MBA申请之路总算是出现了点曙光, 让自己可以稍微安心许多了.

最近几天其实一直有点小忐忑, 毕竟一直没有消息. 昨天在酒店准备Ross的面试, 一边还刷刷邮箱。（最近刷邮箱简直成了一种病态习惯了, 没事就刷邮箱）。原本以为按照时差关系最快应该也要半夜才会有消息吧.

一封信邮件“嘣”的出现在眼前. 

Dear Canliang,

Your admissions decision is now available online. To retrieve your decision, please log into your application.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Best regards,
UCLA Anderson MBA Admissions and Financial Aid

非常简短, 简短的以为有些冷淡了. 之前曾经设想过好几次看到邮件时候的心情, 我总是告诉自己需要平静的面对一切, 我应该不会紧张或者激动. 可是我错了……..或许是我太期待有个结果来告诉自己, 证明自己的付出是有收获的, 告诉自己是会被认可的. 当我点开邮件的时候我真的是很紧张, 明显感觉心跳加速的很厉害. 那种紧张的心情或许已经很久很久没有体会了, 我都不知道上一次这样的感觉是在什么时候. 当我Login进系统的时候依然是一行告诉我”you admissions decision is now available“ 的时候, 我真的有些紧张了, 我真的有些害怕看到一些不愿意见到的结局, 因为其实我并没有准备好。在我点开继续连接进去看的时候, 我几乎是闭起了眼睛, 祈祷上天能够给我一个好消息, 能够让我安心的过春节。

所幸, 或许周末妈祖阁的上签真的灵验了！我收到了Offer, 来自UCLA的Offer, 来自我喜欢的西海岸加州的offer. 其实我也不知道我为什么莫名的喜欢或者偏向西海岸, 喜欢加州. 其实我并没有去过, 我对加州也并没有研究过谈不上多么的了解而喜欢, 就是一种简单朦胧的直觉. 这样的感觉伴随了我人生很久, 也伴随了我好多次重要的选择.

当然斯坦福, 加州伯克利和加州洛杉矶三所学校都是我很喜欢的学校. 虽然UCLA相对于UC Berkeley以及Stanford排名偏后, 但是在没有更好的Offer情况下, 我还是非常喜欢UCLA的.  不过Stanford和UC Berkeley招的人超级的少，Offer的几率实在低的可以让我感觉可以被忽略了也不觉得自己有多么的冤枉了. 申请过程中也碰到了很多的牛人, 越发知道自己的不足与平淡, 而进了MBA商学院之后这样的感觉其实只会更加的剧烈, 来自世界各自的在各自领域优秀的同学以及他们的故事都会到时让我赞叹和佩服, 提醒自己要更加努力和积极向上, 切勿懒惰成性.

P.S.

收到Offer激动了好一会, 初步估计至少有一刻钟左右. 我发微信群通知一起申请的人, 发短信和打电话给CD 六月班的同学, 联系告诉一直关心我申请情况的朋友, 同学, 老板, 同事. ( 人家牛人应该都很淡定吧？？ 我这么激动的告诉所有人是不是太不蛋定了？ 是不是太木有必要了？….其实我就是真的很开心的想让别人也知道(^o^)/~, 木有一点炫耀的意思~(≧▽≦)/~啦啦啦）. 我打电话给老妈, 老妈知道有好消息了. 因为一般白天我很少打电话给她, 而且也不是周末. …反正我恨不得让所有人都知道….哎╮(╯▽╰)╭….我这样太不低调了….原谅我…..)

今年春节过年回家终于可以写一写2012年的总结以及过去工作四年多的总结甚至是过去二十多年成长线路的初步总结了. 毕竟相对于我上私立中学, 考取复旦, 工作, 如今出国MBA 又一次站在了人生重要的十字路口. 可以总结挺多, 因为选择MBA，而且是出国读MBA本身其实已经超出很多人包括自己之前的计划于预期. 在不久或者没几年前这都是未曾想过的事。这又将再一次把我的人生轨迹抛出一个美丽的弧线了. 非常期待.

人生就是这么奇妙的, 以为自己永远不会选择的事, 其实有一天你也会做.

所以不要夸口做太遥远的规划, 不要给未来的自己提前做了各种选择, 把选择权留给未来的自己.

继续加油！

2013.1.10 00:30 Skype

Finally it comes my first interview from UCLA: Exciting and nervous.

My interviewer was a year2 MBA student from Thailand, while she spent many years in U.S. as she got her bachelor degree in University of South California and worked for PwC for several years.

The interview process was normal. After a warm-up conversation, she introduced the interview process which included 20m interview and 10m question to her. She was a very warm and easy-going women( yeap, I guess most of the interviewers are warm and friendly, at least they seems to, you know.) 

Some question for the interview:

1. Go through your resume.

2. Why UCLA ( Just stated why mba, why  now, why UCLA together..)

3. What’s your goal for 5-10 years. ( Short term and long term)

4. Leadership story and what you think could improve? ( ZJ tobacco case)

5. What will you involve in the community. ( HTBA, EA and C4C clubs)

6. How do you build the relationship with others. ( Conflict Managment- Inside sales)

6. Q&A. (She briefly introduced her background)

It was a happy and relax conversation, and I hope it will be a good ending.

