Accepted.com Interview with Georgetown MBA & Forté Fellow Teri Delgado

Forté Fellow Teri Delgado recently shared her first year experiences at the Georgetown MBA with Accepted.com. Take a moment to read her interview.

Here’s an excerpt on her experiences with Forté:

Accepted: Can you talk about your experience with the Forté Foundation? What are some of the benefits of being involved with this organization?

Teri: As a Forté Fellow, I have access to many great benefits, including networking events, webinars, and the annual Forté Conference. Even before school started, I was welcomed by my second-year Forté mentor from Georgetown who helped me navigate the first weeks of school. Through my Forte participation, I contribute to the Forté Fellow blog and have been empowered to lead the first-year women’s mentoring program as the VP, Mentorship for the Georgetown Women in Business club. Forté sponsored events helped me evaluate pursuing an MBA early on and I am thrilled that I can share my experience and help other women strategically consider this decision as well.

For the complete blog post visit: Georgetown MBA Interview with Teri Delgado at Accepted.com

Forté for the Future

As I listened to Elissa Ellis-Sangster (Executive Director of the Forté Foundation) give the opening speech of the Forté MBA Women's Leadership Conference at UCLA last summer, I was immediately inspired to do more. She mentioned that as a Forté Foundation Fellow that each one of us has an opportunity and an obligation to help other women succeed.

All my life I have been fortunate to have mentors supporting me and encouraging me, and with Elissa’s enthusiasm, I knew it was in the right time and place to give back.

In my application to the Tepper School of Business, I wrote, “As a leader in technology I will contribute my knowledge, experiences, and energy to motivate women like myself to become leaders in the industry as well.” I didn’t know that so soon after I started business school that I would have an opportunity to start working on my goal.

During her speech, Elissa encouraged the Fellows to get out and help other women, whether that was going to schools near our home city or visiting our Alma Mater. She also mentioned Forté would help in any way they could to spread the word about the Forté Foundation and the abundant amount of resources the organization can provide to women. I immediately thought to myself, “This is exactly what I needed when I was in undergrad.”

From that day on I had a plan, and, more importantly, I knew that I had a whole organization that would support my plan. Empowering women in technology and business was a goal not only I was passionate about. It was a common goal with the Forté Foundation, and together we could meet it.

This past winter I reached out to Women in Computer Science (WCS) at University of Illinois and offered to give a workshop. The group was extremely receptive and asked if I could give a workshop on how to give an elevator pitch. Once I had solidified the presentation, I reached out to the Forté Foundation to see if they could provide materials and souvenirs for event. They were delighted to help!

In March, I visited University of Illinois and presented a successful workshop. It was amazing to watch freshmen through seniors get up and practice their elevator pitches. I met a lot of fantastic women in computer science who are definitely future leaders. I was fortunate to be able to help these women gain skills to help them be more confident as they search for jobs and internships.

The WCS organization enjoyed the talk so much that they asked me to deliver their keynote address for their annual banquet later that spring. I was ecstatic to get the opportunity to inspire and help celebrate a year of accomplishments with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate representatives. Through the help of my classmates and professors at the Tepper School of Business, I wrote and delivered a 45-minute inspirational speech entitled, “Oh the places you’ll go and tips to help you along the way.”

After my speech many of the attendants came up to me to mention how inspired they were. Three women said that I was their role model. This event was life changing for me.  Being able to directly inspire other women who are going through the same rigorous program I did was incredible. I was able to build many connections with aspiring women through my talks with WCS. I helped individuals with their resume and facilitated an internship decision. I can’t wait to see their accomplishments as they grow throughout their careers.

As I look onto my second year as a MBA student, I know I can do more. I hope to return to the University of Illinois and WCS and give additional workshops and also reach out to more schools. By becoming a Forté Fellow, I have discovered a new appreciation for paying it forward and working towards the mission that the foundation has laid out for all women in business. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.

Brigid Johnson, Forté Fellow
MBA 2014, Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon

What is a Forté Fellow?

Forté Foundation’s mission is to substantially increase the number of women business leaders by increasing the flow of women into key educational gateways and business networks. One of the ways we achieve this is by supporting women financially in their business education. As such, we offer fellowships to women who are pursuing a full-time, part-time, or executive MBA education at participating business schools. Forté Foundation Fellowships are intended to increase the number of women applying to and enrolling in MBA programs.

Each school chooses its own Fellows and has its own criteria for selecting Fellows - no application information is required by the Foundation. Students interested in becoming a Forté Fellow should contact the admissions or financial aid office at the sponsor school of their choice and express interest in being considered for the Forté Fellowship.

Ask each school about their specific selection guidelines. Forté advises schools to choose candidates that exhibit exemplary leadership in one or more ways: academic leadership, team leadership, community leadership, and creative leadership. Schools are encouraged to nominate women who represent diverse educational and work backgrounds, career goals, ethnicities, and citizenship.

Exceptional women candidates of all national origins who have been admitted to participating schools are eligible for consideration. In addition to the above, schools are encouraged to consider candidates who have already demonstrated a commitment to women and girls via personal mentorship or community involvement. Such commitment is in alignment with the mission of Forté Foundation.

