A special gift

My sister came over today and surprised me with a little token of her elation on my MBA news. So, what does she get for me? Hmm...the gift was flat, so I think it's a book. I'm not sure I mentioned this in my other posts, but I LOVE books. I think there's a name for people who have this passion (NO, it's not DORK), but it slips me mind at this time. Ever since I graduated college, I've really made an effort to read at least one book each month and believe it or not, I've gone back and started seeking out more children's literature, especially my own childhood favorites. I recently finished Mildred D. Taylor's award-winning books including my all-time favorite: Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry along with other books from her series. It's an inspirational, heartfelt and politically & socially charged piece of historical fiction that chronicles the racial and social injustices faced by an African American family in the rural south of the 1930s. It's amazing that as I was reading the book, this country also elected its first colored president--it all seems so surreal.

Anyhow, back to the initial reason for this post. After meticulously disassembling her lovely wrapping, I gave her a fat hug when I saw this: Fancy Nancy!

I'm such a sucker for colorful illustrations and smart little girls. It's so ironic (and silly) that I get into an MBA program and my sister gives me a children's book (maybe it's because she teaches 3rd graders for a living). Hahaha, but I love it and she knows me so well. I think we all need to smile and relive the inner child in us; it makes for a much happier me and I'll take that any day!

"Just not that into me" paves way for new beginnings

After a restful weekend in Hawaii basking under the golden sun and soaking up the Aloha attitude, I think I'm ready to reveal the final decision for my MBA journey. So, Stanfuuurd, Harvard and NYU were "just not that into me" and I am totally fine with that. Sometimes, things just don't work out and although I was wooed, unfortunately, I was never courted. But every new beginning is some other beginning's end (hmm..I think those were the lyrics to some song).

Even without a decision from Columbia, I am excited that the next 3 years of my life will be at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management with their working professional program (I've already started brainstorming all the opportunities that I want to become a part of (Net Impact, Consulting Corps, Int'l Study Practicum...) After much heartfelt conversations with my hubby and my close friends, Davis really makes me happy. I know I hadn't blogged about it before, but I did attend it's annual Peer to Pier networking event in San Francisco last month and by far, the students & alumni at the GSM are solid, intelligent and extremely down to earth. My ideal post-MBA location to work is the bay area and the GSM boosts its largest alumni contingency in this local, so for me, this is a win-win situation. Besides that, my initial foray into my MBA dreams began with Davis about a year ago after realizing that I needed much more from my current profession. I longed for professional development opportunities, enhanced career prospects and an intense desire to work in teams (something that I considerably thrive under and strive for), all of which, I've found at the GSM.

So, as my run for an MBA nears an end in its initial chapter, I wanted to offer a piece of advice for my readers who are merely at the beginning of their own journeys.
I noticed on the blogosphere that many folks are blogging about other top-ranked b-schools, and I have to admit that made me a bit intimidated at first. But then I realized, how many of us are simply choosing schools based on rankings? I've met so many successful people in my lifetime who have accomplished significant things, but who didn't all attend the top 10 programs in the country. I hope my journey encourages others who are thinking about b-schools to also open their minds and realize that attending a top b-school is not an automatic guarantor for success. Ultimately, it's up to YOU and YOU alone to ensure that success happens. Take the douchebags of Enron and GM Motors who graduated from HBS only to make a complete financial fiasco. The rhetoric and oratory skills of our former president also didn't improve with a polished ivy-league b-school degree. With this in mind, I hope that others will see that an MBA is not an end in and of itself, but actually, a means to an end. Whichever means you choose, I hope you choose wisely and are ultimately happy with your decision. Good luck to all of those who are embarking on your MBA dreams, but before I go, I'll leave you with some cool facts I stumbled upon regarding the UC Davis GSM:

1. Lam Research CEO (HBS alumnus) Gives $1.5 Million to Foster New Business Leaders:
Underscoring the importance of leadership in business education at the Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis, Stephen G. Newberry and his wife, Shelley, have pledged $1 million to endow a faculty chair in leadership, as well as $500,000 to create a fellowship that will support MBA students who have great potential as business leaders.

2. The Brass Tacks among the 10 Most Innovative MBA Teams in the World: A team of four UC Davis MBA students advanced to the final round of the 2008 Innovation Challenge, the world’s largest academic competition of its kind produced by consulting firm Idea Crossing and hosted by The Batten Institute at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.

3. Net Impact Trailblazers: In 2008, UC Davis' Net Impact won 'Gold' designation, the highest awarded given to a Net Impact chapter. In 2007, the Davis chapter received the Trailblazer Chapter of the Year and the 2006 Small School Chapter of the Year award. Davis Net Impact is ranked among the top 30 MBA programs in the world for integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into curricula and research by The Aspen Institute's Center for Business Education.

4. Among others, the GSM is also pioneering programs on green technology and will be offering a concentration in public health to prepare MBA students to lead hospitals, government agencies and other organizations.

BTW: I just found out I was nominated for Clear Admit's Best of Blogging for 2008-09..cool beans! Thanks Clear Admit...you guys are clearly awesome! I am quite flattered..I hope this blog has been helpful for you as it has (and will continue to be) for me.

My First Admit

Bright and early at 10am PST, I received a call from an unknown number which I conveniently sent to voicemail. Little did I realize that it was the Admissions Director of the UC Davis MBA program. With a hopeful smile on my face and good thoughts racing through I head, I immediately called back and sure enough, she extended her personal congratulations on my acceptance into their program. Yay! It is such a huge relief to know that my future is filled with much more hope and optimism now. I know an MBA is only a means to an end and wherever that end will be, I'll be equipped with the resources to make it happen! Only last week I was blogging about the wait and now, I have one of my questions answered; it feels amazing, albeit quite surreal, and even as I type this, I don't think it's completely registered in my mind yet. But of course, it will sink in soon enough:)

UPDATE: I received my nifty admit package in the mail on Friday..yay! It's for reals!!

