返回列表 发帖

[申请攻略] 从考试到录取全总结:将MBA申请和理想进行到底

目录(详情请点击下面蓝字部分
一、个人背景
二、申请经验教训
(一)
心态
(二)自我探索和自我认识
(三)申请的要素
三、申请的一些准备工作
(一)
时间安排
(二)参考资料
(三)GMATTOEFL的备考心得(原创)
GMAT:17天站上700分——高效且可操作的GMAT备考手册(一战700-,二战760)
TOEFL iBT 111--两周备考经验谈
写在前面的:
我的申请一直没有停下来。从2010年7月份考完G/T并开始上MBA workshop,2011年3月拿到录取,一直到2011年秋季入学前还一直都会研究申请,呵呵因为我把申请看成一个探索自我的过程来享受了。对于申请的很多理解我是在录取后在没有申请压力情况下才领悟到的,可以说是经验加教训,希望大家看了有收获。
收藏 分享
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

“战略上要重视MBA,战术上却要藐视MBA。如果你真的心有鸿鹄之志,那就超脱一点,MBA不是终点,也不是必经之路。MBA的结果是录取,过程却是更有价值的自我探索,这样反而会更有利于申请。”

ding

TOP

TOEFL iBT 111--两周备考经验谈

2007年9月稀里糊涂的考过一次TOEFL iBT: 总分98 (Reading 28, Listening 23, Speaking 22, Writing 25)

2010年上半年考完GMAT之后,用两周准备TOEFL iBT。2007年考的真的完全忘记了,记得的只是分数给自己的压力,因为听说HARVARD的TOEFL iBT分数线是109。

本次考试情况:

Test Date: July 10, 2010
Total: 111
Reading 29    Listening 29   Speaking 24   Writing 29
使用的资料:OG,TPO 1-15(TPO都是过去考过的真题),王京竹机经

阅读:时间紧迫,只做了OG。阅读比较简单,大家结合实际情况可以再适当做一点TPO。
听力:OG,TPO 1-8。听力应该是TOEFL iBT的核心,建议大家有空把TPO都做完,听说后面的TPO比较难一些。
口语:OG,王京竹机经
写作:OG,王京竹机经
整体感觉:

阅读就不用说了,是多数人的强项。听力真的要多练,TPO的题目已经足够多了;练完之后自己总结应该如何做笔记,笔记不见得越细越好,容易影响你集中精力听。口语和写作的练习可以直接用机经,通常机经里面都有10套题目了,涵盖了很多不同的题型,直接拿来练习,既练习,又直接备考,一举两得啊!听力和写作我都没有准备话题,时间真的不够用。。。

两周下来,边工作边复习(外加写MBA workshop作业,哈哈)还是觉得时间很不够用。如果再多两周也许可以更好,可是时间也是成本啊,这个分数自己已经满意了。对我来说,基本上阅读和听力就是练习的结果。口语方面,上次考的时候没有练习过也得了22,这次看过机经也只有24,我自己感觉还是练习的太少,因为只是扫过一眼口语机经题目,当时就没想好该怎么回答,结果考试碰到了还是没发挥好(唯一的遗憾啊)。写作方面一直是我的弱项,因为我一直不擅长写作文,侃大山,GMAT也只有5分;这次多亏了机经,大作文我看了看范文,范文选的例子我一看就觉得有话说,所以考试时发挥得很好。
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

(三)GMAT,TOEFL的备考心得(原创)

种种成功的例子表明,GMAT700分或者720对于申请到HARVARD和Stanford都足够了,分数不是关键。

GMAT:17天站上700分——高效且可操作的GMAT备考手册(一战700-,二战760)

时间是最宝贵的,希望这样一份材料能帮助大家最有效的制定复习计划,节省下来时间去做更有价值的事情(做点善事,看看演出看看闲书,多想想人生,呵呵)。

(词汇:GMAT对词汇要求不高,不少人都没有专门去背词,所以词汇的准备和所需时间不在此篇讨论之中。)

