Pre-MBA Networking: Very Helpful!!!

Hi Guys,

So this is a topic that I've wanted to write about for the loooongest time....but life and other topics simply got in the way, so now I'm finally getting to it.

Since we're all interested in business school we should know that many, some say most, times it's not what you know but WHO you know.  I think this is true in many cases.  There is a way to network before your MBA that will help you through the process while you're navigating through applications.  This post will reference A LOT of people whom I've met this past year and have been able to help and have help me.  I can whole heartedly say that I do not think I would be this far along in the process and have the understanding that I do without having networked the sh*t out of everything.

I will add that being in NYC has been invaluable in my ability to network.  Hey if I'm here I might as well take advantage of it right?  I understand that not everyone is in my position...

Can you pick which guy I am?!? hhahaha I crack myself UP!

Below I'm going to think about the events I've been too... who I met...and how we've helped each other... and yes.. this post is embedded with Bitly's so that people can reference the full posts.  You'll be able to see... wow he's not making this up!

NYU Stern Marketing Event 2009:  Last year I attended this annual marketing event at NYU.  This was for current students and prospective students.  Here I met two important people whom I still talk to.

Person 1 - Jessica - It's funny because the end of the event consisted of a reception.  Sidenote - reception is just a formal MBA way of saying OPEN BAR.  You guys don't know me but my saying is... "If it's free...I'll take three!"  I didn't want to be a lush so I tried to contain myself, but there was a girl who said to a couple of us after the reception - "Who wants to go to a bar?"  so.... we went to a bar!  Jessica was one of the people who like myself loves to drink!  Being a minority applicant, we already had a bond knowing that the process would be slightly different for us.  We were also in the same boat because we were not applying in that current year, but would be applying this year.  Since then I have become very good friends with Jessica.  We speak on gchat everyday.  She's a member of MLT and we pass nuggets along back and for to each other about this process.  She has become an invaluable contact because sometimes just sharing App Process War stories is a good thing.

"DAMN GMAT - right Jess?  Cuz I know she's reading this right now... laughing... all the while giving me the Side Eye at her desk like, "I KNOW THIS FOOL DID NOT JUST CALL ME OUT IN HIS BLOG"... OH HONEY I DID.. I DID!  How you doing?

Person 2 - Matt - Matt was also an attendee at the marketing event.  Unlike Jessica, Matt would be applying in that current cycle.  R2 to be exact.  We bonded because we both did Digital marketing for major fashion retailers.  We kind of had the same job and similar reasons for wanting to go to business school.  He's the classic case of WHAT NOT TO DO.  He took a Manhattan GMAT in the summer of 2009 but didn't take the GMAT until December of 2009.  Then he had to write 1 ESSAY PER DAY in order to meet all of the Round 2 Deadlines.  He works a couple blocks from me and we meet up every couple of weeks to talk about our war stories.  It was interesting for me to see him go through the process and then even decisions.  I would email him "CHECK YOUR EMAIL I HEAR THAT _______ SCHOOL DECISIONS WERE JUST SENT OUT!"  Then he would email me back with the decision. He ultimately got into Darden and was waitlisted at NYU.

Harvard LGBT Reception Nov/Dec 2009:  I hadn't started my blog yet, so there isn't a Bitly link.  ;-) I also, didn't know that this contact would be a contact until much later - you'll see when if you continue reading.


Person 1 - "Banker Boy" - Before the official event kicked off, I was talking to a student who would be applying in Round 2.  We traded cards...and kept in touch, because well.. I wanted to see if he would get into HBS.  He was a nice guy and we also talk on chat.  gchat is great btw.  He applied to the top 4 schools and unfortunately was not admitted to any of them.  BTW he has a 750 GMAT score.  I actually am amazed because the first time he took the GMAT he got a 690 and then he took it again AFTER WORK and got a 750.  I was baffled.  In any event, we keep each other abreast as to which events are happening when.

Person 2 - "Neighbor" - HBS 1st Year Student - While I was talking to Person 1, a current HBS student came over to find out who we were, what we did, why we want to go to b-school... all of the standard stuff so to speak.  We traded business cards with him and went on our merry little way!  More to come on this one....

