My Business School Journey

My decisiveness is coming back

2006-02-09T00:46:00.000-05:00

Since my last post, I’ve made significant strides in my decisiveness. A few quick updates:

 I decided that spending $1500 to retrieve the lost data on my hard drive was not in my budget and therefore was not worth the lost files. So I have a new computer and have been able to manage just fine. Now I can’t believe that I was about to pay that much. This is partly a reflection of my need to hold on to the past, even though it’s clear that I will be just fine moving forward. It’s weird…not only has b-school made me analyze business situations; it’s made me analyze my life as well.

 So I’ve made my decision about my summer internship. I will be working in Brand Management at Kraft outside of Chicago. I started the year pursuing an internship in Brand Management and have been fortunately enough to receive offers from some of the top brand companies including Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Frito-Lay, McNeil Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly. I received most of my offers from the National Black MBA Conference, which I attended in October. Attending this conference was key in securing an internship in Brand Management because most of the brand companies do not recruit at Stanford. I realize how important it is to get the word out about the conference to other classmates who are considering Brand Management because now those interested are forced to choose from a small group of companies through On-Campus Recruiting (OCR).

Also, it is so important to stay focused on your interests and not let the “herd mentality” of Consulting and Investment Banking get to you. I came to school very focused on Brand Management and have to admit that I got caught up in the excitement as well. I found myself very close to interviewing with Consulting firms, but decided against it after a few conversations with some classmates. It was pretty silly since I have a consulting background, but hey, that's what happens when you lose focus.

 I also decided on my Spring Break plans. I applied for the Brazil Service Learning trip and was selected to attend the week long journey with 15 other 1st and 2nd years. This is the pilot program of which other Service trips will be developed for next year. The idea of the program came from a GSB alum who provided the funding for it. The purpose of the trip is to meet with social entrepreneurs who are using business skills to help the underprivileged. We will be visiting three entrepreneurs:
1. Rodrigo Baggio (CDI) http://www.cdi.org.br/
2. Fabio Rosa (IDEAAS) http://www.ideaas.org.br/index_eng.htm
3. Ismael Ferreira (APAEB) www.apaeb.com.br
who each are helping their community in different ways. We will be traveling to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo & Bahia. I’m heading down a day early to relax on the beach and get some sun before we get down to business. This trip fulfills a few goals of mine…getting to know a new group of people, understanding social entrepreneurship in practice, and traveling to Brazil. I can’t wait!

Look up “indecisive” in the dictionary and you will find my picture.

2006-01-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

I’m at a cross road in my life. Things have never been so uncertain and the lack of certainty is causing a fear of commitment. I can’t seem to make a decision about anything…big or small. Everything from what internship to take to what I should eat for dinner causes a ridiculous amount of anxiety and apathy. Sometimes I don’t know whether I am coming or going. I realize that people would kill to have my “problems”, but just let me have my time to sulk. Here are a few of my many decisions:
• My hard drive crashed a few weeks ago and I lost everything. I sent the hard drive off to a data recovery service to see if they could retrieve any of the data. It turns out they can, but at the hefty price of $1500. Are the lost files worth $1500?
• Internship…my head hurts from the thought of making a decision…long story short: Where should I spend my all important summer slaving away? I need more time to be indecisive. More details to come.
• I need to figure out what to do over Spring Break. There is a Career View program that allows students to apply for a one-week “shadowing/internship” with an alum. The submissions range from traditional consulting and marketing jobs to non-profit and entrepreneurship. I’m thinking about applying for a non-profit position. I figure this will give me a chance to see if I really like this area without committing to an entire summer in non-profit. There is also a service trip to Brazil that would be interesting. And of course, the option most people choose…go on a trip. It sounds like our class is planning a trip to either Mexico or Dominican Republic. Do I apply for the Career View program, go on the Service trip to Brazil, or take a vacation?

1/6 of the way there…

2006-01-05T17:54:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Winter quarter starts on Tuesday and I am in for another challenging quarter academically. The core classes are Marketing, Operations, Finance and Strategy. I am also taking an elective, Marketing Research, which I thought would be a good preparation course for my summer internship in brand management/marketing. I must be crazy taking five classes this quarter, but I figured it would be manageable since I won’t have to do much On-Campus Recruiting this quarter.

I’m trying not to spread myself to thin, but at the same time get involved in everything I want to. In addition to classes, I’m going to be working on a marketing project for a media company starting in February. I’m also on the Admit Weekend Committee and will be working hard to plan a nice weekend for the Round 1 and 2 Admits.

I also signed up to take a Rumba/Cha Cha class once a week. I originally planned to take it last quarter, but I was so worn out the first week, I never made it to the first class. I realize that I am taking on a lot, but I will have to stay focused and organized and do more work on the weekends.

Good luck to all of the Round 1 admits who will be awaiting the call from Derrick!

Congrats to the new mom

2006-01-05T17:38:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my friend Domonique who just had a baby boy, Dillon Christopher. He is a cutie if I do say so myself (and I’ve been known to be hard on newborns). He's got a lot of personality for a two week old.

2005-10-26T20:48:00.000-04:00

It's been a little over a month and needless to say, I've been swamped...no time to blog. I promise post a few updates soon.

The Grind Begins...