一、考试日期的选择:先查查近几个月GMAT换题库的时间,选择换题库之后3周的样子考比较保险。一来机经真的很够用了,二来突然换题库的概率比较低。

二、理论框架:专业培训机构出版的培训参考书,语法、阅读、逻辑各一本。只看讲解部分,这些讲解部分是结合一些精选题目来讲的,看过之后至少有个基本理论框架。培训参考书中提供的复习题不要花时间做,因此每本参考书看1-2天能看完。

三、复习资料的选择和时间安排:

语法:专业培训机构出版的培训参考书一本(1天,只看讲解部分,搭建理论框架);PREP破解版语法注释分析(2天);GWD-TN-24套题模考(时间另外计算,请看后面的时间总结)。
逻辑:专业培训机构出版的培训参考书一本(1天,只看讲解部分,搭建理论框架);GWD-TN-24套题模考(时间另外计算,请看后面的时间总结)。
阅读:专业培训机构出版的培训参考书一本(1天,只看讲解部分,搭建理论框架);GWD-TN-24套题模考(时间另外计算,请看后面的时间总结)。
数学:GMAT数学术语.ppt和大致看看OG。共计1天。
作文:自己做一个适合自己的模板,1天,根据机经挑几篇练习1天。
四、复习安排的先后顺序及备考时间统计

培训参考书,语法、阅读、逻辑各一本:共计3天
PREP破解版语法注释分析:2天
GWD-TN-24套题模考:每天4套,共计6天,使用计时器,CD网站上有
数学:GMAT数学术语.ppt和大致看看OG,共计1天。
作文:做模板1天,根据机经挑几篇练习1天,共计2天
机经:建议花3天好好研究(涵盖大部分数学难题、大部分阅读的文章概要。逻辑也有些题,语法有一点)
关于模考软件:GWD+计时器已经很好了。如果需要熟悉机考界面,可以模考一次官方GMATPrep,时间忽略不计,哈哈
关于语文部分的考试节奏:做完11题后剩54分钟(剩30题),做完21题后剩36分钟(剩20题),做完31题后剩18分钟(剩10题)。但其实我在GWD和实际的2次考试中从来没有达到过这个节奏,基本都是发现到最后10题只有5分钟了。。。

#####时间共计:3+2+6+1+2+3= 17天####

备注:前提是备考中要集中精力全力以赴,否则备考周期会拖得很长。考虑到咱们大家基本都是在念书或者工作的,每周周末算2天,周一到周五的5个晚上加起来算1天,这样一周是3天。17除以3差不多是 ##### 6周 #####

五、我两次考试的一点情况介绍

分数:一战不到700(V50/V29/AWA5),二战760(V51/40)。一战没看GWD和机经。二战主要是看GWD和机经。

我是在今年N月3号报考了N+1月中旬的考试(因为近几个月都是二十几号换题库),这样相当于有一个半月复习,走了不少弯路,光看OG和培训参考书了,后来证明效果不理想。一战没考好,马上报名了N+2月中旬的考试,然后主要是看GWD和机经(期间有半个月在忙一个很重要的事情,完全没有复习)。第二次考试时候很惊险,前面几个语法真的简单,我拼命告诉自己要慢点从而避免错(第一次这么爽),然后还碰到了语法和逻辑机经各一个,阅读也是机经里面的。做完10题后时间还算跟得上PACE,后来就不行了,语法很诡异,需要仔细研究,阅读虽然看过机经中的文章概述,考点还是很细的。就这样,到最后10题时候只有5分钟了,哈哈。。。做完最后一个阅读还剩1分钟5道题,接着再做完1道语法还剩4道题18秒,于是赶紧开始乱选,无奈GMAT做一个题需要点3个按钮(选项、Next、Confirm),最后一道题正要点confirm,考试被终止了,555,杯具啊,当时心里一凉,因为知道GMAT如果有没做的题目会倒扣分。。。忐忑的等到最后看到分数心里才开始惊喜:)
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