BeatTheGMAT.com Contest February 2010 - Not going to provide a Bitly, but click on any post in February and you'll see what I'm talking about!  I made an incredible invaluable contact because of this contest!


Person 1 - Brandon (Osirus) - I'm sure there will be a post after I receive an acceptance letter thanking everyone who is on Team Richard!  Brandon will definitely get thanks.  I'm not even going to go into everything he's helped me with and vice versa... But because of the contest I now have someone to text and who text's me at any time of the day with b-school sh*t on our minds.  Like Jess he is a member of MLT.  They didn't know each other because Brandon is in Chicago and Jess is here in NYC, but since they both know me... and I like to connect people...They were talking to each other THROUGH me.  Brandon would ask... How is Jess doing with such and such?  Jess would ask.. How is Brandon doing with such and such?  Of course I was the messenger, so at the very least I couldn't be shot.  They recently had a MLT conference out west and finally got to meet each other.

Sidenote - at first I hated Osirus.  I was like "Who is this other fanatical posting fool?  I don't like him... must take him down!"

Yale School of Management Visit January 2010 - http://bit.ly/YaleSOM2 :  I think the title is self explanatory.  I visited Yale...I met people there.  BAM!


Person 1 - Jonathan - All I'm going to say here is read his incredible post:  http://bit.ly/RossInterview
Person 2 - Spencer - I too met spencer during my visit.  It was funny because I almost missed my train because I was talking to him in the train station.  We exchanged contact information in the train station even though neither of us had any more business cards.  He was visiting Yale SOM for his interview.  So he had already gone through the application process.  Spencer has been a great contact 1.) because he makes me laugh on gchat everyday.  2.) because he's been able to give me insight into the life at Ross.  He too will be attending Michigan Ross this upcoming fall.

Sidenote - I wonder if it's a coincidence that the three people I met during my Yale SOM visit are all going to Ross.  Hhmm... note to self to look into that!  ;-)

Dartmouth Tuck Visit March 2010 - http://bit.ly/TuckVisit : I will not be using people's real names here, because they show up in Google searches! ;-)  Yes I know because I made the mistake accidentally in another post and was like WHOA WHOA REIGN IT IN!  and no... I'm not going to hold anything back here... You'll realize the power of the Tuck network at the end of this post.


Person 1 - "P. Diddy" - Prior to my visit I reached out to a member of the Center for Digital Strategies.  He was kind enough to invite me to sit in on a speaker.  Unfortunately the speaker cancelled but I was able to attend a luncheon with the other Center for Digital Strategies fellows.  They were planning the upcoming theme for the program.  "P. Diddy" has been an absolutely PHENOMENAL contact.  I still talk to him to this day picking his brain, sending him articles, and finding out what he's been up to.  He graduated this past spring but has offered to put me in contact with the new Center for Digital Strategies fellows, when I go back up to Tuck in the fall and interview.  Another important piece to this pie has been that all of the Fellows whom I met...yeah we're connections on LinkedIn!  So think about it this way... I now know people in my industry, who have MBA's, from a school I'll be applying too.  More importantly, he'll be able to help me hone in on the meat of one of my essays.  He's already offered!  ;-)

Person 2 - "Ocean's 11" - I reached out to another student prior to my Tuck visit who was in the African American club, for short - didn't feel like typing out the entire name of the club.  This person was unable to meet with me, so I believe she sent an email out to the whole club asking if anyone was available.  One person responded to the email and I set up a meeting with her.  Neither of them are "Ocean's 11."  "Ocean's 11"is someone who responded to the email to make sure that someone else had responded.  I told him that, yes someone did, but asked if he would be joining our coffee chat too.  Long story short - He joined and while I don't speak to either of the first two contacts, I speak to "Ocean's 11" on a near weekly basis.  He's currently doing his internship so the emails have slowed down a bit, but I will definitely 100% be tapping that resource when I'm filtering out my essays.  He and I have a lot in common and he's been to many of the conferences I wish to attend.  He's provided a lot of insight into the MBA process and just overall life of an MBA student.  For instance, I asked him one time how people live without a salary for two years.  (If you remember, I asked Jonathan a similar question).  "Ocean's 11" spoke about loan disbursements and such.  Who knew?!?!  Not I said the cat...When I get back up to Tuck I told him that I have to take him out for dinner.  "Ocean's 11" has also offered to help me hone in on the core of my essays!  ;-)