2005-09-11T21:13:00.000-04:00

This quick post is the result of the start of the craziness that we call business school. I can see already that I will be sacrificing my much needed 8 hours of sleep in order to stay afloat socially and academically. So here's the quick and dirty from the last few days.

Thursday and Friday was Cardinal Cards, a business simulation that placed the students in the various roles in a fictitious Greeting Cards company. I have to admit that going into it I was not thrilled. I couldn't imagine what we could be doing for two days from 7 am to 6 pm that would keep my interest, but I must admit that I really enjoyed myself and got to know my team really well.

Yesterday was somewhat of a free day, so I decided to decorate my room in Schwab. I spent most of the day at IKEA. I thought I loved that store until I was introduced to there return line (picture this: Everyone must take a number to be waited on. I pulled 83. They are currently on 17). Needless to say I was pissed and had to return to the store this morning.

Today we had our Section Olympics which was fun and entertaining. My section came in second to last place. I guess we have to make up for that in the classroom. Now I'm online ordering books for Autumn Quarter(which are way too expensive), preparing a case for Pre-Term and working on my resume to meet a deadline for the NBMBAA Conference next month. In addition, I have to wash clothes and pack for my trip on Wednesday. Shout out to my sister who will be a married in less than a week.

I'm off to finish preparing my case and meet up with the girls from QPEP for dinner and tv.

Next up for the week: Pre-Term and My sister's wedding

Long Distance Relationships...Bad news or Good for the soul?

2005-09-07T00:28:00.000-04:00

I pose the question and welcome opinions about whether or not a long distance relationship can work? I've heard the horror stories about long distance relationships and I've heard about "Black Monday"...the Monday after Thanksgiving or Christmas (not sure which one) when people who had significant others at the start of school, return single. Just recently I spoke with one of my classmates about his long distance relationship and that conversation restored my faith in the possibility of it.

So what do you think?...Is it a good idea or a foolish concept for dreamers?

Best B-School on Earth

2005-09-06T22:47:00.000-04:00

I've come to the conclusion that Stanford is the best b-school on earth and here's why. Just my two cents...hater's need not respond.

10. There are five Jamba Juice's within a five mile radius of campus, including one on campus. I could survive off of those things for days.

9. There are tons of great restaurants in the areas that I can't wait to try. Shout out to Fuki Sushi which has had two to three visits from me in the last week.

8. I have a view of Palm trees and mountains from my room.

7. I wake up everyday to bright, clear sunny skies. I don't know about you, but that makes a hell of a difference after taking a three hour exam. I've been waking up at 6:45am every morning and going running. Those people that say that weather doesn't matter are the ones living in the cold. Believe me, I used to be one of them.

5. The university offers golf, tennis, sailing and gymnastics class for less than $100.

4. There are tons of travel destinations including weekend excursions (San Fran, Napa/Sonoma, Lake Tahoe) and quick flights (Vegas, Vancouver, Southern Cal, Hawaii).

3.The Schwab Residential Center is the best thing since slice bread. Free printing, laundry, coffee & tea, on-site technical support, a work out room, tons of study rooms, a grill and 200 of my classmates. (Disclaimer: "free" means not paying for it at the time of use, but you best believe it will show up on the tuition bill).

2. The GSB's size. After being in QPEP with 60 other students, I realize how much effort it was going to take for me to meet 300 other students. The GSB's size is perfect with just enough students for everyone not to know everyone's business, but not too many where you never meet a classmate.

1. The fact that I'm here. Stanford University is a beautiful university with amazing resources, and the GSB has an unbelievable culture that is beyond compare. It can't be described, only experienced.

2005-09-06T11:46:00.000-04:00

View from my room

A Moment to Breathe

2005-09-06T10:26:00.000-04:00

This weekend was a welcomed break from the hustle and bustle of Math Camp. I am finally settled into my room and my surroundings. We have today and tomorrow off (except for those taking exemption exams)and then Pre-Term starts tomorrow evening with a dinner. The week will conclude with a two-day team-based simulation called Cardinal Cards.

Today I took the exemption exam for Modeling which was pretty straight forward based on the practice problems that they gave us. I think I did okay, but I'm not sure if it was good enough to pass. I'll find out my results Thursday evening. If I pass, this will allow me to take an elective course. This would hopefully give me a slight break from the quantitive heavy first quarter which consists of Economics, Financial Accounting, Statistics, Modeling and Organizational Behavior. If I can make it through this quarter, the rest will be a walk in the park.

Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-03T17:09:00.000-04:00

My late post about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina speaks to the somewhat sheltered life I am living in school. I've been pretty busy and just recently had my cable installed, therefore I had not watched TV until a few days ago. I knew about the hurricane, but had no idea of the aftermath. It blew me away when I saw pictures of New Orleans. And I am more dissapointed at the slow response by the government. The devastation from this hurricane is worse than that of any other hurricane in the past few years, but it seems like nothing is being none. If this were Florida, assistance and resources would have been deployed immediately. I guess it helps to have family in high places.

It hurts my heart to see how this situation is getting progressively worse. The pictures look like they are from a third world country, not the richest country in the world. I wonder if the lack of action is a result of us being unequipped to handle such emergencies or that the government does not care. If it's the former, then how will the government respond to future terrorist attacks?

Although I have not been directly been impacted, I pray for those that have. This situation only makes me even more appreciative of the opportunity I have here at school.

