Interview with a recently graduated IE MBA student

I am pleased to present here an interview with a recent graduate from the IE MBA program in Spain.

1. After you were admitted, looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA in the spring and summer, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

If I could go through the whole process again, I would make 3 changes, TOEFL, Campus visit and interview training.

- TOEFL

I would not go to a private school for listening and reading. It’s all about training to improve those scores and the program of those schools did not work well to improve the scores.

- Campus visit

Campus visit provides us with plenty of information which helps us work on application documents and choose school to go. In addition, it helps us know which kind of perspectives on B-schools we should have before choosing schools. 

- Interview training

I would do more interview training because it is more important than I thought. Interviewers carefully check applicants’ answers and your words and behaviors in the interviews greatly affect their decision. Therefore, I strongly recommend that applicants should carefully choose what to speak in the interviews and train for them in order to deliver your idea effectively.

2. What's a typical day in the life of an MBA student in your program?

8:00                 Wake up and have breakfast

9:00 – 15:00 3 sessions, 1.5 hours each session

15:00 – 16:00 Gym

16:00 – 21:00 Group work or preparation for the next sessions

21:00 – 22:30 Dinner (cook by myself)

22:30 – 2:00 Preparation for the next sessions

2:00 – 8:00      Sleep

3. Can you write a bit about a course that you would recommend future students take?

Financial Entrepreneurship & Private Equity: 

The professor is also working as a partner of a PE and she shared her real experiences which helped me understand how PE works and make their investment decisions deeply.

“Entrepreneurial Acquisition” and “Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital”:

Those courses are about Search Fund, a kind of small PE. Fund managers of those funds are also entrepreneurs and they raise a fund, search companies to invest and increase the value of the company they invest. Only 4 B-schools in the world (HBS, GSB, IESE and IE) provide with courses about Search Fund.

M&A Boot Camp:

This course is about M&A coordinator and the professor requires us to develop real M&A project, in which I could learn a lot about real M&A process. In addition, the professor has vast network in finance and he invited some of them to students which is a great opportunities to develop network in finance especially in Europe.

The professor, Prof. Paris, likes Japanese culture and he is really helpful to Japanese students. Sometimes he invited us to a party in his house.

4. Did you have the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what were you doing in them?

Yes, but I did not spend much time on club activities. I was in the Japan club in IE and my role was representative of the club.

5. What were your experiences like in learning/project teams? 

IE is known as its diversity and it gave me a plenty of opportunities to work with a variety of people. Through those experience, I could improve my skill to communicate with people with a variety of sense of values and people of multiple nationality.

6. Can you share your plans post-MBA?

I’ve already started to work in a management consulting firm in Japan. I will start to look for another opportunities in industrial area a few years later.

7. Looking back, what has been most surprising to you about your MBA life, compared to your original expectations before you enrolled?

Diversity of values, careers and life. Many Japanese students go to MBA for better salary, company, position and status in society. But I could see many students from other countries who have different type of motivation. For example, one Taiwanese girl came to MBA because she wants to live her Spanish partner in London and MBA helps her find the better job in London. It was eye-opening experience and enriched my perspective of my life.

Thanks very much for the information and your time! 

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with current INSEAD MBA Student

I am pleased to offer the following interview with a current student at INSEAD.

1. After you were admitted, looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA in the spring and summer, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

I could have been more open to other options including options outside MBA, although I believe INSEAD is a great choice for me. What really matters should be life after MBA and MBA should not be the only option for most people to move you forward. 

2. What's a typical day in the life of an MBA student in your program?

It depends on periods. For the first four months, students spend time in attending core courses, working with a study group in the daytime, and having parties (doing networking) at night. On weekends, most people travel together to countries nearby (across Asia and Europe). The schedule is really intense during these periods. After that, class schedule becomes more relaxing and students become more serious about life after INSEAD. Some people spend time in starting up their own companies and testing their business, while others spend time on networking for careers and interview preparation. Since we have huge diversity, it completely depends on each student.

