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Before I started my 9-7, family dinner was the only time during the day when we got to be a family. My mom would tell us how much she wanted to gag every time her smelly supervisor walked by. My dad would talk about how he labored over the cars that came into the shop. My sister and I would complain about the amount of school work we had and my little brother, whose half a head taller than me now, would whine about eating his fish and veggies.
Now, I come home to cold and left over dinners while everyone else is busy getting ready for bed. Family time isn’t every night anymore; it’s once or twice a week. I don’t know what goes on at home. I don’t know where anything is either. My mom would joke and say, “Did you just move in yesterday?” And honestly, sometimes it feels that way.
The last heart to heart conversation I had with my dad was right after I graduated from college. He asked me at the dinner table, “What’s your 5-year plan?” My sister said, “5 years? I don’t even know what I’m going to wear tomorrow.” But I knew. I’m a planner. I’ve always been that way. Whatever I have my heart set on, I plan to work for it every step of the way.
Most people would say I’m lucky I don’t have school loans to pay off. What I really want to say is, “You don’t know squat. It’s not luck. It’s hard work and sacrifice.” I busted my ass in high school so I could get a 4-year scholarship and I’m busting my ass now to save for grad school. It was always in my plan to work for two years before getting my MBA. I want to take out as little student loans as possible so I’m saving as much as I can now.
It’s almost a year since I graduated and now it’s crunch time. I’ll be taking my GMAT in April (hopefully) and I’ve already narrowed down a few schools, which will probably be updated after I receive my GMAT score.
- UC Berkeley (San Francisco, CA)
- UPenn (Wharton) (Philadelphia, PA)
- George Washington University (DC)
- Georgetown University (DC)
- Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburgh, PA)
- University of Washington (Seattle, WA)
- Arizona State University (Phoenix, AZ)
- University of Minnesota (Minnesota, Minneapolis)
UC Berkeley is my dream school but I’m having a hard time picking my #2 and #3. Granted, it all depends how well I score on my GMAT. I also plan on volunteering abroad before I start my MBA (more on that later).
What do you think are my chances of getting into the schools I’ve listed?
Here’s my resume which details my educational and professional experience. I’d really appreciate your insights.
You have same sense of travel as me! Thought I’ve never packed Vaseline, not...
LOL. My sister does marketing for a place in Vancouver called Cristal Cliniq. Family discount of 30% off. So in my head, that's the best place – cheap.
Haha…I've only been to SF and Seattle. The west coast doesn't seem to be that bad. I've been to DC before but I don't think I've been to the Chinatown there. There are just too many choices to choose from. But you're right, I should focus on one thing at a time. GMAT first and everything else will fall in place. Good advice Darrick.
Georgetown or GWU would be good choices. You would like the city, not the Chinatown, but everythign else in the nations capital… plus i could show u the handful of good places to eat…
Wharton is a good school, but there's nothing else out there. and of course cali schools are good too, but then, you'd be on the wrong coast… :-p you'd be on the left coast, cuz we kno the right coast is the east coast which is the best coast. :-p
Arizona is nice too, dry heat, no humidity…
But one focus at a time. Ace your GMATS and you can go where ever you want.
I looked at going for a Masters in Linguistics, but then I got a new job so now I'm working on some IT certs… for the challenge and fun of learning and to add useless letters to my business card :-p I'll get the masters when things slow down…
I'm looking into DC because of all the non-profits that are located there. I'll look into Emory as well. There are so many options, I don't even know where to begin.
According to a Matador article, grad school is still free in Sweden. But the living standard there is so high. I might end up paying the same amount if I had went to grad school in the US.
Where is the best place to get Botox?
Well I don't know about the schools specifically but DC is a great place to go to school. Lots of young people and stuff is always going on.
I also know that my alma mater Emory also has a really good business school.
When I was considering re-schooling, doing it abroad became an option. I've heard Sweden *use* to offer free schooling to foreigners, could still be the case for MBA's? I agree with Elke on this. Otherwise, I have no advice to offer except best places to get botox (at my age) and how to avoid injuring yourself yet again.
Thanks Erica! If I get accepted into Berkeley you can come visit me in SF!
