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JUNE 2000 MBA JOURNAL: FIRST YEAR REVIEW Stephane Goldsand: Reflecting on the First Year of B-School
Chronos and My MBA Journey The first observation that has to be made is about the differences between the first and the second semesters. The first semester was unquestionably more straining. During those months, students went through an adaptation process to a "back-to-school" lifestyle of academic and career-oriented challenges, as well as social activities, all taking place with 480-plus new people. The first half of the second semester was also very demanding for us, since the internship recruiting process proved to be rather complex. Happily, most of us had job offers by late February, which allowed us to direct all our energies to our studies and other less serious things, such as planning our spring break and enjoying the splendors of New York. The atmosphere during our May final exams was more relaxed than the atmosphere of the December final exams, plausibly indicating that students had become wiser, i.e., more experienced. According to several second-year students, now graduating students, there's a clear resemblance between the second and third semester in regard to career-oriented activities. During the fall, many students will again take on the recruiting process in search of their ideal full-time jobs, while many others will choose to return to their summer employers. In the coming third and fourth semesters, my class will be the eldest, and hence, most experienced one. As second-year students, we will be responsible for advising and directing incoming students, both academically and professionally. I will therefore try to participate very actively in the student-association activities. Finally, in our last semester, we will start to return from our two-year student voyage and get ready to face the challenges of the workplace in a more mature fashion. Learning Path for the Future Allow me to elaborate on what this experience has taught me. First, I have to mention the most logical type of knowledge that I have gained during my Master's program is the academic knowledge. It's tough to recall all the new concepts that I've learned in the past two semesters. But this learning has changed my perspective on business issues, making it more solid and comprehensive. These concepts have very practical benefits. For instance, insightful business studies and reports are now easier to grasp, business plans can be better structured, and company valuations make sense. This first year also broadened my professional knowledge of industry and functions topics. The recruiting process was a constant learning experience. I had the chance to get acquainted with not only the specifics of investment banking and consulting careers, but also of marketing, media, and nonprofit jobs. Moreover, these two semesters have enhanced my ability to manage time restrictions and stressful situations. This has been, without question, a very intense period in my life -- perhaps the most intense. As a result, I believe that I've learned to handle projects better and have become more aware of how many challenges I can undertake simultaneously. Last and definitely not least, I've learned so much from the people that I met -- fellow students, professors, and recruiters. Relating to all these people has enabled me to build strong relations and exceptional friendships. At the same time, this interaction has made me more conscious of myself, giving me a clearer perspective of my personality. It has also shed an invaluable light on the strengths and weaknesses of my overall preparation. Even though this reality check has not always been pleasant, I believe it has made me a better person. One has to keep on trying, and as British chemist and physicist Sir James Dewar so eloquently put it, "A mind is like a parachute -- it only works when it is open." Looking at the immediate future, I expect this learning process to continue and expand during my summer internship here in New York at marchFIRST, the new company formed by the merger of Mitchell Madison and USWeb/CKS with Whitman Hart. For three months, I will participate in new and exciting projects and meet people with varied backgrounds and perspectives. I will let you know about it in the fall. For now, I will just enjoy this free and pretty cold spring day. But hold on. Checking the pond here in Central Park, I'm noticing that there are now more than two dozen ducks playing in the water. So thinking back about my initial question, did I cover the main issues of my learning experience in the past year? Possibly, but I'm sure that a few months or years from now I will still be discovering how much this period has influenced me.  Stephane Goldsand  | | Learn about your online education options |
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