First Week of QPEP

2005-08-27T14:49:00.000-04:00

This week was the first week of QPEP and it proved to be quite interesting. There are about 60 MBA1s with very different backgrounds. We attend class from 9am-12pm and then work on problem sets from 1-3pm with an optional review session with our TA, a PhD student. The program is a good refresher of all of the stuff that I've never been able to retain (i.e. probabilities, logarithms, etc.)Some of the problems are quite difficult, but my study group does a good job of working through them and helping others when need it.

Overall, the people are really cool and interesting. You wouldn't believe some of the backgrounds and accomplishments of my classmates, and this is only 15% of the class.

Palo Alto is a nice city, but everything closes early, except a few night clubs. My roommate and I did a little exploring and drove to San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. We took the scenic route on 280 and was blown away by the mountains and scenery. We took a few detours off the expressway to explore some really pretty areas. It blows me away that I'm in California and fortunate enough to have this opportunity.

It's Official - Stanford GSB

2005-08-24T01:22:00.000-04:00

I arrived in Cali early this afternoon with mixed emotions. The reality of me being here has yet to set in. My roommate is as cool as I expected her to be and I spent most of the day shopping at Wal-Mart and Target for stuff for my luxury condo (ha) at Schwab.

Now I'm sitting in my room attempting to unpack and fight the exhaustion that has set. I am home sick for the first time in my life. I'm really going to miss my friends and family. I feel like I'm in a different country. California is definitely unique in many ways, and the distance is only amplified by the time difference. I basically have to talk to everyone before 9:00 PM PST which is when I will just be winding down. I'll be up for hours while the Midwest & East Coast will be sound asleep.

There's so much to do over the next few days like get my ID, parking pass, pick up my car, set up my room. The QPEP starts on Thursday, which takes up most of the day. Well, I'm off to try to get some rest on my first night in my new room.

Time to say goodbye

2005-08-21T17:43:00.000-04:00

The time has come to say goodbye. I leave for California on Tuesday morning. At this moment, I'm sitting in a pile of clothes looking at the ridiculous amount of stuff that I'm taking with me. All I can say is "Gosh!" (think Napolean Dynamite) I'm almost finished packing and will be shipping everything tomorrow.

I'm excited to meet my suitemate who I feel like I already know (Check out her blog out at www.mytalkshow.blogspot.com). We've never met, but decided to be roommates after a bunch of mutual friends kept mentioning one to the other. She's getting in first and is going to pick me up from the airport.

Now it's off to spend the last days with my girls and a new friend. Next time I write I will officially be a Stanford b-school student.

Damn Shippers

2005-08-11T16:15:00.000-04:00

I am officially annoyed. I just received a call from the company that shipped my car that the vehicle has arrived in California and is ready for pick-up. Sounds good, right? Except the fact that I'm still in Cleveland and won't get to Cali for another two weeks. So the car will be sitting in a lot for two unnecessary weeks. As you read in my last post, I am very attached to my car and could have kept it for another week or two if I had known it would only take a week to get there. Oh well, what can I do now? Just venting.

Bitter Sweet Move

2005-08-10T09:42:00.000-04:00

“When you open your self up to the universe, it will provide.”

The past few weeks have been pretty busy, hence the lack of postings from me. A lot has occurred so I’ll try giving a brief update on everything.

1) My last day of work was Friday, so I’m finally free. I’ve probably worked the latest of anyone going to school, but it worked out well for me. Time really flew by. I can’t be that I will be flying out to Palo Alto on the 23rd…14 days and counting. My feelings about going to school have shifted from pure excitement and anticipation, to a bitter sweet hesitation. After being away from my family and friends for several years, it was nice to be back home and able to see them on a regular basis. I’ve become more sentimental and appreciative for the people in my life as I’ve gotten older. For the first time in my life, I think I will be home sick when I leave. This raises the question of where I’ll end up after school. Is it more important to be in a city I love, or be around the people I love?

2) A sobering moment that made me realize how soon this move is coming was shipping my car, Prince. Yes, I named my car Prince, because he is purple…Purple Rain. I love my car to death and it has been with me for the past six years. Most people run through cars every two or three years, but I have grown attached to my car. Most people are probably thinking that I must have some expensive car, but no, it just my 1999 Honda Accord Coupe.

3) I just returned from a trip to Chicago where I had a project meeting for work and spent the rest of the weekend with some friends. I can’t believe how much I miss that city. So here’s my “Ode to Chicago…Everything I’ll miss about the Windy City”.

• Driving North on Lake Shore Drive in the summer when everyone’s out on the beach
• Driving on Upper Wacker at night with the view of the Chicago River
• Garrett’s popcorn (caramel and cheese mix)
• Deep Dish pizza
• Gaylin at Van Cleef Hair Salon
• All my favorite restaurants: Café Luciano’s, Hugo’s Frog Bar, Café Iberico, Santorini’s in Greektown, Meatloaf at Weber Grill
• Iggy’s Martinis
• Shopping on Michigan Avenue & riding the free summer trolleys
• Evanston and Northwestern University
• www.metromix.com
• Everything about summer in Chicago (festivals, dining al fresco)
•Nothing about the winter in Chicago

4) I attended two Pre-MBA programs at Eli Lilly and Bain & Co. I had really positive experiences at both of them and met a ton of great people. I highly recommend both programs. Most importantly, I received my first internship offer from Eli Lilly in their Marketing organization. I am really excited about this opportunity and think that it’s a good fit for me. On the other hand, I want to continue to evaluate other opportunities during the school year.

