I haven't even started classes yet, but already feel completely immersed in the GW MBA program! We just finished two weeks of MBA Institute - international students had one week of orientation prior to that, so I've had the chance to get to know many of my classmates.
Relative to other MBA programs, GW's MBA class is small. There are about 120 of us doing the full-time program, which is tiny compared to, say, Harvard's average class size of 1,000. There are some drawbacks to the smaller class size (e.g., smaller alumni network), but on the whole, I feel the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. How can you possibly get to know 1,000 classmates?? But it is quite feasible that after two years I will know everyone in my class - and know them pretty well at that, especially those in my "G" cohort (we've been divided into three cohorts - G, W and - you guessed it! - U). I sense that I won't be just another cog in the wheel at GW. With such a small class, one's impact is amplified.
As some know, in coming to DC, I chose between GW and the higher-ranked Georgetown MBA program. It wasn't an easy choice, even with GW's award of a full-ride scholarship. Ever since graduating from Memorial, I held the dream of going to a top-ranked U.S. school for my MBA. So Georgetown's top-30 ranking (versus GW's top-100) was a strong pull. It was a decision that required a lot of "soul searching", if I may be so cliche about it.
Of course, it's still far too early to say whether I made the right choice - but I'm getting some positive signs. We have a few people in our program with significant others in the Georgetown program. Apparently GW has been much more impressive in its orientation career development sessions than Georgetown; the GT significant others are amazed at how much career guidance we're getting. I'd estimate that 50% of orientation was devoted to career topics - how to do a stellar resume, how to network, how to do informational interviews, where to look for internships, etc. Second-year students came in to talk about how they landed their internships last year. The F. David Fowler Career Center has recently grown from a couple of staff to more than 15, including full-time career coaches with extensive private sector experience. This is obviously a good sign - especially in this economy. Post-MBA career prospects are a huge part of B-school rankings.... with GWSB trying to move up the rankings, I think it's a very smart move for them to put more resources into the Career Center.
Speaking of career management, I'm off to New Orleans next month to attend the National Black MBA Association career fair. To answer the obvious question - no, you don't have to be African American to attend! MBAs from all different racial and ethnic backgrounds will be there. Many students in our class are going. We've been told by career center staff and second years that this is THE career fair to attend. It's where many Fortune 500 companies recruit for internships and post-MBA positions.
Classes start tomorrow! More on that soon...
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Beginning a New Life (Again)
Finally! My first blog entry since moving to Washington, DC. I’ve been here now for almost a month. It seems appropriate that I’m writing this exactly two months after returning from China. It’s time to get back into blog-writing mode....
My DC Digs
Since arriving here, I’ve met my roommate, found an apartment, attended international orientation, met an impressive group of international students, started MBA Institute and met an impressive group of American students.... so just a few things have changed in my life in the last month :-)
My roommate, Anuja, and I found an apartment close to Dupont Circle, which is one of the livelier parts of DC. I’m happy we’re not right on Dupont because I think it would be quite noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. We’re a few blocks away in a residential neighbourhood (opps, that should be “neighborhood” .... doh! Have to get used to spelling like an American.)
As I travelled here by plane, I brought zero furniture with me. Thankfully Anuja moved her stuff here from New York, so I’m not living in a completely empty apartment. That said, the living room is quite spacious and is rather lonely looking with just a sofa and a TV. It’s not top priority, but we’re eventually going to get a coffee table, some plants, etc. to make it homier. I had to buy a bed and mattress for my room, but that’s the only furniture I’ve purchased so far. I currently have an upside-down cardboard box for a night stand. For $15 I got a collapsible storage unit that hangs in my closest and can function as drawers. I’m torn about buying nicer pieces for my room, even though two years is much longer than I spent in China. I’m cognisant of my student budget and what if I can’t/don’t want to stay in DC after graduation?
Room to work with....
My DC Digs
Since arriving here, I’ve met my roommate, found an apartment, attended international orientation, met an impressive group of international students, started MBA Institute and met an impressive group of American students.... so just a few things have changed in my life in the last month :-)
My roommate, Anuja, and I found an apartment close to Dupont Circle, which is one of the livelier parts of DC. I’m happy we’re not right on Dupont because I think it would be quite noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. We’re a few blocks away in a residential neighbourhood (opps, that should be “neighborhood” .... doh! Have to get used to spelling like an American.)
As I travelled here by plane, I brought zero furniture with me. Thankfully Anuja moved her stuff here from New York, so I’m not living in a completely empty apartment. That said, the living room is quite spacious and is rather lonely looking with just a sofa and a TV. It’s not top priority, but we’re eventually going to get a coffee table, some plants, etc. to make it homier. I had to buy a bed and mattress for my room, but that’s the only furniture I’ve purchased so far. I currently have an upside-down cardboard box for a night stand. For $15 I got a collapsible storage unit that hangs in my closest and can function as drawers. I’m torn about buying nicer pieces for my room, even though two years is much longer than I spent in China. I’m cognisant of my student budget and what if I can’t/don’t want to stay in DC after graduation?
