Learn a few simple tricks from Dr. Wayne Dyer to help you achieve your goals.
Let’s put aside the fact that I’m only a little more than 200 words into my 50,000-word NaNoWriMo goal for a moment. I read an article the other day that was so inspiring and interesting, I had to share it.
It’s part of Success Magazine’s Legend Series where different positive, influential people are interviewed about their success. This interview was with Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. Please read this interview; I promise it will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. If not, feel free to harass me.
What it boils down to is that Dyer could have had a life of hostility, poverty and misery. Instead, he built a successful business (some might say empire) based on service. He was an orphan and grew up bouncing around various orphanages and foster homes in Detroit. Yet he learned early on that when you serve others, rewards come back to you. Serve now; money and success will follow later.
“To change the way you think about your life and create success for yourself, you need to put your attention not on what you want so much as on what you intend — what you intend to create, what you intend to manifest. When I sit down to write a book, I always have the publishers create a jacket for the book with the title on it, and I wrap it around a book that’s already written and I sit it on my writing space, and every single day, I assume this book is already completed. I think from the end always, and then I allow whatever needs to come through to complete it, to come through — that’s my secret. Use your imagination to assume the feeling of having your wish fulfilled. Begin with the end in mind,” Dyer says.
Brilliant!
Dyer also strongly advocates meditation to keep the ego in check. I, too, have been trying to incorporate more meditation into my daily routine and have been modestly successful in that goal. I like to meditate in the sauna or steam room at my gym after I exercise, but I only go to the gym about three times per week right now.
I can attest that meditation and visualization really have helped me become more relaxed and paradoxically more focused on my life goals.
There’s another passage in the interview with Dyer where he’s talking about how a woman once told him:
“Wayne, if you don’t want something bad to happen, or if you want good things for yourself in your life, be careful about what you think, for you will become what you think as sure as the dawn follows night. Always remember, thoughts are things.”
I used to roll my eyes at these kinds of statements, finding them too New Agey for my taste. But I’ve found as I’ve slowly embraced these various laws-of-attraction principles that they have a lot of merit. (Of course, I don’t mean to imply that I think positive thinking can end poverty or wars. I’m merely speaking on an individual level.)
What’s the overall tone or theme to the majority of your thoughts regarding your goals? Is it positive or negative? If it’s negative, flip those thoughts around until you find a positive spin. While you’re there, think about what your life would be like if the positive were true. Some examples:
- “I’m always broke,” becomes “I have the opportunity to follow a minimalist lifestyle.” What will you do when you aren’t broke?
- “I hate my job,” becomes “I am broadening my skill-set here, and that will help me in my new job search. What does your dream job look like?
- “I’ll never find a good guy/girl,” becomes “I haven’t found the right person for me yet, but when the time is right, I will.” What qualities are you looking for in an ideal mate?
Flip your negative thoughts, visualize having what you want, and follow this experiment for one month. Please let me know your results!
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Be a NaNoWriMo participant.
One of my goals for 2009 is to write at least half of a novel I’ve had in mind for a couple of years. My friend Jennifer over at Procrastinating Writers has encouraged me to try NaNoWriMo as a means to achieve this goal.
If you haven’t heard of NaNoWriMo, it stands for National Novel Writing Month. It runs from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30. In those 30 days and nights you are challenged to write at least 50,000 words. NaNoWriMo is all about quantity not quality; it’s about getting your work out of your head and out on paper, no matter how revolting the first draft is.
Get all the details on NaNoWriMo here.
I was hesitant to commit to NaNoWriMo only because I really have a hard time imaging myself hitting the 50,000 word mark. That breaks down to writing about 1,600 words per day. And that would be in addition to writing my one-to-three weekly posts here. And don’t forget about Thanksgiving.
But then I figured why not? Does it matter if I don’t complete the goal? Won’t it be nice to at least have something accomplished toward this goal than nothing?