5) I had a “Going Away” cookout this past Saturday which was a ton of fun.

6) Its amazing how God places people in your life at just the right times, just when you need them. I have a prospective “business partner” who is just as passionate about the combination of education and business as I am. He will be a first year will me in the fall and we have already begun to brainstorm a ton of ideas. I can’t wait to start school because I know this is just the start of the amazing people I will spend the next two years with.

And the money keeps going and going...

2005-07-11T16:25:00.000-04:00

I moved back home with my parents with the intention of saving money and that has happened to some extent. You would think that I would have a ton of $$ saved, but it seems to keep going and going. Moving to CA is exciting, but the flight tickets alone are enough to make someone rethink their decision (ok not really). I just booked my one-way ticket to school, as well as a round trip for my sister's wedding in September. Those two alone added up to about $400. For Fall quarter alone I will probably spend another $400-600 on flights (Vegas FOAM, NBMBA conference, home for Thanksgiving.

Outdoor Adventures
Also, like many schools, Stanford has trips before school starts called Outdoor Adventures. They are only 2-3 days and take place in the local northern California area. Being the eager beaver that I am, I registered on the first day for the White Water Rafting trip. That cost another $300+, including Pre-Term registration and events. I can't wait to go rafting, I just hope that I'm not the one who falls overboard.

And more $$$...
I ordered my Financial Accounting book off of Amazon, which we have to read the first four chapters of before class. It was regularly price was $130, but I got it for $68. I guess I'll be ordering all my books off the internet.

I also scheduled all of my doctor's appointments so that I'm all covered in case the health care plan at school is shady. I ordered new contact lenses, glasses, and prescription sunglasses (a first). When you realize you will be broke with no income, you start thinking about every and anything you might need. I'm also hitting up the summer sales stocking up on casual clothes, shoes and other neccesities. I can't lie, I've gotten used to living a comfortable lifestyle and I refuse to be a broke college student again. I need to be able to buy an occasional bottle of Riesling, and go to nice dinners, and travel and get my hair done, etc. :)

My sister's bridal shower

2005-07-06T12:23:00.000-04:00

My sister is getting married in September and this Saturday my Mom and I hosted her bridal shower. The shower was really nice and we had about 50 people attend. The shower was pretty traditional and included games, dinner and the gift opening. We then topped the evening off with a surprise for my sister and her fiance. We rented a stretch Hummer for the future bride and groom and the bridal party. Everyone had a really good time and my sister received a ton of nice gifts.

2005-07-06T12:19:00.000-04:00

The beautiful cake in the shape of a gift!

2005-07-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

The Hummer arrives

2005-07-06T12:10:00.000-04:00

Us acting a fool in the Hummer

Busy weekend coming up

2005-06-29T13:20:00.000-04:00

Back to the grind of work, which seems to be getting more and more demanding. It doesn't help that two of my project team members are on vacation. I just got the information for Eli Lilly's Leadership Camp and Bain's summer visit so I am making travel arrangements so I can get that out of the way.

Also, my sister's bridal shower is this weekend and she's coming home from Birmingham, AL where she lives. My mother and I are giving it so we are getting all of the last minute gifts & games together. This will definitely be a busy holiday weekend, but I'm looking forward to it.

The expenses keep adding up

2005-06-28T14:25:00.000-04:00

As I suspected, I was invited to attend "Math Camp", which is a week and a half of review of quantitative skills (Calculus, Statistics, etc.) prior to the start of Pre-Term. What I wasn't expecting was that there was an additional cost associated with it. I guess I was just being naive. So in addition to the $650 deposit that I put down to reserved my spot at Schwab, I'll be shelling out another $400 for Math Camp, plus a $43/day rate for my early move into Schwab. This is really getting ridiculous, but it doesn't even phase me anymore.

I also just got back from NY this weekend, which was a random trip just to kick it. It seems like I'm in that place every 3 months or so. I did have a chance to attend an Accenture happy hour where I got to see quite of few friends that I hadn't seen in a while. I'm really going to miss many of my co-workers, but I am definitely ready for school. I still have 5 more weeks of work left and I am slowly losing steam.

Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky & Mike

2005-06-20T12:10:00.000-04:00

I went to the New Edition & Brian McKnight concert last night! Like most Black females my age, I am and always have been a huge New Edition fan. I had all of their records (can you even get a record player anymore these days?). New Edition was that one group that I cried over. I had dreams about being Ronnie's girlfriend as "Lost in Love" played in the background. LOL. Then when Johnny Gill came it was over. I hope I get close enough where I can catch some of Johnny's sweat :) Call me crazy, but this the one group I will still go crazy.

The concert was really good although NE could have performed the entire show and I would not have been dissapointed. The guys look really good and still have the moves. I went with my best friend and my friend from college who came all the way from Chicago. We had a good time re-living our childhood while screaming, singing, and doing the running man. The highlight of the night was when the guys sitting behind us went backstage and offered to get my friend's album cover autographed. They came through and made my friend's day. I think she actually shed a tear.

See pics below...

