Ciao a tutti!
I'm excited to have found this group. It sounds like you all have had some really cool experiences, and Bocconi will have a pretty accomplished and high-power MBA class!
I completed my Bocconi interview (over Skype) on Jan. 16th, so from what others have said here it sounds like I should expect a response in about 3 weeks. A little about myself:
American, Male, 31yo, Married w/one little one
Did both undergrad and master's in International Relations - Undergrad at BYU in Utah, Master's at U. of Amsterdam in Netherlands
Served a two-year full time church mission in Italy - learned the language and loved the country (hence my interest in Bocconi)
~5 years WE in tech consulting with Wipro and TEKsystems - in Amsterdam, Houston, and Cincinnati - Oil and Gas and Retail Banking
Also love language learning in general - have studied Arabic, French, Dutch, some German and Spanish
I'm interested in pursuing mgmt. consulting in the Middle East or Europe. I'm also looking into Luxury retail - something I had never thought of before, but the more I read about it the more I think it could be a really good fit for me.
What excites me about Bocconi:
- Living in a world cultural capital
- Access to jobs across Europe
- Diverse student body
- SMALL student body and 1:1 faculty to student ratio - this really makes SDA stand out for me. I'm excited to get to know everyone and have a network for life.
- 1-year, relatively cheaper city (vs. Paris, London, Boston, etc.) - less debt!
- Luxury management track
What worries me about Bocconi:
- Name recognition in US - virtually nil
- Salaries lower than more high profile schools (INSEAD, LBS)
- Less attention from top firms - although I don't know if this is true
- Italian (and European) economy right now - not looking so great
As you can see, I've applied to lots of places, and it won't be until March when I'll have my final responses. And scholarships could definitely sway my choice. So it's too early to say that I will for sure pick Bocconi, but I am leaning that way for the reasons above. In any case, I'm glad to hear from you all. It sounds like you would make great classmates.