So today, I jumped in at the last minute and registered. This challenge is all about having fun with it, so if I complete NaNoWriMo, great, and if I don’t, hey, that’s alright too. Besides, participating in NaNoWriMo will give me an excuse to blow off housework and cooking. (We’ll see how long that lasts, as messes and clutter tend to make me feel stressed an/or anxious.)
Hurry up and register now so you can join me in this crazy goal! And if you need tips and motivation to stay on target during the NaNoWriMo challenge, sign up for the e-newsletter via Procrastinating Writers.
Good luck to you all!
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Keep striving.
When you push yourself to achieve large goals, it can be lonely. Really digging in and working hard at your goals takes a lot of time and energy, and if you’re like me, sometimes you feel like, “What’s the point?” “Why bother?” or “Who cares?”
This disillusionment trap is especially easy to fall into if you don’t have a strong support group. It’s easy to give up if there’s no one to let down other than yourself.
That’s why I’m here to say that for one, I care about your goals just as much as mine. I don’t care how crazy other people say you are for whatever it is you are trying to achieve, you can do it. I’ll be here to tell you “yes” when you’ve heard “no” 100 times. So:
Get that second wind.
Give it one more try.
Go start now.
I just read an amazing post by Chris Guillebeau that inspired this post, and gave me a rush of encouragement to keep working on this blog and make it the best it can be. I love the rush I feel when I am truly inspired, and I hope I can invoke that excitement in you.
Please don’t settle for “just ok” in any area of your life. You are better than mediocrity.
The next time you feel enveloped with doubt, head to any of these inspiring sources to recharge. These are other people that will tell you “yes” when you feel overwhelmed with “no.” (You can also find these links in my blogroll):
- Johnathan Mead – Illuminated Mind: Yes, you can live life on your own terms.
- Gretchen Rubin – The Happiness Project: Yes, you can be happy, and achieve lasting happiness.
- Positively Present: Yes, you can reframe your outlook to see the positive in all areas of your life.
- Leo Babauta – Zen Habits: Yes, you can have more with less.
- Chris Guilleabeau – The Art of Nonconformity: Yes, you can do remarkable things.
- Jennifer Blanchard – Procrastinating Writers: Yes, you can write a novel, and get it published.
Good luck, and keep striving!
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I just got accepted to the MBA program of my choice and you can, too.
I am proud to announce that I have achieved my goal of, “Meet with an adviser at California State University, Fullerton to map out a plan of action for getting into California State University, Fullerton’s MBA program.” Not only did I meet with an adviser, I applied and was accepted to the program!
Achieving this goal took much more time and energy than I expected. Here’s what I learned from my MBA application process and acceptance into CSUF’s program:
1. Research different schools.
Once I knew I wanted to go back to school for an MBA, I had to decide where. Moving wasn’t an option because I need to work full-time, so that narrowed the selection to just Southern California schools. The fact that I was employed meant I also needed a part-time program. Most schools have this option.
I started researching fully-employed or part-time MBA programs at the beginning of this year. First, I asked around for recommendations. The two names that came up were University of California, Irvine and Pepperdine University. I attended an information session for UCI and was about to schedule one with Pepperdine when my friend, Robin, told me that CSUF had a fully-employed MBA (FEMBA) program. Not only was it in Irvine, but it was also a fraction of the other schools’ prices.
Once I went to an information session for CSUF, I learned that they actually had two FEMBA options: one through its Irvine campus and one through its main campus at Fullerton. It was confusing at first, but I sifted through the pros and cons to each campus and decided that the main campus was best for me because it allows you to specialize your MBA degree.
2. Ensure you meet the admission requirements. If you’re lacking in an area, don’t get discouraged. Contact an adviser to find out how you can join the competition.
When I read CSUF’s admission requirements, I felt confident going into my application because I had a high college GPA, solid work experience, and strong application essays and recommendation letters. All that was left was to do at least average on the GMAT. Well, I didn’t. In fact, I did below average on the GMAT.
Rather than sulk, though, I was proactive and immediately contacted the graduate school adviser, Kellee Carter-Scales, to get her advice on what I should do. I was prepared to take the ($250) GMAT again if that’s what it took.
