in Top 10 form, of course.

Let's start with the worst... So, here it goes (in no particular order):

THE WORST OF MBA BABE'S 2007 APPLICATION SAGA!

10. Feeling overly confident about my "amazing" standardized test taking abilities, I figured I was the type who wouldn't need to study much...right? wrong! first practice GMAT score: 540 (I'm not kidding - the next 4 were also in the 500s)
**hidden advice: learning HOW to take the test gains you major points!

9. Bought Richard Montauk's "How to Get into the Top Business Schools" and carried it around all summer w/o opening it.
**Start your essays early - you'll need the time! Buy this book and read it - it's too heavy to carry in your bag w/o using it!!

8. As an addendum to #9, I finally read the examples in the book and tried to emulate them... I wanted my story to sound like "Alex" or "Lisa" ...but in the end I think mine sounded even better!
** only you can tell your story - and different is good!

7. Underestimating the data portion of the applications = bad. I don't know about you, but I certainly did not remember the phone number associated with the job I had at age 18. Or the name of my sister's boyfriend's hairdresser's niece. (kidding - but you get the point)
**Do this part early! No excuses.

6. Bad bad bad bad prep for my first interview in four years. See: November 8, 2006 entry. Yikes.
**You CANNOT wing it. Do not even try!!!

5. Got back together with my boyfriend (nooooo, that is not the bad part!) and TOTALLY forgot to write a thank-you note to my interviewer!!! I finally remembered a week later.
** don't lose sight of your application responsibilities - you have worked too hard!

4. Never wrote a thank-you note to my HBS interviewer. (I know, who does that, right??!!)
** worked out ok, but DO NOT try this at home!

3. Lived and breathed the Business Week forums. So addicting & not at all useful unless you like cruel & unusual forms of torture & punishment!
** Just stay away! It is for your own good!

2. I love my mother a lot, but "honey, these sound absolutely amazing in every way" is just NOT constructive feedback for your essays!
**Choose readers who know you and can give good advice beyond "what the adcom is looking for." An essay with a personal touch will make a lasting impact...at least that is what worked in my case! (essays will fall into my Best of post!)

1. Talking about b-school applications to ANYONE and EVERYONE. Even my parents couldn't mask their boredom with my incessant ranting, obsessing & overanalyzing.
**No one wants to hear about applications all the time. Best advice: start a blog! we are the ones who CARE and UNDERSTAND!

The top 10 above were certainly not a make-or-break for my applications, but life would have been just that much sweeter had I known then what I know now :)

Yay for BoB!

2007-04-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

How exciting to be nominated for the Best of Blogging Award! :)

Now that I know the outcomes of my applications, I have been feeling a bit reflective on the whole process. Sometimes it felt like the blogging community was my salvation through this whole thing! Along the way, it was nice to know that I wasn't the only one writing and writing and re-writing each essay 5-6 times, staring at my phone willing Kellogg to call (ok - maybe that wasn't normal, but everyone seemed supportive at least!), or becoming a regular at the coffee shop down the street while my social life took the backseat for a bit.

So - thanks to ClearAdmit and all the bloggers/readers for getting me through!

Disclaimer: This entry is by no means a way to get votes, but a good chance to give a shout out of appreciation! :) so THANKS!

IN at Stanford!!!

2007-04-04T21:36:00.000-07:00

I just found out this morning that I got accepted at Stanford!! It still hasn't quite sunk in yet, for sure. I felt like this was my long shot due to its small class size and the dreaded Essay A, but nevertheless I'm in!

I feel really fortunate to have this decision in front of me (although the immature part of me would have been ok had the decision been made for me!) I honestly am not quite sure which way I am leaning yet, although my family and friends have already chosen sides and have started a little b-school tug-of-war. On the Harvard side we have family + college friends. Pulling for Stanford are the Cali friends. My boyfriend claims he's neutral, but I'm guessing he would rather not relocate across the country.

So far, I have found the admit weekends to be the most telling so I don't think my decision will be made until the end of april. I want to meet the other admitted students & get a better feel for the program. Truthfully, although both schools are near either family or friends, it does sound like you spend most of your time with your fellow classmates so I'm really looking forward to meeting them and seeing where I fit best.

I'll keep you posted... good luck to everyone waiting for S decisions!

Some updates & a Stanford interview

2007-03-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

Since hearing the good news from Kellogg & HBS I have quietly slipped back into my old routine - hanging out with friends, working out (after my 6 month hiatus!), obsessing over grey's anatomy instead of b-school apps...life has been pretty calm & normal these days :)

I also went to Day at Kellogg and Harvard's admit weekends. Despite popular opinion from everyone around me, I honestly was not 100% sold on Harvard until I went to visit. Like any school, I definitely had my concerns but they were completely squashed in the 2 day visit! I also watched February come and go without a Stanford interview invite in sight so I was pretty sure I was Boston-bound!

Then FINALLY a week and a half ago I got the interview invitation from Stanford with the caveat that my interview had to be completed within a week. (btw - Stanford was my first choice from the start, although now i think it would be a tough - but fortunate! - decision to make). I got in contact with the alum on a monday and we scheduled the interview for less than 24 hours later (of course just to add to the fun, it was my boyfriend's bday that night). I cut & pasted all of the interview questions from the clearadmit wiki (http://www.clearadmit.com/wiki/) , and had no surprises at all!! (without the help, this would have been a toughie)

So, I wanted to share my interview experience since I got so much help from the applicant community :)

The interview was VERY chatty and conversational - but every so often it would occur to her to ask THE QUESTIONS (there is a sheet she kept referring to), so I'll let ya know what came from the list! Also, a side note, these are in no particular order.

