10 Years From Starting My MBA: Definitely worth it!

This goes out to anyone from the Philippines still finding my blog after more than a decade of it being up 😊

I started my MBA in August 2012, and graduated in May 2014. Let me just say that taking my MBA abroad led to opportunities that I never would have expected when I first started applying, and I am quite happy with where my journey has taken me.

A lot has already changed since I wrote most of these blog entries, so the information here is probably not as accurate or applicable anymore. But do know that there are people and resources available if you are interested in pursuing higher education outside the Philippines. Don't be afraid to ask questions (or even negotiate scholarships if it comes to it!), and don't be afraid to ask for help! There are others like me who have taken the path before you who could help you on your way.

Stats on the MBA Class of 2014

The Complete 2014 Business School Ranking has been released, and can be found on this link. For the first time ever, Harvard is not part of the Top 5 and Duke is No. 1! (Also check out how they were ranked.)

It's interesting to see this snapshot of the graduate class I'm part of, courtesy of Bloomberg BusinessWeek. For those of you concerned with the money you have to shell out for your MBA, the ROI of the school could be something to look at.

And, no, I didn't get that $1M signing bonus.

What Business School Does for Your Career 

By Jonathan Rodkin and Francesca Levy November 11, 2014
(Actual infographic can be found on the title link above.) 

Graduated, started a job, now crossing fingers for an H1B

So -- this is it.

Been working for a couple of weeks now after a melange of events that included graduation, out-of-state vacation trips with my parents and my boyfriend, relocation to another state, and lots and lots of packing. I cannot emphasize enough how stressful packing and unpacking can be -- I've been in two temporary apartments in two weeks, and it's really, really awful.

How can Americans be okay with this nomadic lifestyle?! I'm just not used to it.

I've received my first paycheck, and I still have to find a long-term apartment, buy my own car and start another checking account. Depending so much on checks (to purchase a car, to pay apartment deposits) is another thing to get used to.

I'm really proud and happy that I've finished my MBA in flying colors - academic honors, no debt, some extra money after all the vacation expenses. I spent a little more than Php2.5M of my own money; the fellowship plus the money I earned from my internship and my part-time job took care of the rest of my expenses.

I'm a living testament that, yes, it is possible to get your MBA abroad without incurring debt or relying on your family for financial support. Of course, there was a pretty steep price for me to pay - and it started way before I set foot in America, from my very first paycheck.

Now, I'm ready to move on to the next stage. Hopefully, this time next year, I'll have the good news of having an approved H1B work visa. And from there -- who knows?


Thank you very much for supporting my blog and reading my posts. I'm signing off for now,  but will be available to answer questions. Just shoot them at my email pinaymba <at> gmail <dot> com. Thank you once again, and good luck to all Filipino MBA applicants!

Graduation Pics

www.flickr.com

In the Philippines, it's practically a tradition to take graduation portraits before you graduate. Students give wallet-sized portraits away to their friends, writing dedications at the back, and put up larger-sized pictures in frames at home. In the US, I found out that it wasn't as much of a big deal. (At least for grad students.) Why? Because the portraits are so expensive!

The portrait booth was tucked away into a corner during the grad fair. I had to go around twice before I found it. Unlike in the Philippines, there were no make-up artists or hair stylists to assist you. I had asked the photographer how much the portraits would cost, and he was sort of dodging the question. He just told me to let my parents pay for it. Since there was hardly anyone lining up at the hard-to-find booth, I was able to take my time with my portraits. I waited for the link that he said would come, which would take me to the ordering website.

I was really surprised with how much the portraits cost! Since I only had this experience with one provider, I am giving out a disclaimer. But here is a sample of the listed packages:

• Set of 8 wallets - starting at $29.95
• 1 8x 10 photo - starting at $29.95
• 1 5x7 with a presentation folder - starting at $14.95
• 2 5x7s with folders and a jpg of your image - starting at $64.95 (Value Package)
• 1 8x10, 2 5x7s, 8 wallets, folders and a jpg of your image - starting at $79.95 (Standard Package)
• 2 8x10s, 2 5x7s, 4 3x5s, 8 wallets, folders and a jpg of your image - starting at $94.95 (Premium Package)
• 2 8x10s, 4 5x7s, and 8 Wallets - starting at $89.95 (Mix & Match Value Package)
• 1 10x14; 3 8x10s; 10 5x7s; 24 Wallets - starting at $179.95 (Mix & Match Premium Package)
• Single image download (with $10 to spend at an online photo site) - $59.95

The Mix & Match packages mean that you can order different portrait poses from the set you had taken. The rest are only for a single portrait pose. Again, these are only a sample of the packages available; there are more options to choose from.

I was trying to decide whether to content myself with a 5x7 photo (the cheapest option), which I could then scan, but my sister persuaded me to order the 8x10 photo. The prices above are labeled "Starting at..." because you had to shell out more for glossy pictures, for retouched pictures, etc. I chose the matte, non-retouched photo. But I didn't account for shipping (around $6) and taxes!

