As an international student, one aspect I find really awesome about the classroom experience here at SOM is that everyone is expected to do his or her reading, or be “prepared”, prior to each class. This means that almost the entire class has an idea of what we’re going to talk about. We’re more or less on the same page. This also means that the professor doesn’t need to spend time going over the basics for each class. Rather, we spend that time diving a little deeper, dissecting situations, conducting “thought experiments” (as our Econ professor loves to call them) and using our intuition to understand concepts better, in a more wholesome manner. The way I see it, this maximizes the benefits we reap from the time we spend with our professors. Add to this, the various viewpoints my classmates bring from their individual experiences. You have the recipe for an intellectually stimulating discussion. A great way to learn!

Accross the street from my office in Vancouver lies the oldest motorcycle dealership in Canada, Trev Deeley motorcycles.  Unable to fight another impulse not to look at the beckoning showroom, I stopped by one day last week.  There is an attached museum at the shop, which for the past six months has brought over 250 classic bikes together for an exhibition on the history of the Bristish motorcycle industry (including T.E Lawrence’s – of Arabia - 1928 Brough Superior).

To make a long story short, after walking through the exhibit I came back with a notebook and pen to summarize the main takeaways, which seemed remarkably portentous for the future of the US auto industry…failure to introduce new models, increased loss of market share and abandonement of market opportunities in pursuit of short-term profits.  Make of it what you will, but here is some food for thought:

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Some of us at the School of Management come here to study Finance. Others Marketing. Yet others General Management. But if there is one discipline with which all of us are fast becoming very well‑versed, it is time management; the SOM is a very busy place. (more…)

It’s always tough to say goodbye–and even tougher when the object of farewell is a fancy-free, mostly-inclusive orientation. But alas, the days of midweek bowling, free meals, and Yale-subsidized happy hours have come to a end, displaced by a long-anticipated but none-the-less surreal first week of classes.  For me, at least the effect has been jarring. Who would have thought that the end of Orientation could be so disorienting?

But here I am, exactly 7 lectures into my SOM education and last week’s carefree bar-b-ques and beach trips seem as distant as Saturday mornings spent watching cartoons and downing Frosted Flakes.  The Hall of Mirrors once jammed with hungry ice-cream lovers and sundae bars is now home to diligent first years, bent over Accounting texts and spreadsheets. We’ve already been assigned homework problems, problem sets and more reading than I’ve been able to keep track of without my planner; study group meetings are in full swing; and the CDO is already spouting the “R” word. (For those of you a bit more removed from B-School than I am, that’s recruiting). (more…)

A quick survey of my classmates Facebook statuses (stati? stata?) reveal that we are all pretty much a) working on our reading for assorted classes or b) ruing the end of orientation and the beginning or “real school” or c) both

Orientation was very much a whirlwind that has been summarized better by fellow bloggers who are much more eloquent than I am so I will leave that be…although I will add that the reception we had by the faculty in Woolsey Hall was pretty amazing. It was interesting to meet with a lot of the professors in a non-class setting and, might I add, take in some more fantastic Yale architecture. (more…)

A whirlwind week of Orientation has come to a close and it defies exposition.  A true immersion in the SOM culture and community, we’ve emerged on the other side with new friends, new knowledge, and new experiences—and perhaps shed some of the inhibitions, anxiety, and preconceptions that we brought to New Haven.  Because it’s hard to capture the entire week in a blog post, and because my CareerLeader test said I need to brush up my quant skills, I’ll attempt to recap SOM Orientation “by the numbers.”  Here goes: (more…)

As we finished the Orientation, it is incredible how well the entire schedule was organized. Kudos and thanks to entire SOM staff for this.

And what a way to finish this.

The 20th of August simply talked about the powerful Yale brand and how we have to live up to its expectations. We started the day yesterday with a reception at the Yale Club. Christopher S. Granger’99 spoke about his experiences and how SOM had shaped his life. It was wonderful to listen to him while he gave us pointers on how to carve a successful MBA for ourselves. I personally value these kind of experiences by our Alums a lot. These experiences act as a very good feedback loop that keeps checking if we are on the right track at least! More importantly, they keep inspiring us. (more…)

The Class of 2011 recently arrived on campus for the start of orientation.  It’s always exciting to see a class come together at the start of a new school year, and this year is no different.  We have a fantastic group of students joining the program — not only are they impressive in terms of their statistics, but they have accomplished some incredible things in their time prior to Yale — and they really seem to be enjoying getting to know each other and becoming a class.  They also represent our first class as a member of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, which is especially exciting.

Of course, there’s no rest in admissions: No sooner has the Class of 2011 arrived on campus than we turn our attention to the Class of 2012.  In fact, our online application went live earlier this week, and we’re currently gearing up for our fall recruiting events.  Of particular note are the three virtual receptions we’re holding this year for people who can’t make it to our “in-person” receptions — including an “Application Tips Chat” we’re hosting on September 16 that’s intended to give applicants some insights and strategies for how to navigate the admissions process.  And, of course, it’s always possible to learn more about SOM through our online tools or to get a first-hand view of the school by visiting the campus, which includes a class visit, tour of the campus, and session with an admissions officer.  We look forward to meeting and getting to know a new group of prospective students in the coming months!

A week into Orientation, the concept of ‘community’ referred to in my previous post has become more tangible as I had hoped it would. I think the past week has given us all a better understanding of what community means here and why it is so valued.

I won’t go into detail about the make up of the Class (an excellent account of that is already here) but having spent time with various groups of classmates over the past week (in project groups, workshops and in the discovery of what on Earth a clambake is), the veil has been lifted on a group that is not only diverse, intellectually curious and all that good stuff but also – well – just plain interesting.

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At the Lighthouse Point Clambake.

Well, kids it’s official. After two scintillating days of Math Camp (seriously though, for non-quants like me, it was an essential refresher and confidence-boost) and three-days of free lunches, fumbling name tags, and ice-breaker bonding exercises, we are smack in the middle of the whirlwind that is SOM Orientation. And while my brain is still recalibrating to 6-hours of sleep a night (and reminding me that 90-degree August days are no time to be in school), it has been a blast. (more…)