1. What do you want to do with an MBA? Why do you need one?

2. Why Stanford? (This came up a lot in many different forms. For example, I told her I wanted to move back to the midwest, and she asked "then why not Kellogg?")

3. Tell me about a time you let a team down? What did you learn?

4. What is a piece of constructive criticism you received from your manager? How did it affect your relationship? What have you done to work on this?

5. What is your greatest accomplishment?

6. What do you do outside of work for fun?

7. Tell me about a time that you showed great leadership - either extra-curricularly or at work?

8. What book are you currently reading? Who is your favorite author?

9. Tell me about a time you worked for a bad manager? What happened?

10. What was your favorite class at school? (I went with a non-business school class that dealt with the portrayal of women in film. This opened up a large discussion about women in business, why they drop out of the workforce, how to balance a career with children, etc. Glad i didn't say finance or accounting! ha!)

11. When did you realize you needed an MBA?

12. What other schools did you get into? Why did you apply there? (I was honest about the schools I got into, and the ones I withdrew from. We spoke a bit about HBS v Stanford and why I would choose Stanford if i was already accepted at HBS - she had also chosen between the 2)

13. Why did you apply to stanford in r2 and the other schools in r1 if stanford was your first choice?

14. TEll me about a time your values were challenged.

Overall, it went well. The interview lasted over an hour, with a little over half dedicated to the Stanford-supplied questions. She ended with - you'll see at admit weekend that the culture is much different than harvard; i think you'll like it there.

Not sure how much the interview weighs at Stanford - guess I'll find out in 3 weeks!

Good luck to everyone waiting for R2 decisions :)

As the dust settles...

2007-01-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

Wow - January has been quite the whirlwind between good news from schools, finishing up the rest of the applications & re-entering something resembling a social life! This is the first week that i feel this sensation i think is called CALM. No stressing about hearing from schools (until Stanford starts sending out interview invites at least!), no juggling friends/boyfriend with essay writing, and even the "sooo? which one are you going to choose?" questions have died down a bit thankfully! (although, expect a post on that whole choice thing soon).

I've been very impressed with the level of contact I've gotten from both Kellogg & Harvard in the past few weeks. They both have SF events in the next couple weeks, admit weekends have been booked (poor poor credit card bill), and even the admitted students in SF are rallying for unofficial get-togethers. The admittance calls were very personalized from both schools, and an HBS 1st year called & emailed today to say congrats and see what questions i have. So needless to say, I'm excited! and still relishing that calm feeling - it's like 1000 lbs have been lifted off of my shoulders. (However, i can attribute some of that to not lugging around my super-heavy bag to coffee shops everyday to work on essays!)

The other thing I'm thinking about now is: when to quit work!!!! (wow i hope my manager doesn't pop into my cube now!) right now i'm considering end of may, and then bumming around for 2 1/2 months. having ~4 months left of work makes every day a little more manageable :)

Anyway, just some random thoughts on a slow wednesday afternoon!

IN at Harvard!!!!

2007-01-17T09:21:00.000-08:00

OMG! i am in a little bit of shock right now!!! And trying to act normal since not everyone around me knows I am applying to HBS!!!

It hasn't quite sunk in yet, but wanted to share the good news!!! :) :) :)

Hope to hear good news from everyone else hearing today!

Freeeeeedom!

2007-01-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

i'm not lying, i just did the running man (yes, the 80s dance move) across my entire apartment. followed by a fist pump or two or three. admittedly kinda strange, but it felt so right! ;)

D-O-N-E! D-O-N-E! Yeaaaaahhhh! Submitted Stanford and Columbia this afternoon from the comfort of my couch. And my oh my, it feels just as good as i was imagining it! Freeeeeeee! ok, i'll stop...soon.

Today I submitted both Stanford and Columbia. After I heard the good word from Kellogg on Monday, I had decided not to apply to Columbia. So, last night, I was finishing up essays at my boyfriend's apt as he made me dinner for the umpteenth time in a row so I could keep plugging away. It hit me - if we are going to do this b-school thing together and make it work, it would be a lot easier for him to get a job in NY. Columbia is one of my top choices, and I'm not sure what I would do if it came down to Kellogg and Columbia. (if i could be so lucky to have options!) I just was in such a rush to be done, and this seemed like an easy way to finish even earlier.

Submitting columbia felt right today, and it didn't hurt that i was already 75% done.

And now...it's over! Celebration dinner tonite, but the real festivities are sure to begin Friday at happy hour :)

Good job to everyone who submitted Stanford and Columbia today! Iday - make space for me in your club!!! ;)

IN at Kellogg!!!!

2007-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

I'm sooo happy - call didn't come until almost 5pm in Cali (7pm in Chicago)! But I'm in with an extra bonus of some money coming my way! This has been a nerve-wracking but wonderful day :) :)

I'm in shock but sooo happy! Just have to finish up Stanford (not applying to Columbia in light of the news) and its over. And i'm going to business school! YAY!

Good luck to everyone else getting apps in and hearing from schools this week!

Countdown to apps completion: final weekend

2007-01-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

This weekend officially marks the last friday, saturday, and sunday that i will spend holed up in a coffee shop!!! It's the last weekend that i will utter the words "I love Fridays because the coffee shop is open until midnight!" (although i must say - i get my best work done friday nights!) And it's the last weekend i will be obsessed with checking my status on a certain school that begins with a K. (But c'mon - what is my luck that i am finding out on the last day possible??!! Oh well - Monday is right around the corner, I know...)

