One Girl's Journey

Beginning A New Journey

2006-09-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

It's been an amazing first week of Chicago GSB's LEAD program. A new confidence has sprung with new hopes, new friendships, and anticipation for the 2 years ahead.

I wrapped up the summer with encouraging, yet sad good-byes from my work colleagues and a month of relaxing travels across the Pacific Ocean.

Unfortunately, I've decided to end my journal with this final post to fully focus on the work ahead. Thanks again to all my supportive readers during the past year. Couldn't have done it without you! :-)

Best wishes to all those starting at MBA programs this fall. Good luck to those applying for the Class of 2009 and beyond!!

All the Best,
IWMI

GMAT Woes

2006-06-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

It's been great seeing the Class of 2009 bloggers beginning to post! I've also received a handful of e-mails and thought I'd share some Q&A's. (Note: My answers may be biased towards my own experiences.)

Q: I have just started my GMAT prep and am confused about how to proceed.

To begin tackling the GMAT:

Familiarize yourself with the test format. Two essays, the verbal and math sections - how much time each, how many questions each, what types of questions are given, etc.
Then take a practice test. Take a free test.
See how you score. Where are your trouble areas? Now you know where to focus most of your study time.
The best book to use is the Official Guide. It contains real questions from past GMAT exams. Any question that you miss, take your time to really understand the correct answers. There are common "types" of questions that will appear repetitively on the test.
Register for the test: http://www.mba.com and use the test date to motivate you to study.

Q: I am going through a strange phase of the GMAT prep, kind of loosing steam. How can I overcome this?

We get restless because: 1) you just want the test to be over with, 2) you are becoming more scared and excited of the actual outcome, and 3) you can't wait to be knee-deep in the actual applications. :-)

Everyone has different study methods that work for her, but a couple things that may help are:

Pace yourself. Don't try to cram so much studying in one sitting! This becomes overwhelming. Some people frantically do practice tests one after another. I gave myself 3 months of study time and tackled one practice test per week. The rest of the week I would do practice problems, slowing down to carefully pick through my trouble areas.
Set goals. To get through the entire Official Guide book aim to finish 30 problems every day or whatever number you choose. For the problems you miss, make sure you understand WHY the solutions are correct.
Do you get nervous taking tests? If you're anything like me, I may sing beautifully during a rehearsal, but my voice croaks and my knees shake during the actual performance. Often they tell performers to pretend the audience is naked so the funny image helps them relax. If you're nervous on tests, tell yourself, "There's nothing to worry about. I can do this! I will ace this test!" Repeat this to yourself aloud. If you freak out over each wrong answer, you'll just worry and stress out more until you can't focus (and then careless mistakes are made). Find a way that helps you relax before each practice test. I think more clearly when I'm calmer.
Breathe. If you're mind is racing and your palms start to sweat - take one deep breath in and let it out slowly. Take a couple more if you need to. Those 10 seconds you spend calming yourself down is nothing compared to the 75 minutes you have to do all the problems.
If you still can't focus when you're studying. Put it down. Take a break. Go out and watch a movie, and then come back later with a clear mind ready to study.

Q: Does it makes sense for me to look into schools now and start their essays or should I think about it after my GMAT score is out?

Yes, start researching schools now. On GMAT test day, you can select 5 schools to send your score reports to for free. Take advantage of this by walking into the test knowing which schools you're *hoping* to apply to.

For now, put most of your time into studying for the GMAT. I aimed to take the test once and score above 700. (Fortunately, this happened.) In the meantime, do keep an eye out for when schools post: 1) 2006-2007 deadlines and 2) next year's application. (Some essays questions may change year to year.) Also, start brainstorming on the common essay questions:

Why an MBA? Why now?
Long-term & short-term career goals?
Why school X? -- For each school you apply to.
Leadership experience and something you learned from it.
Teamwork experience and something you learned from it.

Remember: Time is limited. From now until your application due dates you should map out a timeline for your: 1) GMAT study, 2) essays, 3) recommendations, and 4) filling out the applications.

I leave you with some GMAT links:

Registration: http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT
GMAC: http://www.gmac.com/

GMAT Forums

Test-Magic: http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat/
GMAT Club: http://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/index.php
Beat the GMAT!: http://www.beatthegmat.com/
4 GMAT: http://mba-forum.4gmat.com/

GMAT Prep Help

Veritas GMAT: http://www.veritasprep.com/
Kaplan: http://www.kaptest.com/business
Princeton Review: http://www.princetonreview.com/mba/
Manhattan GMAT: http://www.manhattangmat.com/

Talk About Lazy Days...

2006-06-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

I have sailed off in the same boat as Marina and MBA Jackass, riding the waves of summer laziness. And, this may be my final summer under the Californian sun...

With the move ahead who knows where I may end up in the future? Return to the Bay Area? Stay in Chicago? East Coast? Asia? Europe? Australia? My 1st-year internship, my new career, my future family... I'm open to the possibilities.

In the meantime, my summer laziness has brought many summer surprises:

EVENTS

Jun. 11: Girls For A Change Closing Ceremony @ San Jose Tech Museum (I will miss my Mission San Jose High School team! *sniff*)
Jun. 13: Friend visiting from New York.
Jun. 16: 2006 GMAC® Conference Event with Marina
Jun. 17: Friend visiting from Boston.
Jun. 21: Chicago GSB Class of 2008 Bay Area Event #2!
Jun. 22: Girls For A Change Coach Thank-You Party

WRAP UP

Taking a Community College Accounting class to prep for b-school.
Seeing every possible doctor before I lose my medical insurance. (An allergy test shows I'm allergic to cockroaches!! Funny!)
Filing for financial aid. $140K debt, here I come!

