2009 NYU Stern MBA Consulting & Strategy Chat with Lauren Levine and Rabia Ahmed

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Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 11:00:46 AM)
Hello! First I want to welcome you all to Accepted.com’s NYU Stern Consulting and Strategy Chat. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat. First I want to welcome all applicants to the NYU Stern chat today, and I want to congratulate you for taking the time to learn more about the resources available in the Consulting Sector. To make a sound decision and to get accepted you need to know as much as you can about the schools you are applying to. Being here today allows you to ask the experts about this outstanding business school.

I also want to welcome Lauren Levine, Senior Associate Director & Rabia Ahmed, Associate Director of MBA Admissions at New York University’s Stern School of Business as well as the following students who generously agreed to participate:

• Stacy Hodgins – Second-year Stern MBA student- Prior to Stern, Stacy worked in media relations for a New York-based law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. At Stern, she is specializing in Finance and Management and is the Conference Chair for the Stern Private Equity Club. She has also participated in several unique Stern programs including Summer Start, the Stern Consulting Corp and the Industry Mentoring Initiative for consulting. Between her first and second years, Stacy was a Summer Associate in Strategy & Operations at Deloitte Consulting, where she worked on projects in Entertainment & Media and in Consumer Market Strategy. After graduation, she will return to Deloitte as a Senior Consultant. Stacy is from New York, New York and received a BA from the University of Chicago.
• Sumit Varshney – Second-year Stern MBA student- Prior to business school, Sumit was an engineer working for IBM as a Product Manager for their enterprise database tools. At Stern, he is specializing in Strategy and Finance and is active in the Technology and New Media Group and the Management Consulting Association. Sumit spent his summer interning in Global Strategy at Google in their New York office. After graduation, he will join Bain and Company as a Consultant in New York. Sumit is from Alberta, Canada and graduated from the University of Alberta.
• Sam Liu – Second-year Stern MBA student- Prior to Stern, Sam worked at American Express as Manager of Sales Effectiveness. At Stern, he is specializing in Strategy and Finance. In addition, he is an Officer of the Management Consulting Association, a Teaching Fellow and a Resident Assistant for MBA housing at the Palladium. During the summer, he interned as a Project Manager for Wells Fargo's online banking group and will work in the PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting practice after completing his MBA. Sam is from Brooklyn, New York and received a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
• Simon Vila – Second-year Stern MBA student- Before attending Stern, Simon worked at Lehman Brothers as an Associate. Currently, he is specializing in Finance, Strategy and Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Stern. In addition, he is the Vice President of International Recruiting-Latin America for the Management Consulting Association. For his summer internship, he did consulting with a focus on the Consumer Products industry for Booz & Company in Mexico City. After graduation, he will return to Booz & Company full-time. Simon is from Colombia and graduated from Concordia University.

Thanks to everyone for joining.

Mili (Dec 15, 2008 11:03:49 AM)
Sumit, how competitive is the admission for an Indian with an IT background?

sarju (Dec 15, 2008 11:04:11 AM)
Is consulting a good way to start out towards my goal of becoming an entrepreneur?

zahraq (Dec 15, 2008 11:04:28 AM)
Lauren: If you don't have a lot of work experience, what can you do to make sure that you can get into a graduate school for MBA?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:04:58 AM)
Sarju, yes, consulting can be a great way to get solid business experience (and credibility) towards an ultimate goal of starting your own company.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:05:37 AM)
Zahraq: We evaluate work experience holistically - meaning we look at both the breadth and depth of one's work experience. In addition, weaker areas of one's application can be offset by stronger areas.

Drew (Dec 15, 2008 11:05:40 AM)
Simon: What type of qualification measures do consulting companies use for people who are career switchers that have no previous experience in consulting?

LaJoy (Dec 15, 2008 11:06:04 AM)
Lauren: Based on the first round's applications, have applications gone up from last year?

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:06:11 AM)
Sarju: Stern has a lot of resources for budding entrepreneurs such as former venture capitalists who are now adjunct professors as well as our annual Business Plan Competition.

sachin (Dec 15, 2008 11:06:31 AM)
Stacy: How does one get selected to join the Stern Consulting Corps? I hear there is a test to get selected.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:06:40 AM)
Mili: The admissions process is quite broad, taking into account a lot of different variables. I actually was born and raised in Canada, so I'm not sure if I would fall into the pool of Indians with an IT background. That being said, there are a fair number of students with that type of background here at school, either ones that grew up there and came here for school, or Indians who have worked abroad before coming to NYU.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:06:51 AM)
LaJoy: It's always hard to tell. We have three deadlines for our program.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:07:19 AM)
Hi Sachin: The professors have been doing a great job of integrating the real world learnings from the news into the class structure. Some of the professors at the beginning of the semester told students to rip up their syllabus and they were going to take it week by week to address the current pertinent news items. The great thing about being in New York is that many of the professors consult with companies and organizations in the area and bring that experience to the classroom!

Vani Punam (Dec 15, 2008 11:07:34 AM)
Sumit: Hi everyone, thanks for this opportunity. Do most management consulting firms recruit in the NY area?

T!NA (Dec 15, 2008 11:07:50 AM)
Sam: If I am accepted to Stern and intend to go into consulting, but my GMAT score is not over 700, do you recommend that I retake the test prior to beginning the program so that I am more competitive when recruiting season begins?

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:07:51 AM)
Drew: They want to know you have the skills required for the job: good analytical and communication skills, client service experience, fast learner and an ability to work well under pressure.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:08:14 AM)
Sachin: Stern Consulting Corp is open to all Stern students, full and part time. There is absolutely no test to qualify, but there is an admissions process (application and interview). The program is offered every semester, so the chances of being able to participate are very good. It was a great experience and gave me solid consulting experience before my summer internship.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:08:17 AM)
Twix: At NYU Stern, we offer the MBA and PhD. You have the ability to specialize in finance as part of the MBA.

pandsid (Dec 15, 2008 11:08:19 AM)
Stacy: Can you shed some light on the changes in the outlook of Professors and students in the wake of the financial crisis? That is, how are you all coping since finance has taken a hit??

