Why an MBA (Apr 23)

Why an MBA

Going for the MBA is a no brainer decision at this moment for me. The program allows me to advance my career and enriches my perspective of the world by giving me access to a wide spanning range of fascinating ideas and people. Today, I am listing the top 5 reasons for me to pursue an MBA.

1.       It makes sense financially immediately after graduation

The median post-MBA starting salary pays nearly double my current salary. If I were to pursue the highest paying positions such as IBD or consulting, my expected starting salary would be even higher. From a pure income perspective, I would likely be in a better position after the MBA than if I worked in my current job function.

2.       It steepens my long-term career trajectory

My post-MBA job will likely allow me to accelerate my career advancement and income growth at a faster pace than if I stayed in my current role. This higher growth rate will eventually make up for the 2 years investment of time and money.

3.       It enables me to work in the US

Breaking into any high-paying role in New York City is a formidable task for a relationship manager of a regional bank in Hong Kong. Pursuing my MBA at Yale gives me direct access to the US job market.

4.       It is a two-year selfish period for me to explore and learn

My late 20’s will be the last period of my life where I can travel freely and explore different careers without the encumbrance of family or work obligations. I will invest my time in visiting places and learning activities that I would otherwise will not have time for once I am settled down.

5.       It connects me with a diverse network of driven and capable people

My classmates at SOM are a collection of ambitious and uniquely talented people, who will make their mark on the world in myriad ways after graduation. I look forward to building close relationships with people who share my intellectual curiosity and my desire to impact the world in meaningful ways. I am also excited to tap into the global network of Yale University alumni.

Values (Apr 17-18)

Values

Today’s writing assignment is a brainstorming session to help me realign with my values and goals. What is my ultimate goal in life? What do my values need to be in order to achieve my goals? How do I order these values in terms of importance and why?

My ultimate goal is to be in a position where I am able to help as many people as possible. I want to improve the lives of those who are not as fortunate and have not had access to the same opportunities as me. I want to give people the platform the reach their potential, whether that is through health, education, or economic opportunity. I want to cultivate a skill set towards this purpose to add tangible benefit to the world.

To excel in my mission, I must strive for my own potential and be the best person that I can be. I must craft the necessary personal qualities such as intelligence, integrity, charisma, empathy, tenacity, and self awareness, that are crucial to succeed.

I must clearly identify the values that I want to use to drive my life, because they drive me to determine what is most important for me to focus on. Adhering to a set of personal values simplifies my decision-making and helps guide me to make the choice that most aligns with my long-term objectives.

My top five values in order of personal importance are:

Values	Why is it important?	When do I achieve it?
Health	- Provides foundation for me to continue to contribute for many years to come - Gives me the mental and physical energy to function at maximum efficiency today - Lets me enjoy countless activities and have fun doing them	Anytime I feel mentally alert and physically mobile Anytime I hop or skip a step Anytime I sleep early Anytime I increase my strength or endurance Anytime I eat healthy foods
Love and warmth	- Helps me build deeper and more meaningful relationships with people I care about - Allows me to connect with people more easily and find friends everywhere - Love primes me to experience the highest of human emotions	Anytime I am warm and supportive of my friends, family, and strangers Anytime I appreciate something I did well or did for myself Anytime my warmth enhance show others feel
Intelligence	- Lets me have richer experiences and better understand how the world works - Enables me to problem-solve for myself and others - Helps me develop new skills and abilities	Anytime I open a book or listen to a podcast Anytime I put together a plan to solve a problem Anytime I figure out an answer
Optimism and cheerfulness	- Creates a zest and passion for life that translates into energy and charisma - Reduces the frequency and impact of negative feelings and thoughts - Puts me into a fun-loving state and better lets me enjoy life	Anytime I ask myself “What’s good about this situation?” Anytime my positive mood enhances the state of others Anytime I see a problem as surmountable and not a big deal
Integrity	- Gives me absolute confidence that the correct moral decision is the correct one - Lets me speak honestly and earn the respect of others	Anytime I conduct myself in a way I am proud of Anytime I tell the truth

April 6-9

What I look for in a partner

What are the most important elements in a relationship? Above all, I believe that two partners in a relationship must share the same values. Shared values form the basis for a strong relationship because they represent commonality over a range of beliefs and ways of doing things. Additionally, they allow for mutual understanding and respect. The values I seek for my partner as much about them as what I value about myself. Hence, the three most important values I seek are honesty, warmth, and intelligence.