VISITING FAMILY

Mid-July: Shanghai
Early August: Tokyo
Mid-August: Taipei

SCHOOL

Jun. 23: Next Stanford GSB update (Jun. 1st update: Still waitlisted)
Jul. 14: Final MIT Sloan update
Sept. 5: Chicago GSB LEAD begins

Stanford Update Today

2006-05-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

And I'm still on the waitlist.

It seems there are approximately 75 of us left hoping our lucky stars will appear... soon...

Talking in Rhymes

2006-05-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who enjoys talking in rhymes. After my Haas interview, I sent him this fun note. (Yes - I am going full-time!)

"The interview was interesting,
Same yet different from the others.
Some things were missing,
And some things were covered.

"She asked the usual career questions,
But then I learned a few new lessons.
That part-time has a different quality,
I may have went in with the wrong mentality.

"'Why part-time over full-time?' she made me ponder,
I spewed out [my answer] about a corporate sponser.
But one thing I kept seeing branded in her eyes,
The words 'You're so young' had me hypnotized.

"The more I discovered the more I found,
That full-time programs I am definitely bound.
Every question I asked her she batted with a fist,
'Time is your limitation!' she repeated with no twist.

"A'las I stood up and shook her hand,
'Good day' and a nod I walked out of Haas land.
Without turning back I increased the gap,
With a quiet word, I will withdraw the app."

A Maroon Phoenix and White Gargoyles

2006-05-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

University of Chicago - GSB.
Why do I love thee?

In my search for gold,
I came across your cold.

In a place to study Econ, Fin, and Strategy.
I found your school the best fit for me!

Ha! Ok, we have concluded I am no poet. My little cousin could probably "pikachu" out a better rhyme than I. :-)

So why Chicago?

IWMI's response a 'la drunk:

Fit. After falling into a deep midday slumber on the soft, plush study room chairs, HPC has become my new home. *IWMI snores happily away* (Hey, after taking a red-eye flight into Chicago, those couches would look inviting to you too!)
Academics. A fellow admit's first impression: "IWMI, you're a nerd!" Got my first LEAD homework assignment already, and I'm ready to rock. (Homework: I love you. *snuggles*)
People. They're already my homies. We have two GSB gatherings in the bay area next week. Already feeling the warm and fuzzies...
Career. (Croons to recruiters) "Me and you, baby. We create synergy and harmony..."
Student Groups. I mean, come on now. Who would give up the possible opportunity of performing with Rose Martinelli at the year-end Follies?!
Alumni. I've been adopted by an alumna! I'm a lucky girl!
Rankings. Top ten, yo.

*Hiccup!* My toast to finally turning 24 this May!

REWIND.....

IWMI's response a 'la sober:

Fit. The GSB has an academically (and quantitatively) challenging environment which I am seeking. As MBA Spanky and Julius Seizure described, Anderson provides a more laid-back community. Nick Carraway's recount of visiting Johnson shows a similar environment. At the UCLA Info Session, I was amazed how the adcom kept emphasizing this laid-back attitude. One alumna on the Q&A panel commented, "I had enough free time to pick up a 20-hour internship on the side!" If I had a family at this point in my life, I would find Anderson to be the best fit for me to balance school and family life. However, being 24, full of energy, and not having these responsibilities yet, I am ready to immerse myself in the fast-paced environment of the GSB.
Academics. Unbeknownst to many, GSB has a strong Data-Driven Marketing program. Sitting in Professor Pradeep Chintagunta's Marketing model class at A-Week, I was fascinated by the theory and supporting data presented on customer segmentation for the technology sector. Many students have also raved about Professor Peter Rossi's Marketing Strategy course, which I am looking forward to taking. Interested in experiential learning? Check out the GSB's latest and greatest Laboratory in New Product and Strategy. And yes, Anderson and Johnson offer experiencial learning that is built into their curriculums.

People. The GSB adcom have been extremely helpful with my entire MBA process. The students are very approachable, and I was happy to finally meet my student mentor during Admit Weekend. Both Johnson and Anderson had assigned me great student mentors, but I really appreciated that the GSB allowed me to select my own mentor from their student database. I found a woman who closely fit my own background and interests - someone I thought who could offer me the best guidance for my intended school/career path. Amazingly, we're both from the Bay Area, Math lovers, interested in Marketing, enjoy taking active roles on campus, and love to dance.
Career. At the GSB, this is one area I will need to put more effort into. My student mentor had stated, "Look on the bright side. As more GSB students are headed towards banking and consulting, we'll have less competition for Marketing opportunities." On the flip side, because fewer students look for Marketing positions, fewer Marketing opportunities are brought on campus. This means, I will definitely be taking advantage of West Quest and will need to put more time into building external relationships for potential high-tech marketing opportunities. Anderson would have been the better choice for me in this respect.
Student Groups. Next year, you'll definitely find me at these clubs: Marketing, High-Tech, West Quest, & Gross Prophets. And if time permits: Chicago Women In Business, Dean's Marketing Action Committee, Chinese Business Student Association, & Giving Something Back. I think all the top schools are comparable when it comes to student clubs, and if there's something you want that they don't have - start it! :-)
Alumni. The GSB impressed me when my new alumna mentor came knocking on my inbox. Grabbing coffee with her in the city, we chatted for hours about her GSB experience and most importantly, life after the GSB. On top of my wonderful student mentor, I found the alumna's experience of how the MBA added value to her full-time career and how we (as women) can find ways to balance work-life responsibilites helpful to my long-term planning, or how I can prepare myself for step #6.
Rankings. The GSB is extremely reputable with its top rankings. The only downfall I see is that the GSB may not be as strong internationally (or at least in Taiwan). Johnson and Anderson have strong University reputations. "Cornell - the Ivy League?!" Or "UCLA - sure thing!" Then we come to The University of Chicago. My mother sat there scratching her head the first time I told her about the school...

