-
Target Test Prep's 2024 GMAT Focus Edition prep is discounted for the BTG community!
Redeem
Insights from MBA Students on Campus…a Dose of Hope to Close Out 2020
As the first semester of ‘business school in a pandemic’ comes to a close, we reached out to our past clients who are currently on campus to see what things have really been like. They graciously provided insights on everything from virtual classes to Zoom interviews to the MBA social scene and, while nothing about this year has been ‘normal’, their experiences strike a surprisingly positive tone. Here’s what we learned.
Are Virtual Classes Really Worth the Price Tag?
While many bemoaned that it was hard to stay focused on virtual classes, the overwhelming view was that schools have gone above and beyond to adapt their offerings to the current environment. Some even mentioned benefits like the ability to screen share and see the professor more clearly than they would have been able to in a large classroom.
Another benefit several noted was the lack of commute time and how this makes scheduling recruiting-related appointments easier. Being able to watch recorded lectures also solves the problem (and it’s a big one, trust me) of having to miss class when interviews overlap.
Ok, but MBAs Needs Jobs After School, Are Companies Hiring?
The topic of recruiting provided some interesting insights. First years are just beginning their internship search journey and the vast majority shared that, while companies may have scaled back, they are still hiring. Those targeting tech internships (roughly one-third of respondents) are particularly optimistic, with several opining that companies are hiring just as much as before the pandemic.
The sentiment was echoed by second years, the vast majority of who completed internships this summer despite the ‘unique’ circumstances. Perhaps most interestingly, nearly all respondents who completed internships have offers to return and, by and large, plan to accept them.
Anecdotally, from my time at Kellogg and as a corporate recruiter of MBAs after business school, the latter two of these observations are unusually high. In my experience, people often recruited again as second years, even with offers in hand, just to see what else was out there; it’s likely that people are being a little more conservative on this front given the current environment. It’s also possible that because internships were virtual, it was hard to get a true sense of what working at the company would be like, making it difficult for people to conclude one way or the other if that path was right for them. It might be hard to walk away from something that you haven’t given a true go.
Networking (and Socializing) is Such an Important Part of Business School, is it Still Happening?
While there are exceptions to every rule, responsible socializing is occurring on campus. Respondents shared that they were forming more meaningful connections with their peers because they were doing things like taking walks around campus, as opposed to gathering in large groups for ‘booze cruises’.
That said, many did note a sense of isolation and some shared that cliques had formed more readily due to limits on the sizes of groups that could get together. And, no getting around it, there’s an inherent awkwardness to meeting people for the first time in a virtual format.
Looking Forward
It goes without saying that this year has been immensely challenging for everyone – layer quitting your job, moving to a new city, and returning to life as student on top of it and it’s enough to make your head spin. That said, MBAs are an innovative, optimistic bunch and seem to be rolling with the punches quite well.
Fingers (and toes) crossed, things should be returning to normal next year so those applying now may have many of these challenges behind them. Even so, it’s hard to imagine anyone (or any organization) will exit this period in exactly the same mindset with which they entered it. Here’s hoping that some of the positives (schools adapting to meet the needs of students, a focus on truly getting to know our peers) may just stick around.
We at Vantage Point wish you a happy, healthy holiday season and hope that the coming year serves as the light at the end of the very dark tunnel that was 2020!
Recent Articles
Archive
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009