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I know this is a few weeks late to qualify as a new year post but hey, I go by the Chinese New Year so technically I'm a few days early yet! ;)
Seriously, can you believe it is the year 2014?! It just sounds so futuristic to me... I didn't think it was possible but fall quarter second year went by even faster than it did first year. Looking back I realize I was a pretty big slacker on the blogging front so here's a quick photo recap of the last few months:
AnderCanadian Thanksgiving brunch with bottomless mimosas at Le Soleil Westwood
As many of you who have been researching Anderson know, an integral part of the second-year experience is the Applied Management Research program.
If you've been following my blog posts from year two, you also know that I'm on a project that is working with a breast cancer clinic in Ethiopia (if not, you can catch up here).
From Dec 30 to Jan 12, right in the middle of the AMR experience, AMR Team 49 (Bo Pulito, Lindsay Todd, Devin Scott, Briana Kelly, and myself) had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Ethiopia to conduct primary research for our client.
Here's some pictures from our trip and an update on what's next with our AMR project.
We flew from LA to Dubai, had a 14 hour layover, and then Dubai to Addis Ababa. Pretty incredible to think that we managed to stay in the dark part of the world for the entire duration of the flight. I may or may not have taken advantage of Emirates in-flight entertainment to watch 6 full movies...
During our first day of interviews in Addis Ababa, we had to stop for the obligatory UCLA photo overlooking the city.
It's official - now I understand why I didn't see that many posts from 2nd year students on this blog last year. Upon returning from summer, 2nd years have been doing any number of the following things:
- Taking a full load of electives for the first time
- Working on their Applied Management Research (AMR), Business Creation Option (BCO), or a special project that in effect serves as a master's thesis
- Diving back into the recruiting cycle
- Maximizing what could be their last year in Los Angeles by hiking, going to the beach, or enjoying the wide variety of multi-cultural options available in the city
Given how quickly a schedule can fill up, it's extremely easy to look down one minute... and look up the next and realize the quarter is almost over!
I'm going to focus on two aspects of the fall quarter so far - my AMR project and the additional schedule freedom you have as a 2nd year to take advantage of Los Angeles.
Applied Management Research Project
As a quick overview, AMR is a requirement for 2nd year students. As mentioned above, there are 3 options for students to fulfill the requirement. They can choose Business Creation Option and help start a business; they can choose a special project (lots of options exist here); or they can go the route that the majority of students do, and participate in the AMR Field Study. For more info about AMR in general, check out the AMR website.
It's finally arrived... the end of the internship chapter of my MBA and the beginning of year two. Nothing sums it up better than a song I'll be sure to karaoke this year, The Final Countdown.
While many of you have been hearing a great deal about why Anderson and how to prepare for the MBA experience from the fantastic bloggers in the class of 2015 (Aimee, Alena, Buzz , Daniel, Devon, Lorraine), this post will provide some perspective on what I'm looking forward to as a 2nd year student.
Internship wrap-up and career decisions
As of today, August 30th, I'm officially done with my summer internship with HP. It's been a wonderful learning experience. I worked with an incredible team, discovered what it's like to actually work for Corporate HR, and even gained exposure to additional functions, such as Supply Chain.
While my time at HP helped me realize that I could have a future career within Corporate HR, especially at a company like HP, or others within the technology industry, I now have a lot of thinking to do as to whether Corporate HR, or another function, is the right next step for me. I'll give you an update on my career decision in the coming month.
The original title of my blog post was going to be "5 Application Fallacies That I Straight Up Debunk Cuz That's How We Roll at Anderson", but the more conservative "me" took hold and I went with the plain vanilla title. There is a latin phrase "res ipsa loquitur" which means "the thing speaks for itself." This blog post hopefully does just that and helps all of you out there to approach your applications with correct expectations.
1. If I don't get a 700 on the GMAT I have no chance and should lock myself in a dark, damp closet as punishment.
Have you ever seen those "Keep Calm and..." signs? They should make one that says "Keep Calm and Be Happy with Your 690." Let me qualify this. If you have taken the GMAT multiple times and you max out in the 670-690 range, calm down and realize that the GMAT is but one of many measurements the admissions committee takes into consideration when evaluating your candidacy. Here is some basic information about how the adcom looks at the GMAT. The more balanced the score, the better. If you have to be better off in one section, be better in quant. Why? They want to make sure you don't have a nervous breakdown when you dive into the very quantitative courseload. If you only take the GMAT once and your high score is 670, take it again. The adcom will appreciate that you attempted improving your score, even if it goes up a mere 10 points. If your GMAT is a 590, you're in trouble. However, each top business school admits someone with a very poor GMAT score, but that's probably because they had an AMAZING story to tell in their essays, work experience, or recommendation letters (i.e. you were a member of Seal Team Six, you made a career out of saving stray animals and turning them into trained acrobats, etc.). Here's the bottom line--remember that the GMAT is but a piece in the puzzle. Don't let it discourage you.