University of C's

2006-05-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

My University of Chicago deposit check is in! Sad parting letters to Johnson and Anderson have been written. (A post on my Chicago decision soon to come! My past few weeks have been jam-packed with the successful completion of my team's Girls For A Change project - woohoo! - and my dad visiting from Asia. Thus, sorry for the slow posts!)

Walking into Quizno's for lunch, I was shocked to see the entire University of California, Los Angeles baseball team sitting there feasting upon Quizno subs. The place reeked of B.O. :-P (And what they were doing in Fremont beats the heck out of me. Berkeley's up north, yo!)

In all the excitement of full-time business school decisions, I almost forgot about my part-time applications. Today, I received an e-mail from the University of California, Berkeley: Haas Evening & Weekend program for an interview. I applied to both types to keep my options open of perhaps gaining more work experience while studying (and f0r wanting to remain in the tech sector). As Foobarme had also compared the two options, the wheels in my head have begun turning again...

Why MBA

2006-04-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Marina's post got me thinking: Why did I start this blog? Is it because I wanted to be a Top Ten BoB alongside amazing bloggers like MBA Jackass? (Thanks again to Clear Admit and all you voters out there! I really appreciate your constant support.) Or is it so I could connect with other bay area bloggers for a fabulous night out?

Looking back, I decided to start this on-line journey in hopes that posting my experience could aid other applicants towards our shared goal of an MBA.

THE BEGINNING

"I want an MBA. I need the degree to do great things - to be someone great one day!" I declared 5 years ago. And thus, I began to plan.

1) Finish college
2) Work 2 years
3) MBA (2 years)
4) Graduate and get married
5) Pop out the kiddies
6) Be like Elastigirl - Super Career Woman, Super Wife, & Super Mom

One by one, I worked to execute my plan. Now as I prepare myself for step #3 (the MBA) the 19-yr-old me and the soon-to-be-24-yr-old me still have the same desire: "I want my MBA." But the 19-yr-old me didn't quite understand the true value of the MBA. It wasn't until this long process began when I finally understood what I was getting myself into.

Why Do I Want An MBA?

This is the most important question you need to ask yourself.

The 19-year-old me declared, "Because I want to go into management!"

"What type of management?" you'd ask her.

"Umm... there are different types? I thought you just managed people and processes and things... and everything would be all fine and dandy," she would reply, scratching her head.

(College Seniors: This is one reason why work experience really helps. Not just in the experience you bring, but in helping you focus on what really interests you career-wise and having a real-world understanding of how businesses operate from experience. If you're intent on going to b-school straight from undergrad, even a summer internship will help. My 2 cents.)

As Forrest had also pondered: But do we need an MBA to reach our final goals? Answer: No.

So "Why B-school?" Everyone needs to discover this for oneself, because our answers will probably be different. For myself, I believe the following:

Academics: To learn finance and accounting - to be able to speak the language of business. To gain an understanding of the "big picture" through operations, HR, marketing, org behavior, etc.
Career: To add more value to my company through marketing. To step beyond my engineering mind and utilize my creativity with the challenge of product/brand management.
People: To increase my network with my classmates and alumni. To build lifelong friendships and partnerships.
New Opportunities: To open more doors with recruiters for greater job opportunities and growth. To explore new areas that may bring out other interests or lead me down another job path - who knows?
Self Confidence: To train myself how to interact with a diverse pool of individuals and how to interview (and market myself) effectively under pressure.
Giving Back: To continue my social responsibility of giving back to my community - through student clubs, as an alumni, etc.
Respect: To gain respect through the higher reputation and status that having an MBA brings. Just being honest here. :-) At a conference in 2002, a Marshall alum began his speech humorously:
"The reason I went to business school was because I thought it would be really cool to have my name read 'Jerry Lin*, M.B.A.' on my business card. It wasn't until after I graduated that I found out we don't put 'M.B.A.' after our names, like the J.D.'s and M.D.'s do. I felt gyped!"

* - Name has been changed.

No Decision Yet

2006-04-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

It's difficult planning without a decision. And it's difficult making a decision when there are so many factors involved.

Johnson sweetens the deal saying the $20K is for both years. Very tempting, but...
UCLA impressively moved it's way to #10 in the US News rankings. Comparing career stats, more tech companies recruit there than my other admits (and this LA-born chicka has been dying to return to Westwood with its glorious weather), but...
Chicago is stronger than the 2 in reputation, analytical focus, and data-driven marketing. Traveling there numerous times within the past year, I've grown to love the people, the facilities, the academics, and the culture, but...
If Stanford gives me a sign of hope next month, hands-down its program is the best fit for my personality and my career goals.

In my comparison of Chicago and Stanford's 2005 employment records, I surprisingly discovered that:

At Chicago, 82.7% of accepted positions were "school facilitated." At Stanford, it was only 56%.
However, at Stanford, 13% of accepted positions were from alumni and 15% from family/friends. At Chicago, only 2.7% was from alumni and 4.3% from family/friends.

This shows how strong a "networking school" the Stanford GSB is.

Mailing Lists, Mentors, and E-vites

2006-04-11T13:54:00.001-07:00

We put so much energy into this entire process.
- GMAT (check)
- Essays (check)
- Recommendations (check)
- Interviews (check)

Which hopefully leads to an admit. (Check)

*You let your breath out.* With the congratulatory letter in your hand, all of a sudden you're wondering, "Is my work really over now? Has all the fun ended? Could all this work become just this single piece of paper??"

No. It's only the beginning.

Mail
Before, I would find myself staring at an empty inbox, furiously clicking the "Refresh" button in hopes of school application updates. Now - I've never seen so much mail in my life.

"Hello! My name is AAA. I'm so excited!! -AAA"

"Hi, I look forward to meeting everyone at school ZZZ!! -BBB"

"Sending hugs and kisses to all of you, my new buddies!! -CCC"

If this were a popularity contest, the e-mails do a good job in making you feel special. "(squeeks) You want to be best friends with little ol' me from the bay?? No way! Wow."