MikeJP (Dec 15, 2008 11:08:34 AM)
Lauren: There are 3 deadlines in the application process (one has passed). Does the admissions board look more favorably on someone who applied before the first deadline rather than the 3rd?

sachin (Dec 15, 2008 11:09:24 AM)
Simon: Can you talk about the Beer Bash ? :)

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:09:47 AM)
MikeJP: We encourage applicants to apply as soon as they feel they have their best application ready for submission. We do not look more or less favorably on applicants based on the deadline by which they apply.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:09:50 AM)
Drew: Most of those skills you can bring from previous job experiences, but also at Stern, there are several different classes and programs, like IMI (industry mentoring initiative) to help you gain the necessary skills to be succesful during your career change.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:06 AM)
Tina: Firms look at other factors besides GMAT, but I would not recommend retaking the GMAT after you gain MBA acceptance for recruiting purposes. Getting into Stern is already a strong signal of your qualifications to firms.

Toby (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:08 AM)
Lauren: I am currently a senior consultant in Deloitte consulting, providing risk management solutions to FI. I would like to pursue a career in this area or to a Chief Risk Officer in a Major Chinese bank. Is there any specific resource in Stern that can help me to realize it?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:19 AM)
Vani: Most firms that come here have two major focuses for recruiting: the New York Area (or Northeast USA area including Boston/Chicago/Jersey, etc), and then each firm also has an international recruiter, who coordinates recruiting for all international, or other domestic offices. So the answer is both. Through the MCA and other international student clubs, international offices of most major firms come on campus for targeted events as well.

Michele (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:29 AM)
Sumit: I come from an IT consulting firm and I would like to switch into the field of management consulting. How can my experience be assessed? The level of placement in a management consulting firm after the MBA is always the same, it is independent from the previous work experience.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:37 AM)
Pandsid: The community at Stern has been very supportive. Many of us are lucky and emerged from our internships with job offers, so it certainly took off the pressure during the economic downturn. Even for those who didn't emerge with job offers, many found great placements and are finding success. The Stern faculty has been great and has been holding many informational sessions as new turns and events arise. In my opinion, b-school is probably a great place to be in this market.

Kat (Dec 15, 2008 11:10:40 AM)
Stacy: Are consulting firms open to hiring people without a traditional business background? I have a liberal arts background and worked in media after my undergraduate degree. With an MBA, how will companies look at me as an applicant?

Gabriel (Dec 15, 2008 11:11:29 AM)
Sam: Stern has a strong reputation in finance. However, I am interested in strategy consulting for public sector clients (I won't get into details here). What does Stern offer to me in this regard (Besides general management education)?

Andrew McBride (Dec 15, 2008 11:11:49 AM)
I would like to know whether any of the current Stern students decided to opt out of certain required courses (if this is allowed at Stern). If you have a strong financial accounting background (and CPA), would you recommend opting out of the accounting class to focus on more electives? If you have done this, was the experience worthwhile?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:11:50 AM)
Michele: To be quite honest, having a consulting background can only help you in your search. Consulting firms tend to look for people with deep problem solving skills, but also with relevant client service experience.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:12:21 AM)
Sachin: A pleasure!!! Beer Blast is a weekly party we have on Thursdays. It is held every Thursday at 6pm and it is a great way to interact with fellow students, relax and have a good time. One of the great things about this school is its people. Students here are fun, smart and like to enjoy life. We have a great time at Beer blast. After Beer Blast is done at 10pm, we head to a local bar (organized by the school) to continue the party. It is great fun!!!

Priya (Dec 15, 2008 11:12:22 AM)
I want to start with a broad question to the entire committee of people from Stern -  I have heard that being a part of the core NY culture, Stern tends to lose out on interactions within the community, due to Stern's own culture and inter-student interactions and student-professor interactions. Can you tell me a little more about the Stern Culture?

daisuke (Dec 15, 2008 11:12:44 AM)
Sumit: I'm quite interested in consulting leveraging IT. How does Stern focus on it? Any plan to strengthen it in the future?

SternAspirant (Dec 15, 2008 11:13:02 AM)
Stacy: Thanks Linda for the introducing everyone. Question: If a student takes up "Strategy and Finance" can he/she attend IMI in the finance division and still take part in Stern Consulting Corps?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:13:04 AM)
Kat: Consulting firms absolutely look for diverse backgrounds - it's what makes up a great consulting team! As a career switcher myself, I found that firms look more for strategic thinkers, quantitative and qualitative abilities, the ability to interface with clients, a team player, and strong presentation skills. Those skills can be learned from many professional backgrounds or can exist naturally. The ability to demonstrate them and a strong interest in consulting will make for a great candidate, whether or not that person comes from a non-traditional background.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:13:11 AM)
Santiago: The purpose of Essay 3 is for the committee to get to know you as an applicant outside of the rest of your application and are looking for your personal characteristics which aren't on your resume, transcripts or essays. It should be about you and who you are. You can use essay 2 to speak about your fit within our Stern community.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:13:14 AM)
Toby: There are a large number of finance and global business related courses that can help one prepare for such a career. We offer specializations in Finance, Financial Instruments and Markets, Financial Systems and Analytics, Global Business and International Finance, among others. In addition, many Stern alumni have pursued risk management and can serve as resources for students.

LaJoy (Dec 15, 2008 11:13:16 AM)
Rabia: Will Consortium applications submitted in November be evaluated with first round or second round applications?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:14:25 AM)
Prospective: Reapplicants go through the same process as those applying for the first time.

Afua (Dec 15, 2008 11:14:30 AM)
Simon: What does a "typical day" for someone with an MBA in Strategy look like?

sachin (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:12 AM)
Sumit: I have spent a whole year trying to re-align my profile. I was in IT tech and after a long, hard struggle managed to get into the consulting arm of the same company, which normally hires only MBA grads. Is this a good differentiators as compared to an average IT applicant?