I procrastinated on ordering because I couldn't get over the price (the gown, cap and hood had sticker shock too). When I finally did (I got the 8x10 photo), I received a coupon code for free shipping! Gah. But I had made a mistake in my order, so I had a valid reason to cancel it. Then I reordered with the free shipping code.

When I got the picture by mail, I saw that they didn't follow the instructions in my order. So I complained, and they sent me another photo for free. A few days later, I had two more photos in my mailbox! I didn't realize that they had sent me the first one by mistake (they had confirmed that they cancelled it anyway). Needless to say - with three portraits for around $30 - I was a very satisfied customer.

Evolution of an MBA

Brought to you by Wharton Follies 2011

So here's a video to break my blog's text monotony! Of course, it has to be MBA-related. 

Comments:
Ooh, Case in Point - our textbook for case interviews.
Au Bon Pain for group meeting snacks? Check. Those group meetings could take hours.
MBAs love costume parties.
Professional attire? Yup, you learn to leave a suit and shoes in your locker.
Jaunts to exotic destinations are not for money-saving me.
Eating out of the bin? Ugh, no.


Seriously, the changes you absorb as you go through the MBA wringer - all that business jargon of ROI, tax returns, marketing promotions and Lean operations suddenly make sense; networking in professional attire while drinking cocktails becomes part of your routine; negotiating and debating with teammates are learned skills, etc - won't necessarily make a superstar out of you once you graduate, and it's important to remember that. (MBAs have this reputation of being know-it-alls, especially MBAs from particular elite schools.)

10 weeks 'til graduation

Random thoughts today:

> Monday morning, and it's our spring break!! Break started last Friday for me.

> Met an MBA alum on my way to the library. He's an international student who's switching jobs after not-even-a-year. He's going to join a startup after working at a small financial consulting firm. He says he "likes small companies." I wished him good luck!

> It's break, yes, but I am working in the library. It's nice, however, to be working in the library -- getting paid and getting fed (lots of extra food from dissertation camp) -- when most students are away.

> Must remember to get my new I-20 from the International office and mail my OPT application today!

> Need packaging tape to mail a textbook rental back. Ebay in the US is a blessing. There's stuff there that's cheaper than Amazon, Walmart or the dollar store.

> Spending more than I usually do on food with friends, and stuff like ski pants. Trading money for (affordable more-value-for-your-money) memories.

> I need a US driver's license!!! Aaaahhhhhh. Parallel parking, I'll beat you today!

> Double points for Bing Rewards today! Followed it up with Swagbucks! (for more info, follow this link.) I think I've earned around $50 so far with these two sites. Not bad!

> Wondering what to eat for mid-afternoon "lunch."

> Can't wait to know how much my tax refund will be; my tax appointment's next week.

> Wonder what ever happened to No Debt MBA? She stopped writing on her blog since she started her internship. I had been reading it before I came to the US back in 2012. Did she accumulate debt during her second year? Hmm.

> Yes, I'm graduating soon, and I'm feeling lazy, like the stereotypical second-year MBA. Cannot wait to start earning again!

Final stretch!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Now that it's 2014, I'm facing the final stretch -- one semester left before graduation! I'm patting myself on the back for doing well so far, especially on my finances.

It hasn't been easy working while taking my MBA, but I'm nearly done. I've just gone through a highly stressful quarter of academics - with 12 hours of work a week thrown in - and am highly gratified to earn a near flat 4.0. (Yes, I do look at my grades as a way of challenging myself; anyway, I paid good money for my education! As long as I have actually learned something, I'm fine with an A-. Conversely, I feel bad earning an A on a very easy subject where I learned nothing at all.)

I've spent more than Php 2.3 million of my own money so far on my MBA; it amazes me to have spent so much money! (Imagine if I got my MBA in AIM or Ateneo instead!) I am truly grateful for my scholarship, my part-time library job and my internship; without these, I would be drowning in debt right now or probably not be taking my MBA abroad at all.

I'm spending the holidays with my family in the Philippines, and it has been really good to be back. I was able to score a round-trip ticket for the very low price of $1,330-something, in exchange for arriving home on Christmas Day. Not that I mind that much. After all, I still get to go home. (It's just too bad that winter break this year is so much shorter!)

Enjoy the rest of the holidays, and email me at pinaymba@gmail.com for any questions! (And no, I'm still not saying what school I'm in right now.)

Hell Week

(Photo from Twitter, Philippines trends)

The devastation brought by Haiyan has made it hard to bear being in a country far away. Not a single day passes without my checking Facebook or news websites for every update on the distribution of relief goods. Not a single day passes without my breaking down over the heartbreaking stories.

It's too much.


Never mind that next week is shaping up to be the most demanding week that I'm about to face in b-school. Midterms, project presentations, case reports, papers -- you name it, I have it due next week. Try studying, having group meetings and working part-time for 12 hours with your mind half-distracted and yourself yearning to be across the Pacific.

It's tough but not impossible to get through. Next week is nothing compared to what the Haiyan victims and survivors are going through.


As an MBA student working to get through school debt-free, what can I do? Check on friends who were affected. Say thanks to classmates and friends who express concern. Share online donation links and spread news of US relief collection centers on social media. Work with campus organizations for fundraisers. Donate online. Pray. Influence friends back home to help. But, somehow, this seems too little. It's certainly not enough to bring those badly affected by Haiyan out of their personal hell.