Among other benefits, Fellows receive financial support provided through Forté member schools, and they also gain exposure to leading companies in the Forté network. Fellows also gain an immediate network of peers in your fellow fellows that extends beyond your business school. Look into the Fellows program at the schools you’re interested in – we would love to welcome you into this exclusive group of women!

How to make the most of your time in Business School

Everyone warned me. I thought I was prepared. I thought I was ready. Turns out, I had no idea what I was in for. Hundreds of emails every day. Student groups inviting me to multiple events all on the same night. Co-chairs telling me I needed to join their groups. I felt so overwhelmed. What groups should I join? What do I want to get involved in? I only have two years to make the most out of my MBA experience!

Now, as I look to my graduation in June, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the opportunities I have taken advantage of. Learning how to prioritize time and involvement is key in making sure you do not leave school with any regrets. My three pieces of advice are as follows:

1. Stay focused but open-minded. You all wrote in your essays about why you wanted to get your MBA. Remember that. Focus on what roles, industries and companies interest you. Don’t get caught up in what your classmates are doing. Stay your course. But at the same time, be open to hearing about what else is out there. This is a unique time when employers literally come TO YOU to hire you.

2. Get involved. It’s like joining a sports team in high school or pledging a sorority in college. Business school is a GREAT way to put your leadership, organizational and teamwork skills to use. Join clubs that interest you and take on leadership roles that you are truly passionate about. I have prioritized my time by getting involved with admissions as well as planning our school ski trips and Thursday night social events, and couldn’t be happier with what I have accomplished in my time at Booth.

3. Have fun. This is a magical two years, and you need to take a step back at times and make sure you are enjoying it. While recruiting and studying for exams can get stressful at times, always be sure that you are taking time to do things you enjoy. Is working out important to you? Make time for it. Do you like trying new restaurants? Get a group of friends together to check one out. Do you like to travel? Plan spring break or long weekend trips with your classmates. Do you enjoy spending time with your family and friends? Make sure you stay in touch and see them as often as you can.

Best of luck to all of you and feel free to comment with any questions you may have!

Jaime Streem, Forté Fellow
MBA 2013, University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Reflections of the Internship Recruiting Process

I have survived recruiting season during my first year of business school and have emerged with a summer internship offer in my industry of choice! However, many of my classmates are still recruiting or just beginning the process as it varies greatly by industry. While it is a relief to have a position secured for the summer, it is by no means the norm and is only due to the fact that I was mainly recruiting for consulting. But consulting is not for everyone. Recruiting is a very personal journey and it’s best not to compare yourself to any of your peers. Instead, focus on your own personal and professional goals and measure your success that way. Here are some pieces of advice from the past semester regarding recruiting in general, and I am happy to provide more in-depth consulting advice for anyone who is interested.

A few pearls of wisdom from the other side:

• Have a clear idea of what you’re looking for out of a summer position (and note, this may be completely different than what you wrote in your admission essay - that’s ok).
• Know yourself inside and out: your story, your strengths, your weaknesses, your personal brand, what you bring to the table, and why you would be a good fit for a particular industry and company.
• Practice out loud with a real person (not just in front of a mirror). It sounds silly but trust me, it helps.
• Don’t get caught up in the recruiting ‘buzz’ or feel the need to participate in traditional on-campus recruiting in January/February just because ‘everyone else is doing it’. I assure, there are plenty of students who do not have internships at this point but definitely will.
• Have the confidence to explore a new area or switch careers.
• Keep your options open: attend corporation presentations or career fairs, and network with companies that sound interesting even if they weren’t initially on your radar.
• Have a back-up plan. Unfortunately, recruiting for summer internships can be competitive as there are limited spots. Have a few industries in mind and keep expanding your network and talking to companies. You might even discover a company that is a better fit.
• Remember, it’s just a 10-week internship, not a lifelong relationship. You can always leverage the experience to secure a fulltime job at another company or in another industry if the internship wasn’t what you wanted or not a good fit.
• Stay positive and have fun! Make a note of the companies that treat you well throughout the process and are just as interested in you as you are in them.

Best of luck! It always works out in the end and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end.

Beth Lovisa, Forté Fellow

MBA 2014, NYU Stern School of Business

Reflecting upon INSEAD’s first ever Abu Dhabi module for MBA students

In May 2012 (after I had been accepted into INSEAD but yet to start), we heard from the Deputy Dean Peter Zemsky that ours could be the first class that will be given an opportunity to be part of INSEAD’s first ever Abu Dhabi module. As I had grown up in the Middle East for part of my childhood, I got quite excited to visit this region again as an adult. Also, having the additional opportunity to actually learn about business environment in the middle east made this an excellent opportunity.. 

Needless to say, I applied in October 2012 to attend the module and was one of 36 students selected to attend. There is already an Executive MBA program at Abu Dhabi campus but this was the first time, MBA students from Singapore and Fontainebleau were invited to be part of the campus. The program runs over two residential weeks (early January, end of February and a final presentation day at the end of March) and involves a consulting based project.