Another good thing about this weekend is that my Stanford essays have finally taken some sort of shape. I'm about 85% there, and actually like my Essay A. Stanford has taken me the longest to write BY FAR! This one will certainly be the most fulfilling app to finish - can't wait to press the submit button next week. I went to lunch with a GSB 2nd year today, and she made me even more excited about the school!

OK - enough procrastinating. Back to my last wonderful essay weekend finishing up Stanford & Columbia! Good luck to everyone finishing up R2 apps (and those still waiting to hear from Kellogg!)

All quiet on the kellogg front

2007-01-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

First of all, happy new year to everyone! I actually managed to put aside my obsessing for a week or so and enjoy the holidays :) Hopefully everyone else was able to do the same. (of course it's all back in full force today, but i'll take my small victories where i can find them!!!)

So - still no word from kellogg. I go back and forth wondering what this means - WL? make me wait so long and deny me? an acceptance so i can stop working on columbia? (oops, did i say that out loud?)

Anyway, the wait (and the apps!!) will soon be over. regardless of the decision, looking forward to joining the "i'm all done with apps" crowd - seems like a good place to be :)

Life in the waiting zone

2006-12-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

I think when you go through the b-school process, you get to know yourself a little better. You realize the events in your life are somehow connected through a theme, and you have accomplished a lot in little time. You realize how important your friends, family, etc are b/c you have cut them off while trying to finish pages and pages of apps.

In my case, i have realized that i am IMPATIENT!!! Let's take kellogg as a good example. They are releasing rolling decisions - awesome for those who hear early, a case of mental distress for the rest of us. Come visit a day in the life of mba babe:

8am: check kellogg status online
8:02am: check BW forums to see if anyone is hearing today
8:05am: look at admissions 411 to see how many people have heard. sometimes actually count how many and calculate a percentage. (oh yes, i have become that person)
8:10am: check blogs (this makes me happy - so much good news out there recently!)

Rinse, and Repeat.

Ah, what a life! :)

Haas submitted!!

2006-12-11T22:51:00.000-08:00

And with an hour and 8 minutes to spare ;)

This was the most difficult for me to get through - sooooo happy it's done!!!! Woo hoo!

harvard interview: unplugged

2006-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

Quickly bouncing back from an overdose of karaoke the other night, I have spent the last 3 nights prepping for the big day today. In retrospect, I wasn't too happy with the Kellogg interview, and wanted to do better for HBS. (I realize I rated the Kellogg interview a 7/10, but let's be honest, that's 70%, a C-. And when did anyone ever walk out with a C- and feel happy about it?)

Anyhoo, the interview wasn't exactly how i expected, but i felt very very prepped, and definitely felt like it went well!!! Here's a recount of the questions that were asked (although many were experience-specific), and my thoughts as it was happening.

1. We had some friendly conversation as we sat down in her office. (We are sitting, we have talked, and i didn't shake her hand OR ask her her name!! My mother would be ashamed! ) "Sorry, i don't think I caught your name...?" (Ahh, nice recovery!) Then she told me she thought my app was interesting and unique - yay!

2. She asked a specific question about one of my accomplishments. I started to answer, then promptly forgot exactly what she asked. I actually still can't remember, but i'm pretty sure it wasn't what i answered...oops! oh well - still 25 min left to recover!

3. It's obvious you've done a lot of research. What concerns do you have about Harvard? (hmmmmmmm...didn't prepare this one, but thought of 2 quickly, both of which she responded thoroughly)

4. Why HBS? (um, do i lose points if i say the same thing i wrote in my essay? luckily i had the class visit to talk about!!)

5. What do you want to do in your internship, right after business school? How did you get there? (think this came out ok! Managed to throw in a few "here are my strengths so of course i want to do XYZ")

6. What are the challenges in your current role? How do you handle them? (hmmm - what is the nicest way to say the group i support is insane, and they are sometimes kinda mean to me b/c i'm in finance without sounding like i'm about 5 years old?)

7. Then, out of left field, "What book are you reading right now?" (hahaha - as if any of us applicants have time to read? is this a trick question? Anyway, i had actually prepared this one - there is a large potential it sounded rehearsed, but better than trying to remember back in the summer when i had this activity formerly known as "free time.")

8. Do you have any questions? (Well sure, i did, but we have already addressed them in the "concerns" portion of this interview. Why don't you want to talk about me any more?)

We ended after 30 minutes pretty much on the dot. The interviewer took notes almost the whole time, but she was very warm & friendly, and made me feel comfortable right away.

So, overall i felt good walking out, although that status does get worse by the hour (damn you, overanalyzing mind!) I was surprised she didn't ask more about my international experience or my community service. I was thrilled she didn't ask the dreaded question: "Why should we choose you?" Most importantly, the voice in my head kept thinking "wow - these answers are actually coming out sounding pretty ok. GO YOU!"

so happy to be done!!! let the waiting games begin :)

An overdue visit to Haas

2006-12-03T22:32:00.000-08:00

Ahh, finally a cure for my bad case of writers-block-meets-lack-of-motivation!! Taking advantage of the fact that Berkeley is a quick 20 minutes away from SF, I decided to schedule a class visit & attend an on-campus information session.

(Please do not ask why I was more than willing to jet across the country for HBS/Columbia but had not yet done this at Berkeley or Stanford...)

First of all, I really like the people at Haas. That is one of the things that attracted me to Haas in the first place back in August when I attended a half-day information session. Second, I was reminded how much I like their curriculum & small class size.

The information session I attended was, uh, interesting thanks to some suspect characters in the back of the room. ie: One guy asked - 3 times, mind you - why they accepted 480 people but the class size is only 240. (nice job insulting the school's acceptance rate, buddy...)

