(Oakland, CA) – It was almost exactly 3 years ago that I first began to seriously consider aiming for an MBA at a top program. When I look back on that time as I approach my last semester at Wharton, it blows my mind how close I came to NOT having made the decision to […]
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A Startup, Wharton West, Travel Abroad, Google and other Updates
February 25, 2014
First, I’d just like to congratulate my admissions consulting clients from this season who have accepted offers to their target schools. Thus far, 2 of you are headed to Wharton, 2 to INSEAD, one to Duke, and 4 waiting to hear back from one of Wharton (2 more), MIT (1) or Darden (2). I only […]
My First Quarter at Wharton, Rugby and a WSJ Response
October 6, 2013
My first quarter at Wharton has been an unbelievable experience. When I last posted, I was just getting my druthers after a fun but exhausting Pre-Term experience. I had also deluded myself into thinking that I’d do a couple posts last month. Negative. Out of nowhere, I was blind-sighted by a flurry of quant problem […]
Pre-Term at Wharton
August 8, 2013
The short version of this story is that I’m having the time of my life right about now. Here goes the long version… (I hope you packed a lunch!) The Fresh Prince of Philly I arrived in Philadelphia back on July 23rd, just over 3 weeks ago. While my flight had me landing several […]
Funemployment, Prepping for Wharton and Turning 36
July 13, 2013
I’ve never really been the jealous type. That notwithstanding, it can be quite a challenge to not become a hater when all of your rich banker classmates are gallivanting around the globe after having quit their pre MBA jobs months ago while you report to a cube each day. So naturally, I was more than […]
Vote for MBAOver30 for The Clear Admit Best of Blogging Awards 2012/2013
May 10, 2013
…And to think I once thought that I’d never see the end of the friggin GMAT. Looking Back Almost exacty a year ago, I hit “publish” on my very first blog post for MBAOver30.com. Real talk, no one could have told me that the past 364 days would have unfolded as they have. I am […]
GMAT Mode–Again (Well, Sort of)
May 4, 2013
I experienced deja vu today. I was in the middle of reviewing some statistics info when I thought to myself, “really tho”?. Allow me to explain… I’m currently in the throes of prepping for my transition from brain dead, autopilot but employed 9-to-5 life in sunny Los Angeles to rigorous, stimulating but broke student life […]
Roasted at Wharton’s R2 Welcome Weekend
April 13, 2013
So…I’m sitting at the computer while taking a break from some freelance writing work. I’m watching this clip on YouTube that always makes me laugh so hard that I fart when my my phone starts beeping and my email notices from Facebook start blowing up. Apparently, just as I was laughing and in tears to […]
CONGRATS to All Round 2 Wharton Admits
March 26, 2013
So…you’re “in” at Wharton. Congratulations on your achievement. I’ve felt kinda bad for all of you during these past couple of weeks, as the period between mid-November and late December (my waiting period) was the roughest time for me during this whole MBA application ride–definitely the upside-down-to-downward-spiral part of the coaster. While the GMAT had […]
Why I’ve Chosen The Wharton School of Business
March 1, 2013
I’ve chosen to invest my next two years into building a company and earning an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management at The Wharton School of Business at UPenn. First World Problems From the moment that I first got “the call” from Director of Admissions Ankur Kumar welcoming me to Wharton’s class of 2015, I […]
A Windy City Welcome Weekend at Chicago Booth
February 11, 2013
Earlier today (Sunday) I flew back into Los Angeles from R1 Welcome Weekend at Chicago Booth. Over the past two weekends, I’ve gotten little sleep, increased my alcohol tolerance by a third and met several hundred of the most interesting and exceptional people that I’ve met all in one place in quite some time. If […]
High Times at Wharton’s Winter Welcome Weekend
February 6, 2013
So last weekend I flew to Philadelphia to rendezvous with over 300 of my fellow R1 admits at Wharton’s Winter Welcome Weekend. To say that I had a blast and was impressed would be an understatement. The Whartonites definitely know how to sell their brand and showcase their culture to a horde of admits. The […]
NO MORE Business School Applications!