I recently completed the first part of the Abu Dhabi module and was amazed at just how much I learnt about the region in the week that we were there. My highlight for the entire week was the lecture at the very beginning of the week on factors driving ‘Global wealth creation’ delivered by the well-renowned INSEAD strategy professor: Prof. Neil Jones. In delivering a framework to analyze cities and countries around the world and their potential to support development, he armed students with an intelligent way to converse about the topic. Thank you Prof. Jones!

Throughout the week, we had numerous opportunities to network with EMBA students and also to meet some of the 480 INSEAD alums in the Emirates. The mornings and afternoons were packed with multiple panels (finance, human capital, economic development) and company visits (media, banking, development and funding organizations, oil & gas and consulting firms). One of the free afternoons, (which was a rarity!) we went on a desert safari consisting of team-building activities/games and dune bashing, ending off with an authentic Middle Eastern dinner, as the sun set in the desert.

As I look back, I realize that the week in Abu Dhabi was exactly how I had pictured my MBA to be—an intense, yet practical learning experience filled with moments of cultural immersion and meeting people from all around the world. Thank you INSEAD for delivering such an amazing week for all of us. I am definitely looking forward to my second week in Abu Dhabi at the end of February.

Sweeny Chhabra, Forté Fellow
MBA 2013, INSEAD

Reflections on my First Semester of Business School

The last week of classes?  ALREADY?!?!  I can’t believe how fast my first semester of business school has flown by!  It’s nice to take a break from studying for finals to reflect on the past few months at Southern Methodist University.  Since moving to Dallas and attending my very first class at SMU, I’ve discovered a new city, new environment and new lifestyle.

I can sum up my first semester in one word: opportunity!

Business school offers incredible opportunities through classes, clubs and networking events.

I’ve taken most of my core classes including Accounting, Economics and Marketing and am looking forward to taking a few electives in the spring.  There are ample amounts of classes to choose from based on your concentration and interests.

I’m an officer in the Women in Business Club and have also become a member of the Finance, Investments, Consulting and Strategy and Entrepreneurship Clubs.  These are only a few of the clubs available to SMU business students.

School is not all work and no play!  As an athlete, I quickly found the rec center on campus and joined several intramural teams.  Every week I looked forward to playing co-ed soccer on Wednesday nights and sand volleyball on Sunday afternoon. 

Networking is a word used a lot in business school and I saw it come to life this semester.  It’s so important to make connections with your classmates, alumni, professors and business professionals.  In addition to on-campus information sessions hosted by companies, I attended Happy Hour every Thursday.  A perk to having no Friday classes!

To fit it all in and take advantage of every waking moment I now drink coffee and live by my Outlook calendar!

December offers a break from classes but affords time to focus on applying for summer internships.  I’m also looking forward to a ski trip with a few of my classmates!

Liz Schaab, Forté Fellow
MBA 2014, SMU Cox School of Business

The 24-Hour Case Competition

Overnight case competition? Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. A case competition that starts the first day at 4.30 pm and ends the following day around 3 pm. While 24 hours seems like ample time, the hours pass by quickly when you’re rushing to finish at a decent hour so you can get some sleep (if any).

I won’t reveal the firm behind the overnight case but it was sponsored by a top consulting company, which alone was a compelling reason to participate. The afternoon started off with an introduction to the team, the hypothesis-driven approach, and the case itself. The company provided guidance on how to approach the situation and structure our thoughts. Then each team was on their own for the rest of the night to come up with a proposal and compile a visually appealing powerpoint deck to present the following morning. At 6 pm, it seems like you have a lot of time, but before you know it’s 9 pm and you’re still sifting through piles and piles of data and charts. You have access to more information than you could possibly need or use, which mimics a real-life consulting case very well. You need to avoid the temptation to boil the “ocean” and instead focus on the key pieces of information that will support your proposal.

At 10 pm, the consultants were generous enough to provide us with pizza and soda for a study break then we were back to it into the early hours of the morning. At times, we would each work quietly on our own, while at other times we would discuss each piece of data as a group. It was a balance trying to figure out where to direct our focus. We eventually started putting together our powerpoint, though perhaps in hindsight, maybe we should have waited until our thoughts were more fleshed out. But we wanted to get something down on paper. We tried to include a good mix of supporting data, including graphs, numbers, charts, and visuals.

When we hit a roadblock, we would take a quick break and regroup. This late (or rather, early), our energy was waning and we were about 95% done. At this point, it is important not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good (also known as the 80/20 rule) – you don’t have a lot of time so you may need to choose wisely where you focus. Each incremental minute you are awake is taking away from sleep. If you spend 10, 20 or 30 more minutes, will your presentation really be that much better?

We ended up finishing around 5.30 am and had to be back for our presentation at 9.40 am. We met at 8.40 am so we could run through our presentation out loud. The next 30 minutes were a blur of presenting and Q&A. The consultants were tough but fair. The whole presentation was akin to a real client case jammed into less than 24 hours. At lunch, we found out that we did not make it to the next round but we did receive personalized feedback from the three consultants who watched our presentation. The feedback was the most valuable part of the entire experience and made the competition worth it.

