My Application Process (And All The Exams I Did Not Take)
My search and application for a graduate program felt like poorly training for an athletic event....like an Olympic marathon I had no right to run. Full transparency: I am NOT an athlete and have no athletic capabilities what-so-ever. I am basing this analogy based solely on what I see in the movies. Basically...I'm completely making this up, but stick with me on this.
After departing my job at 500 Capp Street, I began talking about applying for graduate school in vague terms in June 2016. And I proceeded to talk and talk and talk about it until mid-June 2017. Over a year of talking, and no action. For those of you who know me, you know that I am impulsive and action-oriented. The fact that I was simply talking about it (and by talking I mean responding to the question, "What are you going to do now with your life?" with "Thinking about grad school...") is interesting. Perhaps I was a little scared. Perhaps I needed to get a lot of other components in place (finalizing my divorce, getting financially stable). Perhaps I liked the idea only in abstract terms. But things did start falling into place and becoming more concrete. I started a job working as an assistant at the Bridgespan Group. Working with my brilliant colleagues while simultaneously launching my independent consulting career helped to illuminate areas where I was hungry for knowledge. It became clear that a degree focused on business would actually be very useful to my professional growth and development.
The final mental shift occurred during my trip to Belize. I was in a coffee shop in the beautiful town of Placencia, and saw a woman about my age using the wi-fi to take an online course. I couldn't help but think how wonderful that would be: having "me" time to travel and focus on my studies. I was determined to put action to my words.
Upon my return, the mad sprint toward graduate school began (That's where the metaphor comes in!). I was like a couch potato who suddenly decided to run a marathon last minute and I was flailing trying to do everything at once. On day one I registered for the GRE and the GMAT, bought every study book under the sun, and registered for test prep classes. My life suddenly was consumed by vocabulary flash-cards and math problems. I then began researching schools in places I dreamed of living: Spain, Scotland, Italy, France. While this may not seem like a good process (and it may not be for the majority of people), this was how I picked my undergrad school - and the University of San Francisco was a perfect fit for me.
Through my GRE prep classes, I met an amazing consultant who specialized in the graduate school application process (read more about that here). It was through talking to her that it became clear that the ideal fit for me would be the Paris School of Business's Arts and Cultural Management program. This was for multiple reasons: 1) They offer a duel-track program with Performance Art and Visual Art tracks (most programs have a more museum studies focus) 2)The focus is on business skills - with an emphasis on the economics of art and culture 3) My advanced french skills make me more marketable.
This school was not originally on the top of my list. While the program was glaringly ideal, there was a part of me that needed to be sure I wanted to go back to Paris. With most of my memories there being from my marriage, I needed to make sure this was something I wanted 110%. The answer is yes. I have had a goal of making new memories in places with old associations, and I am looking forward to doing that in a city I love like Paris.
Ironically, the Paris School of Business does NOT require the GRE nor GMAT. So all that money toward the exams was a bit wasted (I keep telling myself I would not have met the amazing consultant I worked with if I had not. Plus I now know the definition of 'ameliorate') - but if I was to give anyone advice it would be to try and sequence things so you 1) give yourself more time to study and 2)book your exam later in the process when you are SURE you need it. Graduate programs are changing their requirements, so complete your list of programs and schools you are definitely applying to first. The slots for the exams do not fill up immediately, so there is no panic to sign up three months in advance, which is where I went wrong.
