Tis the Season...and a month away from Round 2 Deadlines!

Mood:  Re-Energized.  I've been slacking on the application process again, and with a little more than a month away from the due dates, I'm ready to ramp things up full speed!

Musing:  Kind of bittersweet that the Occupy movement is no longer, though in my dear PNW city, the movement was starting to drive me nuts.   Our office was just 2 blocks away from where the protesters had set up a tent city, and I was able to observe it each day from the comfort and security of my office window.

I used to walk by the Occupy tent city on the way to the gym, (made sure to change out of my suit and into gym clothes as even suits in my PNW city are a rarity unless you are going to court) and was intrigued by the messages on the signs.  Having participated in a number of protests and demonstrations back in the day (mostly relating to budget cuts, school funding, and the War on Iraq) I was slightly sympathetic to the protesters but in retrospect, wondered if they might have taken a cue from the organizations they were protesting: having a solid identity, message and brand really could have helped their cause.  

It was hard to understand what their desired results were, what they wanted to accomplish because of their varied statements: "Free Tibet!" to "Shut down Guantanamo Bay!" to "Stop your Spending!" (um, you're saying that to the girl who is carrying 4 shopping bags and has already tried to hide her credit cards?) and perhaps if they had a united message and with the proper spin and "marketing", they could have gotten more people to identify with their cause.  Of course, using iPhones and smart phones to share their message, bundling up in cozy Patagonia jackets and using the Starbucks and Mcdonalds restrooms might have also worked again their credibility...

Ugh. Probably the most pretentious Ad Campaign ever, courtesy of Patagonia on Black Friday

As I am working towards Round 2 Application Deadlines....I realize I really do have my work cut out for me!

A lot has happened in my life since I scratched out my last posting including:

• A spectacular trip to Singapore & Indonesia for work and a magical weekend in Bali spent biking through rice paddies, riding (and falling off of) motorbikes, snorkeling, spas and delicious food and chasing sunsets.
• Initiated, planned and hosted a fairly successful Happy Hour for the Educational Foundation I am a part of through my company...hardest part was that I was in Asia for the weeks leading up to the event, but luckily I had some amazing team mates that helped get everything in order.
• Room mate announcing that she is moving to South Lake Tahoe to unofficially become a snowboarding bum, which will result in me moving back home by the end of month... I'll be too caught up with apps to figure out where else to live, so I'll be at home for the time being.
• My personal life had gotten kind of um, complicated, which in retrospect detracted from my original plans of focusing on the B-School applications during the home stretch.  Well, no longer, and I'm feeling pretty good about moving forward!

Leading up to this major deadline, I found myself sneaking peeks at my friends Facebook photo albums of their first years at B-School.  I know that I’m probably over-glamorizing the whole experience in my mind and that what the photos and status updates depict might not actually be what happens in reality *cough* Kardashian Wedding* cough* but at the same time, it seems like they are having an incredible time even through Finals Week.

I might say a little about my school visits to Columbia and Kellogg as they really helped me solidify my decision.  What I realized is that, to be blunt, screw applying to schools just for the sake of applying!  I had to get serious about the next big commitment of my life, which leads me to my next analogy: school visits are a lot like online dating -  you may have built up in your mind this amazing idea of what a school is like, but you can’t really make a decision of whether it is right for you until you go and visit and have that interaction.

Kellogg: The cute Midwestern guy

None was more true than when I visited Kellogg and Columbia in the middle of October (wow. a month and a half ago?!)   In my mind, I had been “researching” and “learning about” the two schools, even to go as far as communicating with the schools virtually, emailing them questions and letting them know I’d be visiting campus.

On paper, they were both, um, very handsome specimens :)  Kellogg I considered to be friendly, social, and down to earth, but also cold (literally – right outside of Chicago the Windy City) and err… large? (student body was pretty big  - how would I fit in?) and perhaps not the best looking (had heard from a Northwestern friend that the campus was um, homely).  Regardless, it exuded that Midwestern, down-to-earth charm where you’d feel very comfortable being yourself. 

Columbia: The Sexy NYC stud

Columbia on the other hand was as different of a profile as one could imagine- urban, sophisticated, very New York, finance-y, the dapper gentleman who would dazzle you and sweep you off your feet, but you weren’t sure if they’d call the next day (I had doubts about the community feel and closeness of student body after hearing that students lived spread out in New York City). 

The thing about online dating is that you don’t know until the first date whether you're still going to be interested, and the same could be said about the school visit. Sometimes it takes more than one meeting to know how strong the chemistry is, but that first date is very telling, especially if both parties are putting their best feet forward and going in with good intentions.  I figure if I’m going to make the effort to come all the way out to meet them, the very least they could do is reciprocate with an enthusiasm to meet me ;) This was true at Kellogg, but not so evident at Columbia. 