I leave you with my takeaways:

• Participate in as many case competitions as you can but know that they are competitions and you may not win them all. Even if you do not win, they are still very valuable learning experiences. As they say, you often learn more from failure than from success.
• If you participate in one that is “overnight” try to at least get a few hours of sleep (or at least go home, shower, and refresh yourself). You do not want to be tired for the presentation.
• Before diving into the case, take a few minutes to individually brainstorm and really think outside the box. Throw out lots of random ideas, the crazier the better. It’s easier to narrow down ideas than to try to go broad later on.
• Keep it light and have a sense of humor. Do not get too caught up with winning.
• Choose your team wisely (if you have the option). You will be spending a lot of time with them. You also want to have a good mix of strengths and skills.
• Take breaks, especially if there seems to be tension among the teammates.

Have fun! If you do not enjoy case competitions, then consulting may not be for you.

Beth Lovisa, Forté Fellow

MBA 2014, Stern School of Business at NYU

Where Did My First Semester Go?

I cannot believe nearly an entire semester has already gone by since I started business school! I’m almost 25% done, which is a scary thought. The MBA 2’s lament that time flies but you don’t actually realize it until finals are here and you have almost a full semester behind you. It’s already December 5^th and I will be done in exactly 2 weeks. Of course, four finals and a final project stand in my way.

First semester can be overwhelming but the MBA 2’s say they would trade shoes with us in an instant just to have three more semesters ahead of them. Sometimes, like when I am juggling group projects, numerous job applications, extracurriculars, and sleep, I think they are crazy. But other times, like when I get to hear Newark Mayor Cory Booker speak, consult with an actual New York company, and learn about business from professors who have 30 years of experience, I am glad that I still have three semesters left. I have so much learning left to do, and I’ve barely tapped the surface here at NYU Stern.

As I mentioned, first semester can be really overwhelming. You are trying to explore various career paths, join clubs, make new friends, and get back into studying mode, while still maintaining old relationships, having a social life and finding time to relax. What has really surprised me most about Stern are the amazing and varied learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. There really is something for everyone. Even if you do not want to pursue a career in Media or Entertainment, you can visit HBO’s office. You can taste new food creations at Unilever’s test kitchen. There is a huge start-up and entrepreneurial scene. In fact, it seems like every day one of my peers is working on a new idea for a company. You can spend two weeks in Cannes or Las Vegas or Brazil – and get credit for it! You can listen to Mario Bartiromo, Paul Volcker, Mickey Drexler, Gordon Brown, Twitter’s CEO Dick Costolo, Kind’s CEO Dan Lubetzky, and the list goes on. You can partner with a small NY-based company who doesn’t have resources to afford a consultant to help them grow their business. The only thing limiting you is time. I often myself double- and triple-booked because there are so many events I want to attend. Being in NY really gives us the advantage of access.

When asked what the typical day in my life is, I am stumped. There really is no good answer as every single day is a surprise and a new learning experience. I never know who I might encounter or what topics we may end up discussing. The one guarantee is that I will be absorbing some new piece of knowledge. So I encourage you all to take full advantage of the resources business school offers. Be an active, engaged member. You aren’t here solely to earn A’s in your classes. In fact, you will not learn that much if you just read and study; you need to become involved and apply your knowledge outside the classroom to make a difference. Pick and choose what you participate in wisely so that you don’t burnout but keep an open mind, especially in the beginning. You will never get that first semester back. If something sounds interesting, check it out. I look forward to continuing the journey on my steep learning curve because I know that next year when I am an MBA 2, I will be incredibly jealous of the MBA 1’s.

Beth Lovisa, Forté Fellow

MBA 2014, Stern School of Business at NYU

Wrapping Up My First Semester

Happy Holidays! We are nearing the end of our first semester of the Olin MBA program and what a whirlwind it has been. I wish I could give you a quick “day in the life” of an Olin MBA but that would be impossible since every day is very different from the last. But, in an effort to shed some light on what it is like to be at Olin, here’s a recap of a few days this week…

 

Up bright and early for an 8am marketing class in which we had a guest speaker, who spoke about social media and the role it can play in B2B and B2C companies. Follow that with a Finance class on finishing up our discussion of Options and moving on to managing risk. Then, I’m off to a meeting with the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club to discuss upcoming events including a trip to San Francisco for a trek from Silicon Valley up to Napa to visit different companies and alumni and maybe have some fun along the way. We also reviewed our December event with Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear and our February Alternative Career Symposium. At noon, it’s on to our Real Estate Finance Lunch and Learn session with Dr. Gordonier. Because we are still in core classes right now and have not had a chance to delve into many specifics, our Real Estate Club planned a fun and informative lunch to introduce our peers to the basics of real estate finance. Then, quick team meeting and run home to get some work done before returning to school for a 5:30 Finance review session.  Sounds tiring when you recap it! Thursday was even better though as we had our legendary Beer Game event for our Operations class! Sadly, no beer was served until the game was over, but we quickly learned how difficult it is to predict demand even in a simple supply chain. Hope this gave you an insight into what a “normal” day (or two) is for an MBA student at Olin!