Fortunately, CSUF does not have a minimum score requirement for the GMAT.
Realize that some cases will require more work than others. The more areas you don’t meet the requirements, the more hoops you’ll have to jump through. Don’t let that discourage you. Use it as a measure of how much you really want to achieve this goal.
3. Study, study, and study some more for the GMAT.
Even though I took a GMAT prep course (which I highly recommend), I had to learn the hard way that I did not study enough for the GMAT. I did some preparation right, but I did a lot wrong. Learn from my mistakes.
4. Have at least three people look over your MBA application essays.
Even writers/journalists (including me) need editors. Try to have friends, family or co-workers from different backgrounds provide feedback on your MBA application essays. For example, I had an accountant, a human resources specialist, and a journalist look at my essays. Each person had different suggestions that made my essays that much stronger.
5. Give your references plenty of advance notice to write your recommendation letters.
It should go without saying that you already have selected excellent sources (current bosses, former bosses, former professors, and other professional contacts) for your recommendation letters. So show them that you’re responsible and thoughtful enough to give them at least two weeks’ notice (a month is better, especially for those who are really busy) to write the letter. After all, they’re doing you a huge favor.
It helps to add in a week of padding too, in case someone needs a little extra time or for cross-country mailing. That will ensure you don’t get stuck waiting on the recommendation letters before you can send off your application packet.
And make sure to send your references thank-you notes! Again, they are doing you a favor, and you couldn’t have done this without their help.
6. Include relevant “bonus” material about you.
Do you have an award, letter, certificate or something else special that highlights a work or education achievement? Include it! For example, I included my resume and an employee recognition award letter.
7. Declined admission? See if you can appeal the decision.
I remember when I applied to Ohio University for my undergraduate degree and I was declined admission into the prestigious E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. I knew I wanted in the journalism program, so I contacted the admissions office, found out what it took to appeal the decision, and followed through on the requirements. It worked – I was admitted.
If I had been declined admission this time, you can bet I would have followed the same approach. If you know you want a certain school for your MBA degree and you don’t get accepted, continue contacting the admissions office or whoever the proper contact is to find out what you need to do until you are accepted.
It’s what being tenacious is all about.
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Me and Mr. Man in front of the Parthenon on the (Athenian) Acropolis in Athens, Greece.
I could have sworn I posted the link to our honeymoon pictures in Greece earlier, but apparently I did not. Sorry about the gaping oversight on that one.
Click here to see our honeymoon photos on Flickr.
As mentioned before, we registered for our honeymoon through AAA (I can’t recommend this idea enough, especially if you don’t really need much in the way of wedding gifts.)
Also as mentioned before, we went Greek island hopping, which is a specific type of tour offered through Contiki. Again, we highly, highly recommend Contiki tours and will be using them again when we do our next trip abroad.
Our honeymoon was a perfect blend of relaxation, culture, history, and nightlife. Our tour guide, Ed, was the best. Want a recommendation on the best place to grab pizza? Ask Ed. Want to know more about the different invasions of Greece? Ask Ed. Want to see someone bong a beer through a snorkel? Ask Ed. (Sadly, we didn’t get a picture of this!) He also has some stellar jokes.
Even better were all the people we met on our honeymoon. Aussies, Canadians and Kiwis, oh my! Everyone was really friendly and fun. Contiki specializes in tours for people 18 to 35, so everyone was around our age. (However, we were the only couple, which could have been awkward but wasn’t the least bit at all.)
Trip highlights include riding donkeys up a mountain, boarding a pirate ship and sailing to a deserted beach, and, of course, seeing the ancient ruins in Greece. The hotel we stayed at in Athens, The Plaka, had a roof-top bar that looked directly at the Parthenon. At night, it’s light up and is one of the most beautiful constructions I’ve ever seen. That and all of the adventures we had along the trip made going on this incredible honeymoon one of the best goals I’ve ever achieved.
To learn more about our trip, check out the tour package.
