Running a tab...

I've decided to do something interesting on my blog. While there are plenty of people attending/applying to b-school who are able to write a check without blinking, there are a bunch of us skipping on the poverty line to get a better education and open the door to more opportunities. People have said you need to save, but how much should you really expect to spend? So for those other broke people, I've decided to keep a running tab of my own personal expenses (not covered by loans or fellowships), beginning with the application process until graduation for your planning purposes. I haven't decided if I'll just post and update the list, or add the list to the side of my blog. I'll think it over...

Anyway, as of 3/28/05....

9/04 Visit to Stanford (coupled with a cross country trip)....$375
10/04 Application fees to Stanford & Duke....$400
11/04 Visit to Fuqua Ford workshop (hotel covered)....$210
6-10/04 GMAT (3 times).....$675
9/04 Kaplan class.....$1249
8/04 Transcripts from undergrad....$10
3/05 Stanford Admit Weekend....free (skymiles & lodging w/ current students)
3/05 Stanford Deposit...$1000
3/05 Stanford Housing Deposit...$650

...grand total so far = $4569

Next Steps...

While I was awaiting my admissions decision,I felt like my life (the little bit of one that I do have) was in a holding pattern. And now that I know where I'm headed, it still feels like that. Like I know I'm going to have fun in 6 months but I'm bored as hell right now. You know those rubbery bands you use to tie down stuff in the back of pick-up trucks??? I feel like someone has me tied to some hooks with those things and I'm running in place trying to break lose. Interesting picture, isn't it?

Anyway, planning for this move is obviously the biggest thing on my mind. I have to say that it's a bit discouraging. I've decided that everything must go, as I will be staying in the Schwab Residential Center (paid that deposit too, another $650 gone). So my bed, nightstand, dresser, 2 desks, lamps, couch, coffee tables, dining room furniture must be sold or donated. Not too mention all of my "one day" clothes (one day I'll be able to fit this again- yeah...right.) I'm tagging things in my room as trash, yard sale, or donation. But my car is the drama....

I have a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse that I LOVE!!! So I refuse to sell it. I drove cross-country last year...so driving is my last and final option. I've looked into a few auto transport places including Fedex Custom Critical. Do you know that they had the audacity to tell me it could take a few days to a few weeks to pick up my car.....To Pick The Car Up???? Come on people, there's got to be a better way. So tomorrow I'm contacting the relocation people at P&G. When I worked for them after college, they shipped my car and it was picked up at an appointed time on a predetermined day and delivered to me in Cincinnati 2 days later. Maybe their relo department can give me the name of the transport company they used. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please let me know.

Anyway, that's all. I'm off to watch a movie with friends.

Is that your final answer???

Ok, so if you've read the rest of my blog, I think this is painfully obvious. I've made my decision about where I will attend school for the next 2 years. I've paid my deposit to one school and sent in my decline of admission to the other. I have to say that I met wonderful people at both schools and I think they both have excellent programs and incredible plans for the future. But really it all came down to fit plus one other factor- which school had already challenged me through their application process and really forced me to understand who I was, what I had accomplished, and what I was capable of? Two years at an institution that can force me to grow that much by asking one simple question is going to be unbelievable!! So...

Palo Alto, here I come!!

The Search for Mo' Money...

I'm really beginning to wonder if this sh!t will ever end. B-School apps- completed. Financial Aid apps- completed. Now, I'm starting the scholarship apps. Unfortunately it seems that most minority b-school apps are for finance. My promise to up and coming general management and consulting folks- I'm starting a scholarship JUST for YOU!! Anyway, Stanford has a Partnership for Diversity (P4D) Fellowship that covers full tuition, but requires a 9 month internship with the company who sponsors the fellowship. And while I'm not crazy about deferring my admission to Fall 2006 and working another year, full tuition is extremely tempting. We'll see how this goes. After b-school essays, I almost cringe at the thought of writing more essays. Oh well, B&N cafe here I come.

Yet another good day...

I received my financial aid/fellowship package today from Stanford. I'm very impressed with their turn-around time and the amount of my fellowship. Stanford is different from most b-schools as they provide need-based vs. merit fellowships and ~300 students in each class of ~370 usually receive one. In the spring of your 1st year, you have the opportunity to meet the person(s) who sponsored your fellowship.

