Calling all US Military Fall 2011 Applicants!

Wow, this thread compared to last year's is dead.

Again, I know its a little late, but please use me as a resource for all things B school related. This first year so far has been EXTREMELY educational, and even though I thought I asked a million and half questions and thought I had enough information, I didn't.

But a highlight of things I wish i knew before I came on deck here at Darden:

1) Don't fool yourself. This is a MASTER in business education. Imagine whatever you studied in undergrad, then amped up for a master program. It's at that level. This **** ain't no joke gents. It's fcking tough.

2) No science background? Studied P.E. or english or some other joke of subject? Better get your mind straight, son. Take some accounting classes, finance classes, and all around mathish/business classes. Not to get a good grade, not even to learn how and what they're doing. But to understand the language and the concepts. At least here at Darden, where its 100% case method, the professors DO NOT TEACH YOU how to do ANYTHING. It is up to you to learn. You must utilize your study groups and friends that you create to help fill in the gaps that you aren't getting. And when everyone is stressed for time and trying to figure **** out, it gets tougher and tougher to ask for help as the year progresses. You will not just "go along" and "pick it up". Hours and Hours and Hours are spent doing homework. I spend 100 hours a week on schoolwork and I still don't feel like I'm prepared. The earlier you get ready, the better you non science idiots (like me) will be.

3) Don't go to school for rankings. Got into HBS but you want to work for a badass company that specializes in supply chain or procurement because that gives you a boner? Screw HBS. You want to live and work in the South but you got into Haas? I poop on you Haas. The #1 thing about school, is this is your avenue to the jobs you want to work for. Darden is great, and it deserves to be top 5 in my opinion, but regardless, coming back to the West Coast for a job is extremely difficult. Darden, like other schools, are targeted by firms located in particular geographic areas, and particular industries. Figure out what it is you want to go into, job/geographic/function/whatever, and ask the schools you're applyiing to who targets them. Then go to the companies your interested in and see where THEY say they go to recruit on their websites. You may be saying, "well i don't know what i want to do, that's why I'm going to b-school". That's fine and dandy, but the moment you start school, you will be forced to choose a track in which the career center will help you focus your effort on. You can always change tracks, but its better to start asking yourself honestly what it is you want to Post b-school now, then think like all of a sudden, the heavens will open up while your in school, and you'll know what you want to do. Moral of the story, figure out what/where you want to go post school, and go to the school that will help you get you there.

4) Know how you learn. Case Method isn't for everyone. Hell, i'm here and i'm not convinced its for me. I wish i knew how difficult case method was before I got here. Take time and figure out how it is you learn, and not just concepts but really how you deeply understand and learn. Dependant on which school you go to, it'll have a different mix of courses that teach in Case. Find out what those are, figure out if that will help or hurt you in your development. And this kinda goes with #3, find the school that really FITS you, rather than just the ranking. That really is crucial. I'm not saying I wouldn't have gone here if I had to do it over again, but I would have asked a lot more questions and thought about the things I'm writing here a lot more carefully, rather than just kinda going, "oh great! I got into Darden."

Again, if you want some more advice, feel free to PM me.

I got to stop procastinating. I'm studying for finals. Good luck gents.

And Happy Belated Birthday to you Leathernecks, you dirty dirty fcknuts.