Shared honesty is by far the most critical characteristic for a successful relationship. I must be able to trust my partner completely because she is the one with whom I am sharing my deepest personal beliefs and feelings with her. She must also trust me in return for me to reciprocate. Vulnerability cultivated through honesty and mutual acceptance creates a tremendous emotional bond that is essential in a relationship.

Warmth means to be loving and caring. While honesty is necessary for a healthy relationship to function, warmth is what makes the relationship worth investing in. A couple is stronger than the sum of their individual parts when they support each other. Warmth in a relationship provides both parties with comfort and security, and fulfills the need for social intimacy. An important factor is that my partner’s warmth should not just be limited or conditional. Rather, warmth must be a core part of her life philosophy that guides her all her interactions with others.

I must be able to connect with partner on an intellectual level. Intelligence is the prerequisite for a dynamic and engaging personality, and is highly correlated with individuals who already have and are capable of developing a wide range of interests. The world is gargantuan, and I want to share my experiences with a willing partner who derives the same level of wonder and joy as I do in exploring it.

Courage

How do we ensure we make the most of every day?

Life is too short to live with regrets. We must approach every experience and opportunity with the expectation of success. Courage enables us to overcome fear, worry, and doubt, to help us achieve what we really want.

Courage is important to me because it gives me the ability to confront situations that would otherwise paralyze me or cause indecision. It gives me the confidence to conquer immediate discomfort to act in a way that aligns with my values and will serve me better in the long-term. Courage is an essential component of leadership, and can lead to greater self-belief and as well as better value alignment. 

These qualities benefit me by allowing me to be my best self in my social and professional lives. Additionally, courage encourages me to take on risks that will, in aggregate, improve my life in the long run.

Courage is not an innate characteristic. The trait is entirely mental, and we have the ability to gain or lose it courage on our experiences and how we perceive the world. When we exercise courage, we strengthen our tendency to act courageously in the future. The action becomes easier because we gain a reference experience that reinforces our belief we are capable of doing it again. Likewise, failing to act courageously creates negative reinforcement that we lack the quality.

Hence, the only way to develop courage is consistently practice it. Courage must be a habit and value that factors in every decision we make. We must remember that we can summon courage at any time - it is ever-present and waiting to be tapped into. Through repetition, we can fix it as a core part of our mindset. There is no better time to begin than today.

What keeps a friendship going?

Mingwei seems to have made her choice that she wants to turn the flux we have now into a lasting friendship, even though she has feelings for me. This baffled initially, but it makes sense from her point of view. She had just broken up with someone she cared about a lot, someone whom she will meet face to face soon. She’s right to be cautious that our attraction may be temporary infatuation. She does not want to rebound so quickly from break-up and create a painful situation for myself or her ex-boyfriend. And most importantly, there is little chance that this relationship will last given that we are 3 months away from being a world apart.

We enjoy incredible conversations with each other. We teach other tons and greatly value the time we spend together. It is undeniable that we can be great platonic friends and if we eliminate the possibility of romantic development, we have an excellent chance to be valued friends in the long term. A month later, after she has left Hong Kong, I sincerely hope that we can maintain a strong friendship.

On the other hand, I have feelings for her. I want to see where our mutual romantic interest will take us. So I must decide what is more important to me: a guaranteed friendship, or a romantic fling with the risk of no friendship?

Over the past few days, I have been trying to justify to myself that romance would not jeopardize my friendship with Mingwei. However, I must consider how much of our relationship is tied into romantic interest.

Would we have had these intimate experiences if I had never been interested in her from the beginning? Probably not.

Am I willing to just be platonic friends with her? Yes, if we move apart from each other and there is no chance of a relationship. At the moment, no, not when we have the opportunity to enter into a relationship, even if it is for only a month.

