Where are the strongest Haas alumni networks outside of California?
Some of the really active cities where we have alumni networks include New York, D.C., Sao Paulo, London, Tokyo, and Shanghai. Those are all places that have very active alumni chapters.
On the flip side, it is also true that because we're one of the smaller MBA programs, the overall size of our alumni network is smaller than a program that is pumping out 800 MBAs each year.
I think we make up for that by the fact that the alumni network at Haas is very tight. People have close connections with each other, and people, both alumni and current students, really do use the network.
I know of a number of people who have used the network to get jobs in other parts of the world. In fact, I met an alum recently who has been out for about 10 years, who said, "Each of the three jobs that I've had in the 10 years since leaving Haas, I got directly through an alumni connection." I don't think that's uncommon.
What would you like prospective students to know about the overall Haas community?
I think that what I would emphasize is the fact that we do value people who have the ability to be creative and innovative in what they're doing.
We provide an almost bewildering variety of options for people to explore their interests and to really move their career forward by tailoring this experience to what they're looking to get.
What are Haas students really like?
I would say that Haas students are smart, ambitious, and team-oriented.
I think my favorite phrase to describe them is something that a corporate recruiter said in an interview with a magazine: “They're confident without being arrogant.”
More specifically, he said, “All of the talent and half the attitude” – which I think is a very accurate way to capture it.
If you talk to any of our alumni, I think what you'll find is that people love their experience here.
Certainly, they're working hard while they're here. There's no doubt about that. But I think
that people – both those we value as candidates, and those who choose
to enroll here – are smart people who look at this as an opportunity to build a network of friends and colleagues that they're going to have throughout their career. So the cultural value is really in forming close relationships.
And in terms of the intellectual interchange – if you have great, cutting-edge ideas, or
if you want to start a business, or if you have the next great idea about how behavioral finance can be applied, you're not going to share and discuss those ideas unless you like and trust your classmates.
I think we've created an environment which people find intellectually stimulating but also a comfortable place socially.
People like each other, people work together well, and people share ideas and projects and concepts,
The environment created by that is much more stimulating than it is at a place where people are concerned about not discussing their ideas for fear that someone else will steal them.
What are some of the attractions of going to school on the West Coast?
Some people choose to go to school on the West Coast and go to Berkeley or Stanford because they have
a specific interest in the business innovation that's happening in Northern California. We're
at the center of a lot of new developments in technology industries, biotech and medical devices, and venture capital. And I think a lot of people who are thinking of coming in this direction aspire to go into those industries or related positions.
The other big attraction is that it's a pleasant place to live. There are a
lot of people who perhaps come here not knowing Northern California as well as
they might. They find that it's a nice living environment. Maybe it's a little expensive, but there are a lot of good professional and recreational opportunities,
too. Northern California is a very cosmopolitan place. I think people find the level of diversity here and the variety of opportunities to be very attractive.
What general advice do you have for applicants?
One piece of general advice that I would give applicants is: Once you've identified the MBA programs you're interested in, present yourself honestly and accurately in the application. Don't try to guess what the Admissions Committee is looking for. Present yourself, your passions, and your goals as honestly as possible, and I think you'll present an application that is compelling. It will also result in
your finding the best match for what you want to do.
Applicants to competitive MBA programs tend to spend too much time thinking about what an Admissions Committee wants to read
rather than what they're all about. The result is, the Admissions Committee might not find them attractive as candidates because they don't present a compelling picture.
The other side of this tendency is that an applicant might get admitted to programs that don't provide the actual opportunities they seek or
that don't provide the environment they are looking for. Honestly addressing these issues and presenting yourself honestly results in the best results for applicant in the admissions process.
It also results in the best fit.
Page
1
2
3
4
