A brief explanation

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." ~Aaron Levenstein

Statistics can be made to prove anything - even the truth.
~Unknown


Ok, as what I intend to be my final blog entry, I wanted to address several items.

- Thanks to all of my readers. I actually had no idea that so many people read the blog regularly, and the positive feedback that I have received over the last few days really made me feel good. People seem to have really appreciated my non traditional approach to detailing the b-school experience. Thanks, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Something I want to clear up right now: CORNELL HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ME SHUTTING DOWN THE BLOG. Rather, I decided to shut it down for a single reason. That reason is that someone took my numerical report in a manner that wasn't intended. When I started hearing about how upset this individual was from my classmates, I knew that the game of "telephone" had begun. I was afraid that once someone had "heard" about it, which would no doubt be colored by the opinion of the storyteller, that word would spread quickly that I was some bitter, incompetent, minority-hating ass. None of which is actually true (except maybe the incompetent one, on occasion). Essentially, shutting the blog down was a stop leak...preventing the dam from bursting.

- I have no ill feelings for Cornell. Looking back, I can see how maybe some people could take my comments as "dissatisfaction with Cornell", but really, that isn't the case. The statistics that I reported had nothing to do with the school. I feel as if a lot of prospectives think that the school you attend is what lands you the job. I don't feel that way--I think the school gets you the interview, and you get yourself the job. Cornell has not let me down in this regard.

- I've said this dozens of times before, but since I removed the originals from the site, I'll say it again...One of my readers put it nicely and said that undoubtedly some companies' company photo probably looks like it was taken in 1950...with nothing but white males. An "act of diversity" actually then means an act of nondiversity--in order to effectively diversify the workforce, they have to hire in a homogeneous manner during some recruiting seasons in order to maintain balance. Too bad I hit the wrong industry in the wrong year...

- It makes me sad that someone I considered a friend took my post the wrong way, and they now think I'm a jerkoff. We've all had that experience--you say something, someone takes it the wrong way, and suddenly you've lost a friend (usually in the 5th grade). Stupid, if you ask me. Statistics will do that to people, I guess.

- Just to address the "99% internship placement" comment on my last post...Of course they have 99% internship placement. I never intended my blog to give people the idea that Johnson sucked at placement--because they don't!!!! I'm not here to misrepresent facts. But, to be fair, the 99% isn't right either...not because it is in itself false, but because most readers don't realize what that number represents. Here is a much more accurate breakdown. I have no idea how this compares to other schools, but I suspect they are similar: On average, about 40% of students gain summer employment through "on-campus" recruiting. That means the company sends interviewers here, conducts interviews on campus, and extends offers. The remaining 59% find jobs thru an independent job search or thru other CMC-related methods. For example, last year, 650 companies posted opportunites on the CMC site, but they didn't not fly interviewers to campus.

- People seemed to sense that I was out of luck in the job search--which is far from true. While I haven't exactly been cleaning up, I have a great shot at my #2 company, and I made 2nd round w/ my #3, with another interview tomorrow. I also have several others that may pan out. If, in the event those all fall thru, I will simply keep dropping resumes until I get something. The off-campus recruiting season hasn't even started for most companies--so the game is FAR from over!! Like I said, 60% of students will still be looking for a job after the campus stuff ends.

I think that is all I've got. I won't be posting anymore on this site, but I will receive comments via email if you post them here. If you want a response from me, include your email address or email me thru the BW forums.

It's been real.