London Business School MBA Admissions Chat with David Simpson

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Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:48:31 AM)
First I want to welcome you all to Accepted.com’s London Business School MBA Admissions Chat.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:48:39 AM)
I also want to welcome David Simpson, Senior Manager; Felicity Irvine, MBA Marketing and Admissions; Diane Morgan, Career Services ; Natasja Giezen, MBA 2007; Dana McNabb, MBA 2007; and Asbjørn Kastaniegaard, MBA2007 student.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:48:52 AM)
Here is a little information about the London Business School students that are joining us today:

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:49:05 AM)
Natasja Giezen: Natasja is originally from the Netherlands. She studied English Language & Literature at Leiden University and prior to b-school worked as a Consultant at IFS. Natasja is on international exchange at NYU this term. (She is participating from the US during her lunch break between classes.) Natasja completed her summer internship (between years 1 and 2 of our MBA program) as part of the WPP Group (advertising/media) in London. I also understand that Natasja attended the Accepted.com LBS chat two years ago as an applicant.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:49:14 AM)
Dana McNabb - MBA2007 student - From Canada. Just started Year 2 of the MBA this week. Dana worked as a Marketing Manager for General Mills in Canada prior to the MBA. She is involved in many of the student clubs at London Business School from sporting to social to business. She is co-President on the Marketing Club at London Business School. She spent her summer internship working with Nestlé in Switzerland. She has just returned from a student organized trip to the Munich Beer Fest and she will spend the Spring term on international exchange at the Australian Graduate School of Management in Sydney.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:49:21 AM)
Dana will join us shortly.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:49:31 AM)
Asbjørn Kastaniegaard – MBA2007 student – From Denmark. Just started Year 2 of the MBA this week. Asbjørn worked as a General Manager with A.P. Moller - Maersk prior to the MBA. Asbjørn is also involved with several student clubs at London Business School from business to more social. He is also one of the lead guitarists in the London Business School student band which was invited to perform at the May 2006 MBAT (Business School Olympics) hosted at ISA, France. He and his wife are both in London accompanied by their one year old daughter. Asbjørn spent his summer internship working with Bain Consulting in Sweden.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:49:53 AM)
Welcome to the chat new-comers and veterans. Thanks to everyone for joining.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:50:25 AM)
Hello everyone

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:50:57 AM)
And hello everyone from me also.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:51:10 AM)
For David and Felicity, what’s new at London Business School?

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:51:56 AM)
Natasja, Dana: the school web site touts the London Experience. What does that mean to you as a student at London Business School?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:51:57 AM)
Hello everyone

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:52:19 AM)
Hi everyone!

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:52:31 AM)
Welcome Diane and Dana,

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 9:52:50 AM)
Diane, what is the London Experience from a career perspective?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:53:41 AM)
Hi everyone! Linda: The London Experience for me means a top notch academic experience in what I think is the best city in the world! Everything you want is right there on your doorstep :-)

lucky (Oct 10, 2006 9:54:24 AM)
Felicity: what is your minimum score of IELTS ?

Brian H. (Oct 10, 2006 9:54:38 AM)
David: I am a non-traditional student...government/politics...but want a biz fundamentals background...do you have room in your school for non-consultant, I-banking, etc. types?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:55:14 AM)
Hi Lucky. The minimum IELTS that we recommend is 7, and for TOEFL 270 on the computer-based test, or 110 on the new internet-based test.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:55:29 AM)
Linda, London Business School offers students the chance to build a global career from a wonderful city full of various opportunities in finance, consulting and industry and the chance to explore positions worldwide.

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 9:55:37 AM)
Diane, Can you please talk a little about your experience recruiting in the energy sector?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:55:51 AM)
Linda, London Business School is all of a sudden bustling with students from around the world. From being relatively quiet over the summer, the place is now very busy as all our degree programs have started and Executive Education courses are running. Their is huge energy on campus with man y student led events happening. This weekend sees the annual Tattoo event, next week the Women in Business Conference etc etc etc

Andreas (Oct 10, 2006 9:55:54 AM)
For David: I heard that Laura Tyson is not renewing her position as dean after 2006. Is this true? If so, has a new dean been chosen? If not, what's the plan?

Kaan Zaimoglu (Oct 10, 2006 9:56:06 AM)
For Dana: As a student from North America, what do you think about life in London

David Garlough (Oct 10, 2006 9:56:30 AM)
Felicity: --this is probably not a question for the broader audience. I will likely be in London at the end of the month, and I intend to do my best to stop by LBS for the Friday drop-in. In addition to the tour, is it possible to meet with someone to discuss the entrepreneurship resources specifically? If so, how can this be arranged?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:56:50 AM)
Hi Brian H. London Business School is a very diverse school, with many students coming from non-traditional backgrounds. The more variety we have in the student body, the better, so yes, we will welcome your application.