Would I be willing to pursue the relationship even if it means losing the friendship? No. If it meant I could have a romantic relationship with her but never speak with her again after she leaves, I would not do it. I am pursuing her because I believe it is possible for us to be friends even after knowing each other.

I believe that if we enter into the relationship with the right level of maturity, and the expectation that we will try to keep a friendship going no matter what happens, we can maintain a strong and enduring friendship. If we take this path, there are 3 potential pitfalls that can break the friendship:

Firstly, we may not get over each other, which would impact our future relationships. We may also become jealous of each other’s romantic partners, or may associate loss and hurt feelings with each other, which makes it painful for us to communicate and stay friends. I believe that only maturity and the passage of time can mitigate this effect. If we are truly compatible long-term friends, I believe we can overcome it.

What creates close friendships?

In 1961, Theodore Newcombe identified four factors that contributed to the strength of a friendship. They are:

1.       Proximity –We tend to befriend those with whom we interact with regularly. Being physically close to others helps us become more familiar with them. In particular, proximity increases the chances of repeated unplanned interactions, which can greatly help build the base for a lasting friendship.

2.       Reciprocity – We like people who like us back as well.

3.       Similarity – People who share the same interests and personalities are more likely to support each other and spend time together.

4.       Complementarity – We must derive value from our friendships and also be able to contribute value back.

These factors are important to in both building and sustaining a friendship. Some, like reciprocity and complementarity, are crucial to a healthy friendship, while proximity and similarity are more flexible. Nevertheless, they are all necessary to a degree.

A way of strengthening friendships is by disclosing our private thoughts: our deeply held beliefs, aspirations, fears, and dreams. By opening ourselves up to the possibility of ridicule, we entrust our friends to support us. Making ourselves vulnerable builds rapport and strengthens the emotional tie between people.

Managing my sleep schedule

My sleep schedule has been erratic lately. My mind seems to expect that 6 hours of sleep is sufficient and my sleep time has started drifting closer and closer to 1:30am. Ideally, I would like to sleep at 11:30pm latest before workout days and 12:00am otherwise. Is it possible to treat my sleep time like an appointment I cannot miss? Yes, but I will have to plan ahead of time.

I consider the 30 minutes before sleep my lounging around time, and it is easily one of my favourite periods of the day. I leisurely brush my teeth, shower, and read before sleep, often to the melody of relaxing music and rain sounds. In the summer, I turn my AC to nearly the max, as if to create a sanctuary of cold where I can literally just chill. Rolling under my covers is one of life’s simplest and gratifying comforts, and within a few minutes, I’m dozing off into a slumber thinking about a tennis game. Winding down before bed has become such a satisfying ritual that I find it hard to believe I used to dislike going to sleep.

Intelligence (April 4-5)

Intelligence

It is only recently that I realize how important intelligence is for me to achieve my goals. In the past, I took my intelligence to be a constant, and never thought about taking active steps to become a smarter person. After all, people naturally become smarter and more knowledgeable over time. What is the point of focusing on such a vaguely defined and pretentious-sounding goal?

I had the opportunity to evaluate my personal values and priorities recently. I realized that while attributes like passion and self-confidence can help drive people to do great things, people are much more likely to succeed if they have a third essential element: intelligence. The most successful people are intelligent in what matters for them to achieve their goals and objectives. Brilliance is a virtue in our society because brilliant people do brilliant things.  

Most of the time, this know-how does not come naturally. We may be born with a certain level of intelligence, but our starting intelligence is merely a raw tool for us to sharpen and refine. We often hone our physical abilities by training our body, so surely we can improve our mental fitness by challenging our mind.

I want to be more knowledgeable and proficient at learning than I am today. Making intelligence a priority in my life will allow me to be much more effective in my career and my personal life. To achieve this, I must first determine which areas I want to specifically focus on, and then implement consistent habits that will help me develop on those areas. Like any other goal, I can only succeed by taking conscious steps towards it, all the while evaluating my approach and seeking feedback along the way. Fortunately, habit creation is an area I take great personal pride in. I look forward to the challenge.

