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Posts: 93
| FROM mybjourney: Pause. Breathe. Resume. |
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6 weeks down Hilary and I am convinced why they call it Hell-ary. The term is a constant assault on the senses. As I write this post, my planner stares at me with reminders of 9 assignments that turn in the next four weeks. No longer can I use stunts from my undergrad days where I dunk in copious amount of caffeine a night before the deadline to pull an all nighter and manage to turn in my submissions on time. We got our marks for three core courses from Michaelmas, including the GOTO module. Pleased to find out that I managed a distinction in two. Unless you’re someone who’s rigorously aiming for the Dean’s list, a reasonable amount of effort and preparation will ensure a decent performance in the subjects. Oxford average is around 62, and while reaching the distinction mark of 70 needs extra hard work, 50 or less means below the passing threshold. Keeping consistent with the course work and submissions is good enough to keep one afloat. One classmate put it brilliantly for me over dinner, this program is like a treadmill – you need to keep up with the pace else it doesn’t take much to fall off the grid. The course is intense, the and there are just so many interesting events and activities happening all the time in the school and outside, that it is impossible not to fret on what you’re missing out on at any given moment. It is easy to slip into the abyss of being at a place and wanting to be at 5 other places that you’d rather be. FOMO is a real thing. I often find myself in situations where it gets overwhelming for me to prioritise my tasks and plan my schedule. I have begun to relentlessly use a pocket dairy for jotting down every single thing that I need to do and calendar to block time for any activity that I know is happening around me. Going back to them every now and then helps me plan my day ahead and also reflect on what all I have done. All said and done, it is essential to keep reminding oneself that there is much more to this one year at the city of dreaming spires than worrying about exams and assignments and jobs and unending social events. When the stress seems to be piling up and you see yourself slowly yielding to the pressure, pause and focus on the moment you are in and not the ones you’re missing. Realise that you cannot do everything and every one around you is scrambling through the same , if you look beyond their apparent comfortably floating selves. I make it a point to take one hour out every Sunday for my yoga sessions, where I am able to switch off from all the chaos around me and declutter my head. It helps me to bring my focus back to the moment I am in and concentrate on breath, which is a liberating feeling. Find that one activity, whatever it may be, that helps you to pause breathe and recharge before you get back for the next lecture….or assignment…..or a bop!  
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: Solving a business challenge with design thinking |
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By Kristen Zhou Coming from a background in finance and engineering, I often solve business problems and improve operational performance using hypothesis-based analytical thinking and data analysis. When I was exposed to the design thinking approach for the first time as a MMM student, it struck me how many transformative design innovations have been created […] https://kelloggmbastudents.wordpress.com/2016/02/23/solving-a-business-challenge-with-design-thinking/  
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| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: My final word on the FT’s MBA rankings 2016 |
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Next year I hope to see rankings based on other factors besides salary Read more |
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Schools: Rotman '16 (M)
Posts: 39
| FROM uwengdori - Current Student: 2 months away from finishing MBA |
   Sorry about late post! It’s already been more than two months since my last post. I’ve been busy. I can’t believe I have less than two months away from graduating from school. Here’s what I’ve been up to 1. Job search I am still actively looking for a job. I’ve had a few interviews, and a lot of rejections. I’m used to it since undergrad, so I just got to keep tailoring my CV, be confident and cross fingers. 2. Workout I’ll be honest. I actually injured myself about four months ago and couldn’t workout properly until recently. I feel so weak now. 3. Classes I’ve been taking courses I want for my second year. This term, I’m taking technology strategy and catastrophic failures in organizations. I’ve always been a fan of disaster movies that discuss ‘what if’ scenarios. We are so used to everyday life that sometimes I think we are unaware what kind of unimaginable shift is approaching. In that sense, the course taught me about biases, examples, and ways to deal with such failures. I noticed that 2nd year definitely feels slower. I think it’s probably because I already took intensive courses as well as a summer course that took significant amount of burden off my shoulders this term so that I can specifically focus on job search and certifications. I actually have been receiving a number of questions from prospective rotman buddies and that is why I’m thinking of making a podcast or seriously discuss about my journey at Rotman in a few weeks. Remember that Rotman accepts candidates as late as May, meaning you can still take GMAT, and still go for it if you think now’s good time for career shifting or studying. See you guys soon.  
