Two more reasons to go to Stern?
1. Stern Consulting Corps is a wonderful opportunity, on the professional and personal front. On a personal level, it is a fun and unique way to give back to the community and also to immerse yourself in a unique experience. On the professional front, it is an opportunity to get hands-on consulting experience, while learning from senior consultants (typically from McKinsey, BAH, Deloitte etc.) who act as mentors throughout the 10-week program. And, you get paid for it!
I'm part of the program this semester, working on a project for Carnegie Hall. I obviously cannot divulge the details of the project, but I'll definitely say that this experience is very different from anything I've done before and anything I'll probably do in my future career in finance. I've only been on the project a few weeks now, but I've already learnt a great deal about the industry and about marketing and strategy. And in this case, there are the added perks like free concert-hall tours and tickets ;-).
2. Experiencing NYC in the classroom - One of the best things about being in b-school in NYC is the access we have to businesses and other institutions, enabling us to watch what we learn in the classroom being applied to businesses every day. An example?
Live Met Opera Case Study - As part of our marketing class, we are doing a live case study on the Metropolitan Opera today. Highlights of the day include a tour, a dress rehearsal of Simon Boccanegra, and a meeting with senior management (and possibly Peter Gelb!). Only in NY!
There are things every top business school can give you (a great education and a good network), but only in New York will you get the kind of access and experience that makes business school a truly rewarding experience. So, keep that in mind as your admits start to flow in and you are in the enviable position of deciding between Stern and other schools.
On the personal front:
I did obtain a summer internship about a month ago. I'm happy to say it was my first choice and a highly competitive one. It feels GREAT to have a job, but given that my entire first semester seems to have been driven by the sole purpose of procuring an internship, I feel somewhat demotivated these days. Or, maybe it's just the weather.
Also, for those of you who plan to visit Stern and have lunch with a student, I have signed up to be part of the program. So, if you are paired up for lunch with a smart, beautiful, charming Indian woman, it could very well be yours truly ;-).
