So it's almost mid-February. R1 decision dates have come and gone. R2 decision dates are either here or soon approaching....
Many of you lucky intelligent, overachieving, (handsome/pretty?) GClubbers have a destination or two (or more) in the Class of 2013.
Some of you guys may have scholarship and fellowships. Pat yourselves on the back (I do it every 3 hrs on any given day).
But you guys have a SERIOUS problem:
1) It's only February and Fall is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Far away.
2) Remember senioritis from highschool? Well, you haven't been quite productive since you submitted your applications, and now that you KNOW you will be gone in the near future, your productivity has dropped significantly.
3) If you hated your job before, now you are giddy with the prospect of sending a legendary, explosive goodbye email to all those b*st*rds (at work) who made your life living hell.
Well, guys.... I have less than 4 months of school left before I walk. MBA is my second graduate degree and probably the last one (unless my soon-to-be wife's post-MBA career take off and I choose to call it a career from my post-MBA job, and become a FT stay-at-home doggie walker......and go to law school and waste HER hard earned money because my experience at Yale Law School has been awesome and you can't find better drink-buddies than law school kids...).
While I am counting down the days until graduation, and wasting my time reading through the various threads in this forum, I realize that a lot of you guys are anxious to put your current career behind, and start your bschool journey ASAP.
Here are various Do's and Don't's that some of us have learned the hard way: (And other current/past students, and other members, please feel free to chime in)
1) Should you stop working to your best abilities at work? Should you burn the bridge and fire away that email to the entire company (explaining how much they suck?)
Probably not. Believe it or not, networking does not simply mean meeting new people once you enter bschool. It also means keeping your current relationships intact. No matter how much you might hate your boss, no one can't predict whether you may need his/her help in the future.
I've met a M7 student this past summer during after-work/internship networking event in NYC. He/she struck out during on campus recruiting at his/her school, and had to return to his/her old employer to do a paid summer internship. He/she kept in touch with various people from his/her ex-employer, that he/she was able to at least get a paid gig for the summer.
2) Should you quit your job early and either take a vacation or do something else before school?
If you have a trust fund, significant other (who will finance your early freedom), or rich parents, etc - ABSOLUTELY. It's a good idea to take a mental break now before starting school. You won't have time to relax once the school starts, so enjoy your life while you can. However, if you don't have such arrangement (rich parents, etc), stay as long as you can. Debt sucks. You don't want to know how much interest you end up accruing month after month while in school. Bschool life can get quite expensive. Thanks to generosity of YSOM, I won't have any debt upon graduation but my savings account took a hit during the last 1.5 years...
3) Should you get an early start by reading various textbooks, etc?
Probably not. I admire your desire to excel in academics but you are ALREADY well prepared for bschool at this point. Most of you will do very well in school. Rather, I would work on your communication skills. If you are not a good public speaker, I would practice NOW and get used to speaking in front of strangers, etc. This is important because without great communication skills (including the ability to sell yourself effectively), you will have a tough time in class and during recruiting.
I remember reading a BW article long time ago about a Haas MBA student who struck out during an interview with a top consulting firm because the interviewer thought he/she was "too introverted" and reserved. He/she wasn't able to speak well during the interview. However, due to professor's recommendation, the same firm ended up interviewing him/her again and he/she ended up with a FT offer.
I've said it before in the Yale thread. Work on your killer closing speech now. It comes in handy during recruiting. Interview is not about going in and answering their questions. Before you go it, KNOW exactly what YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT YOU. Make a mental list of those items in your head. Before the interview is over, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING on your list was communicated to the other side. That makes a successful interview.
4.) What about my current boy/girl friend? significant other?
There's no right or wrong answer to this one. Different people do things differently. I've seen people break up before bschool amicably. I've seen married people moving together. I've seen married people living in different states. Whatever option you end up choosing, if you put in the effort to make it work, it will work out in the end.
My soon to be wife and I were already engaged when we decided to get our MBA. She was little more ambitious and ended up doing her MBA in the west coast because she wanted to live where "they have better weather" ~
Me - I only did my MBA because: 1) did not want to move to west coast; 2) did not think I would get into the school that she was going to; 3) she's doing it so I guess I will get one as well
We spent last yr and a half on the opposite side of the country but made every effort to come together during the breaks, holidays, etc. We made it through and we will be getting married in June before both of us begin our post MBA careers.
5) Is MBA worth it? It's too expensive!
Well, nothing in life comes easy and we have to take a risk sometimes. But important thing is that we manage our exposure to that risk.
I think if you invest $X amount for X MBA program (which, traditionally placed its graduates into great jobs, etc + great education that will pay dividends over your career), then you have a good reason to take that risk. But let's say you lost your job or you simply hate your current job. You are simply going to school Y because you just want to get out of your current situation and you expect to get a job out of it after 2 years. That's a risky decision.
6) Finally - Manage your future expectations now
What can MBA do for you? Different people have different expectations. Usually, it's really optimistic. But no matter where you end up matriculating, in the end, it's all up to you.
If you are a bad driver, and you buy a Mercedes, it's not going to make you a better driver. You will simply be a bad driver driving a really nice car.
If you expect that your degree from school X will suddenly change your life completely, you will be making a similar mistake. A top bschool MBA will definitely open you doors. But to make the best out of your opportunity, you have to evolve. You have to make an effort. I don't mean that you should simply: 1) excel in classes and get great grades, 2) attend all the workshops and seminars, 3) go to all the networking events, etc
You should do all that and make small efforts such as: 1) If you are bad with names, make an effort to change that. If you meet someone new, the old "you" would say, "I will learn his/her name eventually." Change that and say, "I don't care what I have to do today. Even if it means I have to spend next 20 minutes and tell her all my embarrassing flaws, I am going to know that person and learn his/her name today."
If you were never in to sports, take this opportunity (over next 2 years) and find new friends who are into sports - learn why they are into sports, and attend sporting events with them and REALLY make an effort to see if there are any sporting events that you may end up liking.
If you have never went to a broadway show, take this opportunity and change that. Make an effort. Who knows what you really like anyway? I learn new things every day and as a result, I evolve for worse or for better. But what I know is that I am not the same person that I was 2 years ago.
Try to make small efforts like that over the next 2 years. You will be pleasantly surprised...
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