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: Reasons Behind Studying An Online MBA Programme |
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Online courses in general, gives you the opportunity to enhance your career and persue your dreams. Over and above online courses an online courses like online management course makes the same much affordable for the learners. If you a doing a full time job and you cannot attend regular classes, this is the best for you. […] https://pocketfriendlystudy.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/reasons-behind-studying-an-online-mba-programme/  
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| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Can China afford to grow old before it gets rich? |
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Expert insights show the nation's economy is still viable in the long term but could be threatened by an ageing population Read more |
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sarahrs
MBA Blogger
Joined: 13 Apr 2013
Last visit: 10 Mar 2015
Posts: 118
Concentration: General Management, Nonprofit
Schools: Cambridge'16 (S)
GMAT 1: 510 Q29 V31
GMAT 2: 590 Q32 V38
WE:Research (Non-Profit and Government)
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| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: After two years of toil the end is in sight |
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As he enters his final term, Brenden Sheehan has only three courses left and feels surreal to know it is almost over Read more |
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| FROM gmat4IMD: Lights, Camera, Action! |
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The last couple of weeks were totally action packed. Starting right from the storyboarding where we learnt that presentation is not all about slides but how they are connected to each other to tell a compelling story. The most important part of a presentation is to be able to answer the “so what” question based on the content in the slides. But, we learnt from a British actor, Richard Hallo, that presentation is not all about what we put in the slides rather what we show through our body language. Every day, people surrounding us interpret our body language in different ways and more often than not the interpretation turns out to be wrong. As a leader in tough situations, all of our signals are subject to interpretation by others. Hence, we learnt to concentrate in the non-verbal element. Richard has a great sense of humor and he forced us to learn the obvious. We ended the week presenting the industry analysis that we had been working on for the past month and a half. The IMD experience is nothing but a roller coaster ride. By the time, you think it is going to be easy, the next one hits you harder. This week was all about the build up to the dreaded 48-hour integrative exercise. We got to solve a case in our respective groups. It was intense but we even managed to squeeze a birthday party in for 10 minutes. It was an amazing experience that made us factor in the uncertainties in the real world and how we would address the time pressure and still manage to work in a group. With exams fast approaching, it is no time to put our legs up and relax just as yet. Let me get ready for the Finance lecture on Monday. Have a great weekend!!! |
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| FROM gmat4IMD: It’s a beautiful day! |
Though IMD MBA life is hectic, it is very important to take time out to enjoy the real beauty of Switzerland. IMD is located in such a serene and picturesque environment, the whole experience is literally a hop away. Last week, my wife and I managed to go for a walk to Pully on a beautiful day last week. A few pictures to depict the beauty of this stunning place.    
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| FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Edinburgh, its castle and the culture |
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Although the city is steeped in history, it is a wonderful blend of chic cosmopolitan elegance and buzz Read morehttps://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ft/m ... okhwGfWRA4 |
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: The future of social impact at Kellogg |
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By Eric Wulf The Kellogg Net Impact Club recently interviewed Megan Kashner ’03, Kellogg’s new director of social impact. Kashner brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the social and non-profit sectors. Kashner is founder and CEO of Benevolent, a non-profit organization that redesigned how people experience the stories of low-income families and how […] https://kelloggmbastudents.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/the-future-of-social-impact-at-kellogg/  
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA |
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:
[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list] [*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list] [*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list] Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later. Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection: Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%). Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant. The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out. European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile. Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length. Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start. The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you. Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2 Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3. Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements. You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D. Stage D — School specific pros and cons This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview: Campus location
All the best with finding your future business school! About the Author  Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January. As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.  
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA |
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:
[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list] [*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list] [*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list] Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later. Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection: Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%). Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant. The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out. European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile. Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length. Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start. The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you. Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2 Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3. Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements. You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D. Stage D — School specific pros and cons This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview: Campus location
All the best with finding your future business school! About the Author Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January. As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.
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ambitiousbusinessguy
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Last visit: 05 Feb 2016
Posts: 65
Status:Accepted
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
| FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA |
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:
[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list] [*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list] [*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list] Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later. Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection: Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%). Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant. The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out. European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile. Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length. Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start. The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you. Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2 Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3. Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements. You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D. Stage D — School specific pros and cons This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview: Campus location
All the best with finding your future business school! About the Author Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January. As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.