For inspiration: 
Bigas, Sardinas at Trenta Pesos
- Mayette Cinco, Facebook

The boys and i decided to drop by the grocery after church this afternoon to buy the stuff we would be sending to Tacloban City tomorrow. Nearing our house, we saw five Tawi kids waiting for us at the gate. With a smile they greeted us and handed me a small paper bag and said ' Pakisama nyo pa po ito sa ipadadala nyo bukas sa mga binagyo. Nangalakal po kami para din sa kanila..Sana po makatulong.' I opened the bag and saw a kilo of rice, 2 sardines and three ten peso coins..Ung trenta po pambili nila duon ng tinapay para hindi mayupi sa byahe.' I held the precious bag so tight & assured the boys that their donation will surely help kids in Tacloban. I know how hard they worked today just so they could share. It's not easy being chased by dogs & cops and be bullied by all sorts of 'tambays' in the streets of Rizal..Not easy to walk the entire day looking for scraps in every street garbage drums..but they braved the heat of the sun and all other challenges just to come up with what they think would be of help to others..I said to myself, nahihiya ako sa kanila..hindi ako naaawa, humahanga ako kasi hindi lahat kayang magbigay ng may kalakip na sakripisyo..so often we give from our spare..but these kids gave out of the only things they've got..Reminds me of the poor widow who gave 2 pennies for the Lord..She gave her all for the Master and that made all the difference.
God bless, beautiful children of the Savior.

Case Interviews

When I entered b-school, case interviews was one of the topics that was part of orientation (read: something that we had to learn asap).

Case interviews have been the norm in the consulting industry, but other companies are now adding cases to their MBA internship and full-time interviews. Amazon, for instance, conducts back-to-back case interviews with MBA students. (Example: Tell me whether there are enough trampolines in stock in this warehouse.) Case interviewing is actually a useful skill to have, if only because of the frameworks that can be applied to typical business problems.

Click this to see a sample case interview, from executiveboard.com.

I have gone through mock case interviews as a first-year MBA student, and have gone through zero actual case interviews in my internship search. Now that I look back upon it, I have been lucky having had only behavioral interview questions, though I must admit that I feel that I haven't had the full MBA experience when it comes to interviews.

Case interviews are pretty stressful, especially when you're not used to them, and my classmates who have gone through them say that it really helps going through case interviews with a second-year or one of your classmates. Sample case questions are related to:

• Pricing (ex. What is the ideal price for Amazon Prime membership?)
• New Market Entry
• Growth
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Increasing Profits

You get the drift. 

You have papers on which to organize your thoughts (and which the interviewer may ask to keep), and can ask as many questions as you want from the interviewer after a significant pause and a brief summary of how you understood the case. You have to appear in control -- not nervous or rattled. Whatever your answer is, you can expect the interviewer to find reasons why you should have chosen the alternative option. Practice really helps since your mind is able to jump into case frameworks more easily.

Case interviews are mostly challenging, but can be fun to those who like this kind of interview stress.

Back on campus, with a full-time offer!

Even with all the unpacking that I need to do, I can't help but be on a high as I ended my internship with an offer for a full-time job. It's really amazing how God sorts everything out.

The day before my last day in the office, my boss called me to her desk. She was really excited when she handed me the offer letter. See, there was this presentation* made to the CIO and IT directors (I worked in the IT department) by each of the MBA interns, and everyone was really impressed with mine. (I practiced a lot, and I have to say that my efforts really paid off. It also helps to make them laugh -- but in a good way.) The other interns had left the previous week, and the CIO wanted me to have my offer before I left.

My boss was so excited that she went through all the details of the offer, then asked me what I thought about it. I asked her, "What's the role going to be?" Hilarious. Anyway, the position was that of a business analyst, reporting directly to her. Since my boss is an IT director reporting to the CIO, I would be on the same level in the reporting structure as other managers reporting to my boss. I wasn't a manager, of course, which was fine by me. I don't think I'm ready to manage Americans.

The terms of the offer were, again, beyond my expectations. Beyond my wildest dreams!

High salary? Check. Sign-on bonus? Check. Fully-paid relocation expenses? Check. Bonus rent-free apartment for three months? Check. Area with relatively low cost of living? Check!

Okay. So I guess I can say that if I take the offer, I won't be living in sunny California or chic New York, but just look at that trade-off. Let's go to company specifics.

Multi-national? Check. Flexible times? Check! Great work/life balance? Check!

My previous work was highly stressful so being able to leave before 5 PM, or as I needed to, was very important. Also, it's great that there's no chance of being called on the weekend by a stressed manager. Sorry, Amazon, but working regularly until 8 PM (with a possibility of going all the way to 3 AM) isn't a job that I'd love.

Business casual office environment? Check. Good career advancement? Check!

With this company, MBAs usually rotate to another job after three years. MBAs are also given a wider scope of work, on the understanding that they are expected to perform better and be able to handle more. Women MBAs are given more attention, because of diversity needs. Sorry, guys.

Assistance with green card application? Check. Possible foreign assignment? Check!