(二)参考资料

申请概论:

The_Best_Business_Schools'_Admissions_Secrets(2008)
Your_MBA_Game_Plan-Proven_Strategies_for_Top_B-Schools(2003)
简历:HARVARD, Wharton简历,有几十上百篇吧
Essay:

65_Successful_HARVARD_Application_Essays_2nd(2009)
Great_Application_Essays_for_Business_School(2006)
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

三、申请的一些准备工作

(一)时间安排

最好能从年初开始准备,一季度解决考试,二季度进行自我探索和认识并且报一个workshop,三季度写材料,赶第一轮。
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

(三)申请的要素

这里的体会仍然是我拿到录取之后感悟到的……而这个感悟主要来自于我近期熟读“Stanford Admission Criteria”。多数学校的Admission Criteria都是泛泛的几小段空话,而神奇的Stanford竟然能把那么复杂深奥的道理讲得那么透彻,太让人佩服了!!!如果读者有耐心看到这里,那么就请你再耐心的读读下面“Stanford Admission Criteria”吧,最好能细细咀嚼三遍。后面来谈谈我的理解。

Stanford Admission Criteria

What Are We Really Looking for?

We're looking for outstanding individuals, and the very qualities that define you make the GSB a stimulating place to learn.

We recognize that what happens to your application after you submit it to Stanford may seem mysterious. It need not be. Here, we attempt to share with you what we consider when we evaluate applications.

As we build the class, we seek the most promising students in terms of intellectual distinction and professional merit. We base this judgment on the totality of information available. No single factor —whether your college performance, essay, test score, interview, letter of reference, or work experience—is decisive.

We consider each application holistically, and take into account factors such as your background, experiences, perspectives, fit with the GSB and its MBA Program, aspirations, values, and accomplishments.

We evaluate each applicant in the context of the application year and are guided especially by three primary admission criteria of intellectual vitality, demonstrated leadership potential, and personal qualities and contributions.
Assumptions

A few basic assumptions underlie our approach.

First, just as no two Stanford MBA students are the same, no two Stanford MBA applicants are the same either. This means we must pay careful attention to the particular circumstances of each applicant.

Second, we believe that past actions usually are the best predictor of future performance.

Third, we believe that how you have developed your talents is as important as what you have actually accomplished.

Fourth, while there is no single academic or professional background most suitable for the MBA Program, admitted candidates tend to have sound analytical skills and strong performance in managing programs, processes, or people.

And finally, we look for diversity in the MBA class because we believe that the GSB's collaborative educational process leverages students' diverse backgrounds to deliver a range of perspectives and approaches to real-world problems. We define diversity in the broadest possible terms, encompassing (but not limited to) educational and professional background, personal experiences and goals, culture, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and nationality.
We Evaluate All Applicants In Three Areas

Intellectual Vitality

One of the ideas or themes that is central in our minds as we evaluate an application is your intellectual vitality.

You can demonstrate this in many ways, not simply through grades and test scores. In other words, your attitude toward learning is as important as your aptitude.

Because the Stanford community believes in the power of ideas to shape the future, we want to see your passion, dedication, and genuine interest in expanding your intellectual horizons throughout your application.

We look for evidence of the kind of curiosity and passion that will allow you to spark a lively discussion in class and continue that conversation during coffee with a faculty member, walking back to the Schwab Residential Center with a classmate, or over dinner with alumni.

Another consideration is the initiative with which you seek out opportunities that enhance your knowledge. We want to understand your willingness to "suspend disbelief"—by mastering concepts that may not be immediately relevant to your intended career, to carve your path in ambiguous environments, and to support the School's goal of developing knowledge that deepens and advances the practice of management.
Demonstrated Leadership Potential

Another factor that is primary in our minds as we read your application is your demonstrated leadership potential.

In short, we try to understand your character and your professional competence.