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:19 AM)
Gabriel: Stern has many resources for careers in consulting and strategy. I came from a finance background and as a career switcher to consulting, I participated in a few things: 1) Industry Mentoring Initiative that provides advice from consultants specifically for career switchers 2) Stern Consulting Corps (Clinton Foundation) as a consulting intern 3) Multiple classes relevant to consulting, such as Strategy, Decision Models, Management & Organization, Managing Growing Companies etc. 4) Summer internship within internal consulting at Wells Fargo.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:20 AM)
LaJoy, they will be evaluated as part of the first round.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:23 AM)
Priya: I would say Stern has a decided advantage in this area. Part of the motto for the school is down to earth, which really is reflected in the way students interact with each other. Lots of group projects, lots of community involvement (formally through things like Stern Consulting Corps, but also informally though events held within New York attractions, etc). With respect to faculty involvement, I am currently in a class being taught by the CEO of a major publishing business, the only way he can do this is to be based here in New York and come after work.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:25 AM)
SternAspirant: The IMI mentor-ship program is for career switchers who are certain of their desired career goal. That said, I was certain I wanted to go into consulting so I applied for the consulting track. Those who are interested in banking apply for the banking track, etc. However, your academic concentrations are unrelated to your IMI track selection.

Vani Punam (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:30 AM)
Simon: What are the opportunities in Consulting at Stern that give students an edge during job interviews at leading management consulting firms?

Anshul D Toronto (Dec 15, 2008 11:15:33 AM)
Stacey - What skills do you think you have gained as a consultant towards being an entrepreneur, besides client-management?

skyblade (Dec 15, 2008 11:16:19 AM)
Rabia: Stern's average admission age (27) is one of the lowest among top b-schools. As I'll be 32 in September, would that hurt my admission chances?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:16:21 AM)
Daisuke: Many of the large IT consulting firms do actually recruit on campus, and as part of the Tech and New Media Group (student club), we bring in as many of these firms to recruit as possible.

Varun P (Dec 15, 2008 11:16:23 AM)
Lauren - I had applied to NYU's Part Time MBA in the past and got wait listed (twice). (A) Does that go against me if I apply again? (B) Does a GMAT score increase from 650 to 690 qualify as a legitimate development / improvement as compared to past applications?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:17:35 AM)
Varun P: Stern encourages re-applicants. Our admissions process is holistic, and the GMAT is one of many factors that the Admissions Committee takes into consideration.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:17:36 AM)
Anshul: Consulting helps one to gain skills across all areas of business - from developing strategies, to building the financial backbone of the company, to designing and streamlining operations, and overall execution and management. Most consulting firms view their relationships with clients as "teams" and "partnerships" and not necessarily advisor-client. As a result, consultants gain valuable experience working side-by-side with clients to solve complex problems.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:17:42 AM)
Hi Skyblade - half of our admitted students are above 27 and half are below. In your application, you should speak about why this is the right time for you to get an MBA from Stern.

maleri (Dec 15, 2008 11:17:46 AM)
Lauren: Hi, I wanted to check if the funding for students in terms of loans has been affected in any way?

Geetika (Dec 15, 2008 11:18:07 AM)
Rabia: There are a number of ways to answer essay 3 in the application. Is a creative method looked on more favorably than an essay?

Kevin Fuller (Dec 15, 2008 11:18:26 AM)
Sumit: When would be the best time (month, day of week) to visit Stern in person? I'd be very interested in seeing everything first-hand and sitting in on a class.

T!NA (Dec 15, 2008 11:18:36 AM)
Thank you Sam!

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:18:43 AM)
Afua: I balance my day like most other students. In the second year, however, you tend to take more courses relevant to your area of specialization. For instance, I took Decision Models this semester which is a great class to practice advanced Excel skills, which are critical in Consultings. Furthermore, I took Competitive Strategy, which is a mixture between Marketing and Strategy. The curriculum is so flexible that you can tailor it to suit your needs. Aside from that, my life is very similar to other students. The program is intensive, we work hard, but it is also very important to have fun and we do that as well.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:02 AM)
Sachin: Congrats on the new role. As I said above, having a client service and consulting background can only help if you want to stay in consulting on the strategy side. The chances for b-school admission are always helped by showing initiative and a drive towards an eventual career goal. This type of career progression definitely shows that you have this type of drive.

Takashi (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:09 AM)
Simon: Hi, I am interested in the SCC program, but I have no consulting experience. Do you think this is disadvantage of being selected as a member?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:23 AM)
Rfandetti: I was in media relations at Debevoise (part of the Marketing Department) and was not a lawyer. I have met several lawyers who are now consultants, particularly at McKinsey. Practicing law is great training for the critical thinking and client interfacing work necessary in consulting.

DSC_LosAngeles (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:31 AM)
Hello, I'm interested in going into Consulting with a specialization in Media and Entertainment and noticed that Stacy Hodgins was able to get an internship with Deloitte in that area. Are there many opportunities to pursue a specialization in Media within the top consulting firms?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:36 AM)
Maleri: At this point, we are reviewing proposals for private loans for international students for the 2009-2010 academic year, and we will have more information in the next couple of months.

Nate (Dec 15, 2008 11:19:52 AM)
Lauren: Is that true that making an earlier deadline does not help your chances? I heard previously that most of the spots are filled by the first two deadlines.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:20:21 AM)
Kevin Fuller: Well, I would say that Friday's are not the best day, since we have no classes. Otherwise, schedules vary a lot, so feel free to reach out to admissions, and they can help you coordinate a visit.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:20:26 AM)
Nate: We get most of the volume of our applications in the first two deadlines.

Vani Punam (Dec 15, 2008 11:20:31 AM)
Stacy: Do you see more investment banking people turning towards consulting as a career option?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:20:42 AM)
Geetika, people use many different ways to respond to essay 3. Many applicants submit essays. Creativity is encouraged, but you can use whatever medium suits you best. Please be sure to read through the submission guidelines if you plan on mailing something.

Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 11:20:48 AM)
Reminder: This is a moderated chat.

