Before considering an MBA program or any new direction in life, you have to begin by first visioning where you want to be. My end: I see myself with a career in capital markets making huge paychecks, and living comfortably while maintaining valuable contacts that I could leverage in the future. I also see myself as being entrepreneurial-managing my own hedge fund. However, for me to realize this dream, I need resources, new skills, knowledge, and a focused network. My start: applying to top-tier business programs, researching and learning about the industry, networking with investment professionals by attending finance functions, etc. (Working towards my end starts today, not when I start business school).
After receiving the phone interview invite for IE's Mater in Advanced Finance program, I decided to research the range of careers that would be accessible to me that would not be accessible to someone pursuing the general management route of an MBA; at the end of the program, I would hold a quantitative MSc in Advanced Finance from a top tier program, and be proficient in Financial Programming using Visual Basic and MATLAB. By performing a simple Google Search for Quant Careers, I learned that quant analysts are in high demand in the investment banking world and require technical skills in MATLAB, Visual Basic, SQL, Java, and C++. Already I have learned that a discrepancy between the program's courses and what firms look for in quant analysts. To bridge this gap, I googled further to learn about C++, Java, and SQL training programs; good thing I decided to do this small bit of research because it proved to be extremely valuable. These program skills taught to PhDs can be learned online free of charge (www.cplusplus.com offers an online community dedicating to learning C++)! And I can become proficient in SQL and Java by taking free courses at work! Also, Amazon.com has programing learning books with DVDs for mastering programming is these languages as it relates to finance and derivatives, each for less than $50! Fortunately for me I have some understanding of Visual Basic and C++ because I took these courses is high school (I earned As).
So, if I were to accept an offer from IE's Master in Advanced Finance program, I could learn these valuable skills before the program start date. And I could practice and maintain these technical skills during the program to distinguish myself from my peers in the eyes of recruiters.
These careers are very lucrative with average starting bases salaries ranging from $150,000 to $350,000 with bonuses ranging from 40% to 100%. One step at a time-I still have to complete the phone interview.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Alumni Phone Interviews
For the past week, I have been scheduling phone interviews with Alumni for next week from the three schools left to which I plan on applying (Texas A&M MBA, Yale, and Emory); I have decided to no longer apply to UNC. Why? UNC requires applicants to apply via their own application in addition to The Consortium's application. Furthermore, UNC requires 5 essays, most of which I can not reuse for another school's essay requirement. That means a separate application fee, and more time than I a willing to spend writing essays.
The Alumni interviews are important because they will allow me to gain a depth of information about the different programs that most Internet resources may not provide, specifically about the different cultures. It is important to learn of a program's culture to determine whether or not the business school fits your personality.
P.S. On Thursday, I received an e-mail notice from an Admissions Director from IE Business School to conduct a personal interview! (Personal interviews are selective and by invitation only) This is a positive sign because it lets me know that the Admissions Committee saw a fit between my application and their program. The personal interview will bring life to my application and help the Admissions Committee determine whether or not I will be able to add value to their program. My interview is scheduled for Monday.
The Alumni interviews are important because they will allow me to gain a depth of information about the different programs that most Internet resources may not provide, specifically about the different cultures. It is important to learn of a program's culture to determine whether or not the business school fits your personality.
P.S. On Thursday, I received an e-mail notice from an Admissions Director from IE Business School to conduct a personal interview! (Personal interviews are selective and by invitation only) This is a positive sign because it lets me know that the Admissions Committee saw a fit between my application and their program. The personal interview will bring life to my application and help the Admissions Committee determine whether or not I will be able to add value to their program. My interview is scheduled for Monday.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Discover Darden and The Consortium
I attended the Discover Darden event yesterday cosponsored by The Consortium at Darden. The event was great for so many reasons: the Consortium interview at Darden was open-ended and conversational; the close-knit community facilitated by First Year (FY) Learning Teams; and the realness of the students, faculty, and alumni (as opposed to the "Conceited, intimidating, and better than you attitude at some top programs) provided me an education of Darden thought I may not receive from online sources.