 

Leigh Hunt, Forté Fellow

MBA 2013, Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis

Stories Can Help You In Your Interview

I had one horrible interview.  I was thrown off by an early question about my favorite class in college.  It was too far back for me to remember clearly and I spent the rest of the interview playing catch up.  My mind completely emptied and I couldn’t think of any examples for any of the questions.  I ended up sounding hollow and unmotivated.

So, what did I learn?  How did I use this experience to shore up my interviewing skills and feel confident going into an interview?  I prepared stories.  Because I was so worried about blanking again, I prepared examples in advance without associating them with questions.  This method allowed me to be more nimble and spend precious thinking time on how to express myself rather than on what to say.

Before each interview, I came up with 5-10 stories from the past week or month, or even last several years that I thought portrayed me in a positive light.  They were not all successes or strengths, and they had real complexity.  I picked complicated situations because they felt more genuine, but also so that they would be versatile and I could use them to answer any question.  The same story could be a response to “have you ever disagreed with your boss,” “tell me about a time you failed,” or “what motivates you.”  In addition, you can use them as examples when talking about your goals or accomplishments. 

In advance, I considered my role in the stories and also how other participants would judge them.  By thinking about the stories from several angles, I was able to be more thoughtful during the interview and more reflective about lessons learned and implications.  When the interviewer asked a question, I quickly did a mental scan through my stories and picked the one that was most fitting, and then elaborated and applied it to the question.

To prepare these stories, ask yourself about recent times that you demonstrated leadership, did something difficult, or did something without a clear answer.  Develop the stories in your head and if possible, practice telling them to a friend or mentor.  Make sure that they ring true to you and that you can tell them without having to hide parts of who you are.  These stories will end up being invaluable in your interviews.  Good luck!

Judy Herbstman, Forte Fellow

MBA 2014, Stern School of Business at NYU

Update Your Resume B-School Style

Oh, the resume. It’s amazing how so much work can go into one little piece of paper.  I spent hours tweaking my resume for my B-school applications. Come to find out, once you get in, you do an entire upheaval of the resume AGAIN!

Here are a few tips we’re using now that could get you a head start on a perfect page:

Word Choice Matters:  We all want strong and active verbs within our bullet points. Yet, somehow it is tempting to just pick the first word the thesaurus gives as another way to say “worked”. Word choice is imperative in giving the reader a glimpse into your actual contribution to a project. Get more specific if a lot of your words sound like “assisted”, “contributed” or “supported”. Ask yourself what YOU actually did on the project. Did you CREATE anything? IMPLEMENT anything? IMPROVE anything? Those make a stronger case for individual contribution.

Looking Forward: Shift your thinking of the resume from a document detailing what you did in the past, to a highlight reel of why you’d be great for the job you want in the future. Think about what characteristics and attributes are needed for success in the field in which you want to work.  Then, construct your resume in a way that shows your strengths and experiences in those areas. 

Explain Results:  Anytime you can give insight of the result of your action, do it! How much did you increase sales?  Was your proposal implemented throughout the company? In certain industries, results are less tangible. Ask yourself, “What happened due to my actions on this project? Why did this matter?” And don’t be afraid to get creative in ways to explain the impact of your projects.

It’s true that a resume can’t truly encapsulate everything about you as a person, but hopefully these tips will help you project the best possible image of yourself and your work experience!

Good Luck!

Tricia Felice, Forte Fellow

MBA 2014, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Advice on tackling the recommendation letters

Often given the least importance by MBA applicants, letters of recommendation add immense value to your applications and require a significant amount of time and attention. Be proactive and start thinking of all the potential recommenders. Choose on the basis of how well they know you and how keen they would be to help you through your application. It is always an add-on to choose someone with good written skills; someone who can craft a compelling letter of recommendation.

Your list could comprise of current or previous employers, supervisors from the not-for-profit organizations you worked for, or college professors. The latter however doesn’t put as much impact as the others since it is from a much prior timeline. The newer the experiences you bring in to your recommendation, the more the value they add to it. In all, aim for a good combination of recommenders in order to showcase your skills and capabilities to the fullest, thus bringing a broader perspective to your candidacy.

A key thing to remember here is that your recommenders hold significant positions at their respective firms and will have deadlines to meet. So give them enough time to work on the letters, 4-6 weeks preferably. It is always nice to talk to them about the strengths you want to leverage in your application. Make them understand why a certain school appeals to you and your passion for pursuing MBA. From my own experience, I have observed that it is always easier for a recommender to provide an effective letter if they know about the process and the expectations that encompass it.

Start by connecting with all your potential recommenders and evaluating who would be keen on providing a recommendation. Once you narrow down to the final pool of recommenders, divide your applications among them. Keep it to 2-3 recommendations per person. Respect their time and consideration by not bothering them with too many recommendation requests.

I would also say, please refrain from writing your own letters. It is however always nice to help your recommenders through the process. So provide them with all the necessary information and do not forget to remind them of the deadlines. A good recommendation is of no use if not sent on time!

All the best!