Another thing I like about this company is that they can assign you to a role in one of their offices abroad. They take your needs into consideration too. So if I get homesick for Asia, I might just be given an opportunity to serve the company in Singapore. Maybe even Manila. Wouldn't that be nice...

Lest you think that I'm working for the ideal company of all time, let me say here that the position offered to me isn't that exciting of a role. I mean, how exciting can a business analyst position be? (As exciting as you make it, says my inner voice.) It's not that challenging or hair-raising as a product manager or consultant position, but at least it gives me time to have me time. Personal time. I like having personal time to do whatever I want. Who knows what amazing scheme I could come up with when I have enough time on my hands?

My career coach told me that it would be a good idea to compare offers first, before making a decision. So as great as this offer is, I haven't signed anything yet, and will be going back to the hunt. I'm just happy and grateful and thankful that I have one great offer in hand.



*Internship presentation - Typically, MBA interns present the results/recommendations of their summer projects, and answer the questions thrown at them by the executives, managers, peers who attend the presentation. Think you'll just be staring at the laptop screen during internship? Well, actually, that still happens.

**Note: I hope you don't think that I got the offer just because of my outstanding presentation. According to my boss, she (and the rest of the team) really liked how I was able to step up to the job and contribute immediately. I wouldn't have been able to "contribute immediately" if I didn't have the work experience that I have had. So to those who are asking, yes, it's really important to have that work experience component down before applying to your dream school. Really helps with landing an internship and getting through the internship.

Useful advice for Pinoy students in the US, Part 2

Useful advice if you're a Pinoy student going to the US, Part 1

Here are some more tips that I think would be useful for other students who have just arrived in the land of the free (check out the above link for numbers 1-5):

6. When it comes to buying textbooks, check out the sell-it-back price on Amazon first. It may be cheaper to buy a book and sell it back when your class is done. You will really benefit from this when it comes to newly released books -- for instance, there's this Accounting book (released last January) that I'll be needing later this year. It now costs $170, but I can sell it back to Amazon for $152. End result? I'll be able to use the book for only $18.

7. Compare textbook prices across different websites through Slugbooks.com.

8. Those really cheap textbooks on AbeBooks.com may be international editions with different section questions than the US editions. Just be aware of this if ever you decide to buy via that route.

9. Renting textbooks may turn out to be more expensive. If ever you're reduced to desperate measures, you may want to try a rental site I've used before: CampusBookRentals. What I like about this company is that they provide excellent customer service, free shipping and discounts during certain times of the year (usually before classes start in the fall or spring). And they usually have cheaper prices than Chegg.

10. Well, it always pays to ask around -- second-years may be selling their first-year books, or some of your classmates may have taken that elective in a previous term. Your library may also have electronic or print copies of the book you're looking for.


As you might have noticed, this post is very much textbook-related.

I think it has something to do with the fact that I've gone through the list of textbooks I might need this fall semester, and have been thinking of ways not to spend so much on them. If you're from the Philippines, you will definitely experience sticker shock when you find out how much the textbooks over here cost.

I'll be wrapping up my internship this week, and heading back to campus. Good news: my internship savings will be enough to pay off my second year's tuition fees! Yes! Hopefully, my part-time job in the library will help to cover living expenses.

Internship!! Bow.

So it's been a week now since I started my internship with a multi-national US company.

I've moved to another state, dealt with storage issues, cleaned out my apartment and felt the rush of having steadier income once again, even if it's only for the summer. I cannot believe that I came to this country with two 23-kg suitcases and 1 bursting-to-the-seams carry-on, and now I have -- what, 15 boxes of stuff??? And that's not even counting the appliances, full suitcases and carry-on bag too.

I feel so blessed and fortunate to land this internship -- not every company offers its interns a housing and relocation package, and even cab rides to and from the office for those who don't drive. The apartment isn't shared, and is fully furnished. It's very spacious and is in a good location that if I had to search for an apartment, this would be way out of range for me. The salary I receive is also beyond my expectations. In short, this is my dream internship package, and I am so grateful to have it! (Thanks, Lord!)

How did I land my internship?

Well, I found it through our career services website. Aside from my resume, I have a customized cover letter for every application I make, which I then show my career coach for review. I have a list of interview questions that I practice my answers for -- my answers are usually stories from my work experience, and I follow the context-action-result format. I went through eight (yes, eight!) interviews, and received the offer the day after the last seven interviews. Amazingly, I did not have to flex my networking skills at all for this. I just asked my coach and some second-years for advice when it came to accepting the offer.

What advice can I give for the internship search?

Start early and do those mock case interviews. Have a shortlist of companies. Do whatever your career office tells you to do. Ask for advice and job leads from your coaches; they are paid to provide you with career advice so ask away. Go over your resume and cover letters as many times as needed. Ask help from second-years. Do those mock case interviews again. Networking can be a big help, but is not required. Finance and consulting positions typically open in the fall; a lot of other positions (including marketing) open in January. February and March are the months when most students have interviews, and receive internship offers. If you want to attend a major career fair, go to the one sponsored by the National Black MBA Association. For the minor ones, attend those in or near your school. And, finally, pray a lot and have lots of faith!