Howerver, there is still something that could done better.

2. Why UCLA, I could talk about more detailed about the resource and course in UCLA. I mentioned Entrepreneurial focus, technology reputation, location, and Students and professors. Well it was OK, but seemed a little too general, could be more specific next time.

3. If she asked me about my long-term goal. I could stated the long-term goal firstly, then I could explain what was my short-term in order to reach the LG. Howerver, I stated my SG, then LG, which, I am afraid, would let her think that I just recited my prepared materials.

4. Leadership stories and improvement. I did stated the story about ZJ tobacco. While I may not clearly explain what I could improve as it seemed like a great achivement and happy ending. So the learning for improvement seemed a little weak.

5. I stated about the clubs I will involve and gonna to participate the renowned Knapp Venture Competition with good business plan. Is there anything I could add or improvement.

6. Build relationship. I stated about a story about how to manage conflict and build trust within the team. While it was OK. But actully, I could stated two stories, one about building trust with my college, and another about building relationship with customer with high business integrity. That’ s something I should add and improve.

Generall speaking, it was a friendly talk and I was not  sure about the result, but I do wish I can win the ticket, then my Spring Festival will be a celebratation. Otherwise… I gonna drop in the deep ocean of willies and worry.

P.S. I drank a Red Bull before my interview at about PM 11:00. The result was I couldn‘t fall asleep even at am 3:00. I got up and watched a movie” War Horse” and fell asleep till the morning about 5:30…. It was a tired night. I got up after 11:00 this morning and help polish the UCLA essay for one of my friend till PM 1:20…and visited a customer after the lunch at KFC near my apartment….I do feel I become the “ Monster” again those days…….

早上从梦中醒来 依稀记得最后一个梦竟然梦到了外星人或者异形生物吧。

走进一幢楼, 高塔式的建筑, 可是梦境却又很动画, 似乎是个平面游戏的界面。楼里到处都是各种花花草草, 需要穿越一层层的花花往高层奔去. 最后一楼的时候是各种硕大的花朵从屋顶悬挂下来。梦境似乎是说撕下花瓣即可. 在撕开花瓣的同时, 花朵似乎产生了异常强烈的吸引力, 就像食人花一样,把人吸进了花朵. 而这却正是进入顶层的唯一方式. 顶楼是个宽敞的圆顶建筑，四周都是透明的玻璃, 都能看到高楼外的景象. 楼的正中似乎是大理石建筑一样的棺木或者墓穴, 有凝重感的几级台阶往上. 而墓穴躺着一个巨人, 全身都是盔甲, 头盔很长,从鼻子一直往下延伸到了胸前, 似乎就像是之前电影"普罗米修斯"造物主的头盔.

昨晚各种阴错阳差至凌晨四五点方才睡去, 早上间歇性的醒来, 没有时间的概念. 窗帘的间隙间透进闪闪的阳光. 有些疑惑, 最近几天不是明明都是阴天么, 何来的阳光? 半睡半醒中看着窗前闪闪发亮的照射进来, 不知道是自己的梦境还是真实的阳光. 或许该有阳光照进我的生活了.

中午醒来又是阴天, 有点头痛, 眼睛也有些酸。

最后一天, 把最后一所学校的材料提交了, 有些机械, 不愿思索, 似乎最终都提交完毕才是目的所在, 而对结局的期盼早已没有先前的憧憬与强烈.

接下来或许又是等待.

或许早上的阳光是个好预兆, 2013也许也会阳光照进生活.

Festival Season, Christmas and New Year.

While it is obviously that my focus is still on MBA application.

Write emailsl to alumnus, book the interview time, prepare interview questions, polish the essays  for R2 application. It seems there all lots of things to do and it is endless, as you could never tell yourself that what you have done is enough to get the interview ticket or even the enrollment. There would always be someone that is harder or smarter than you. What you can do is try you best, while I am always very lazy.

I wrote emails to my classmates, who now pursued their MBA degree in US, to write the support letter for me. Maybe it would be helpful or maybe it is just a waste of their time, I just want to improve the possibility to get in a better MBA school.

My previous boss and life long friend, Steve, told me: All I havd done today will be paid off in the future.  2013 will be the crossroad year of my life.

I do believe so.

My whole life is a good sample that prove the education investment  will be paid off.

Wait

Wait

Wait for the Big Day.

Michael Shou

Though I was little upset two weeks ago that Duke didn’t invite me to the interview stage, things seem to get better as I have received the interview invitation from UT Austin McCombs and UCLA. Austin and Los Angeles both are exciting and innovative cities in U.S.

Now I have to better prepare my interviews. It has been such a long time since the last formal interview when I was still in the college, preparing for the job-hunting interview. It reminds me the days years ago, and now I will be on the way to a new chapter of my life.

Dreams will come true. Hold On, Sun shines.

上次GMAT Verbal 部分惨败， 这两天都在看Verbal, 主要是看语法。

今天又花了将近一天把新题型GMAT的IR部分 50题做了一遍，熟悉了下题型。

考验的是对图表, 不同言论的逻辑分析性的内容. 有些内容比较简单，有些比较复杂费些脑经.