Mentors
The student & alumni mentors have been great with answering questions.

"Dear IWMI,

I will be your mentor. I’ve attached a picture of me and my wife (and my baby, my dog, my mother, my lover, my...).

If you have any questions about the school (or the attached picture), please feel free to contact me.

Regards,
DDD"

E-vites
And let's not forget all the parties.

"Get drunk with Dean EEE when she visits your town! Available one night only!"

"Come join school YYY at Admit Weekend where you can start building relationships and make love (not war) with your future business partners!"

Choices, choices... hmm...
On a serious note: It's been a difficult ride, yet fun. :-)

P.S. Thanks to Clear Admit for the BoB nomination. Really appreciate your organization going out of your way to hold contests for us - who are blogging, when we really should be working. :-P Just don't tell my manager. *wink*

Hmm...

2006-03-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

Stanford - Waitlist!

Grrrr...

4 PM PST

2006-03-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

And still no call from Stanford. I'm guessing it's a no. Congrats to those that made it! As for me, it's ok. I'm happy with Chicago. :-)

Thanks for all your comments. Your support has been awesome. Bschool Diva: you are way too cute! :-)

Congrats again to all R2's!

And Kellogg is a....

2006-03-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

Large, fat DING! lol.

I saw this one coming. Made too many mistakes on this app.

Oh, well. Life goes on. :-)

Thank You

2006-03-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

Asia is a blast. This is definitely a needed vacation - that all of us should take before b-school!

I want to give a big THANK YOU to all of my fellow bloggers for being so supportive on this long trek to our MBA. Your comments and blog updates have been amazing to read. :-)

And I sit her now speechless with an acceptance to UCLA Anderson, despite having not interviewed. (No on-line status update for K yet??)

Stress

2006-03-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

Lack of sleep. Anxiety does that to you. Where you toss and turn each night. She haunts you in nightmares - falling off a cliff in her bright red dress only to reappear by your side... a ghost.

She is your fear. Where the scale stares back at you with double digits - the last time you had even imagined being below 3-digits was in the 5th grade. But food does not tempt you anymore. Nothing tastes right.

You lick your lips, dry and chapped. Shriveled up prunes they are. Because of anxiety.

Anything you do to try and calm the storms just gets flushed away. Round and round it spins down the endless black hole. And you are once again left behind with...

Anxiety.

Happy Birthday!

2006-03-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Marina!! :-)

Mixed Feelings

2006-03-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

I don't know who's more anxious: me or my mom. She calls from Asia almost everyday.
Mom: "Any news yet?"
Me: "No."

Next day...
Mom: "Any news yet?"
Me: "No."

Or perhaps she just wants to see how high she can rack up her company's long-distance phone bill $$.
Boss: "[] Tai Tai (Mrs. [])! What is this American number you keep calling??"
Mom: "It's err... a very important client of mine, sir?..."

Back in the USA, it's been raining on the western front. I am hoping the Bay Area clouds will blow away as my college friend flies in from the east.

Then, my upcoming itinerary is as follows:

~ Flight to Asia ~

Mar. 20: Kellogg D-day *gulp*
Mar. 21: Cornell D-day *ahh*
Mar. 22: Chicago D-day *prays*
Mar. 24: UCLA delivers the official "ding" letter *cries*

~ Return to the USA ~

Mar. 30: Stanford D-day *help me*
Mar. 31: Yale D-day *sweat*
Apr. 3: MIT D-day *faints*

Sloan Interview

2006-03-04T01:12:00.000-08:00

After reading the info on ClearAdmit's Wiki and Accepted.com that Sloan interviewers can be "poker-faced," I prepared for the worst. Surprisingly, the adcom lady who interviewed me was very personable. If she hadn't been exhausted from a day's work (I was her last interview of the day), I might have even described her as "bubbly." :-)

As brownoski had warned me, the first thing she did was rip open my transcripts. "Let's see here..." (*gulp* Not my lowest grade! Please don't bring up that class!) I received a couple quick and *painless* questions.

Next was the juicy stuff. "Tell me about a project at work that you co-managed... How did you feel?... What would you say the impact was to the client?... How did they react?"

- "Tell me about a project at work within the last year that you're proud of... What did you specifically learn from it?"
- "What's a personal goal you've set for yourself within the last 2 years?"
- "Why Sloan?"
- "I read about [this] in your app and loved the story behind it. Can you tell me more about it?... How did the members feel about that?... Why did you fail at that point?... How do you feel about the outcome?"
- "Why do you want to go to the east coast?... Are you sure you wouldn't mind moving east?" <- It seems most Californians are all about Cali pride. Totally understandable. West Coast, babyyyy!! lol.

Then it was over. We both walked to our cars, shook hands, and bid each other adieu. "Decisions will be out April 3rd" was the last thing I heard her say.

4 P's - People, Personalities, Projects, Positions

2006-02-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

Had my Cornell interview bright and early this morning.

Sitting down at a Starbucks table, the alum gave me the drill: "Here's how it works. I have a list of questions to ask you. I will write your answers as we go. At the end you can ask me questions. I send this all back to Cornell, and they'll compile all your information together. If there are 'holes' in your application, they may call you to clarify some information. Sound good?"

On you mark. Get set. Go!

1) How did you select your current/previous job(s)?
2) Why do you want an MBA?
3) Why Cornell?
4) What are your long-term and short-term goals?
5) What other schools are you applying to?
6) How would your co-workers describe you?

Me: "I'm approachable..."
Her: "That's because you're female. I work in the tech sector too. Give me another one."