Let me explain:

When I visited Columbia in October, I had plans to attend the informational session and a few class visits, perhaps chat with students and walk around.  My first impression stepping foot on campus was wow – the architecture was beautiful.  Immediately, I was attracted to the school at the visual level, because the aesthetics reminded me of my previous longest-lasting relationship - my undergrad Alma Mater, in all its Gothic beauty – you can say I have a type when it comes to campuses :)

Wanting to keep an open mind, I first decided to attend the info session.  On the way there, I ran into a friend from undergrad and we were both very surprised to see each other.  After catching up briefly before the session, he offered to answer any question I had.  This was a good sign – mutual friends!   During the session though, I was continually waiting for all my reservations I had about the school to be assuaged (living in an expensive city, finding housing, a close-knit community of students, strengths in areas outside of finance) and the answers did little to convince me in the other direction.  It’s like when you ask your date if he still smokes (after marking “Trying to Quit” on their profile) and he mentions he wouldn’t in front of you.  Yes, you find some comfort in that answer, but the bottom line is, no matter how they word it, the fact still remains.

At times, I also question the intention that many of these schools have for seeking so many applicants - that's $250 per person they rope into applying!  Are they giving you false hope, and just want you to apply so that the application rates will rise and they will look more selective by comparison?  Are they sugarcoating their answers on the tough questions, and will they think of you differently for even asking?

While the whole presentation centered on how amazing NYC is, the wonderful resources Columbia had to offer and the connections with Wall Street, I didn’t feel myself fitting in with the most desirable characteristics of the school.  Even the class visits were above my head, as they had only offered second year courses.  The professors for those classes, according to the students I spoke with, left much to be desired.  At the end of the day, while eating sushi in Morningside Heights with a friend that attends Columbia Law School, I realized that, at the most basic level, CBS was wonderful, but just not for me.  One might even say, "You're Just not that into It" ;)  Is it then time to relegate them to the “friend zone?” (aka don’t apply this round, but keep on your radar?)

After a semi-disappointing visit to Columbia, I entered my Kellogg visit the following day with a bit of a sense of trepidation.  I wondered in my mind whether I had built up this ideal, perfection in a school that was unattainable, and decided I needed to decide what my non-negotiables were (campus aesthetics – meh, fit with interest and future plans – crucial) as well as to, please excuse the cliché, Just Go With It (terrible movie, by the way!) 

Driving up to the campus, I started to feel butterflies building in my stomach.  It was the complete opposite of Columbia in that the buildings were modern, not as beautiful, but the sun was shining, the leaves were turning and students were walking and chatting.  The day-long date just kept getting better, and I could tell the school had put out its best foot for prospective students.  The class visit that I sat in on was phenomenal and blew my mind.  The teacher had won numerous awards and was funny, knowledgeable, engaging and quirky: everything I desired in a professor, and especially in a first year class.

They had assigned student ambassadors to show us around, so I really appreciated the personal gesture, but the highlight of the visit culminated in individual time with the admissions director.  Instead of doing a formal presentation, she gathered myself and 3 other prospective students in her office and just opened us up to ask questions to have a heart-to-heart dialogue.  It was without pretense, she spoke genuinely and honestly, and the entire experience put me at ease – everything that you’d want in a school visit AND a first date :)

When I left Kellogg, I could feel my heart beating rapidly.  This school was so right for me – down to the close interaction between the students, classroom dynamics, strengths, and that indescribable feeling that I could really see myself there for two years.  I knew that I was going to apply and felt very strongly about the school – the only question was, would they feel the same way about me? 

So this brings me to my list of four schools, in no particular order:

• Harvard Business School ~ January 10th
• Stanford GSB (joint program with MBA & Masters of Education) ~ January 11th
• Kellogg School of Management ~ January 11th 
• Haas School of Business ~ January 18th

It was a long, arduous choosing process, with lots of fretting, soul searching and going back and fourth, but I’ve visited all four schools, connected with current and former students of the schools, and feel that for similar and different reasons, they are great matches for me.  I will continue my “wooing” of these schools, submit the best applications I can muster up, and keep expressing my interest.   I’ll have to prepare myself for the possibility of rejection and knowing that the feelings are not reciprocated, but I want to know that I did everything that I could to show my interest and the best I have to offer.

