Counterattack starts with controlling probability

Several mentors expressed their appreciation for his research direction and raised questions for more in-depth thinking.

Li Hao's academic growth is no longer just a breakthrough in data processing; his way of thinking has begun to change fundamentally.

From his initial business perspective to his current independent thinking on academic issues, Li Hao's self-awareness is gradually deepening.

But the academic journey was not smooth sailing. As Li Hao deepened his research, he gradually realized that his way of thinking in the academic field was completely different from the decision-making model in the business world.

Business decisions are often made to achieve quick results and are often intuitive, but academic research requires more patience, rigor and systematic thinking.

Li Hao needs to learn in a short period of time how to meticulously consider every data point and every hypothesis, and conduct long-term verification and modification.

He had to break away from the quick decision-making mode he was used to and enter a new, slower and more thoughtful way of thinking.

"This is the charm of academia." Li Hao couldn't help but sigh.

He knew very well that he was still far from reaching the level of top scholars, but his efforts during this period had made him realize that academic research was far more complex and fascinating than he had imagined.

Behind every new discovery lies a lot of thinking and experimentation, and every small breakthrough is the result of countless failures and attempts.

Li Hao gradually began to enjoy this slow-paced academic exploration process.

He knew that this was not just about getting a PhD, but about exploring a whole new world.

……

Liu Xia sat at her desk, which was piled with various documents and materials.

The message from Li Hao was still flashing on her mobile phone screen, reminding her to pay attention to some details about the UCBMBA program application.

She sighed softly, put down her phone, and opened a manual in front of her.

She had been applying for work for a few weeks, but she knew that it was far from as simple as she had imagined.

Initially, she thought applying for an MBA program was nothing more than filling out forms, submitting materials, and then being successfully selected after a few interviews.

However, as she prepared more, she realized that the process was far more complicated and even difficult than she had expected.

Liu Xia knew that UCB's MBA program has always had extremely high requirements, attracting thousands of applicants from around the world almost every year, and among these applicants are many of the world's top elites.

She originally thought that her many years of management experience at New Star Investment and Noah Technology would add a lot of points to her application. However, she soon realized that work experience alone was far from enough.

First, she had to submit a comprehensive personal statement describing her professional background, motivation for applying for an MBA, and future career plans.

At first, Liu Xia felt that she had a great advantage in this area.

After all, she had done an excellent job in marketing at New Star Investment, and her career was going smoothly with almost nothing standing in her way.

However, when she started writing her personal statement, her mind was at a loss.

How to impress the admissions committee with her story and how to highlight her unique insights and contributions in her past career became a major challenge for her.

She knew that UCB admissions officers valued not only her work experience, but more importantly, how she could make an impact in the future business world.

She revised her statement over and over again, often feeling that her words were not expressive enough, as if nothing she did could shine as brightly as it should.

Next, Liu Xia encountered another trouble.

Applying for an MBA program requires two letters of recommendation, which must not only come from her supervisor or colleagues but must also reflect her leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities.

Generally speaking, a letter of recommendation can play a decisive role because it can prove from a third-party perspective whether you meet the program's criteria.

Liu Xia thought of her boss, Li Hao.

Li Hao is not only the founder and CEO of New Star Investment, but also her most trusted partner.

She knew that Li Hao would be able to write a very weighty letter of recommendation, detailing her performance in the company and her unique strengths.

But she also realized that this letter of recommendation might make her appear dependent on Li Hao and give people a sense of over-dependence.

She hesitated for a moment and decided to contact Liu Fei - her father. Liu Fei had a great influence in Feiyue Media. As a successful entrepreneur, he might be able to provide her with a weighty letter of recommendation.

However, she was worried that Liu Fei would find her academic plan a bit too impulsive. After all, Liu Fei had always hoped that she would focus more on the family business rather than plunging herself into an unknown academic environment.

Liu Xia fell into deep thought and struggle in choosing between these two letters of recommendation.

She knew that only qualified letters of recommendation could make her application materials more complete.

She felt that she needed to make some bold decisions at this time and choose the most suitable person to endorse her.

For many international students, applying to UCB's MBA program means submitting TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Liu Xia has known this for a long time.

As an executive who has worked in China for a long time, her English level has always remained at the stage of "being able to understand but unable to express fluently".

Although she occasionally participates in some international conferences and meets with foreign clients, that is not her daily work content after all, and her English communication level is far inferior to the ability she demonstrates at work.

When she studied with Li Hao before, she only rekindled her fighting spirit, but fighting spirit alone is not enough.

She picked up her phone again and started looking through her TOEFL and IELTS preparation materials, realizing that she had little time left before the deadline to submit her test scores.

She tried to sign up for some exam preparation courses, but because of time constraints, she found it difficult to find the right time to study.

Coupled with her busy work schedule, she found that her English skills were progressing very slowly.

Whenever she wanted to give up, she would think of Li Hao.

He has already applied for a PhD at UCB. Would studying abroad with him make this difficult process a little easier?

She imagined herself and Li Hao walking into the UCB campus together, supporting each other and making progress together. That possibility might give her more motivation.

