Insider Tips From a First-Year MBA Student

If you are one of the really dedicated MBA Podcaster fans, you should have noticed that our team has had some exciting new developments recently. First of all, we brought on the charming Mia Saini who will be hosting our upcoming MBA PodTV shows (very exciting!). Second of all, I just started my own full-time MBA program at Pepperdine University!

After two weeks of orientation and two weeks of classes, I'm already starting to realize how intense this program is going to be - but in a good way! I'm sure many of you are either starting the application process or just now figuring out if an MBA is right for you. So, I wanted to share some tips from my new MBA student perspective.

• Be prepared to be uber-social. You will constantly be networking with fellow classmates, faculty and professionals from day one. I think I've been to 2-3 mixers every week for the last month! But I always meet a handful of new people every time.
  
• Put your best face on and make friends with as many people as possible. You are going to be working very closely with these classmates in group projects and possibly in future careers. My boyfriend and I had a BBQ at my house on labor day where I invited a bunch of people I only sort-of knew from school. It was a great way to get to know these people better and make close friends!
  
• Your first priority in business school is to network and find a job. Don't get me wrong - class work is important, but I've been told that grades don't matter AS MUCH as they did in college. Someone told me that they call it "B"-school for a reason...it's okay to get B's! So there's no need to stress too much about homework.
  
• Get to know your career counselor right away. I already met with mine the first week of school. She informed me about some internships that are already accepting applications for the summer! Plus, employers often ask them for student recommendations. The more often you meet with your counselor, the more likely they are to recommend you for jobs.
• Remember to make time for friends and family. It's very easy to get caught up in school work and job hunting, but that can quickly drive you crazy. You want to prioritize your tasks each week so you can still have fun with friends without constantly worrying about your to-do list.

Throughout the next two years, I'm sure to have many more words of wisdom to share throughout my business school journey. If you are currently in your MBA program or an alumnus, I encourage you to share additional insight with us in the comments section!

Useful iPhone Apps for MBA Students

Everyone seems to need mobile access to just about everything these days. That's why we're currently working on developing our own MBA Podcaster iPhone app which will give you access to all of our podcasts when you are on the move. It should be available pretty soon, and we'll be sure to make a big hoopla about it when it is!

But in the meantime, we came across some other useful iPhone apps that can be useful to MBA students. With all the assignments and networking going on during business school, it's helpful to have these tools in order to be be as efficient as possible:

Harvest Time & Expense Tracker: The Harvest iPhone app will allow you to track your time, expenses, and more.

Date Wheel: Use Date Wheel to calculate when your assignments are due, or create a countdown.

Career Builder: Career Builder’s app will help you find and apply for jobs through your iPhone.

TwitterFon: Make use of TwitterFon to be a part of your local network and beyond.

43 Actions: 43 Actions will make it simple for you to manage and update your tasks and schedule.

Wikipanion: Download Wikipanion for use on your iPhone, and you can have Wikipedia available all the time.

NetNewsWire: Use NetNewsWire to stay on top of news that matters to you.

ezMemorize: ezMemorize offers an easy way to create, use, and share flash cards on your iPhone.

Stanza: Using Stanza, you can download many classic business books and texts to read on your iPhone.

BudgetBuster: It will be easy for you to stay on top of your budget with this iPhone appp that manages and tracks your finances.

iSpreadsheet: Use this free application to use spreadsheets on your iPhone.

Files Lite: Creating, viewing, and sharing documents on your iPhone is easier with Files Lite.


What iPhone apps do you find the most useful?

Microsoft's 2nd Annual MBA Panel: Soliciting Questions from You!