A few months ago, I asked a co-worker to write my peer LOR, and yesterday, after dragging my feet for what seemed like eternity, I finally gathered up the courage to ask my direct boss for the dreaded Letter of Recommendation.  It was difficult first because he works on the East Coast and secondly, because I have a hard time with the ask, but I knew that it would be best to get the letter from him as he knew me best and I had worked directly under him for the last 2+ years.

I had initially spoken with another partner in the firm who was fully supportive and agreed enthusiastically to write one of the letters but also gave me some foreshadowing about the more tepid response from my direct boss and the company president.  There were all these times earlier I had planned on asking my boss when he was in the office a month ago (the same time we were doing some "company reorganization") or right before Thanksgiving Break (his birthday and he broke his leg) but they all just happened to be horrible timing so I felt it best to wait.

Come Monday morning, he's in our office for our Firm-Wide Team Meetings this week and he asks to meet with me.  Turns out, the partner had given him a head's up over the weekend.   In our conversation, he expressed his surprise of my decision and as expected, tried to talk me into staying by offering additional opportunities and growth.

As he spoke of his own graduate school experience, how he wished he would have waited, the burdensome student loans, I could feel doubts creep in.  But reality snapped in as I realized, that after a year of indecision, slogging through the GMAT, visiting and falling in love with different schools, and starting the application journey, I was not about to give in.   "I appreciate everything that this company has offered...but I'm still very determined to go to business school and put forth the strongest application possible."  (Or something along those lines)  While I think he certainly understands where I'm coming from, it will be hard to transition my portfolio as a small company...and I'm starting to dread the conversation with the president, who I will also be meeting with.  Especially considering our huge office holiday bash will be this Friday *GULP*

I fully plan on working full steam ahead the next few weeks until January 10th, when the first application is due.  Up until then, you can expect to hear from me fairly regularly throughout my brain-freezes and writers blocks as I polish up these essays :)

Thank you for your patience in reading through what may be my longest posting yet - Just making up for lost time here :)

Keep on Rockin' (around the Christmas tree)

Mango

PS - Check out my interview with Accepted.com!! 

Bali Sunset @ Nusa Lembogan Island, Jungut Batu Beach *SIGH*
 

Update to come...very soon this week!

Holy cow.  It seems that I have not updated this blog for the last month and I can literally hear tumbleweeds blowing on here (I know how Google+ feels now...)

In between being on the road for work (2 weeks straight and 5 cities), visiting 2 b-school campuses (reflections to come), college friends in 2 major cities on the weekends, celebrating turning a quarter-century and the continual clean-up of my house that ensued (I'm still finding boa feathers and glitter from a house party exactly a month ago), assuming some new responsibilities at work, having temporary custody of my cat again, battling and winning the first bad cold I've had in years (my desk at work is stocked with enough leftover pills, cough drops, meds and sizzurp that it might pass for a small pharmacy), plotting my Halloween costume (topical and hand crafted, I'm very pleased with myself) and preparing for my upcoming trip to NC/Asia, I have not been good at maintaining the blog.

But that all changes this week!  Before I jet off again next week, I plan on detailing where I am up until now and my application progress, and plan on making up for lost time (with the proper amount of some-e-card images inserted to express exactly how I feel).  I also just emailed responses to Accepted.com for their MBA Applicant Blogger Interview, so I am really getting back into things!


The major news is that I've FINALLY narrowed down to 4 schools that I will suck up and pay the $250 application fee and send my very best "me" condensed into stats, essays, a resume and letters for R2 consideration.  After starting out with 9, then 7, then 6, 5 and 4, it feels good to have that determined!

Bedtime! Talk soon :) 

If I could send my blog an e-card....and my apologies for being MIA!

Getting down to the Wire (Good thing I didn't start watching the show, I've learned my lessons in procrastination from college)

Mood:  Inspired. Just co-facilitated a workshop today on multidisciplinary 21st century skills.  If you haven't deduced yet, I work in consulting in the educational sector :)  After sharing this TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson to highlight the importance of inventive thinking, I was reminded again of why I'm in the field of education, why I hope to remain here long-term, and why there needs to be change especially in the approach and organizational structure.  This is a rant best saved for another blog entry, but it is something that I'm quite passionate about, and hope to shape it into a running theme of my B-School essays.

Music: Revisited my Jack Johnson Pandora station.  It reminds me of last spring when my best friend and I backpacked (we like to call it flashpacking) through SE Asia and would put Jack Johnson on in the evenings while were sitting in our cabanas, looking up at the stars.  Those flashpacking trips (we've covered Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Mexico, and most recently, Brazil) bring me back to when I was truly carefree and removed from the crazy realities of life.  On a bus once, we asked our driver to put on our iPod.