Chuck (Oct 10, 2006 9:56:51 AM)
Natasja and Dana: Hello. Can you tell us a little about housing for students in London? What type of housing do students typically live in? Coming from outside of London, what can we expect/budget for housing around campus?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:56:59 AM)
Kaan, London is a fantastic city to live in, work in and play in. It is dynamic, fast paced and there is always something exciting going on. We have access to the majority of head offices for some of the top companies in the world which allows for strong networking events both on and off campus. From a social perspective---if you think about the travel opportunities, London has 3 major airports with cheap flights to cities all around the world. On average my classmates have visited 3-5 countries in their first year alone.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:57:17 AM)
Julian, London Business School has a very active Energy club and is hosting the first Global Energy Summit on 3rd November. The School is fast becoming a source of talent for top companies in the sector, ie. BP, Shell and Conoco Philips and the trend is continuing.

JamieNZ (Oct 10, 2006 9:57:26 AM)
David and Felicity - what is the advantage of a two year program, and summer internship, over say a one year program that doesn't offer an internship, like Oxford?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:57:34 AM)
Hi David Garlough. Yes, it will be possible to discuss the resources. Perhaps you can email me off line to discuss this further, on firvine@london.edu.

kp (Oct 10, 2006 9:57:43 AM)
Diane: How does LBS facilitate student networking in the industry

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:57:46 AM)
Andreas, that is correct, Laura is leaving in December after several years of excellent work with the School. We have been going through the search for the new dean and everyone is excited to see who will be next to take us further forward to our vision of being the pre-eminent global business school

Neeru (Oct 10, 2006 9:59:10 AM)
David: I am interested in knowing about the EMBA Program between LSB and Columbia. I want to know who I can talk to about the program, what is the admission criteria? What is the format of the program? What kind of networking and career opportunities can one expect in this program?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:59:17 AM)
Chuck: London Business School doesn't offer housing, so most students go off and find their own. A lot of first years share flats/houses close to campus (for convenience), which I did too. Great for when you're wondering when the assignment for finance is due, you can ask your flatmates!! The budget depends a lot on what you want, with how many you want it, and how close to School. Sites to check out are www.findaproperty.co.uk and www.primelocation.com which will give you an indication, and also check out the budget that London Business School has put up their website, I found that to be pretty accurate.

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 9:59:17 AM)
I love living in London! It is truly a global city, with incredible diversity. I have had the opportunity to visit 9 countries (on the cheap) since moving to London, including Russia. Also, the head offices for a number of major corporations are located in London so that allows for a lot of networking opportunities both on and off campus. London never sleeps...there is always something to do!

jk (Oct 10, 2006 9:59:30 AM)
All of you: Can you comment on the current Wall St. Journal ratings? They stated that LBS students appear arrogant and are less polished and refined as compared to U.S. based school students.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:00:34 AM)
kp, we have a variety of clubs, a very active global alumni population and work closely with the faculty and administers and students to leverage the contacts from all programs at the School. We target companies based on student input and advice and match that with market needs. For companies with which we have long standing relationships, as we do being the top business school in Europe, we try to grow the relationships deeper with speaking events and conferences.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:01:17 AM)
JK: maybe I can offer some insight here, since I'm at Stern this semester. I haven't found LBS students to be arrogant at all (if they were, I wouldn't be there)! I'm not quite sure what you mean by polished and refined, but what you find is a greater diversity than at US schools. I find that at Stern, there are a lot more people from a similar (cultural) background, which makes it look a bit more polished.

siuwin (Oct 10, 2006 10:02:09 AM)
Diane: How does the London experience on the job outlook in the US?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:02:11 AM)
JamieNZ, you have to choose the program that is right for you. And that is often a tough choice! We believe that the model run over two years with a summer internship and other project time is the best to give people practical opportunities to practice what they're learning. Our flexible curriculum allows you to complete in 15 to 21 months depending on your personal situation. That decision over program length is made when you are in the program, not before. The summer internship is a fabulous opportunity to take advantage of our London location whether you're a career changer or someone who likes their sector and wants to advance into a leadership role.

jk (Oct 10, 2006 10:03:40 AM)
Natasja and Dana: Can current or former students comment on what really made their experience unique. I'm looking for the human factor, not stats that I can read from publications.

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:04:05 AM)
Chuck--The first year course load is quite intense so the majority of students tend to live closer to campus in the St. John's Wood, Maida Vale, Marlebone and Regent's Park/Camden area. The budget on the website is very accurate. If you have a partner or family, you should increase the budget on the website by an average of 30%. All of us live with flatmates (2-3) and the accommodation all comes furnished in the basic Ikea fashion.