As of this writing, there are still international students in my class who have not landed internships. And they are smart, competent individuals -- which is why I feel really bad about their situation. I guess even if the US market is recovering and more jobs are opening up for MBAs, it really is much harder for international MBAs out there. Many companies who hire internationals as interns are already evaluating them for full-time positions, which means that these companies are of the kind that sponsor H1B visas.

Among my classmates who have not landed an internship position is one friend who spent the first semester flying out to Chicago and New York on weekends to network with alumni. He scheduled mock interviews and coffee chats one after another in a single day. Career services people say that this is how you do it if you want to land a job in investment banking. My friend received an offer for a corporate finance position back then, but he rejected it. Come second semester, he would be flown out to different states for face-to-face interviews, and he reached most last-rounds. In the end, however, he didn't receive another offer. These past few weeks, he has been applying to all kinds of finance positions that he finds, and has secured graduate assistantship positions for the time-being.

I guess everyone has to find the right balance between applying for specific positions and applying for every single opening, and between being a student and an applicant. I myself did targeted applications, and it worked for me, but I guess there was luck involved too. I had another friend who applied to every single opening he was eligible for, and the many interviews tired him out and disrupted his classes and group meetings. You are still a student while you're applying, and if learning is important for you (as it is for me), then you still need significant time for your studies and groupwork.

My First US Credit Card!

Woohoo! Got approved for this card! Now I can start building my credit history here (so nerdy, but I really, really needed this)!

Comparison table with other cards on this link.
Further info on highly-rated student credit cards here.

Some of my stipend-receiving Chinese classmates had been approved for credit cards late last year, and I had been hankering for one since then. It's hard to move around the US without a credit history -- landlords check it to rent you apartments, banks check it to determine the interest rates they give you for loans, etc, etc. Some landlords even require credit histories of six months, to see whether you are that reliable when it comes to paying off credit. I had to have one, and I had to have one fast.

Enter the Discover card. I had actually applied last year for a credit card with the local credit union, but had been rejected since I don't have a stipend, and the income I receive from my part-time job wasn't deemed sufficient enough to cover credit payments (sad, I know). But I'll be doing my internship over the next few months, and the income I'll be receiving can serve as a guarantee of sorts (kind of flawed reasoning right there, but I'm not complaining). Aside from my offer letter, the credit union wanted a copy of my I-20 and passport. Discover, on the other hand, just asked me about the income I expected to receive this year, plus a scanned copy of a document validating my address. Applying for Discover was all online, so it was really easy and convenient. I received their reply a couple of days after applying, and my card was on the way!

I'm not really partial to credit cards, but if I receive cash-back offers on purchases I make, then it's free money for me. More so if I get money back for paying on time, like Capital One offers on its Journey student card. The cash-back amount might be really small, but it does build up over time. A lot of barya together can be worth hundreds over time. And a credit card will be handy if ever I find myself in a financially tight spot. I'll just make sure I can pay back anything I charge on it since the interest rates get pretty steep later on!

To be honest, I very much prefer a cash system like the one in the Philippines. With cash, all you really worry about is having a lot of money with you that could get stolen, especially during registration days and you have to pay full tuition. With credit, you don't have to worry about this, but you never know when someone has stolen your credit info -- or even identity -- online. And what precaution could you take against that?

Spring break + Finances check

Here in the US, we students are in the middle of spring break. Ah, finally, a chance to relax! Not so for MBA students who still have to land internships or full-time jobs; spring break is the time to apply and network as hard as you can while there are no classes to interfere!

It does go by so fast. I hadn't noticed that more than three quarters of the first year are over. Second-years are now starting to reminisce and savor the remaining days before graduation. I've spent the past few days reading books, watching movies and planning my itinerary for my spring break trip (plus working extra hours at my part-time job).

Now that there's a general lull in the atmosphere, it might be a good time to check how my actual finances are doing with respect to the MBA budget.

Summary: 93.5% of the budget has been accounted for, but this already includes rent for the three remaining months I have in school. Over the next three months, I still have to spend on food, books for the last quarter, and other personal expenses. Hopefully, there will be no emergency/urgent expenses coming. If all goes well, I'd end up with some savings that I can use for next year's budget.

1. Tuition - 69%. Wouldn't have managed this without my benefactor's generosity. As for next year, let's see how my internship savings will turn out.

2. Workshop fees - 0.8%. These were the workshops we took during orientation. One thing off next year's budget.

3. Health, insurance, tech, association fees - 4%. Mandatory fees that you won't get out of paying.

4. Books - 0.8%. One source of savings (allocation was around 2.5% of the total budget) but I had to be really resourceful for the cost to go down.

5. Rent - 11%. I could have managed this in a way that would give me more savings, but I chose to live in a more expensive location that would give me a greater assurance of security (especially since I had to work late sometimes). Also, this includes the rent payments I have to make for the rest of the schoolyear.

6. Food - 1.1%. Well, I am not eating as much as I used to due to stress and to lack of appetite due to stress. Also, I bring my lunchbox to school when I know there's no free pizza, and don't go out that much.