His response?  "As long as its not that awful Jack Johnson or John Mayer sh*t the backpacker kids always make me play!" to which we responded, "Uh...no. It's Britney :)"

Remote Ko Lipe Island in Thailand...the best 2.5 weeks of my life :)

Random Musings:  I've just updated my LinkedIn page, started connecting with my clients, and am trying to pull all my different social-media identities on the web into a central location, through an "about.me" page.  I figure about.me is the quickest way to summarize what I am about, almost like a virtual business card! 

With 1 week left, the pressure is building!

In the past, when I have had to cram for exams, I've always found reasons to procrastinate.  Case in point: My sophomore year, I had stayed away from all the hype surrounding Grey's Anatomy until finals week when I was looking for a distraction.  That came in the form of McDreamy, McSteamy and during those fateful few weeks, I crammed while watching almost an entire season.  Two years later, it came in the form of Pac Man on Facebook.  Amidst writing final papers, I perfected my Pac Man strategies and wound up as one of the top 50 players in the world, my profile proudly displayed on the winner circle.   That week I received a flurry of messages from Pac Man fans all over, friend requests, some asking for pointers while others had more uh, odd requests.  They're pending in case I am ever in need of a self esteem boost, ha!

Surprisingly, I've avoided getting hooked on any new TV show or achieving champion level of any games (though I'm so ready to get back into bar trivia nights!).  I chalk this up to maturity, and of course, my job.  Last week, we had our quarterly, all-day firm-wide team meetings where I was catching up on work in the evenings, which is generally reserved for GMAT.  Last Tuesday afternoon, I was looking forward to getting in some much needed time with permutations and probability, my greatest weaknesses in Quant, when I was shooed along to a company-mandated associate dinner.   It was like a family reunion, with many of my out-of-town co-workers coming back and we had a blast indulging in delicious PNW food,  sending drinks back and forth, and catching up.  As much as I wanted to socialize afterward and go karaoke with the group, I knew that studying was the wiser decision and I couldn't give my best rendition of "Since U Been Gone" knowing that my GMAT books were probably thinking the same thing about me.

Of course, this past weekend was dedicated to more studying. After taking another practice test on Sunday, my score went down to 690.  When I saw that score, I panicked. What is going to happen, am I doomed to be hovering around the 700-mark, not knowing if I would go over or under? I know that 700 is the big hurdle to jump over, but I didn't want to just hop over it, I wanted to clear it with a lot of breathing room.  So I decided to analyze my test scores, and direct my focus to my weak spots.  Since I had purchased the Manhattan GMAT set, this provided access to 6 practice exams online. I could take each exam multiple times, and I had two others from the GMAC, so I did not need to worry about running out of exams to take.

Here's the crazy thing - I've worked through much of the GMAT OG, Manhattan GMAT series, as well as Kaplan and Princeton review guides.  I placed sticky notes on each page detailing the problems I got wrong and right.  I timed myself on individual problems from the books and generally stayed under 2 minutes for math, close to 1 minute for writing.  Why was I doing well in practice problems but not so well on the Exam?  Why am I coming out confident but missing almost half of the problems?  I've come to realize that a lot of it is just due to the nature of the test and testing - I have a terrible time pacing myself in Quant and need to be better at distinguishing when to complete and when to skip problems so I don't get trapped at the end. 

So.  Crunch time counting down to test day, a week away.  My goal? Take a practice test daily leading up to G-Day.  A little extreme?  Nah.  I am determined to conquer and be comfortable with the test!

Yes, those are Sentence Correction post-it notes stuck on my door :)

To close, I'll admit I'm a huge fan of success stories and happy endings.  When a hero faces an obstacle and over comes it despite their shortcomings.  Well. I'm definitely no hero but the GMAT is a beast.  I remember referring to the application process as a marathon not a sprint. The GMAT is a huge mental marathon. And all the practice problems are like mini sprints.  Looking back, I should have spent equal time on my test-taking abilities, as those have declined as well.  Knowing the information is one thing, but being about to pound it out problem after problem and while your confidence is eroding?  That takes instinct, resolve, and of course, practice.

Steve Prefontaine is a great hero where I'm from.  This was one man who embodied charisma, confidence, and endurance, not to mention he really knew how to rock the 'stache ;).  "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"

I know my best is somewhere in there... Let's hope it comes out when it really counts!

Less than a week until G-day!!

Mango

PS - A recent incident (aka realization that I am reaching my quarter-life mark) prompted me to reflect on what I hope to accomplish by age 30.  As determined as I am to attend B-School, I don't want that to be my only significant accomplishment in the second half of my 20's.  As I post entries, I hope to add to the 30 x 30 list and hopefully that will reveal a little more about my aspirations outside of my career, and my personality :)

to start...

