Hult Master Class in Manila

I wonder whether you've already heard of Hult International Business School. This is one of a few US schools offering a one-year MBA regardless of your undergraduate course. (Most top-ranked one-year courses require a business undergrad degree.) I had considered applying here before because I have a friend who graduated from Hult's MBA and, hey, who doesn't want to have only 1 year of MBA expenses? Hult has top-notch faculty -- that much I can say. The teachers also teach at top-ranked schools such as Harvard and Insead, and, as Hult's website claims, "80% have real-world experience."

Anyway, I received the following invite from Hult yesterday. I honestly think that this is a very good chance to know what transpires during an MBA class. Since there are very few top schools who offer a chance to sit-in and attend a "sample class" in Manila, I suggest those of you out there who are thinking of taking an MBA grab this chance. As for me, I might go if my work schedule permits me.

Experience Hult in Asia

Master Classes. Alumni Network. Admissions Advice.

We are pleased to invite you to attend a Hult International Business School Experience session on our Experience Hult tour in Asia this year.

This is your chance to mingle with Alumni who will be attending the Master Class, immerse yourself in a Master Class just the way you would at Hult, and to network with your peers.

• Experience Hult in Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei presents a Master Class with Professor Merywn Strate . He is the Associate Dean for Academics in Dubai as well as the Professor of Management at Hult International Business School. Professor Strate brings over 20 years of experience covering many top management positiosn, including being the Financial Controller for Goodyear PLC.

• Experience Hult in Manila, Jakarta and Bangkok presents a Master Class with Professor Julie Yao Cooper . She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, has studied piano at the Juilliard School of Music, and speaks fluent Mandarin. She brings over 20 years of consulting experience with American Express, BBDO, Merck and now teaches marketing, consulting, case methodology and quantitative methods at Hult International Business School.

Our Admissions Directors will also be available to inform you about our programs, admission requirements and upcoming scholarship opportunities for international students. We value your attendance but if you are unable to make the Experience Hult session, we would be delighted to organize an individual meeting with you upon your request.

Please see below to RSVP for an Experience Hult Session in your city or go here to request an individual meeting. 

 

This, by the way, is the Manila schedule (gosh, they can't spell Philippines right):

Saturday December 3, 2011 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Manila Philippines

New World Makati City Esperanza Street corner Makati Ave, Ayala Center Makati City, 1228 Philipines

RSVP at this link.

App Waivers

It's been months since I took the GMAT and my email inbox is already getting filled with emails from US business schools. Most of these aren't top schools but I get some pretty good ones from time to time. I guess that 690 wasn't so bad after all.

There's the Penn State Smeal MBA, the University of San Diego MBA, the California State U - Fullerton MBA and even the Texas Christian University's Neeley MBA. I even got an email from the UK's Cambridge saying that "we like your profile." From the deluge of emails I've received, I've found out that there are schools that offer app waivers especially to international students (and would probably offer generous scholarships as well!). What made me especially happy the other day was that one of the top 25 schools -- Notre Dame -- offered me an app waiver too!

Yes, that's $175 stricken off my pre-MBA expenses. App waivers are a big deal especially since the usual app fee for a highly-ranked school is more than $200 and I'm an applicant from a developing (read: third-world) country. $175 is such a great deal to me! (It's like taking the TOEFL for free. By the way, the TOEFL raised its fee to $185 from $175, did you know?)

Anyway, I'm applying to Notre Dame. I have been strongly considering it due to its brand, network, reputation and quality, but since I have 5 other schools in my list, I've been wavering in my decision. That day I finally decided to apply -- regardless of how much more it would cost me -- was the day I received the good news in my inbox. So, anyway, I hope you guys do good in your GMAT exams and receive those great offers too!

How to get those recommendation letters

No doubt, this is one of the most anxiety-filled steps you have to take in pursuing your application. Schools usually prefer getting recommendations from your direct supervisor, and telling your supervisor is tantamount to saying that you'll be leaving the company soon (or, at least, that you have plans of leaving).

I've already finished this step, and am very happy that my preferred recommenders -- including my supervisor -- are all very supportive. To be honest, I felt that time was running out on my applications, and so I just went ahead and did it. No role-playing, no prepared speech, no scripted plans beforehand. I just told each of them straight that I was planning to get my master's abroad (emphasis on planning), and there was a chance (just a chance!) of me leaving the company in the not-so-near future.

I searched online to see how other people dealt with this situation, and found a most interesting answer here from jaroth04:

I thought about this for a while myself, in the end this is what I came up with:

I'm applying to business school. I'm not going to business school. I'm asking them to help me with an application for an opportunity that I can't possibly know whether or not I'll actually take until I have it. It'd be one thing if you got admitted and only subsequently asked for a recommendation, but in this case, I don't think it's much different than asking someone to be a reference for you when you take out a loan or apply for a job. I have two people from my office writing me recommendations, including my current supervisor.

I understand that people and bosses differ in their interpretation of what it might mean to apply to business school. My boss asked me point-blank recently whether I'd be planning on continuing on with the company, and I told him, "At this point, I have no other choice: I haven't actually been admitted anywhere yet."

Again, your mileage may vary; I know that I personally wouldn't be happy working somewhere that didn't support my growth and advancement.

I hope this helps, this was one of the more stressful parts of the application process for me.



And I agree with him: working for a company that doesn't support your plans for career growth means that it isn't such a great company to work for after all!