Almost every top business school embraces the concept of the study group. The study group is simultaneously one of the more frustrating and beneficial aspects of business. This theme runs throughout the entire business school process, even beginning with your application.
The summer internship is a big part in switching. Not only will you be able to decide if this is in fact an industry you would like to be in, it is a long-term job interview. If you like the job and you do well it in, your second year of business school could be a breeze if they make you an offer. If you find out that you love it but they don’t love you, then at least you are part of the way home and now have good experience. If you find out not only do they not want you, but you don’t want them, then you have a lot of work in front of you.
There are two types of interest problems on the GMAT, and they include simple interest and compound interest. Simple interest is the most basic and is a function of P, the principle amount of money invested, the interest rate earned on the principle, i, and the amount of time the money is invested, t (this is usually stated in periods, such as years or months). The resulting equation is:
The internship. After a couple months of developing a solid network of industry alums, recruiting season will kick off. If you are going for the big three banking, consulting or CPG this will be a very structured process and take place in January to February generally.
Everyone has their own strategies for these tests, but to me the GMAT quantitative test came down to two main components, i) knowing the underlying math and ii) question identification.
If you don’t know what NPV stands for you will quickly learn in the first quarter of business school. For those who cannot wait, it is the Net Present Value (“NPV”) of an investment. That is to say, it takes all of the cash flow generated from an action (buying property, expanding your business, etc), both positive and negative, and sums them in inflation/interest adjusted current terms.
The spouse or significant other that gets dragged along into the business school experience and is quickly labeled a “Sig-O” will share in a lot of the difficulties of school with limited access to the upside. There are a couple steps one can take to alleviate some of this transitional friction.
Networking seems a bit fake for most people, but if you approach it from the right angle it can make the difference in your entire career path. You will be paying a hefty price for two years of education that you could realistically get from a library card and some initiative. But what you are really paying for is to be part of a community that will be very successful and very helpful to each other in the years to come.
In part three of this series, we discussed what to expect during your first semester of classes, a bit about the summer internship recruiting process and also the importance of company presentations and networking with alumni. The journey continues…
In part two of this series, we discussed the thrills of finding roommates and driving across country for relocation, the adventures and the excitement of orientation, as well as what to expect during the final two weeks before classes actually start. The journey continues…
Test day needs to be given the weight it deserves. While you can retake the test over and over until you do what you think is the best you can do, if you master it the first time you will save yourself a lot of time and at US$250 a pop, a lot of money.
By far, the easiest and fastest way to learn English is to be a tiny baby growing up in an English-speaking environment. If you are reading this article, though, you are no longer in a position to take advantage of that opportunity, and will have to improve your English the hard way: practice. Not all practice is equally good, however! English, like all living languages, is complex and constantly-changing; what is acceptable in spoken English is not always accepted in Standard (written) English. The key to improving your English reading, processing, and writing skills for the GMAT is consistent high-quality practice. It’s true that native speakers have a big advantage — they have typically been listening to correct English for at least two decades. Non-native speakers, however, have a small advantage — they (unlike native speakers) have not been listening to incorrect English for two decades. Build your study around quality writing and daily practice — and start as early as you can.
For those of you looking to go to business school to switch careers, even if you were not entirely up front about that fact on your essay, you need to be prepared. There will not be the down time that you imagined to sit back, learn a little business and lament on your potential future. At most schools this process begins during orientation, when you are recruited by the various clubs on campus. Some of these clubs can be fun (eg: Food and Wine, Sports or Adventure), but most of them are focused on future employment.
Let’s face it, studying is not fun. It’s usually something you struggle through, is discouraging, tedious and expensive, and requires faith that it will pay off in the end.
Here’s the good news: it will pay off, but only if you do it correctly. These are some good rules to follow:
In today’s competitive job market, even an MBA might not seem like enough to get you the kind of job that you want. If you’re looking for something to set you apart from the crowd, a JD/MBA might be an appealing option to you. But what is involved in earning those degrees jointly, and what can holding them do for your academic experience and your career trajectory?