30. Give a TED talk about something I can claim some sort of expertise in (outside of Pac Man). Inspire others. Make them chuckle.

Getting back on the proverbial horse...

****Posting from the plush comfort of the Las Vegas Airport*****

Mood: Determined (to get back on track)

Song: What the Hell by Avril Lavigne (keep reading on...)

Random musing(s):   

As annoying as having a 3 leg flight back home from Philly, where I was at a conference this week, the positive is that it makes my Frequent Flier accounts happy!  Flying direct would perhaps take only 5 hours, but I earn 4812 miles (doubled by airlines).  With the 3 legs, I get more mileage (6452 total to be exact)!

As you might have deduced...I'm kind of a procrastinator and have been handsomely rewarded for my bad habits :).   I did some crafty sleuthing for this last minute flight and searched two one-ways on Orbitz, (much cheaper than booking a round-trip on Orbitz), fiddled around with filters, then booked this ticket through eBates which gives me cash back for shopping.   The result? A red-eye out and this crazy route through Vegas back for less than I was originally planning on paying.  What else was I going to do? Blog? Sleep? Study? Angry Birds? I can do that on the plane with an endless stream of beverages!  Apparently there are several websites to help you calculate the potential miles when choosing plane tickets, if you are interested in that sort of thing ;)

Dear Friends, Family, and random readers of Por Que MBA:

I have a confession to make: I've not been good.  The other day I was driving in my car to the gym and Avril Lavinge’s latest song came on: “All my life I’ve been good but now, oooh I’m thinking what the hell”  I won’t get started on her lyrical abilities or her "relationship" with the Hills "star" Brody Jenner (Really? Matching tattoos?) but this song struck a chord with me, no pun intended. 

Taken into the context of my B-School preparation, I’ve not been good as I was with my preparation, and am seriously thinking, what the H--- is going on because I need to get back on track!  Since my decision late last year to apply, I’ve been so focused, up to the point of constant immersion with B-School dreams and information.  Unfortunately in last month or so, my preparation has weaned and my GMAT studying has been minimal. 

There are several things to blame (myself first and foremost), in no particular order of significance:

5. Travel schedule, consisting of on-site client work/conferences/workshops during the day and catch up at night.  With the last month, my schedule has been totally caddywhompus due to some last minute business trips, which where snuck onto my calendar.  My study schedule, especially with study buddy "H" had gotten off kilter and it has been difficult to stay focused. My boss has assured me that July will be slower in terms of travel, where as last July I was on the road 3 out of 4 weeks.  I remind myself that the last time he said that, I flew out last minute to Singapore shortly after.

4.  Distractions in social life; spending time with friends/people of the opposite gender and a sudden spike in out of town friends visiting and staying with me.  I've resolved to tourniquet these social distractions...we'll see how well it works!

3. Doubt! Other than being a fantastic movie in my DVD blue ray collection which I have yet to watch, doubt is an incredible deterrent from preparing, and throughout the process, reasons to not apply have kept coming back.  The price tag of the education is pretty steep, which can’t be ignored.  Timing for going next year as opposed to later, where I can build up additional experiences.  All the reasons referenced in previous posts.  I’ll probably continue coming back to this, but even as I have committed to at least APPLYING, doubt is like crack to my procrastination.

                       This is what I felt like before....but replace "World" with "GMAT"

2. No set deadline for taking the GMAT - it is hard when you have an amorphous amount of time to prepare.  I will continue this thought below...

1. LIFE.  You will always find some other excuse to get occupied.  In all honesty, for a short period of time, I was loathing studying because it was so discouraging, I kept forgetting the same basic math concepts relating to exponents and number theory.  I got simple questions wrong, and I had the hardest time getting back into good study habits.

Then I read this Poets & Quants article, which correlated increased GMAT Scores (10 pts) to a rise in salary ($3,000).  I'm usually skeptical about these things and am not obsessing about graduating salary at this point, but I realized the overall message - the better you do on the GMAT, the better your chances are of getting into your dream school (regardless of how high it ranks or selectivity) and then the better your odds are of getting to that dream job.  In the scope of things, prioritizing GMAT studying for a few months could yield great results.  Besides, when I put my mind to something and I do well, the satisfaction makes it all worthwhile!  I know I might have slacked recently, and tend to be hard on myself for these sorts of things, but it's not too late to get back on track.