Your personal character matters not only because integrity is the cornerstone of any academic community, but also because of the vast responsibility our society reposes in leaders of businesses and social-sector organizations.

As a result, we look for evidence of behaviors consistent with your ideals, even under difficult circumstances—a sort of directed idealism.

We want to understand your personal motivation and convictions, and your ability to confront complex, unfamiliar issues with good judgment.

We envision you defending your position with vigor and respect to a peer advocating a different view.

We also try to uncover the ways in which challenges to your beliefs may have changed some of your perspectives and reinforced others.

In understanding your competence, we look for both leadership experience and potential. In doing so, we don’t limit ourselves to your professional life. Neither should you. We look at your background for evidence of your impact on the people and organizations around you, and the impact of those experiences on you.

Learning about your activities, experiences, interests, and aspirations helps us discover your potential contributions to Stanford and to society.

We imagine you working with a group of students and faculty to design a new multi-disciplinary course on ethical issues in life sciences or leading the Principal Investing Conference.

We look for evidence of your desire to leave a legacy in the organizations you serve throughout your career, inspiring and motivating your colleagues.

We consider your awareness of what you do well and the areas in which you can improve; your group and interpersonal skills; and your commitment to utilizing fully your opportunities and available resources.

These qualities will help you to shape your own experience as a student, and will influence your ability to shape the future as an alumna or alumnus.
Personal Qualities and Contributions

A third major concept that we consider is the perspective that you bring to the Stanford community—your personal qualities and contributions.

In a world that often rewards conformity, the Stanford community thrives only when you share your individual experiences and perspectives.

As a result, the strongest applications we see are those in which your thoughts and voice remain intact.

To understand how you will contribute to and benefit from the Business School community, we want to know about you: your experiences, beliefs, your passions, your dreams, your goals. Will you revolutionize the Energy Conference, take the Global Management Program in a different direction, or be the dissenting voice in a classroom discussion?

Take time to reflect on who you are, and have confidence in yourself. We always remember that there is neither an "ideal" candidate nor a "typical" Stanford MBA student. You should remember this, too.

Yes, our community includes students who have pursued incomparable opportunities. This doesn't mean that something remarkable (either positive or negative) must have happened to you to be a strong candidate. In fact, most Stanford MBA students have excelled by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. It is what you make of an experience that matters to us, not simply the experience itself.
我又要后悔申请时候没有好好读过这个了,现在读来,发现上面的文字基本上已经说明了申请的精华。

申请的每个部分都重要:As we build the class, we seek the most promising students in terms of intellectual distinction and professional merit. We base this judgment on the totality of information available. No single factor —whether your college performance, essay, test score, interview, letter of reference, or work experience—is decisive. 听起来好像很简单,谁都知道啊,可是实际做起来,大家把绝大部分还是放在了essay上面,而对Resume、Interview、Recommendation重视相对不够。我就是因为之前对于简历重视不够,一是没有写出有深度的简历,二是没能更好的看待自己的价值从而写出更有深度的essay。在此,强烈建议读者找50篇以上顶级商学院学生的简历来泛读,不断修改自己的简历,然后将自己的简历和对申请的判断力实现从量变到质变的提高。当时对简历不重视还带来一个后果就是我虽然看了那个Harvard 65篇,可是启发却很少,现在回想起来,真正好的申请是在简历里就把自己的成就和价值罗列清楚,在essay中反而不需要太多惊天动地的大事情。Harvard 65篇里面基本也找不出特大的事情,当时我还纳闷怎么会录取这些人呢,现在我明白了,人家都是以小见大,essay主要是体现人的思想,你有了这个思想那么你在简历中那些成就就变得真实可信了。此外,申请的每个部分都重要的含义还包括你可以把intellectual vitality, demonstrated leadership potential, and personal qualities and contributions展现在每部分的申请材料中。比如学习能力过去我只理解为成绩,但其实也包括对待学习的态度和主动性,因此在我现在的简历里面,我就会写“在××离职后主动承担了××责任,达成了××成果”,等等很多类似的东西。总之要最大化的发挥每个申请部分的最大价值,比如写完简历后,对照intellectual vitality, demonstrated leadership potential, and personal qualities and contributions,看看是否能在简历中尽可能多的体现每个特质?你的某个成就是否印证了你的ability to confront complex, unfamiliar issues with good judgment?
  
