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27 Jul 2015, 00:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Meet the class of 2016 |
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Incoming students share their experience so far Read more |
27 Jul 2015, 06:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Coming to grits |
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The 2015 Pan American Games and more than 6,000 athletes have come to Toronto. With them they have brought a great positive vibe and it made me think of my own former time as a competitive hockey player. Read more |
27 Jul 2015, 07:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Live Q&A: MBA admissions part four |
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Interested in applying for an MBA? In the fourth and final part of our live Q&A series with guest expert Chioma Isiadinso, co-founder of consultancy Expartus and former admissions officer at Harvard Business School, she will answer questions from prospective students interested in applying for an MBA. Take part in the Q&A this Thursday, 30th July, from 2 to 3pm, BST. Send your questions on the right-hand side of this post or email ask@ft.com. Please view other posts in this series: part one; part two; and part three. Read more |
28 Jul 2015, 08:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: The internship |
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Piyush Jain talks about his internship at Epson, the electronics company Read more |
01 Aug 2015, 01:01
| FROM mybjourney: Tier 4 Student Visa (from India) |
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Back to hometown after a short trip to New Delhi for my visa appointment. Whoever tells you that the toughest part gets over once you get an admit is SO wrong! Either that or he never needed to apply for visa. The application is a bit of a task in itself. For UK Visa application in India, unlike visa app for USA, on the day of your appointment you submit at the application centre what you feel is your best prepared application and then can only wait for weeks in dreaded anticipation before you hear from embassy about their decision. Almost like an encore of your B school application! For the benefit for first timers, I’m outlining the process to be followed to apply for Tier 4 Student (General) Visa (Make sure to diligently go through the detailed guidelines laid out here on GOV.UK and here on Oxford’s site)
If you want your documents to be sent back to your home in lieu of personal pick up, you can request for courier after paying certain amount (flatly refused for my state, why VFS why???) Once your token number is called out, you move to the allotted counter and submit your documents. The staff will go through the bundle and ask you a couple of questions to confirm your identity. Make sure you submit all documents in original to be on the safer side (recently heard of a friend whose visa got rejected because she submitted a notarised copy of her degree certificate?!!). You are then proceeded for the biometric test and a short video interview. My interview was warm and friendly. The interviewer asked me a few questions about my background and reason behind pursuing MBA and choosing Oxford as my preferred place of study. I assume the interview is done to ascertain your identity and that you are fit to study in the UK with regards to your command over English and study plans. Barring a tiny moment of panic where the staff pointed out to me that I should’ve carried a No Objection Letter from my parents since I was showing funds from a joint account, the process was extremely smooth for me. It had not occurred to me – and I had read the guidelines multiple times – that I would need an authorisation from my parents if I was a joint holder. The staff was quite helpful though and suggested that I manage to get the letter after my video interview in half an hour’s time. The following 30 minutes were the biggest adventure for me during my uneventful unemployed pre-MBA life. Sprinting around the market on call with parents who were at our farmhouse in a remote countryside, with both parties searching for a nearby internet cafe and finally managing to make it back just in time before they shut the doors – it was quite an experience! I have subscribed to SMS alerts on the status of my visa application. Last checked my phone for the 87th time, there’s been no update apart from “Your visa application xxxxxxx was forwarded to UKVI”. The next one better be “Your visa is issued, please come over to collect your passport and we are more than happy to enclose a ticket to Platform 9 3/4 for you!”  