Person 3 - "Miss Mary Mack" - I reached out to the LGBT club at Dartmouth prior to visiting of course.  I was first put in touch with a student who was studying abroad.  He then forwarded my email to another 2nd year and I was able to set up a call with her.  This was a great call, and during the call I took notes.  I will say that this isn't a contact that I kept up with over the months, because I already had another contact with the LGBT community at Tuck.  I remember she too offered to read through my essays, so yes I will be going that route.  Yesterday actually, I got a message from her via LinkedIn about the upcoming Diversity Conference at Tuck.  Now mind you, I did not reach back out to her and our phone call was back in March the Sunday before I visited!  So yeah, I got a message from her about the upcoming Diversity Conference and then we began to email back and forth in gmail, with me picking her brain!  Mind you - we've never met in person because when I visited, she too was away.  She's since graduated but will be trying to get to the Diversity Conference this fall.  Hopefully I'll get to meet her in person then.

Hhmm let's see.. what was next after Tuck?  Oh Harvard!

Harvard HBS LGBT Event April 2010 - http://bit.ly/HBSLGBT: These were unexpected contacts.  I met the two of people below during the last event of the full day open house - during another Open Bar!  Are you beginning to notice the trend?!?!  Me = Lush!  if it's free.. I'll take 3!


Person 1 - Ben - I met Ben during the reception at the end of the day.  I honestly don't remember what we spoke about at all.  I just knew that we were both from NYC.  I'm sure we talked about that.  We exchanged contact information and left the event.  I remember him saying that he was taking the bus that was leaving an hour before mine to get back to the city.  Then I remember being on the bus and finding him on Facebook and sending each other messages back and forth via Facebook.  It was quite comical because we were making fun of people.  (One of my favorite past times but I'll be the first one to make fun of myself so it's OK - at least that's how I reconcile it in my head).  The next time I saw Ben was at the Dartmouth Tuck event at the Kaplan center on May 8th.  The only reason I remember that date is because it was the day I took the GMAT!  It was as if we were old friends.  When I was attending the Michigan Ross event on Monday, Ben texted me and asked me if I was going to the InsideTheMBA.org event the following day.  I hadn't even heard about it, but I registered and attended.  During that event Ben had me dying laughing.  Apparently he had been at an all day Wine tasting event and let me tell you.. he kept it going during the MBA Event!  Jessica was also at this event, and now... ::patting myself on the back::  Ben and Jessica are friends on Facebook.  He had her and her friends cracking up!

Ben, if you're reading this (I'm going to make you read it...) Thunderbird Business School will be at the Kaplan event on August 8th.  Got some questions for them?


Person 2 - "He-Man" - Midway through the page - http://bit.ly/MBAMakesMeWhat - During the HBS event, I met a current student who had a similar background to mine.  He had worked on the corporate side of retail like I was, so we swapped stories on that.  In any event, so in the link I posted above I recall the meeting that he and I had at Starbucks picking each others brains.  I know that he's dedicated to helping me flush out ideas for my HBS essays.  We actually have a call set up for Sunday @ 6pm to discuss.  I sent him the essay questions, with my ideas for each essay.  We will discuss them then... He's great!


Person 3 - "Neighbor" - So now go back to the first HBS event I attended back last fall.  Remember the 2nd person "Neighbor"?  Well now he comes into play.  So he was actually one of the organizers of the LGBT Event up at Harvard since he was now a 2nd year student.  When we were at the breakfast reception early in the morning I spoke to him because I remembered him from the previous event.  Granted - he didn't remember me...  Anyway, after the event I emailed him and thanked him for organizing it.  We emailed back and forth and it turns out that WE GREW UP IN BORDERING TOWNS.  Actually, our High Schools were rivals!  So we kind of bonded over that and I think I played against his brother in soccer!


I can think about 10 other contacts I've made, but in all honesty... I don't feel like writing it all.  It's now 1:34am and I have class tomorrow at 9.  Maybe another time I'll write it.  In conclusion though, it's been important for me to keep in touch with everyone I've met on this journey... right down to now I don't have to find a hotel to stay in when I visit Ross!  You never know who you're going to run into and who will turn into a great resource!