7) What are three characteristics that make a great leader?
8) What drives you? What makes you get up in the morning each day?
9) Tell me a team situation where someone was hard to deal with.
10) Tell me a team situation where you faced an obstacle.
11) Tell me a time when you directly had a conflict with another team member.
12) What will you add to Johnson?
13) Name three characteristics that you will bring to your Cornell classmates.
14) Tell me about a significant accomplishment and what impact you created.
15) What are the strengths and weaknesses of your Johnson application?

To my weakness answer: "That's a weakness that can be turned into an advantage or positive. Give me another one."

16) How do you approach a problem?
17) What is an innovative solution you came up with for a problem you dealt with?

Her feedback: "I think you communicate well and have the right social skills. Your weakness is that you've only had one full-time employer. All companies are different. If Cornell calls you, try to think of more examples where you've worked with Vice President's and such to help broaden your experiences." I thanked her, and we parted ways.

Stanford GSB Interview

2006-02-21T21:41:00.000-08:00

Checked into the alum's company, sporting my "guest" nametag. Was in the process of blowing my nose, when I turned around and discovered the alum was standing right there, waiting for me! Wow - talk about punctual. (Yes, I tucked the tissue away.)

We spun a couple circles locating our meeting room, chatting about her Stanford experience. I entered the room and found myself staring at smiley faces and pillows dotting the walls. What a way to set the mood. :-) No doubt, she works for a very friendly company indeed.

We casually eased into our seats, and then came her list of prepared "Stanford recommended" questions.

1) What was the point/situation that made you realize you wanted an MBA?
2) Why Stanford?
3) Tell me about a challenging time for you.

At this point she said, "I will give you a minute, because honestly, I don't even know how I would answer this question." My mind almost blanked, but then I really dug into myself and answered from the heart - something family related.

4) Tell me a time where you failed as a leader. What was the reaction of those under you?
5) What do you believe to be your greatest achievement?

After my answer, she stared at me wide-eyed. I almost panicked thinking, "Oh no! Did I just say something wrong?!?!" She stunned me by saying, "You're a walking case-study for a book I just read! What you just talked about - there was an entire chapter on it. When you mentioned your X experience earlier, it also fit what this book is teaching as well!"

Whew! I let out my breath. We launched into a discussion about women in business. Many women seem to be ripping each other's hair out as they fight for top spots. Why? Perhaps we assume there are only those "few spots" for women on top? But that's not right. Women should be collectively working towards the top together in a mutual support. Shouldn't we? We chatted animatedly about career women, work-life balance, stepping beyond your comfort zone to make things happen, and through it all, being driven by your passion and interests to reach your goals.

Oh, and I discovered that the GSB has a "Books for Break" reading list! (Aha! Thus, the infamous book question.) She Wins, You Win was the latest and greatest book from the reading list. I'm definitely picking up a copy. (Thanks also to Anuj for an enlightening ongoing discussion of Freakonomics.)

6) Tell me about a great leader you had and what you learned from this person.
7) What was the best college course you took?
8) And the question of multiple school apps came up, as MBA Jackass pondered over, but I was instead asked: Why aren't you applying to Harvard and Wharton? I gave her my 10-second spiel and we moved on.

9) What is the best constructive criticism you've received?
10) Finally, there it was: What is a non-business book you've read and what did you learn from it?

Through the entire 45 minutes, we had collectively recommended 5 different books and 2 different community service orgs to each other. However, my biggest take away from this interview was how much I was able to reflect on myself and what I've learned in life - and speak to it from the heart. Sure, we wrote about it in our essays, but our conversation challenged me to step beyond my own answer to the "what matters most to me and why" question. The light bulb flashed even brighter, reaffirming for myself who I was, what I was there for, and how we are a part of each other's lives (perhaps in ways unknown).

Even if I don't get an admit, I will always thank Stanford for the 45 minutes of pure, honest self-reflection. For now, I will remain hopeful. Good luck to all fellow '08-ers and your upcoming interviews!

The Buzzzz

2006-02-20T10:22:00.000-08:00

MBABuzz.com

Have you been bitten by the buzz yet? :-) The site went up about a week ago and has since gained a lot of traffic. (Here, I'm already thinking of: 1) Data of their # of applicants over the time period in correlation with 2) their advertising techniques and strategy. Perhaps the next MBA case study? *grins*)

The best feature you should check out? THE PLOTTER. You can visually see yourself against other applicants based on the factors of your gmat and gpa scores. Sure it only involves 2 key data points, but it may still help give you a perspective of what you're up against. (From a developer's perspective, I think it's great that each datapoint is linkable to the user's profile.)

They've been really great in featuring my site this week! Thanks again, mbabuzz! And I know they are interested in featuring other applicant blogs, so check them out if you haven't already.

Chicago GSB Interview

2006-02-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

I've included brief interview blurbs in the wiki-wuh wiki-wiki-wuh wiki-wiki-wiki-wiki-wiki... (DJ, turn it up! *wink*)

Coming out from the Chicago cold, I strutted down the hall of the HPC until I found the Admissions Office on my left. Before pulling the door open, I took a deep breath, and then stepped through the doors.

I was met by a room full of applicants and 1st-years. The applicants glanced around nervously. The 1st-years grinned and welcomed us, helping to calm our nerves. I took a seat next to a 1st-year. He talked. And he talked. And he talked. I began to wonder if he ever stopped to take a breath. :-) Letting him continue his monologue, my mind began to wander, reviewing the interview q's I had studied an hour before.

The admissions door opened and a princess glided over. Greeting me with a friendly smile, we shook hands firmly. She led me to a meeting room. My interviewer explained this was a casual interview. It was blind, so she had only seen my resume. She shot off her first question: "Tell me about when you co-managed this project."

Other Q's:
- Tell me about a teamwork experience from work.
- What are your long-term and short-term goals?

On the topic of marketing, her eyes lit up and she spoke about her summer marketing internship. We discussed GSB's unbeknown strength in marketing and its curriculum. Surprisingly, she never asked me the famous "Why GSB?" question, so I attempted to tie all my answers back to "Why GSB."