Next stop was off to finance class. I must admit, it was quite a different experience than my visit to HBS, although comparing corporate finance to marketing is a bit apples/oranges... The class was taught as pure lecture, with a few cold calls in between. Everyone had their laptops out, and sitting in the back of the room, it was amusing to see what non-finance things people were doing! But, the professor was funny and interesting, and the small class size really does make a difference.

After the class, I met a guy who went to the same undergrad as me. He was more than happy to talk about his experiences at berkeley (positive, positive, positive!), and explained why he chose Haas over Wharton. It was definitely insights like this that got me motivated to work on my apps, and provide some real meaning to the "Why Haas?" essays.

In other news, I'm T minus 2 days for my Harvard interview. Lesson learned: Do not sing karaoke until you practically lose your voice a few days before your interview - makes rehearsing your answers even less enjoyable... :(

Looking for answers in all the wrong places...

2006-11-29T09:12:00.000-08:00

So, I dont know about you, but these days I am looking for "signs" everywhere. Does the formation of the tea leaves in my cup mean I'll get into Stanford? Is my dream about Columbia a premonition of things to come?

And in the absense of signs, I am more than content to surf the internet for any website that claims to tell me my odds based solely on my gmat, gender, and gpa (if only it were so simple!). Sometimes this leaves me in a state of panic, but sometimes the results are just humorous. Thought I would share my most recent findings...

(I know these websites are doing their best to help, but my god this is not helping me work on the berkeley app!!!!!)

School/ Interview/ Acceptance

Berkeley/ 31.71%/ 11.48%

Columbia/ 80.80%/ 47.58%

Harvard/ 45.84%/ 58.98%

Northwestern/ 96.33%/ 52.26%

Stanford/ 44.07%/ 57.62%

In other news - a Kellogg adcom announced on the BW forums that they will begin to release decisions "in random order, on a rolling basis" beginning this Friday. yikes.

It came!!!

2006-11-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

I just got my interview invite from Harvard!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!

It's 2 weeks from tomorrow - time to start prepping! I gues this means the idling is over :)

More later - just wanted to share the good news! :) :)

Idling between R1 and R2

2006-11-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

Even I have become sick of b-school talk these days. I half-heartedly check my email about 5 times a day looking for the elusive harvard interview invite. And I do browse through BW to see if the SF hub interviews have come out (seems to be no as of today...) But besides that, all is quiet for me on the b-school front.

I am still having some trouble getting the momentum up for R2, specifically my #5 school which unfortunately has the closest deadline. I think I'm one of those all-or-nothing type of people...i either need to hang out with the serial chess players at the coffee shop every night (I was definitely becoming their non-chess playing regular) or I cannot get much done at all.

If I were to do it all over again, I would go all 5 apps in R1. I know all you peeps out there worked your a$$es off to get them done, but it must be such a satifying feeling! The waiting begins instead of this strange dead zone between rounds...

Anyway, the good news is I'm at my parents house this week "working from home." Uh - guessing these will not be the days I describe when asked to describe a typical day.

"Good question, Mr. Interviewer, glad you asked. Here's a typical day for me working remotely":

8am: woke up, turned on my computer and IM, fell back asleep
9am - 11am: propped up in bed and checked BW, read my fave blogs, and watched Thursday's Grey's anatomy rerun online
11 - 1pm: lunch
1pm - 3pm: watched some bad dating shows on TV (but still managed to respond to all emails since my computer volume was turned all the way up to alert me. that's good and responsible, right?)
3pm - 3:30pm: ate snacks
3:30 - 5pm: cleaned out my overflowing inbox while chatting on the phone (hope those emails i just deleted weren't important...)
5 - 6pm: stay "online" to look as though i'm working hard/late at home (as if i'm fooling anyone)

And I think I deserve to go to business school, why? ;)

Confessions

2006-11-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

1. Ok ok - I admit it. I check the dreaded business week forums about 7 times a day. Sometimes more. Everyone told me not to, but it's like a drug...after an hour of tedious work, I need it. Even though it makes me feel like shit half the time.

2. Last night I tried to be productive past midnight. I was playing on blogger and accidentally deleted my post :p (you're probably thinking "they ask you if you're sure. why did you press 'yes'?" i embarassingly have no excuses here, just was half asleep)

3. I've only worked on my apps 1 day this week, down from a usual 4. It's just sooo hard to work on your 5th choice! (yes, this is my excuse! i tell this to myself everyday)

4. (gulp) I haven't been thinking too much about my apps. How did this happen? I need to get back into obsessing mode! My friends and family have begun calling me again and asking about my life. And I have stuff to tell them.

5. I accidentally waited 5 days to email back my Kellogg interviewer. yiiiiikes.

That's all I got for now. Posting in my cubicle during work, so have to be sneaky...

an unlikely love story

2006-11-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

An MBA-babe & the Stanford application = an unlikely love story?

Let's start at the beginning. MBA babe's total obsession with business school started long ago - probably back in Sept'05 when she began studying for the GMAT. Her mind had become singularly focused on b-school, which quickly became the most important thing in her life.

So, MBA babe used to have a boyfriend who already had his MBA. He was so supportive of the GMAT studying, but became a little less understanding when her future seemed to only include b-school, not the boy. Inevitably came the break-up, leaving her even more time to obsess over b-school.

As she started on her apps, she encountered the dreaded Stanford question #1: "what do you value most and why?"

It's strange - these questions really make you evaluate your life and what is truly important, huh? Was b-school really the most important thing in her life? Does it have to be? Anyway, this MBA babe has done A LOT of thinking lately...which has led to the new era of MBA babe and her boyfriend!! =) It made sense that the b-school app process broke them up, but who would have thought it would also bring them back together???