2005-06-20T11:12:00.000-04:00

New Edition

2005-06-20T11:10:00.000-04:00

Ronnie's got the moves.

2005-06-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

Ralph Tresvant singing Sensitivity

2005-06-20T11:08:00.000-04:00

I LOVE YOU JOHNNY!

I get to live at Schwab next year!

2005-06-17T18:56:00.000-04:00

Well, it seems like everything is coming together for me. I just got off the waitlist (#40) at the Schwab Residential Center so I'll get to live at my first choice after all. I may have mentioned this before, but Schwab is the residential building for the GSB students at Stanford. Every year about half of the first year class lives here and it's the center of the GSB community. The ideal of staying in an on-campus "dorm" never appealed to me at any other school until I saw Schwab. It's fairly new (less than 10 years old) and has decent sized "studio" rooms. Each person has their own room and bathroom, and a kitchen that is share with one other person. It has study rooms, a computer lab, a gym, a couryard with grills and conference rooms. If I hadn't gotten off the waitlist, I would have been staying at Rains (which I hear is nice, but the ideal of sharing a bathroom with someone scared me). I am a happy camper right now.

Langston Hughes in the making

2005-06-15T17:31:00.000-04:00

I believe in the sun when it isn't shining.
I believe in love when it isn't there.
I believe in God when he is silent.
My faith is pure and beyond compare.

I saw the first three lines of this poem on the street in NY and had to right it down. I then added the last line because I thought it was incomplete.

Summer's finally here!

2005-06-05T15:06:00.000-04:00

The past few weeks in Cleveland have been depressing with the 50 degree "summer" weather. It finally hit the 80s this week and I am a happier person because of it.

Lately, I've been battling between saving the most money for school and living it up with a few vacations. I've always been a very practical person, but I'm leaning more towards enjoying vacations now as a single female. So many changes are occurring to people around me (marriages, pregnancies) that make me appreciate where I'm currently at in life.

Things have been quiet on the Stanford front. I started all of the recommended pre-work, which has become like a part-time job in itself. Words of advice..."Don't underestimate the amount of preparation during the summer prior to school." It definitely has me a bit worried about what to expect in the fall. But hey, what would life be without a few good challenges.

Things are on the up and up.

2005-05-23T12:22:00.000-04:00

P4D Fellowship
Stanford offers a fellowship for minority students that is sponsored by companies. You can apply by submitting an additional essay with your application. Each company then selects a hand full of admits to interview for one fellowship which covers full tuition. In return, the student has to defer admission and commit to a nine-month internship with the company.

In my opinion, it's a great opportunity to get a fellowship, but the deferral would have been too high a trade-off for me. I could not imagine working for another year, for a new company, especially after meeting my classmates a few weeks ago.

Regardless, I was invited to interview with Eli Lilly and was flown to Indianapolis for a full-day of interviews. I did my research on the company and contacted some first-year students who are interning at Lilly this summer for insight. I was pleasantly surprised at the opportunities at the company and developed a new-found interest in pharmaceutical marketing. I felt very prepared and thought my interviews went well. It's definitely a company that I could see myself working for. (My only reservation is making the transition from consulting to industry, but that's inevitable. No one wants to be a consultant for the rest of their lives.) I was not offered the fellowship, but the interviewers expressed how pleased they were with my interviews and invited me to their leadership camp this summer. The recruiter said it's an opportunity to learn more about the company and interview for a summer internship. So I could have an internship offer well before I even start school. Not a bad deal.

MBA Jumpstart
MBA Jumpstart is a program that exposes minority students to Consulting and Investment Banking. The program invites students from seven top schools to learn about opportunities from various companies in the industry. I was invited to attend, but declined because it was the same days as the Eli Lilly Leadership Camp. My logic was based on the fact that I am already working in Consulting, and have no interest in Investment Banking. I was a bit dissapointed as I would have loved to meet other talented minorities from other business schools.

Accenture
Other good news...I was approved for tuition reimbursement at my current employer, Accenture. I have had nothing but positive experiences at ACN over the past four years. I go back and forth about whether I want to return, or try something new. I've considered industry, but having had visibility to a variety of companies, it doesn't seem that desirable. Consulting is a fast-paced environment where you're working with smart people who can get things done. While industry companies tend to be slow to move, very bureaucractic, and lack meritocracy (e.g. unstructured performance evaluations). I hope to explore this more while in school, during my summer internship and while talking to classmates about entrepreneurial opportunities.

Who knows where I'll be in two years...perhaps the director of a charter school, or working in South Africa on AIDS prevention initiatives, or back to being a boring consultant.

Off to Miami!

2005-05-10T13:20:00.000-04:00

I'm off to Miami for the week with my girls to chill, party and get some sun. This break is long overdue.

B-school resources

2005-05-09T20:02:00.000-04:00

A few resources that I used...

Books:
The Official Guide to GMAT
Kaplan GMAT book
How to Get Into the Top MBA Programs by Richard Montauk

Websites:
www.mba.com GMAC website for prospective mba's; register for GMAT, etc.
www.topmba.com
www.theworldmbatour.com
www.fortefoundation.org Support organization for women that offers information session and scholarships.
www.cgsm.org Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management
www.nbmbaa.org National Black MBA Association
www.businessweek.com Business week has information on mba programs, student diaries, forums, etc.
www.mbadiversity.com A positive discussion board for current and prospective mba
www.
www.essayedge.com Provides samples essays
www.accepted.com Provides feedback about interview questions from prospective MBAs
www.toigofoundation.org A fellowship program for students interested in careers in finance
www.ml4t.org An application support organization for minority students

B-school Tips

2005-05-09T19:52:00.000-04:00

A few tips (just my opinion)...

