一点经验，比较零乱，希望和所有的大家一起分享：）

Just finished the telephone interview of Carnegie Mellon, It was so incredible!

At first, it didn’t go my way, I meant to take the initiatives of the interview by rattling off my prepared prelude, hoping it sound more coherent, but the truth was somewhat frustrating, my tongue numbed.

Quite to the point, he asked me what definite career I would pursue after my applied computational finance master program. He indicated that my self-knowledge in terms of the nature of the quantitative finance was too indicative. I’ve always appreciated myself being of sort of empathy, but at that moment, maybe I was too honest or a born lousy actress, even for the obvious questions like why you chose MSCF, I just found it difficult to speak out of all the cheering answers well prepared beforehand. The truth is, I do have my own inner standards, but it just cannot reveal in this interview. I don’t have too much relevant knowledge of the real investment banking life and neither am I crazy about the Wall Street thing, but I do have passions and my previous academic training would go well with the hectic computational program, but it’s more than that. Anyway, I did speak several titles, but even myself could not be satisfied. How I wanted to elaborate on my plans if I were admitted to Carnegie Mellon, which school I have dreamed since I was young, but I didn’t see the chance or the mood for this topic.

The communication wasn’t going well at the first ten minutes, I have to admit, I was disappointed about the cold business tone, and more frustrated because I could feel his disappointment. (Honestly, I feel more familiar with British accent, but that’s not the problem)

Then came the turning point, he asked me to ask questions, indicating the ending of the interview.I was about to give up, and told him that most of my questions would be meaningful only after I got the offer (sounds a little bold, isn’t it? But it’s the truth). Anyway, I asked him whether I could change my choice from New York campus to Pittsburgh campus, for which I forgot how he answered!

Then I consulted to him about the computer programming preparation, whether I should focus on C++ which appeared on the curriculum or JAVA which seemed more popular here in China tutorial institutions. God bless me, he showed somewhat interest in this topic, he even elaborately explained there would be an improvement on OOP of the curriculum, and I should concentrate on C++. Then he mentioned that my application was discussed a lot, in the committee and it was quite excellent in terms of the previous academic training, test results, rich experience considering my young age(undergradute) and great reference letters. But my weakness was obvious, my programming ability is too weak, and I don’t have relevant professional experience and correspondingly I don’t have the clear and suitable plans as most professionals do. Then, I grasped the opportunity to tell him that I am considering applying for a summer intern now and will attend a programming study group in the intervening time, then came the question of what else programs I have applied. I spoke the truth, then he asked whether they are similar programs, and I told him that the ones in Europe are more financial economics oriented, with the exception of Cambridge of Financial Engineering oriented, but my priority still goes to computational oriented program of Carnegie Mellon (all true). Then he told that he could see my strong interest in Financial career and explained that actually the MSCF prepared professionals in many aspects of the financial institutions, now, in a much softer manner. And he suddenly said that he believed I could do very well in Carnegie Mellon in this program, and he welcomed me AND he said he would give me a verbal offer now and consider me a candidate of the academic scholarship, and the detail proceedings and detailed numbers will be formally issued in the next few weeks. Oh, What can I say, I was indeed on cloud nine, it is surely the most exhilarating moment of my life. “Thank you very much!” I sounded like Vivian Leigh, no wonder he laughed finally, “OK, Good Bye” “Thank you very much for your interview” “Hehe, good night” “ Well, good... good morning, hehe”

It’s a beautiful ending, isn’t it?

All is so sudden, he is so cute.

I'm not good at improvise thing, but I never expected the interview was so independent with my former preparation, all I want is tell him the truth, anyway, honesty is the last straw.