Archana (Dec 15, 2008 11:21:04 AM)
Rabia, have the interview requests for the first round been sent out?

Adil_khan (Dec 15, 2008 11:21:09 AM)
Sumit, how much international recruiting takes place? With the US economy in the doldrums, what are the chances of being picked up for a chance to work in, let's say, Singapore?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:21:59 AM)
Archana, between the deadlines, we send out decisions on a rolling basis. We have begun interviewing R1 applicants and will continue to do so.

Michele (Dec 15, 2008 11:22:04 AM)
Sam: In which ways can one come in touch with the top consulting firms?

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:22:10 AM)
Takashi: It is not a disadvantage, many people there are selected without a consulting background. I did not do the program, but it is a great way to gain experience under your belt while in school. You will be evaluated on how well you prepared and how well you interviewed more than on your previous background.

anshu (Dec 15, 2008 11:22:24 AM)
Simon: Can consulting be used as a springboard to enter the field of venture capital management? Or is one required to specialize in investment management for it?

Yinnie SE (Dec 15, 2008 11:22:32 AM)
Rabia:  What kind of support/advantages does Stern have for students who wish to "consult" in a non-profit/micro-finance sector?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:22:43 AM)
DSC_LosAngeles: Deloitte has a great practice in media & entertainment. Many firms align their interns with a specific practice (such as Booz) but others do not. Deloitte does not align interns with a practice, but will do their very best to find its interns projects in areas of interest. For me, I expressed interest in media & entertainment and consumer market strategy, and they found me a project in each! If you are very interested in media & entertainment, I'd advise pursuing consulting as well as strategy jobs in M&E.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:23:34 AM)
Eileen: I came to school wanting to either pursue management consulting, or at least a strategic role in a technology company. I've been fortunate enough to have both of those opportunities. At Google this summer, I worked in their Global team within their Advertising Sales organization. I had a few projects, but the main two were: Conducting a research study evaluating the best industry practices in global programs to advise Google on how they can grow in emerging markets more effectively, and the second one allowed me to use my technical background to help build a tool to identify advertising opportunities in various countries based on past search data.

Bryan (Dec 15, 2008 11:23:37 AM)
Hi Stacy, I am currently a consultant in Deloitte's EA practice and looking to apply next fall to Stern. Given the nature of our business and the fact that we hop around from project to project, what advice can you provide about choosing the best recommenders for the application?

Ignacio (Dec 15, 2008 11:23:50 AM)
Sumit: Hello, I have an IT/supply chain consulting background. I would like to steer my career towards strategic supply chain consulting. Do you think it makes sense for me to pursue an MBA at Stern?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:24:54 AM)
Vani: There are people who did internships in investment banking over the summer and decided to pursue consulting as well as other options. I'm not sure whether this number is greater than it was in previous years given the market. There are always students (in all areas) who intern at a company and discover that another path is better suited for them. That's the great thing about the business school model and being able to try out your desired career over the summer between your first and second years.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:24:59 AM)
Michele, the many alumni, at both large traditional and smaller consulting firms are a great help and resource. We have over 75,000 alumni across industries. In addition, you can have consultants as mentors through the IMI (industry mentoring initiative) program. We also have a number of former consultants who are currently classmates to provide frank and honest feedback about the field, with their contact information accessible through our AIS database when you start school.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:02 AM)
Anshu: There are people that make that transition, but it is not the most direct way to it. Most people go from I-Banking to VC.

Tiara (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:03 AM)
Question for Stacy - Given your background, what were you aiming to gain with an MBA? I ask because I have a background in Entertainment Finance, and I am hoping to broaden my skillset to be more versatile in the industry. I was hoping that the focus on consulting and strategy might be a good way to do that. What are your thoughts?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:07 AM)
Schwartz: We have many students interested in marketing research. The Graduate Marketing Association - one of our MBA clubs - brings students with marketing interests together. Each year, the club hosts an annual conference with keynote speakers and panels. They also have a variety of other events throughout the year. In addition, Stern offers specializations in Marketing and Product Management.

Anshul D Toronto (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:08 AM)
Simon: Could one of you comment on how consulting could specifically help one prepare towards Entrepreneurship?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:21 AM)
Yinnie - glad you asked! We have a dedicated career counselor who works directly with students interested in social enterprise. Our Social Enterprise Association (SEA) provides a great deal of information and support. Another popular program is the Stern Consulting Corps. Students are paired with a local non-profit organization to consult on a project for a semester. This gives students great exposure and experience in consulting and also a way to give back to the NYC community!

zahraq (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:24 AM)
Rabia: I am a Muslim female who covers her head. I was wondering how I would be able to fit in with the rest of the Stern community. Have current students had any problems with this issue?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:37 AM)
Adil_khan: While most advise to go to a school where you want your network to be, a lot of international recruiting does take place here, especially in areas of economic growth. We have a lot of students who will be working in Consulting or industry in Latin America and the Middle East, and a lot go into Finance in London or Hong Kong. The MBA is what you make of it though, and there are opportunities to recruit wherever you want, helped by the student clubs representing that area.

prospective09 (Dec 15, 2008 11:25:43 AM)
Sumit: Any career switchers from non-finance backgrounds out there who chose Stern over a case-method school? Is Stern overly quant-heavy or does the core strike a nice balance?

Miri (Dec 15, 2008 11:26:23 AM)
Sam Liu: What is the Stern Consulting Corps?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:26:53 AM)
Bryan: I would advise choosing someone who knows you well and has known you throughout your career thus far - maybe a counselor or a buddy who would be familiar with your path and your performance on projects. I also think that a manager or partner from a project on which you feel you performed well and had a good relationship would also be an option. Just pick someone you feel you connected with and would have great things to say about you!

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:26:55 AM)
Michele, I also wanted to add that alumni who are at the firms also welcome informational chats during the recruiting period to provide you with more information about their firms. The Management Consulting Association organizes mock casing interviews with alumni at these firms to help you prepare for the actual interviews in addition to the "boot camp" training that teaches how to case interview.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:26:58 AM)
Zahra, we have an extremely supportive and open community at Stern. We bring in a very diverse group of students from around the world and around the country. We, of course, look for students who we feel will be a great fit for our program, and who are welcoming to all regardless of their background.

