Changing
I haven't really been keeping up on blogging about my getting ready for Bschool, so I've decided to change the subject of this blog. I'm not sure to what yet, but I'm sure whatever it will be wil be fascinating! Stay tuned!
May 05, 2008
March 29, 2008
March 27, 2008
Where Do I Fit?
Reading through B-school applicant blogs today and stumbled upon Alex's blog, MBAapply. He had a post that was particularly interesting to me, What Kinds of People Get Into HBS, Stanford and Wharton?. Actually, it hit a little too close to home.
Alex blogged about the three types of people, Blue Chips, Vagabonds, and Average Joes, that get into these top b-schools. In his post he defines these characters:
(1) Blue Chips - these are folks with pedigree. They went to top undergrads and worked at highly sought after jobs (by those at the top undergrads). There's nothing particularly special about them as people, but they have a strong blue chip background. They are the Princeton undergrad to McKinsey kids, the Westpoint grad who serves in Iraq, Wharton undergrad to Goldman kids, and so forth. They didn't just work in IB, but they work at Goldman or Morgan Stanley. They didn't just work at no-name private equity fund, but they worked at Carlyle or TPG. They didn't just work in consulting, but at McKinsey/Bain/BCG. They are smart and accomplished kids who did as well as they could taking a traditional and well-trodden path.
(2) Vagabonds - these are folks who went to the same colleges as the Blue Chips (i.e. top undergrads), but rather than work at Goldman or Bain, they decided to take the road less traveled. They did the Peace Corps, worked as a theater producer, played on the PGA tour, became a clergyman (of whatever religion), worked in nonprofit, etc. Or they may have spent a year at Morgan Stanley, hated it, and decided to work as a personal aide to a Senator or Congressman.
(3) Average Joes -- they went to okay colleges, worked in decent jobs (IT, accounting, some random corporate job, 2nd tier consulting, etc.). Or they went to top undergrads, but ended up in decent but unremarkable jobs (i.e. a lot of the IIT folks who are applying, or the Harvard undergrad who works at a Big-4). Or they are they went to okay undergrads, and worked at no-name hedgefunds. Or they went to a state school and ended up in IB or MC. And so forth.
So, obviously, I immediately tried to define what I was based on these three types of applicants. Clearly, I am not a Blue Chip as I did not go to a top undergrad nor do I have a pedigree. I identify a little more closely with the Vagabonds who pursue experiences and the road less traveled but I'm still not "top undergrad" type. Lastly, I know I am not an average joe. I went to a great college, I have an incredible job and have had a wonderful journey since college. So, luckily or perhaps unfortunately, I cannot place myself in any of these categories. Despite the inability to define myself by the standards set forth by Alex, I know that I am still a candidate for a position in one of these three school precisely because I am not the typical candidate. Or at least I'll continue to live with the irrational belief that I am not :)
March 23, 2008
Triathlons and Birthdays
My birthday was last weekend. I turned 24*. The day after I decided that I am going to train for a triathlon. I saw on Facebook a girl I knew in high school who is now an engineer and triathlete. This girl was not an athlete in high school and I was in involved in every sport possible. Not that I am a snob about it, but if she can do it, I know I can.
So I signed up for the Ironbabe sprint triathlon taking place on May 11 and have been training for the past week. The triathlon is a 200yd swim, an 8 mile bike, and a 2 mile run. I realize that this isn't a full fledged triathlon, but hey, it's a start!
*Not my real age :)
March 12, 2008
MBA Reading List
I'm an obsessive compulsive reader. I will read anything put in front of my face. I can't help it. It could be a problem. In fact, it is a problem. I got in trouble at work one time by my boss because I was reading the New York Times when I should have been doing something else. Of course, I was in college and worked at a coffee house as a barista so reading the New York Times wasn't so important to my job at the time.
So I was thinking the other day about what would make me a better candidate for b-school in being prepared and knowledgeable about business. Looking at some of the schools I'm applying to I see that some have recommended reading lists for their incomings. Most of the books I have already read and some are on my to do list. So I thought I would just list them out here for others to take a look at as well.
Read
Getting Things Done
Art of the Start
The Dip
The Four Hour Workweek
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Winning
The Wisdom of Crowds
Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World
Atlas Shrugged
Who Moved My Cheese
One Minute Manager
On The List To Read
Good To Great
Blue Ocean Strategy
February 27, 2008
Accepted into MBADiversity!