Here’s a list of the hotels we stayed at along our trip, should you want to try to do your own vacation through Greece:
- Athens: The Plaka
- Mykonos: Aphrodite Beach Hotel
- Santorini: Nikolas Karterados Hotel
- Ios: Far Out Hotel and Spa
Enjoy our 500-and-then-some photos!
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Having trouble sticking to your budget? Mint.com helps you reach your financial goals by keeping track of where and how you spend your money. You can set it up so that it alerts you when you're about to go over your budget.
Ah, there’s nothing quite like feeling in control of your finances.
Mr. Man and I recently been having a problem sticking to our budget and staying on track with our financial goals. So tonight I set up an account with Mint.com, which is a free money management and budgeting tool. Learn more about how it works here.
I had read about Mint.com in a few different publications and all of them spoke highly of it. I also just recently had a friend recommend it to me, so I decided to try it out.
It took a good hour to set up, but that’s because I have so many accounts all over the place. It was very easy, just time-consuming. What I was most impressed with though, is that once you get all your accounts synched with Mint.com, it recognizes exactly where your money is going. For example, it knew that when I spent $26.16 at Trader Joe’s that it was for groceries.
Unfortunately, it’s going to take some time to adjust to my spending habits, but at least it’s all set up. Now, I’ll get email alerts if I’m about to go over budget.
Hopefully this will get us back on track with our financial goals, which is mainly reducing debt and building an emergency savings. Try it, and let me know what you think.
How do you stay on top of your financial goals?
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The Breast Team Ever members in all their sweaty glory after running the Race for the Cure 5K (3.2 miles). The members are (from left to right): Mr. Man, Laura Lee Bloor Townsend, Kelly Hertzen (top), Jennifer White (bottom), and Connor White. And yes, I ran the entire 5K with the wig.
This morning I ran (OK, jogged … OK, jogged with a soft “j”) with The Breast Team Ever in the 18th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event in Newport Beach, Calif. I’m always amazed at the thousands of people that show up for this event. This year, there were more than 30,000 people there, and it raised more than $2.5 million. (Read more about today’s race here from The Orange County Register — where Mr. Man also just happens to work.)
And speaking of fundraising, even though this is my first year as a team captain, I was so proud and pleased that we were able to raise almost $450! In addition to hitting up friends and family for some donations, we also had a lemonade stand yesterday that brought in about $300.
To be honest, I didn’t think we would make more than $50, but I was so pleased to be proven wrong and grateful that we had so many generous patrons.
So, a huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped us!
One of the reasons I think our lemonade stand was so successful is because we had a breast cancer survivor helping us. Our friend’s parents, Donna and John Minor, were visiting/vacationing here in San Clemente for the week, and Donna just recently celebrated being free of breast cancer for two years now. The Minors were also at the race this morning to cheer us on to the finish line. We ran our 5K in celebration of her and Mr. Man’s grandmother, Alice Bougher.
Even though I won’t make my goal of running the Turkey Trot this year, I completed another goal of being a successful team captain and am looking forward to doing it again and making the Race for the Cure event a yearly goal.
I also didn’t make the goal of having a 10-person team (We had eight, three of whom “Slept in for the Cure.”) or raising $1,500, but those were lofty goals for a first-timer. Next year, I know we can achieve those goals.
And I didn’t beat my race time from last year of less than 35 minutes. (I walk/ran it in about 48 minutes, as the race is self-timed.) However, this year, I had more friends with me and was happy to motivate others to do a little running with me. Plus, I have a bum left-knee and had to take it a little easy. (I get an MRI on Tuesday to see what’s going on under there. More on that later.)
Remember: Keep your eyes open to goals you may be hitting when you’re “not achieving” others.
Enjoy some more photos below from our lemonade stand fundraiser yesterday and the Race for the Cure today…
Me, Laura Lee Bloor, and breast cancer survivor and friend Donna Minor at our lemonade stand yesterday. It was the breast lemonade ever.
Mr. Man promotes the breast lemonade ever. Simply stunning.
Kelly Hertzen crosses the finish line with flair as I clutch my wig and limp behind her.