3. Can you write a bit about a course that you would recommend future students take?

“Creative Thinking” is the course I personally loved most. There are design students coming from Art Center in California and we develop new product and service ideas together. Please note that this elective is one of few electives only held in the Singapore campus. “Identifying New Business Model” is the also fantastic elective that teaches how to brainstorm/select new ideas from scratch and how to test those ideas. INSEAD is strong in entrepreneurship and students here can take a bunch of great courses that leads them to real entrepreneurship.

4. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what are you doing in them?

There are a lot of things going on, for example I started a consulting project for a social enterprise in Singapore in a team of four students from the consulting club. We discussed their problems with the CEO and conducted some surveys to identify growth opportunities for them. Recently, I am more focusing on getting a job after INSEAD.

5. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

At INSEAD, a study group for the first four months is assigned from the school and the nationalities and career backgrounds in each team are all different. It is really a valuable experience: some teams would face difficulty in managing team activities because of the diversity and learn a lot from such experiences. In my case, all four other team members are super nice and helpful, and it was always fun to work with them. 

6. Can you share your plans for the summer?

I am just finishing off my MBA (since it is a 10-month program) and might have a summer vacation before going back to the world of business.

7. Looking back, what has been most surprising to you about your MBA life, compared to your original expectations before you enrolled?

Diversity. It was quite difficult to imagine how life goes with friends from over 70 countries. When you talk in a small group, most of time you realise that the nationalities and backgrounds are all different. Since all students understand we are quite different in nature, all of them respect each other and their culture. This is really an amazing culture of INSEAD. 

Thanks for your time and answers to my questions! 

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with 1st Year Student in the NYU Stern MBA Program

I am pleased to offer the following interview with a current 1st year student in NYU Stern's MBA Program.

1. Looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

After spending a year at NYU Stern, I’ve realized that it’s really hard to join a new society at the beginning, that is, to take leadership as a student in a foreign country.

Communication is different from just speaking in English and there is not only a hardship in language but also differences in culture and mindset. For the first few months you will spend quite an intensive time mingling and studying. Here (in the US) students keep almost no distance with each other. From the perspective of Japanese culture (I’m from Japan) I found it a bit close and felt an adjustment was required. I have learned, both from applicants who visit our campus and my own experience, that Japanese applicants focus their research more on the classes and less on the environment. That could be a big deal. You should know what’s really going on during your MBA to be assured you can feel fit with your school. It is possible that you are not outgoing enough, and so you may be confused when it comes to your school life. In order to avoid that, you should know what opportunities are being set up for you. The Japan Trek (sometimes called the Japan Trip) is a good example. You have absolute advantage in everything and there are lots of potential friends who are interested in your home country. You will be exposed to a lot of students and they will know who you are. They will realize you are polite/kind/sincere etc. and you will be able to get a strong bond with them, as you contribute to the student body in your school. This is the first step for you to make a difference in your life as a student. Thus, you should imagine such specific steps beforehand and leverage fully the opportunities you can encounter.

In addition, if I were an MBA applicant this year, I would spend more time choosing schools, specifically getting to know the environment around each one.

You will spend a lot of time outside the school, so it’s important to know the environment. Many Japanese applicants tend to focus only on school programs when they investigate business schools. This is important, but seeing other opportunities is of great importance as well. Fortunately, I live in the center of NYC, which means it enables me to network with various smart people from Japan as well as other countries. That’s one of the New York advantages. Also, the great access to other cities and countries helps me get involved in events/opportunities I cannot enjoy/experience in Japan and that makes a difference.

I know that whatever your target score is, it is hard to beat the GMAT and TOEFL. But you are not going to do them again once you enroll in your dream school, so I recommend you think of your school choice over and over while you are an applicant.

2. Can you write a bit about a course that you have really enjoyed or benefitted from?

NYU Stern is known for Finance but I think it is also good in Data Science. Since I majored in statistics and math, it allows me to know how my academic knowledge applies to real business problems/situations. Lectures here use a hands-on style and professors let us form a study group so I can learn concreted knowledge and experiences from not only the professors but my group members.

3. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what are you doing in them?

I was a Japan Trek leader. There were over 170 applications to join the trip and 100 MBA students went to Japan with only three Japanese students. Half the participants wanted to go sightseeing in the daytime while others wanted to go to nightclubs every night. To satisfy both, trek leaders got up at 7am and went to bed at 5am every day. We were really exhausted but really got to know each other well. And the remarkable point is that the participants gave us a big gift as a token of their gratitude. Currently we feel much closer with each other and it motivates us to contribute to the school even more.

4. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

NYU Stern has various dual degree courses. One memorable experience was when I worked with dual degree students from the film school. It was for a data mining class and we had to create a data-mining project and complete it by ourselves. We did a project of projecting box office sales for movies. Film school students are professional in qualitative analysis of what will affect the sales of movies and I’m good at math and programming. We could realize synergies with each other. Also, if I work in Japan I wouldn’t normally have a chance to work with people from the film industry.

5. Can you share your plans for the summer?

Since I’m a company sponsored student I can’t do a summer internship. Instead, I will study Spanish and Chinese. Also, I will study programming.

6. Can you offer any words of advice for those applying to the MBA program you are enrolled in?

NYU Stern is at the center of the world and offers you a lot of opportunities that can make your life better. Please feel free to contact us from our website. Hope to see you soon. Good luck!

Thank you for your time!

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with 1st Year Student in the Michigan Ross MBA Program

I am pleased to offer the following interview with a current 1st year student at the University of Michigan's Ross MBA Program.

1. Looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

I did not spend enough time to meet with current students and alumni of my target schools. I think this is important when applying to schools, so I wish I had done this more. 

I had a plenty of time to think about essay content but began to write them late and so I was submitting my applications close to the due date. I would begin to write essays earlier. 

2. Can you write a bit about a course that you have really enjoyed or benefitted from?

It is called “Leading People and Organizations,” one of the core courses that covers both personal leadership skills and organization management strategies. The key feature is the variety of teaching styles like lecture, case discussion, computer simulation, role playing, movie watching and so on. 

In my favorite class we watched a movie where jury members are discussing whether a defendant is guilty or not and one of them who think that the defendant is not guilty changes the mind of other jury members who initially believe that the defendant is guilty. After watching the movie students discussed what kind of persuasion skills and techniques that man uses, and at the end the professor summarized the discussion and introduced useful persuasion skills and techniques. 

In this course I learned leadership skills and techniques in depth not only through lectures but also from hands-on experience. It shows that Ross is focusing on leadership education and experimental learning (“Action Based Learning”). 

3. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what ones and what are you doing in them?

I joined a consulting project in the Community Consulting Club, which is providing free consulting services to NGOs and other organizations by leveraging Ross students’ knowledge and the skills they’re learning in classes. 

My project was to think about solutions to increase the facility rental revenue of a museum. I was responsible for one customer segment together with another member and we considered strategies to increase revenue from that segment by using knowledge and skills learned in marketing and organization management class. 

It was not only a good opportunity to use knowledge and skills learned in class and learn them more in depth but also a good chance to work with other students having different background and learn teamwork and leadership in that situation. 

4. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

Almost all courses at Ross have group assignments or projects, and in addition to that, Ross has a big team learning opportunity called MAP where students engage in consulting projects for companies or NGOs outside Ross by using knowledge and skills learned in class. During this program students basically do not take other courses and focus on their projects. 

Although it is really difficult to discuss with other students in English, Ross students are really collaborative and help me join discussions and show my opinion, so I can contribute to the team to some extent. The key take-away is that it is important to prepare for discussion well and not to hesitate to show my opinion even if it might be wrong. 

5. Can you share your plans for the summer?

I will take an internship in the New York branch of my company to understand how overseas branches operate and provide value to customers. I will also join a volunteer activity for marine conservation which I am interested in. 

