Talking with Alums

I know I have been reticent in blogging. In my defense, it has been really busy at work (which means I am working very late)! I did get a chance to work on my some more essays this weekend, though not as much as I would have liked. I am just a bit behind schedule, but I am not terribly worried b/c I am going to my Dad's house for the labor day holiday. He lives in the mountains of North Carolina, so there isn't much to do... perfect time for essay writing! Well, essay writing and playing with all my dogs. My dad's two labs (chocolate and black), my aunt's yellow lab (she is out of town so the yellow lab is visiting), my little cocker spaniel, and my sister's boxer will all be there. So many dogs... I love it! We're all going swimming in the river!

Ok... back to the MBA... focus, Rungee!

I have been talking to a lot of alums from the programs I'm interested in. If you have the chance to do this, I would highly encourage it. They provide an honest view of the school's pros and cons and can give you the "inside scoop" on how things work there. I just talked to a Duke grad the other day, who had some interesting insights about the health care and international opportunities. Previous or current students can describe the culture in detail and generally give a richer sense of what to expect from the school.

I have also scheduled some time to talk to a Wharton grad next week. One of my good friends from undergrad is starting at HBS and another is in his 2nd year there, so I told each of them I want to pick their brain for awhile (they're not alumni yet, but current students work too!). I also have some leads on graduates of Michigan, Kellogg, and a current student at Columbia. These are all people that were at my firm before school or who work here now. Having this sort of network is one of the perks of working in a large company, I guess! And everyone is so excited for me and supportive! I wish I could find an LBS student or alumni. I figured it would take me a little longer b/c there is less likely to be one in my group here at work. I haven't looked on their website yet to see if there's an opportunity to speak directly to students... that would be great!