Mrs. Jennifer and Mr. Connor White celebrate the end of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K. Oh yeah, the endorphins are flowing!
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Don't let the GMAT defeat you.
Yesterday I took the GMAT. I was less than pleased with my scores: I didn’t even hit the national average score, which is 570. So, there’s a strong chance I may have to take the GMAT again, which is a frustrating and expensive lesson to learn, considering it costs $250 each time you take it.
Despite my first-try flop, I can at least walk away with some knowledge and experience to impart. Behold my list of dos and don’ts for taking the GMAT:
DO: Take a prep course.
I took a Bobrow test preparation course for the GMAT. It also offers prep courses for the GRE, LSAT, SAT and other tests with which I am unfamiliar.
The main reason I took the prep course was for the math review, which I found very useful and helpful. I also liked that it got me back into a “school-time” mindset.
The GMAT prep course that I took was $425 for four classes held each Sunday for one month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It included a current edition of the Cliffs Test Prep GMAT CAT. Also, if you want to take the courses again, you can do so for free as long as you show your receipt.
DON’T: Cram all your studying into one week before the test.
This is the biggest mistake I made. It wasn’t until my last day of class that I overheard some of the other students talking about how they had been going to the library every day after work to study for an hour or two. I remember thinking, “Really?! Uh oh, I might be in trouble,” and “How do they have the time to do that? Don’t they have lives?” Turns out, they were on to something.
As I mentioned above, the classes were great in getting me back in a “school-time” mindset, but I just went to the classes. I didn’t really start studying until right before the test, a strategy that served me perfectly well in college.
Sadly, I discovered that is not a smart/effective way to study for the GMAT.
DO: Break your studying up to an hour or two every day.
Again, I think the people in my class had the right approach. I have a feeling I would have done much better on the test if, starting with the first day of class, I had come home and spent an hour or two every day studying. With that approach, you don’t feel overwhelmed, and you’re better able to digest and process what you’re learning.
DON’T: Rely on your essay responses to help boost your score.
I misunderstood that the test was scored 1/3 for essays, 1/3 for quantitative (math) and 1/3 for verbal. In actuality, your total score is based just on the quantitative and verbal scores. The essays are scored separately and have no impact on your total score, not to mention the highest score you could receive is a 12, which means you would have received a 6 on each of the two essays.
DO: Practice healthy habits before the test.
This one may seem obvious, but the clearer and sharper your mind, the better you’re likely to do on the GMAT or any important test for that matter. At a minimum, make sure you’ve taken these actions the day before your test. At best, we should all be striving to meet this checklist daily.
- Get the recommended seven-to-nine hours of sleep a night.
- Exercise (Exercise is good for cognitive skills as well as physical health.)
- Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Cut out alcohol and recreational drugs. An exception to this would be caffeine, which can help your concentration.
- Practice mediation to help reduce anxiety and improve focus.
The night before my test, I came home from work and went on a short run, had a salmon salad for dinner, skimmed my notes, and went to bed at 9:30 p.m. The morning before my test, I got up at 6:30 a.m. and went for a half-hour run. For breakfast, I had cranberry crumpets with syrup, a yogurt-and-granola parfait, and a large skinny vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso. (Thank you, Starbucks!)
Sure, my score was still below average, but I felt clear-minded and confident heading into the test center. Who knows how much worse I might have done had I headed in with five hours of sleep, a hangover and a belly full of greasy fast-food breakfast?
DON’T: Freak out if you didn’t do as well as you anticipated.
One of the blessings and curses of the GMAT is that you are able to see your scores immediately after taking the test, if you choose to report them to the school. If you decide not to report your scores and cancel them, you also don’t get to see your scores.
Seeing as how I thought I did at least average, I chose to report them to California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). Then when I received my score print-out, my heart sank.
Apparently, one of the women at the Pearson Professional Center (2190 Towne Center Place, Suite 300, Anaheim, CA 92806) where I took the test was familiar with this look of utter defeat and despair. She gently reminded me that a lot of people walk out without getting the scores they wanted and not to get too bent out of shape about it until talking with the office of admissions. And, of course, she reminded me that I can always take it again.