This brings me to my latest dilemma. I recently had a positive performance review in which my company highlighted areas where they want me to play a greater role in.  Recently, an opportunity has emerged with an open, "unclaimed" region in our client portfolio;  an exotic international region which I’ve had longtime interest in.  I’m contemplating asking my supervisor to take over that area; I currently manage one of our largest East-Coast portfolios.  In turn, I could possible share my current region with another new associate and mentor them.  Obviously my work load will be much heavier, but will the rewards be worthwhile?

The dilemma lies in how to balance my current and future workload, "distractions" of any sort and GMAT prep.  I think this is something that other MBA hopefuls also struggling with – whether to take on added responsibilities that might propel us to higher levels, challenge us, increase confidence from our supervisors, and that offer a diversity of learning experiences to draw from, but juggling that with GMAT/B-School preparation.  When I’m not working, I feel like I need to be studying, and often when I’m on the road my work/personal time boundaries are blurry. 

Meaning, getting back to the hotel after a long day of on-site work, I can either catch up on work that I’ve missed during the day, study the GMAT and work on B-school research, sneak in a workout or soak in the hotel jaccuzzi.  All while watching CSI Miami in the background, though its hard to multi-task with David Caruso’s one liners :)

                                 check out this new place in Philly - you won't be disappointed!

Case in point: this past week, I’ve been working the conference and my Monday consisted of conference craziness 8-6, updating team notes 6-8, dinner with co-workers 8-10 at delicious Barbuzzo , and catching up on work from 10-midnight.  The next day, I woke up for a 6:30 a.m. Webinar presentation to a new client in Bahrain before hitting the conference again. 

Where was GMAT studying in all of this? Embarrassingly enough, absent, much like my patience for spotty wireless, dang you AT&T mobile card!  The last thing I want to do after working all day is crack open the GMAT book, even though its staring at me from my hotel nightstand.

Two take aways:

A:  Standing on your feet in heels all day is a pain.  LITERALLY.  I proudly admit I’m a shoe girl and I love my heels.  Bring two pairs of shoe and rotate out, as the pain is from pressure points on the foot which would then be distributed.  Different shoes impact different pressure points, and that should help alleviate the pain.  

B: Find ways to stay motivated about the application process and remain immersed in B-School thoughts.  I try not to lose sight of these goals.  Through my networking at the conference, I met several educational entrepreneurs which I plan on following up with, and a graduate of Kellogg who currently works there.  Speaking with them provided me with an idea of what I can do with the MBA and kept me reminded that I need to keep moving forward. During the breaks, I would check the GMAT flashcard app on my phone from Veritas Prep and Beat the GMAT.

I guess the biggest news to share, is that….*drumroll please*….for the indecisive girl that procrastinates like crazy… I've FINALLY signed up for the GMAT!  The magic date is August 8^th - I feel like this needs to be made into a fridge magnet like the “Save the Date!” wedding ones that I’m starting to receive, and passed out to my friends for them to stick on their fridges.  This way, they can be reminded of the duration of and why I’m going into hiding and that their attempts to flaunt anything entertaining or time consuming will be flatly rejected.

Frighteningly enough, that’s less than 5 weeks away!!!!  However, I've realized that the only way for me to truly be serious and focused about studying is to have a date set on the calendar.  That way, I can see the end in mind and work towards it intently.

I’ve cleverly scheduled the test on Monday.  I originally was going to do it on a Friday but my study buddy “H” so astutely remarked that it would be wiser to schedule on a Monday so that I could spend the weekend studying, instead of stressed out from working.  I take the test at 8am on Monday, and those who know me know that I'm definitely not a morning person. Uh oh.

Here's the best part: That Friday, I fly to Vegas with my room mate and a gaggle of our girlfriends to celebrate our birthdays - her’s is in August, mine is in September.  My actual birthday is close enough to Round 1 apps that I plan on having a cupcake and mai tai shipped to the public library where I’ll be holed up battling writer's block, rules banning candles and alcohol be damned!  It will be my very first time in Vegas...I've never had a strong desire to go but I figure it will be shortly after the GMAT and I'll either need to celebrate, or make some terrible decisions so that I can feel better about my score. Ha.  Just Kidding. I'm starting to panic as it really is, crunch time.  

My strategy for the next few weeks will consist of:

1. Taking a practice test weekly, in the similar environment as the testing center.  Actually follow through with Analytical Writing a few of the times, use the CAT that Manhattan GMAT and the Official GMAT offer, use earplugs and mimic the testing center conditions.

2. A dedicated study schedule that will follow, as closely as possible, 2 hours on week days and 5 hours on weekends.  I have the entire Manhattan GMAT series to work through.

