Break out the cigars!

My friend just had a baby this weekend, and I understand that the process of labour is very mentally draining, in addition to the obvious physical toll. So without an ounce of irony, I finally got my last essay drafted this evening and thought to myself, “This must be what giving birth feels like. Finally this thing is out of me!” I know that I’m not done yet, and there are many revisions to go before I can rest, but the reality of having something on paper for every essay feels like an achievement of great magnitude.

I want to share something that I read in an MBA admissions book that I found at the public library, completely by accident. The author points out that unless something extremely bad happens, like you cheat or fall prey to an addiction, nobody flunks out of an MBA. So, the final exam that really leads directly to an MBA is… getting in.

Wow. No pressure, right?

Anyway, things are truly rolling along now. One of my recommenders spent this afternoon submitting and I got the three emails to tell me he was done. And my list of things to do is slowly but surely getting shorter.

And maybe my craving for ice cream and pickles will subside now…

 

Progress update: I can see the light!

Yes, as I mentioned this morning the useful input from my last reviewer has certainly re-energized me with respect to this process. Here is a quick status update:

1. Michigan/Ross
   All four essays drafted and revised twice
2. Columbia
   All four essays drafted. Reviewed two of them. Once I review the other two I will be sending them out for external review.
3. Berkeley/Haas
   Two out of six essays drafted. Two others will be re-workings of essays from other schools. Two left to write from scratch.

I had wanted to be finished all my drafts by today, but clearly that is going to turn out to be too ambitious. However, I am still aiming to draft the two Haas essays that are all new content by tomorrow which will bring me to a stage of having drafted everything “almost”.

I had a great phone conversation with one of my references this past week, and the other one is on vacation but I have an appointment booked with her to go through the forms so everything is moving along on that front too.

I requested GMAT reports to these three schools last week too. Not knowing where I was applying at the time of the test sure cost me big! They have only sent out 4 score reports but I have paid an extra $84!!

Next up I need to take care of transcripts and go back to polish up my resume. Things look like they are staying on target for Oct 26th submission!!

 

Essay-cize!

Well, this weekend has been busy and challenging as I needed to do some renovations and move a bunch of my stuff. As you can imagine, I am now all tired out and my back is sore, and this is the first time I made it to my computer all weekend! Not a recipe for essay success.

But I’m tough and I’m not giving up. I finished my third Ross essay before letting myself blog, so if I can pound out the “why MBA” one before bed I will still be on schedule… and first draft of Ross will be done!!

I got an email from my other recommender this morning confirming that he is still onside, but very busy. He also lives in a different city than I do, so it’s harder for me to help him out as much, but I need to give him the best package for easy recommendation writing that I possibly can.

I’m going to give myself a half hour break now, and return all refreshed to write that last essay!!!

 

People who think I’m great

I am now starting to get thinking about my recommenders. There was a great post by Obelix just a little while ago that really went through a comprehensive list of what the recommenders need to know and things to talk to them about. After reading it, the only item that I would add is to ask if the recommender has any concerns at all about giving a wholeheartedly enthusiastic recommendation. If these exist and cannot be addressed, this person should not be writing my recommendation.

In other words, I need people who really think I am great.

Fortunately, I have two wonderful people who have agreed to do this for me. One was my supervisor way back when I was working for a company (before I started my own company), and has since hired me for at least two major projects, including one that just wrapped up a few months ago. So he has known and worked with me over a ten year span and can really comment on my development. He is now the managing partner of a large office of a pension and benefits consulting firm.

The other is the Executive Director at a non-profit agency that I have been on contract with for the past five years. We have worked very closely together and she knows a great deal about how I work and where my strengths lie.

One of the things that I like about choosing these two people is that I really admire them both as persons and managers. They both have had success in their careers because they approach situations with their own personal brand of insight, and because they are both very good at responding to negative situations. I know that I need to develop my own personal management style, but I can honestly say that I would be happy to be as good a manager as either of them. I am very pleased that they are willing to help me in such a pivotal way.

I am also very concerned about is making it as easy as possible for them, while still ensuring they are able to give me a good recommendation. Each one is the “big boss” in their respective offices, and is therefore extremely busy and short of time. I am going to start looking for more information on the school sites about what will be asked of the recommenders. I think that in some cases they don’t say much though. Is there anywhere else that I can look?