It's never too early to start! Take the GMAT as early as possible (Spring or Summer prior to application season) so that you know where you stand and are able to take it one to two more times if you are not happy with your score. It also will allow you to…
Apply first round. (Disclaimer: I applied second round and got into 3 of 4 schools, but I was faced with making a decision in a month’s time. Applying first round give you so much more time to make a decision. Don’t underestimate the time this takes).
Expect to spend about $2,000-3,000 on business school preparation including books, GMAT prep course, GMAT test (I took it twice), school visits, application fees, etc.
Try to narrow down the number of schools to 3 or 4. Applying to more than that is stressful, time consuming and will leave you unfocused on the specific elements of each school.
Don’t underestimate the time it takes to write good essays. In my opinion, this is the most important part of your application so don’t B.S. it. Make your story very personal. I thought my life was boring and uneventful until I thought about the things that made me who I am and what mattered most to me (no pun intended).
Be realistic in your school selection, but also don't underestimate yourself. I almost did not apply to Stanford because I thought I'd never get in. I got in to 3 out of 4 schools (WL at the 4th) with an average GMAT score (below 700). I am almost positive that my essays and extracurricular activities are what got me in. Point is, you'll never know unless you try.

And the decision is...

2005-05-03T23:00:00.000-04:00

I just returned from Stanford's Admitted Students weekend. I am physically tired, yet energized from my experiences this weekend. To start, I stepped on campus and paid my tutition deposit about three hours later. That place is just that beautiful! The GSB culture is very intimate, collaborative and entrepreneurial, and is a perfect complement to my personality and career interests. The students went out of their way (in a very natural way) to make sure all of my questions were answered and showed me a good time. I also met a ton of my future classmates who I've already started to develop relationships with. I met the infamous Derrick Bolton who is sooo nice and actually remembers who you are and the components of your application.

The weekend was pretty busy with the usual sessions, but I was most impressed by the impromptu "outings" with some of the first year students. First, went I got to campus, my host was busy working on admit weekend events, so I hung out with her roommate and the admit that was staying with her. They were planning to go to lunch, but did not have room for me in the car (many of the students buy two-seater convertibles for the two years there), so she called up one of her classmates and he drove so that I could go along. After lunch, he gave me a tour of the campus and showed me around the surrounding community. He was so cool.

I also had a good time with some of the students from the BBSA who took us to San Jose to a club. Everyone was cool as hell and I had a good time. I think I may have gotten a reputation as an alcoholic when I ordered an "Incredible Hulk" (Hynotiq & Hennessey) from the bar. I'm really a pretty conservative drinker, but I wanted to try something new. Can't a girl have a drink?

I stayed in Schwab, the business school residence, which is nicer than I expected. I only hope I am fortunate enough to get in off of the waitlist. If not, the studios at Escondido Village are just as nice. Stanford has really nice on-campus graduate housing, which is important to me since I want to stay on campus for the first year. I'll leave the mansions to my second year.

I've experienced life in the Midwest and on the East coast, so moving to Northern California will round out my living experiences. I will soon find out why California is so beloved (even though, I got a taste just being there this weekend). I can't even begin to describe how I feel right now. Stanford is definitely a place that you have to experience. Words don't do it justice.

So, I'm going to STANFORD! That feels so good to say. After a month of stressing about my decision and weighing the importance of money, I am now at peace with my decision and the amount of debt that I will take on. I have no doubts about my decision (which says a lot for someone who can be very indecisive). The Stanford community put all of my concerns to rest. As I wrote in one of my essays, "the best decisions are based off of educated gut instinct”, and my instinct screams STANFORD!

DAK & GBR

2005-04-11T12:08:00.000-04:00

I just got back from Michigan's Go Blue! Rendezvous and Day at Kellogg. I spent Thursday and Friday at Michigan and Saturday at Kellogg.

GBR:
I arrived on campus and checked in the Executive Residence (which was nice and next door to the b-school). I took a tour of Ann Arbor and was pleasantly surprised at everything it had to offer. Nice residences, a variety of restaurants and local entertainment. During the tour, we stopped at the Stadium and went inside. I could only imagine what its like to be there during a game. Over the course of two days, I became even more impressed with the school, staff & faculty and its academic curriculum. It seems like it would be a perfect fit for me. I met a ton of people and really felt comfortable in this environment.

DAK:
I attended the Saturday events at DAK which I did enjoy. I talked to quite a few students including a few that I met at GBR. I really like Kellogg's program and I feel very comfortable in Evanston and Chicago since I went to NU undergrad and had lived in Chicago the past few years. On the other hand, I think I am ready for a new experience. For this reason, I move Kellogg to #3.

Hi this is Derrick Bolton...

2005-03-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

I received the call from the infamous Derrick Bolton, Director of Admissions at Stanford GSB. I barely remember what he said as I was jumping up and down. I can't believe I got in to Stanford. Stanford was my long shot school and until now, had started visualizing myself at Michigan. Time to pull out the grill and the good wine!