The day was jam-packed with tours, networking, and Q&A sessions. Yes, I was tired after waking up at 4:45am that morning to drive 3 hours with traffic from D.C. to Darden. But, I made sure I was engaged throughout the day, and that I networked - I asked for business cards from most everyone there, after engaging them in conversation first. Attending the event had the extra bonus of letting me interact with and size my potential competition (and the competition was fierce). Furthermore, in networking I learned about the Toigo Foundation whose programs inspire minority students to pursue careers in finance while providing them with lifelong support and training, and tuition assistance (I will continue researching this organization to determine whether or not I should apply).
Arriving back home to D.C. around 1:00am that night, I was exhausted. My bed became my best friend shortly after I arrived through the door. The next morning, however, I followed-up via e-mail with all the contacts I got the day prior; I also submitted my Consortium interview form for my interviewer to complete. I also followed-up with candidates (you never know which students you could end up in school with). As a way to distinguish myself, I included a sentence about my interest in photography along with two pictures I have taken (everyone likes to see nice pictures).
I am convinced that Darden is a good fit for the "whole of me" and will be applying to the program via the Consortium by November 15, 2009 for first round decision.
P.S. This past Thursday, I received notice from IE Business School that my application materials for the Masters in Advanced Finance Program have been received and that my application will be under review by the Admissions Committee. Hopefully, I can get a decision by the end of the month!
The day was jam-packed with tours, networking, and Q&A sessions. Yes, I was tired after waking up at 4:45am that morning to drive 3 hours with traffic from D.C. to Darden. But, I made sure I was engaged throughout the day, and that I networked - I asked for business cards from most everyone there, after engaging them in conversation first. Attending the event had the extra bonus of letting me interact with and size my potential competition (and the competition was fierce). Furthermore, in networking I learned about the Toigo Foundation whose programs inspire minority students to pursue careers in finance while providing them with lifelong support and training, and tuition assistance (I will continue researching this organization to determine whether or not I should apply).
Arriving back home to D.C. around 1:00am that night, I was exhausted. My bed became my best friend shortly after I arrived through the door. The next morning, however, I followed-up via e-mail with all the contacts I got the day prior; I also submitted my Consortium interview form for my interviewer to complete. I also followed-up with candidates (you never know which students you could end up in school with). As a way to distinguish myself, I included a sentence about my interest in photography along with two pictures I have taken (everyone likes to see nice pictures).
I am convinced that Darden is a good fit for the "whole of me" and will be applying to the program via the Consortium by November 15, 2009 for first round decision.
P.S. This past Thursday, I received notice from IE Business School that my application materials for the Masters in Advanced Finance Program have been received and that my application will be under review by the Admissions Committee. Hopefully, I can get a decision by the end of the month!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Check out the link to the right for photos by Besos Photography courtesy of me and my roommate! The picture above was taken by me of my studio apartment. Of course, I added visual enhancements courtesy of Adobe Photoshop CS4.MBA Chat
Today I participated in a Consortium chat courtesy of accepted.com, a website for guiding and advising graduate school applicants. The site provides admissions tips, past chat transcripts, sample admissions essays, and more. Participating in the chat were representatives from The Consortium's member schools (UVA's Darden and UNC's Flagler). In my opinion, the greatest benefit on average from participating in an admissions chat is for listing it as an information resource when submitting an application. Because most of the answers provided can be found on the website.
A better route for increasing your exposure and learning about an MBA program without the travel expenses of an on-campus interview is to request alumni phone interviews and to request to speak with persons from the Admissions department. The Consortium, for example, lists on its website student alumni liaisons of its members schools for candidates to contact. Taking advantage of the latter, I will be contacting liaisons of the member schools to which I plan on applying. I have already discussed the MBA program, The Consortium, and the Discover Darden event (mentioned in the previous post) with a Darden student. The chat provided me with a new perspective on my fit with the program, and an idea on how to better approach my application tactics.
Good News!!!
I received notice from ESADE that my application materials are received and will be under review as of the October 16, 2009 deadline; consequentially, I should expect a final decision by November 27, 2009.
I have sent in all of my materials for IE's Master in Advanced Finance Program about two weeks ago, however, I have not received notice on my application status (despite submitting my application on September 19, 2009!)