7. Travel - 2.5%. This includes transport and accommodation expenses to career fairs and career treks I've gone to, plus some personal trips I made last year.

8. Personal - 4.3%. Okay, now this is my catch-all for all other expenses ranging from clothes to movies to gadgets to appliances to trash bags to toiletries to shoes to souvenirs to pre-paid load to football tickets. It's kind of alarming how it's nearly four times more what I spend for food, but items that fall here are often one-time spends (Like clothes? Yeah, right).


Anyway, since I am an MBA student, I should be putting up a pie chart here and giving recommendations to myself on what costs to cut next year so that I'd end up in a better financial standing. But since I'm lazy and it's spring break, I won't. I've put this up so that other Filipinos who are planning to earn their MBA in the US have some idea on what expenses there would be in their first year. Granted, I don't have a car and make the most of the free transportation my school provides, but you can factor that in your budget, along with gas, insurance, tolls, etc.

I could probably paint a more accurate picture once the first year is over. But then I might find myself exerting too much effort on my internship that I'd be too tired to go through all the numbers again.

My Part-time Job

Image from  blogs.loc.gov (Library of Congress website)

I'm blessed to have landed a part-time job here in school. And not just any part-time job, but one that pays higher than the hourly minimum wage, which, I think, is around $7.25. My job as a graduate assistant at the library is one of the higher-paid student jobs on campus.

What do I do? I sit at the reference desk, answer calls and inquiries from visitors, make sure the printers are full of paper, respond to paper jams and out-of-toner incidents, help students when they encounter technical problems with their computers, and assist students and visitors in their research. The job helps me practice my verbal skills in a pretty safe setting. Last semester, I worked night shifts. Sometimes the library would be really busy; sometimes not. When the shift was quiet, I could then bring out my books or laptop, and study then and there.

Does it affect my studies negatively? Not really. If anything, it clears my mind of MBA stuff and provides me time away from my group. (Trust me, you can have too much time spent with your group and it takes a toll on group output.) Also, as mentioned above, I can study or polish my internship applications during the shift if I'm not doing anything. Last semester, I worked six hours a week at night. I chose night shifts because day shifts interfered with classes, group work and extra-curricular activities. One of these shifts ended at midnight, and the disadvantage of that was that I would often be sleepy in my 8 AM class next day. This semester, I'll be taking on an 8-hour weekly workload, but at least I don't have 8 AM classes. I also scheduled my work on the weekends. Another thing I'm grateful about with my job is that I can adjust my work schedule as needed -- I can give my shift to another grad assistant and sometimes take his/her shift in exchange. We tell our bosses our available times at the start of the semester. I have an MBA classmate who worked 11-hour weeks last semester, and will be doing 12-hour weeks this spring.

How did I get it? I checked the school job board before coming here, and applied before the start of classes. I didn't make the cut initially, so I'm really grateful that the bosses decided to increase the number of graduate assistants.

What's the trade-off? Less time for myself and less "social" time. As mentioned in previous posts, the MBA is a very intense program, and working adds to the stress. Instead of heading home and getting a nap, you're off to work right after grueling case discussions and classes. Sometimes, I only get to do homework once I get home from work. But since I'll be working weekends this semester, I can probably get some more "me" time on weekdays.

NOTE - The F1 visa allows visa-holders to work only on campus for at most 20 hours a week for the first year. Details here: USCIS portal.

Winter Chills

It's holiday season, and we don't have any more classes the rest of the year! We finally have our long-awaited break -- and I'll spend it in winter.

Coming from a tropical country, I have zero first-hand knowledge about winter. Oh, I read about snow angels, snowflakes and snowmen, but experiencing snow for the very first time is sure to be an interesting, new experience.

Photo by Nati Harnik, Associated Press. Deseretnews.com.

Anyway, what I learned so far --

1. Winter Jackets/Coats
In the Philippines, there's this Surplus Shop in all the SM malls, which sells imported overruns. If you run across a fleece, down or wool jacket in that shop, buy it! I have a fleece sweatshirt which I got from Surplus, and I am so happy that I bought it since most sweatshirts I've come across here are too large, quite expensive, or plain (ie. unfashionable -- seriously!). The cheapest sweatshirt I ever saw was $20 pre-tax and that was on sale.

Fleece and wool jackets work in fall or early winter weather. Now that there's actual snow on the ground, I don't trust anything but my down jacket! Apparently, L.L. Bean jackets are among the most reliable (and most expensive), but I got mine (with thermal insulation) from Columbia. They say summer is the best time to buy winter stuff, but I didn't have a chance to do that so I can't really confirm. You can also combine a fleece jacket with a windbreaker for snowy, winter weather. Ladies might find it useful to buy jackets that reach mid-thigh or your knees. I bought from the Youth section (because it was cheaper) and my jacket reaches my hips. You can also try searching for puffer jackets which I also came across in my "research."

Hoods are important. Those Baguio knitted caps can also really come handy. Again, if you come across a fleece, down or wool hooded jacket in the Surplus Shop, buy it! And just find a way to wear it or something in your flight to the US -- because winter jackets/coats are pretty heavy.