没有所谓的典型申请人:We consider each application holistically, and take into account factors such as your background, experiences, perspectives, fit with the GSB and its MBA Program, aspirations, values, and accomplishments.just as no two Stanford MBA students are the same, no two Stanford MBA applicants are the same either. This means we must pay careful attention to the particular circumstances of each applicant.And finally, we look for diversity in the MBA class because we believe that the GSB's collaborative educational process leverages students' diverse backgrounds to deliver a range of perspectives and approaches to real-world problems. We define diversity in the broadest possible terms, encompassing (but not limited to) educational and professional background, personal experiences and goals, culture, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and nationality.商学院都注重diversity,因此你需要关注的不是你来自于什么行业,而是你在行业中是不是优秀,你能否实现你的鸿鹄之志。当我读了HARVARD 50多篇简历后,我深刻体会到diversity啊!
  
对于学习能力的要求,学习态度和学习能力一样重要:You can demonstrate this in many ways, not simply through grades and test scores. In other words, your attitude toward learning is as important as your aptitude.主动性是学习态度的体现,这个可以在Essay、Resume、Interview、Recommendation等各个层面上体现。
  
有关领导力,经历和潜力都重要:In understanding your competence, we look for both leadership experience and potential. In doing so, we don’t limit ourselves to your professional life. Neither should you. We look at your background for evidence of your impact on the people and organizations around you, and the impact of those experiences on you. Stanford列举了很多种具体的表现,仔细读读,必有几款适合你。此外,除了leadership experience还有leadership potential,所以we believe that how you have developed your talents is as important as what you have actually accomplished. We consider your awareness of what you do well and the areas in which you can improve; your group and interpersonal skills; and your commitment to utilizing fully your opportunities and available resources. 对自己优缺点的清晰自我认识和在申请中展示,也能体现leadership potential。
  
Personal Qualities and Contributions

这段是最精彩的,没什么好解释和补充了。

In a world that often rewards conformity, the Stanford community thrives only when you share your individual experiences and perspectives. As a result, the strongest applications we see are those in which your thoughts and voice remain intact.

To understand how you will contribute to and benefit from the Business School community, we want to know about you: your experiences, beliefs, your passions, your dreams, your goals. Take time to reflect on who you are, and have confidence in yourself. We always remember that there is neither an "ideal" candidate nor a "typical" Stanford MBA student. You should remember this, too.

Yes, our community includes students who have pursued incomparable opportunities. This doesn't mean that something remarkable (either positive or negative) must have happened to you to be a strong candidate. In fact, most Stanford MBA students have excelled by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. It is what you make of an experience that matters to us, not simply the experience itself.
  
总之,任何一个申请材料都能体现你多方面的能力,要充分利用每一个表达自己的机会和途径。要对自己有足够的自我探索和认识,然后把这些贯穿到每个申请材料的部分中:Essay、Resume、Interview、Recommendation。关于Essay和Recommendation,斯坦福都有非常精辟的阐述,大家可以去仔细读读和体会。
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

(二)自我探索和自我认识

人贵知己,这句成语放在人生中就好比指南针,放在申请中更是第一重要。

刚开始准备MBA申请的时候我很困惑于商学院招生的标准。在网上看过些讨论以及听过些讲座后,一个流传很广的论调不停的在耳边回响:“商学院喜欢那些将来能赚大钱并能捐助学校的人”。而我呢?在职业发展中主动转到了政府方向并且开始筹划MBA申请,主要原因就是我想做教育,没想过要赚钱!上面这个论调无疑对我和一些想做非营利的人来说是个坎儿啊,更何况教育这个事儿更是非营利这个冷门中的冷门。