The end.

Anyway, I know this post is not really b-school related, but felt like rambling in the lull between R1 and R2. Oh yeah, and also because I am SO HAPPY (!!!), and not only thinking of b-school for once!!! =)

Also - with this new found distraction, I mistakenly waited FIVE days to send a thank you note to my interviewer! YIKES!!!!!!

BTW - thanks to Hobbes for recovering this for me! you are awesome :)

Kellogg interview: unplugged

2006-11-08T20:50:00.000-08:00

When you are interviewing, ever feel like you are having an out of body experience? You are talking, but at the same time the voice in your head thinks, "what am i saying?! how can i make this stop????" Or, if you're lucky, "WOW - i just sounded so intelligent. GO, ME!" In my case it was pretty much a combo of the two. So, here's an account of the questions that were asked, and my in-the-moment thought process:

1. We had some awkward chats waiting for coffee. "How was your day." Me: "you know, normal." (really? normal? that's the best i could think of??? nice start, my friend. Interviewer - 1; MBA babe - 0)

2. So, tell me about yourself. (Wait - is this the walk me through your resume part or is she just being friendly? probably resume as we're certainly not on a date! Why did I just start with my current job?? Is it ok to backtrack???)

3. What are your career goals? Why do you want an MBA? Why now? Why Kellogg? (so many questions! i had prepared these separately. I hope she doesn't fall asleep as I talk for 10 minutes straight. Career goals? hmm she seemed slightly confused. Why MBA? check. Why now? check. Why Kellogg - i only got out 1 out of 4 reasons...oops. ran out of steam i guess)

4. Looking at your resume, can you elaborate on how you led this team, what are the details? (this is the 4th bullet down - definitely was not expecting this. hmm, coming out ok though surprisingly! niiice!)

5. Tell me about a time you were on a team that did not go well. (omg - why am i talking about this experience? i didn't resolve anything here at all. shoot, think quick on your feet. nope...got nothing. dammit! *excuse the language - it was much worse in my head*)

6. Tell me about a time you failed. (no prob! i even have a story w/ a happy ending)

7. What would you contribute to Kellogg? (rambling, rambling, make it stop! make it stop!)

8. How would you be involved? (oooh - nice way to fit in my community service achievements as an opener)

9. How are your strengths conducive to your career goals? (ok - rambled a bit, but got my points in)

10. Question time! (She was a big talker, LOVES kellogg, so no prob here. i'm a chatter too - think it ended on the right note)

Being my first interview in over 4 years - (yikes!) - I think the best thing I can do now is evaluate how it went and how to improve from here. First, I should have done more formal prep. I used the same gestures over and over (did you really just make the quotations gesture again??) and felt like I was rambling a bit at times (stop talking!!!) However, the interviewer was very informal and friendly so she made me feel like I had done ok. It's just so hard to tell! Should that elusive interview invite come from harvard, i will definitely start my prep much ahead of time.

Overall: 7/10.

Kellogg status change

2006-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

Phew - my status on Kellogg finally changed to completed. I kept reading that others had received the message, so I had been diligently checking every day between "4pm and 5pm central time." Funny- I had a dream the night before that i was accepted to kellogg! (yes, i wish i were not dreaming about b-school but i don't really have a choice in the matter i guess)

I didn't realize my application would not be reviewed until post-interview. My interview is Wednesday in a coffee shop nearby...happy that it is somewhere casual although it does feel a bit strange! Definitely need to prep and search through blogs to see what to expect.

FYI - Here is the status change message from Kellogg:
All the required elements of your application are complete.
If your interview has been completed, the application has been submitted for review to the admissions committee. If your interview has not been conducted, the application will be submitted to the admissions committee upon completion of the interview. The next status check update will be the admission decision (Admit, Waitlist or Deny). As the majority of decisions are updated twice a week, we recommend checking the status on Tuesday and Friday, between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. Please note the majority of decisions will be posted during the last several weeks of the deadline.

happy halloween!

2006-10-31T22:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!! This was my Halloween costume (well, clothed, but you get the point) My hair was sticking straight up in the air thanks to a whole bottle of hairspray and was bright green...thank goodness it came out!! I think I may have single-handedly contributed to global warming with all that aerosol - oops.

I actually didn't go out for Halloween tonite, but dressed up and went out and about Fri and Sat which may explain why I pressed the snooze button about 4 times this morning. I had a tight schedule since I was getting a ride to work, and convinced myself that I needed only 8 minutes to get ready (eight?!?! bye-bye, shower). Hope the ponytail and headband look wasn't a dead give-away. That voice in my head is just so damn convincing sometimes.

So, according to HBS's last cryptic message, tomorrow is when the invitation invites begin...YIKES! Not going to lie, I have checked my email a few times tonight just in case they decided to jump the gun. <-- just re-read...that is kinda sick, huh? :)

Everything in moderation?

2006-10-30T21:59:00.000-08:00

My life has taken an all or nothing type quality lately. The last six months have been insanely busy, and I feel like I choose one thing in my life to grasp onto, leaving everything else to fall to the wayside. Obviously the past two months it has been essays, essays, essays, and more essays. Oh, and did I mention essays? Saturday from noon till night (or wee hours of morning depending on the activity - haha) were free time, then back to essays. Before that were a few too many nights out and about, and before THAT was every day at the gym actually staying in shape. Moderation? I think not...

