The MBA Student Voice

The Waiting is Over... Sections Have Been Assigned!

I originally thought that I'd write this week about the pre-orientation trip I went on last weekend, where I kayak'd and snorkeled around Catalina Island with fellow first years, a second year, and two guides. However... the powers that be at the CVS around the corner from my apartment have decided it takes anywhere from one to two weeks to process my disposable camera film. 

Fortunately, August 22, 2012, will forever be known as "The Day Sections Were Assigned and Everyone Found Out Their Class Schedule!!!!!"

 

First, we received our last Orientation e-mail from Student Affairs (you get 12 e-mails over the course of 12 weeks with information covering various tasks to do before school starts.) Today's e-mail included the handy schedule above. 

Since I requested Marketing in the first quarter, I had an idea of what my Mon/Wed schedule would look like... but two hours later, what happened to pop into my inbox? An e-mail providing the news that "You have been assigned to Section C!"

(Here are a variety of cool looking C's from a Google Images search for the letter C.)

 

With this handy piece of information in hand, I immediately posted on the class Facebook group page, and then sat back and watched over the next few hours while news poured in from everyone on what section they are in. And yes, everyone thinks their section is the best (no trash talking of other sections has started yet though.)

 (Wasn't sure on the protocol of posting people's Facebook comments, so I tried my hand at Paint to redact names.)

I was also extremely happy to see my schedule, as a 945 am start means that I can use the morning to workout before class. Going to be very useful once marathon/triathlon training kicks into gear. 

For those of you who haven't browsed the Anderson curriculum yet, I highly recommend it. There is a useful interactive picture on the page for you to see what your schedule might look like depending on what track you want to pursue. 

Now that everyone knows their section, it also allows people to add a "first time I'm meeting a classmate" question to their bag of tricks (name, where are you from, where have you worked, what do you want to do at Anderson). 

We've been having an event at least once a week since the first week of August, and the crowds have been growing (~50 people came out last Monday night). In fact, something's going on right now! I'll post more about what is going on these next couple of weeks prior to Orientation soon, and blog about my pre-o trip once the pictures arrive!

Until then, from Section C, I'm "SecC and I know it!" (I have to attribute that to classmate Srikanth, perfect slogan for our section) 

~Kyle Forrest, follow on Twitter and follow UCLAMBA 

The UCLA Anderson MBA advantage for careers in high-tech

We usually decide to invest in an MBA with a specific short-term and a more abstract long-term goal - and not just because we have to write that essay convincingly, but also because an MBA is not just another degree but a life decision. Some of us have crazy goals, but thats ok, as long as you think an MBA is one dot you really need to connect to get there. This post is for those who, like me, are targetting a product management/marketing role (or other similar ones) in the high-tech industry.

While researching for MBA programs that'll give me the necessary training - both in terms of academicand experiential- to gear up to move to a product management role in the short-term, I realized that not all programs were a good match for me. Most of the popular programs, especially on the east coast, had a subtle bias towards careers in finance, consulting and general management. This can be observed by studying not only the incoming student backgrounds but also the post-MBA employment stats. In many cases though, this is not a consequence of the way the program is designed, but more a consequence of the career asiprations of its students which largely dictates the focus of their campus placement teams. I tried getting in touch with current students from several schools during my research and found a standard response  - product management/marketing in the high-tech industry is a niche career choice, and is not very common. While on the one hand I was sure that this fact will not deter me as long as choose the right courses and build the right network, on the other hand I was apprehensive of getting enough experiential opportunities and peer support while in school.

In that respect, the UCLA Anderson MBA program was on one of the rare ones that perfectly aligned with my career goals. A quick look at the class profile told me that 20% of students come from engineering/high-tech backgrounds and this caught my attention. On exploring further and finding out that 21% of students choose careers in the high-tech industry (class of 2012), I immediately knew that this is a popular career choice here. Why this difference, one might wonder. Some factors that can explain this are its location, the coursework, and the experiential opportunities - all amplified by years of experience of the faculty and career services working with students targetting the high-tech industry. Academically, the Easton Technology leadership program provides the ideal recipe of courses to prepare even students from non-tech backgrounds for high-tech careers. Applied Management Research (AMR) projects with the high-tech industry are also fairly common and come in handy to get some valuable experience while being creative (check out this year's Youtube AMR project). A healthy network of alumni in the industry in and around LA and SF definitely helps a great deal in both career advice and job search. The Days on the Jobs (DOJs) to the Silicon Valley and bay area (sponsored by HTBA) are good opportunities to builld your network and at the same time, get a sneek-preview of the culture of the companies you visit. (For in-depth employment details for the class of 2011, look at the Employment Report)

These were some of the critical factors that influenced my choice of the Anderson MBA program and assured me that I'll be able to transition smoothly from a software engineer to a product manager. I'm also glad that apart from finance, consulting and technology, Anderson also maintains a stronghold on several other areas such as enterprenuership and real estate, thus giving the students ample choice to shape their learning and post-MBA careers. My classmates are coming from amazingly diverse backgrounds and are targetting an equally diverse set of career roles - right from media and healthcare to non-profit and real estate, apart from the more traditional areas of finance, consulting and general management. For more information on the career paths the Anderson MBA can open up for you, take a look at the brochure!