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:05:36 AM)
Asbjorn (Mary): What type of activities fill your day outside the classroom?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:05:43 AM)
JK: I think what makes the experience unique varies per person (hence, it's unique!), for me it's been the wonderful people I've met, living in two great cities (since I'm on exchange in New York right now) and all the opportunities that gives, and being able to find a direction in my career that I'm very excited about and helping me with opportunities to change into that career.

Inclined (Oct 10, 2006 10:06:24 AM)
Hi David, I've a question. The 5 Questions says " Describe any significant experiences outside of your home country. What did you gain from these?". I would like to know, what do you suggest an applicant to do who doesn't have any international exposure work and leisure. Does not having any international exposure severely hamper my candidature?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:06:34 AM)
Hi Suiwin - the London experience highlights candidates wherever they chose to look for work. It really depends on the individual and what type of positions you are looking for your summer internship and full-time what your personal London experience will mean to the potential employer. We have students who return to the US or chose to stay in London. You will find the opportunities are quite plentiful once you arrive so you will be take some time to make the decision as to where you would like to start your career.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:06:39 AM)
Brian H - we thrive on our diverse community and the diversity is not just by nationality (over 50 in each class) but perhaps even more importantly, by profession. Every individual is recruited for their individual strengths and what they can (and are expected to) contribute to their study group; class; and the campus community< (clubs, speakers, events etc). If everyone we recruited came from consulting and finance, we wouldn't have the same vibe we get now. Your government / politics background would be of great interest.

mkwok (Oct 10, 2006 10:07:00 AM)
Felicity: I would like to enquire about the financial support LBS has for international applicants. Do we have a history of which company usually provide tutorial reimbursement to applicants? Does LBS itself provide enough financial support to applicants?

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:07:02 AM)
Julian from LA: I have been active in the Media and Consulting Club. Mainly because I wanted to find out more about those areas - I came from an industry background. Apart from that, I play in the School Band, go to the School gym and spend time with my wife and daughter who live with me here in London.

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:07:30 AM)
Diana, What types of companies do you work with in the renewable energy sector?

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:07:49 AM)
Askbjorn: My question was about the length of the program. Is it realistically possible to finish the program in 15 months? Does the longer period of the program means a lower pressure compared to other programs?

jk (Oct 10, 2006 10:08:33 AM)
For Dana: Do you feel that by attending LBS, you're increasing your odds of being recruited by a U.S. based international firm?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:08:41 AM)
Neeru, for info on the EMBA Global run with Columbia University you can email: embaglobal_fasttrack@london.edu

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 10:09:11 AM)
Natasja, Dana, and Asbjørn: I noticed that none of you are in finance. London Business School is known as a finance powerhouse, do you feel like second-class citizens or lack you are at a disadvantage since you are not in finance?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:10:18 AM)
Hi Julian, this is a new area for many of the companies, and for us as well so we are exploring the renewables divisions within the large companies as well as some of the independent. We are finding that many companies in this sector like their candidates to have some experience in the sector so we are working with them in and education capacity to learn how to best prepare our students in the future. http://www.londonenergyclub.org.uk/ is the website for the energy club for more detailed information

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:10:18 AM)
Hi jk, I'm a current student and I have loved the international diversity both in terms of my classmates and the cases that we discuss in class. There are over 50 countries represented in the MBA 2007 program. It is amazing to sit in an ethics class and hear the very diverse perspectives (there is some heated discussion!) As a Canadian, I have found that we can be quite insular in our thinking at times and I have appreciated the global outlook the school as provided. Consider our accounting class where we learned both the U.S. and U.K GAAP--that will be invaluable for me as I pursue a global career. Also, from social perspective, we have an amazing number of clubs on campus representing countries all around the world--I have been able to learn Mandarin (kind of :)), salsa dancing and visit Russia with the Russia club.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:10:25 AM)
Inclined - don't worry if you don't have international exposure, you can perhaps concentrate on your international aspirations

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:11:01 AM)
Linda: I spent my summer internship doing consulting for Bain. Whereas it wasn't a "job in finance", you simply need to have a solid understanding of finance. I found that the School's strong abilities in Finance helped me gain the traction I needed to secure the job.

jackieb (Oct 10, 2006 10:11:03 AM)
for Diane Morgan - what are the career prospect for those interesting in sports business?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:11:13 AM)
Inclined, we understand that some of our applicants may not have had the opportunity to work overseas, or may not have traveled extensively. However, we want you to show us that you have a global outlook and that when you're here, that you aspire to make the most of the global opportunities at the School. In this instance, you can explain other travel you have undertaken within your home country and perhaps what you have learnt from any foreigners working at your firm.

jk (Oct 10, 2006 10:11:39 AM)
Can you comment on the lower female to male ratio and if LBS is taking any steps to decrease the difference.

