Days at Haas Roll Call and Meetup

Question

Starting a similar thread for Days at Haas, 4/10-12. Since the events start 4/10 evening, if you haven't attended a class before, try to set up a class visit in the morning or early afternoon of 4/10 if you want to see them in action. There will be a "mock" class set up for us on Friday, but it won't be the same as watching actual students interact. Anyway, here goes: Information I need: - When are you getting into the Bay Area? - Where will you be staying? - Will you bring your Significant Other? - How long will you stay in the Bay Area after the event? - How will you get to the event (rent a car, public transport, etc..) - Anything else you want to mention? - When are you getting into the Bay Area? I live here, so I'll be up there Thursday noon and on. Might sit in a class. - Where will you be staying? At my future place, in Oakland Lake Merritt area, 5 miles from school - Will you bring your Significant Other? TBD - How long will you stay in the Bay Area after the event? I live here.

- How will you get to the event (rent a car, public transport, etc..) I will have a car and can drive people around. - Anything else you want to mention? Since this is my home base, I can answer any questions you may have about the area. There aren't too many good hotels very close to campus, the only one worth staying at is the Holiday Inn Express off University near San Pablo Ave. Beware, it's expensive ($145 with AAA discount), but it's nice and not too far from campus. You'll still need to drive or ride a bus to campus though. The walk is a bit too long. Other good places include the Marriott Courtyard in Emeryville, by Bay Street (near the Ikea) and a couple hotels there. It's a 15 minute drive to campus from there, but has lots of shopping and food. Durant Hotel is very close (walkable - off Durant and Bowditch), but it's quite old and parking is valet only. Worth a shot if you take a taxi and don't want to worry about driving. There's a La Quinta near the Holiday Inn Express, but I've never stayed there before. I heard people were trying the International House or the Faculty Club. from the DAH website, they seem to have good rates and it's VERY close to Haas. I have never stayed in any of the other hotels very close to campus (Bancroft Hotel, etc...), so I can't guarantee their quality. Claremont Hotel is nice, but expensive as heck. The Doubletree at the Marina is not too bad. Any other questions, let me know!

red_s4 · Answer

Great idea kryzak!! Glad we'll get to meet again at DAH. Below is my info:

- When are you getting into the Bay Area? 
Thursday around 11:30am into SFO

- Where will you be staying?  
Claremont Resort (we got this on Hotwire at a great price)

- Will you bring your Significant Other?  
 Yep, my wife will be there

- How long will you stay in the Bay Area after the event? 
 We are flying out Sunday around 5:00pm so that we can look at housing some on Sunday

- How will you get to the event (rent a car, public transport, etc..) 
 Renting a car (priceline'd at 12/day!)
 
- Anything else you want to mention? 
 Nope, but can't wait to meet some more fellow GMAT Clubbers!

ChristianW · Answer

Doh, I wish I knew the date for DAH before. My interview is on the 7th and I could have scheduled it for later in the week so I could have met up with some of you guys. Oh well, but one piece of advice for anyone that is flying into Haas is to fly into the Oakland airport and not the San Francisco airport. It will save you a few hours of driving on your trip. Have fun guys!! I'll have just missed you

kryzak · Answer

no way to change it, ChristianW?

ChristianW · Answer

unfortunately my wife is from Concord (10 min from Berkeley) and she will be flying out several days before me, so I'll be out there the whole weekend before DAH, so unfortunately I'm locked into the date

It would have been fun.

branson · Answer

Kry, I need some input concerning distances...see below. thanks! - When are you getting into the Bay Area? April 9th in the evening, flying into SFO. - Where will you be staying? that'll be fun. I have several friends spread out in San Francisco, plus, I know one of the Lufthansa stewardesses that will be on my flight to SFO...and she is supposed to have a hotel in central SFO... However, I think one of the DAH evenings could get late, so I am planning on staying that night with a current Haas student I have been in touch with. hope that works out.

