Hi VictoryMBA, I am afraid that my reasons for not liking the school may come out to be too frivolous and personal. So, please take them with dollops of salt.
I had this notion that Yale deliberately avoids the rat race for conventional banking and consulting jobs. I read some inyterview with the Dean and the other representatives of the school where they mentioned those things.
But the students I had conversation with, although were as smart as you would expect in any top B-school but did not give any indication that they are pursuing a different career. I am sure there are some who will pick themselves out of the conventional rat race, but all the students I talked to were gunning for traditional jobs. I met a ex- non profit guy who is eyeing banking job and learnt that there are quite a few ex non profits , who are switching careers to corporate. The whole intercation gave a notion that students were trying
hard to just get a street job. Nothing unusual, but nothing different either.
The class I attended, though top notch but there was almost no class participation. But to give due credit, the professor encouraged participation but simply none was prepared.
Everyone of my co-visitors were very interested to attend the finance class and apart from one enterprising lady ( who were more interested to visit the Law school) everyone I talked were planning a corporate career. But that is a really small sample.
My interaction with the assistant admission officer ( or someone with such designation) did not really help either. I asked whether Yale offers any kind of free class audits or such for students's spouse and whether they hold any activity for partners. This is a crucial info for me and from their website it seemed Yale is a partner friendly school. But the adcom officer just smirked and commented that your partner will be too busy with the kid to take any class or get involved in any other thing. May be true, but the way she said it did not really impress me.
Next comes the New Haven campus. Everywhere they are building something and the noise really killed me. Buildings are nice looking, but at the daytime crowded, roads are full of noise, not an ideal setting for academics.
While coming back, I asked the admission office where I can get a bus to the railway station and they informed me of a nearby busstop. But after waiting for eons I did not get a bus to station. Even no cab either. I learnt that one must call and book a cab through telephone. My international roaqming was not working neither the pedestrians I asked could provide me with any cab rental agency number. Had to walk all through New Haven (with a luggage) to reach the station.
So, all in all, not a great experience. May be the travails from the travel biased my judgement. But who knows?
VictoryMBA wrote:
filmcity wrote:
I was vey much under a spell due to the non profit focus of yale. I also loved whatever information I coould glean from my online research.
But a visit to the school totally changed my mind ( I know, in few hours you can not really get the true feel, but even the apparent feel on the school changed). I was sure, my wife and kid would not love to spend almost the whole part of their days alone in an apartment in that town ( since I would be away in work and my wife, I being an international, can not work)! Even I did not so much like the school/ student guides who led the toures during the visit ( personal opinion). So, I ended up not applying to a school which was almost my top choice.
filmcity, what didn't you like about the school itself (I realize you don't like new haven)? And what didn't you like about the guides?
Yale is my #1 choice, so I am always eager for other people perspectives on the school. Thanks.
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15 Apr 2008, 00:04