There are three habits that I can change to grow my intelligence. The first is to become a voracious reader. I have slowed my reading pace considerably in the last several weeks since I finished 23 Things You Should Know about Capitalism. My new goal is to read at least 5 Kindle page flips of anything every night before I sleep. I will also cultivate and maintain a list of books and topics I am interested in exploring. If I am going to work in finance and lending, I may as well as read the most relevant texts on it.

Reading ties into my second skill, which is focused learning. I will compile a list of skills I want to develop over the course of a week, and set a goal to research, learn, and write about it.

Finally, I want to focus more on my writing. Writing daily has yielded tremendous benefits for me in terms of personal satisfaction, productivity, and personal learning. However, I can still maximize the value of my writing habit by narrowing my approach. I can’t afford to just write randomly so I have decided to plan out in advance what I will write about. For the next period, I will write primarily about the ideas and topics I have learned, as well as my personal beliefs. Self-exploration through writing helps me gain much needed clarity about my needs and wants. I will use my writing as a relaxation period to reflect on the current events in my life, my obstacles, my solutions, as well as what I want to achieve and how I will get there.

Areas for reading

-          Micro-finance

-          Impact investing

-          Real estate finance

-          Launching a start-up

-          How to make the most of an MBA

-          New York City

Weekly skills

Areas for writing

Values Series (pick 10)

-          Health

-          Love

-          Intelligence

-          Personal growth / learning

-          Cheerfulness

-          Happiness

-          Courage

-          Achievement

-          Impact

-          Creativity

-          Adventure

April 1-3

Basketball

I picked up basketball again in early 2016, partly due to the lack of available tennis courts in Hong Kong. Before that, my basketball experience consisted of ‘pick-up games’ during recess in primary school, and the one basketball team tryout I attended in Grade 8. In case you are wondering, I didn’t make that school team, since my jump shot looked like me just flinging the ball towards a general direction.

Playing in my first casual game in Hong Kong early last year, I was surprised at how physically demanding basketball was. Even the toughest tennis matches I’ve played felt at most like a tough 5km run. Basketball felt like the 100 meters sprint, over and over again. After mere minutes of court time, I was ready to drop. I later realized that I was exerting far too much on inefficient movements. Nevertheless, the task of constantly jockeying for position on the court, pushing other guys around on defense, and jumping for erratic rebounds, makes basketball an intensely strenuous yet satisfying activity. The soreness and bruises that come the next day after a good basketball game feel like a badge of honour.

Team sports are fascinating for their nearly infinite possibilities. Players bring a wide array of strengths and weaknesses to court, and no match-ups are ever truly the same. Knowing that you win or lose as a group motivates you to focus and commit to the team. Running a successful play or winning a tough match together creates an almost addicting feeling of comraderie.

Basketball has a reputation as the cool sport, suitable for everyone from all walks of life. Courts are accessible, players are abundant, and the learning curve is easy enough that a beginner won’t always be a horrible liability for the team, because he will often get matched with another weak player. The popularity of the NBA globally also reaches across cultural and demographic barriers to create a legion of dedicated basketball enthusiasts in every city.

Sunday Morning

It is another Sunday morning and I am back in my familiar seat, legs stretched forward on the bed in front of me. The April weather hasn’t yet heated up and a pleasant breeze is drifting in from the open window. As usual, my Bluetooth speaker is playing a mix of hypnotic Chinese pop and rain sounds. I’ve found that that this combination is optimal for inducing me into a relaxed and creative state. Strangely, Chinese lyrics do not distract me from writing at all – perhaps it stimulates a different part of the brain entirely?

I am especially content after a full day out yesterday in Shenzhen with Ming Wei. I’m astounded that even after spending 20+ hours over the past 3 days together, we still haven’t run out of ideas to share and topics to discuss. Even though this relationship may not last long, I’m grateful to have met her and for our time together.

Shenzhen, despite its close proximity to Hong Kong, feels like uncharted territory. I have spent at most a few hours there at a time, often focusing on a specific area of time or an activity. Hence, the city’s layout still baffles me.