SternMBA09 (Dec 15, 2008 11:27:05 AM)
Stacy: Are there courses in Strategy/Consulting that follow a case-study approach or are they primarily lecture based? The SCC seems like a great way of experiential learning, what are the other such practical learning options available at Stern?

murat_berme (Dec 15, 2008 11:27:06 AM)
Rabia: If Stern's overall acceptance rate is 14%, what would you estimate the acceptance rate of those granted interviews would be?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:27:48 AM)
Ignacio: Yes I would think so. Some consulting firms have a specific supply chain practice and will recruit people for that. However, most recruit people into a generalist model, and then you can choose projects that suit you and as are needed.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:27:57 AM)
Anshil: Consulting is a great way to get exposure to many different industries and trains you to make critical decisions in a structured manner. In consulting, you are basically helping senior management deal with difficult issues and while you are doing it, you get exposure to how business are managed and run. Lastly, you make good connections while you do this.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:28:27 AM)
Murat_berme, on average we interview 20-30% of our applicant pool of which around 60% are admitted.

rasha (Dec 15, 2008 11:28:34 AM)
Rabia: Why is it always mentioned that international students must apply prior to the first or the 2nd deadline? Other than the Visa requirements, what else could be the reasons?

Arthur (Dec 15, 2008 11:28:57 AM)
Stacy: Can you elaborate more on different tracks? Specifically, when do students decide their tracks and what types of services are in Stern to help students decide which track they would like to go  into?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:29:05 AM)
Tiara: I felt that my professional experience was very soft-skills based, and I wanted to round myself out. I was hoping to further develop my quantitative skills and finance know-how to broaden my business knowledge and acumen. Consulting is a great way to develop a broad range of business knowledge and skills and to discover what industry you would ultimately like to focus in, if you don't already know.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:29:39 AM)
Prospective09: I would say we do about 50% of the learning case-based. It really depends on the course and Professor though. Some, like strategy, are almost 100% case based, and some, like accounting, have almost nothing. I feel the balance is right, taking into account the theoretical and practical. I think doing a fully case based method feels a bit forced in my opinion, padding some of the technical skills you need with a story doesn't always make sense.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:30:25 AM)
Rasha, there are a few reasons why we encourage international students to apply early. One of the big ones as you mentioned is the timing to be able to secure a visa to be able to be in NYC by mid-August. The second is that we offer a number of off-site interviews to students living abroad which are more or less available to students who apply in the first two deadlines and the third is that we have priority consideration for scholarships to students who apply early.

Tiara (Dec 15, 2008 11:30:31 AM)
Rabia - I hadn't yet received a response to my email on this, but can we attach PowerPoint decks to the online application for essay 3?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:31:24 AM)
Tiara- You can attach PowerPoint decks to the online app for E3.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:31:38 AM)
Anne Marie: We have boot camps, in which the MCA board prepares students on the Case Interview format. This takes place once a week for 2 hours during the first semester. We have SCC, a program designed to provide you with a real life case. Students go, for instance, and work with the Clinton Foundation of the New York Philharmonic and help them with real issues that management is facing. Lastly, we have the IMI program in which a Consultancy firm, Deloitte during the past years, sends representatives to prepare you for interviews, cover and resume reviews, mentoring, etc. There are also more resources at Stern if you have time for that!

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:31:47 AM)
Miri, the Stern Consulting Corps is a program unique to Stern that allows MBA students the chance to work as a consultant for non profit companies in the New York area. Usually occurring during the spring semester, you get to practice what you have learned from the classroom with an organization that truly values your MBA skills. I worked with Harlem entrepreneurs through the Clinton Foundation to design an online resource to improve their ability to retain customers by evaluating their marketing, operations and finance capabilities. Other non profits include the Metropolitan Opera, Seedco, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Volunteers of America for example.

2009wait (Dec 15, 2008 11:31:48 AM)
Rabia: Are the admissions at Stern rolling (based on rounds)? Or everyone finds out about their decision on the last day of each round?

Galen Chan (Dec 15, 2008 11:31:50 AM)
Simon: Could you talk a little bit about how you were able to focus your internship in consumer products? Is the recruiting process focused so that you know what area you'll be focusing in on during the internship?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:32:42 AM)
SternMBA09: Many of our classes are taught using the case method, in which we read business cases and learn frameworks and tools for analyzing them. It is a great way to put yourself in the position of the CEO (or relevant manager) and analyze the information that was available to them at the time, evaluate the available information, and formulate a recommendation. In addition, there are opportunities for actual hands-on consulting experience through SCC and similar consulting programs in other areas.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:33:30 AM)
Galen: it all depends on the firm you are working for. Some have generalist programs while others align you to a particular industry. I interned at Booz & Company in Mexico City and the project I was given was for consumer products. In New York, people are aligned both by interest and by background.

Anshul D Toronto (Dec 15, 2008 11:34:00 AM)
Thanks for the insight Stacey. Is it then a misconception that consultants advise but do not implement?  Therefore, they are good at strategizing but not implementation or operations management?

Kavitha (Dec 15, 2008 11:34:44 AM)
Sumit: I am currently working for Deloitte Consulting based in India. I have an experience of about 1 1/2 years in IT consulting. Do you think with this experience it is the right time to apply for an MBA?

Ozzy (Dec 15, 2008 11:34:59 AM)
Sam: Have first-year students found it difficult to obtain consulting internships for summer 2009?

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:35:00 AM)
Chi_vm: Due to the heavy course load and recruiting demands, I would say it is very difficult to hold a part time job during your first year. Part of the MBA experience includes knowing your classmates and extracurricular clubs etc, so I wouldn't want a part time job may take away from that experience.

rasha (Dec 15, 2008 11:35:08 AM)
Rabia: where do the students from the middle east (Kuwait in specific) get interviewed?