Found a pretty interesting calendar a few weeks ago for MBAs and MBAs-to-be. MBACareers.com has a calendar of events. Definitely worth checking out. One small correction though...they have the National Black MBA Conference listed as September 11-16. It will be held October 11-16.

My 2 cents...

Wow, two posts in one day- I really have motivation issues on my job right now. In any case, by now EVERYBODY knows about this ApplyYourself/HBS/MIT/CMU/etc. issue. So I'll share my insights without acting like I'm on some high horse. This is a real perspective from a very real person.

1) Now not just because I've been admitted there, I appreciate Stanford's stance. I hope that they don't change and follow the controversial path that HBS and others have taken. What I've learned in the corporate world that typically the best position to take is to not take one immediately, sit and think about it (you're guaranteed to see the issue from several different perspectives if you give it time), and then make a decision.

1.5) After thinking about it a while, I do understand why the schools are upset. But I also think AY needs to step up to the plate and recognize their part in this. Looks like a discount to me.

2) I consider myself to be pretty ethical. But I have to say I considered using the link to see if it worked. I've already been admitted - I would have only accessed a decision I'm already very well aware of. After all, I'm an IT professional - technical curiosity kicked in when I saw the link, but I stopped short when "oooh, they're gonna get caught" played in my mind. I wanted to see if the back door really had been opened and if the damn thing actually worked. Looks like curiosity killed many cats...

So those are my thoughts...my condolences to the 119 HBS applicants, the 37 MIT applicants, and the other people who have been impacted by this. I say you all go find 'brookbond' and give him some 'unethical treatment'. LOL.

Clearly...

...I suck at blogging. I keep forgetting to post. My apologies. I think this will probably be a pretty lengthy post as a few things have happened since January.

1) I've completed both my FAFSA and CollegeBoard profile. Stanford requires both. Duke requires FAFSA and a word document. The CollegeBoard profile was another $23 to complete. Stanford's suggested filing date was Feb. 18 so that we could receive fellowship info prior to having to commit on April 1. I was pleasantly surprised by our government - I submitted my FAFSA on 2/17/05 to the feds, and it was sent to Stanford's financial aid office on the 18th. A few things that I learned in this process.

• If you plan to submit your FAFSA electronically, you'll need to request a PIN. This takes several days to receive via email. Why I don't know but you'll want to request that early.
• Nothing is safe. Money in trusts, stock options- everything will be held against you.
• That Estimated Annual Contribution is a joke.

2) This past weekend I attended Admit Weekend and the 22nd Annual Black Business School Association Conference at the Stanford GSB. Definitely had a wonderful time and met some incredible people. Here's a break down by day.

• Friday night was the BBSA's LPF (Liquidity Preference Function- PC for Happy Hour). One thing that I appreciated was that even though this function was sponsored by the BBSA, other ethniticies were well represented.
• Saturday was the BBSA conference. The keynote speaker was John Thompson, CEO of Symantec and also my fellow Florida A&M alum. Mr. Thompson was an extremely dynamic speaker and entertaining as well. There were panels on entrepreneurship as well as managing and directing your career. Admit Weekend officially kicked off Sunday evening, with a Welcome LPF in the courtyard of the Schwab Residential Center. And that evening we were off to Blue Chalk and a party sponsored by the International Club for dancing and more drinking.
• Sunday morning's first event was a Welcome Brunch. The most interesting thing was learning about the people in our class. Without saying names, Derrick briefly listed some of the accomplishments of our fellow admits and some of the more humorous recommendations that had been received - "good leadership is like pornography - I know it when I see it!".
• Monday morning was a bit more serious, with breakfast at the GSB Courtyard, a study group, and a core class immersion. We'd been given a case several weeks ago to prepare, and my case was on Seven Eleven Japan. My class was lead by Professor Seungjin Whang who teaches supply chain at the GSB. Definitely hoping to have him as a professor at some point in my GSB career. He was excellent! Very entertaining and extremely knowledgable. Of course, we had one final LPF before we left on Monday afternoon.

I'm sure I've left off a few of the events of the weekend, but I have to say that I was sad about leaving so many of the people that I met. I feel as though we've bonded already. Duke's Blue Devil Weekend is after the Stanford's reply deadline, so I'm hoping maybe I can go down and visit one more time before 4/1. Until next time...