Urvashi Marda, Forté Fellow                                                                                                                                         Class of 2014, Kelley School of Business at Indiana University

A Day in the Life of a First-Year MBA Student

I’m sure many of you have heard just how busy business school students are, but what does a typical day look like as an MBA student? To help shed some light on this topic, I’ve outlined a typical day in my life as a first-year student at the UCLA Anderson of Management.

7:00am: Wake up (after hitting the snooze buttons a few times), shower and prepare my business formal outfit for recruiting activities later that day.

7:45am: Leave apartment in Santa Monica with 3 granola bars, 1 banana, my backpack and suit/heels.

8:30am: Arrive at first ACT (Anderson Career Team) team meeting, focused on consulting. ACT teams are led by two second-year students and focus on industry-related prep (e.g. consulting, marketing etc.).

10:00am: Attend second ACT team meeting, focused on marketing.

11:30am: Change into business casual outfit, and join talk with Dean Olian sponsored WBC (Women’s Business Connection). Eat lunch!

12:45pm: Attend Communications class on Personal Branding.

2:30pm: Attend Marketing class on Targeting and Positioning.

4:15pm: Meet with Learning Team to review Statistics case and Economics problem set.

6:30pm: Change into business formal and attend MCA (Management Consulting Association) Fall Firm Kick-Off.

8:30pm: Drive back to Santa Monica, drop by Whole Foods to pick up food to-go for dinner.

9:00pm: Arrive back home. Eat dinner while studying for Accounting.

10:30pm: Unwind with some dessert and take a quick walk with my boyfriend to our nearest Pinkberry.

11:30pm: Come back home and SLEEP!

So there you have it. A typical day in the life of a first-year business school student. As you can see, lots to look forward to!

Diana Lin, Forte Fellow

MBA 2013, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Preparing for Admissions Interviews

One of the crucial steps towards an MBA is the admissions interview process. Here, I’d like to share some pointers on how to prepare for the interviews and handle yourself when challenged by interviewers.

In simple terms, the objective of the interviews (for the school) is to meet the person whose application they liked. They want to understand qualitatively as to whether this person is genuine, professional, has the right soft skills and if the school is a good fit for his/her aspirations. There is definitely no faking your personality when someone challenges your personal story (and this could happen during an admissions interview). To prepare, there are few simple steps you can take:

1.       Know your story well: It could be a few months since you wrote your resume and essays. So, go over them and reflect upon your accomplishments, goals, beliefs etc. and prepare your reasons for why you want do an MBA, why now and why you chose the school.

2.      Share your story well: In most cases, the interviewer will be a complete stranger to you, so provide him/her with a good overall picture and fill in the specifics whenever asked. If it fits the conversation, add details about the school (courses you plan to take, clubs you plan to join, activities you might take up etc.) The details show commitment. Try to tie this information to how it will help your future career.

3.      Get feedback: Towards the end, ask the interviewer if he/she can provide you some feedback on the path you are envisioning for yourself and your experiences to date. Listen to what he/she has to say. If nothing else, you may get an honest professional perspective on how a stranger perceives you and your story in light of your goals. In fact, I remember feeling refreshed with the honest opinion of how I came off on paper vs. my interview (e.g. one of my interviewers felt I lacked P&L management experience and I know that this is something I will try to add to at some point in my career).

4.      Be yourself but maintain a calm, professional demeanor: As easy as it may sound to talk about yourself, the interview could get progressively challenging. Don’t get discouraged if your interviewer turns out to be particularly tough and challenges you on your story or your intentions. He/she is just testing the depth of your story. So don’t take on new personalities or try to think about what they would like to hear. Continue to be yourself and share your true beliefs and why you believe them. Stick to what you said in your application and draw parallels.

5.      Make sure you eat before the interview: This seems like a no brainer but talking to someone for two hours at dinner time with two nachos in your tummy is not fun. No matter what time you’re interviewing, make sure you refuel beforehand.

Speaking personally, one of my two interviewers, in spite of being very friendly and jovial, challenged me thoroughly on many aspects of my application. For instance, the interviewer challenged me on whether INSEAD was truly the right school for me or whether I was doing it out of geographical convenience (I was living and working in Singapore at the time and had expressed that I would like to start on the Singapore campus). In response, I basically laid out clearly, a list of all the other schools I had researched, what I had found and reasons why I had chosen to go with INSEAD. I also mentioned that while I’d be starting at the Singapore campus, I will be doing the US exchange and Fontainebleau campus exchange as well, so I was in no way tied to Singapore. Throughout the interview, I did feel like I had been put on the defensive multiple times on several questions, but tried to maintain my cool and enjoy the conversation as much as possible. I remember coming out of the grueling two-hour conversation feeling like I may have lost my chance with INSEAD as there were perhaps many unanswered questions that the admissions team had about my candidacy. However, I was confident that I had done my best as I had reflected my true self at the interview and defended my reasons calmly and professionally. In the end, I was undoubtedly over joyed to receive an admit!

Sweeny Chhabra, Forté Fellow
MBA 2013, INSEAD

Is The MBA Right For You?

Deciding to pursue an MBA is not a decision to be taken lightly.  The costs and resources that go into the actual pursuit of an MBA require careful thinking before even the first page of a GMAT prep book is opened. Some of the costs that I can think of, right away are:

·         Application costs: Application fees cost anything between 50 dollars and 300 dollars or more, not counting the little things like mailing, travel, and even phone bills.