DSC_LosAngeles (Dec 15, 2008 11:35:58 AM)
Sam: Do many students have the opportunity to do more than a summer internship? Do consulting firms recruit for internships throughout the year and how often do you take on a full time position with the firm where you did your summer internship?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:03 AM)
Arthur: I believe by tracks you are referring to specializations. Stern is very flexible in allowing you to choose up to three specializations at any point before you graduate. Most students take courses that are of interest to them or relevant to them, and most courses can be "pointed" towards one of several specializations. Academic advising, the office of career development, fellow students, and second year students are all great resources for figuring this out.

Edgar (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:09 AM)
Stacy, for someone interested in entrepreneurship in media and entertainment, are there any courses in strategy that you would suggest to look at?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:09 AM)
Maleri: As of today, our preferred lender continues to be Citi. For more information on our loan programs, please visit our Financial Aid website.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:12 AM)
Rasha: Most students interview here on campus. Students who apply early have the opportunity to interview at an off-site location. In the past, we have hosted off-site interviews in Europe, China and India.

jakov danino (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:15 AM)
Rabia: Hi, I have a general question: Knowing Stern's focus on Finance, will there be an additional focus on Consulting in the upcoming years due to the current financial situation and the forecast for the financial industry?

Priya (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:21 AM)
Simon: I am interested in pursuing a career in strategy consulting (like several of us here today!) and moving into developing strategies for an apparel firm. I know NYU is the place to be for those who have an interest in fashion. How do you think Stern students can leverage courses from others NYU programs, specifically with respect to my question?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:36:35 AM)
Kavitha: That's a hard one to answer. The right time is a pretty personal decision, based on your past experiences, etc. Professionally, I think the average is in the 4 year range for work experience, and I would say most students fall in that area.

young (Dec 15, 2008 11:37:33 AM)
Lauren: If admitted, I will graduate at 34. Is a career in Management Consulting possible at that age? How about a career in Venture Capital?

Ryan M. (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:07 AM)
Simon: Is there a strong demand for NYU MBA's from consulting firms with a large international clientele? Does NYU hold any dedicated job fairs for these kinds of companies?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:08 AM)
Anshul D Toronto: It is true that some firms focus on strategy and do not do implementation work. However, there are also many firms that focus on the full gamut (designing a strategy and implementing it).

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:22 AM)
Young: Yes it is for both areas.

Mika (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:39 AM)
Stacy: Does the Stern Consulting Corps have prior demands?

vshah83 (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:49 AM)
Lauren: What if my undergraduate scores are not that high?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:50 AM)
Jakov Danino - Stern has a fantastic strategy program with world-renowned professors who teach courses here. We have a great number of strategy firms which come to recruit our students and a number of programs like the Stern Consulting Corps and the Industry Mentoring Initiative which are here to provide students with additional opportunity and support to make a career switch into the industry. Since students have the opportunity to specialize in up to three areas, our students really benefit from our strong programs in consulting, marketing, social enterprise, finance and entertainment and media to name a few.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:38:50 AM)
Ozzy, many of the consulting firms from last year are still recruiting for internships and we have had additional sponsors for the Management Consulting Association (Booz, Deloitte, BCG and PwC). I don't have specific numbers but I would say it is still active, but with mixed results dependant on the firm.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:14 AM)
Souby - Although market conditions are challenging, Stern has weathered difficult economic times in the past. We feel confident in our current recruiting relationships with financial firms and continuously seek to expand the roster of companies from all industries that recruit at Stern. In Stern’s experience, the recruiting net is simply cast wider in times like these. And Stern’s deep relationships in the financial world extend beyond investment banks. Also, because we are situated in New York, our students have the great advantage of setting up an informational interview or networking appointment with an alumnus with less than a day’s notice.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:24 AM)
Vshah83:  Remember that the Admissions Committee evaluates applicants holistically - so we take many factors into account. An applicant's undergraduate performance is one of many factors that we look at. If you feel that your undergraduate performance needs explaining, you may use our optional Essay #4 to provide more information.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:27 AM)
Priya: yes, you can take courses in other specializations, I know there is a very strong luxury retail class here plus you get great exposure to fashion firms just because you are in New York City. It is my understanding that in those fields you have to do most of the work targeting them (as opposed to Consulting or Banking which come on campus). But I do know that people have gone to work in Ralph Lauren and other top firms.

ConsultingFuture (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:28 AM)
Students: I have heard from multiple sources that top consulting firms have bias to certain schools in terms of the numbers they recruit from those schools. It seems that NYU recently joined the highest ranks (after a period of time where it was looked down on as a purely 'finance' school), but I was wondering how comfortable you feel competing for jobs with candidates from other schools. Also, what new steps is the school taking to continue marketing itself as a source of top-notch consulting talent? Thanks in advance for your response.

Elizabeth71 (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:35 AM)
Simon: Is it more difficult for international graduates to get hired by US firms in the current economic downturn? Do students have to return home to find work?

T!NA (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:38 AM)
Lauren: Are there any opportunities via course work, historical internships or clubs for those interested in consulting for developing/emerging markets in Africa?

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:40 AM)
Edgar: There are many great courses in Entertainment, media and technology. Right now I am taking a course called "Strategy and Corporate Finance in EMT" that is taught by the CEO of Reed Business Information. Another course in the EMT program is taught by the CEO of one of the four major record labels. There are fantastic classes in EMT! In addition, the core strategy classes as well as advanced strategy level classes are great.

rasha (Dec 15, 2008 11:40:41 AM)
Rabia: In essay 2 we are asked about out approach to learn more about Stern. Can we mention this chatting event? And can we mention the names of the Stern students participating here?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:41:49 AM)
Rasha- Sure you can! This is one medium we have for prospective students to learn more about our program. You can also learn more by visiting our website.