I have known for about a month, but forgot to post about it. Very excited to get started! I
Today I participated in an online chat for Rice MBA admissions. There were about 10 people in the chat which lasted about 45 minutes. Most of the people who were in the chat were applying for entry in Fall 2008. I am applying for entry Fall 2009, but it was still helpful. Since I live in Houston it should be no problem to visit campus and sit in on some classes! University of Texas has some billboards up on 59 about UT MBA in Houston. Slightly interested, because it means that I won't have to leave Houston, but I am really shooting for Columbia or one of the other schools on my list. UT is my safety.
CEO of the company I work for approached me about a week ago. He had heard through the grapevine that I was applying for my MBA and wanted to give me encouragement. He also offered, yes offered!, to write a rec letter. Like I have said before, I love my job. I have no intention of leaving exactly because of reasons like that.
January 29, 2008
Day two of studying for the GMAT
Sunday was my first day to really begin my serious preparation for applying to B-school.
I headed over to Coffee Groundz in midtown so I could get away from the distractions at home. I spent about an hour writing down my timetable and strategy (ha!) for the entire application process. I took the next hour reviewing the Kaplan GMAT book I got. I'm starting out really slowly in studying for the GMAT. I know that I will do well on the verbal. Well, I know verbal is my strength, I don't actually think that I will do really well.
Today (day two-yesterday I watched the state of the union so no studying for me) I forced myself to begin reviewing the math section and tackling some problems. I am so rusty and very far removed from having to do actual math problems. I don't think it will take me long to get back into it though.
I wrote down my list of people I plan on approaching for recommendations. I've got 20 so far. Hopefully, over the next few months I'll be able to get a few more.
Today has been a really long day, I'm swamped at work, but a good swamped.
I was reading in my book Montauk about the actual reasons why people decide to go for an MBA. Usually, the want to change careers or don't really know the next step in the progression of their career goals so they choose to go to business school.
I love my job and have absolutely no intention of changing careers. I love the industry I work in, the people I work with, and the company I work for. So, I'm going to have to think of a compelling reason as to why I want to get my MBA if I am actually so happy where I am. Hmm...I think I might be on to something.
January 26, 2008
Where Am I Going to Apply and Why?
Since the Fall of 2001, I have been thinking about getting my MBA. I've had 6 1/2 years to prepare and I am still not ready. My hesitation all comes down to one fear: What if I don't fit? Strange question, I know, but it is completely valid. I love the fast paced world of business and markets, but I don't care for the culture. Making a difference through innovation and collaboration is much more important to me than accumulating money and accolades. Nevertheless, I feel I will be able to brave the risk of stepping outside of my comfort zone into what I am expecting will be a pack of rabid wolves in Armani suits.
So I guess I need to make my punch list of where I am actually going to apply. Here we go in no particular order:
| Columbia | Duke |
| Berkeley | Harvard |
| Northwestern | Stanford |
| NYU | Texas |
| UCLA | UPenn |
Eventually I will have to start my list of strengths and weaknesses. How exciting is introspection? About as exciting as then listing all my strengths and weaknesses in an interview with a complete stranger who holds my future in the palm of her hands!
Waitlisted
I found out today that I was waitlisted for MBADiversity. They want a letter of recommendation from someone who knows me through my community service involvement. My problem is that I have only just moved to my city so I haven't even begun to get as involved as I was in other places that I have lived. I have been attending meetings with NetSquared, so I asked the organizer to write about my participation in that organization. She's an incredible person and someone I really admire and she's very involved in the community herself, so I am really lucky that she agreed to write the letter.
So I am in limbo right now with MBADiversity until I get the letter from her to submit. As soon as they receive it and review the letter, I will know their decision. I'm not feeling good about it to be honest.
I bought a few study books (Kaplan GMAT 2008 Premier Program and Barron's Guide to Graduate Business Schools) so I can begin studying for the GMAT on my own. I haven't even looked at them yet, although I bought them a week ago. I'm worried that my lack of enthusiasm for studying for the GMAT or really doing much of any other type of preparation for applying for B-school means that I am either a) not ready for it or b) not cut out to be an MBA student.
January 19, 2008
The beginning
With MBADiversity for their Fellows program. I think it went pretty well.
I'm
really going to need help on my GMAT and I think they can help me with
that. I took it about 5 years ago, sucked it up and decided that with
that score there was no chance of me getting into a decent Top 10
B-School. So I decided to wait a few more years and get a little better
experience under my belt. Five years later, I am beginning the process
of looking to apply to business school again and my biggest fear is not
the interviews, my background or even my undergrad GPA; it's the GMAT.
So, we will begin the process and the blog here. Wish me luck! Wishing you luck as well, because you no doubt are also a potential MBA out there checking out your competition. :)
