It seems like only weeks ago that I was thinking about writing the GMAT to prepare myself for the possibility of business school. At the time, preparing for my first standardized test was merely an attempt to 'keep another door open'. I had been working for a large organization for close to four years, and felt that it would soon be time for a change. I wasn't initially convinced that business school would be the path that I would venture down. I had told myself for years that I would be happiest if I were running my own business, but the ideas weren't coming, and with the few that did, I realized that I had gaps to fill in my business knowledge in order to execute them (or even decide if they were executable) successfully.
And so, the GMAT journey began. My approach to applying to business school was likely slightly different from that of my classmates. Being Canadian, the decision to attend business school in the US isn't always the first instinct. While I had dreams of attending a top American program, the admissions standards, and cost are often limiting factors for many Canadians (especially in past years when our dollars weren't at parity). I applied to schools in both Canada and the United States, but ultimately the opportunity to attend Anderson was too great to pass up. Having a close friend who was in the process of completing his degree at Anderson made the decision easier - having heard fantastic stories from the last 2 years about how his time at Anderson was the best of his life.
My Pre-MBA journey also started a lot later than most. It has been interesting talking to classmates and hear about their application experiences. I didn't decide to write my GMAT until September of 2010, ultimately writing the GMAT in late November, and submitting all of my applications (to 6 schools) by the end of January 2011. I share this for a few reasons for prospective MBA students. Firstly, I would not recommend this approach - for each school that required 3-5 essays, I probably wrote 6 or 7 drafts of each. And while there were economies gained by writing similar essays for a few of the programs, it was incredibly time consuming, and at times draining. Secondly, I wasn't able to take advantage of alot of the application steps that I think are crucial to making a good decision as to where you fit best as an MBA student. I didn't visit a few of the schools I was applying to until interview time, or in the case of Anderson - A-Days in April. Finally - attending business school is a significant, possibly life-changing decision and should not be taken lightly. Your application process has the potential to change what opportunities you create for yourself, and the more you put into it, the better results you will see. I am fortunate in that I believe I am going to the school that is the best fit for my personal and professional needs, but that doesn't mean that my approach will work for all. In summary - a few candid tips that I would pass on to prospective MBA students:
1. Before deciding to apply to MBA programs, ask yourself these questions: Why do I want an MBA? What opportunities/learning will an MBA provide that I cannot achieve without it? What are my goals after completing my MBA?
2. Figure out who you really are and what you believe in: I found that the most important learning from my MBA application process was digging deep into my values and beliefs and communicating those with others. Alot of people think they know what they want to do, but knowing what you love to do will help decide what you should do.
3. Don't think about how an MBA will change you, but how an MBA will help you change: When deciding if an MBA is right for you, don't think about salary increases or promotions, think about what you'll learn from being around hundreds of brilliant and driven individuals, and how that will help you leave your mark on society - we will all be better for it.
Applying to business school was one of the most fascinating, introspective and demanding journeys I have ever put myself through, and I feel that I have a better grasp of who I am for having done it. I can only hope that the next two years take that to an entirely new level.
And finally, two more things that I'm excited about in Southern California!
Week 3 - Food: There are few things more satisfying in life than biting into a great deli sandwich. Langer's Deli in Westlake is supposedly the best in the city for such a craving, so I'm excited to give it a try: (www.langersdeli.com). We'll see how their smoked meat compares to Schwartz's in Montreal.
Week 3 - Adventure: This one isn't so much an adventure, but one of my favourite up and coming Canadian bands, Hey Rosetta! is coming to Los Angeles in November. They'll be playing on November 8th at The Echo and tickets are only $8. In Canada they play sold out shows for triple that price, so if anyone is interested in coming, it should be a pretty good show. Check them out at heyrosetta.com. I have no affiliation with the band, so this is merely one music-lover hopefully sharing with others!
Until next time - see everyone in a few weeks in Caliornia!
Cheers,
Evan