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Schools: Rotman '16 (M)
Posts: 39
| FROM uwengdori - Current Student: 6 Must-have mobile gadgets for tech enthusiasts |
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Actually, the initial title of this work was ‘6 must have mobile gadgets for graduate students’, but it turns out they really aren’t so. Thus, I made some generalizations. To be honest, I should just call them as my favorite gadgets that I enjoyed using during my two years of grad studies. With the end of grad school reaching, I am planning to create my own dedicated website that discusses hobbies, businesses, and technology. Meanwhile, please have a look at my recent work about my favorite gadgets which I created for fun. Click to view slideshow.  
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| FROM gmat4IMD: How would you make a Friday morning Lecture interesting? |
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It is difficult to keep the same energy and attention on a Friday morning in an intensive MBA like IMD. Isn’t it? Yeah. I thought so too. But, my perspective was proven wrong the moment I heard a voice saying “Yes, it was a good decision” as we were talking about an accounting case. We all turned around to see this tall man walking down the aisle to take the center stage from our accounting professor Leif Sjoblom. And he went to introduce himself as Torkel Olrik. In the 90s he turned around the 3rd largest bank in Denmark. Everyone’s eyes lit up at the sight of Olrik, the character we were reading the previous for class discussion. All of a sudden, the lecture turned into a dialogue. Questions were thrown at my peers and questions were thrown back at Olrik. He managed to keep the 90 students at the edge of their seats. Suddenly the accounting class has turned into accounting, leadership, organizational behavior, strategy and what not and what what??? From his successful strategy at the bank to his experiences at various other jobs including solving family disputes of heirs, he made us want more of his experiences. A man who made us feel the confidence of being at the right place. Well done Olrik! Can’t thank Leif enough for this experience. I’m sure he would inspire a whole bunch of future MBAs to come. While Olrik was shining bright in the class, so did the sun outside the class… It was time for some Vitamin D. 
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j2insead
Joined: 12 Jun 2012
Last visit: 09 Jan 2017
Posts: 34
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, General Management
Schools: INSEAD Jan '16 (M$)
GPA: 3.48
WE:General Management (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Schools: INSEAD Jan '16 (M$)
Posts: 34
| FROM j2insead: Reflections: My first period at INSEAD |
 It has been 10 weeks since I started my MBA programme at INSEAD. A couple of folks have asked me how the journey has been so far and most times I find it hard to explain. I will take a moment to describe my experience in P1. INSEAD is everything I hoped it would be. Flashback to orientation week, it was amazing how incoming students blended so easily with the unique INSEAD culture. Now let me explain: With over 80 nationalities represented, INSEAD still remains the most diverse business school on planet Earth. Now put all these people, different backgrounds, native tongues, diverse experiences and convictions into a single place. You will find yourself immersed in an environment where your emotional quotient takes a huge leap. It is indeed an overwhelming experience. The classroom learning experience is highly reflective of INSEAD’s diverse and inclusive culture. I was assigned to a group of 5 including a Canadian consultant, an Australian lawyer, a Japanese IT consultant, and an Indian health expert. Your first two periods are spent with your group mates (with graded case studies/assignments to be completed by your group ) and you realise that in your first few weeks you need to understand how best to relate with your group mates. Thankfully, INSEAD supports you with this by providing guidelines on how to maximise the group learning experience. From understanding low and high context cultures to the importance of a team contract, you learn very quickly how to deal with cultural differences and increase your overall output as a group. The Splash project, a community development initiative, was our first task at working together as a group with one purpose. The brief was to construct a playground for kids. Despite the chilly weather conditions, the project was completed in 4 days – thanks to the supportive Splash team and dedicated INSEAD students. Never used a drill in my life but I was drilling nails and cutting wood. Amazing experience!  Photo Credit: Splash Community Projects I must say at this point that my group has been a big plus to my experience so far. Not only can we leverage the individual competencies of our team mates, the personal connections made during group meetings also help increase your knowledge about different industries and cultures. I am happy with the mix (very deliberately done by INSEAD) and quality of contributions by my colleagues. Everyone is well-informed, arguments are constructive, faculty is heavily seasoned hence the learning experience is awesome. There is never a dull moment in class, save for a few exceptions. I am still amazed at how much of Financial Accounting I learnt in just 5 weeks. Statistics class was always one to look forward to, thanks to our theatrical UDJ Professor who made stats a walk over for many. Exams came knocking on the door in no time and though there was a bit of anxiety, it ended up much easier than I thought. The focus is always on applied knowledge.  