6. Can you offer any words of advice for those applying to the MBA program you are enrolled in?

To get admission to Ross your test scores are important factors so you should initially focus on TOEFL and GMAT. Regarding the essay and interview, I think that it is important to put emphasis on your team work experiences and show how you have worked with other team members. 

Thanks very much for your time! 

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with 1st Year Student in the Wharton MBA Program

I am pleased to offer the following interview with a current 1st year student at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.

1. Looking back on the way you prepared for the MBA, is there anything you would change? Anything you would have done more of or less of?

I should have put less effort on TOEFL and more on GMAT from the beginning. I spent 04/2012-06/2012 for TOEFL prep, and didn’t touch on GMAT and essays until I got 110. As a result, I had to take GMAT and write essays simultaneously, which made the application process even more stressful.

Also, your resume should be unique enough to catch admission officers’ attention, especially if you’re from a traditional background (e.g. i-banking or consulting) or have a shorter career. This is also true when you recruit for a summer internship. Thus, even if you’re going to quit the firm at the point of MBA admission, I strongly recommend you to put 100% of your energy and effort into your current job.

2. Can you write a bit about a course that you have really enjoyed or benefitted from?

If I have to pick one, it is Negotiation by Prof. Stuart Diamond (his bio is available here.)

I don’t want to talk a lot about this course as it might give some things away and so you wouldn’t have as much fun, but this course will change the way you communicate with people not only in business situations but also in your day-to-day lives. The course is composed of 100% role-play, and you’re required to negotiate in real life as assignments. It’s an intense ‘learning by doing’ opportunity. I learned a lot about my communication style as well as others.

(You can get a sense of what you learn in the lectures from a book called Getting More, published by the professor himself. However, the book and the course are completely different learning opportunities, though the contents are very similar.)

3. Have you had the time to get involved in any extra-curricular activities? If so, what are they and what role have you assumed in these groups?

I got involved in organizing the Japan Trek, one of the biggest student-led treks at Wharton in which we invited about 150 students/partners to Japan during spring break. My role was the VP of Finance and Marketing/Communication. I learned a lot about my management style.

Another significant extra-curricular activity was the Battle of the Band, a rock band competition among students. I formed a band with 5 Americans and played the drums. It was quite a stretch experience to perform in front of 700 people.

4. What have your experiences been like in learning/project teams? 

At Wharton, you get assigned to a learning team during pre-term period, and keep working in the same team for the most of core classes in the first fall semester. My learning team has been in exceptionally good shape, in terms of performance (e.g. we won the business plan competition during pre-term) and relationship (we still have learning team dinners periodically). To be honest, not every learning team ends up with a lasting friendship, but due to our mutual respect and frequent communication, we’ve built trust, and it has been a great pleasure to be a part of it.

In flex core/elective courses, you need to find team members by yourselves. You’d better consider who to team up rather than just work with friends. Different people have different areas of interest, and your friends may be less motivated than you are. This deprives you of quality learning, particularly when the course is project-oriented. For example, when I took a course called Entrepreneurship, in which students were required to build and pitch a business idea as a team, I regretted that I formed a team with friends who didn’t know a thing about my personal area of interest, from which we built the idea.

5. What's it like living in Philadelphia?

Philly is a self-contained city. Although it’s the 5^th biggest city in the US, it’s totally different from New York, Tokyo or other metropolises. People don’t have to get a car as everything is within walking distance, and public transportation is available. Every time you take a little walk, you bump into your classmates. It feels like you’re in a bubble. 

I worried about the safety issues before I moved to Philly, but I and my wife have never experienced anything dangerous so far, even late at night. I don’t think it’s very different from other cities. 

Speaking about my wife, she gave birth to our daughter at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 03/2014. It is one of the best OB/GY and childcare hospitals in this country, so if you’re considering having a baby or raising a child during the MBA, Philly could be the ideal place.

