Agony Aunt

"Just when I thought that I was out they pull me back in"

Hard to believe it has been two years since I went through this pain and suffering. But take it from someone (definitely) older and (questionably) wiser, that it is definitely worth it. Or not - if the economy goes into a full-fledged recession before I graduate, I'll be singing a different tune, to be sure.

In any case, here are some answers to the most recent FAQ's I've received via email:

1. How generous is Stern wrt financial aid?

From what I understand, quite generous (based on purely anecdotal evidence). I know of many people who are on partial or full scholarships, either through the school or through associations like the Forte Foundation. On this matter, you should probably talk to the admissions office who'll be able to put you in touch with people better versed on this subject.

In addition to scholarships and federal and private loans, once you are in school, you can apply for part-time jobs on campus of which there are many (you probably won't have time for one in the first semester because of recruiting, but going forward there is definitely a lot of availability).

2. What did you particularly like about the environment at Stern, both in the classroom and outside?

Ok, I am going to try to not make this sound like propoganda, but it probably will :-)
In the classroom, I am constantly amazed at how great the professors are. Learning from professors like Damodaran, Roubini and Yermack is truly a pleasure. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable about their subjects (and I don't mean merely from an academic perspective, but also from a practical one as well), they are also very very good teachers, constantly motivating you to think harder and really understand the underlying concepts.

When I was applying last year, I honestly never believed in the whole "learning from my classmates" line, but having taken a number of case-based classes, I can confidently say that most of the learning in those courses happens because of the vast range of experiences your classmates bring to the classroom. There are as many viewpoints as there are students, and I never realized how narrow my viewpoint was on certain issues.

Outside the classroom, what I really like (apart from getting shitfaced with my friends at the many, many social events) is that there are so many opportunities to stretch your wings. Whether it is organizing a conference for a club, participating in the Stern Consulting Corps, taking part in case competitions or business plan competitions, managing a live investment fund, or acting as a VC consultant for startups, there are more opportunities than there is time. I think I have made the most use of quite a few of these opportunities, and I have really loved challenging myself and getting involved in things that I would never have to opportunity to do outside of school or in my career.

3. If you could change a few things about Stern, what would they be?

Definitely, add more space. For some reason, there's always a dearth of study space in school (guess that's a feature of being in downtown New York!). There's plenty of bars and cafes around to hang out in, but probably not the most conducive for studying.
Can't think of any others right now, but the next time I crib about something, will jot it down.

4. Which are the most popular courses? which did you like the most?

Oh, there's a bunch depending on your specialization. Some popular ones (the * indicates that I took the course, the + indicates I liked it a lot):

Corporate Finance (Damodaran) *+
Restructuring Firms and Industries (Yermack) *+
International Macroeconomic Theory and Policy (Roubini) *+
Competitive Strategies in the Marketplace (Czepiel)
Game Theory (Brandenberger)
Foundations of Entrepreneurship (Okun) *+
Bankruptcy (Altman)
Advanced Futures and Options (Subramanyam)
Consumer Behavior

5. Which student clubs did you participate in? Which are the most active ones?

Pretty much most of the clubs are very active. Almost all the professional clubs are very active (GFA, MCA, GMA etc.) and are great networking opportunities. For banking, GFA is the one to pick. The region-based social clubs are pretty active as well (SABAS, LABA, ABS, JBA etc.), and those can be a great way to network and hang out with people who are from or share an interest in the region. And of course, there's SWIB which is a bit of both and a lot of fun.

6. Were you satisfied with the career office?

The Office of Career Development (OCD) does a fantastic job of educating you about career options as well as preparing you for the whole recruiting process. They are also constantly trying to get an increasingly broader range (i.e. more non-finance) of companies to recruit from Stern. I was very happy with the skillset they provided me through their workshops etc. I think most of my classmates would attest to this as well.

7. Besides clubs etc, what kind of activities are available for people interested in a banking career?

I'm not sure I understand the question completely, but since when does that prevent an MBA student from giving gyaan :-).

If you mean what other networking opportunities, I'd say that the OCD and the GFA organize a number of events where you can meet people from different banks and network with them. The banks themselves organize a number of events to pitch the company and also to get a feel for prospective applicants.

If you're talking about training, the GFA organizes events like "Training the Street" which is a modeling workshop; different professors hold valuation, accounting workshops etc.; JP Morgan organizes an annual case competition which is a great way to get a feel for banking and also impress managers; there are a number of inter-school case competitions to test your mettle against the folks from other top schools in the country; GFA organizes an annual conference where you can hear senior executives from a number of banks discuss topics of relevance.