Sektion Vier: Das Ding

"The Admissions Committee has carefully reviewed your application materials and I am sorry to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission to UCLA Anderson School of Management for Fall 2005."

Like all good dings, this one was succinct and had an exceptional, harmonically perfect ring tone.

I recommend this ding with the Nieman Ranch free-range chicken breast scallopini, seared winter veggies, pistachio - green tea ice cream and steel-cut oatmeal parfait, all complemented by the '99 Chateau St. Michelle Gewurtztraminer.

Anyway, what can you do? I was a little luke warm on the place anyway, especially in comparison to my visits to Rice and McCombs. I lugged my ass up there in a suit, only to interview with a second-year who was wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a three-day stubble. After attending a class with a totally forgettable professor, I think one student introduced himself to me. Contrast that with Rice and UT, where I had non-flippant interviewers dressed for the occasion and at least 10-15 students introduce themselves and volunteer their contact info in case I had any questions. So bottom line? I kind of expected it, and I'm not that bummed about it.

So in the absence of any new info from UT -- now entering week 11 since applying -- I've started to really research the career options and school life at Rice. And I've been really impressed with what I've seen. The ten-week action learning projects they do while in residence will be a great opportunity for me to get some hands-on finance and marketing experience. This will be huge coming from and engineering/project management background. It also seems like a lot of I-banks recruit there, especially for energy I-banking. Not that I want to be a banker necessarily, but I see I-bank recruiting as somewhat of a validation of an MBA program -- kind of like getting a Starbucks in your neighborhood.

I've been really enjoying my career research and reading up on finance, accounting and statistics. I enjoy sort of cerebral and analytical things, but I also have a non-engineer personality. My early opinon is that I will pursue some sort of investment career, likely in the energy sector. Of course, all this could go out the window after my first marketing class, but as they say, if you don't have at least some sort of plan, how do you know what do deviate from?

*Kudos again to WC on the Sam Giancana Memorial Scholarship at Chicago, and for all of the support and advice.

Sektion Drei: Am enden den Nerven

"At the end of my nerves."

I would be thinking there is something direly wrong with me for the amount of time I spend following the BW Forum, except for two factors:

1) My company has totally lost its direction and everything is slower than slow here. I'm utterly thankful for the fact that I timed by MBA apps this year. Something in the back of my mind probably told me that this company's future was dim as could be, when suddenly, in November, they canned the CEO and much of the management team and whoosh!, my suspicions were confirmed and I was relieved to have those applications done.

2) The more I read, the more I realize that there are a ton of people glued to the Forum, so I guess I'm not totally crazy. I get the feeling that many people out there are just like me: they wake up one day and realize that they've reached the peak of their potential given their level of education, and a change of jobs would do nothing to alleviate that or provide greater challenges. Therefore, they look upon an MBA as two years of intellectual rigor that will make sense of the crazy business world we live in. And hopefully, when it's over, we will find a gig that makes it a thrill to go to work every morning.

On another note, another day ticks down without a peep from McC. I swear if I get in there I'm going to wear my best Ali G garb to Admit Weekend and speak with a thick and indistinguishable Cockney accent.

Sektion Zwei: Perspective

One hates to get negative in these situations, but eleven weeks is a long time to wait for a decision. I guess the UCLA decision has been taking just as long as McCombs', but at least I expected that up front.

On the positive side, I'm guessing that I'm probably not dinged by McCombs, and that they are taking stock of their responses and later applicants before coming to a decision on me.

Another source of frustration lately is that I havent' been able to run for the last six weeks because of some weird tendonitis on the bottom of my heal. I've been lifting a lot of weights and doing spin classes, but that just doesn't have the same head-clearing capacity as a good run.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear WC and CG got fellowships at Anderson today. Its somehow surreal to be so excited for people I've never met, but I guess a lot of us in the working world form close bonds with colleagues we've only met through the phone or email.

Sektion Eins: Anfang; oder, Warten

In the beginning, there was the resolution - mine that is. Eleven days ago I made a new year's resolution to keep a journal. Then, inspired by others like WakeChica and CalGrad, I thought, why not a blog.

I grew up in Denver, studied marine engineering at the US Merchant Marine Academy in NY, and have lived all over the map in the seven years since I graduated. My favorite places to live were New Orleans, Switzerland, and Austria, where I worked in a factory while working for GE.

I now live in San Diego, working for a small, VC-funded company that produces environmental technologies to reduce emissions from large vehicles and power plant engines.

I love San Diego, but don't particularly love my job, company or the path I'm on professionally. I wish I could stay in this city, but, alas, its now or never for me if I want to get an MBA. And since I want to change careers, I've decided to apply for full-time programs only.

I found three programs I was really super-excited about: Rice, McCombs and Anderson, and I decided to stick with those three. I think all are a really good fit, and I believe I made the right choice by sticking with only three. So far I've been admitted to Rice, with a decent scolly, and have found the wait for McCombs excrutiating. At least with Anderson I know exactly when D-day is.