What I have seen so far in Shenzhen shows little trace of its fishing village past. The commercial districts and residential neighbourhoods are spacious and far less crowded than in Guangzhou and Shanghai. Some of the malls remind me of a ghost town, as if construction suddenly stopped and the building was opened with half its potential shops. Compared to the crowded hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Island, Shenzhen is like a giant sleepy city, lazily sprawled out across the Pearl Delta. I had never considered living in Shenzhen before this weekend, but I can see it as possibly a more attractive work location than Shanghai or Beijing.

Mansions of Madness

Mansions of Madness is a cooperative board game that adapts the H.P. Lovecraft mythos into an immersive role-playing experience for 1 – 5 players. The players act as investigators who navigate a mysterious mansion filled with dark horrors and dangerous secrets. As they explore new rooms, they steadily reveal the mansion’s layout and its hidden secrets. The game comes with a plethora of tokens, figurines, map pieces, and cards. They are further complemented by an electronic app, which narrates the story and guides the players through each round.

The game’s complexity can appear overwhelming at first. Most online instructional videos are over 20 minutes long, and do not dig deep into specific gameplay details. Nevertheless, learning the game can be a fascinating process in and of itself. Each new weapon (a 2x4!) or event (a monster appears!) gives a host of possibilities for gameplay. As you become more familiar with the game’s mechanics, you realize the importance of teamwork and synergy, as well as how to efficiently allocate your limited resources to complete the game. The use of an electronic app is brilliant, as I believe the game is intelligently paced so that there is constant pressure on the players. It’s highly engaging because there is always an immediate and clear task at hand to resolve, as well as a threat to nullify or neutralize.

I highly recommend Mansions of Madness to anyone looking to shake up the usual Sunday afternoon of Settlers of Catan or Cards Against Humanity. The app is an engrossing and dynamic feature that will appeal to most casual board game players. Mystery enthusiasts and fans of cooperative games will particularly enjoy the strategic elements. Ensure you will invest the time (approximately 30 minutes) to watch a YouTube instructional video and skim the rulebook. Playing time is approximately 90 minutes to 5 hours, although your first game may take twice as long.

Weekly Wrap-up (Mar 26 - 31)

Complete and utter free-writing

Right now I am not sure how exactly I should feel. I met a truly marvelous girl who likes me back. However, she is currently in a long-distance relationship for the past two years. It seems unreal to me that a long distance relationship like that can be sustainable, but it is what it is. I can only control my reaction to it, and to make the most of this situation.

I have already decided that I will do my best to win her over. The major obstacle is that she will only stay in Hong Kong for 3 months before returning to China, possibly for good. At the same time, I will Iikely be studying in the US. If I do manage to be together with her, the only long-term solution is to enter into a long distance relationship, which would be unproductive for the both of us. I have discounted a long distance relationship if I grow to like her even more, but at this moment, I do not see this as a viable option.

Nevertheless, I will make a sincere effort to pursue her. She has told me that she is with her current boyfriend because she feels he needs her, and does not want to hurt him by breaking up. I am utterly drawn to her, and knowing that the feeling is mutual, I will do my best to show my best self and win her heart. If we continue to connect and spend more time with each other, I am confident that our mutual attraction will grow.

I accept that we may not eventually be together. Regardless of whether a relationship eventually develops, I will treasure her as a friend and respect her final decision. As long I have tried my best, my conscience is clear.

Gratitude - Good Health

Some days I am forced to stop and realize how lucky I am to be 26 and to be blessed with healthy mind and body. Our health is the important gift we can receive. To simply have the ability to move, think, and simply enjoy every moment to its fullest, is something for which we should constantly be grateful. Wealth, security, knowledge, and even love, can be regained if lost, but to lose our health is to permanently lose ourselves.

My deepest desire for myself and those around me is to enjoy good health. Hence, health is what I want to strive to provide for people who do not have my means, nor share my fortunate circumstances. My pursuit towards improving the health of myself and others is a core value that I want to consistently drive through my decision-making. I want to give others the opportunity to experience life to its maximum potential, both in quantity and quality. 