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02 Aug 2015, 09:01
| FROM uwengdori - Current Student: 10 Things I wish I Knew Before Starting MBA |
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We signed up for MBA for many reasons and no matter what our goals are, we obviously want to spend great two years (or three) during MBA (it is a lot of investment after all!). After one year of MBA, I’ve experienced success, but also numerous failures. Certainly, I said to myself many times that I would be more diligent and successful than undergrad days, but things didn’t work out smoothly all the time whether it’s because of me or many external factors. While I do not regret…(ok I do regret a bit here and there)…mostly how I made choices in my 1st year MBA, below are top 10 things which I wish I knew before starting my 1st year that would have made my life perhaps easier or me a better person. The list is intended for prospective MBAs of any schools (especially if you’re coming from gmatclub.com), but some could be Rotman MBA-specific, which I indicated separately. It’s totally a personal opinion of course and some might disagree, but oh well. I WISH… 1. I spent more time travelling and meeting friends and families. A lot of homework. group work. case competitions. drinking. networking. resume building. Sometimes I’m not even sure how my 1st year passed by. Preparing for MBA studies is important, but do make sure you spend some quality time with your buddies and families. Suggestion: Visit a different country. Get drunk (you will be anyway, but like more relaxed I guess). Go to a cottage with a family. You will have less time to do these especially if you will be moving to a new place for MBA. 2. I practiced how to use an Excel, especially pivot tables, and creating charts. I never knew how important to be able to play around with data efficiently. Regardless of your educational or professional background, knowing basic excel will help you a lot with homework and most especially for hunting internships. Suggestion: Take a basic excel course online, or borrow excel books from libraries. Learn how to create basic pivot tables and be familiarized with manipulating data. There are prep courses on excel too by school too. 3. I knew that I’m not the best. I was #1 in my highschool calculus class, but as soon as I started undergrad engineering, I was in bottom 10 of the class (uh…would be a lie if I did study a lot). The point is, wherever new places you go, there are people better than you, or I should say people who are more knowledgeable and wiser in certain areas. World is wide and there are always people who come from different experiences which you can’t comprehend or understand. Suggestion: Share what you’re best at, and learn what you’re missing. Most importantly, don’t try to become that person. Be who you are and let geniuses pass. You are not that genius and you can be a genius of your own. 4. Do not undermine your classmates’ opinions because your major/professional experience is more related to a certain task. Related to #3. Besides various technical and soft skills, what I am learning the most, is humility. Just because I come from IT industries does not 100% mean my ideas are accurate in that area and in fact, I was surprised to see that often my classmates and buddies are a lot more thoughtful, and knowledgeable in my areas and brought great insights during group work and competitions. As Chinese president Xi Jinping said, you have to really become a blank, whitepaper to be able to see things from a new perspective and appreciate others’ opinions. Suggestion: Don’t kill your classmates/teams’ ideas just because you think it might seem outdated or ‘out of context to the situation’. Try to see if there are ways to incorporate them into the situation and if not, sincerely appreciate and see a workaround, not just pretending to listen while your eyes are onto something else. 5. I had found my own ways to relieve stress sooner. First term MBA (Fall 2014) was extremely tough for me that I completely neglected exercising and mostly lived off poutines (Canadian) and hot dogs every night. As a result, I quickly gained back at least 8-10kg by December. Eventually, I started hitting a gym again in January, but I wish I realized sooner and continued to do so since starting MBA and then I would’ve been in a top shape right now. 6. I joined a lot of clubs (Rotman MBA-specific possibly). Of course, club signup fees aren’t cheap and your time should be spent on things that you’re only interested in. However, you don’t get that club’s specific info sessions/workshops/interviews if you are not in the clubs. In fact, I sometimes heard about a certain event or workshops from my classmates, but I wasn’t a part of that club, so I signed up for it and it was worth it for sure. Suggestion: If you have a doubt during clubs fair going ‘hmmm should I sign up for this…?’, just do it anyway. More information is better in my personal opinion. 7. I started looking for off-campus internship opportunities starting September. While MBA does have career centres to help support with your internship opportunities, most likely you will be one of hundreds of students fighting for that one position and in the end, you might even be out of hands to play and applying to positions that you might not be interested in. That is of course not to say I don’t like my current internship as I am where I want to be fortunately, but I could’ve been way more efficient with my time allocation and don’t go to every single job session which some of them I just felt peer pressured because others are going. Suggestion: Start researching for off-campus opportunities right away. Try to go to event sessions and see when that company’s internship season starts and if they do hire interns. School is there to help, but won’t spoonfeed you 8. I took basic statistics course from MOOC or pre-program I assure you, statistics will play a role in various aspects of your MBA. Suggestion: Take basic stats course from the internet or pre-program. 