The week Kellogg was due I felt myself start to slip... there was a Sunday movie night, dinner w/ an ex, and a happy hour gone awry. Then I took this past week off and suddenly it is so hard to get back into writing. I made plans for every night this week, and this weekend seems to be rapidly filling up too. What happened to the 3 apps I have due in the next 2 months? I tasted the real life again...forgot how fun it could be!

So, my new goal is to write the remaining essays without it completely consuming my life. Is this possible?? If you have achieved it, let me know. You are officially my new hero.

West Coast Girl Goes East

2006-10-29T23:13:00.000-08:00

Ah, feels good to be home! I just got back from a week long trip to New York and Boston. It was so fun to see friends and family, although living in Cali has turned me into a wimp...it was freeeezing!!!! I also visited Columbia and Harvard while I was out there, and spent a lot of time listening to my friends/family explain respectively why New York/Boston are the greatest cities ever. (i'm sure this input was purely objective, right?)

First stop: Columbia
I planned my New York trip mainly around visiting friends, not Columbia. Had I looked a little closer, I would have realized that Columbia had their midterms last week so unfortunately I couldn't sit in on a class. oops! However, I did get a chance to walk around campus and sit in on an information session. I really liked the atmosphere of Columbia - although it's in NYC, it's not really in the heart of the city and campus felt like, well, a campus (as opposed to NYU). The info session felt like a bit of deja vu...not only was it the same presentation as I saw in SF, but it was also the same presenter! The big difference was that there were only about 15 of us, compared to about 200 in SF! Felt waaay more personal, and totally renewed my interest in Columbia. Although it's not my first choice, I would be more than happy to end up there!

One other interesting tidbit - they give on-campus housing based solely on distance. Basically all international students and Cali residents (woo hoo!) are guaranteed on-campus housing. Always a good thing in super-expensive NYC.

Next stop: Harvard
My experience at Harvard was incredible. All of the stigmas I harbor about Harvard were completely obliterated after visiting. I felt like they took the time to really sell the program, which is always impressive from a top tier school. Also, the whole day was completely organized and I felt totally welcome on campus.

In the morning, I sat in on a class - yes, I got to see the famed case study method in action! They assigned me to a marketing class, and I was picked up by a student in the admissions office. The professor came up to me outside of class and introduced himself - apparently he is one of the young hot-shot profs there. There were two of us visiting the class and we were given a HUGE welcome - we were introduced by name, undergrad school, and company. And we got a huge round of applause (esp huge due to the 90 person section). The first thing that amazed me was just the sheer energy in the room...all the hands were up waving in the air (which I guess shouldn't be too surprising since your grade is 50% participation, but still). Students seemed very prepared for the case, and debated among themselves on which solution would be best. Truthfully, I was hoping to sit in on a finance or accounting class to see how the case study method worked in those types of classes, but marketing was very fun. A couple of times, a student would have a particularly innovative answer, and - NO JOKE - the class broke into applause and some people gave a standing ovation!! Not sure if this was representative of all classes, but I walked out feeling pretty inspired.

There was a lunch with some first year students, and it was a great opportunity to ask questions and find out just how insane the first year gets. They were very open and honest - seemed to like the program a lot, but also seemed stressed trying to balance class and life (to be expected, i'm sure!) The other prospective students in the room were applying next year - so much more ahead of the game than me!!! :) In the afternoon was an information session run by some 2nd year students - it was more of a q&a than standard presentation. Again, I liked their candidness and willingness to share their experiences, give pros/cons, etc. The other cool thing was, they all seemed very normal - in a good way! I guess I just picture Harvard students as these amazingly smart super-humans ... don't get me wrong, they all seemed amazingly smart, but I guess it just humanized the whole experience for me. The one downside for me is still the HUGE class size (900!!), but hey, i think I could deal! Now I just keep my fingers crossed for that interview invitation...

Anyway, that's all for now...gotta get ready for the first day back at work post-vacation - yuck. I know this was a long post, but wanted to give a taste for anyone who hasn't had a chance to visit. Lemme know if you have any other questions!

Oh yeah, and why isn't it January yet???????? :)

Two down!

2006-10-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

Yay! I just submitted Kellogg today. Unfortunately, one of my recommenders STILL hasn't submitted. She sent an email that said "in case you are getting nervous, don't worry, i'm submitting tonite." And still - nothing. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed. Worst part is, I can't even check tomorrow - taking off to the East Coast bright and early!

I'm checking out Columbia on Monday, then going to sit in on a class at Harvard on Wednesday. And in between I'm doing a lot of sightseeing, and visiting friends and family - can't wait! And now, i should stop blogging and actually pack. I leave for the airport in 6 hours...yuck.

Ode to my essay reader

2006-10-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Essay readers: to love them or to hate them - that is the question (of the day).

So, I have been feeling pretty darn good about my Kellogg essays. I like that they are creative, light-hearted, and informative. And so did my two readers (and my mom, who i guess doesn't really count as an editor b/c "i love you, honey - these are just great" is just not constructive feedback) :)

Anyway, i was talking online to a close friend who insisted he was totally bored at work and wanted to read my essays. "The more, the merrier," i foolishly thought to myself. (I'm sure you can guess where this one is going.) He didn't like the theme in essay #1 and especially thought i wasted my "i wish the admissions committee had asked me..." on something trivial. (it talks about why my GPA dipped in my senior year.)

Him: "Is this really the last thing you want them to read about you???"
Me: "yes, definitely... well, i think so.... hmmm - i guess it is kinda negative.... OMG - i was going to turn that in?!?!?!"