6. Can you share your plans for the summer?

I’m going to spend 6 weeks doing buyout at a bank in New York, and then for the rest of the summer I’ll be in Tokyo to take part in a tech start-up.

7. Can you offer any words of advice for those applying to the MBA program you are enrolled in?

Set your goals, do research, visit B schools, meet a lot of alumni, and apply to schools you feel fit with. It’s very important to do so for keeping your motivation during the application process as well as for focusing on what you want to get out of the 2 years.

Thanks very much for your time! 

John Couke

john.couke@gmail.com

Cornell Johnson MBA Program Changes its Core Curriculum

The Cornell Johnson MBA program will be updating their curriculum to tailor its education towards building leadership skills, and with a second goal of greater alignment with the recruitment process. Read on here for details.

John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com

Interview with Julie Barefoot, Goizueta Business School at Emory University

 Julie Barefoot is the Associate Dean of MBA Admissions at EmoryUniversity’s Goizueta Business School. I am glad she took time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions, especially given the strong connections she has made in Japan (where 50% of my readership lives!) where she has been active in recruiting for Emory since the early 1990s. She can be reached at julie.barefoot@emory.edu.

Admissions

What in the minimum required TOEFL for entry to the 2-year MBA program at Goizueta?

We prefer that candidates have received at least a 100 on the TOEFL, but it is not a minimum because we have, in fact, admitted applicants who score below that level. We take a holistic approach to reading an applicant’s application file and consider not only the total TOEFL score, but place special emphasis on the Speaking results as it can often be more enlightening than the total score in predicting a candidate’s ability to contribute in Goizueta’s small, intimate learning community. 

Has your admissions team gotten a handle on the new IR section of the GMAT? What are you looking for here?

We don’t have enough data yet to determine how the scores translate or predict how an applicant will perform in our program.  We just enrolled the first batch of students who took the IR, only a small number of applicants, so in the coming year we will be analyzing their academic performance relative their IR scores.  Based on our knowledge of the IR assessment, what we’re looking for is a comfort level with reviewing and synthesizing data which is a key skill that MBAs need.  So far we’ve used a high score on the IR to support admission for an applicant whose quantitative GMAT score or undergraduate grades in quantitative courses are mixed or concerns us.  A strong IR score helps an applicant but so far we’ve not really penalized applicants with mid-range scores.  A weak/poor IR score is not viewed positively.

What are your expectations for the verbal section of the GMAT? Is 30 a target to be achieved?

For international applicants, yes, at least a 30 (or 57% on the verbal GMAT) would be a good target to be achieved—of course, in combination with a solid TOEFL speaking and overall reasonable score on TOEFL. However, a 30 on the GMAT verbal section will not compensate for a poor total TOEFL score.

Curriculum

The One-Year MBA program doesn't offer an internship. Does that mean it's intended only for those wishing to graduate into the same industry? What are some other differences between the 1-year and 2-year programs you'd like to highlight?

First, let me share that our One Year MBA program offers the same degree, shares the same faculty and curriculum components (leadership, management practice, experiential learning, etc.) with our Two Year MBA program. 

The One-Year MBA program is intended for those who are not making a dramatic career switch which would necessitate a summer internship.  But, that does not always mean that they are staying in the same industry or functional area. For example, a candidate who is working as a CPA and wants to use the MBA to transition to a career in corporate finance (different function and different industry) would be an ideal One-Year applicant.  But, that same CPA who wants to use the MBA to transition to a career in investment banking would not be a good One-Year applicant because investment firms make their full time offers to candidates in their summer internship programs.  So, career paths ideal for One Year MBA candidates include:  consulting, corporate finance, real estate, health care, marketing analytics, family business, entrepreneurship and leadership development programs.   Career paths that are not typically the best match for the One Year include investment banking and brand management.

The One-Year Program provides an intensive summer curriculum after which the class of approximately 50 students integrates fully with Two-Year MBA Program students.

Does the Goizueta MBA mix case studies with lectures? What's the balance between the two and why do you feel that balance works best?