Oh, and when it comes to wool jackets/coats -- at least 60% wool would do it. That's what my "research" says. (I have a 60% wool coat and it works fine for me.) My Youth down jacket cost $60; a typical ladies' winter jacket costs twice as much.

When it gets really cold, I pair up the down jacket with a fleece sweatshirt or fleece jacket inside to guarantee utmost warmth.

2. Shoes
You need waterproof shoes which can grip the slippery roads, and which reach past your ankle. I've seen some in Sears for less than $40. Some winter boots have tags which guarantee warmth at -15F.

3.Thermals
People say it's better to shop for thermals in Marks & Spencer or Debenhams (in Manila) since it's cheaper. I don't know about that, but I know it usually costs around Php1,600 to Php1,800 to get two thermal camisoles or long-sleeved shirts. I found Duofold thermals that cost me $14 each for the long-sleeved shirt and the leggings. They're available on Amazon and in Champion stores.

4. Layers
Maong pants that I brought with me from the Philippines turned out to be pretty thin, especially when I faced strong winds. I had to layer (and layer and layer) underneath it. I really found it hard to search for jeans here since the sizes are long and large! It's hard to find thick, reliable ones too.

I layer on top as well. Two shirts just won't cut it! The wind (always) finds a way through those cotton layers so better put on thermals and a fleece sweatshirt underneath that coat. You can always remove layers and hang them in your locker. I even wear two pairs of socks if it gets really cold! Better warm than sorry.

5. Scarves and Gloves
I just learned how to tie a scarf properly around my neck. Haha. My pashmina scarf works so far, but a thick, fluffy scarf would be better. And gloves are what you need, not mittens -- mittens prevent you from using your four, non-thumb fingers. Choose gloves that will help you grip and preferably have an insulation layer. You can also layer gloves and mittens if you wish.


I wish I had a balaclava for all those times the wind rushed towards my face. It's really not funny, I'm telling you. If you feel your fingers and feet getting cold, you probably didn't cover your head, which generates the most heat in your body. All the heat in your body is rushing toward the brain and leaving your digits to fend for themselves. If your head is covered and you still feel cold, then you haven't layered properly or layered enough. Keep as much of your body covered (zip all those zippers and close those snaps) so that the wind couldn't get in. It's not really the snow or the cold that's your enemy -- it's the WIND. I can stand subzero temperatures in the cold, but can't stand 10 degrees Celsius in the wind. I hate it when it turns out to be a cold, windy day. Unless I spend it indoors, of course.

Giving Thanks

It's nearly finals season once again and we are gearing up to finish this week's cases, assignments and presentations to start studying for the exams. Winter break is on the horizon and everyone's looking forward to a month of vacation!

Thanksgiving has come and passed; there was a Thanksgiving lunch buffet at school (only $5!) and dinner at one of the homes of my Filipino friends living here. Aside from turkey, there was a lot of ham, which I like so much better! Maybe because it's my comfort food at home. Thanksgiving saw us having nearly a week off from school and searching for bargains during the Black Friday sale, but a particularly difficult midterm exam was waiting for us on Cyber Monday. Haaay.

Anyway, on the theme of Thanksgiving, here's a short list of what I'm thankful for thus far:

Image from thankyoupictures.com.

1. My part-time job
I'm really grateful for my part-time job at the library, which gives me much-needed income while I'm here. It pays higher than minimum wage (but not much more) and gives me opportunities to earn more than my current shift allows every now and then. I can study when my shift turns out pretty quiet, and the librarians are always ready to help. I also meet different people who aren't in the MBA program, and the work gives me practice in interacting with Americans. So far, I only work 6 hours a week, but I'm planning to increase my hours for next semester.Without this job, I wouldn't have been able to get an SS number, which I need to get a credit card here, which I need to establish my credit history, which I absolutely need since it will make certain things easier (ie. renting an apartment, getting car insurance) for me in the future.

2. My benefactor
I've finally discovered who my benefactor is, and I've written him a thank-you letter. Without his very generous grant, I never would have set foot here in the first place.

3. My learning group
I got pretty lucky in the learning group raffle, and I'm so thankful for it! We work together so well -- and the same can't be said for the other groups in our class. In fact, one of the international students already left her group because she got treated badly by the guys (ie. her opinions didn't seem to count, she got shouted at, etc). Some groups also stay past midnight doing case work; the latest time my teammates and I worked together was until about 8 in the evening. We're pretty efficient, and have gotten to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We help each other with acads and I've always found them a source of support whenever I've had problems to deal with.

4. Viber, Skype and all that jazz
My former colleagues called me on Viber one night while I had a quiet shift at the library, and I was so happy that I disregarded protocol and jabbered away in Tagalog for more than an hour! Thank goodness no one had problems with their research or computers that time. There's no other better panacea to homesickness than hearing the voices of your friends and loved ones back home (or seeing them on your laptop). Talking to my colleagues made me feel as if I was back home again, just doing work in a different building. How hard it would be for us abroad if we only had snail mail to rely on! When my mom worked abroad in the 80's, she would send home cassette tapes (yes, cassettes) on which she would record her messages so that we could hear her voice.