The Wait

I've been slacking on my posts b/c apparently, this waiting game has been excrutiatingly painful. I had my interview with UC Davis a week ago and so far, nothing. Haven't heard back from any of my other schools either, so I'm fearful of not-so-great news coming my way next week--eek! Anyhow, the only thing that's been updated thus far is the HBS director's blog which reads

"Something for Everyone!
Date: March 24, 2009
This is the time of year when we have all three rounds in play, so here is some news for everyone:

Round One Waitlist - We will be extending offers of admission to about 40 round one waitlisters shortly after April 2. We will continue to maintain a waitlist and Eileen Chang will send out an update in early April.

Round Two Notification - April 2 is the notification date. All decisions will be released online - you will receive an email instructing you to check your status. We won't be making any congratulatory phone calls in advance of April 2!"

One can only cling on to whatever hope is left in this bschool journey, but geesh..let's just get the pain over with and tell us, already!

2009 MBA Scholarship: Apply now!

I wish someone had told me about this when I started my process for bschool, so in keeping with my promise to give back, I'm going to encourage all of you who are embarking on your MBA dreams to apply for this awesome opportunity to save LOADS of your own money with the 2009 Beat the GMAT Scholarship. Any of the prizes would be worth it for me b/c you still receive a free Manhattan GMAT prep course, which I highly recommend to anybody preparing for their GMAT. I blogged about MGMAT in my earlier posts in 2008, so browse my archive. BTW: I should add that the contest is open to both U.S. & international students. Anyhow, here's the cool prizes they're offering:

* First Prize ($5490 total value)
o $500 Cash
o One full Manhattan GMAT course
o 1 School Comprehensive Package with Stacy Blackman Consulting

* Second Prize ($2310 total value)
o $500 Cash
o One full Manhattan GMAT course
o 2500-word Editing Service with Stacy Blackman Consulting

* Third Prize ($2210 total value)
o $500 Cash
o One full Manhattan GMAT course
o 1000-word Editing Service with Stacy Blackman Consulting

* Fourth Prize ($2020 total value)
o $500 Cash
o One full Manhattan GMAT course
o Copy of MBA Application Roadmap by Stacy Blackman

* Fifth Prize ($1990 total value)
o $500 Cash
o One full Manhattan GMAT course

The final day to apply is May 8, so get started! What are you waiting for? Besides, it's a great way to jumpstart your application process and be ahead of the game.

The MBA: To do or not to do in this economy

It's been on a mind for quite some time now and at first, I hesitated to post anything about the inevitable shadows of doubt that linger in my head regarding my MBA in the midst of a horrid economic downturn, but today, I just couldn't resist after reading Stacy Blackman's post on BNET regarding the arrogance of MBA degree holders and questionable viability of the three letters during this moment in time. The post hit close to home and I had to share my ponderings with you. The other week, I calculated my monetary investments (thus far) in my quest for an MBA and here's what I came up with:

1. MGMAT Prep Course: $1390
2. Estimated Travel Expense to MGMAT/Info Sessions: $475
3. GMAT Exam: $250
4. Bschool Application Fees: $1075

GRAND Total: $3190...yowsers!

I guess this is why most of my friends are not getting MBAs anytime in the near future. Already, the financial investment towards an MBA is a huge hurdle for many of us who work in the education/nonprofit sector, and this is not even calculating the mental fatigue of sleepless nights, stressing, worrying before, during and after the application process. If accepted, I have to submit a deposit and so forth. The potential MBA bill is scary to say the least but even as I type this post, I know that investing in myself is the best and most secure financial decision I will ever make in my life. I hope that once I achieve my own dreams, I can enable those of others who find themselves in a similar situation. I can't help but wonder how many people whose dreams are stunted because of the immense financial obligations they must take care of (mortgage, flood insurance (just got my letter to renew), car payments, food, the list goes on). I am fortunate that somehow my hubby and I have managed to weather the storm and stay afloat even as friends around us are facing foreclosures and bankruptcies (I know, crazy, right?).

Even more, I am thankful that I am chronicling my journey in this blog. Many moons from now when I look back, it will be meaningful to remember all the little steps I had to take (and countless sacrifices my hubby has had to make) for me to realize my MBA aspirations. So, I say: Yes, the dismal economy does take its toll on me, but does it deter me from my original goals? No way, dude! It only makes me that much more determined to go after them. I believe that it is especially during moments such as these, there is so much room for MBAs to do great things with their knowledge and resources. I can't wait to be one of them.

Seattle Here I Come!

As promised, I've signed up to run the inaugural Seattle half marathon in June..yay! I'm so psyched! This is going to be my fourth one and hopefully, I can focus more on increasing my pace this time around. It is yet another reason for me to keep my fitness goals alive and well as I kick off the beginning of 2009. I know this year will bring many more new beginnings for me and I can't tell you how juiced I am about all of it. If you had asked me two years ago where I saw myself, I certainly wouldn't have been trying to complete my fourth half. BTW, if any of you considering joining me in Seattle, I do have a coupon code to get $10 off the current reg fee of $85. Just leave a message and I'll send it your way!

Whoo hoo! I can't wait to sink my teeth and my soles into the likes of Seattle. I've always been enamored with the birthplace of Starbucks and the home of the Space Needle...now I get to experience it myself. I'll have to catch some Foodnetwork and Travel channel shows to find the best places to dine on the freshest seafood--wowie! I can't wait! This is certainly going to keep me nice and occupied as I wait in limbo to hear back from my prospective Bschools...thank goodness!