I think there are going to be more and more posts, because there's so much going on in my life right now that I need to update you guys... here's a preview!


- I was interviewed today for MBAPodcaster.com
- Update on conversation with VP
- InsideTheMBA.org event on Tuesday
- GMAT
- Kaplan event on August 8th and the sacrifice I will have to make to attend.
- ESSAYS!
- Fall calendar
- Something else in the pipeline for Monday.


Yeah sooo much stuff...


IF YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THIS POST CAN YOU PLEASE CLICK HERE:  http://bit.ly/BlogLengthTest I want track an see how many people actually read that much!  Thank you if you do!

Comments welcome!

Harvard - LGBT Open House

HBS LGBT Open House/Campus Visit

Ok everyone... so I want to update you on my Harvard Business School visit.  So Monday the 12th was an LGBT Open House event up at the business school.  I took the Bolt Bus from Penn Station at 10am on Sunday up to Boston.  It was about a 4 hour trip, which wasn’t bad at all.  I couldn’t sleep the night before due to allergies, so I slept the whole way up to Boston from NYC.  

Sunday night I had a friend come to my hotel and just shoot the shit.  I hadn’t seen her since she graduated in 2003, so it was good to catch up.  She has a friend in the HBS admissions office, but I didn’t play that card at all.  There’s really nothing to play actually... not like he can get me in!

So Monday rolls around and I wake up at 7:15.  I get in the shower...  go have a cigarette outside - the usual morning ritual.  I get in a cab which was $12.00 from my hotel to Spangler Hall.

Let me just say this before I continue...  The HBS campus is absolutely gorgeous!  It’s the most manicured campus I’ve visited thus far.  All schools should take note at how HBS keeps up their campus because it’s definitely one to envy.  At first glance, as I was walking up to Spangler Hall there were a myriad of students walking to class in packs.  Their attire was like that of any other business school...  jeans... or khakis...  sweaters... blah blah... 

So I get to Spangler Hall at 8:30.  I was about 15 minutes early, but that was ok because there were already a couple of prospective students at the continental breakfast.  Spangler Hall was gorgeous... all of the buildings are gorgeous - Minus the dorm residences...but I’ll get into more of that later... Spangler has very high ceilings with columns.... I’m trying to think of an analogy to make...  ok got it.. think of the townouse that Miranda Priestly lived in in the movie Devil Wears Prada... THAT’S Spangler Hall.  

Spangler is where the dining halls are and the large study lounge which would be equivalent to that Stell Hall at Dartmouth, except the Spangler Study area was about three times the size of Dartmouth’s, which makes sense since there are 1800 Students at HBS and 500 at Dartmouth.  I didn’t see an equivalent study area when I visited Yale, but I’m sure that once they get their new campus it’ll be incredible.  

So during the opening breakfast I sat at a table with some other prospective students.  I believe one guy worked for Goldman Sachs, another one for GM, the one kid that I met during my Tuck visit, and I’m not sure what the girl did.  Two current students were also sitting at the table with us talking about their experiences and what not.  They didn’t seem stuck up or anything of that nature, which was contrary to a popular belief I had.  

We all talked for about 30 minutes and then one of the professors kicked off the day.  Her speech/introduction was very funny...candid...and genuine.  She spoke to how Harvard really supports the LGBT community.  Unlike at most schools where the LGBT club persuades the admissions office to host events, at Harvard the initiative comes from the admissions office.  She also spoke about what HBS looks for in candidates and what qualities a prospective student/current student must have in order to get and give the most from/to the HBS community.  

This part of her speech was very important.  If I were to paraphrase and be blunt it would go something like this:  “Be out in your application, otherwise HBS won’t know that you’re gay.”  This makes perfect sense in that for gay students it’s tough to be 100% convicted to what you believe in, if you’re not 100% comfortable with yourself.  At HBS you will be challenged purposely, and if you are so self-conscious that it holds you back, you will dread your HBS experience.  Plus you’re hurting your classmates because you won’t be giving your all for them to learn from.  