~Ayushman Jain, MBA '14 (Twitter @ayushman_jain)

Eternal optimism?

Before you send in your MBA applications it is generally accepted that you’ll know something about the schools you’re applying to. You do the research, visit the campus and create criteria for yourself on what is best suited for you and your future. Then you send the applications off and there’s that stomach wrenching moment where you say to yourself “what happens if I don’t get in anywhere?”

Just to be clear: MBA applications are not like these glasses (source)

A lot of interviewers will inevitably ask you what you plan to do if you don’t get in and for me this was one of the toughest questions because, to be frank, I didn't even want to think about it. I had already quit my job and was already on my trip (my Anderson interview was with an alumni Lima) and I had basically told myself that I would kind of figure things out as I went along if I didn’t get in anywhere.

It’s a strange feeling that inherently the probabilities of you getting in to your top choices are quite low (going by acceptance rates although I realize that this does not take into account personal attributes) yet in your mind you can already see yourself in the program, at least that’s how I felt. In my head, I couldn’t fail yet I knew that in all likelihood I’d be looking for something else soon.

At my IBD desk one year ago - hiding my Anderson draft essay with an LBO model

Funnily enough, almost a year later, I’m thinking exactly the same thing, although this time the odds are stacked in my favour. I’m about to embark on my MBA journey where so many opportunities will open themselves up to me and this time I know for sure that it’s all going to work out. 

-Chris Varin, 14'

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

Summer Reading List: Pre-MBA Version

As a kid, I looked forward to summer for many reasons: no school, unlimited Popsicles, and best of all, the local library's summer reading program. Yep, I couldn't wait to get my list of books to read so I could diligently pore over each one. The prize for completing the list? A coupon for a free kid-sized cone at Baskin-Robbins.

5-year old Ann liked to read in bed, in her underwear. Some things never change.

As an adult, I've continued to use books to prepare myself for life's transitions. Before I deployed to Iraq, I read We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. When I found out I would be assigned to West Point, I read The Long Gray Line.  My transition to UCLA Anderson is no different, so I have prepared a pre-MBA summer reading list to share with you. 

1. Case Studies and Cocktails by Carrie Shuchart and Chris Ryan. Status: Complete. This hefty volume combines a very practical guide to MBA student life (what to wear, how to choose a roommate, even how to prepare your partner for the MBA experience) with an overview of all the topics you'll study during the first year. I met Carrie Shuchart at the Forte Foundation Conference in June; she is a fabulous author and speaker who really knows her stuff.

2. Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School by Philip Delves Broughton. Status: Completed. The author, a 2006 HBS graduate, chronicles the ups and downs of his journey through his MBA program. His narrative style and description of his fellow students and classes reminded me of Scott Turow's One L, considered a "must-read" for incoming law students.

3. More Than Money by Mark Albion. Status: In Progress. Laden with thought-provoking questions, this book challenges MBA students to re-define success in pursuit of personal fulfillment and a service-based career.

4. The Start-Up of You by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha. Status: In Progress. I purchased this for my Kindle before the Parker Career Management Center put this out as required reading for all incoming students. This recently-published book advocates using an entrepreneurial mindset to manage your career, even if you're not planning to be an entrepreneur. 

5. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Status: Completed; plan to re-read. The author outlines a code of personal conduct based on Toltec traditions. Having read this two years ago, I believe the guidance in this book will prove useful during the next two years.

The Four Agreements. Credit: Don Miguel Ruiz

6. 50 Shades of Corporate Grey by Anonymous. Status: Okay, just kidding. But I do believe a steamy beach read about MBA students could be a runaway best-seller. 

Do you have any suggestions for the list? Please share in the comments below!

-Ann Ching, '14

Follow me on Twitter: @annibbler

Airplanes, Apartments & Anderson

Can you spot the UCLA campus?

