Offers from Yale and CMU

Dec 20 is a lucky day for me, and I should remember this day, which turn on the B school switch and my new life path with new hope...

Although my target is top 5, this year the competition is so high with surged applicants at each school. I can see a flood of young applicants everywhere. As an old applicant without too much significant title, I still consider Yale and CMU's offers are good without regret. Because as I mentioned earlier, I have tried my best and I won't regret. After applying 8 schools in round 1, I am exhausted and just want to have something for Christmas. And Here they come! The week before Christmas and New Year of 2007.

CMU supposed to release the result on 22, but it is earlier this year. I was dinged by Cornell on 19th and felt so depressed. I cancel my Florida vacation for Christmas as I planed to apply more schools in second round. I thought Cornell is easier for me, but its refusal put me low. I knew it might be because I didn't show too much interest to go to the suburb of mountain. I didn't even stay longer than interview to join the school tour or any information section. That is my fault. It was afternoon 2:20pm yesterday, I checked email and saw the title of excited news from Tepper. My heart is beating. When I opened it, I saw the good news. The first thing I did was to call my husband. He deserved to be the first one to know it. Then I didn't notice there is a letter inside the link. After thrill for a while, I checked the weblink and found out that I was offered $20,000 for each year for two years scholarship. I didn't expect this compared with many young strong applicants. But they did give it to me. Maybe the presentations i sent to them last week made them change their mind. But it is a plus news! My mind is suddenly flushing. I ran to my boss, who wrote the recommendation letter for me to share the good news. I emailed a few friends who concerns for me.

When I was still excited about the CMU, my phone rang with area code of 203. Not sure..picked the phone, a familiar voice...I knew it was yale, the lady who interviewed me. She told me congratulations! I didn't response fast as I still in CMU..and then she asked:" is it a good time to call?" I guess she expected much more excitement from me. I quickly said thanks. I asked if there is some scholarship. She said no. I said it is fine...etc...but it comes so fast. I didn't adjust my feeling yet from CMU..anyway. I am in Yale too...one of 150 admits this year. I noticed that I was the first one to update at admissions411 site. But I am so happy...at that hours between 2-4pm. My dreams come to be true with so much efforts and so much struggling these years..finally come to here this point. Only friends who knows me will know how much these admissions mean to me. It changes my life back to where I was before and I found back myself and confidence, which i have been lost for many years due to an unfortunate event in 1992.

When I got home, my father and my mother welcome me with a big hug, so did my husband. Of cause, my son also hugged me but he won't understand what is Yale at his age of 2. I did send email to every friend who helped me and support me. Although I do not have to go to one of these two schools at the end if I have other better offer. At least, I have something for Christmas and for my dream. Determination works! Hard work pay off! These are all I can say!

Now I have to change my plan for second round. I consider to apply Chicago or one more. But Yale is already good for me due to its school's international reputation. Yale is highly respected in Asia. Although it is not top 10 B School, but I am happy with it. I guess between these two, I have to choose Yale over CMU. Throwing back $40,000 is a little sad...But i got what I want, a recognition and an admission.

I can have a good Christmas and New Year now...good luck to everyone who is still waiting.

Game just begins and a long journey is behind...

After visiting many schools by now, I had a feeling that except Top 7 schools" Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Wharton, Chicago, Kellogg, Columbia", all the other schools on top 20 list no matter BW or US News are very similar. Really!! I heard that last year, a Chinese student received full scholarship covering tuition from CMU, but he refused and entered Cornell. I really think it was a little ..... from what I see, although the ranking is slightly different, the job placements, locations, reputations, class sizes ...overall, it won't make too much difference. A full tuition scholarship is something plus....i would go to either of them if I got full tuition except Top 7 schools. But this is only my opinion.

WOW, a long wait after interviews. Cornell's R2 result will be out next Monday, CMU will be out on 12/22, and Yale's maybe will be out before Christmas. I wish I could hear some acceptance from either one of it. Top 7 are really TOP...very difficult unless you have obvious significant profiles and age fall within 80% range. for the person like me 34, with similar background of 28 since I started career late in US, I think the hope to top 7 is very small. Now I have tried my best and I think I am satisfied myself for this processing. Although Wharton's EMBA said they would consider my application, still I did not put too much hope though.

oh, one thing to mentioned that I got NYU Stern's EMBA acceptance in 2 days including interview and application submission. I did appreciated NYU's work efficiency. The lady who interviewed me has the same birthday with me. She said " is it a good sign" . Then I knew I was in. But they require $5000 deposit, Wharton EMBA refused to give me early decision since they knew I was refused by the full time program. It does influenced if you apply two programs at the same time. This is an advice only. I am not sure if I will submit that 5000. But I consider full time and EMBA also, as well as MIT's one year Fellows MBA program.