Looking forward to acceptance and rejection letters, I will have a list of schools I can compare to make a final decision. I am excited!
A better route for increasing your exposure and learning about an MBA program without the travel expenses of an on-campus interview is to request alumni phone interviews and to request to speak with persons from the Admissions department. The Consortium, for example, lists on its website student alumni liaisons of its members schools for candidates to contact. Taking advantage of the latter, I will be contacting liaisons of the member schools to which I plan on applying. I have already discussed the MBA program, The Consortium, and the Discover Darden event (mentioned in the previous post) with a Darden student. The chat provided me with a new perspective on my fit with the program, and an idea on how to better approach my application tactics.
Good News!!!
I received notice from ESADE that my application materials are received and will be under review as of the October 16, 2009 deadline; consequentially, I should expect a final decision by November 27, 2009.
I have sent in all of my materials for IE's Master in Advanced Finance Program about two weeks ago, however, I have not received notice on my application status (despite submitting my application on September 19, 2009!)
Looking forward to acceptance and rejection letters, I will have a list of schools I can compare to make a final decision. I am excited!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
And the Nominees are . . . and The Consortium
Below is the list of the business schools to which I plan on applying:
IE
ESADE
The Consortium
If you have not learned of The Consortium, it is about time you have.
Applying via The Consortium will provide me the opportunity to apply to up to six top-tier member universities at once. The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is the country’s preeminent organization for promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. Through an annual competition, The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to America’s best and brightest candidates.
The mission of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an alliance of leading American business schools and some of our country’s top corporations, is
IE
ESADE
The Consortium
- Darden School of Business, University of Virginia
- Yale School of Management, Yale University
- Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College
- Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University
If you have not learned of The Consortium, it is about time you have.
Applying via The Consortium will provide me the opportunity to apply to up to six top-tier member universities at once. The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management is the country’s preeminent organization for promoting diversity and inclusion in American business. Through an annual competition, The Consortium awards merit-based, full-tuition fellowships to America’s best and brightest candidates.
The mission of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an alliance of leading American business schools and some of our country’s top corporations, is
to enhance diversity in business education and leadership by helping to reduce the serious under-representation of African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in both our member schools’ enrollments and the ranks of management.
I learned of the program from a Darden Alum while attending a Darden Reception in Tyson's Corner. She was not a member of the Consortium but told me that some great students from Darden were pulled from the program. She then suggested I attend a Discover Darden Day at Darden Business School in Charlottesville, VA to learn more about The Consortium and life at Darden. The same night, I went home to learn about The Consortium; the mission fit my experience, the networking opportunities were excellent, and the vision connected with me. The following few days, I wrote my application essay for Discover Darden, and submitted my application. Yeah!!!! I was accepted to attend Discover Darden. After receiving the itinerary and my Consortium interview schedule, I quickly realized this event was going to be a time to impress and network. Scheduled for October 23, 2009, the event day should be ready for me; I reserved a zipcar for transportation, researched both programs, reviewed my resume, and ironed my clothes.Thursday, October 8, 2009
Selecting Top-Tier Business Schools for Applying
Navigating the circus of business program options to choose the ones that best suits me was a career in itself. My first filters for selecting programs were (1) the quality of companies that recruit from the school, (2) the school's rankings according to Business Weeks, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times, (3) the percentage of graduates with job offers prior to graduating, (4) the average post-MBA salary, and (5) the likelihood of me being accepted. This process took an international list of hundreds of business schools to about 20 that captured my interest.
Next, I wrote a list of what I wanted in a business program:
Next, I wrote a list of what I wanted in a business program:
- A strong sense of entrepreneurship that could be measured by the percentage of students and alumni who start their own business
- A learning style that supports and encourages practical application and classroom discussion
- An international exchange of ideas supported through international exchange programs and classroom diversity, and language learning options
- A quality Alumni Network in the Financial Services community (i.e. investment banking, venture capital, private equity, mergers & acquisitions, etc.)
- A know propensity to produce renowned leaders and entrepreneurs in the business world
- A capability of the finance syllabus to prepare me for a finance career in investment banking
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