Hey people! Whether you are trekking through a jungle in Asia, packing your moving truck, or sitting at work (still??? I applaud you!), I hope you find yourself getting more excited for the MBA journey to begin! We all have long lists of "things-to-do" and I don't want anyone of us to miss anything important. I've compiled a list of 10 unobvious things we can do before school starts to make the transition smoother. Enjoy!!!
1) REST!!! It sounds weird, right? We don't need no sleep! We're still young! Although it's true, you definitely may want to consider building up those energy reserves for the onslaught of orientation, first quarter classes, and endless meet-and-greets. Come to school fresh and only burn the candle at both ends a few nights a week.
After I got admitted I was wondering what would happen next, how I would make a transition into business school and how I would manage to get to know my future classmates while I was more than 6000 miles away from school. Everything turned out to be quite easy and I was amazed by the speed I virtually met my future classmates: once I joined Facebook group, it all began! The group is very active, there are so many topics to discuss and people are ready to answer questions and give advice. But today I want to tell about a small group of us who met on the Facebook Anderson Class of 2015 page and decided to take part in Nike+ Women's Marathon in San Francisco.
As for me, I have never run half/marathons before and I just decided to try a half when I saw on our Facebook group that several girls plan to participate. I think it was very right thing to do as now I have wonderful party of like-minded classmates who became my first Anderson family and I hope will become close friends in the turn of my MBA journey. At least now we have our e-mail thread and refer to each other for help, advice or with some questions regarding different parts of enrollment process. It is very important for me as an international student as I leave my family and friends behind and It is very cool that I had an opportunity to find such warm attitude from my new Anderson family. So, Dear readers, meet my wonderful friends!
Sure we all joke about taking a vow of poverty by returning to graduate school, but let's be honest--most of us will have a bit of coin to spend on some good eats that will satiate even the most finicky foodie. Although up for debate (a debate I will strategically avoid in this post), Los Angeles is without a doubt one of the most recognized cities in the world for diverse, delectable, and delicious cuisine. So, for your viewing pleasure, let's dive in to my top 10 eateries in the LA area!!! Take copious notes.
Let me christen this year's first blog post by giving you an introduction to who will be guiding you through the B-school jungle. So belt up, strap in, grit your teeth, and flex your glutes as we begin this jubilant and joyous journey!!!
The name's Buzz Black. What can I say, my parents have a penchant for alliterations. Dwight Schrute from the famous American comedy "The Office" was once asked in an interview how he would describe himself. I echo his answer in describing myself: "How would I describe myself? Three words: hard-working, alpha male, jack hammer. Merciless. Insatiable!"
If you looked at my childhood migration pattern it would look like the path of a pinball bouncing around the west coast and mountain west. I was born in Sacramento, then moved to Salt Lake City, then Portland, then Houston, then back to Salt Lake City. Nomadic, I know.
After high school I spent two years in Mexico for a volunteer church missionary program. This photo describes how much fun I had down there. I love my good friends from Mexico!
Upon returning from Mexico, I attended Brigham Young University and graduated with a degree in Finance. I met my wife at school and we got married a few months before graduation. Her name is Camille. She is the jelly to my peanut butter.
Pure Joy
I have spent the last three years working at Merrill Lynch's Private Banking & Investment Group in Los Angeles. In fact, the UCLA campus is just a stone's throw away from where I lived. Three years of hard work didn't come without any cool trips! Check out some pics from a trip to Japan, India, and British Columbia.
Golden Palace in Kyoto, Japan
Taj Mahal in Agra, India
Cycling near Victoria, British Columbia
A little more about myself...I love sports!!! You name it--baseball, basketball, football, cycling, MMA--it keeps my life full. If I'm not working or hanging with Camille it's likely that I'm on a court or field somewhere playing some ball.
Fun fact: my wife and I are expecting our first, a baby boy, this August. I mean, business school isn't going to be that busy, er, right??? Should make for a fun experience. I can't wait for the little guy to arrive!
That's me y'all. I hope we can relate on either an electronic or subatomic level through these posts. And most importantly, I hope my subsequent posts give you a crystal clear, HD, 1 bajillion mega pixel image of what it was like applying, what it is like waiting to start, and what it will be like when things get rolling. Keep your eyes on the prize and go big or go home! Signing off...
It's hard to believe, but my first year at Anderson has come to a close! Well, there are a couple of take home assignments to wrap up, but as of today all of my classes and in-person exams are over.
It's been a year for the ages... I've learned a ton in the classroom, met some amazing people who I'm sure will be life-long friends, and had some memorable experiences.
Now that school is out, it's time for a week of relaxation, and then off to the San Francisco Bay Area for my summer internship at Hewlett-Packard!
I'll be working in the Workforce Strategy group at HP, and am excited to get started! I'll be sure to keep you all updated this summer as to how the internship goes.
In the meantime, here's a few photos from over the course of the year... so many memories!
Welcome to Anderson! Beautiful entrance into the complex everyday.
The MBA Student Voice offers a first-hand perspective on life inside the MBA program at UCLA Anderson. Bloggers are current students who volunteer to share their experiences with prospective students.