貌似不知道听谁说过GMAT考的就是逻辑. 不过此处的逻辑或许并不是语法部分的逻辑。

正常GMAT考试就是考验大家的逻辑应对能力，或许这样的话我可以从不同地方不同的人那里都听到过.

不过即使自己考试过一次,对此的理解还是有限的. 此前依然觉得AWA就是考写作, 数学就是考数学, Verbal就是考自己的英语水平. 如此割裂的认知或许便是造成自己上次考试失利的原因.

其实整个考试就是个逻辑考试。

AWA是对某个话题或者结论的逻辑严密性的论证。

IR是对图表信息等抽取体现信息能力的逻辑考验.

Math当然更是对逻辑的考察，数学的公理公式,算法等本身就是经过极其严密的逻辑论证的出来的结论.

Verbal: 语法是对句子内部的语言约定俗成的用法逻辑的考验; 逻辑是对小短文内部句子之间前后语义逻辑的推断; 而阅读理解是最高级的逻辑, 更加抽象的语义, 段落意义之间的考察.

虽然有些领悟到了这一点，但是二战能否上高分还是需要自己的不断努力.

P.S. 这战线拉的太长了, 感觉有些后劲不足, 热情有些消减, 有些无所谓的态度开始出现.  一定要铭记, 在坚持两三个月, 否则前功尽弃了, 必须继续保持热情与憧憬. 虽然开始有些怀疑到底是否真的要出国, 出国的意义与将会面临的困难与不确定性自己都没有认真想过. 或许也真是应为这种不确定性, 不安定性让自己愿意尝试下吧.

折腾了那么久, 终于按耐不住了，眼见着大家都不断的提交了申请, 各种面试邀约. 俺也不淡定了，上周就果断的提交了三所学校： Duke, UCLA and MIT 三所都是10.24号同一天截止日。可恨我那不争气的GT成绩估计要成我绊脚石了.

不过交完之后果然严重懈怠了, 一周都没有啥力气和活跃的passion继续写其他学校了，Cornell好不容易东拼西凑写了个东西，估计也是惨不忍睹的，更别说推荐信. 我发现自己越来越木劲了呢. 原本就是个passion行事的人，持久力和耐力还是差一点的, 所谓坚持不懈努力貌似和我还是有点距离的，我还是个小懒人，希望速战速决型。无奈申请之路却无端的漫长, 掉入了持久的拉锯战之中.

三展TOEFL终于104了，虽然不高，但是至少不影响今年的申请了，要我继续四战冲个105+，甚至110+，我估计实力不够，也没有那个精力和心理素质了，要屎了，三次托福已经把我折磨屎了. 我觉得应该不会继续考托福了. 而鸡肋的GMAT还是依旧的那么鸡肋，五月份或许侥幸考了710吧, 这么个鸡肋的分数鼓励着我前行终于走上申请之路，不过眼下评估下来这个短板比较严重了. 搞不好弄的我全军覆没啊, 在大家都不懈努力刷分的形势下，看来我干坐着等待最坏的结局也不是明智的. 因而又决定报名了11.21的GMAT。

时隔半年, 重新准备GMAT，不知道这次情况如何！ 希望如愿，能刷到小高分，也能慰藉我第二轮申请的学校，假使第一轮果真无情的被通通剿灭了.

今年，至此一役, 必胜！

P.S. 上周在西湖边吃饭，被某老奶奶拉着算命, 希望吉言成真. 算了下, 此事的前期投资似乎确实非常的大了, 早已经严重超过自己的理性预期, 或许真如其言, 在某些方面花钱还真是丝毫不心疼, 改天晒晒自己的申请之路费用清单，估计吓死自己了。

So finally I am on the road again. A new road lead me closer to my dream. A road that will take me to a new platform, a new world and new life. I expect that will give me a new vision about life itself and what I really want and love to do for the rest of my life.

Just as the best way to  start a far trip, you just book the air flight then everything will follow this. I call this push yourself on the road,at the begining point,then you will move on. Just donot hesitate and think too much.

So this time, first good start point is that I paid the GMAT fee then you have to prepare for the exam,and I did prepare and take this exam. This action push me on the corner of give up or move on to apply the MBA program. You have to decide which way you should go.  As for last several year, the idea to attend the MBA come into my mind for neary fifty times, you just do not have a very clear opinion and want to think mor about this.  This will waste your time and have no good feedback. I always told myself,let me think about this, MBA is very good while blabalabla….I just sit there and talked without any action. I have to change this and here I am.

So get the GMAT score,but it is not high enough.  You could just wait and tell yourself I should get a higher score then I can decide whether I should apply MBA.

Well, this time, I just do not want to wast more time, I want the real action to push myself to the application stage. So I come to the CD MBA workshop today. This is my first time to attend so call the training program and this is the first time I invest so much money just for helping me to apply a better school with so many classmate together.

I do hope this will help to better understand myself. The reason why I am here and Where I want to go.

Just be brave and move on!

Everyting will be OK.