--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After earning my university degrees and…" description: "\"After earning my university degrees and working for a few years, I wrote to NASA to request an application package. Seven months later, after I applied..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c11/leroy-chiao-7059_houston_after-earning-my-university-degrees-and_687099.jpg" --- # After earning my university degrees and working for a few… ![“After earning my university degrees and working for a few years, I wrote to NASA to request an application package. Seven months later, after I applied, I received a call inviting me to Houston to interview. That itself was thrilling; it meant that I was one of the 100 or so who would be…” quote by Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c11/leroy-chiao-7059_houston_after-earning-my-university-degrees-and_687099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c11/leroy-chiao-7059_houston_after-earning-my-university-degrees-and_687099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c11/leroy-chiao-7059_houston_after-earning-my-university-degrees-and_687099.jpg) > “After earning my university degrees and working for a few years, I wrote to NASA to request an application package. Seven months later, after I applied, I received a call inviting me to Houston to interview. That itself was thrilling; it meant that I was one of the 100 or so who would be interviewed, chosen from several thousand applicants.” [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Persistence and proactive outreach can open doors even in highly competitive fields. **In simple terms:** Taking initiative can lead to unexpected opportunities. Key Takeaway Reach out and apply boldly. Themes career ambition perseverance opportunity networking Mood hopeful determined inspirational Type personal career motivational When to use this quote - job search - career change - professional networking - interview preparation Key Concepts NASA recruitment career advancement Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today to increase your visibility? - How do you handle rejection while staying motivated? A Different Perspective Success often depends on timing and internal selection criteria. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applicants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applicants-3238017/) [Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston/) [Houston Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston-interview-5425488/) [Interviewed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewed/) [Interviewed Chosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviewed-chosen-5425489/) [Later Applied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later-applied-5425490/) [NASA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nasa/) [Seven months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven-months/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [In my search for the perfect PA, I've interviewed over 300 people. Regardless of what I put in the advert, most applicants seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/in-my-search-for-the-perfect-pa-i-ve-interviewed-over-300-people/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [“Somebody’s on a man hunt. And she’s accepting all applicants with a big wallet, a penis, and a beating heart. Good luck with that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/somebody-s-on-a-man-hunt-and-she-s-accepting-all-applicants-with-a/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [We tell applicants, 'If you don't intend to be here for life, you needn't apply.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/we-tell-applicants-if-you-don-t-intend-to-be-here-for-life-you-needn/) [S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/) > [“As we’ve seen, they (the companies) routinely reject applicants on the basis of credit scores and personality tests. Health scores represent a natural—and frightening—next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-o-neil/as-we-ve-seen-they-the-companies-routinely-reject-applicants-on-the/) [Cathy O'Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-o-neil/) > [The application process changes the list of who applies. Your applicants reflect your methods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-application-process-changes-the-list-of-who-applies-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Previous experience, key skills, and education. They're undoubtedly all important things you consider when filtering through applicants in order to make a new hire.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/previous-experience-key-skills-and-education-they-re-undoubtedly-all/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) > [Applicants for wisdom do what I have done: inquire within](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/applicants-for-wisdom-do-what-i-have-done-inquire-within/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [I ended up winning a silver medal at the Summer X Games Adaptive Supercross seven months after my injury - on a leg that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-schultz/i-ended-up-winning-a-silver-medal-at-the-summer-x-games-adaptive/) [Mike Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schultz/) > [I spent seven months in Africa and came back saying there isn't anything you can say about black people that you couldn't say about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-rivers/i-spent-seven-months-in-africa-and-came-back-saying-there-isn-t/) [Larry Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-rivers/) > [ After we did \[All In The Family\], that ended up being a real love fest all around. Me and Norman, Norman \[Lear\] and me,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-masur/after-we-did-all-in-the-family-that-ended-up-being-a-real-love-fest/) [Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-masur/) > [ \[On her seven-month-old son:\] When people see me carrying him in the street they think I'm being attacked by a short, bald man. But… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hurley/on-her-seven-month-old-son-when-people-see-me-carrying-him-in-the/) [Elizabeth Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hurley/) > [“My lifelong involvement with Mrs Dempster began at 5:58 o'clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/my-lifelong-involvement-with-mrs-dempster-began-at-5-58-o-clock-p-m/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“Tell me, do you have Tate waiting naked for me in my office? Because that would really be the perfect way to thank me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/tell-me-do-you-have-tate-waiting-naked-for-me-in-my-office-because/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [If we should have any regrets as Manchester United, that is that we only gave David Moyes seven months. I think we should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/if-we-should-have-any-regrets-as-manchester-united-that-is-that-we/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [I'm an immigrant, a legal immigrant to the United States. I only became a citizen five years ago. Every day, for seven months, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/i-m-an-immigrant-a-legal-immigrant-to-the-united-states-i-only-became/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) ## More by Leroy Chiao > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I'm skeptical of claims that we've been visited by aliens from another planet or other dimension, but I don't rule it out 100 percent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-m-skeptical-of-claims-that-we-ve-been-visited-by-aliens-from/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [On the mission I brought a flag from China, I brought the stone sculpture from Hong Kong, and I brought a scroll from Taiwan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/on-the-mission-i-brought-a-flag-from-china-i-brought-the-stone/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [One day, people will be able to buy tickets to visit space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/one-day-people-will-be-able-to-buy-tickets-to-visit-space/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I think it's good to have competition. Now we have a third country that can launch astronauts, so it's good for all of us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-think-it-s-good-to-have-competition-now-we-have-a-third-country/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [I remember getting advice like, "Oh, do what interests you. Don't worry about tomorrow, live for today," kind of thing. And to a degree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/i-remember-getting-advice-like-oh-do-what-interests-you-don-t-worry/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When Russians were having troubles, the Space Shuttle supported the Space Station Mir bringing up much needed supplies and replacements, critical spares, really. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/when-russians-were-having-troubles-the-space-shuttle-supported-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Tinkering is something we need to know how to do in order to keep something like the space station running. I am a tinkerer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/tinkering-is-something-we-need-to-know-how-to-do-in-order-to-keep/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [We were trying to do as much science as we could because that was the main purpose of the international space station. But without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/we-were-trying-to-do-as-much-science-as-we-could-because-that-was-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The space station mission was kind of the culmination of all of my experience of being a NASA Astronaut, so it had brought all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-space-station-mission-was-kind-of-the-culmination-of-all-of-my/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [The expense of getting into space is the rocket launch, the rocket itself. Rocket's right now, commercial rockets cost probably somewhere between $50, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/the-expense-of-getting-into-space-is-the-rocket-launch-the-rocket/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [If we're not able to launch our own people and operate our own spacecraft anymore then, you know, space - whether it should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-we-re-not-able-to-launch-our-own-people-and-operate-our-own/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [When I was at NASA, I had a house on a small private airstrip that we shared between the flying community. I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/when-i-was-at-nasa-i-had-a-house-on-a-small-private-airstrip-that-we/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Donald Trump's administration is floating a proposal to return to the moon - and to shut down the International Space Station to help pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/donald-trump-s-administration-is-floating-a-proposal-to-return-to-the/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Because we didn't cooperate with China, we gave them motivation to develop their own capability. You know, they developed a very capable rocket system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/because-we-didn-t-cooperate-with-china-we-gave-them-motivation-to/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) [Explore all 95 Leroy Chiao quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) ## More Houston quotes > [My philosophy was always try to look like Whitney Houston at all times. That did not work out so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/my-philosophy-was-always-try-to-look-like-whitney-houston-at-all/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [I have a gut instinctive feeling that I will be as massive as Madonna, as massive as Michael Jackson... Whitney Houston, sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/i-have-a-gut-instinctive-feeling-that-i-will-be-as-massive-as-madonna/) [Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/) > [And when I went to Houston, they had a conditioning coach by the name of Gene Coleman. And that was the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-when-i-went-to-houston-they-had-a-conditioning-coach-by-the-name/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [I think Houston is a city players love to play for, love to play in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-morey/i-think-houston-is-a-city-players-love-to-play-for-love-to-play-in/) [Daryl Morey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-morey/) > [My first encounter with yoga was in 1969 with my older brother Doug. I was thirteen years old, and he was eighteen. He'd learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-swensen/my-first-encounter-with-yoga-was-in-1969-with-my-older-brother-doug-i/) [David F. Swensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-swensen/) > [Growing up in Houston, the music scene is super boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/growing-up-in-houston-the-music-scene-is-super-boring/) [Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/) > [“He skidded to a dead halt and stared hard at Austin. The boy’s chin carried so many nicks from his first shave that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-skidded-to-a-dead-halt-and-stared-hard-at-austin-the-boy-s-chin/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [My family lived in West Texas. We went to Houston and Laredo, ended up around Fort Worth - really just made the rounds. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/my-family-lived-in-west-texas-we-went-to-houston-and-laredo-ended-up/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [And I remember leaving my place in L.A. and - my father is a big fight fan - and I said, 'Dad, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/and-i-remember-leaving-my-place-in-l-a-and-my-father-is-a-big-fight/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [I'm massively inspired by Janet Jackson, and I adore Whitney Houston and Madonna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/i-m-massively-inspired-by-janet-jackson-and-i-adore-whitney-houston/) [Shura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shura/) > [I certainly think that the publishing houses have to learn more about this informal network of literary blogging and get over the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/i-certainly-think-that-the-publishing-houses-have-to-learn-more-about/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. 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But I came to Houston because I wanted to play with Chris Paul (a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tucker/i-m-a-competitor-i-want-the-ball-when-it-matters-but-i-came-to/) [P. J. Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tucker/) [Browse all 383 Houston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After earning my university degrees and working for a few years, I wrote to NASA to request an application package. Seven months later, after I applied, I received a call inviting me to Houston to interview. 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