Also, prompted from my resume:
- Tell me about your hip-hop dancing.
- Tell me something interesting from your trip to Thailand.

The 30 minutes were soon up, and I was given 5 minutes to ask her questions. Afterwards, I thanked her and left the office. I headed towards the cafe to re-energize. Sitting down with my food, the French man approached me. "I heard you were here! How did it go?" *kiss kiss hug hug* He looked exhausted from his battle with the 1st-year recruiting season. We wished each other well, and he left for a group meeting.

I ate my sushi.

Heart A Poundin'

2006-02-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

Stanford Interview Invite

OMG.

Yale SOM Interview

2006-02-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Was. A. Blast.

I have never enjoyed an interview so much! Driving an hour north to meet the Yale alum, we settled ourselves over freshly made hot chocolate at Starbucks - to soothe two chocoholics' souls. Sorebrek and I once discussed the benefits of having an interviewer of the opposite sex, but this was one time where my interviewer being the same gender seemed to play to my advantage.

My interviewer and I were drawing connections on every level! From both studying the same major in college and our similar work experience (she spent several years at a competitor company and knew the industry well), all the way down to the craziness of sorority life and our annoying face blemishes - a pimple decided to sprout on my chin the night before and a fresh, new scab glared back at me from her forehead. "Don't ask," she said shaking her head in embarrassment. We both laughed.

After covering "why mba" and "why yale," the conversation took an interesting turn, and we discussed our frustrations with technology marketing. Then a flurry of brainstorming began as we batted marketing ideas across the table for both of our companies.

I walked away feeling empowered by our discussion - or maybe I was just high on cocoa beans. :-)

Stanford finally turned "Your application is complete and currently under review" yesterday. Chicago interview is a week away.

No Word From Stanford

2006-02-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

I have the jitters.

The "Complete" verification from all my schools have blessed my inbox - all except Stanford. Foobarme posted his app going "Complete" 2 weeks back. I just logged into my Stanford App and the same bright, bold characters from when I submitted my app on 1/4/2006 12:03:00 AM PST still stares back at me: Submitted.

Well, as Leo Tolstoy once said: "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." This is a test to see how much my nerves can take. :-P Don't know if I'm fit to be a "warrior," dear Leo.

Hats off to all my fellow bloggers! :-)

Necessities of Life

2006-01-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

The basics: food, shelter, clothing.
$$ to pay the bills and buy all the other “girlie” things that I love.
People – family, friends, significant others, the friendly lady at Starbucks, the paparazzi, the policeman, my banker, my lawyer, the adorable little boy that lives down the block and calls me “jie jie” (older sister), …
My dad once told me: “If you’re the only one left living on this earth, you wouldn’t be able to survive.” He’s right.
Karaoke machines – or I might go crazy. It’s a wonder China hasn’t started a “Zhong Guo Ming Xin” (“Chinese Idol”) tv show. Or has it?
Education – umm… e = mc^2 ??
Love – and with it: respect, integrity, and encouragement.
Donations – not just $$, but also organs, blood, a finger, a toe, an eyeball...
And an interview invite with Chicago GSB!! :-D

Drat

2005-12-10T01:53:00.000-08:00

Johnson had to be pushed back to Round 4. Wasn't able to make the Monday deadline because one of my recommenders couldn't submit his rec in time. How disappointing.

Another lesson learned. I could sit and make excuses, "But my recommender is in Asia! But I had a, b, c, d to do on top of these apps! But I...!!" But no. If all of you can make these deadlines, I should be able to do so too.

It's time to do some damage control.

Kellogg Interview: Engineer to Engineer

2005-11-19T21:24:00.000-08:00

So yesterday morning I woke up and prepared myself for my Kellogg interview. My outfit had unleashed an entire debate - skirt or pants? I remember when I interviewed for Microsoft. They had explicitly sent me an e-mail saying not to even bother wearing business casual. Of course, I still showed up in a suit...

I settled on a black suit for Kellogg - with pants.

I arrived 30 minutes early at the alumni's company. Sat in my car and just reaffirmed the points I wanted to get across. Then I proceeded inside where I chatted w/ my interviewer for 1 hour in a meeting room.

We started w/ why the MBA and why Kellogg. He had definitely read my resume beforehand, and proceeded to go down my resume one point at a time. "What did you do on this project? Who was involved? How did you deal with guy X?" Being a younger applicant compared to his 7 years of engineering experience prior to Kellogg, I think he also wanted to reinforce my tech knowledge and asked, "What specific engineering skill did guy X bring to the project that you didn't have?" I actually expected this since we had similar backgrounds and his current position is what I want to do post-MBA. :-)

Some other interesting q's:
- How did you carry the University of Washington brand through college and beyond? Tie this in with how you'd do the same at Kellogg.
- You seem to have a lot going for you now. Why do you want to give it all up?
- What other schools are you applying to? What would you do if you didn't get into any of these schools? Would you give up?

He also primarily focused on:
- Teamwork experience and how I deal with different types of people.
- The Kellogg alumni network. My interviewer was a Kellogg graduate of '02.
- What I would gain from Kellogg and what Kellogg would gain from me.

When I asked for feedback, he flat-out said, "Sorry, but I'm not allowed to give that information. Kellogg has a strict policy that this is a blind interview, and I was explicitly told not to give any feedback. I'm supposed to not care about your GMAT, gpa, or anything you put on the rest of your app. My role is to give Kellogg a candid view." Turns out he use to sit on the Students Admission Committee so he was strict in upholding Kellogg's rules.

I can only hope for the best now.

Hyde Park Center

2005-11-14T19:38:00.000-08:00

The first time I stood in the Rothman Gardens at Chicago GSB’s HPC, staring up through the brilliant skylight I was suddenly transported back to the Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering where I would sit enjoying my daily muffin in the Microsoft Atrium.