5. The steady stream of learning
There are times when the load is so intense that MBA students ask themselves: Why am I taking this MBA again??? There are times when I feel that work was so much easier, and ask myself whether going here was worth giving up the comforts of home and the security of income. Well, time and time again, I always arrive at the conclusion that it's worth it. It's worth every penny I've put into it so far. I'm learning so much from the classes, the professors, my classmates, the career coaches and companies who come here to give us cases. You get those aha! moments when something discussed in class suddenly makes you realize why it was that way at work. That said, work experience is really valuable coming into the program.Not only do you get to share more, but you can more easily relate to the course material too.


Obviously, there are loads of things I'm thankful for -- bargains and sales that allow me to survive on a very stretched budget among them. I've gone a bit over my budget with my laptop purchase, the conferences I've traveled to, and sundry things I believe I need, but hopefully there wouldn't be any big-ticket items for next semester. In less than 3 hours, I'll be meeting my learning group for a case discussion then, in the afternoon, I'm off to listen to Christmas carols in the performing arts center. I can't believe it's nearly Christmas! Time flies by so fast!

Update before the next quarter starts

My last post was dated Sept. 11, and it was the week of our midterms.

It might interest you to know that two weeks after that week, we had our final exams. While we were studying for final exams, we did case study assignments with our respective groups. After our finals week, we had a week devoted to doing a case study for an actual company (in our case, a well-known consulting company). After that week, we had a career trek in one of the signature areas of the United States, networking with alums and seeing what companies looked like from the inside. The career trek just finished yesterday, and I'm writing this now.

The MBA is fast, yes, but a lot more intense than you realize.

What have I learned so far? Well, aside from the basics of accounting and statistics, I've learned how to ransack databases for research data I need for case studies. I've learned how case competitions are structured -- how sometimes you get to specifically define the problem you have to solve, how you focus on the how more than the why on your slides. I'm lucky to be in a very collaborative group, where each person's primary skill complements the others'. You know those horror stories of groupmates shouting at each other over cases and coming home in the early hours of the morning? Yup, those are true.

I've re-learned to wake up early and sleep late. I've learned to buy food that I could cook or warm up easily so that I can have breakfast ready in five minutes. I'm trying my best to keep up with constantly-updated email inboxes, internship notices, weekly club meetings, and my overflowing laundry basket. I have learned to better appreciate my free time, which I spend sleeping, doing chores, going with my friends to outlet malls or just walking around, taking pictures in our park-like campus.


There is just so much happening around you that even though you get in the program, believing to cruise through the subjects with A's, you switch to valuing the connections you make and the insights you get from the course material and outside trips more. Now, I'm not the type of person who spent her college days social drinking. I was more of the "let's have dinner next week," one-on-one kind of person. "Networking," which business schools heavily advocate, isn't necessarily equivalent to social drinking either. I believe in what a close friend of mine said, that you should stick to your values when networking, much in the same way that you should work for a company whose goals and way of life you believe in. Find out the networking style that suits you, and work it to your advantage in an American setting.

Americans may jokingly complain all they want about Asians not drinking as much as they do, but they respect people who can stand for their own principles. So know your principles and values going into the MBA program, and decide which of these are "unchangeable."

I now realize how much it was good to have been able to reflect and know more about myself before I entered the program; everything happens so fast that decisions are much, much easier when you know who you are, what you stand for and what you want to get out of the MBA.

A Week in the Life, Day 5

Monday

7:30 AM - woke up; the usual routine
Thoughts: Thank goodness the exam isn't during class time (8 AM).

9 AM - left the apartment to catch the bus

9:30 AM - arrived in school. Exam starts in 15 minutes.

12:30 PM - finished the exam. You might find it interesting that we had essay questions for Accounting. Went out to attend a club meeting/career panel, whichever room I land in.

1 PM - Leadership class!

3 PM - people were listless after our first ever midterm, so the class discussion was dragging. Our professor has a great antenna for sensing this and dismissed us earlier than 3 PM.

4 PM - back in the apartment; took a nap

6: 30 PM - had dinner. Started to study for Stats midterm.

8:30 PM - left the apartment for the library, where I work the midnight shift.

9 PM - start of my shift! Brought my Stats hand-outs with me in an attempt to study while at the desk.

12 AM - end of shift. Walked back to the apartment and started studying what little remained of Stats that I hadn't covered.

1:45 AM - motivated myself to read a bit for Ethics class.
Thoughts: 1, 2, 3, 4... why do we have 8 readings for class tomorrow?!!

2:30 AM - wrote this and signing off

A Week in the Life, Day 4

Sunday

Sometime between 7-8 AM -  woke up, had breakfast, cleaned around the apartment, the usual

10:30 AM - studied for Accounting midterms in earnest

12:30 PM - got distracted by the Internet

2:30 PM - back to studying

6:30 PM - finished Accounting, had dinner

7:30 PM - started my Statistics homework

9 PM - had mass at the near chapel

10 PM - back to my homework

11 PM - reviewed some Accounting notes

12 AM  - stated on readings for tomorrow's class on Leadership

2 AM - sleeping time!

  *Yes, I'm not a very social person, especially when it's exam time.