UPDATE (6/25/09): The Panel was a success! Hear the event here: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/BizSchoolPanelMicrosoft.asp?iEpisode=74

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As we all know, the current economic climate is prompting thousands to consider going for their MBA and in turn propelling upward the number of applications to business schools. With the increased competition, how do you gear up to get an MBA in this climate? One contribution comes from a special business school panel presented by Microsoft. The focus is a current and compelling one -- the theme is "Standing Out Among the Outstanding: Recession, Competition, and Business School Admissions"

Guests on this year's panel include:

• Cassandra Pittman Assistant Director of Marketing at INSEAD and responsible for MBA recruitment in North and South America
• Scott Shrum Director of MBA Admissions Research at Veritas Prep
• Barbara Thomas, President and CEO National Black MBA Association, the world's leading organization for black professionals
• There will also be "experts in the audience" contributing to the dialogue: Bryan Tomlinson and Edward Gali, both representing the University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business

MBA Podcaster will be attending the event and bringing your questions to the panelists. So we're asking you: if you're seeking your MBA -- or considering it -- what questions would you have for this panel? Send your questions to info@mbapodcaster.com

The Business School Panel will be held at the Redmond, WA headquarters of Microsoft on June 18th, 2009, hosted by Africans at Microsoft.

This is the second annual panel put on by Africans at Microsoft. Below is a link to our podcast on the event from last year. The show covers the entire MBA process from the applications to acceptance.

2008 Business School Panel: Pursuing an MBA -- Motives, Values, and Opportunities
http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/BizSchoolPanelMicrosoft.asp?iEpisode=74

We had representatives from Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, University of Washington, and the GM of Microsoft's global recruiting team. Also participating were students from Harvard, Wharton, Darden, and Cornell Business Schools.

The energy generated by the audience and the panel made for a lively, informative discussion that covered and broke the bounds of the topic. We expect no less this time!

This is a valuable topic -- how to stand out among so many outstanding candidates!

Please let us know what questions you have for this event, and likely you'll hear them answered by these elite panelists on our next podcast.

Summary of Free GMAT Classes That Are Currently Being Offered

Many test-prep companies these days are offering free sample GMAT classes. Take advantage of the offers, test out the various companies and find a teacher that really clicks with you.

1. ManhattanGMAT: http://www.manhattangmat.com/free-events-select-location.cfm
Free class at many locations across the U.S. They also offer a free CAT, study flashcards and free online trial classes
For $100 off any ManhattanGMAT class, use the promo code Podcaster when registering

2. Veritas Prep: http://blog.veritasprep.com/2009/05/veritas-prep-free-trial-gmat-class.html
Free class in Los Angeles, Chicago & Boston. They also offer a free CAT; a free GMAT iPhone study application
For $150 off any Veritas class, use the discount code pod150 when registering

3. Princeton Review: http://www.princetonreview.com/bootcamps.aspx
Free GMAT "bootcamps" across the country
For $100 off any Princeton Review class, use the promotional code NAMPOD when registering

4. Kaplan: http://www.kaptest.com/mbapodcaster
Scroll down the page to "attend free event"
For 10% off every one of Kaplan’s GMAT comprehensive options use code MBAPOD10 when registering

5. MBA Math: http://www.mbamath.com/podcast.htm
$10 off MBA Math's pre-MBA math prep course. Hit the ground running before you come to campus and/or show the admission's committee that you have the right quant skills under your belt especially if you're weak on GMAT Math.

Let us know if we missed anyone!

And here are our shows about the GMAT:
1. Test Taking Tips from Test Prep Masters: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/gmat-test-taking-tips.asp?iEpisode=77

2. Comparing GMAT Test Prep Companies: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/GMATComparison.asp?iEpisode=54

3. The GMAT, Everything You Need to Know: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/Everything-about-GMAT.asp?iEpisode=4

4. GMAT Not Required: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/GMATnotRequired.asp?iEpisode=37

5. Dealing With a Low GMAT Score: http://www.mbapodcaster.com/MBA_MoreInfo/low-gmat-score.asp?iEpisode=85

6. Conquering the GMAT (Video): http://www.mbapodcaster.com/mba-videos/Conquering-The-GMAT.asp?iEpisode=87

5 of the Top 10 MBA Programs in the World Now Accept the GRE

Is the GMAT not working for you? Has it been too long since grade school math? Fear not, now you have options! The GRE is gaining popularity among top business schools around the world.