不过我还是决定以身试法了……第一轮非常忐忑的交了Yale和UCLA,短期和长期career goal都是围绕大学教育展开的,而且那个时候career goal思考得还不成熟,写出来的材料表达效果也不好,没想到还都拿了面试。虽然因为career goal没想明白再加上面试技巧太差,Yale被waitlist,UCLA被拒,但还是为自己证明了一点:没有必要为了MBA而改变自己的想法,或者为了MBA而想一个听起来安全的career goal。如果你真的对一个career goal有想法,绝不会到了申请才开始觉悟,而应该早有相应的行动,可以写进申请材料,否则那就先用一两年采取行动再来申请MBA吧。

于是,到了申请的第二轮我告诉自己MBA不是终点,也不是必经之路。我就是想做教育,如果没有商学院录取我那就说明MBA不适合我的理想,不去也罢。当然研究之后我还是发现Stanford还有Michigan是最适合我办大学的职业目标的。我记得特别清楚的是我在面试完Michigan的校友后,问了她一句,我说自己的想法可能很不主流甚至天马行空得不靠谱,而我听说商学院还是希望学生都能赚大钱回馈学校啊。校友跟我说的是,美国人还是很相信所谓的gut feeling,只要你有梦想,去追逐就好了。当时听了还真是很欣慰啊。拿到录取后Michigan在北京有个两月一次的校友聚会,我又见到了面试我的校友,她告诉我说她对我的印象特别深刻,我想大概也就是我那非典型的理想和我在面试交流中散发出来的执着与热情吧。第二轮面试的Michigan和Berkeley我都发挥的很好,自信而有激情。

所以,我觉得可以把之前那个赚钱的论调稍微改改:商学院其实是喜欢有领导力和影响力的人,这些人中有些人带来财富和声誉(企业家),而有些人主要是带来声誉(社会活动家、慈善家、政治家等等)。人都喜欢名利双收,商学院也一样。商学院的nonprofit方向不就是这个目的嘛?

因此,放下一切思想包袱,天马星空的想想吧,去发掘真正的what matters most to you, and why。然后你才会更加明白自己活了二三十年为什么成为现在的你、你的性格特点、优缺点、向往什么样的人生和事业,进而想清楚你是否真的需要MBA。MBA申请的意义,首先是给了我们一个强迫自己去认识自己的良机,从这个意义上看,申请过程的意义远大于结果,到最后可能你发现自己不需要MBA了。从短期来看,读MBA在时间和金钱方面是个很大的投资,容不得你后悔;从长期来看,人活一辈子连自己都搞不明白岂不是白来世间走一回?

