I decided to apply for an MBA 3 times: once, during my senior year at university, when I was going through my usual routine of contemplating far-away possibilities. The second time came a year later, when I decided not to pursue an MBA in my home-country, knowing I'll one day go for something I deemed bigger and better. I started a Masters in Economics and toyed with that for a couple of years instead.
Then, about two years ago, I got wind of an MBA event in this fancy hotel not far from my apartment, and decided to attend. I felt right at home (I'm still not sure whether this is good or bad). I walked around the schools' stands, talked to as many people as I could. I loved the atmosphere and was almost dizzy by the smell of opportunity. That was the third time - the one that mattered.
I signed up for the GMAT course the very next day. I was working full time, but I gave it all I had. During it all, I read more and more on the entire business school industry and despite the fact I didn't really understand the real meaning of it all (and maybe because), my commitment only strengthened.
Another thing I did was get in touch with an MBA admissions consulting firm, which was then the largest of its kind in my country. I soon realized they were not providing me with the kind of help I've been looking for. Just then one of my acquaintances told me about this another little firm that was just starting up, and I got in touch with them. In many ways, my relationship with the people leading and working for this company, Kisos, paved the way to where I am today.
From that point on, every step of the way introduced a new battle for me. I had a hard time defining where it was I wanted to get to, especially career-wise (unfortunately, I never had a clear and specific dream, a point I could visualize and aim for). I spent more time on my single-paged resume than I ever thought possible (but eventually looked at the end-result as if it was no less than a piece of art). I had a very hard time with my first application (it took me a while to realize the stories I had to tell should reflect on the kind of person I am, my beliefs and my values, rather than on my professional history alone). I had a hard time approaching people I've never spoken to, impress them enough to leave an impression, and get them to share personal experiences. But I was meticulous and determined and open. I grew and improved, and by the time I went to visit schools in the US, a month before the applications were due, I was rather savvy in the art of networking and had acquired the much-needed MBA-acumen.
After tasting the different flavors of the different schools, I returned from my visit with even more determination and much more focus. I submitted my applications, trying to coordinate and refine the endless little details of their many aspects (academic records, GMAT, TOEFL, resume, essays, recommendation letters, online application).
Waiting turned out to be a difficult phase in itself. The approaching schools' notifications occupied my mind every single day. I imagined numerous outcomes and envisioned countless futures. This could build or crush me in many ways, and I was told that the only experience that would have so much (and more) influence on my self-esteem and confidence would be recruiting for companies during the MBA itself.
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I was holding my cell in my hand for about half an hour. The reply from the first school was rumored to arrive that day, 24 hours before the actual time answers were due to start flowing. I knew it was ridiculous - the call could come the next day or the day after, and even then, it could come at any time. It could also not come at all. But sure enough, it came. And it felt so, so good (see my first post for a little more on what it was like)...
Everyone goes through a different experience. Some put in just a few months of work and cross the finish line leisurely and almost untouched. Others, like me, fight through every tiny grain of the process, and after struggling for the longest time, finish drained of energy and distraught. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I learned and I evolved along those many months more than I had ever dreamed I would.
"Preparation is key." Understanding that might just be the best gift Kisos had given me. These people pushed me to dare. Having gone through the same things themselves, extremely experienced and knowledgeable, they taught me everything I needed to know about the MBA world, and so much more. They helped me define what exactly it was that I wanted to get out of myself and out of that big step I was aspiring to take. They helped me unveil my weaknesses and address them methodically. They were there for me - from the very start, through my introspective and endlessly-polished applications, my month-long trip to visit universities, the 3 interviews I managed to land, and even the process of moving to the US. They were true guides. And true friends.
This one is for them.
Sep 9, 2010
Aug 15, 2010
Taking Off
Here are some of the things I did before leaving my country for Chicago: I got a student visa, took care of immunizations as required, signed a considerable loan, found an apartment in Chicago, signed the apartment lease, opened a US bank-account, sorted out technicalities with my previous bank, transferred all my money to the new account, bought a plane ticket for the US, co-organized a shipment to the US, signed up for Zipcar (a flexible car-rental service in the US), signed up for a school-organized trip to an exotic destination, researched and chose a US health-insurance plan, packed most of my belongings into 2 suitcases. And again, this is just a partial list!
I also held a farewell party. It was scheduled for Friday afternoon at a local bar, shaped and styled like your best-friend's apartment. I invited all my close acquaintances, and almost all of them showed up. Even a few people I hadn't invited showed up. At one point, I just stood there and watched everyone as they were going about their mingling and their drinking and their laughing. It suddenly felt very symbolic to have all those people who "survived" with me through the different chapters of my life so far, in what seemed at the time like the line between my previous life and my new life. I liked it and hated it at the same time.