3. Detailed analysis and drilling of my weak spots.  So far, it's still Data Sufficiency, anything with probability and permutations, Sentence Correction here and there.  Finding a way to stay alert through those dreaded Reading Comprehension passages.

I have a 5 day weekend for this 4th of July and was planning on camping at the Coast, but fully intend on using most of the time to catch up on studying.

I hope to be updating this blog more frequently as I near the first round of application deadlines!

As I post this from the Las Vegas airport amidst the clanging of the slot machines, I leave you with two questions and a request for your thoughts / advice:

1. Would you recommend taking on additional responsibilities at work to grow, knowing it could cut into that precious study time or use that time to focus on GMAT and B-School preparation?

2.  How do you stay focused on GMAT preparation, and study strategies, when there seems to be distractions all around?  

Thank you all for reading!!  Seeing the increase in traffic to my blog is definitely encouraging, and being featured on one of my favorite MBA websites, Poets and Quants is huge honor.   I hope to keep you all inspired and entertained as we schlep our way through this journey called applying to B-School!

Running to catch a flight (as always),

Mango

The MBA application process is a marathon, not a sprint. It's a good thing I did cross country in high school, even if it was for the pre-race pasta dinners

In the spirit of my old Live Journal postings, I’m going to begin by posting a mood, song, and random musing.

Mood:  Spent (both physically and pocket-bookey, I did some major damage at the mall this past week/weekend!)

Song of the moment:  Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

Pet peeve: Outlet Hogging: when people in airports take up 2 outlet plugs for their laptop and iPhone, when they only need one and can charge their iPhone through their laptop, thus freeing up the extra outlet for someone else (I thought I was ingenious in coining this term, but apparently it already exists)

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog, but I think my time has been spent pretty wisely.  I’m currently blogging from the Wichita Airport in Kansas, where I was working with a client today.  Yes, my work takes me to some pretty random places, and this is my second time in the lovely state; the first to an even more remote town that only had one stop-light.

Surprisingly, I have really enjoyed Kansas this time around.  Upon my arrival, instead of checking out the largest corn dog or the most significant hill, I headed straight to the malls and stores.  I needed some retail therapy after my dismal first practice attempt at the GMAT on Saturday. 

Luckily, I have not run into any tornadoes, though I did have a run in with some pretty awful sushi last night which is comparable in my book. I know, what was I thinking, sushi in Kansas?  Needless to say, I’ve learned my lesson.

The way sushi should be. Hungry yet? :P

Right now, my main focus is getting my GMAT scores up.  At one point early on in my MBA research, I Googled "predict GMAT from SAT".  Silly, I know, I just wanted to see if there was a correlation.  Apparently there is not, though I distinctly remember the musings of one forum poster: “Take your SAT and divide by two”.  He should have said, “Take your SAT, divide by 2, wait just kidding, you’ve been out of school too long and forgot your basic concepts, minus 200, and add some self-despair."  Hah.

I said I would be honest on this blog and update on my progress, so here I go. After 2 weeks of pretty persistent studying (here is a gal who has not hit the books since college) which includes 2/hrs day during the week days and 5/hrs a day on weekends, I decided I was ready to take a practice CAT test downloaded from the GMAC themselves, I figure it has to be legit as I am getting it from the source. 

The application process is starting to creep into my life (and in a few months, will overtake my life) in some crazy ways.  Out at happy hour Friday night, I called out a friend on an unstated assumption (critical reasoning, baby!).  I’ve become that girl at the gym that ellipticals and runs (pun intended) through GMAT flashcards.  In the morning when I wake and before bedtime, I try to look at the essay questions posed by my amorphous top 10 list of schools and think if I have new revelations or stories.  I don’t think I’m obsessive, but I know that there’s a steep hill I need to climb, I'm a little late to the game, and once I set a goal, I’m going to pursue it doggedly until I get it :)

So my friend from HS who I will nickname “H” is also prepping for B-School, and we have decided to be study buddies.  Saturday morning, we hole our selves up at the lovely public library with their study rooms.  For as much $ as I pay the library in taxes (and fines), I need to make use of all their amenities.

To quote Haley from “Modern Family”, “I thought that was a bathroom for homeless people”.

To quote an expression from another show: 

Well.  Yes, but the public library is so much more.  You see, we have one of the best library systems in the entire US in my dear PNW city.  I grew up on public libraries and university libraries.  The library was where I hid out and read "Sweet Valley High", "Babysitter's Club" and "Encyclopedia Brown" as a child, a favorite high-school hang-out (I fully acknowledge my nerdy past), my source for SAT prep, and now I return to the same familiar section for the GMAT material, after occasionally perusing the graphic novels section for The Adventures of Tin Tin books. Don’t laugh.