I am fascinated by air travel. In addtion to my little-kid-type awe of airplanes, I find commuter airline operations beyond impressive. Until something like the following happens:

1. Board airplane #1
2. Sit on airplane #1 thirty mintues past departure time
3. Deplane airplane #1 due to maintenance issues
4. Board airplane #2
5. Sit on airplane #2 thirty minutes past delayed departure time
6. Deplane airplane #2 due to maintenance issues
7. Board airplane #3 and arrive at destination 3.5 hours late

Because, yep, that's exactly what transpired during my return trip from Seattle to LA. Now don't get me wrong, I'd much rather experience delays than be 30,000 feet in the air in a faulty aircraft. And any worries that I had about my future Anderson roommates, Mike and Reggie, were put to rest when those guys napped in a rental car in the airport garage waiting for me to arrive. Thanks, y'all.

Lease signed. First thought: Housewarming party?

By the next day, I had forgotten all about my travel drama because our housing search couldn't have gone more smoothly. We had identified a promising three-bedroom apartment near the intersection of Wilshire and Bundy via Westside Rentals. Upon visiting the property, we were excited to see that the unit was even nicer and more spacious than expected. We immediately submitted our applications for approval and signed the lease the following day.

Now that I've secured a roof over my head for the next year, I'm beginning to get really excited about my upcoming trip to Japan. In the meantime, Anderson is doing its best to keep me busy. I recently completed the Academic Readiness Quiz, which is designed to highlight the quantitative areas in which I should brush up my skills before class begins. Despite my limited quant experience since college (high school, really), I scored surprisingly well on the quiz. Except for that calculus section... that might as well have been an alien language. But I'll soon be starting my MBA Math lessons to ensure I'm better prepared.

Before I sign off, a couple miscellaneous items:

The UCLA athletics site has conveniently listed out all of the Bruin athletes participating in the London Olympics. Be sure to cheer them on.

UCLA Anderson's admissions team has gone paperless, thanks to the Matchbox iPad app. I love to see the school embrace technology while saving a few trees. This video summarizes the benefits and (shameless plug alert) includes some awesome clips of our amazing campus.

Thanks for reading!

- Gregory Paige
  (Follow me on Twitter: @gregorypaige)

Class of 14' insider summer scoop - PART 1 - "Can't wait to get started"

With the summer well on its way, the Anderson 14' bloggers decided you could benefit from our very different perspectives on common topics. This is intended to give you insight on topics we believe are relevant to any student starting an MBA in the fall. Please feel free to let us know if there is a theme you want to hear us talk about!

Can't wait to get started - Feeling anxious, happy, sad, depressed? We all deal with departing for our MBAs in different ways. Here is some insight as to what we are feeling pre-departure and how we are dealing with it.

Chris Varin: "I've just had almost 10 months travelling and I can't wait to become active and productive again. I'm restless and excited about starting although with a touch of nervousness. I'm trying to keep myself as busy as possible until I leave but my parents are telling me to relax as I'm sure to be kept occupied in LA as well."

Alejandra Rodriguez: "I am simply dying to move to Los Angeles! It has been so long since I took my first steps to do an MBA (about a year and a half ago) that excitement has built up immensely and I am boring everyone here with my “My classmates are so awesome” stories. I have already sent five bags full of my clothes and shoes to a relative who lives close to L.A. so half my life is already there but I’m stuck in Mexico with crappy leftover outfits! I have also had the fortune to connect with a lot of our classmates online and it feels odd to have so many online only friends.  I’m looking forward to meeting them in person! My only sad feeling is that I will have to leave my mother, who I am so close with, and my two best friends who have been with me at every important moment in my life since I met them in college."

Dwight Asuncion: "Getting into business school (and public health school) has made me focus more. I’m focused on enjoying life as much as possible. I went to Israel for 1.5 weeks and Europe for 3 weeks. I’m planning some camping trips in August and I’m hoping to do a road trip before school starts. I’m also pursuing hobbies that I may not have as much time to devote to while I’m in school - grilling, cooking, and rock climbing. I’m also focused on preparing for school by saving money, reviewing for the course waiver exams, contacting professors I can do research with, moving, etc. School will start in a couple of weeks and all in all, I’m happy but a touch nervous."

Kyle Forrest: "The first thing I couldn’t wait to get started - summer vacation for the first time in years! MBA Student Affairs does a great job of spacing out the various things we need to take care of during the summer, so I’m focusing on some trips I have planned (Costa Rica, Pre-Orientation Rafting, family time, etc.) and getting excited for my move to LA in August and beginning to meet everyone!"