Back to Orientation week: I remember burning out with asking over 100 people the usual introductory questions – What were you doing before INSEAD, what is your post-MBA plan, etcetera. I could only remember a handful of names initially but as P1 commenced in full gear, the names began to stick. Our ever vibrant social media platforms also help to facilitate connections between classmates. From taxi-sharing posts to champagne crawls and ski trips, INSEADers are always up and about doing interesting stuff. In 10 weeks, I have been to 4 different countries in and outside Europe, attended numerous workshops and student planned events- chateau parties, club dinners and random meet-ups at bars in Fontainebleau. Not to forget the popular 15-minutes flash parties my house mates often organised. Another highlight of my INSEAD experience so far has been INSEAD’s 2016 Financial Times ranking as the Numero Uno Business School in the world, moving 3 steps up from 4th place in 2015. I remember the moment when the news broke on the internet; flash parties everywhere and then a grand champagne celebration the next day held across all three INSEAD campuses in Fontainebleau, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. It was indeed a joyous moment for all. Also notable is that INSEAD is the first and only business school to achieve a “Triple first” in the FT rankings: MBA, Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBA (TIEMBA) and Global EMBA (GEMBA) programmes. This was certainly a proud moment for students, alumni and faculty alike. More importantly, I was even happier about my decision to study at INSEAD – there couldn’t have been a better timing (Thanks FT!).  In the midst of all this, campus and course biddings had to be done. I finally opted for the Wharton exchange for P4 and Singapore for P5. I will dedicate a whole post to “Why Wharton?” once my spot on the exchange is confirmed. Elective course biddings have commenced and I am very impressed with the options available for P3-P5 across all campuses. The course offerings are diverse: from Decision Sciences to Organisational Behaviour, Strategy, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Marketing, Operations Management… the list is endless. Most faculty are renowned experts in their field of study and I really look forward to learning from the best of the best. Back to reality: I just completed three summer internship applications all with a deadline for today. It is amazing how writing a simple cover letter can be quite tasking especially when you obsess about every little detail. I have a few pre-readings and assignments due tomorrow and a number of meetings in the course of the week for which I need to prepare for. With a jammed schedule ahead, here I am, grasping for the next second so it doesn’t slip away. I know it will be worth it in the end and I must apply myself to learning this way. There will never again be such a time as this. Off to a great start in P2! PS: You can now follow my posts on the official INSEAD Student blog platform. Follow the link below to learn more. Source: Reflections: My first period at INSEAD  
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stevenfuqua
Joined: 24 Nov 2013
Last visit: 07 Oct 2016
Posts: 95
Concentration: Healthcare
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Posts: 95
| FROM From Bench to Board (Fuqua): The Difference Between Science and Business |
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I’ve had the fortune of meeting with a lot of talented first year MBA students over the past few months. As a recent graduate myself, I enjoyed learning about peoples’ backgrounds and their career ambitions. Sitting here on the plane returning from a recruiting event in North Carolina (I wrote this post in fall 2015), I’ve been reflecting on the exceptional talent that currently exists at the top MBA programs. Continue reading » |
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stevenfuqua
Joined: 24 Nov 2013
Last visit: 07 Oct 2016
Posts: 95
Concentration: Healthcare
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Posts: 95
| FROM From Bench to Board (Fuqua): Career Development 101: Choosing a Post-MBA Company |
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My MBA journey at Duke Fuqua came to a close in 2015. During those 2 years I’ve written a lot of content on my thoughts on the MBA and the admissions process with a lens from my experience at Duke, and I feel this blog has pretty robust content on that. Prospective students and current students alike should find the content useful and the feedback I’ve gotten from readers reflects this. Now that I’m done, I want to shift the content of my blog to more general post-MBA career development and leadership, since this is what I’m currently going through right now. Continue reading » |
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