WL at Wharton

2005-03-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

Waitlisted at Wharton...I'm a bit dissapointed, but mostly because of all of the anticipation. I don't think Wharton is the right fit for me and apparently it showed. Wharton is #4 on my list of schools. Oh well, one more decision to go...

In at Kellogg!

2005-03-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

I got the call from Kellogg! I am so excited and thankful that things are working out so well. Two for two.

Michigan's program

2005-03-21T16:28:00.000-05:00

I'm getting really excited about Michigan's program. I recieve an email from them almost daily, which I've come to look forward to. I've talked to some current students and alumni who have been helpful in giving me a perspective on the school. The MAP program is amazing. I also went as far as to put a deposit down on M-trek (although it is refundable). Michigan is so underrated and has one of the best general management curriculum. It would be a great fit for me.

First Acceptance: Michigan!!!

2005-03-10T14:33:00.000-05:00

I just received a call from Lisa Hurst in Admissions at the Ross School of Business. I got in to Michigan and received the Consortium fellowship. This is too good to be true!

BW Forums

2005-03-10T11:52:00.000-05:00

I started reading the Business Week Forums and I'm starting to regret it. Some of these people are lunatics...counting down days...asking everyone about their "stats". I was pretty calm about waiting for the decisions, but now I'm getting more and more anxious. Oh well, it's too late now, I'm hooked.

Almost time...

2005-03-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

The wait is almost over. I will hear from Michigan by the 15th, but calls may start this week. I'll keep praying for the good news.

2005-03-01T08:39:00.000-05:00

I've managed not to think about my decisions until now. I'm a few weeks away from the decision deadlines and I'm getting pretty anxious. I sure hope all of the work over the past year, pays off. Just three more weeks...

Stanford Interview

2005-02-23T14:59:00.000-05:00

I was invited to interview with a Stanford alumni which I completed yesterday evening. We met at his house, which I had some reservations about, but was not about to say no. So I did what any normal person would do...I gave my friend the address and phone number and told her to call the police if I hadn't called her my 9:00pm. LOL. Needless to say none of that was necessary.

My interviewer was beyond nice and we have a great conversation (not interview). He asked me the necessary questions and then he opened the floor for me to ask questions about anything that was on my mind. I could have talked to him for hours, but he had to keep the interview to 45 minutes to be fair. He did give me some positive feedback by saying that he thought I would be a great fit for Stanford. Let's just hope that the Admissions Office agrees. That was my last interview and last step in this entire process. I am feeling relieved that my part is over and that it ended on such a positive note. Although, I'm not getting my hopes up about Stanford. It's such a long shot that I am already mentally preparing for a ding. This way I won't be dissapointed if I don't get in.

Wharton Interview

2005-02-18T14:46:00.000-05:00

I conducted my Wharton interview yesterday with an alumni. We met at Starbuck's which was a quaint and quiet. The interview started off with the usual resume walk-through, why mba, why wharton. So I'm thinking its going well and rattling off my prepared answers. My interviewer then completely shifted gears and started asking off the wall questions like "Give me your assessment of Wal-mart." I know that I have a retail consulting background, but damn I usually have data before I analyze a company. I understand that he was trying to get at my problem solving/critical thinking skills, but I was a bit annoyed by that.

That interview confirmed my first instinct about Wharton as too quantitatively-focus and that I would not be a good fit their. I should have known better when I went to the information session. The admissions officer was great about discussing how well-rounded the school is, but all of the alumni showed up in business suits and were all in banking and finance.

I think at this point I know that Wharton is not the place for me, but we'll see what happens.

Kellogg Interview

2005-02-07T22:39:00.000-05:00

I had my Kellogg interview with an alumni in the Cleveland area. We met at Panera Bread, which was a bit noisy. Overall, I enjoyed the interview and think it went well. My interviewer asked me questions about my resume and then began to probe about why Kellogg and what my career goals were. When I brought up my interests in charter schools, he asked very specific questions which I realized were to see how much research I had done and that this was not just some grand ideal that I had. I walked away with the same perspective of Kellogg as I'd had before...a great school that would be the a great fit for me.

I also received an invitation to interview with Wharton. This is good news because no interview means no acceptance.

A Wonderful Poem

2005-01-10T17:25:00.000-05:00

Being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of furniture.
Still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
- Rumi

Happy New Year!

2005-01-03T23:17:00.000-05:00

It’s a new year and I can’t wait to see what 2005 has in store for me. I’ll be 26 years old on the 16th and I have so much to be grateful for. I don’t set any New Year’s resolutions because I believe in making changes at that moment. In this moment, I want to become a more intense person. I vow to indulge in every moment so that I never look back with any regrets. I have learned, experienced and grown so much in past year, that I all I can do is anticipate what’s next. I am thankful for these experiences because they have brought me one step closer to discovering my way in the maze of life. Next week, I am packing up and moving back home to Cleveland. I have mixed emotions as I’ve grown to love the hustle and bustle of Chicago. I look forward to spending time with my family and friends over the next few months before I embark on my next journey at business school.

Transition phase

2004-12-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

It’s been a while and so much has happened over the past three months. I’ve been dealing with a combination of issues from work, business school, my health and relationship. I truly understand the meaning of stress and the unhealthy effects it has on the body.