I’ll be taking her advice and contacting Mark Okumori, graduate evaluations specialist for CSUF, on Monday.
Unfortunately for me, you cannot take the GMAT more than once a month, so considering my application deadline for CSUF is Oct. 31, I would have to take it at beginning of October, assuming there are still spaces left. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Considering CSUF doesn’t require a minimum score on the GMAT, maybe I’ll be fine.
Take my advice, learn from my mistakes, and may you succeed on your first tackle of the GMAT.
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Join The Breast Team Ever and help fight breast cancer.
That’s right: You too can be a part of The Breast Team Ever and help fight breast cancer. Here’s how:
- Sign onto www.komenoc.org
- Click on “Register Now,” which is located under the Race for the Cure® logo.
- When the Race for the Cure® page opens, click “Register Here.”
- Read the Waiver/Agreement and click on either “I agree.”
- Now select “Join a Team.”
- Type in our team name: The Breast Team Ever. The team number is attached to the name (2977).
- If you are a returning participant, you can use your password and username from last year to auto-fill the personal information section. If you are new, simply type in your contact information.
- Fill out your billing information in the provided form.
- If you are making an additional donation, you can then choose to be listed by name, anonymously, or other and you can also select who the donation is “in honor of,” “in memory of,” or “in support of.”
- You will be emailed a confirmation notice on your registration.
You must register by Sept. 11 to be on the Breast Team Ever. However, you can continue to give donations until race day: Sept. 27.
You don’t even have to run the 5K with us on September 27, 2009. You can select the option to “Sleep In for the Cure.” It costs $35 to Sleep in for the Cure and $30 to register to be part of the Breast Team Ever.
This is my second year participating in the Susan G. Komen “Run for the Cure” event in Newport Beach, Calif. However, this is my first year as Team Captain of The Breast Team Ever, and I couldn’t be more excited.
I will be running this 5K (3.2 miles) in honor of my grandma-in-law Alice Bougher who defeated breast cancer last year and my good friend’s mother, Donna Minor, who also is a breast cancer survivor. I wish everyone could meet these invigorating ladies!
I decided to become a team captain this year because I am unable to meet my goal of running the Turkey Trot in Dana Point, Calif., this Thanksgiving. This is the first year I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle’s place in Arizona. So I figured if I couldn’t do the one charity race, I had to do another one. In fact, I plan to make the Susan G. Komen “Race for the Cure” a yearly ritual.
Another goal I have for next year is to run a half-marathon with Team in Training. Team in Training is a half-marathon and marathon training program that benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society whose mission is to raise funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers from taking more lives. I would like to run an event in support of my aunt, Barbara Valdez, who was recently diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a type of cancer similar to leukemia. She’s doing wonderful, so far!
I heard about Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through my long-time friend, Kristen Stotts. She is my running inspiration, and she will be running the Nike Women’s Marathon with Team in Training this October. (That’s 26. 2 miles!) Please visit her website, and show her some support as well. In fact, I might have an inspiration interview with her coming up, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, if you can’t join our team, please donate. Remember that every little bit counts. So even if you can only contribute $5, that $5 puts researchers closer to their goal of a breast cancer cure that much faster. Click here to give a donation through my page.
May you be rewarded with good karma for your charity!
See how the Fullerton MBA program compares to the FEMBA at Irvine program.
I’ve known since February that I wanted to apply to California State University, Fullerton for my MBA degree, but what I didn’t know then was that CSUF has two MBA programs.
[Update: I should mention that the main reason I chose CSUF is because its MBA program has all the same accreditations as other Southern California schools’ MBA programs for a fraction of the price. For example, University of California, Irvine’s MBA program costs around $80,000. The most expensive choice (as you’ll read about more below) at CSUF would be around $25,000 maximum. If you’re lucky enough to have an employer that offers tuition reimbursement as I am, then you can get a quality MBA degree for an unbeatable price.]