Room to work with.... Get In Early
After international orientation, MBA Institute started for all students this past week. The schedule is intense to say the least. We have one more week of MBA Institute and then classes start the following Monday, Aug. 31.
One thing has become clear to me right away – there is no room for shyness in the MBA program. In my China blog I alluded to the fact that I used to be very shy and very unwilling to accept change. I don’t know how, but somewhere along the way (perhaps when I made the decision to do business as my undergrad), people started not believing that I’m shy. I’m an introvert by nature, but I’ve forced myself to become more out-going at school and work and in my extracurricular activities. Still – these past few weeks have reminded that I’m still very much the little kid who used to get comments like this on report cards: “Amy is an excellent student, but she needs to participate more in class.” Sitting in our first case workshop last week, I sat silent the entire class as others raised their hands to respond to the instructor’s questions. Funny how I have no problem giving a presentation in front of a roomful of people, but the thought of making impromptu comments in class still makes me shrink back. There’s the fear of being judged by classmates, of having the instructor say you’re completely off-track – though in cases, there is often no right or wrong answer.
At the end of the workshop, the instructor asked those who had spoken up in class to raise their hands. A bunch of hands went up around me, while I sat unmoving. She noted how important it was to “get in early” in cases and just speak. Don’t over-think – just speak. And that was it. As with so many other things I’ve done against my inherent shyness – undergrad business, Toastmasters, Board of Trade Ambassadors’ Team, ESL teacher in China – I went into “change” mode. Immediately following the case workshop, we had a strategic frameworks session and I made a point to sit in the front row because I find it easier to make comments the closer I am to the professor. I spoke up twice and raised my hand a few other times, but wasn’t called on.
Chinese Studies – Part 2
Speaking of China, I’m delighted that there are a number of Chinese-speaking students in the GW MBA program. Already I’ve found one language exchange partner. I feel an affinity with the Chinese students that I probably wouldn’t have felt had I not spent five months in China. I love that I can actually pronounce their names. Sitting with some of them at lunch, I’m happy to pull out some of my Chinese, as rudimentary as it is. My goal is to reach the conversational level by the time I have my MBA. There are a couple of Americans and one Korean in the class who also want to learn Chinese. We’re talking about starting a conversation group to help each other with English and Chinese. Next weekend I’m going to a Chinese language meet-up in the downtown area. DC is a fantastic place to learn a language and I’ll have many resources to take advantage of in the next few years.
After international orientation, MBA Institute started for all students this past week. The schedule is intense to say the least. We have one more week of MBA Institute and then classes start the following Monday, Aug. 31.
One thing has become clear to me right away – there is no room for shyness in the MBA program. In my China blog I alluded to the fact that I used to be very shy and very unwilling to accept change. I don’t know how, but somewhere along the way (perhaps when I made the decision to do business as my undergrad), people started not believing that I’m shy. I’m an introvert by nature, but I’ve forced myself to become more out-going at school and work and in my extracurricular activities. Still – these past few weeks have reminded that I’m still very much the little kid who used to get comments like this on report cards: “Amy is an excellent student, but she needs to participate more in class.” Sitting in our first case workshop last week, I sat silent the entire class as others raised their hands to respond to the instructor’s questions. Funny how I have no problem giving a presentation in front of a roomful of people, but the thought of making impromptu comments in class still makes me shrink back. There’s the fear of being judged by classmates, of having the instructor say you’re completely off-track – though in cases, there is often no right or wrong answer.
At the end of the workshop, the instructor asked those who had spoken up in class to raise their hands. A bunch of hands went up around me, while I sat unmoving. She noted how important it was to “get in early” in cases and just speak. Don’t over-think – just speak. And that was it. As with so many other things I’ve done against my inherent shyness – undergrad business, Toastmasters, Board of Trade Ambassadors’ Team, ESL teacher in China – I went into “change” mode. Immediately following the case workshop, we had a strategic frameworks session and I made a point to sit in the front row because I find it easier to make comments the closer I am to the professor. I spoke up twice and raised my hand a few other times, but wasn’t called on.
Chinese Studies – Part 2
Speaking of China, I’m delighted that there are a number of Chinese-speaking students in the GW MBA program. Already I’ve found one language exchange partner. I feel an affinity with the Chinese students that I probably wouldn’t have felt had I not spent five months in China. I love that I can actually pronounce their names. Sitting with some of them at lunch, I’m happy to pull out some of my Chinese, as rudimentary as it is. My goal is to reach the conversational level by the time I have my MBA. There are a couple of Americans and one Korean in the class who also want to learn Chinese. We’re talking about starting a conversation group to help each other with English and Chinese. Next weekend I’m going to a Chinese language meet-up in the downtown area. DC is a fantastic place to learn a language and I’ll have many resources to take advantage of in the next few years.
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