9. I took some global programs/language learnings in consideration. MBA is a great place to consider global opportunities and you will soon find out that Canada or North America is not the only region you can work in. There are also so many international students that you can also start doing language exchanges even. Of course when things become easy, who cares about language exchanges and stuff, I know. However, use all the possible chances to learn something new when they are there for you. Suggestion: Consider how your MBA can also give you a different aspect/opportunity with your life in terms of your location. 10. I attended more events in Toronto, both Rotman and outside Rotman. Honestly, there is so much to do to visit everything all the time and you just want to go to bed. However, looking back my 1st year, which one would’ve given me a more long term memorable experience, going to a cultural event/festivals in Toronto downtown, or studying until 3-4am to solve that one more question which might be on the exam, or not. Of course I’m not discouraging perfection and effort of studying. It’s just that after 9 years of undergrad electrical engineering + 6 years of work, I’m hitting 30 in less than 2 years and I start to think more often how I will best have fun and make that time meaningful. If what you are doing right now might be the last thing in your life (owkay now I’m getting too serious, bear with me for a sentence or two lol), you might want to think if that is indeed a valuable way to spend your time: with books or with friends/families. There is no right answer. I’ll leave this to you. Suggestion: yep open ended answer  I’m happy to answer any questions. -Josh  
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04 Aug 2015, 11:01
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: P2P: purpose to perseverance |
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Life in a start-up provides autonomous ways of working, discovers Monica Dee Read more |
05 Aug 2015, 06:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Choosing second-year courses |
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Marta Szczerba describes the joys of choosing second-year electives at Harvard Read more |
06 Aug 2015, 06:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: My 10 random business questions |
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Brenden Sheehan finds answers to questions such as how did Starbucks become so popular? Read more |
10 Aug 2015, 05:01
| FROM j2insead: About Funding & Scholarships… |
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Such relief! I feel very confident about my decisions so far regarding pursuing my MBA at INSEAD. I think back to when I started this journey and how much has been achieved and can only be grateful to God. There were days when my morale was too low to keep on, but I struggled and kept believing that it would all be worth it in the end. I received a scholarship notification from INSEAD last week and I considered it a big relief. 25% tuition already secured and I am totally excited about this. MBA Funding remains a big challenge among many admitted candidates and can often be a deciding factor in one’s choice of what business school to attend. Unfortunately, the size of the scholarship war chest varies among the top business schools. While US MBAs take the lead in this regard, it is notable to mention how other top non-US MBAs have improved on scholarship funds to attract the best candidates and also increase representation from under-represented minorities. INSEAD for instance, partnered with Olam International and have launched the INSEAD Olam MBA Scholarship for African Change catalysts. This scholarship is unique in that it covers the full cost of MBA tuition for the awardee, and is probably the highest value scholarship currently being offered by INSEAD. This is sure to attract the brightest African talents to INSEAD, not only for the value being offered but also because INSEAD ranks among the top 5 MBAs globally. Definitely a game-changer. Would be glad to see the number of African admits to INSEAD increase in the coming years. So back to MBA planning. Still awaiting decisions on a few other scholarships (internal & external) and I am happy with the progress made so far. I am searching passively for housing but would get more active mid-September. I received a promotion at the office last week into a senior manager role and though my family thinks I am in a difficult situation (new role = post-MBA job), I have my mind already made up for INSEAD. I have resumed in the new role and would probably negotiate a leave of absence with my employer as I understand there are no study leaves. Resignation is also an option in the event that this does not happen. I believe there are better opportunities ahead. Fingers crossed. This week is pregnant with opportunities and good news. I feel it already! most  
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12 Aug 2015, 08:02
| FROM NandoParrado: My first GSB trip: Tanzania! |
My GSB experience unofficially started with an amazing nine-day trip to Tanzania, in the great company of 14 future classmates, and a few more guests and significant others. The clockwork organization was taken care by the magnificent Benjamin from Dar es Salaam, … Continue reading →
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12 Aug 2015, 14:01
| FROM Defying Gravity - The MBA Journey: Advice to the class of 2017 |
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It's your time. You've worked hard to get to this moment, and now classes are about to start. Congrats, and welcome to RC year! I have a few friends who will be joining the HBS class of 2017, and they have recently approached me for advice. I realized that some of this content may be helpful to the larger community, so I'm also posting it here. 1. Make an effort to form more than surface level connections. At the start of your first year, your section will have a million social events. You'll chat with your sectionmates and peers from other sections, and then you'll move on and chat with even moroe people. While it's great to get to know a ton of people, try to have conversations that go beyond the typical questions of "Where are you from?" and "What did you do before HBS?" These are the conversations that you'll remember later. 