·         Time and Energy: Putting together your application (essays, interviews, campus visits, meeting current students etc.) takes a huge amount of time.

·         Standardized tests: Depending on your aptitude these tests take a lot of prep time while holding down a full time job and family/social commitments.  Some people even take them more than once to get the right score for their desired school.

·         When you are admitted, you sacrifice time with your family (you will be in school, networking, recruiting or on a job hunt most of the time); you possibly uproot your entire family into a new community for the period.

·         Quitting your job, and losing 1 to 2 years of work experience and income.

In thinking about pursuing an MBA it is most important to take time by yourself or with your significant other to count these and many other costs that may weigh on your decision. 

I think I put the cart before the horse here, but knowing your objectives is very important when you are considering if the MBA is the right graduate program for you.  Think about what you want to achieve in life, professionally and personally, and research that area thoroughly. Ask yourself some searching questions, some of which are in the bullets below.

·         Is an MBA required to get you to your objective? Look at highly respected people within the field that you want to excel in. Do they typically have MBA’s? 

·         Where are you in your career at the moment? Have you reached a plateau in your job and want help getting a promotion?  Do you want to learn to lead people?   Do you want to start a business? Do you want to change careers into a sector which hires mostly MBA’s (If you want to switch from engineering into medical research , the MBA may not be the option to take)

·         Can you achieve your objectives with a graduate degree other than an MBA? Is an MBA a thing of prestige for you: everyone in your social circles has one or expects you to have one? Is it an end in itself, something you always wanted?

·         Do you even like business? I recommend taking one technical business course and one managerial type course, like accounting and business strategy either online (iTunes U is a great place for free MBA type lectures online) or at a local community college. What were your impressions of these courses?  Read books on business, there are lots of recommendations on Amazon. Did you have an Aha moment, where it all starts to come together? An MBA might be perfect for you.

This seems like a lot of work, even before you start, but would you rather be in the middle of the school year and stuck continuing on a track you hate and have no passion pursuing? Imagine feeling trapped, sitting in an accounting class 70,000 dollars in debt, hating it, and waiting for another year to pass so you can go on to study for that PhD in Physics that you should have followed your heart on.

Asking these questions is important not only to make sure that you make the right decision, it also informs the type of school you will choose to attend, when you should attend, which type of program to choose(full-time or part time)  and what type of experiences you want take away from the program.

To conclude, I’d like to list a few bullets on why you should NOT pursue and MBA

·         I hate my job so I will take a 2 year holiday in school.  This will be a very costly and potentially disappointing holiday. 

·         I can’t figure out what to do with my life, so let me explore with B school. What if you find your passion elsewhere and end up hating business school?

·         Rankings and some survey shows that the average starting salaries for MBA’s is 100k and above, and so this is the way to go. This is not guaranteed for all, rankings show averages. Excellence at what you do and continuous professional development can also get you there.

Approach this decision with careful thought and planning. Avoid being cookie cutter and following the crowd, no matter what everyone is doing. Do the right thing for you.  An MBA can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience which will benefit you for a lifetime. You owe it to yourself to make sure that it is the right step to take.

Ackun Aba, Forte Fellow

MBA 2014, Darden School at University of Virginia

B-School Application Season: Ready, Set, Go!

Around this time last year, I still hadn’t decided that I definitely wanted to go to business school. I had been to many school presentations, visited a school or two, talked to my friends and as many strangers as would listen, but I just couldn’t make the commitment to apply. Eventually, I concluded that business school would be the best thing for my career, and now, two months into my first year, I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

Hopefully you are already past this point, but if you aren’t, don’t worry! You still have plenty of time to write essays, ask for recommendations, and get those applications in for next year. If you are thinking about applying in the future, even better. Start as early as possible, and really spend a lot of time thinking about your career and what you’d like to get out of business school.

Here are a couple of tips I have, after experiencing the application process last year:

·         Visit schools – I know it can be expensive, but try to visit as many schools as possible to get a real feeling for how the school operates and what it’s like to be on campus. If you can’t, don’t stress out, many schools have presentations in various cities, and you can always reach out to current students and alums to get their opinions. Talk to as many people as possible.

·         Keep an open mind about schools – reputation isn’t everything. There are plenty of really great business schools out there that aren’t ranked #1 in the polls.

·         Apply to a range of schools – I know this seems obvious, but nothing is a guarantee in business schools applications, even with an 800 on your GMAT. If you really want to go to business school, make sure you apply to some safeties as well as reaches.

·         Dedicate time to your applications – Yes, this is a time-consuming and challenging process, but commit 100% at the beginning, and follow through because it is worth it. There is no point in only putting half your effort into applying. It is a waste of your time.

·         Be honest about yourself – If you don’t know exactly what you want to do in the future, that’s okay! Admissions offices don’t expect you to know that right now. What they want to see is that you’ve demonstrated clarity of thought about your strengths and what you want out of your career.

·         Exude confidence—you are an amazing, accomplished, impressive woman, even if you don’t think you are. Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn a bit!