我采用的自我探索是自下而上的。对自我进行探索和认识所需的时间可能远远超过你的想象,但却是最重要和有价值的。根据你平时工作的繁忙程度,建议安排一到两个月专心来进行自我认识,中文写作即可,这样容易把自己表达清楚而且思路很快。我自己就走了很多弯路,从2010年7月初开始workshop,一直有种错误的认识,觉得自己在工作中没有做出什么成就,其他同学材料写的很多可我就是挤不出材料,直到9月份还没有找到自己可以用得上的故事来写essay,属于非常焦急但又写不出东西的阶段。第一轮仓促交了两个学校后,我觉得实在很痛苦,在当时申请班上其他同学仍然在不断的量产文章的压力之下,决定冒险来停下写作来反思自己。我花了大概两个月时间,天马行空似的不断回忆自己从小到大生命中让我兴奋、痛苦、后悔、骄傲等等的经历,还翻阅了近6年来所有的日记本,最后写了大概有50到100个经历吧,3万多字,然后我再试图以一个第三者的角度将这些经历和故事分类,进而通过自下而上的方式总结出自己的性格特点、优缺点以及它们形成的背景和原因。这个过程下来,越写越来劲,并发现了过去没有意识到的东西。过去我对自己的认识是特别仔细、有计划、坚持,因此也一直认为自己是墨守成规、循规蹈矩的人,但是经过深入挖掘,我意识到自己在人生的大决定上非常敢于挑战常规和自己的短处,而仔细和有计划只是我每次成功的具体执行层面因素而已。总结来说,我其实是一个喜欢异想天开,但同时又会异常执着的去追求,特别坚定并且简单的人。举几个例子,我家境不好而且家里人都没读过高中,从小我就立志要改变自己的人生,高中时对自己的要求是一定要拿全省状元,因此没日没夜的学习;我家里人个子都不高,我就每天坚持打篮球并把自己吃到撑,就是要长的更高一点不要被人看不起;虽然自己特别的内向,见到生人就害羞紧张的说不出话,可是为了改变自己的内向,我强迫自己在晚会上表演独唱,然后还要求自己去参加竞选,每个宿舍挨个去诉说我自己的故事和想法,最后成了全校上万名学生中的副主席。诸如此类的例子还有很多,而且往往都是我从一个看似不可能的起点到达了一个最初是异想天开的想法,这样不断的循环后导致我更加异想天开和执着坚定,并且想问题很简单直接,执行时候又特别仔细和有计划。这样的性格特点体现在与人交往时和带领团队时则体现为非常有责任感、真诚。

还有一种很好的自我探索的方式,我姑且称为“以人为镜”法。这是我在拿到录取之后才觉悟到的,基本思路是找50篇以上顶级商学院学生的简历来泛读,然后将自己的判断力实现从量变到质变的提高。回想起来,现在真是后悔申请时没有用这个办法啊。我拿到录取后因为比较有时间了,想着将来读MBA找实习和工作时也要改简历,倒不如现在就开始改吧。之前申请时候已经觉得简历改得没什么可以进步了,于是索性上网找了HARVARD,Wharton学生的简历,有几十上百份。通过研读这些简历,给了我极大的启发甚至震撼。之前写简历通常是闭门造车的,了不起自己写了改几遍,再找人看看再改几遍,这样的困难在于最了解你的还是你自己,而别人的水平也很难保证的,改来改去也不一定有质变。申请时我也看过几篇HARVARD,Wharton简历可是基本没什么借鉴。这回则不同,我看了不下50篇,意想不到的质变到量变发生了。因为如果我只看两篇,很有可能那个人是咨询或者投行的,他的简历我看了也觉得和我的工作关系不大,启发不多,可是当我看了50篇后,总有人是做过operations和sales的,然后他们如何去表达自己对于我就有借鉴价值了,而且看得越多我也能深刻体会即使同样是HARVARD的人,有的简历就是写的有思想、体现人的特质,有一种看到简历就看到那个人的感觉!于是我反复看这50篇,我的简历也改了不下50处,整个简历完全不同了。之前更像职务描述外加部分可量化的成就,而现在则全篇基本是可量化的成就,此外还能写出每个成就对于公司或者我个人成长的价值和意义。这些成就过去我认识不到或者不以为然,但现在我从自己的经历中发现了很大的价值。这种对于自己成就的挖掘和认可也会极大增强自信心,而自信心对于表达自己有着很微妙的益处,会让你更加得心应手,从容写作,在essay写作时觉得文思泉涌啊。

明白了what matters most to you, and why之后有两种可能性,一种是发现自己的生活和事业不需要MBA,那就赶紧去追去那样的生活吧,人各有志,适合自己的才是最好的,要做自己生活的主人,不要活在他人眼中,名和利神马都是浮云;一种是仍然认为需要MBA,下面讨论第二种情况。
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

二、申请经验教训

(一)心态

最适宜的心态就是要把申请看成一个探索自我的学习和反思的过程来享受,而不是某个学校录取的结果。

申请时经常是成天熬夜、睡眠不足、心力交瘁的,尤其到了十月和一月的两轮截止时间之前,对体力和意志力都是考验,也容易陷入申请中而无法跳出来看自己,觉得MBA这个东东对于自己太重要,没有它就没有自己实现理想的途径。因此急切的希望尽早交出材料、拿到面试、等结果,情绪容易起伏,这样往往导致焦虑却写不出好的文章,陷入恶性循环。