ARGHHH! The 48 hour deadline until I'm submitting Kellogg has started to feel a little shorter...yikes! But, a big thank you to my essay reader who, though i may have hated him just *a little* today, will be my favorite person if i get accepted :) hee hee

(oh, and yes, this blog counts as total and utter procrastination from the inevitable re-write)

A Minor Case of the Jitters

2006-10-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

I went Halloween shopping tonite with a friend (look at me being all social!), and we started talking about how much we love living in San Francisco. I love the big city life, the huge hills I walk up towards my apartment, the crowds at Fisherman's wharf, my friends who all live so close to me, and sometimes even the notorious fog. Through this whole application process, I have been so focused on writing essays that I had momentarily forgotten that in less than a year my life is going to be completely turned upside down. No more job, no more San Francisco, all new friends.

Exciting, but really really scary at the same time. I already started over once already when I moved across the country - am I ready to do it all again?

Since I had turned in Part I of Kellogg a couple weeks ago, it shouldn't be a surprise that today I got the official interview email. For some reason though, it just made this whole process seems so real! In less than a few weeks, Kellogg could be completely out of my hands. Essays, apps, interview all done. Then I will just wait. and wait. and wait.

And then maybe move to Chicago? or Boston? or NY? or stay west coast (fingers crossed)?

I guess since I am not stressed about essays today (Kellogg is 95% done), I had some time to reflect. I know I really want to go back to school; there is no question there. But, it does make me a little sad to leave the life I have here...

Kellogg essays: a breakthrough in the 11th hour

2006-10-14T01:11:00.000-07:00

I received some advice from a Ross alum the other day: "Remember, be yourself." A simple suggestion, but after reading through my Kellogg materials, I realize the value of her words. I couldn't see myself in any of the long essays I had written. My content was too generic, addressing everything I imagined Kellogg wanted to hear, nothing that reflects my true character.

Huddled in my local coffee shop surrounded by the 'regulars' playing competitive chess (seriously), I took a good hard look at my long essays . Then, though it pained me, I started over again. From scratch. I rewrote Essays 1 and 2 tonite, and when I re-read them, these first drafts were much better than the version I was preparing to submit. My essays were more light-hearted and lively, which is a much more accurate reflection of my personality. With enough motivation, I still think the R1 deadline on Friday is possible.

I feel inspired for the first time in awhile.

The other thing I was thinking about today is how critical I have become of myself. Just 3 months ago, I was proud of my GMAT, my GPA, and my experiences. Reading through the BW forums (a seemingly cruel and unusual form of torture) and comparing myself to other applicants, I forget why a program would even want me! I think from now on I will stick to blogs - it make me feel better to see others out there who are just making a good old honest attempt to get accepted to school.

I'm still brand new to the MBA applicant blogging community - but thanks for reading my thoughts and keeping up your blogs despite the impending R1 deadlines.

Anyway, off to watch Grey's (finally - i hear she makes a decision - hooray!)

Random thoughts

2006-10-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

finally finally home - long night essay-ing and trying to find a parking spot (damn you, SF!)

Some random thoughts:

1. There is nothing more satisfying after a long night at starbucks than a grilled cheese animal style at In n Out burger

2. With fries.

3. And a diet coke. (yeah, yeah i know. diet coke + fries don't balance each other out - i just like it better)

4. arghhh - i can't catch tonite's grey's anatomy until 9pm tomorrow night. how am i supposed to wait that long?

5. i work from home on fridays. I've been doing it for over 3 years, and it never fails to make me happy.

ok, that's all the random thoughts for now. i decided my kellogg essays need to be re-written, and i've changed my 3 out of 6. But that's fun i'm saving until tomorrow.

night night

Feeling retrospective...

2006-10-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

...or perhaps just procrastinating from what is sure to be a long night of essay writing!

If only I had known how much work these applications were going to take, I think I would have approached things a bit differently. Luckily, I have a few more applications to go about things the right way. Some things I wished I had realized along the way:

1) It takes longer than you think! Sure, in college, I could whip out a 10 page paper - in Spanish nonetheless! - over the course of 24 hours. (thank you, red bull and diet dr pepper). However, to really weave all of your essays together and paint a cohesive picture, you need to do something called a rough draft. and draft 2. and 3. and 10. Yeah, that takes time.

2) If you are applying to 3 schools that have the same R1 deadline, you best be finishing your first one at least a month before it's due. (refer to point #1) I did not do that.

3) Choose your proofreaders carefully. I consider myself pretty apt when it comes to grammar, so I picked my readers and gave them specific things to look for. ie - natural leadership, real voice, themes. 2 of them came back with grammar changes. Only 1 came back with content.

4) Don't forget about the data portion of the application! Filling this in last-minute will surely be obvious to the reader.

5) Have a goodbye party. You will not be seeing your friends for awhile. (what? that sounded bitter? no...)

And before I go edit my awful kellogg's essays - one bright spot of the day: did you know on abc.com you can watch the shows you missed?? Grey's anatomy will not be lost to me forever... :)

Off to Application La-La Land

2006-10-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Again, I find myself being incapable of normal social conversation. Any question from any person ties into b-school and my application process...it's like having a child! I can't stop talking about it. I might start sending out cute pictures of me studying and drinking non-fat lattes. Somebody please help me!

My friend was going off on a huge blind date tonite - she wanted to discuss the usual: what to wear, what to say, what if he's not cute, quick exit strategies, your normal girl stuff. I think I was responding, but in my head all I could think about was Kellogg Essay #1 and #2 and how they do not flow together... sad, i know.

tonite was Kellogg's information session held downtown. It kind of intimidates me to know all of those people are applying like me, come from the same place as me, and might even - gulp - have higher gmats than me. And I look around and there are waaay more girls than guys - doesn't help with the 'girl card' i was hoping would work to my advantage.