Just when Liu Xia was almost discouraged, Li Hao's encouragement had an unexpected effect on her.

One night, during a late-night conversation, Li Hao told her, "Actually, applying for an MBA at UCB isn't just about improving yourself; it's also a form of deeper growth. No matter what challenges you encounter, remember, you're not fighting alone."

At that moment, Liu Xia felt a warm current surge in her heart, and she knew that she was not alone.

Li Hao's encouragement cheered her up. She decided not to procrastinate any longer and to seriously prepare for the TOEFL exam. No matter what the result was, she would try her best.

"I'm going to do it!" Liu Xia made up her mind, clenched her fists, and began to make a new exam preparation plan.

Liu Xia leaned against the desk, supporting her head with her hands, staring blankly at the TOEFL vocabulary book in front of her.

The table was piled with various review materials, and an English listening exercise was playing on the computer screen. The spelling of words, grammatical structure, and various listening materials were intertwined, as if they were engaging in a silent battle with her.

As time passed, Liu Xia felt an unprecedented pressure - she had to overcome all this, otherwise her dream of studying abroad would be hindered.

From the time she decided to apply for UCB's MBA program to the days of exam preparation today, Liu Xia has experienced countless nights of anxiety and struggle.

She knew that although her English ability was not bad, it was still far from the real academic English level.

The TOEFL test is the key to whether she can cross this threshold.

Especially between the work pressure and busy management affairs of Xinxing Zhitou, she had almost no time to devote to language training.

Every time she opened an English book, she felt inner resistance, as if she would never be able to overcome this hurdle.

"Listening, reading, writing, speaking, each one is important." She often repeats this sentence in her mind, reminding herself to be prepared in all aspects.

However, the actual preparation process was much more difficult than she had imagined.

She decided to start with the TOEFL reading section.

After all, she often needs to come into contact with various English reports and market analyses at work, and she is somewhat confident in these abilities.

However, when she actually started to do the TOEFL reading questions, she found that the difficulty of the English articles she usually read was not comparable to the TOEFL reading materials.

Especially the reasoning and detail questions in the TOEFL reading section always made her unable to grasp the key points and fell into time pressure.

"What does this word mean? What does this sentence mean?" Liu Xia always bites the tip of the pen and thinks over and over again.

Sometimes, she would open the dictionary to look up the meaning of a word, but as her vocabulary grew, looking up the dictionary was no longer the solution.

At the end of each article, time was almost up and she could only fill in the answers hastily, feeling anxious.

"How can I be so slow?" She gritted her teeth and forced herself to continue doing the questions, but she felt a constant sense of frustration in her heart.

Next is the TOEFL listening section.

Liu Xia feels that she comes into contact with a lot of English listening materials in her daily work. She has considerable experience in international conferences and telephone conferences with foreign companies.

However, the content and speed of the TOEFL listening section caught her off guard.

She picked up her headphones, adjusted the volume, and started listening to the listening materials.

She found that the listening materials involved a lot of academic content and some high-frequency academic vocabulary.

The fast pace of speech and the juxtaposition of multiple pieces of information in the exam often caused her to miss key information.

When she was about to write down an important detail, the topic had already jumped to another place, and the notes in her ears flooded in like a flood, making it impossible to distinguish the key points.

She listened to each recording repeatedly, often having to stop and replay it several times, and sometimes even had to guess to answer questions.

However, the parts she could guess were always ridiculously wrong. Every time she finished a set of listening questions, her mood became increasingly heavy.

“If I don’t understand this, how can I communicate with international clients?” She laughed at herself, then forced herself to continue, telling herself: “Don’t worry, you can do it.”

Liu Xia also encountered some trouble in the writing and speaking sections.

In terms of writing, she can express clear ideas, but she finds it difficult to organize her language in a short period of time to make it concise and powerful.

Speaking is her biggest pain point. Although she has many experiences of speaking at international conferences, she finds that she cannot naturally respond to various sudden topics in the speaking part of TOEFL.

"How can I organize my language quickly and express my views accurately?" She practiced repeatedly, but every time she played back the recording, she always felt that her language was a bit awkward, and she even made occasional grammatical mistakes.

I became nervous without realizing it, my fingers tapping on the table, and I fell into anxiety again without realizing it.

Just when Liu Xia was about to collapse, Li Hao suddenly found her.

He saw her confusion and anxiety and began to offer her help.

"You can do it, Liu Xia. Think about your experience and your achievements at New Star Investment and Noah Technology. You can't give up easily." Li Hao's encouragement made Liu Xia suddenly enlightened.

He began reviewing with Liu Xia, not only helping her understand difficult points but also frequently simulating oral conversations to help her improve her fluency. Li Hao's patience and support gradually helped Liu Xia regain her confidence.

"Remember, don't be afraid of mistakes. Every mistake is an opportunity to improve." Li Hao encouraged her.

With the help of Li Hao, Liu Xia's review gradually became effective.

She is able to cope with listening materials more easily, grasp the key points in reading, and her writing and speaking are becoming more organized.

She knew that she was getting closer and closer to her goal.

Finally, the day of the exam arrived.