December 24, 2012
Woooo-saaaaahhhh (And Happy Holidays)! So about a year ago, I plunked down $250 and took my first swing at the GMAT. I had made a 650 on a practice test without studying, and felt that I should be able to do about as well without too much trouble, then pump out a few essays to […]
ACCEPTED at Chicago Booth School of Business!
December 18, 2012
By the time I had woken up this morning, I had read more than enough admit blog posts and BeatTheGMAT/ GMATClub status updates and posts to generally know what to expect on admit announcement day if you’re being offered admission. So when the area code (773) popped up on my iPhone as I was having […]
Final Judgement Cometh for R1
December 10, 2012
During the next 10 days, I’ll know the final decisions for 4 out of the 5 programs that I applied to during R1. HBS graciously gave me my walking papers back in October; and Stanford’s silence has spoken volumes. I expect a ding notice from there this Wednesday. That completes the list of schools where […]
Waiting for MBA Admissions Results
November 27, 2012
Ok, so the Thanksgiving Turkey and fixings have all been eaten; and even if that were not the case, I wouldn’t have access to them anyway because all that stuff is back down south with my parents, but I digress. Around 3 weeks from now, the curtain will close on Round 1 of MBA admissions […]
Writing MBA Essays During Thanksgiving Week
November 21, 2012
The Pilgrims Had it Easy Earlier today, my mind wandered as I smelled the sweet aroma of German chocolate cake baking in my mom’s oven. “I wonder what gave the Pilgrims and the indigenous Americans the time to indulge in a feast so elaborate that it started a holiday (before the former murdered 90% of […]
The MBA Gods Smiled Twice in 2 Days: Invited to Interview at Wharton
November 1, 2012
So the short version of the story is that the MBA Gods have smiled once again. I’ve just been invited to interview for a spot at The Wharton Business School, just 28 hours after receiving an invite to interview at The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business (for which I’ve already been matched with […]
A Halloween Treat: Invited to Interview at Chicago Booth
October 31, 2012
Since I felt the “sting of the ding” from Harvard a week ago (I chose not to blog about it), I’ve done a fairly good job of keeping my sanity while in this wasteland of waiting for interview invites results. Blocking Out the Noise I’ve read half of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, advanced 9 ranking […]
MIT App Submitted, No News from HBS
October 19, 2012
I’ve just submitted my last and final app for Round 1: MIT Sloan. After weeks of an on again, off again relationship with this particular app, I was pleased to see how it came together in the end. Ultimately, it became one of my favorite apps to complete. Now let’s just hope that the Sloan […]
MIT Deadline Approaches as Round 1 MBA Judgement Day Draws Nigh
October 16, 2012
So today was boss’ day. Who knew? I sure didn’t–at least not until I arrived at work this morning to the sight of a whole grain and berry mini cake from Whole Foods on my desk decorated “Happy Boss’ Day”. I’d love to be able to tell you that I ate some and brought the […]
On Age Discrimination in MBA Admissions and Rookie Hype
October 7, 2012
I’ve been hard pressed to achieve an insomnia-free night as of late; and to be fair to my fellow pre-MBA applicants, I must concede that I am probably not unique in that respect. At first glance, I’m just another one of thousands of applicants who has recently turned in a set of Round 1 applications […]
HBS App and Rec’s Submitted + An Invite from Tuck
September 21, 2012
Well, its official. I’ve jumped down the MBA admissions rabbit hole. Just a few hours ago, I successfully submitted my first app to HBS; and my last of 3 recommenders submitted his recommendation about an hour and a half later without my having to be a pest about it. I also received an invite today […]
A Change of Heart
August 22, 2012
Introspection About a week and a half ago I published a blog post about my experiences at both a Wharton info session and the Riordan Diversity MBA Admissions Conference (CA) just 2 days apart here in Los Angeles. Each event was exceptionally well-run and worthy of due praise. Though anyone applying during the 2012-13 season has […]
November 11, 2014
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