First, I’ve come off the high of running and completing the marathon and it’s been bittersweet. I miss the discipline and structure that was necessary for training. Running the marathon was more than a novice athletic achievement; it was a journey of self-discovery, the power of helping others, and the confidence of achieving a goal I once considered reserved for those with more talent and resolve. It's an odd thing, when your body says no and your mind and your spirit say yes.

The free time that came about after the marathon was then transferred to more time on business school applications. I decided not to take the GMAT for a third time and instead put that energy into my essays. I took this week off of work to finish my essays. So far I’ve submitted Kellogg and Wharton’s applications, leaving Stanford and the Consortium (Michigan). I’m full speed ahead on Stanford’s infamous “What Matters to you Most?” essay. I’ve saved this one for last thinking that with time would come more ideas, but to no avail. With the mood I’m in now I feel like just pouring out my heart and using that essay as therapy.

Health-wise, I got a bit of a scare when I went for my annual check-up the day before the marathon. I went to a new doctor, who was the best doctor I’ve ever had. I knew I had found a winner when he took another 15 minutes to walk me through a meditation exercise to alleviate my stress. Long story short, he heard a heart murmur and wanted to run more test to ensure I would be ok to run the marathon. What was supposed to be an hour trip to the doctor, turned into a half a day trip with a few tests. Later that evening I got the thumbs-up from the doctor to run, but referred me to a cardiologist for more tests.

If that wasn’t enough, my boyfriend and I broke up three and after half years. Let’s just say I’m not in the best mood right now and my emotions are out of wack. Some days are better than others, but I refuse to lose focus on my applications. One of my managers told me that I am in a period of extreme growth, which usually results in major changes. That is so true! All I can do is thank God for all of the blessings he has given me. With every door closed, another opens with something bigger and better than can be imagined.

Bongiourno...Rome, Italy

2004-12-15T13:11:00.000-05:00

I just arrived in Rome and I’m already in love. I am in awe of the history and beauty of the architecture. We don’t have anything close to this in the U.S. I’m here for a week of training for work, but extend my stay a few days to get a chance to enjoy the city. I meet up with a co-worker from New York and as soon as we get settled, I put on my walking shoes, grab a map and navigate the streets of the city. We visit all of the Piazza’s, and the major tourist attractions. I especially love the Trevi Fountain and the Parthenon. We duck into an alley and find a bar to rest for a minute. I ask the bar tender for a sweet wine and he gives me a sweet, red sparkling wine which was amazing. I end up buying four bottles to bring home.

My mom joins me after training is over and I show her around. We walk a good 7-8 miles a day and see just about everything there is to see. We eat, drink, shop, watch CNN occasionally (the only channel in English) and revise my essays.

For all of my rap fans out there, you’ll appreciate Rome for its quality Chinchilla fur. I took my Mom into this fur boutique so she could feel how soft this stuff is. She tried on a few coats, which were small since the average size of Italian women is like a size 4. I ended up trying on a reversible white leather, chinchilla-lined bomber jacket which I fell in love with. I actually contemplated how I could rationalize spending $7,000 on a coat. Damn, if only I had Paris Hilton money. Maybe J.Lo will let me borrow one of hers.

There is so much to love about this place: the architecture and history, the food, the wine, the weather, the people…and did I say the food! It was my first trip to Europe, but it definitely won’t be my last.

And then there were three...

2004-09-15T11:25:00.000-04:00

I’ve narrowed down my choices to Kellogg, Stanford and Michigan. The important factors were a general management program with a collaborative, team environment. My interestests are in marketing and social entrepreneurship, and all three of these programs have strengths in these areas. I ruled out the remaining schools for the following reasons.

Harvard - as attractive as the HBS name is, I was finally able to dissect the program aside from its name. I was honest with myself and realized that this was not a program that I would thrive in.
Duke - I've heard wonderful things about Duke and know that I would have loved it, BUT it's program is similar to Kellogg's and Michigan's. If admitted to all three, I know that I would have select K or M over Duke...so why apply
Tuck - the small, team-environment is very attractive to me, BUT the location is not. Some may say this silly, but for me, the location is an important aspect of school. Moving to a colder location that is two hours from the nearest airport scares me. I picture myself as Jack Nicholson in The Shining.
Wharton - As much as they have strong programs outside of Finance, everything about my experiences at Wharton, or with alumni or current students, screams FINANCE

Narrow Down Your List Please!

2004-09-02T11:21:00.000-04:00

My co-worker has turned into my “quasi” b-school coach. She graduated from Columbia Business School in 2003 and is a big cheerleader for Columbia and business school in general. I talked to her about my choices. She tells me that I have way too many schools. She adamantly suggests that I narrow the number down to 2 or 3 schools. She said if I truly know what I want from an MBA program, then there should only be 2 to 3 schools that fit that. She said that everyone she knew who applies to two or less got in to all, while those that applied to three or more did not. She applied to Columbia and Wharton and got in to both! I think she has a point so I decide to narrow the list down.

Where will I apply?

2004-08-27T10:09:00.000-04:00

I’m thinking about which schools to apply to and here is the list I’ve come up with. We’ll see how this list evolves over the next few months…
Kellogg
Stanford
Harvard
Michigan
Duke
Wharton
Tuck ??