At first, I only knew about the fully-employed MBA (FEMBA) at Irvine program. However, after attending an information session about the FEMBA at Irvine program, I learned that the main (Fullerton) campus has an MBA program as well that is presented in a different format.
Here are the differences between the two options that I have learned. (Note that I am approaching this as a non-business major undergraduate):
FEBMA at Irvine Program:
- You must take your pre-admissions classes before you enroll.
The pre-admissions classes are:
- Calculus (Math 130 or 135)
- Software Applications (ISDS 265)
- Statistics (ISDS 361A)
(However, as I learned from the Dr. Van Muse, the director of admissions at CSUF, the school does allow students a grace period to finish the courses within the first year, but the calculus class needs to be finished in the first semester because it is a prerequisite for the statistics classes.)
Fullerton MBA:
- You still have to take the pre-admissions classes, but they don’t have to be finished before you enroll. In other words, you have a more lenient grace period. One of the reasons you don’t have to have the classes completed before you enroll is because classes are not taught in the cohort format, so you wouldn’t be holding other students back if you hadn’t completed a pre-admission class yet. (However, you would be putting yourself at a disadvantage, so either way, it’s a good idea to get all the pre-admissions classes completed as soon as possible.)
FEMBA at Irvine Program:
- You do not choose a specialization. The FEMBA program is taught in a cohort manner, meaning that you take all your classes with a group of other people who are working full-time. So, everyone’s classes are the same, and at the end of the program, everyone has completed a solid foundation in business degree based upon classes that previous students said were the best/most useful ones.
Fullerton MBA:
- You can choose a specialization. Again, because the program isn’t taught in a cohort format, you’re able to pick an area of concentration. Some of the specializations include finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, taxation, and real estate.
FEMBA at Irvine Program:
- You are never closed out of classes. For the FEMBA, only a certain number of applicants are accepted, and they will go through the entire program together. Also, the class schedule is different from Fullerton’s. Each quarter at Irvine is 16 weeks, but during the first eight weeks, students take just one class twice a week. Then the next eight weeks, they take another class twice a week. Also classes are only from about 7 to 10 p.m.
Fullerton MBA:
- You have more flexibility to choose classes, but you can also get closed out of them if you register too late. The format for classes is that students take two different classes for each 16-week quarter. So, you’re still getting the same classes as with the FEMBA, it’s just in a different schedule. Also, some classes are held during a 4 to 7 p.m. slot and/or a 7 to 10 p.m. slot.
FEMBA at Irvine Program:
- It’s more slightly more expensive. The FEMBA at Irvine is considered an off-campus program, so it is not state-funded. That means it has a higher tuition. As of now, the total cost for the FEMBA is around $22,500.
Fullerton MBA:
- As of now, the Fullerton MBA is about $20,835. It’s not much cheaper than the FEMBA, but every little bit helps.
However, tuition costs are likely to increase for both programs by next year because of California’s gargantuan budget deficit.
Once I learned all this information, I decided that the Fullerton MBA program was best for me because:
- I want to specialize my MBA.
- I like that it’s slightly cheaper.
- I like that I have a longer grace period to complete my pre-admissions classes.
- Even though it’s not as close as Irvine, Fullerton is still less than an hour away from me in San Clemente, so I can’t complain.
So, now, it’s back to my MBA checklist:
- Finish my GMAT prep course and take the GMAT. I’m scheduled to take it Saturday, September 12. (More on this later; I highly recommend taking a GMAT prep course.)
- Submit my pre-application form and a $55 application fee.
- Get two sets of official transcripts from all my undergraduate schools. (This is completed!)
- Submit a background information sheet and statement of purpose.
- Provide three letters of recommendation. (This is completed!)
**NOTE: You CAN submit your full application packet without having taken the GMAT yet. You just have to have the GMAT scheduled and you can enter the date you’re going to take it. However, factor in that it will take two to three weeks for the test scores to be sent to CSUF, and the scores still have to be in before the application deadline of October 31, 2009.**
(For more of the MBA admission requirements, see My MBA Checklist post.)
My goal is to have my full application packet submitted no later than August 28.
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