Ann Ching: "I’m really happy to be reuniting in LA with my Sig-O and our dogs (he has been living there the whole time I’ve been in Hawaii). I’m a bit anxious about meeting a lot of new people, and about fitting in, given that I’m from a nontraditional background for business school. However, so far everyone seems very friendly! It’s a little sad to leave my Hawaii friends and my co-workers, but I’m seeing as much of the islands as I can before school starts and I hope to visit again soon."

Ayushman Jain: I can’t really put my excitement into words here, but you might get a sense of it when I say my heart skips a beat everytime I see an email from UCLA Anderson or Parker CMC. We’ve received a bunch of very useful info as a series of weekly mails to help us get through the summer more productively by motivating us to analyze our strengths and weeknesses academically (since most of us have been out of school for years now) as well as getting our resumes and career stories ready by the time we reach LA. Phew, so much to do and so little time. Yet, I’ll only call myself happy busy! Can’t wait to be “crazy happy busy” already! :D

Ashley Mallinson: With all that has been going on from wrapping up my major projects at work (I still have one week of work left), the fantastic Anderson happy hours, engagement parties (I got engaged in April) and going away parties, I have barely had time to book my movers.  I am at once, excited and sanded. beyond thrilled to be moving to Los Angeles. I have heart-wrenching pangs of sadness every time I think about leaving New York behind along with the job that I love and the friends that are like a 2nd family to me. That said, I know that the best is yet to come. I can't wait for the next 2 years at Anderson to become the best yet!

-Anderson 14' bloggers

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

A summer of hope...

One fateful day earlier this year, my phone rang to the tune of Phantom Planet's song below:

We've been on the run
Driving in the sun
Looking out for number one
California here we come
Right back where we started from

I had no clue the voice on the other side would say "Welcome to the Anderson MBA class of 2014" and make these words so real for me all of a sudden. Yet, thats what happened. I couldn't control my excitement then. I can't, even today! And I owe that to the bunch of amazing people I've already met on facebook through the summer - people who're joining me in the class of 2014 at UCLA Anderson.

Before I trail off on a tangent, let me introduce myself. My name is Ayushman Jain but my friends call me aupsy (long story!). Born and brought up in New Delhi, the political capital of India, I graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from Indian Institute of Technology. I've worked with IBM since the past three years as a software developer in Bangalore, the information technology/pub/lake/garden capital of India. I may come across as the typical geek, but if you read my bio in Jessica's post on the admissions blog, you'll know there's more to me than meets your eagle eye! (The combo pic below shows where I was born and where I studied, respectively)

My linkedIn profile might help you gain more insight into my pre-UCLA professional life. Besides that, I love travelling, dancing and writing. (The combo pic below shows what I've been upto lately - a recent trip to NYC, a Hip Hop show, and N.O.W - a youth magazine I started with friends!)

The months before the program starts have been exhilerating. There's already so much to do, and I haven't even quit my job yet! I've relocated to a new place every year since the past 7 years now, but the move to LA is gonna be the most exciting and challenging one till date, though its not gonna be a culture shock at all for me because I've watched so much of American TV that it feels like I've practically lived there all my life! On a more serious note, while LA itself is a cultural melting pot, UCLA in general has lots of resources to make international students feel at home - the Dashew center, some really cool housing options and a very responsive financial aid office.

While there's already a list of relocation related to-do's right from getting the visa to shopping for stuff I'll carry with myself, a longer and more exciting to-do list is building up in a parallel universe - involving selecting a pre-orientation trip, looking for housing, building up my resume, getting to know my classmates, and so much more thats not even gonna fit into one post! I'll try and write down as much as I can about this whole pre-MBA experience in the days to come before I dive into the crazy busy MBA schedule. Watch this space!

~AYUSHMAN JAIN, MBA '14

You can give me a shoutout on twitter @ayushman_jain and follow @UCLAMBA!

I'll be back with more but until then i'll happily sing..

...Californiaaaaa, here we comeeeee!!!

48 Days of Summer

Greetings from the Starbucks on the 40th floor of the Columbia Center in Seattle, WA. My name is Gregory Paige, and I'm honored to contribute to the MBA Student Voice blog as a proud member of UCLA Anderson's class of 2014. Please bear with me as I utilize this first post to share some introductory details. I promise we'll get to the fun stuff soon enough.

I was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in the area, attending the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey before heading down south to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for my undergraduate studies. Upon graduation I continued my southward journey, driving twelve hours to Miami to begin what would be a six-year career in account management at advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Fifteen months ago, I moved out west to help the agency expand its now flourishing Santa Monica office. Leaving CP+B was bittersweet to say the least, but I'm extremely excited and equally humbled to begin the Anderson chapter of my life.