She didn’t say this to say that everyone who is gay and who apply to HBS should be out.  But she was stressing the fact that even if you’re not out... you better be fine with that internally, which in my opinion... some are.  I personally know what it’s like to not be out at work and be in situations where I felt uncomfortable with either myself and thinking that I had to portray myself in a certain manner... even situations as simple as having to give a presentation and wondering whether or not people are listening to what you’re saying, or analyzing your mannerisms.  It’s just unecessary, so she was saying that as a Gay student you should be unapologetic for yourself.  Oh and yes she was gay too.  

Anyway... I digress....

So yes she spoke... and then we split up into I think 3 groups, to go on our class visit.  Let me back up for a second... before we all got to HBS we were emailed a 22 page Case study to read before our arrival.  The case study that I received was about Huffingtonpost.com.  I was pretty excited to read it for a couple of reasons.  I read the Huffingtonpost every day, well every weekday.  Another reason is that the case study touched on online advertising and ways to monetize the website.  This is the industry that I work in so it definitely held my attention.

Anyway... so I follow my student to the classroom, and got my first look at the other buildings on campus.  I remember thinking to myself... “WOW NOW THIS IS A BUSINESS SCHOOL!”  That’s not to say that the other schools that I’ve visited were sub-par... but I think everyone who has visited HBS and seen the insides of these buildings would corroborate my story.  I don’t even know how to describe it.  I kind of felt like I was in the UN building walking by conference rooms full of national delegates.  HBS definitely has money and it’s very obvious when you walk the hallways.

I go to my classroom with about 8 other students in my group, and we find seats in the back of the classroom.  For some reason I thought the classrooms would be larger than they were.  I’d say there were about 60 students + the 8/10 LGBT students, plus two parents who were sitting in on the class.  The energy in the class was a level 10.  Students were talking in small groups of say ¾, laughing… discussing stuff…  doing what people do before a class.  Our student rep told the professor that we were sitting in on the class and we got a round of applause from the students.  Like I said there were also two parents sitting in on the class and they got a standing ovation.  Guess it’s common there… 

The professors at HBS are facilitators… they don’t lecture, although I’m sure they are physically able to.  This professor was very hyper and would race around the class calling on people to finish someone’s point or rebut their point.  Then the professor started letting the students call on their fellow classmates.  So for instance if I was finishing a thought and backing myself up, I would then call on someone else who had an opposite opinion and I would have to defend myself against him or her.  I can totally see this playing out in every boardroom across the country.  I would say the professor talked a total of 10 minutes throughout the duration of the class.  It was really something to see it in action.  

After the class it was lunchtime.  We were given brown bag lunches and were put in these study rooms with about 6/7 other prospective students along with 2 current LGBT students.  There was this one prospective student who couldn’t fully grasp the concept of the HBS Case study method.  He asked “So you guys don’t really do problem sets?  What would I have learned after debating with my classmates for an hour and a half?”  And then he just sat back in his chair with his arms folded.  I think she should look at MIT Sloan as that would be more his speed.  

During the discussion with the current students I just sat back and listened to the comments and questions.  They were very general and it was pretty much the same questions you would hear at any other school…internship that….  Life at HBS this….  I will note that about ¾ of the students in that room (excluding current students) were 2+2 candidates.  I am 27 – will be 28 next week, and I was definitely the oldest one out of the bunch.  

After lunch we went back to one of the classrooms to sit and talk with the admissions director and someone in financial aid.  All of this was standard, but I did have a moment when my heart sank.  There was this one female who raised her hand and said, “so… I’m married…  it’s not legally recognized in most states, but what would that mean in terms of me getting financial aid.”  Luckily Massachusetts recognizes gay marriages and all that jazz… but it was the first time that I had witnessed someone asking that question who would genuinely be affected by the answer.  Most of the times with my friends and I it’s just what ifs….