- Will you bring your Significant Other? none available. haha! (no the stewardess doesnt count as one) - How long will you stay in the Bay Area after the event? Will be staying until the 14th. - How will you get to the event (rent a car, public transport, etc..) Here I need your help. If I am in SFO, I will try to catch the BART, I guess. How much time do I have to allow for that? Is anyone coming from San Francisco and could pick me up? - Anything else you want to mention? I cant wait to meet you guys there. Virtual friendships are nice and all, but I prefer real life!

branson · Answer

good call! I should do that. Anyone want to join in?

kryzak · Answer

What time exactly? Yeah, depending on where in SF, it'll take 55 minutes to get to Berkeley by BART. check out the https://www.bart.gov. You go from the "SFO" station to Downtown Berkeley Station. If you can't get to stay with a Haas student, then you can always stay with me at my future apartment. I might be able to pick you up, depending on what time your flight is. Though I may also head up Thursday morning instead of Wednesday night. SFO is actually 20 minutes south of SF, between San Jose and SF. So it would not be convenient for people in SF to go pick you up. BART should take about 55 minutes from SFO to Downtown Berkeley April 9th at 8pm. So yeah, let me know your itinerary, and we'll see what we can work out. K

socalconsult · Answer

My advice for where to stay would be the Oakland Marriott. Nothing like dodging gunshots and pan-handlers on the way to get dinner at the Subway 200 yards away from the hotel. sorry brought back painful memories from a consulting gig in wonderful Oakland I did a long time ago.

kryzak · Answer

hahaha, wow... the only safe areas to stay in Oakland is the Lake Merritt area, where I most likely will live next year.

socalconsult · Answer

Um they did find a dead body floating in Lake Merritt one day when i was there. My office was across the street from the Lake. Scary place lol

kryzak · Answer

Wow!

Yeah, the area is VERY nice now. People bustling everywhere, jogging, having picnics by the lake, etc... lots of great restaurants and a Costco sized Whole Foods just opened. Good place to live.

socalconsult · Answer

So my sister is graduating from undergrad from the people's republic of berkeley this year. How long is graduation ceremony?

kryzak · Answer

depends on the major, what major is she? "people's republic" eh? so UCLA is Banana Republic?

socalconsult · Answer

She is an engineering major; I imagine there will be a lot of Indian and Asian kids at the graduation that I expect to take a few hours =)

kryzak · Answer

graduation will take about 3-4 hours. They do all the engineers together (except for Chemical). PhD and Masters students first, then undergrad. Probably 8am to noon.

socalconsult · Answer

I was afraid of that. How many freaking engineers can a school produce? would it be offensive if I bring a book, a flask and an ipod? lol

Thanks and apologies for hijacking this thread

kryzak · Answer

Quite a few actually. It is one of the top 3 engineering schools in the country (if not the world).

I think undergrad goes up till about 800-1000 students, and then a couple hundred PhD and Masters students. Those take a long time, because they have to be hooded and their thesis has to be announced and all that. The undergrads go really quickly. It'll be at the Greek Theater (outdoor) if it's not Chemical Engineering. Don't worry, bring anything you like, no one will notice, as it's pretty rowdy and loud (horns, pots, beach balls, etc...). Bring sunblock, you'll need it.

branson · Answer

715pm, I think.

Have you already lined up an apartment in Berkeley?

I might be able to pick you up, depending on what time your flight is. Though I may also head up Thursday morning instead of Wednesday night. SFO is actually 20 minutes south of SF, between San Jose and SF. So it would not be convenient for people in SF to go pick you up. BART should take about 55 minutes from SFO to Downtown Berkeley April 9th at 8pm.

So yeah, let me know your itinerary, and we'll see what we can work out.

K

Kry, I dont expect you to pick me up at the airport! (I think I used SFO to abbreviate San Francisco, but I didnt mean the airport)
Thanks so much for offering, though! I think a friend of mine will come pick me up there. I dont plan to go to Berkeley on Wednesday evening already. I think I will try to go there early Thursday morning to attend a class (as you suggested), talk to students and then wait for the official thing to begin. Are you planning something similar?

BTW: I still have a prepaid SIM card from T-Mobile, so I will have a phone number in San Francisco.

So, assuming I would be staying the night of the 9th somewhere in downtown San Fran, I could expect to be in Berkeley - using the BART - in something of an hour, correct?

kryzak · Answer

oh ok, then yeah, give yourself about an hour to get to campus using BART if you're near downtown SF (off Market Street). About 20-25 minutes for BART, and another 20 minutes for the perimeter bus or walking. I'll be signing up for a class... though I've already sat through Strategy. Game Theory is a bit early... hrm... decisions decisions... Here's a list of classes for people to look at. Sign up quickly!

Consumer Behavior (MBA260-1) Meet outside Admissions Office, Room S430 April 10, 2008 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Game Theory (MBA211-1) Meet outside Admissions Office, Room S430 April 10, 2008 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Strategy (MBA299.3B) Meet outside Admissions Office, Room S430 April 10, 2008 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Strategy (MBA299.4B) Meet outside Admissions Office, Room S430 April 10, 2008 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

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