Not a lot to report since the last update - cash/job situation still stuck awkwardly in low gear, meaning reliance on scholarship funding / loans is all the more magnified at this point.... still awaiting good news from the Fulbright Commission - so fingers crossed!! :) :)
As August behins to rear its head it looks like it's time to hit the round one applications - funding or not! I sense much essay-writing, reference priming and suchlike in the coming days.....
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Monday 13 June 2011
Been a while!! Update :)
Well it's been a little while and thought I'd better get recording the various 'going-on's here :)
Since last update, my final references were submitted on-time and I managed to get the application for the Fulbright scholarship hand-delivered to the commission before the deadline so am eagerly awaiting a response! Hopefully will hear within the next month how things are looking, though plan to get started on planning the admissions essays for my chosen universities *now*. :-D
A few more universities are definately appearing on my radar as far as a potential match to study-requirements is concerned, most prominent of which being Stanford - whose MBA course appears to match my own aspirations as far as subject matter is concerned. The issue of funding is still my most pressing concern, as work is still in short supply, but am really getting stuck into volunteering for a project that focuses on London's hosting of the 2012 Olympics in the meantime :) It would be a shame to leave the project if/when paid work comes along, but bills have to be paid and savings need to be replenished if I'm going to have any chance of starting the course next year!!
Apart from that, I've taken a break from GMAT studies in order to round off my language skills (french refresher course) as such skills should be greatly beneficial in coming years.
Since last update, my final references were submitted on-time and I managed to get the application for the Fulbright scholarship hand-delivered to the commission before the deadline so am eagerly awaiting a response! Hopefully will hear within the next month how things are looking, though plan to get started on planning the admissions essays for my chosen universities *now*. :-D
A few more universities are definately appearing on my radar as far as a potential match to study-requirements is concerned, most prominent of which being Stanford - whose MBA course appears to match my own aspirations as far as subject matter is concerned. The issue of funding is still my most pressing concern, as work is still in short supply, but am really getting stuck into volunteering for a project that focuses on London's hosting of the 2012 Olympics in the meantime :) It would be a shame to leave the project if/when paid work comes along, but bills have to be paid and savings need to be replenished if I'm going to have any chance of starting the course next year!!
Apart from that, I've taken a break from GMAT studies in order to round off my language skills (french refresher course) as such skills should be greatly beneficial in coming years.
Thursday 26 May 2011
Submission!! :)
With final references submitted, essays written and a bit of good research on business schools done (as had to select a few as part of the application), my Fulbright application is complete and is sat looking at me across the desk from in its white envelope.... I'll walk this down to the commission later today, and just in time too - the deadline for applications is the 31st of this month. I think next time I need to seek references a few more 'back-up' approaches may be needed, it got a little worrying in the lead-up to this week chasing up the final submission!! I imagine there'll be quite a few others in the same boat.
The finance situation is still looking a little grim, as work has yet to pick up and the nice pot of savings I've collected over the last two years for the MBA is being eroded swiftly.... all one can do is keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best! (that and hope that there's something resembling a chance of full funding out there! lol)
In the meantime, I've found some great volunteering opportunities in the local area - if anyone else finds that they have some free time I'd really recommend getting involved in local projects as I'm sure you'll get a real buzz from making a difference to the projects you get involved in :) (for anyone based in the UK, it's worthwhile checking out BTCV, formerly the 'British Trust for Conservation Volunteers' http://www2.btcv.org.uk/ -- there are a lot of great projects country-wide)
Next week, as well as the regular jobhunt, I'll be starting a new project assessing applicants for the London Ambassadors programme - the initiative for supporting the London 2012 olympics. I'm really looking forward to getting involved with this one and it looks like we're going to be very busy interviewing all the volunteers!! :)
The finance situation is still looking a little grim, as work has yet to pick up and the nice pot of savings I've collected over the last two years for the MBA is being eroded swiftly.... all one can do is keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best! (that and hope that there's something resembling a chance of full funding out there! lol)
In the meantime, I've found some great volunteering opportunities in the local area - if anyone else finds that they have some free time I'd really recommend getting involved in local projects as I'm sure you'll get a real buzz from making a difference to the projects you get involved in :) (for anyone based in the UK, it's worthwhile checking out BTCV, formerly the 'British Trust for Conservation Volunteers' http://www2.btcv.org.uk/ -- there are a lot of great projects country-wide)
Next week, as well as the regular jobhunt, I'll be starting a new project assessing applicants for the London Ambassadors programme - the initiative for supporting the London 2012 olympics. I'm really looking forward to getting involved with this one and it looks like we're going to be very busy interviewing all the volunteers!! :)
Thursday 12 May 2011
A break from studies :)
Well it's been a little while and whilst I've been working through the GMATClub app's set of 'Hard Quant questions', I've also taken a slight break to focus my efforts on three of the other workstreams that would enable me to take an MBA next year:
1) Fulbright Commission --- I'm still working on the application and have become a little nervous that my third and final referee has yet to submit his letter online.... a little bit of chasing is required!!