Anyway, the session was fairly helpful. I have been to a range, and can appreciate ones that actually cut to the chase, don't spent 2 hours telling you why their top - 10 school is the best, and tell ya what we're all here for. They talked a lot of leadership, presenting yourself and making your essays interesting, extracurriculars, and having a diverse class. For me, I really need my personality to come through in my essays which it's not. Right now I sound like a business school robot, when in reality I'm a friendly, outgoing person! Don't want to bore the readers to death with my babble...

Also of note today: i decided to hold off on stanford until round 2. this was a HUGE-O decision b/c it's my first choice and i want to know in january if i will get in. but, i don't want to sit around wondering if i didn't get in b/c i didn't spent enough time on the essay. oh well - april will come eventually, i guess... right?

SUCCESS

2006-10-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today at work I submitted HARVARD!!! Woo hoo!!!! 1 down, 4 to go.

Alrighty Kellogg, you're up to bat

2006-10-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

Today i started a new chapter in my life called Kellogg. I know Kellogg is a wonderful school, but for some reason I can't get as excited about it. Maybe it's the prospect of returning back to the Midwest sooner than I ever thought possible, or maybe it's just that I'm sad to think i'll be leaving San Francisco. Actually, I'll go with the combo.

I think I did the whole coffee shop/cafe thing for a combined total of 8 hours. Seriously, I do not understand where the time goes...just kind of flies by and nothing actually gets done. But, i did draft part of Kellogg today - unfortunately a lot of it was cut and paste from harvard. but hey - i really liked my harvard app!

Reading it over, I have the same problems I did with Harvard at first - it just doesn't flow together and paint a cohesive picture of me. There is definitely a lot of re-writing to be done. And i want to finish it THIS WEEK so I have time to work on Stanford!

My biggest problem right now is question #2 - i just don't know where to start. Now it's just random thoughts splattered on the page...exactly what my new best friend, richard montauk, said not to do. Ugh. (btw - expect a blog soon on richard montauk and his hefty book i carry about like a bible...)

TGIF?

2006-10-07T01:44:00.000-07:00

Ah, nothing like Friday night in a coffee shop. It's me, and some old men playing chess. Yes, my life has come down to this.

But, secretly i LOVE staying in on Friday nights. I have never been so productive - feels like the glory days of all-nighters in college! Plus, I wake up on Saturday mornings refreshed and ready to go...nothing wrong with that.

I did some MAJOR revisions on harvard today. My problem at first was that they didn't flow together, there were no common themes. But after tonite, they really seem to get all of my points across - i am so happy with how they turned out.

In fact, I am, dare i say it?? DONE WITH HARVARD ESSAYS!! woo hoo. I had to re-write essay #6, the 'additional information.' what more could harvard want to know after i poured my heart and soul out in the first 5? Anyway, it is a little random but i talked about my jewish heritage and where my inspiration comes from. But, it seemed to tie the entire package together so I am not looking at it any longer!

The hardest part at first was figuring out my 'story.' Up until a month ago, i really wasn't exactly sure what i wanted to do. But using my experiences, I feel like I have drawn a realistic path between where i am today, and where i strive to be down the road. (besides, i can change my mind once i get there) ;)

Ok - night night!

Tick, tick, tick...

2006-10-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

OK - one week and one day until Harvard deadline. I am actually starting to like my essays. Actually, i have read them so many times i could probably recite them by memory. (any volunteers?) :)

So, a bit more background as i take a breather from microsoft word. I am currently a finance analyst working for a big tech company in silicon valley (no points for originality there, huh). I have a pretty decent GMAT, although a little low on the quant. GPA 3.7 from a good school, and some decent extracurriculars to talk about it. In addition - i also have 3 months of working in Asia.

Overall, I feel like I am competitive with the people who are applying, but I need my essays and recommendations to push me over the edge. No pressure there.

Ok - all for now! Happy essay-ing!

A little overwhelmed

2006-10-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

Uh oh...the clock keeps ticking. How is it already October???

So, somehow I am expected to write a total of 17 essays in less than 3 weeks? I know I should push some of my apps to round 2, but the prospect of finding out where I will spend the next two years in JAN instead of APR is too good to give up!

Harvard round 1: oct 11
Kellogg round 1: oct 20
Stanford round 1: oct 25

And I am still on Harvard. My only consolation is that I already took the GMAT back in December. It's possibly the best thing i've ever done EVER!

Oh yes, and I am taking the night OFF tonite. Huge farewell par-tay for one of my friends. A little brutal for a Monday, but hey... I rested all weekend and worked on apps.

It's the world versus the MBA-applicant

2006-10-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

So, I'm hoping it's not just me. My world has become focused solely on the MBA application process. Does this sound like a familiar conversation?:

Friend: "Hey, what's up?"
Me: "Omg - i am under complete stress trying to write all of these essays. i can't believe how long they are all taking! I have spent the last couple months holed up in a coffee shop! What do you think - should I apply to stanford in round 1 or round 2? I mean, i heard round 2 is a little more competitive, but ..."
Friend: {stares blankly}

BLAH BLAH BLAH - you get the point. The sad, but honest truth, is NO ONE really cares. Sure, they care about you as a person...but at least to everyone around me, the bschool talk is getting really old really fast!

(hello, i have no life b/c of applications hence nothing else to talk about!)

So, instead of venting all of my b-school woes (and lack of social life) to friends and family, I figured I'd start blogging. I know there's more of you out there just like me :)

More later on my progress to date and background. I just had to get all of that off my chest.