Yes, Goizueta MBA faculty employ a mixed teaching method, employing lectures, group work, project-based experiential learning and case study method in the classroom.  I believe our mixed teaching method enables our faculty to convey the course material in the manner that they believe will be most effective.  

Student Profile

The 2-year MBA has about 150 students, and so has got to be one of the smaller class sizes of respected U.S. programs. Any plans to grow this?

No, we have no plans to significantly grow our Two Year MBA enrollment.  We seek to enroll between 150-170 students each fall as we believe it is a key advantage for us, enabling Goizueta to remain nimble and also to most effectively implement our management practice electives.

It is noted that the One-Year MBA program looks for applicants from business, economics and engineering backgrounds. How about the 2-year program?

Applicants from all academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our Two Year MBA program.

The Experience

How does Atlanta add value to the program?

Atlanta, which is #3 in the US for Fortune 500 Headquarters, is a fantastic resource for our faculty and students.  Our location gives our faculty easy access to a wide array of class speakers and also is a plentiful source of real-world projects for our management practice (experiential learning) courses. 

Do students live on or off campus? What options do they have?

Attractive and affordable housing options are plentiful near Emory’s campus. Most of our MBA students live off-campus, in the graduate apartment complex owned by Emory or other high quality apartment complexes close to campus.  Most apartment communities have many nice amenities including security, tennis courts, swimming pool and beautiful landscaping.  Students can also rent condominiums in Decatur which is a community just 5 minutes from campus.

A big plus for our students is that, relative to other major cities in the USA, Atlanta is one of the most affordable places to live. 

Any final thoughts about the Goizueta experience and/or admissions?

Goizueta offers MBA candidates a transformative academic experience.  Our program is rigorous but operates within a supportive and collegial learning environment.  We pride ourselves on fully preparing our graduates for the career search process and for Day One job readiness.  Our strong career results confirm our success in this area. 

Thanks very much Julie!

John Couke

John.couke@gmail.com

Interview with Maryke Luijendijk-Steenkamp, Director of Marketing and Admissions at the Rotterdam School of Management

I'm pleased to present this interview with Maryke Luijendijk-Steenkamp, Director of Marketing and Admissions at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). 

Curriculum

How would you define the current strength(s) of the program? I recall when I visited the campus that the marketing curriculum was a particular strength.

We offer a general management academic basis during the first six months of the programme. For the second half of the programme, participants can choose to do what we call a “Career Concentration”. The concentration can be in Finance, Marketing or Strategy. Another key strength is that we offer a truly international business environment. We believe that learning from other cultures and views on business and life are a real advantage at RSM.

Are your classes lecture-based or case-study based?

We have various methods of teaching. The majority of our lectures are case-study based. However, we do also incorporate a lot of guest speakers and industry presentations. Most of our classes comprise group work where small study groups will work on assignments, feedback sessions, presentations, problem analysis etc.

Is it possible to do an internship given the time constraints in the program?

We have an optional internship at the end of the programme. Participants who, in conversation with our Career Development Centre, feel that they need an internship for their career goals can choose to do the internship from December onwards. Career Development Centre offers support in securing the internship.

Admissions

Why don't you require a TOEFL score? How do you assess an applicant's English ability?

We will assess an applicant’s English ability through various means. We will evaluate the application essays. Admissions interviews in English are compulsory for all candidates, most taking place in person. Thus, we can assess through the interview whether the candidate’s working knowledge of English is of a sufficient level to engage in the MBA class.

Who conducts interviews? What tips would you offer someone preparing for their RSM interview?

Our interviews are conducted by alumni and/or staff members. We try to look for alumni located in the areas where participants live to ensure personal interviews and/or sometimes RSM staff travel to interview destinations. Alternatively we conduct Skype or phone interviews.

Among all the programs I have come across, RSM stands out in terms of the strength of the relationships the program's admissions office aims to establish with applicants. Why is this important? What during this process do applicants tend do well, and what do they not do well?