Fahd (Dec 15, 2008 11:41:55 AM)
Rabia, Good Morning! I would like to know more on the criteria for admission.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:42:52 AM)
DSC_LosAngeles: Firms do not usually recruit for other than a summer internship. Consulting firms usually have a project in mind that requires a devoted block of time as part of your workstream contribution to their team (with exceptions). However, the Stern Consulting Corps is another opportunity to develop skills in consulting during the semester.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:43:22 AM)
Mike: There are no prerequisites for the Stern Consulting Corp, only the application process. The teams are composed of students and each team is assigned a mentor who is a full time professional consultant. The non-profits for which we consult know that we are students in the process of getting our MBAs and that we were not necessarily professional consultants prior to school.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:43:42 AM)
Elizabeth: The current market environment is certainly making things more difficult for students. Unfortunately, the economy has deteriorated and overall firms are recruiting less than they were doing before. That makes the environment more difficult for everyone, not only international students. Some international students do better than others and it all depends on your previous experience, how well you present your self, confidence and your language abilities.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:44:32 AM)
T!NA: Our Emerging Markets Association and Stern in Africa are both great clubs that brings students with these interests together. Each year, we have a Global Business Conference, which typically has panels and keynote speakers. Our courses also discuss emerging markets - especially since countries like China, are expected to play a major role in our economic future. We also offer a specialization in Global Business. Another club, the Social Enterprise Association has many members interested in international development.

uche (Dec 15, 2008 11:44:40 AM)
Simon: Hi, I have a little background in consulting and a deeper experience in auditing, but my interest post-MBA is actually Entrepreneurship. Please tell me how a deeper knowledge/experience in consulting can help me in business management.

Anshul D Toronto (Dec 15, 2008 11:44:41 AM)
Lauren: Could anyone with a relevant interest comment on how well does Stern support a career in Healthcare Sector? What resources are available and how deep is Stern's focus on this sector?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:44:45 AM)
Fahd, we are looking to recruit the best and brightest students. Our admissions process is holistic so we do not give more weight to one part of it over the other. We are looking for students who have great academic potential, a solid record of professional achievement, clear goals and someone who can speak to their personal characteristics.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:45:04 AM)
ConsultingFuture: The school's Consulting Club has made great strides over the last few years, to today becoming one of the biggest clubs on campus. We have done a lot to prepare students for Consulting jobs, and to build relationships with the major firms over the last few years. The goal is definitely to send both interns and full-times to these firms and to further build up an alumni base there. While I can't comment on the number of interview slots each firm gives to each school, once you have that interview slot, the playing field is immediately level between everyone.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:45:10 AM)
DSC_LosAngeles: Unfortunately I don't know the specific numbers on the conversion rate of students who end up working full time at their summer employer.

Kevin Fuller (Dec 15, 2008 11:45:57 AM)
Sam: What housing options are available? Are there any University-owned housing options? If so, how much and what factors determine who is offered housing?

manas_sengupta (Dec 15, 2008 11:46:05 AM)
Rabia, I have read that Stern prefers applicants to be interviewed by the admission's office, rather than an alumnus. How is this arranged for international applicants? Also, will applying towards the end of Round 2, put us at a disadvantage vis-a-vis interview schedules?

Rahuld83 (Dec 15, 2008 11:46:42 AM)
Sumit/ Simon: I come from a management consulting background and hope to successfully transition into the venture capital industry using my stint at Stern. What do you think are my chances? And secondly, how can I increase them?

anshu (Dec 15, 2008 11:47:26 AM)
Lauren: I am currently working in the infrastructure consulting practice of PriceWaterhouseCoopers India. I would like to leverage on this experience in the future. Does Stern offer subjects in areas such as infrastructure finance/venture finance?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:47:31 AM)
Anshul D Toronto: Many Stern students work for healthcare companies after graduation - such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. The Stern Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association serves as a recruitment connection for all healthcare related professions, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device firms as well as healthcare related professional service firms in consulting and finance.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:47:37 AM)
Uche: you will be working with the leading international fields and will be exposed to the latest products, ideas, and highly educated business executives. You work hand in hand with them and gain exposure to how they think and run their businesses. You also get to see the latest products, tendencies and gain deep insight into each industry you work on. These skills, plus the connections you make can help you be a better manager and a better entrepreneur.

pritz (Dec 15, 2008 11:47:58 AM)
Simon: Does Stern provide ample opportunities to specialize in retail consulting?

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:48:04 AM)
Rahuld83: Well, given today's economic climate, the world of VC is limited. But in a few years when you would be graduating, the situation will certainly improve. Stern has an enormously well connected entrepreneur program, and is highly involved with the New York VC community. Through programs like Insite and the EEX student club, we have access to all the top VC's in the city, and it would be up to you to try to build that network into a job in the future.

ConsultingFuture (Dec 15, 2008 11:48:16 AM)
Sumit: Another question: How have you been adapting to the influx of finance concentrators who now, due to the economy, want to do consulting? Has this changed how NYU views itself?

chi_vm (Dec 15, 2008 11:48:28 AM)
Thank you Sam!

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:49:44 AM)
Manas_Sengupta - Typically, our interviews are done by members of the admissions committee. Most of the interviews are done here on campus. We do offer a number of off-site interviews but priority is given to students who apply early.

smr12011 (Dec 15, 2008 11:49:56 AM)
Rabia: When I visited Stern, the career office had names of various companies which provided different levels of support, including recruiting to Stern graduates. Most of the names were related to financial services with very few consulting related. Is this projected to change?