But then I decided to get serious…and bought the Manhattan GMAT series.  Of course I refused to buy it full price from the official site – that is one of my main tenents of life Don’t pay full price when you don’t have to which is next to Don’t order sushi from a state that is as physically far away as possible from a major body of water. 

So I go through the test, panicking and forgetting most of what I had studied and not pacing myself.  Math problems take me much longer than I had thought and I blank on the shortcuts I had memorized and number properties.  I try to outsmart the system, trying to figure out whether my questions are getting harder or easier, to see if I am doing better or worse. It is the most nerve wracking 75 minutes in my recent life,  besides watching the finale of the Bachelorette, Ali Fedetowsky Season 6. (I kid, I kid. But I still have a special place in my heart for Cape Code Chris, the runner-up.)

I think verbal will be easier, it is not. Rats.  Some how, I am being punished for going out the night before (it was one drink!) and my laundry list of transgressions that week (forgetting to turn off the oven again, buying whole non-organic non-sustainable milk) as the verbal section is terrible (harder than the practice sets in the books).  PLUS I nearly doze off as we get into critical reading.  All I remember is something about El Nino and La Nina and getting hungry for Mexican food.

Verdict? 630, 45Q 31V and around the 73% percentile. Uh oh.  Now for some, that is a great score.  For me, I know I can do better.  Standardized tests are my thing, well at least they used to be.  I have a long and sordid past with the SAT after studying much longer than the traditional test-taker - a few years actually. My parents had their own idea of summer fun.  As I had originally aimed to take the GMAT in April, and I just started seriously studying, I feel that I am very short on time. It's just that many of the tricks that I used to use on the SATs (doing all the easy questions first, scribbling on note paper) do not apply to the computer-adaptive GMAT.

According to the forum poster, I should be scoring 765.  In order to be competitive with the top schools, I need to get a 700+, even more with my GPA (more on that in another post). My goal is 724, 700+ my lucky number of 24. I think I can do it.  I KNOW I can do it :).

Lessons I Learned:

• Be alert during the exam, drink some coffee, pop some Trimspa for caffeine. whatever it takes. 
• Do not guess the system, you will invariably lose. It’s like a casino.
• Pace yourself. Quant should take a little more than 2 minutes per question, verbal a little less.  There are always shortcuts, take some time to decipher the question and your approach before diving in.
• Tune out distractions, especially if “H” is cracking their knuckles incessantly. Learn the ways of the basketball players at my beloved alma matter, who would be unfazed as ruthless, unclassy fans (yes I'm looking at you, Maryland and UNC) shouted obscenities in their face while shooting free-throws.
• Finally, eating beef jerky during the exam is a bad idea. It will distract you and make you hungrier.  (Don't worry, I don't plan on snacking during the actual exam!)

To wrap up, applying for B-school is an extremely humbling and arduous journey.  To borrow from others, "The MBA application process is a marathon not a sprint".  I used to think I was unique with my life experiences, achievements and personality and then I stumbled upon MBA blogs, forum posts and I am blown away by what others have accomplished at a young age.  I read student profiles from the top schools of what the current B-School students have done pre-MBA and post, and I am wondering how I can compete both intellectually.  A part of me is slightly jealous that they have accomplished all AND look so polished and stress-free in their pictures (effortless perfection, a term coined at my undergrad is my first impression!  Photoshop is my second!)  The other part of me, is encouraged, impressed, and relieved knowing that the people that may someday lead our country in the public and private sector have passions and values that are more meaningful than just making dinero.  Call me naive, but reading each of their profiles, I believe that there is something more that makes them tick, something that motivates them to be successful that is greater than themselves.

Then I am reminded that our only president who graduated from B-school (HBS, nonetheless) is this guy, God Bless his soul:

And I am reassured of my ability to be competitive intellectually ;)

******

Alright. I’ve arrived in Denver International. Time to see what delicious airport dining options await me.  I have a sinking feeling that It’ll be Sbarros or Quiznos, neither of which are very appealing right now. All I want is a bowl of brown rice and some chicken.

On the bright side, I found out I was upgraded to first on my leg home!  This can only mean one thing: cocktails and quality time with data sufficiency practice!  

Eagerly awaiting my arrival of the Manhattan GMAT Series almost as eagerly as I await new episodes of Modern Family.

Much love,

Mango

(for those of you who are wondering if I’ve really decided to apply, Yes. I did. I just want to make sure that I am doing it for the right reasons, and to be critically evaluating WHY to help me determine my best options.  But now I am thinking of changing my name from “Porque…MBA” to “Okay…MBA!” Cheesy I know :-D