2) Work --- Whilst the song says that 'starting from zero you've got nothing to lose', an empty bank account does not make for an attractive application when it comes to Visas or indeed when looking at funding two years of studies in the states. Numerous applications have been filed in the last few weeks and hopefully one will hit the mark!!
3) Volunteer work (aka 'keeping sane') --- spent the last couple of days digging up bits of a nature reserve in the hope of supporting the BTCV's efforts to improve biodiversity and make the Russia Dock area of east london a more pleasant environment :) unfortunately I've also been severely bitten by the local mosquito population and am suffering as a result.... it'll give me something extra to talk about when it comes to University interviews though!
1) Fulbright Commission --- I'm still working on the application and have become a little nervous that my third and final referee has yet to submit his letter online.... a little bit of chasing is required!!
2) Work --- Whilst the song says that 'starting from zero you've got nothing to lose', an empty bank account does not make for an attractive application when it comes to Visas or indeed when looking at funding two years of studies in the states. Numerous applications have been filed in the last few weeks and hopefully one will hit the mark!!
3) Volunteer work (aka 'keeping sane') --- spent the last couple of days digging up bits of a nature reserve in the hope of supporting the BTCV's efforts to improve biodiversity and make the Russia Dock area of east london a more pleasant environment :) unfortunately I've also been severely bitten by the local mosquito population and am suffering as a result.... it'll give me something extra to talk about when it comes to University interviews though!
Monday 2 May 2011
Distracted by flashcards :)
Stumbled across a good resource courtesy of GMATclub that has somewhat distracted me from the iPhone app question bank this last 24hrs.... very much worth a look! (some corrections pending).
http://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-flashcards-108651.html
That's all for today :)
http://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-flashcards-108651.html
That's all for today :)
Sunday 1 May 2011
End of the holidays - back to work :)
Righteo, it's been a few days since this blog has been updated and admittedly I've done very little in the way of revision since the last post. In the interest of avoiding burn-out, however, this short break was muchly needed to keep spirits up, which will undoubtedly benefit me in the coming weeks as I approach the re-sit :)
<< a weekend of friends visiting, watching the royal wedding from outside the abbey and general relaxation >>
It's also one month to go before the Fulbright Comission MBA Scholarship application deadline and it looks like I'm one reference short... I'll have to chase this up next week!! (as well as re-visiting the draft essays)
My plan for this evening is to attempt the questions asked in the GMATClub iPhone app - the version I have contains 111 'hard' (700+) quant questions - so should be useful practice. Before starting, I see there is a useful 'History' function built in that will not only allow me to re-visit those questions I got wrong but also highlight any questions taking 1min30+ and 2mins+ to answer correctly... this should be very useful! (results to follow)
<< a weekend of friends visiting, watching the royal wedding from outside the abbey and general relaxation >>
It's also one month to go before the Fulbright Comission MBA Scholarship application deadline and it looks like I'm one reference short... I'll have to chase this up next week!! (as well as re-visiting the draft essays)
My plan for this evening is to attempt the questions asked in the GMATClub iPhone app - the version I have contains 111 'hard' (700+) quant questions - so should be useful practice. Before starting, I see there is a useful 'History' function built in that will not only allow me to re-visit those questions I got wrong but also highlight any questions taking 1min30+ and 2mins+ to answer correctly... this should be very useful! (results to follow)
Monday 25 April 2011
Park life
All the people, so many people... :) Okay, I'm not about to break into song, but I have spent the entire day down in the park getting mildly irradiated, watching people wander by and revising DS-type questions from the OG12.
Happy to say that I've flown through them, up to about 60 so far - luckily I've seen so many other questions since my last run-through of the book I'm actually having to think about the reasoning behind the answers instead of playing a game of 'lets remember what I said last time'.
Unfortunately, I can remember RC/SC sections fairly well and so when I come to revising these sections again I'll need lots of new source material and original questions to play with.
The thought of spending another $300 on the GMAT is somewhat sickening, especially finding myself out of contract and seeking work - perhaps I'll spend tomorrow chasing up potential jobs (as a lack of cash may indeed be as restrictive to future MBA plans as a deficient GMAT quant score)... fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Happy to say that I've flown through them, up to about 60 so far - luckily I've seen so many other questions since my last run-through of the book I'm actually having to think about the reasoning behind the answers instead of playing a game of 'lets remember what I said last time'.
Unfortunately, I can remember RC/SC sections fairly well and so when I come to revising these sections again I'll need lots of new source material and original questions to play with.
The thought of spending another $300 on the GMAT is somewhat sickening, especially finding myself out of contract and seeking work - perhaps I'll spend tomorrow chasing up potential jobs (as a lack of cash may indeed be as restrictive to future MBA plans as a deficient GMAT quant score)... fingers crossed for tomorrow!
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