 

Good luck!

Sarah Miller, Forte Fellow
MBA 2014, Ross School of Business at Michigan

Help Wanted

It’s a busy and exciting time here at Carlson! We’ve just launched into our second quarter of classes – for us, that’s marketing, operations and finance – and it’s been great to start learning new concepts from new – but equally great – professors. We’re also in the throes of picking our year-and-a-half long, real-world experiential learning focus (called Enterprises), which means many of us are truly starting to commit to our chosen career paths.

That was certainly an eye-opener for me – I thought everyone came to business school with a set-in-stone idea of what they wanted their post-MBA job to be. That certainly hasn’t been the case. Some students came in with no sense of what they wanted to pursue after school whatsoever, while others came in with a set-in-stone idea that, after a career panel or company information session, was suddenly entirely flexible after all. 

For me, I came into school with a pretty solid sense of what I want to do post-MBA. I’ve used the many information-gathering opportunities available to first-year students – everything from on-campus information sessions to informational interviews with Carlson grads to coffees with second-year students – to hone in on the specific type of marketing role that fits with my long-term career goals and professional priorities.

The opportunity to explore all your options – even if you think you might not be interested in a particular company or job function whatsoever – is an integral part of the business school experience. As you’re looking at schools and finalizing the list of where you plan to apply, make sure you’re sizing up the exploratory opportunities offered by the program’s career center as well. After all, the end goal of everyone seeking an MBA is to land a great, fulfilling, and hopefully well-paying job afterwards.  The resources available from the school’s career team are a critical component to achieving that goal.

 

Sarah Riley, Forte Fellow

MBA 2014, Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota

How to Apply with Your Partner

Everyone has different criteria for selecting which schools to apply to, but this decision becomes even more challenging when your partner is also applying to business school. This was one of my challenges in the application process and a structured approach helped to ensure that my partner and I were both happy with the result.

First, start early. Aim to apply in the first round. But before you think about specific schools, it helps to agree on a few principles. Are you and your partner set on attending the same school? Or would the same city or region be sufficient? You’ll want to consider cost in this decision, as paying two rents might not be feasible. If you prefer to attend the same school, do you have a dream school that would be an exception? What will you do if only one of you is admitted to that dream school? Establishing these principles early will help you decide where to apply and will mitigate stress as you receive decisions.

Next, do your research. Some schools value couples and will go out of their way not to admit one of you and not the other. Others clearly state that they have no preference. Still others are known for often admitting only one member of a couple. While it’s not always easy to find this information, you should look out for a few clues. First, see if the application includes a spot to apply as a couple. Second, ask the Admissions Office or a host student how many student couples come to school together. This should give you an idea of how friendly a school is to couples.

Narrow down your list of schools and segment it into first round and second round—just in case. This way you won’t be caught completely off guard if the first round doesn’t work out as you had hoped. Once you select which schools to apply to, be honest. If you absolutely would not attend the school unless you were both admitted, say that in your interview. Just make sure not to say it if it isn’t true. At the same time, be careful not to turn your interview into a “couples” interview. The interview is your time to shine, so you should focus on your accomplishments and goals, and let your partner focus on theirs.

Once you’re admitted and select a school, there are a couple more things to consider. Give the financial aid office a call and see if they have suggestions for couples. If your school has first year “sections,” express a preference to be in a different section than your partner in order to maximize your learning and networking opportunities. You might also ask Admissions to set you up with another partner couple to chat about their experience and get their advice.

I hope this helps you navigate the application process. Good luck!

Ellen Cory, Forte FellowClass of 2014, The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

To BIG or not too BIG?

The first mini semester of my MBA is over! After the last stressful exam I met up with my classmates for some dinner and drinks. I looked around at the 240 students around me and thought about how dear to my heart these people have become. I love them! Every one of them!

**

Last Spring I was faced to choose between a 700-student program and a 240-student program. I was contemplating whether a bigger or smaller class would suit me more and saw the benefits for both options. The benefits to being part of a 700 student program were the opportunity to significantly increase my network vs. a smaller class and having a higher chance of meeting friends that share my hobbies and values. On the other hand, the benefit of being part of a smaller class was having a larger influence on the class.

At the end, I choose the smaller class program.

In the past 8 weeks at Berkeley-Haas I have truly understood the uniqueness of being part of a small class. First, the fact that I know most of my classmates by name make it easier for me to reach out and connect with others; when I walk out to the courtyard for lunch, I look around and feel comfortable to join any table. Second, I feel that the small class structure supports international students associating with American students; the small class structure creates a dependence on each student, and leads to high collaboration.

Obviously, I can only testify to the benefits of a small class program, as this is the only one I have experienced. However, I encourage you, as a prospective student, to ask students how the class size plays a factor in their MBA experience.

 **

As the new mini semester emerges, I am eager to start the new course in problem framing, take part in the Digital Media company treks and strengthen the connection with my classmates.

   

Noa Elan, Forte Fellow

Class of 2014, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley

 

* Feel free to contact me with comments or questions on this post or the MBA experience at: noa_elan@mba.berkeley.edu