Old life, new life – it might sound dramatic, but since I've never taken a step of this magnitude before, that's how it felt to me. As I said in my previous post, the entire experience had a pleasant feeling of reinventing myself. A friend who was about to take that journey with me said something which perfectly described it: "you get to be as much of you as possible. When you're here, with people who know you and in places you grew up in, you're carrying your entire past on your shoulders. But once you get there you'll be an entirely new David. And this David can be whoever you want him to be."
It's hard to describe how it felt on the last day at home. It was somewhat surreal: listening to my aunt break into tears over the phone, having a quieter-than-usual lunch with my parents, chatting with my brother about dilemmas regarding his own future. It was like waiting for a pre-known verdict. At the airport I told my family they should be happy for me because it was all an amazing thing, one of the best that could have happened to me. They just smiled, hardly comforted by that knowledge.
As the plane was taking off, that thrill I occasionally felt during the previous days disappeared. Trying to look into my future, I only saw a blur, and it got me into an almost apathetic state. The only thing I did feel was a mixture of anticipation and nostalgia - I was anxious to meet that new 2010-David, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed to leave all the other Davids behind.
I also held a farewell party. It was scheduled for Friday afternoon at a local bar, shaped and styled like your best-friend's apartment. I invited all my close acquaintances, and almost all of them showed up. Even a few people I hadn't invited showed up. At one point, I just stood there and watched everyone as they were going about their mingling and their drinking and their laughing. It suddenly felt very symbolic to have all those people who "survived" with me through the different chapters of my life so far, in what seemed at the time like the line between my previous life and my new life. I liked it and hated it at the same time.
Old life, new life – it might sound dramatic, but since I've never taken a step of this magnitude before, that's how it felt to me. As I said in my previous post, the entire experience had a pleasant feeling of reinventing myself. A friend who was about to take that journey with me said something which perfectly described it: "you get to be as much of you as possible. When you're here, with people who know you and in places you grew up in, you're carrying your entire past on your shoulders. But once you get there you'll be an entirely new David. And this David can be whoever you want him to be."
It's hard to describe how it felt on the last day at home. It was somewhat surreal: listening to my aunt break into tears over the phone, having a quieter-than-usual lunch with my parents, chatting with my brother about dilemmas regarding his own future. It was like waiting for a pre-known verdict. At the airport I told my family they should be happy for me because it was all an amazing thing, one of the best that could have happened to me. They just smiled, hardly comforted by that knowledge.
As the plane was taking off, that thrill I occasionally felt during the previous days disappeared. Trying to look into my future, I only saw a blur, and it got me into an almost apathetic state. The only thing I did feel was a mixture of anticipation and nostalgia - I was anxious to meet that new 2010-David, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed to leave all the other Davids behind.
Jul 22, 2010
The Million-Dollar Question
From the very first second you dare utter the concept of going abroad for a masters degree in business, everyone around you gets that weird look on their faces and go: "OK… but why?"
And you'll immediately blurt out your well-rehearsed answer and probably end up convincing them, or at least some of them, that it's the logical next step for you. The answer might even correlate with your response to that same question as it appears in most of the school applications you're working on (I doubt it will). But when you search deep down within yourself, is that the answer you really, and I mean REALLY, believe in?
I've been through this analysis numerous times over the past months. I really did try to figure out whether I was doing it all to fulfill my career aspirations (confused and ill-defined as they might have been) or maybe just for the money. Perhaps I was doing that just so I could run away for a while, getting as close as I could to the romantic notion of "starting over". One of my best friends went so far as to interpret my actions as a symptom of someone who was just trying to postpone life and maneuver away from settling down like a "normal" person.
Why…
As with so many other things in life, the answer is not as deterministic or as concrete as I'd like it to be. Still, I feel good enough about it, really. REALLY.
First, it's my career, which can grow from a common, technologically-centered one, to a people-centered one. I truly feel that passion for something more interpersonal and dynamic, of a completely different nature than what I've been doing so far. Second, I view this kind of an experience as a chance to figure out where I'm going, even if just for a while. Unfortunately, I'm not a guy with a dream. I've never felt I had a calling. I'd simply want to enjoy waking up in the morning for another day, and I think this MBA thing can serve as an amazing candy-store of pathways onto such a professional future. Third, and most importantly, I want the experience. And I'm not just referring to living abroad for a while, or collaborating with amazing international class-mates, or learning from Nobel laureates or even working in Corporate America for zillions of dollars a year. It's everything put together. It's squeezing as much of the world as possible into a short little period of two years. It's the kind of person I can be once I cross the MBA finish-line.