UC Berkeley sounds like a great first choice. I haven't visited SF myself (yet!) but I can imagine that it would be awesome to live there. As for your 2nd and 3rd choices, not easy to say as I have no first-hand experience of any of these schools. Hope everything turns out for the best!
I have thought about getting a master's in publishing or creative writing but have not actively researched it. I would love to go to school abroad in Paris because it's a dream of mine to live there and become fluent. I have been working for the past year and a half like you and I think I need a change soon so I'm going to see how things go this year with my writing and my full-time job.
Yea, from the looks of it I might just nix Minnesota from my list. Don't want to be hibernating 9 months of the year. I actually really LOVE SF. I visited before and it's just such a charming city. I definitely wouldn't mind living there for 2 years. Plus, Berkeley is my dream school so it makes perfect sense. They have a great international studies program too which I will certainly take advantage of if I get accepted.
I got a full 4-year scholarship for my undergrad so I don't have any student loans to pay off. Grad school on the other hand will be another story. I will have to look into international MBA programs though. There are just so many options!
I'm with Magicant and was surprised to see Minnesota on the list. As a traveler I think you would be happier in a place like DC, Seattle or San Fran due to a likely larger mix of worldly people coming through. ultimately I would agree with Elke and say, explore international programs. Wherever your future job leads you having a degree form a foreign university is sure to at least have people stop and take a double look over your resume. My current job offers me tuition remission so I'm stuck where I'm at but i don't have to worry about paying for it so it all balances out. Now if only those pesky undergrad loans would disappear.
Thanks for the encouraging words Joya. I hope my hard work pays off. I love SF too. That's one of the reasons why Berkeley is my dream school. It would so great if I were able to get my MBA there. Plus, they have a fantastic international studies program which I will surely take advantage of if I make it there. Are you planning to get your master's too?
I love SF too. That's one of the reasons why Berkeley is my dream school. I was totally smittened when I visited a few years ago. Plus, UC Berkeley has a great international studies program. I really want to take advantage of that and study abroad again.
Yea…maybe not so much Minnesota. I like the sun too much. Vitamin D makes me happy.
I’m getting my MBA because I like to be challenge. I get bored easily and I constantly have the need to learn. If not, I feel useless like I’m wasting my life away. That's one of the reasons I love to travel so much. Everytime I'm out on the road, I'm learning all the time.
I’d love to work for a non-profit one day too. I guess we’ll have to see where my MBA takes me.
I definitely will! Thanks Elke! Going to read through your blog sometime today. Any post you recommend me reading to get me started with my MBA?
well i know my school costs 5000€ or something for foreigners (thats for one year), I estimate the books for the MBA will cost me about 300-500€ and I pay 300€ a month for my room (including electricity, internet, …), I pay 7€ for food daily (i dont go to restaurants but cook myself) and a beer is around 1,5-1,8 here in brussels. If you would need any more info, feel free to email me!
Really? I never thought studying abroad would be cheaper. I think I might have to do some more research. Thanks for the tip Elke! Now I'm getting all excited. Haha!
As a San Francisco native, I think you would love it here but I also think Elke's suggestion of studying abroad is a good idea too. I have always thought about studying abroad for a masters so that I could travel at the same time too. Whichever school you decide, your resume is great and I think you'll do well whatever happens! What's supposed to happen will happen. Corny but true.
I think San Francisco is so lovely and great location to explore the West Coast. Have you though of University of Texas in Austin? I am biased I am sure, but UT is a fabulous school and Austin has so much to offer. Minnesota? Are you crazy? It's too cold to even think, let alone study!
Good luck. Just follow your heart…and maybe the GMAT scores.
Minnesota? The Golden Gophers? Booooo!!!! Try a warmer climate.
Sincerely,
Faithful University of Wisconsin Badger
Out of curiosity – why do you feel the need to go to grad school?
Does it have to be in the USA? I'm going to participate in an english MBA program here in Brussels next year. The girl who lives next door to me is an American doing the program right now, and she doesnt have any study loans either, partly because she's been studying abroad all along which is way cheaper than in the USA!
I know of a similar program in Deggendorf, near Munich and I'm sure there are many others. It's a great opportunity to combine with your travel passion too off course!