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:50:14 AM)
Pritz: Stern has a very strong luxury retail program and is very strong in marketing courses. The core classes plus the great variety of elective courses will prepare you to successfully work in most areas of consulting and certainly in retail consulting.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:50:19 AM)
Kevin Fuller, you asked the right person about housing - I lived in all over New York (as a NY native) and am currently the Resident Assistant (RA) for the MBA university-owned housing (Palladium). The rent at Palladium is south of $2000 (changes every year) for your own studio apartment, but you live in the center of Union Square, a 10 minute walk from school, with a gym (swimming pool, rock climbing etc), dining hall and a great community of MBAs on the same floor. Options outside of the MBA Stern housing includes searching for off-campus housing which NYU has discounts with certain brokers.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:50:23 AM)
LJS: I have not encountered anyone who had strong work experience and relevant qualifications but was unable to find placement because of age. If you are able to demonstrate the relevant abilities and are able to make a strong case for your switch, you should be fine. The office of career development is excellent and they help students formulate their stories, prepare for interviews, and address questions. That said, it is competitive to secure internships in consulting as they are highly sought after. Stern is a great place to pursue not only consulting but also other related business opportunities such as strategy and general management rotation programs.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:51:23 AM)
SMR - The list you saw was of our school's corporate sponsors. These are companies which support Stern through sponsoring student events, providing scholarship opportunities and funding faculty research. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the companies which recruit on campus. You can see a selected list of companies which recruit at Stern by visiting our career opportunities page.

Tamy (Dec 15, 2008 11:51:30 AM)
Rabia: For essay 3, is it preferable to do something creative or is it better to write an essay?

Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 11:52:26 AM)
Sam, Stacy, Sumit, and Simon: What have been your favorite classes and teachers?

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:52:29 AM)
Tamy, the choice if yours. Many students send in essays but others choose different mediums to describe themselves to their future classmates. There is no preference given to either by the admissions committee. We are looking to find out about who you are outside of the rest of your application. Good Luck!

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:52:32 AM)
ConsultingFuture: Good question. The consulting events this year have been, not surprisingly, very popular. Going into consulting though takes a lot of work, both with learning about the industry and learning how to do the specific types of case interviews. The transition is not abnormal even in good times, but these days, recruiters can definitely tell the difference between people who have a full finance background and story and are now switching just because it's the easy thing to do.

ilyamoscow (Dec 15, 2008 11:52:49 AM)
Rabia: Where can I obtain more information on the Competitive Advantage from Operations and Strategy core courses and on the strategy electives available at Stern? I realize 2009 fall electives are not yet available, but if we could get a snoop at Spring 2009 courses in this subject, that would be great too. I am also interested in student evaluations of each course and professor in strategy (other than those posted under favorite electives); any leads on where I could get information on this? Even indicative, would be appreciated.

Jamie F (Dec 15, 2008 11:52:50 AM)
Sumit: Much of consulting involves presenting PowerPoint slides to the clients. Is there any training on how to give/design good PPTs while at Stern? Would having a strong background in PowerPoint be helpful as a student at Stern?

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:53:43 AM)
Mo: We evaluate applications holistically across three major categories: Academic Potential, Professional Aspirations & Achievements and Personal Characteristics. The GMAT score is only one component of the application process. If you haven't already, take a look at the Selection Criteria of our website.

SimonVilaNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:54:02 AM)
Linda: My favorite classes have been Corporate Finance and Valuation with Damodaran, Decision Models with Juran, Family Business with Okun and Entrepreneurial Finance with Smith.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:54:24 AM)
Dongwon: As far as I am aware, there is absolutely no disadvantage to doing your interview off-campus in Asia as opposed to traveling to the U.S. for an on-campus interview.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:55:06 AM)
Ilyamoscow: You can learn more about our curriculum online. To get a complete listing of courses offered and descriptions, you can visit the registrar's website.

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:55:40 AM)
Jamie F: PowerPoint and Excel will be your best friends at whichever business school you go to. Specifically though, there are courses that teach presentation, speaking and PowerPoint skills specifically. Management Communications (speaking/presenting), Decision Models (excel modeling), Negotiations, etc.

StacyHodginsNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:55:47 AM)
Linda: My favorite classes are Corporate Finance with Damodaran, Managing Growing Companies with Okun, Restructuring Firms & Industries with Yermack, and Foundations of Finance with Silber.

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:55:52 AM)
Linda: My favorite classes include Professional Responsibilities (ethics) with Zicklin (former CEO of Neuberger Berman), Restructuring with Yermack and Decision Models with Juran.

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:56:05 AM)
Murat-Berme - there are a number a specializations to choose from which include finance, strategy and management. One great class is called Restructuring Firms and Industries which is popular for students interested in turnaround management.

Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 11:56:26 AM)
Thank you again all for participating. Special thanks to Rabia, Sam, Simon, Stacy & Sumit for joining us today.
We have two more Stern chats today. Social Enterprise at 1:30 PT ET and Marketing at 3:00 PM ET. In addition, Accepted has several events planned for the new year.

We look forward to seeing you at future chats. On deck:

MIT Sloan           January 5th

USC Marshall     January 7th

Consortium        January 14th

Michigan Ross   January 22nd

If you would like to automatically receive notices about these MBA admissions chats and other MBA admissions events, please subscribe to our MBA event list.

Please check the Website for additional details.

Good luck with your applications!

SumitVarshneyNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:15 AM)
Thanks guys, good luck!

RosaC (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:25 AM)
Thank you!

SamLiuNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:25 AM)
Best of luck everyone!

Michele (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:31 AM)
It has been a pleasure chatting with you and thank you for your time and for this chance!

SternMBA09 (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:38 AM)
Thank you everyone.

LaurenLevineNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:39 AM)
Thanks for joining our chat!

RabiaAhmedNYU (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:42 AM)
Good luck all!

Priya (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:43 AM)
Thank you all!

Drew (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:50 AM)
Thank you!

sternmba (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:55 AM)
Thank you!

Duong Pham (Dec 15, 2008 11:57:57 AM)
Thank you for holding this session!

Justin Casale-Savage (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:12 AM)
Thank you for the information!

Adil_khan (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:16 AM)
Gracias!

manas_sengupta (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:22 AM)
Thank you all for the insights and information.

Mehul (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:41 AM)
Thanks everyone for your time.

rupertlai (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:43 AM)
Thank you for so much information.

Mika (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:46 AM)
Thank you very much!!

jakov danino (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:48 AM)
Thanks and good luck to everyone here!

ACmilan (Dec 15, 2008 11:58:56 AM)
Thanks!

Takashi (Dec 15, 2008 11:59:42 AM)
Thank you very much!

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