Think Happy Thoughts

The button had been sitting there all along.

The little rectangle marked "Submit Application" faced us down every day, and we waited until time was almost up to push it. But we did. We pushed the button that would end our struggle with the UC Berkeley online application and sent the damn thing in. It's over. It's out of our hands now.

Since we got back a month and a half ago, we've been working on our applications for the UCB Full Time MBA Program (master's in business administration). Kane and I both want to move up to management-type roles in our engineering career and we've decided to pursue this goal in style.

Style takes a lot of work, apparently. In addition to asking multiple choice questions about every aspect of our lifestyle and history (name, dob, education records, employment records, ss#, test scores, gpa, place of birth, country of residence, address, phone number, family history, ethnicity...I'm surprised they didn't ask what color my fingernails are painted), there were also six "supplementary" questions (short answer, essentially), four 250-word essay questions, one 500-word and one 1000-word essay, plus two 500-word optional essays (I took the option).

Then we had to get two letters of recommendation from previous employers (you know they love that), upload our resumes, and send in official transcripts and GMAT test scores. Not exactly a walk in the park.

But, I suppose that's what happens if you want to get into one of the most competitive programs in the country. They receive approximately 4000 applications for 240 spots every year. Hence the request in the title.

Would it be possible for anyone reading this to think a couple happy thoughts for a moment for Kane and me? We really would both like to be admitted to this program and, as you can see, the chances are slim. But we put a lot of effort into the application, we're qualified, and we're ready. Now, it's all left to the Powers That Be: the UCB MBA Admissions Committee. Think happy thoughts!!