Thursday, October 23, 2008

Update

I remember why I don't keep a blog all the time, it's because when things start getting busy, I complete forget about blogging. Right now, I'm trying to balance out applications, work, and class. Midterm next saturday and I haven't started studying yet. But I think I'll start next week, since this week I'm going to SF to watch the undefeated Cal vs UCLA. It's one of those mixed feeling games, UCLA winning would be great for UCLA chances at a Pac-10 title, but Cal winning would keep USC out of the Rose Bowl.


Back to business school application updates.

COLUMBIA:
I finally submitted my application to Columbia, overall I believe my application was decent. In the end it is how much they are going to over look my GPA. It's been a sad couple of days, being so many people have been rejected lately from Columbia. Even my Twin, HappyBunny, who has like almost the same profile as me EXCEPT with a much better GPA and Female. It doesn't look good. Seems like most people who are accepted so far are finance or consulting background, no love for engineers.

KELLOGG:
Second depressing thing is that my Recommender FLAKED on me for my Kellogg Application, midday of due date, he was asking if it really needed to be done today and that he preferred not tonight it that night. So I rather have a decent letter of rec, then a badly written one. Kellogg is still one of the schools I really want to go to. So I'm just applying round 2.

Which now is the funny part, since i did PartI planning for Round 1, I already had my interview even though I haven't applied. My interview was yesterday, and here is basicly how it went.

Excerp from my post on GMATCLUB.

"Hope this helps

Just had my interview, don't know if it went good or bad, but it was long. Most of it was after the interview where we talked about our past, kellogg. I don't know if the interviewer would add the conversation to her notes or not. But lasted about one and a half hours. I'm hoping length is a good thing. My interviewer was really thorough, I think I got every question on the list. But we didn't really do a resume run through like most people have said. It was more like, Explain this job. (only asked about that)

Other than that here's basicly the questions.
What do you do at your job?
Why Engineering?
Why MBA? Future short term?
Did you concider MMM program? (since I'm an engineer)
Future Long term?
Weakness and Strength?
Deal with Conflict with others?
How have you motivated someone?
How will you contribute to Kellogg?

(Here's the Kicker-didn't see this one before) If you were to be accepted by every school, what would be the deciding factor for your choice? (Did not answer this one well, I answered truthfully, but not well)

Among your leadership/volunteer experiences (on the resume, non-work), which ones to you think are most important and why?

That's all I can remember, a couple of the questions I didn't answer very well (weakness/which school will I choose/motivation). But we did talk for a long time, and I think she basicly got who I am. Oddly enough, my weakness one was a really bad answer.

Forgot one more!Why type of problems do you usually have a harder time with? don't give specific problem, but catagory of problems. It was unusual question."




To elaborate more on how I did, I think I came off Honest, passionate, and intellegent. But I don't think I came off particurly strong in leadership, and maybe too technical, and didn't sound like I really wanted kellogg (which is kind of funny to me, since i really want kellogg my only round1 non-ED app.)

Starting with the bad. I think I was way too honest. When she asked what school I would get if I got into everyone, I said finance. I would probably go to whichever school is most affordable. Which to me sounds strange now, since I most likely would give up UCLA scholarship for Kellogg, and could have responded way better that I want kellogg, which is true, since i really like their mantra. But in reality, with the credit situation and family background. I can't waste money.

Which is where I sound honest, I don't think I had to bend any ideals I have to answer the question. (The engineer in me dominated) I sounded intellegent in that she asked the right questions, since i have been a forum whore for so long, I actually knew alot about the school, consulting life, MMM program, and visited the school, so all her answers were really easy, and my answers were really detailed and had alot of depth and research behind it.

Passion, that I think was just when we started talking about aerospace and volunteering, which is where I'm passionate about. (sometimes I sacrafice professionalism for passion, it was really casual conversation by then).


Leadership is always hard, since I don't really define leadership as most people do. The way I motivate people is also different, so I was honest about it all, but not sure if she liked it or not.

Weakness should have been that I'm direct- but from what I said my weaknesses are, she should know I'm direct. STUBBORN should not ever be stated as a weakness, although I am stubborn. Basicly not my best answer.


Other than that we had a long converstation about what she did, what I did after the interview was over. I don't know if that's positive or not. and the conversation was more like she talked for 5 minutes then I talk for 5 minutes. I think it was decent, but would have perferred an interviewer with consulting or technical background. Since I can just more technical terms and explain myself better. But overall it was okay.