A decision making is difficult too...but I will think about that after the waiting game is finished next year in April. I am not sure if I can submit the deposit to some school and tell them I will not go later? I guess I just lose some money then...

I start to consider whether I should try some schools in Round 2.......I felt exhausted with full time job and a 2 years old at home by these interview, visiting and waiting process...Over 34 yearls is the other challenge to a women, which is the reason that it is easier to get in EMBA than regular MBA because of the small number of woman at this age still try so hard....I cannot complain since I choose this path. But game just begin....a long journey is behind...

Yale and Cornell interviews brief

Many days after interview, I was still tried from the long driving from the trips to Yale and Cornell on two consecutive days. As interviews are standard in these two schools, I do not want to make too details about it. Just some of my thoughts.

Locations difference: Yale locate 45 minutes from New York city, which is very convenient for recruiting events in New York city. I left Philly at 1oPM after work, and it only took me 3 and half an hour to arrive the hotel nearby Yale. Of cause, no traffic at midnight. I think it takes only about an hour to Boston also. Very good location. About Cornell, I left Yale at 2pm, it took me almost 7 hours to drive to Cornell from Yale, streight driving, no stop only one gas filling. I passed mountain areas, and there are almost no car ahead of me in short distance. I had to speed up to catch someone and follow its lights. It was very tedious driving. After long hours suburb driving, I suddenly entered a small cozy town and hit the downtown Christmas Tree, and felt kind of warm and surprised. All the Ithaca is about Cornell University, many foods and stores and convenient stores. I recommend Super 8 Motel since it is only a few minutes to school, and 2 minutes walk to a Chinese King Buffet, cost only 7 dollar for everything for dinner. It was great for $69/night with free Internet and decent clean room. I specially made one hour early in the morning and assumed that I would arrive on time. I didn't realize that the campus locate on the top of the hill and very difficult to find parking. Do not forget to register with Visitor Parking Booth to pay and get a permit to park. I didn't know this and drive around to waste time. Later, find a 10 minutes parking in front of business school, but the stuff told me that I would get an expensive fine. I was 10 minutes later after parking. They understood though. It was a rainy morning and I saw many students walk from hill to campus. It is a really small university town on the top of hill. I would say the location of Cornell is a little draw back, but it will not influence too much. But if you consider location an important factor, you should consider this.

Interview style: Yale has batch interview style and each one only 30 minutes with very standard questions. Cornell has tougher interview with an Admission committee and a second year student with all the tough questions and expect good answers, which last about one hour. Yale will start the question go through resume, why yale and why MBA. Half an hour is fast and didn't allow too much answers. I think I did well since the admission committee who interviewed me is very familiar with Chinese education systems and traveled to China before. She was aware of many things I mentioned. I felt kind of connected. Cornell is also blind interview. If you ever prepare the application for MIT, then you should no worry about it at all because the questions are just very similar to MIT's application questions. such as "describe a time you lead something, describe a time you are a group player, describe the definition of leadership, and what is the global leadership means. what did you do to solve a complex problems etc..." Since I have prepared MIT's essays, I just used the essay content for the answers and I think they were satisfied by the answers. But you really need prepare for Cornell's interview.

Class visit at Yale: I stayed longer at Yale for Class visit and lunch. The class was a famous Market competitive class with a famous professor. That day, he invited a CEO of Red Cross to the class. It was very interested and students were very involved in giving many recommendations. I didn't see Chinese student in the class. Later I knew only 5 Chinese students enrolled in the class last year. Although Yale ranks not good as Cornell, but Asia students have preference for this school due to its international reputations. I think that is the reason I might also will choose it if I will be admitted. I didn't stay longer at Cornell as I had to drove 5 hours back to the office to work and attend a meeting. I finished interview at 10am and did make to the office at Philly at 3PM. I continued to work as usual since I did not want my boss think I influenced my work due to MBA application. He was surprised I made it back to work. But I was tired... that is why I drafted this now two weeks later after the interviews.