如何摆脱这种痛苦的状态?用一个有点阿Q精神的心态来让自己放轻松吧,最最牛的人多数是没有上过MBA的,瞧瞧人家盖茨、乔布斯,连大学都没有上完呢,呵呵。国内数得出来的年轻的企业家像李彦宏、马云也都没有读MBA吧。也许有人要反驳说我们都是普通人,还得靠MBA来原始积累,但我想说的是,任何人在成功之前也可以是很失败的普通人,比如马云刚毕业时找工作都处处碰壁。还有人可能要说读MBA要尽早,今年申请就一定今年要走,恨不得一两个月就把申请忙完然后收获结果。我想说的是人生的路很长,大器晚成的人也很多,何必在乎一时的得失?等你真正想清楚并且时机成熟了,MBA申请也就水到渠成了。

因此,战略上要重视MBA,战术上却要藐视MBA。如果你真的心有鸿鹄之志,那就超脱一点,MBA不是终点,也不是必经之路。MBA的结果是录取,过程却是更有价值的自我探索,这样反而会更有利于申请。

以我个人为例,我从2010年7月份到现在已经准备入学手续了还仍然在研究申请,其他人都很不解,但是我的确喜欢上了这个探索自我的过程,同时也很能感觉出来不同阶段中申请压力对于自己的影响。在第一轮我就是那种非MBA不可的心态,而当面试完Yale和UCLA都被拒后开始灰心丧气觉得我的理想可能不适合读MBA。当然我还是鼓起勇气坚持了自己的理想,在第二轮前,我先是花了两个月静下心来停止写文章用来做自我探索,然后把绝大部分时间用来写Stanford,一度认为我只需要申请这一个学校,申请不上就不读MBA了,因为觉得也就Stanford还有Michigan最适合我办大学的职业目标。可惜后来实在没有写出自己能够认可的Stanford文章,因此没有交,也错过了很多学校,但是这种坚持和认识很好的体现在了我Michigan和Berkeley的文章中。等到今年2、3月份又是一轮面试,我还在通过写第三轮的个别学校来不断反思自己why MBA, why my career goal。写第三轮时心情已经很轻松了,一来第三轮录取可能性不大,二来适合我的职业理想的学校太少,我必须把why MBA, why my career goal想得特别清楚。事实证明在第三轮的心态放松时的自我探索是帮助我拿到第二轮录取的关键。我的职业理想属于非典型MBA,在面试中我必须很清楚。

当然我的收获远大于结果本身,因此2011年4月份稍作休息后,5月份我又开始研究下一年的申请了,这回因为心态更放松,我有了更多对自己的认识,我也准备在去读Michigan之前把Stanford的材料写写交了,既是重新的自我探索,也是完成一个心愿吧。
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

一、个人背景

短期和长期的MBA Career goal:改革中国的大学教育,让大学教育从重视学习知识变为注重人性的关怀与培养,并提供自由的空间和有益的指导来帮助学生们培养独立思考能力和追逐属于自己梦想的勇气。

学历和成绩:北大理科本+硕,男,GMAT 760(考了2次),TOEFL 111(考了1次)
工作经历:五年,其中外资top商业银行管理培训生4年(operations, personal banking, public relations),政府1年。
申请情况:Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Michigan, UCLA
面试:Yale, UCLA, Michigan, Berkeley
录取:Michigan
Your Future, Our Mission. Topway--the world's best business school admission service.

TOP

返回列表

站长推荐 关闭


美国top10 MBA VIP申请服务

自2003年开始提供 MBA 申请服务以来,保持着90% 以上的成功率,其中Top10 MBA服务成功率更是高达95%


查看