After the discussion with the Admissions director and the person from the financial aid office, we went on our campus tour.  We were in a group of about 10.  We walked all through the halls, which you can definitely get lost in.  Then our guide took us outside and around the campus… this is very anti-climactic because to be honest, a lot of the buildings we just saw from the outside and he would point and say this is X and that is Y.  There were also some buildings that he said he didn’t know what they were and that as a student we’d never have to go in them.  I just shrugged that off.  I will say that the library is gorgeous.  There aren’t many books at all, but it would be a great place to study.  We also got to see the dorms which… hhmm.. yeah were VERY small.  I didn’t expect the rooms the to be large, but the buildings and hallways could have been larger.  The building I went into made me claustrophobic.  They had communal bathrooms but there were separate showers.  I dunno about all that…not at this age…

      

After the campus tour we went to sit in on an LGBT student panel Q&A.    This was fun to see current students being very candid with each other and us prospective students.  There were two women and four guys up there.  Two of the panelists were the two students that were sitting at my table during the breakfast.  Since I’m writing this so far after my visit, I can’t really regurgitate what was said.  Probably a little bit of this and a little bit of that … ;-)  They did say that one of the benefits of being out at HBS and in the LGBT club was that you have about 60 other members and the bond that you have is tighter than one that you may form in another club with 300 members.  I can definitely see this as being a plus… and in terms of networking… it would be one of the main reasons for me to go to HBS… (if I score high enough on the GMAT and get in).  

After the Q&A session it was time for some drinky drinks at the LGBT reception, which was in this mediocre(ly) sized lounge(y) room with a fireplace.  I laughed when I walked in because I was expecting hors d'oeuvres and some munchie food... but when I walked in there were some California rolls... hummus... and vegetables with dip....  "how stereotypical of an LGBT event" i thought to myself hahaha...  oh and there was a bunch of wine and a little bit of beer!  Gotta know your audience I suppose.  

Anyway the reception consisted of prospective students mixing and mingling with each other, while current students embedded themselves in each groups conversations.  It was actually very interesting.  I just stood back for a bit to observe and try imagining myself attending school there with those types of people.  Again I felt old in the room.  (I'll be 28 next week)... The types of LGBT people ranged from the very queeny (terminology we use to describe someone who is overly flamboyant) to straight-acting.  

I struck up a conversation with someone else who was in Fashion retail...  he works for Piperlime, so we discussed our backgrounds and then a current student joined us because prior to HBS he was a buyer for the Gap (I think he was a buyer).  Nonetheless I had to get out of there after a while to get back to the bus depot.  On my way out I said goodbye to a student who was also going back to NYC and we compared departing times and realized we would be on the same bus.  Of course we said we would sit by each other and keep each other awake while we tried studying... DAMN GMATs!

I did feel that during the reception... the current students felt that they had better things to do.  They probably did, but to me it felt like they were forced to be there.  I mean come on.... free alcohol?

So then I go collect my stuff and start talking to a female prospective LGBT student.  We had been together a lot during the day so we decided to walk out together.  It was interesting because she used to be in the military and she said that she was comfortable being out (that Don't Ask..Don't Tell.. is such a crock!) in the military, but it was when she started working in the corporate world that she didn't feel comfortable being out.  HHmm interesting...So then we walk out... we trade information (I still have not heard back from her)... and I collected my belongings and headed to the bus depot.

As I'm sitting in station waiting for the bus... the student who I compared departing times with showed up... he was with someone else who was at the event with us.  They ran into each other on their commute over.  So we chit chatted it up...  sat next to each other on the bus... Facebooked and LinkedIn each other - yes I know those two nouns are not verbs... YET!  Verbification.... gotta love it...  

Let me make this part short...  Got home around 1:45am... took a cab home...  got in bed... woke up... went to work...  

Sorry guys that this took so long to get up... but as you can see... it's very long...  All in all it was a great visit!  HBS is one of those schools where, if you get in... you go...  We'll see if that holds true.. I'm not sure... I definitely got a better feeling from Tuck though!  

For those of you who do not care about the LGBT agenda very much..just take it for what it's worth.  I wanted to put a lot of detail in this post for that random LGBT prospective who may find this blog down the road.  This is the type of information that I myself would be looking for online.  So hopefully this is interesting to some people.  

Being a prospective LGBT student really adds a different level of complexity to our decision.  If you think that it shouldn't... you're incorrect.  Think about it if the tables were turned.  Think about if you were looking at a school that you really loved but out of say 250 people... 6 were straight and the rest were gay.  Even if you love gay people and are comfortable in that situation... it's still something to mull over.  Ya know.. being in that situation for 2 years...Sometimes you just want people around you that understand you, it's as simple as that.  

But I'll get down from my soap box now...  16 days until my GMAT!