I must admit, however, that I've enjoyed these past few weeks of "funemployment." I recently returned to Philly (for the first time in a long time) to see family and friends. Naturally, I acted like a complete tourist despite growing up in the area. Cheesesteaks, the Liberty Bell... the whole nine. Next stop: Seattle, where my parents and brother currently reside. I've been particularly observant here because Seattle is a potential summer internship destination. So far, so good. When the sun is shining, I'm not sure there's a more beautiful city in the country.

Philadelphia. This isn't the real LOVE Park sculpture, but it'll do!

When I return to LA this week, I'll have approximately six days to meet up with my future roommates (Reggie Hall '14 and Michael Leyva '14), find a house and move into said house. Good times. I'll have to unpack quickly, too. Six days later, my brother Michael and I embark on a long overdue trip to Japan. Keep an eye out for a post or two on that adventure.

I'm looking foward to sharing my stories and experiences with y'all over the next couple months and beyond. My road to business school has been long and windy, and it's amazing how much I've learned before even stepping foot in a classroom.

There are 48 days left until the start of orientation at Anderson. Let's make them count.

- Gregory Paige
  (Follow me on Twitter: @gregorypaige)

A Farewell to Army Life

Part of Army tradition is the Hail and Farewell, an event where a unit welcomes new members and bids adieu to those who are departing. My JAG office at Fort Shafter is no different; we hold periodic Hail and Farewell events as new lawyers and paralegals rotate in and out. Our event on July 19th held special significance for me, however; I was not just leaving my old unit, but leaving my active-duty Army career.

For this event, my office took advantage of our location in Hawaii to go to Waikiki, Honolulu's famous tourist district.  The morning started with an educational tour of the Fort DeRussy Army museum, which houses exhibits chronicling the history of the U.S. Army in the Pacific. Next, we headed over to a beach park for a barbecue lunch.

For the formal farewell portion, the Staff Judge Advocate (our senior attorney) presented me with a Meritorious Service Medal for my service during the past two years at Fort Shafter. My officemates also presented me with an American flag that had been flown over the USS Arizona on the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day--very cool.

Of course, the hardest part of the day was saying goodbye to my fellow attorneys, soldiers, and Army civilian employees. To use a well-worn cliche, my departure from the Army is bittersweet. I am leaving behind a career that has allowed me to travel the world, serve the public, and forge lifelong friendships. Fortunately, this sadness is tempered by my staying in the Army Reserve, where I can continue serving part-time as a JAG officer. Moreover, I am thrilled to be moving to Los Angeles where I can be closer to my family while attending a top-ranked business school.

So to my Army colleagues, I say thank you for your service and I hope we meet again soon. To my fellow classmates at UCLA Anderson, I say -- can't wait to meet you this fall!

-Ann Ching, '14

Follow me on Twitter: @annibbler

What is summer?

Touching down at Heathrow airport after almost 10 months on the road my crisp brown tan, seaswept hair and grisled beard (imagine I can actually grow a beard) disappeared almost instantaneously.

Having had a year of summer travelling through the Southern Hemisphere - South America and Australia - October through February, the tropics - South East Asia - March through May and the Northern Hemisphere - China and Japan - June and July, I'm not quite sure whether London, or indeed Europe, has what I now call a REAL summer. It's basically gray and raining. I can't really complain though, revisiting my old investment banking bullpen and seeing the disheveled pale faces of my former colleagues reminded me that I have had it pretty good this past year and a summer of rain will not damper my spirits. Besides, I'll soon be moving to California and we all know what the weather is like out there.

London weather report - pretty self-explanatory...

I'm French and Swiss, born in Singapore but grew up in Belgium - for the long version just shoot me a message. I'm also an ex-M&A banker having followed half of my undergraduate Wharton class to the Street, or in my case the City. After two years of highly intensive albeit interesting work I decided that pure finance was not really for me and decided to pursue a long term ambition of mine to travel the world.

After a few months working in social entreperise in Peru, I made my way through South America and Asia before returning home a new man. I applied to Anderson along the way to switch careers and focus on my passion which is sports and football (the real kind) and received the excellent news of my acceptance somewhere in the Ecuadorian Andes. After my year of self-discovery I'm actually expecting to spend a good deal of my time at UCLA in the Price Center trying to combine entrepreneurship with my passion for sports. But before that I need to reduce the seemingly endless list pre-MBA tasks and also try to enjoy my summer, or lack thereof...

-Chris Varin, 14'

Follow UCLA on Twitter @UCLAMBA

Read up about my travels on Wordpress @ametronomiclife

Most relaxed I've ever been? - Halong Bay, Vietnam