You are absolutely right – we really believe in a personalised admissions approach at RSM. We like to counsel our prospective candidates to ensure that, when they ultimately come to RSM, they have made an informed choice. We like to do pre-application discussions early on in the search process. This means that prospects can send their CV’s to us and we will set up a conversation with them to check if they are eligible to apply and, more importantly, to see if there is a fit between their MBA aspirations and the RSM MBA.

We want to only attract students that will fit into the RSM environment and that will be happy with the type of programme we offer. I would suggest all applicants to speak to us even before an application. This can be immensely helpful for them in order to make sense of all the MBA offerings out there and to gain first-hand information on our school. We also like to connect them with our current students and alumni that can share more about the MBA experience.

What is the function of the RSM Asia office?

To provide world-class education, RSM has a strong global network. With the RSM Asia office, the school offers a huge potential to corporate partners, prospective students, and alumni, who are based in this dynamic region. As a globally connected business school, RSM will provide a range of services from its new office in Taipei. Alumni will be supported in strengthening our local alumni chapters, such as those active in Taiwan and Japan.

As RSM’s corporate network in Asia will be maintained and expanded, RSM’s Career Development Centre will offer career guidance to local alumni with the support of RSM’s business partners in the region. Lectures by RSM faculty and local events will be organised to offer alumni lifelong learning opportunities. In addition to short courses in Asia, professionals can participate in RSM degree or executive education programmes in Rotterdam.

In addition to supporting marketing and recruitment efforts in the Asia region, the RSM Asia office serves as a central point of contact for prospective MBA candidates based in Asia to guide them through their information seeking and application process. They can participate in activities, network with alumni, and attend information sessions by RSM’s representatives.

Life in Rotterdam

Can you tell us a bit about the benefits of living in this part of the world?

It is great to live in a country that is so connected to the rest of the world. Schiphol airport (28 minutes away by train) flies directly to almost any international destination. The Netherlands is a traditional nation of traders and as such their business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit spills over into the MBA environment.

When it comes to internationals living in the Netherlands, I can confidently say – being an expat myself – that this is one of the best expat locations in the world. Almost everyone speaks English here and the visa regulations are quite open and easy compared to other countries. There is even a specific beneficial tax ruling as an incentive for foreigners to live and work in The Netherlands!

Furthermore, the lifestyle here is safe and relaxed. It is great to be able to ride your bike anywhere you want to go and to have services and amenities that make life very easy.

In what ways (clubs, events) do students interact outside of class?

Our students can join a number of professional and social clubs, run by the Student Association. Details can be found at http://tinyurl.com/p2mvzd9

Since 96% of our students come from abroad, it means that all your classmates have relocated to Rotterdam as well and are going through the same experiences. This makes for a very close-knit group of students that all want to make the most of their time here. They arrange various international trips and activities throughout the year and spend a lot of time together in the city.  

How do RSM students collaborate or get to know students in the greater Erasmus University? What benefits can be realized there?

Our students are free to tap into all the facilities and opportunities the greater Erasmus University offers. This adds greatly to their network and depth of experience. They can join and liaise with the University student clubs and can join the activities on offer on campus.

After the MBA

Can you tell us a bit about your Career Services, and how they prepare students to enter the job market?

Our Career Development Centre offers a personalised career service. All our participants receive a Career Coach that will work with them personally throughout the year. In conversation with their coach, participants will work on their job search.

The process is broken into four rough “stages” – Who am I? What do I want? How do I get it? Get it? All Career activities are geared towards this process.

Apart from coaching our students are also connected with alumni mentors that guide them. Activities and workshops such as CV writing sessions, interview training, salary negotiation, case cracking, networking skills etc. are taking place on a regular basis throughout the year.

We are happy to see that these efforts pay off since we place an average of 89% of our students within three months after graduation, 76% of which are in Europe.

Thanks Maryke for your time!


John Couke
john.couke@gmail.com