Though very different in space as HPC covers 415,000 sq ft at $125 mil while the Allen Center at the University of Washington only covers 85,000 sq ft at $72 mil, both look 6-stories up and are similar in effect with the glass ceilings.

Heading down into the basement of Allen, the computer lab became my second home. Many all-nighters were spent there with fellow CSE-ers rushing projects at the very last second. "It's due in 10 seconds! Hit Submit! HIT IT NOW!!"

And when breaks were needed, we scampered into the lounge for a Halo battle on our Microsoft-donated Xboxes. For a breath of fresh air, we rode the elevator up to the 6th floor, headed through the Bill & Melinda Gates Commons, and enjoyed the Lake Washington view from the Alberg Terrace.

I can only imagine what the view is like from the top of the HPC. If it's overlooking Lake Michigan, it has to be amazing.

In the library...

2005-11-13T15:36:00.000-08:00

at San Jose State working on my essays. For Stanford - they say the average written is 3-7 pages per essay (10 pages max). I'm finding it difficult to focus my main points without rambling. If I were taking the sobriety test from a police officer for my Stanford essays, I would fail miserably and my feet would stumble off that straight line.

Sloan questions. Oh me oh my. "Describe in detail what you thought, felt, said, and did." Every question seems similar in wanting to know an impact created or some difficulty you have overcome. My trouble is trying to figure out which experiences in my life - professional, comm service, personal - should be used to create my entire "package." So far I am drawing from work for the Cover Letter and #3, extracurricular for #1, personal for #4, and #2...??

"Please tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined, expected, established, or popular.

"I went beyond what was 'popular' the day I got rebellious and pierced my belly back in 1998 (The idea was still so new, Britney Spears didn't even have hers done yet!) at the Shilin night market in Taiwan, a very unsanitary place where cockroaches roam. It was very unexpected because my parents never knew about it - and still don't. Then I hit up the clubs in Taipei city and scared all the conservative Taiwanese with my halter tops (I just had to show of the new, glittering belly!) and pants slit all the way up to the thigh. I decided to liven up the party by dancing with some visiting European chicks on table tops. Wanting to be the new fashion queen, I dressed up my school wardrobe by wearing skirts over pants and by sewing flowery patterns on the seams of all my jeans. Thus, I went beyond what was defined in my fashion style... or lack thereof."

I don't think that will go over very well with the Sloan adcom. :-)

Need My Daily Caffeine

2005-11-10T12:00:00.002-08:00

That is the last time I'll be at the Starbucks on Capital Ave. on a workday morning.

Wait in line: 10 minutes.
Order time: 10 seconds.
Wait for the drink: 20 minutes.

Total: 30 minutes (and 10 secs) of standing in my 3 1/2-inch boots - a girl cannot live without her boots! - while enduring the high-pitched voice of the lady behind me yap about how amazing it is to get a quick job through monster.com.

The Starbucks in Fremont - Mission & AutoMall Pkwy - are way less crowded, and I can be in and out w/ my steaming tall non-fat peppermint mocha (no whip please) in 2 min tops. Staying up until 3 AM everyday pounding out these apps, morning caffeine is becoming my daily dietary need (and alternative to red bull) to keep my drowsy eyes awake and alert throughout 3-hour design meetings.

There is a God.

On the MBA front, Kellogg interview is next Friday. Meeting the alum at his office. If you haven't checked it out yet, go to Accepted.com's Interview Database.

One Stanford recommendation is in! Two more to go. C, you are AWESOME. Need to get her a gift! Less than 2 months to go for RD2! Good luck, y'all!

Pamper Yourself

2005-11-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

Seriously. It's so good to take time outside for YOU just to pamper YOU and feel good about YOU.

I just finished from a loonnngg soak in the tub. Feel so relaxed and pampered. Ladies, you know what I'm talking about. *grins* Totally. If I were a man, I think the ladies would love me because I'd know how to romance them in all the right ways... Uhh... ok. Inflating my own ego here. Hah! (Or maybe it's from too much testosterone in the workplace. Calling all females - need more female engineers!!)

Anyway...

Lying there reflecting, while enjoying the feel of the lukewarm water against my skin, I drafted an entire Chicago essay in my head. Woo-hoo! Now it's time to get it all down on paper - I mean, Microsoft Word.

Progress

2005-10-30T16:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever greedily bitten into a piece of cake and ended up with most of the frosting on your face instead of in your mouth? This is exactly how I feel about most of my essays right now. Topics and words all over the place and still not quite hitting the target on the bull's eye.

My Kellogg essays are coming along smoothly with constant re-editing and revising. The others still have a long way to go. My laptop has seriously become my best friend. Forget all the computer programming I do at work, my eyes will be married to LCD screens until all my applications are in. Then the sweat-action kicks in (I will reek of BO for months from pacing the room, unable to sit still.) as I wait impatiently for responses from all the adcoms.

My Kellogg interview is this month. I'm excited & nervous and just praying I'll be able to hit the questions on the head. *breathe in, breathe out* This period in life is really a test of my self-confidence and maturity. Or maybe I just need to pamper myself with more massages...

Happy Halloween, folks!

Mistakes

2005-10-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

I've already made quite a couple mistakes with my MBA application process, but hopefully others can learn from them too.
1) Do your research early. Seriously, just do it like Nike says.
2) Divide your apps among the different rounds. At least by 2nd round you'll know if you were dinged/accepted to 1st round schools, etc.
3) Don't submit your app too early! Even if you feel an app is done, it's good to wait even closer to due date just in case something catches your eye and you want to make a change. I submitted Kellogg Part I wayyy too early (knowing I was going to apply round 2). Now I'm kicking myself in the butt for it.
4) Visit schools if possible. You just learn more about the culture and helps so much with essays!
5) When apps/essay q's come out start working on them already! Even if they're not out yet, you can look at the previous year's app to get a grasp of what may be needed.
6) Plan ahead. Prioritize your time. Pace yourself. I met some people who haven't even started their essays yet, and they're applying round 2. It's almost November!