And that's how I answer everyone's questions now, smiling at their doubting faces. Despite the risks, and in spite of all my fears, having come to this realization actually strengthened my confidence and better prepared me for this big step. I especially remember a phone-conversation that really helped me deal with my doubts and fears. My friends from Kisos (see first post), amongst so many other things, introduced me to this Harvard graduate who, with just a few words, put everything in the right perspective: "Well, David, it seems like you're totally aware of the downsides, and you've gathered all the information you need. Now comes the hard part - the reasons to pursue an MBA abroad won't necessarily be unique or uncommon, but they have to really feel right to you. And you might feel they're worth the risks or you might feel they're not worth the risks. But if, and when, you decide to go, just put those fears aside. They won't go away, but they won't stand in your way, either. And that's when you're really ready to go."
And you'll immediately blurt out your well-rehearsed answer and probably end up convincing them, or at least some of them, that it's the logical next step for you. The answer might even correlate with your response to that same question as it appears in most of the school applications you're working on (I doubt it will). But when you search deep down within yourself, is that the answer you really, and I mean REALLY, believe in?
I've been through this analysis numerous times over the past months. I really did try to figure out whether I was doing it all to fulfill my career aspirations (confused and ill-defined as they might have been) or maybe just for the money. Perhaps I was doing that just so I could run away for a while, getting as close as I could to the romantic notion of "starting over". One of my best friends went so far as to interpret my actions as a symptom of someone who was just trying to postpone life and maneuver away from settling down like a "normal" person.
Why…
As with so many other things in life, the answer is not as deterministic or as concrete as I'd like it to be. Still, I feel good enough about it, really. REALLY.
First, it's my career, which can grow from a common, technologically-centered one, to a people-centered one. I truly feel that passion for something more interpersonal and dynamic, of a completely different nature than what I've been doing so far. Second, I view this kind of an experience as a chance to figure out where I'm going, even if just for a while. Unfortunately, I'm not a guy with a dream. I've never felt I had a calling. I'd simply want to enjoy waking up in the morning for another day, and I think this MBA thing can serve as an amazing candy-store of pathways onto such a professional future. Third, and most importantly, I want the experience. And I'm not just referring to living abroad for a while, or collaborating with amazing international class-mates, or learning from Nobel laureates or even working in Corporate America for zillions of dollars a year. It's everything put together. It's squeezing as much of the world as possible into a short little period of two years. It's the kind of person I can be once I cross the MBA finish-line.
And that's how I answer everyone's questions now, smiling at their doubting faces. Despite the risks, and in spite of all my fears, having come to this realization actually strengthened my confidence and better prepared me for this big step. I especially remember a phone-conversation that really helped me deal with my doubts and fears. My friends from Kisos (see first post), amongst so many other things, introduced me to this Harvard graduate who, with just a few words, put everything in the right perspective: "Well, David, it seems like you're totally aware of the downsides, and you've gathered all the information you need. Now comes the hard part - the reasons to pursue an MBA abroad won't necessarily be unique or uncommon, but they have to really feel right to you. And you might feel they're worth the risks or you might feel they're not worth the risks. But if, and when, you decide to go, just put those fears aside. They won't go away, but they won't stand in your way, either. And that's when you're really ready to go."
Jul 8, 2010
Introduction
That's all it was, actually, just the introduction. Who'd've thought?
GMAT, resume, essays, recommendations, interviews. You spend months running this marathon, going through each straight as if it was the only one, always aware of the yet-unseen finish line. When you finally get there, exhausted, gasping for air, it's all a blur. But soon enough you realize you actually made it, against all odds, you won, and you're thrilled beyond your wits, surprised despite the fact you lived through this moment in your mind's eye numerous times before. You got in.
For me, getting the call from Chicago Booth was just like winning a marathon (not that it's something I've ever experienced, but bear with me here). I was thrilled! After "running" for so long, I felt like I tore through this end-line a winner (I have to admit that after that, the second call, or actually email, from MIT Sloan, felt slightly less mind-blowing).
Once I've gotten past the calls to family, friends and my "coaches" from Kisos, the rush somewhat subsided. That's when I turned to look through the door that has just been opened. I started to realize that maybe it wasn’t a full marathon I had just completed. Maybe, unlike the way it felt, it was just the first part of a much longer marathon. Merely the introduction to the years to come.
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OK, but why a blog? Why now?
