How I Got to B-School

"Most of us go through the same steps...Looking back, three main aspects of the process were critical to me."

By Ron Margalit

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• Journey to B-school: From Tel Aviv to Georgetown

Ron Margalit
Georgetown
MBA Class of 2010

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We all stood as the general entered the room. It was just another monthly strategy meeting, nothing exciting.

"So, Ron, I understand that Georgetown messed up the application process somehow and accepted you?" The general didn't wait for me to sit down, "You know that I still haven't approved the fact that you'll go away for two years, right?" He always loved to pick on me. "Well, sir, I know that this is your way of congratulating me," I said. "After all, you are the one who wrote my recommendation letters." I met everyone's expectations with a typical mouthy answer. At that moment, I knew I was going to G'town the following year. While I kept a straight face, I did a little victory dance in my head.

I'm remembering this moment now, while studying for my first MBA final in the Georgetown library. It's hard to believe that seven weeks have passed. It seems like yesterday we were in orientation.

Let me take a step back. My application process, from first thinking about applying to being accepted, lasted about two years. I think most of us go through the same steps: studying the schools' web sites, talking to current students and alumni (particularly important to internationals, even harder for someone from a small country like Israel), and reading a lot of forums. Looking back, I can point to three main aspects of the process that were critical to me—one that I'd do differently if I could do it over again, and two I believe I got right.

B-School Preparation

First, when I did my research, I now know that I did not ask enough general questions regarding life as a student, and more importantly, as an international. My main focus was learning about the school in general, and I guess I thought I would deal with the student-life issues when I was admitted. Well, once I was admitted, I quickly realized that I knew very little about the area where I was going to be living for the next two years, especially compared with how much I knew about the school.

Second, I felt that it was important to visit the schools I was interested in. I know that opinions are split on that matter and that you can do just fine and get admitted without visits (after all, not everyone can afford the time and money to do it), but I found the visits to be very helpful.

Lastly, I found the recommendations the hardest part of the application process. The most difficult part was not the GMAT (I believe with the right preparation you can crack it) or the essays (I felt a good flow and rhythm with them). The decision for me was whether to ask a distinguished person who didn't know me very well, or a less-senior person who does. I chose the latter, and I feel that I made the right choice.

Tourist in Washington

So here I am, at the library, my thoughts flying around. While the work load at school is as heavy as I expected it to be, I came with every intention of making these two years a full experience. That means staying up late at the library, but at the same time making sure that school doesn't become my whole life. On the weekends I like to explore the city. I choose a main street in D.C. and walk it from start to finish. I have a big map of the city hanging in my apartment, and hopefully by the end of the two years I can mark down the entire city (yeah, I know: You can take the guy out of the army but not the army&).

Speaking of D.C., I absolutely love it. It's not Tel Aviv, that's for sure, but it's a great city to live in. Aside from my campus visit a year ago, I had never been here. It's not a place many Israelis visit when they come to the U.S. I find it to be fun, with great places and people. An added bonus has been the U.S. presidential election. As someone who studied political science as an undergraduate and who's always been fascinated with American politics—On the Campaign Trail is one of my favorite books and the only TV series I watched regularly was The West Wing—I feel lucky to be here in what people refer to as "historic times." I'm sure that inauguration week is going to be off the charts.

I'll tell you all about it next time.

Ron Margalit is member of Georgetown's MBA Class of 2010.