A MBA from Stanford is something I’ve dreamt about ever since I got bitten by the technology bug around the turn of the millenium.  I don’t know whether it’s the lure of Sillicon Valley and the wonderful inventive spirit that seems to flow throughout the region, or indeed a sort of academic snobbery that sees me so often in awe of those that attend the worlds premier academic institutions.

Whatever the reason it has indeed been a dream of mine for a little while.  Alongside the lofty position Stanford holds in my heart however is the feeling that little ol’ me is largely unworthy of a place in its hallowed halls.  So the dream has been on hold whilst I’ve attempted to learn all that I can, gaining the odd qualification and nuggets of experience along the way.

Anyway, I felt like I was getting closer to a position where I could at least have a stab at entry now.  I feel I’m perhaps smarter than the average bear, and have saved up enough to cover the course fees.  So with a latent confidence the Stanford site was opened and all facets devoured.  Now perhaps my aforementioned awe of the institution isn’t enabling a particularly qualified point of view here, but the course does look outstanding.

Browsing through the entry requirements and it all seems like good fun.

• Bachelors degree – check
• A GMAT – not sure what this is but it sounds like a test I would have to complete, no huge fears there.
• Academic record – no specifics required (which is good considering the horror show that was my first degree) but an expectation that you ‘challenged yourself throughout your academic career’.
• 3 letters of reference

Bugger.  There always has to be a snag and I fear this last one could be just that.  They ask for 3 references; 2 from employers (1 from direct supervisor and 1 from A N Other that evaluates your work), and 1 from a peer.  I felt I had a great relationship with my peers at TMN, and indeed initially with the bosses.  But (the royal but), as time went on, such was the gap in professional philosophy between myself and both the company and my boss that working together became pretty tough.

Now I won’t pretend to be perfect, far from it, but I have studied marketing and management an awful lot and would like to believe that what I have learnt has merits in practice.  So whilst I will no doubt take things from my time at TMN that I can use to improve, I also like to think that my convictions are worthy of sticking up for in a professional context.  Alas it seems unlikely that TMN will offer up a glowing recommendation to support my application, which somewhat leaves me in a quandry of what to do.  What to do indeed.