2. Don't stress about commenting in class. At HBS, 50% of your grade is based on class participation. This means it's critical that you comment regularly in class. Most people suggest trying to comment once in every 2 or 3 classes. Early on, many people try to have the perfect comment. Honestly, there's no such thing. Just say what you believe, and don't be afraid to say something wrong. Your peers are there to support you. Despite the fact that grading is based on a curve, most people aren't actually trying to compete against one another. After the first few weeks, you'll start to understand this better. Also, the quality of comments will progress throughout the year. You don't have to be perfect on day one. 3. It's okay to over schedule yourself, but also take time to relax. Are you interested in 10 different clubs? No problem, join them all. Want to finally try yoga? Awesome, there's a beginners class every Thursday afternoon. You'll probably see me there. Are you considering 50 different career fields? Cool, there are events for all of them. In business school, there are so many opportunities that it can, at times, become overwhelming. But don't be afraid to explore. Joining a club doesn't mean that you have to attend every meeting. In fact, it basically just means that you want to be on their email distribution list. You can then decide how involved you want to be. If you're the type of person that likes to constantly be doing something, that's great. If you're more like me and enjoy some alone time, that's okay too. Take advantage of the unique resources that you'll have for the next 2 years, but also make sure to take some time for yourself. 4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Everyone at HBS is super smart. At times, however, that can make it challenging to ask for help. When everyone else seems to be understanding something, it's hard to be the person to say "I don't get it." But honestly, you're not the only one thinking it. HBS offers private tutoring (free) for all classes, and the more technical courses like finance and accounting offer weekly review sessions. In addition, your classmates are one of your best resources. If someone says a comment that you don't understand, invite them for coffee after class and chat about how they got their answer. This will help you understand the material, while also being a great way to form deeper relationships. I also have given random advice about laptops, school supplies, dating, and other stuff, but these seem to be the topics most frequently asked. |
12 Aug 2015, 22:02
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: Why female entrepreneurs should get an MBA |
 Originally posted on Fortune: Dropout billionaires have cast serious doubt on the value of an MBA. But I couldn’t have raised my first million without one. Ten years into my professional career, I was promoted into a director role in a mid-sized company—and was beginning to think about launching my own firm. Still, in meetings people would often assumed I would take minutes, even though I’d been invited for my expertise and ideas. Being treated like a glorified administrator was just one of a handful of experiences that made me realize that, for whatever reason, I wasn’t being taken seriously by my peers. But despite my frustration, I didn’t feel ready to start a company yet. If even my own colleagues didn’t take me seriously, how would investors? Would I be taking notes instead of elaborating on my business plan? Looking to close my own confidence gap, I went back to business school—against… View original 568 more words  
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13 Aug 2015, 10:01
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: MBA Challenge team profile – Pragati Rescue |
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Pragati Rescue, one of the shortlisted teams for the final of the FT MBA Challenge, put their MBA skills to good use Read more |
13 Aug 2015, 16:01
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: My Interview with Stanford by MBA Manual |
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The Stanford interview is an alumni-run interview. You give Stanford your current address and they reach out to alumni in your area to find one that can interview you. Stanford introduces you to the alumnus/alumna that will interview you by means of an email, and the two of you coordinate a date/time to meet up […] https://mbamanual.com/2015/07/28/my-interview-with-stanford/  
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13 Aug 2015, 23:02
| FROM j2insead: Normal people vs MBAs |
 j2insead:I tend to agree with this…  Originally posted on Pulling That MBA Trigger: Could this be any more accurate?  View original  
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14 Aug 2015, 11:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: MBA Challenge profile – Pragati Rescue |
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Meet one of the teams shortlisted for the final of the FT MBA Challenge Read more |
14 Aug 2015, 11:02
| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Nearly finished |
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Michael Wieder describes the last few weeks of his MBA Read more |
15 Aug 2015, 08:01
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to answer Kellogg’s essay questions — Part 1 |
 Originally posted on Kellogg MBA Students:  The 2015-16 Kellogg Full-Time MBA application features two distinct essay questions. In the first of a two-part series, Beth Tidmarsh, director of admissions for Kellogg’s Full-Time program, reveals how to write a stellar response. Question 1: Leadership and teamwork are integral parts of the Kellogg experience. Describe a recent and meaningful time you were a leader. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn? View original 458 more words  
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15 Aug 2015, 08:01
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to answer Kellogg’s essay questions — Part 2 |
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Originally posted on Kellogg MBA Students:  The 2015-16 Kellogg Full-Time MBA application features two distinct essay questions. In the second of a two-part series, Beth Tidmarsh, director of admissions for Kellogg’s Full-Time program, reveals how to write a stellar response. Question 2: Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. How have you grown in the past? How do you intend to grow at Kellogg? View Beth’s tips for Question 1 View original 377 more words  
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