If I plan to live by this value I decided for myself, I must be willing to sacrifice my time and resources towards attaining it. Personally, I will take examine my daily routine and diet to determine which areas can be improved. I am already aware I have been lackdaisical in controlling my intake of unhealthy foods, and I am also certain I train new physical habits that will strengthen my health over the long term. To help others, I will become a role model for healthy living, and influence the behaviour of my family and friends through persistently steering them towards healthier choices. I will research the most effective charities that I can donate to, that will have outsized impact in eliminating disease and improving health worldwide. I am blessed with not only good health but abundant disposable income - donating a small amount will have a far greater effect on the poor than myself.

What is a music festival?

Music is the thread that links people from all walks of life. It is the common language that speaks directly to the humanity we share. It is the purest form of communication that can evoke passion, grief, joy, and countless other feelings along our emotional spectrum.

Music festivals are where we can experience for a moment the world without the constraints of societal rules and protocol. They allow people from all walks of life to gather and enjoy a performance designed to free the mind. By creating an environment where we are encouraged to let go of our inhibitions, we release our fears, worries, and doubts, and embrace a default state of bliss.

My most memorable music festival experience was at Zoukout in Singapore. Having just arrived in Asia, I had never experienced such an atmosphere where I was surrounded by thousands of fervent fans twisting, swaying, and bobbing to the music.

EDM, in particular, is the ideal genre to engage the crowd for the sustained length of a music festival. It brings energy and a diverse range of styles, and is enthralling enough to play for hours upon hours on end. Plus, it is simply a delight to move your body to.

If the purpose of attending of a music festival is to achieve utter mental freedom, that adding alcohol and drugs seems to be a natural move. Notwithstanding the danger of overdose or ill health effects, these substances have been found to be readily supplied at any music festival. They should be taken responsibly, and a litmus test might be – would you choose to consume the same at home if you had the opportunity, without external influence? A music festival is a venue to celebrate, but not in a way that works against your personal health.

A eulogy

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Andy. We are here because his love, compassion, and friendship, have left a lasting impression with us all. We understand that although he may have left us in the physical world, we are grateful for time we have spent with him and for the impact he has made in our lives. He will remain in our hearts and minds for many years to come.

Andy embodied a set of virtues that made him an exceptional husband, father, teacher, and friend. He was driven by an innate willingness to improve the lives of those around him, and he always gave his absolute effort to help those who needed it. His integrity and strong moral compass constantly pushed him to do what was right, from his frank and honest advice with friends, to his treatment of people he did not know. He could always be counted on to make a sincere effort to share his time and resources, no matter the circumstance.

Andy’s optimism and energy was a tremendous positive influence for everyone around him. He focused on living a life without regrets, by continually opening himself to new opportunities and striving for personal growth. By welcoming and maximizing every day given to him, he inspired us to explore, learn and grow. His approach to life also taught us to live according to our values, to never be complacent, and to always hold ourselves to our highest personal standard.

By living with passion and generosity, Andy has influenced our lives for the better. This does not end from his passing because the projects and goals he dedicated his life to will continue to benefit countless individuals around the world. He has been a force for betterment both locally and in the global community, and we are grateful to him for it.

Infatuation

Over the past few weeks I have been seeing someone special. Dating in Hong Kong in the past, I feel I have on occasion pursued people for the wrong reasons, and pushed it forward even when I knew the fit was missing. Eventually, the mismatch would become apparent, and reality would kick in and lead to an awkward break up.

It is refreshing to be genuinely attracted to someone for the right reasons, where I have no qualms or reservations for how I should approach her, nor do I have to justify why I should keep it going. Every interaction and moment spent with her feels natural and effortless – we bring our best and most honest selves to the table and create an incredible exchange of thoughts and affections every time. Even though I find myself intensely sexually attracted to her, I have no desire to hurry or develop things faster than they should. I am captivated by her personality and her intelligence, so much that I am more than satisfied with a simple conversation in person with her. I have absolute confidence the physicality will happen eventually, and it is exciting in a way to see the sexual tension build.