From the very beginning it was clear to me that I didn't have any experience in writing essays of the kind the applications required, or the understanding of what I should focus on and how. I therefore chose Kisos as my MBA consulting team. Looking back, I could never dream of a better group of people to complement my adamant approach and enthusiastic nature. Working with them was so much more than just being admitted – it was about exploring this rich, new world of studding MBA abroad. It was about providing me the access to people and resources that helped me gain the clearest possible view of the path I was aiming for. It was mostly about gaining the best tools to look ahead and figure out who I wanted to be at the end of this road. Along the way, I earned a group of friends who would stand by me through future challenges, always.
So when the guys from Kisos came up with the idea to write a blog about the way to and through business school, I was immediately interested. I thought it would be a great way to shed some light on the vaguer part of the MBA process, the one just past the introduction. Naturally, such a blog will be subjective and personal, but I still believe it can come in handy for "future generations". I also hope this blog will serve as a way for my family and friends to learn a little more about what I'm going through (assuming any of them will actually read this) and, of course, help me ventilate when the going gets tough (and it will).
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"So what's in store now? How will it look in just a few months?" I asked.
I was already admitted to Chicago Booth, but I felt even more in-need of answers than ever before. Surprising, ain't it? I continued to talk to anyone who would listen, trying to get a better grasp of what lay ahead. I spoke to an American second-year at Chicago Booth who was trying to give me an honest, clear glimpse of my future.
"It's gonna be intense, I'm not gonna lie to you," she said. "And you probably think applying to schools was like running a marathon. Listen, Chicago is very organized and they're going to guide you through everything and it's going to be tons of fun. But you're going to be overwhelmed with information. Your calendar will be constantly flooded. Classes, homework, tests, networking, interviews. We like to say it's like drinking from a fire hose".
This is my story.
GMAT, resume, essays, recommendations, interviews. You spend months running this marathon, going through each straight as if it was the only one, always aware of the yet-unseen finish line. When you finally get there, exhausted, gasping for air, it's all a blur. But soon enough you realize you actually made it, against all odds, you won, and you're thrilled beyond your wits, surprised despite the fact you lived through this moment in your mind's eye numerous times before. You got in.
For me, getting the call from Chicago Booth was just like winning a marathon (not that it's something I've ever experienced, but bear with me here). I was thrilled! After "running" for so long, I felt like I tore through this end-line a winner (I have to admit that after that, the second call, or actually email, from MIT Sloan, felt slightly less mind-blowing).
Once I've gotten past the calls to family, friends and my "coaches" from Kisos, the rush somewhat subsided. That's when I turned to look through the door that has just been opened. I started to realize that maybe it wasn’t a full marathon I had just completed. Maybe, unlike the way it felt, it was just the first part of a much longer marathon. Merely the introduction to the years to come.
--------------------------------------------------
OK, but why a blog? Why now?
From the very beginning it was clear to me that I didn't have any experience in writing essays of the kind the applications required, or the understanding of what I should focus on and how. I therefore chose Kisos as my MBA consulting team. Looking back, I could never dream of a better group of people to complement my adamant approach and enthusiastic nature. Working with them was so much more than just being admitted – it was about exploring this rich, new world of studding MBA abroad. It was about providing me the access to people and resources that helped me gain the clearest possible view of the path I was aiming for. It was mostly about gaining the best tools to look ahead and figure out who I wanted to be at the end of this road. Along the way, I earned a group of friends who would stand by me through future challenges, always.
So when the guys from Kisos came up with the idea to write a blog about the way to and through business school, I was immediately interested. I thought it would be a great way to shed some light on the vaguer part of the MBA process, the one just past the introduction. Naturally, such a blog will be subjective and personal, but I still believe it can come in handy for "future generations". I also hope this blog will serve as a way for my family and friends to learn a little more about what I'm going through (assuming any of them will actually read this) and, of course, help me ventilate when the going gets tough (and it will).
--------------------------------------------------
"So what's in store now? How will it look in just a few months?" I asked.
I was already admitted to Chicago Booth, but I felt even more in-need of answers than ever before. Surprising, ain't it? I continued to talk to anyone who would listen, trying to get a better grasp of what lay ahead. I spoke to an American second-year at Chicago Booth who was trying to give me an honest, clear glimpse of my future.
"It's gonna be intense, I'm not gonna lie to you," she said. "And you probably think applying to schools was like running a marathon. Listen, Chicago is very organized and they're going to guide you through everything and it's going to be tons of fun. But you're going to be overwhelmed with information. Your calendar will be constantly flooded. Classes, homework, tests, networking, interviews. We like to say it's like drinking from a fire hose".
This is my story.
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