Which top schools? China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Harvard, Instituto De Empresa (IE), Canada's Queen's School of Business, MIT Sloan and Stanford. To view a complete list of MBA programs that accept GRE visit www.ets.org/gre/bschools.

More than 190 business schools from across the globe - including many top-ranked MBA programs in Europe, Asia and North America - are part of a growing trend of MBA programs that are seeking to broaden and diversify their candidate pools by accepting GRE test scores.

Last month, Harvard Business School (HBS) announced that it will accept GRE scores for admission into its 2+2 program. "The HBS 2+2 program is designed to encourage college juniors - especially those in majors such as engineering, science and government - to consider business as a career path," said Deirdre Leopold, Harvard Business School's Managing Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. "Since the GRE is the test these students are most familiar with on the road to graduate school, we are pleased to offer it as an alternative option to the GMAT®." And this just in (added 5/18/09) the regular Harvard MBA program now accepts the GRE as well.

In addition, MBA programs cite institutional competitiveness and student access to GRE test centers as practical reasons for accepting GRE test scores. But it is the current global economy and the GRE test's inherent ability to support programs' diversity goals that creates the most appeal, according to David Bach, Associate Dean of MBA programs at Instituto de Empresa (IE) Business School.

"As the financial crisis deepens, new approaches are needed to rebuild global financial systems and to uncover opportunities for creating value in business and society," says Bach. "Business schools must look to diverse participants to engage in this process, and we find the GRE test an excellent tool to help us meet this objective."

For more info on finding an MBA Program that doesn't require the GMAT check out our show on this topic.

U. of Chicago GSB: Listen to a Day in the Life on Campus

We visited Chicago GSB to shadow a current student, speak with the Dean, the admission's director and other people on campus to bring listeners a "day in the life" perspective. Listen to the show on iTunes, or on our site, and get a behind the scenes look at life and times on campus:
http://www.mbapodcaster.com/DayInLife/CHICAGO_DayInLife.asp

Guest List:

• Jen LaBelle, MBA Student
• Allan Friedman, Communications Director
• Stacy Cole, Deputy Dean
• Julie Morton, Associate Dean for Career Services
• Rose Martinelli, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions
• John Lawrence Etame, MBA Student and Member of the Chicago African Business Group
• Jeffrey Anderson, Associate Dean for LEAD Program

We are the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Since 1898, we have produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Our rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms our students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges. As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, we share the university’s core values that shape our distinctive intellectual culture. At Chicago GSB, we constantly question, test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Six of our faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - a record no other business school has matched.

We are proud to claim an unmatched faculty, degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents, a global body of nearly 39,000 accomplished alumni, and strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities. As the second-oldest business school in the world we are consistently ranked among the top business schools in surveys with an enrollment of 1,100 full-time MBA students, 1,400 evening and weekend MBA students, 480 executive MBA students and 120 PhD students. Visit University of Chicago Graduate School of Business website here.

Getting A Rejection Letter: What To Do?

There's been an uptick of MBA applications in recent years and this means more competition. As more candidates are vying for the same number of seats at business schools, more applicants are unfortunately getting rejected. Some schools encourage you to reapply while others don't. This time, we'll learn from admissions officers about the re-application process, where you can find feedback, and how you can recover from rejection and re-energize your application to get accepted next time.

Listen to our most recent show on Re-Applying to Business School After Being Rejected.

Guests include:

* Caroline Diarte Edwards, Director of Admissions, Marketing, External relations for MBA programs, INSEAD
* Monica Farrell, Assistant Director for MBA Admissions, USC Marshall School of Business
* Beth Flye, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Full-time MBA program, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
* Tina Mabley, Director of MBA Admissions, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin

Do you have experience with re-applying to business school? Let us know!