It's that constant time bomb ticking inside your head... tick... tick... tick... tick... tick...

Click the "Submit" button.

Wait, not yet!

Times like this...

2005-10-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

... prioritization really does take first place. It's like holding a book in one hand while simultaneously juggling 9 balls in the other. The book is my sanity. The balls are all my commitments: work, MBA applications, community service, travel (professional and personal), etc. I'm waiting for the circus clown to waddle out from the curtain wings, give a shriek of laughter, and *poof* have the magician wave the magic wand and it's March 2006 when I'll know if I've been accepted/rejected. Then I can plan my life and career from there.

Enjoyed a weekend in Chicago at the GSB Fall Preview! Truly enlightened by the well-prepared organization of events for prospective students. Chicago's adcom is really on top of the ball. I really encourage other MBA seekers to explore Fall Preview next year if applying for '09 or later. Hopefully other schools will organize events like this. I know Sloan has their daily Ambassador Programs. Hopefully I can make it out to Cambridge sometime. I still have yet to explore Boston and Irish pubs. I signed up for most of Stanford's events last May: student lunch, class visit, tour, and info session. I think the most important aspect of attending these events is getting a feel for each program's environment through the students, classes, and campus. It also helps solidify your motivation for going to a particular school - plus aids tremendously in the essays!

If you know you want a MBA then jump on it now. Don't be a procrastinator like I was. It's never too early to start your research - but cramming it as deadlines are approaching like I am will kick you in the butt. I knew I wanted a MBA 4 years ago but got lazy when it came to research. Talk about working under pressure now... ack.

Perhaps I should whip out the pom-pom's stashed at the back of my closet from my cheerleading days and perform a little song and dance: "G-S-B! G-S-B! You-need-me!"

Or maybe I'm just a fool.

Essays...

2005-10-15T01:03:00.000-07:00

1 AM and still working on a Friday night. Well, technically Saturday morning now.

Explain the path that has led you to pursue an MBA...

I know I'm probably aiming for too many schools, but then there's that feeling in the back saying I might regret if I didn't try. All the schools are awesome. Of course my top two choices are the University of Chicago and Stanford. Chicago especially for its academic rigor and competitive nature to challenge myself in the GSB environment. Stanford especially for its culture, connection to the Silicon Valley, and strong general management program. If I could get into either of the GSB's, I would fall to the floor and kiss your feet. Ha, you wish. No. But I would definitely be flying on high sky.

What matters most to you, and why?

Sometimes it can get so nerve-racking talking to my boss about the recommendations. The first time I approached her about it, I had to think very thoroughly about what to say as not to sound like, "I'm outtie. Sayonara!" but to make a compelling argument for why its my time to head back to school without her taking offense or feeling like I'm really leaving... yet. I tried to find comforting words to show that my heart is still in my professional work though I might be quitting in a year. Eek. Whew! I felt like I was gently breaking in a horse for its first ride, speaking soothing words...

To be successful in life, you must be able to distinguish between fleeting trend and genuine innovation. Tell us of a time when you had to make such as a distinction. What, if anything, would you have done differently?

This Chicago question is really tough. I wonder what % of applicants will answer it? I can't come up with any examples myself. Hmm...

I think my brain is fried for the night. 'Til morning.

An experience with Yale SOM adcom

2005-10-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am "another one of those engineers." A software engineer, to be exact. It was interesting when I attended the Yale SOM reception in San Francisco last year. After the presentation a group of aggressive candidates approached Yale's adcom with our multitude of questions. One guy, I remember, started off, "I am an engineer. What are my chances at Yale?"

SOM adcom rep: "Our admissions has this internal joke where we see another application from India and we think to ourselves, 'oh, probably another one of those engineers...'"

Me: "What?! Are you saying that because we're engineers we have a lower chance of getting accepted??"

SOM adcom rep: "No, that's not what I'm saying at all. It's just, umm, our own internal joke..."

I'm not sure if that adcom rep should have told us about her "joke," but (though I'm not Indian) being an engineer I was already a bit miffed over her stereotyping a group of people. I did not think this was the right attitude for adcom to have. (Or at least, she could have kept it to herself in a setting like that??)

Anyway, for having the strongest program in the social sector, I decided to overlook this one rep's comment and focus on Yale's strength that drew me to the school in the first place: Yale's ongoing commitment to its social responsibility to the community. Fortunately, the SOM adcom rep I met at the Forte Foundation San Francisco forum this year was awesome and reinforced my original thoughts on the school.

Yale SOM: Still a candidate in the running.

Blogs...

2005-10-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

They seem like the all the rage these days. I remember getting my first on-line journal from www.livejournal.com back in 2000. Since then, blogs have been popping up all around. One can only imagine how much data is floating around there on the good ol' world wide web. They just keep building 'em servers, and its amazing that the traffic doesn't seem to jam up as bad as the Los Angeles freeways during rush hour. Bless the internet gods.

Now its my turn to add another profile and more data into the overflowing pool. With all the competition as MBA applicants race to pump out strong apps and fight for the limited spots at top schools, I can only hope my head is one of those that is still above the surface at the end of the swim.

What I have going for me? My passion, my interest, my craving, my intellect, my curiosity, my determination, my clear goals.

What I have going against me? My age, my experience (or lack thereof), my time.

It's already October. Nearing mid-October at that. Round 1 will come and go, as I know I am not at that point to submit any apps yet. All schools will all be Round 2. Less than 3 months away. Can I do it? Can I compete? It's never too late to play the game. Focus your eye on the prize. You lose some, you win some.

Checkmate.