I understand that we are still in the early stages. For all I know, this honeymoon period may not last. Nevertheless, I have now experienced a feeling of fit that sets the bar for future relationships. Knowing that I can connect with a partner on such an emotional and intellectual level can help me better judge my relationship prospects in the future.

I will make the most of this opportunity to learn and grow as much as I can. I will take advantage of what I can control in this relationship to make it work for both of us.

Inspiration

We sometimes believe our experience of the world is unique. While that may be true to a certain degree, the truth is that many people with alike backgrounds and upbringings share the same thoughts and experiences we do. We may not perceive the world in exactly the same way, but our views are just similar enough for us to be able to understand each other deeply. The minute differences in our ideas, personalities, and behaviours, help us reach outside of what we are capable of doing alone, inspire us to follow an otherwise unexplored path.

Inspiration comes from different sources for different people. We perceive things differently due to our unique experiences and cultural background, and this affects how we judge the people and ideas we come across.

Everyone has a particular area from where they draw inspiration. I tend to generate my personal inspiration from reading books, listening to podcasts, as well as participating in creative activities as much as I can, such as in photography, writing, and singing. The key to inspiration everywhere is to develop an insatiable curiosity for why and how things work, and to constantly be exposed to a tremendous range of ideas. The right idea in the right time can significantly impact lives.

Getting the Yale Call (March 24-25)

My MBA Application Process

Late yesterday evening, I received a life-changing phone call from the Yale Admissions office. After what has felt like countless months of GMAT testing, application preparation, and interviews, I finally received my first offer into a full-time MBA program for the Class of 2019.

I feel like a completely different Andy than the person who began this journey last year. Working in a comfortable job had led me into sense of complacency. While I sought other career opportunities, I did not actively strive for them, nor did I really understood how I would achieve them.

The MBA application process revealed to me the enormity of the world outside of my bubble, and showed me that there are brilliant people to meet and learn from, and fascinating opportunities to strive for. Toiling through the MBA essays forced me to examine my life goals, my core competencies, and my deficiencies. I developed a timeline for what I wanted to achieve and the skills I would need to get there. I am confident that even if I did not receive the offer last night, I would have found different success through another path because of what I planned during the MBA application process.

There were what seemed like insurmountable roadblocks along the way. I had to take the GMAT three times, with only marginal improvement by the end. I had to select recommenders not related to my main work function and creatively guide them into writing a strong letter. I had to leverage every resource I could, from personal and family contacts, consultants, and the advice and assistance of friends and strangers, to set up informational interviews and complete my essays. I had to learn from the sting and lessons of multiple rejections and disappointments to put together a stronger application in Round 2. I reinvented myself psychologically and put in my maximum effort. To see it payoff is truly a moment of bliss.

Planning the summer ahead

If I were to enroll in an MBA program this fall, I would have about 4 – 6 weeks between when I leave work and start school. Assuming I accept the offer, I will treat the pre-MBA summer as a chance to pursue my personal and professional goals. In particular, I plan to take advantage of this window of opportunity to pursue 3 goals.

The first is to create a new and memorable experience. This summer will be a rare period where I am not tied by family or work responsibilities, which frees me to do something completely outrageous. I want my summer activity to be unique so that it is unforgettable.

My second goal is to strengthen my job recruiting profile. If my goal in the next two years is to secure the best possible job after graduation, I will need to begin preparing as soon as possible. Securing even a month of work experience in a different type of role like investing, research, or technology will expand the number of jobs that I can apply for, and give me more room for creativity to spin my life story and work experience during recruiting.

Finally, I want to drastically increase my Chinese fluency. This summer will likely be my last extended stay in Asia for years. Hence, I must capitalize on this opportunity to interact on a daily basis with native Chinese speakers. Reading and writing Chinese will be a critical step to achieve this goal.

The best experience for me to achieve all of these goals is to take on a short internship in China, that would help me immerse myself in a foreign language environment and concurrently help me build experience in a field unrelated to corporate banking. I have confidence that the work experience will pay dividends for not only my future professional life, but living independently in China for a period will bring me personal fulfillment as well.