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:11:41 AM)
If someone hold a Proficiency title in English from Michigan, can he waive the Toefl/ IELTS test?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:12:02 AM)
Linda: I definitely don't feel like a second-class citizen! We do have strong ties with the City, but I think only a third of the students end up in Finance, that leaves two-thirds who do something else. I don't feel London Business School is a finance school per se, although it is strong in that, but it's strong in other areas too.

Female_applicant (Oct 10, 2006 10:12:06 AM)
Mary: One of the questions on the application asks with whom you have spoken about applying to London and it specifically asks for names of staff. What exactly are you looking for here in this question? I attended 2 forums, but I unfortunately misplaced the card of one of the two admissions reps that I spoke with. Should I even mention her? Thanks!

Kaan Zaimoglu (Oct 10, 2006 10:12:34 AM)
Diane: What is the importance of an MBA to British companies?

Surabhi (Oct 10, 2006 10:12:47 AM)
Dana - What was your experience at the Marketing club at LBS? Is there a Retail and Consumer goods club too?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:13:11 AM)
jk---definitely. I was able to spend my summer internship in Switzerland working on new products for global brands, my second year project is a European branding assignment and my first year MOB project was with a UK Advertising agency. I definitely feel that I have broadened my global marketing expertise through the school's network and am more marketable with the top companies in the U.S. Recently I have been solicited by headhunters for various North American positions so something must be working!

Alexandre (Oct 10, 2006 10:13:19 AM)
Nastasja, Dana, and Asbjorn: How do you pay the cost? Did you save in advance? Company pays? Loan?

Venky (Oct 10, 2006 10:13:42 AM)
To Felicity: Who is your ideal candidate? And how would you distinguish LBS from Cambridge or Oxford?

ejaan (Oct 10, 2006 10:13:47 AM)
David, how would you compare LBS to most top US programs? What would make one apply to LBS? Should the location of future career intent be the decisive factor in your opinion? What's that X factor that separates LBS from the rest?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:14:28 AM)
Alexandre: I saved up, sold my flat and almost everything in it, and took out a loan. And during the program, I'm trying to make money from my internship and second year project.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:14:42 AM)
Hi JK. We when look at the reputation of London Business School we look at all of the rankings, our peers in the top global business schools and the quality of our academics and recruitment history. You will find that the outstanding and diverse population of the School allows an experience unique to London Business School that no other school can match!

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:15:00 AM)
Hey Linda---I echo Asbjorn and Natasja--I don't feel like a second class citizen at all and I have found that other students really appreciate our insight and passion for careers outside of traditional finance. Don't forget only 30% of students end up in finance so there's a pretty big portion of us heading to industry!

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 10:15:32 AM)
Hi current students, in your opinion, was is difficult to find employment for your internships and how is the job hunt going for when you finally graduate?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:15:51 AM)
mkwok: London Business School have doubled the amount we have put into our scholarships and there are some outstanding scholarships available to offset fees. We have a number of big name corporate scholarships, as well as regional scholarships and Financial Needs Bursaries of up to 20,000GBP.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:16:01 AM)
Alexandre: I finance my MBA through loans and scholarships - plus you do make some money during the MBA: During your summer internship and you also get paid for the Second Year Project. The key for the scholarships is to apply early, and take the time to apply to anything you can find. It's tedious at times, but it's really time well spent.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 10:16:28 AM)
Diane, could you tell us a little about the programs that London Business School has to help first year students obtain internships?

Ashok (Oct 10, 2006 10:16:54 AM)
Felicity: How important is the GMAT? I have 8 years of Strategy Consulting Exp.

mkwok (Oct 10, 2006 10:17:07 AM)
Mary: I have been studied with LoU LLB program, do you know if partial credits will be applied towards LBS semester credits? Who should I contact for this transfer, if applicable?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:17:17 AM)
mkwok: In addition to our scholarship portfolio, there are some excellent loan schemes available. Students who are accepted onto our MBA program are eligible to apply for the HSBC-London Business School Loan Scheme, which will allow borrowing up to 50,000GBP.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:18:04 AM)
Hi Lisa, it wasn't difficult to find a summer internship, but it took me some effort and networking to find exactly the job I wanted (and I got it, so I was pretty happy). Job hunt for post-graduation has started a few weeks ago, and I'm very hopeful to find something interesting in the field I want to move into (it's too early to really say anything else about that). The Milkround (UK name for recruiting) has started, and everyone's in full swing, attending presentations, writing cover letters etc.

MaryFerreiraLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:18:07 AM)
Hello Female-Applicant. Don't worry if you haven't spoken with members of the team or you can't remember names of alumni. All you need to do is to write down the events that you attended - ie Forte Forum in Boston or Information Session at our campus. Don't make up a conversation that you haven't had! Also, if you have had email contact or met any of our current MBA students, you can note that down in this particular part of the application too. Good luck with your application.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:18:20 AM)
Hi Kaan, an MBA, coupled with your experience prior to business school, definitely puts you in a top position for many positions in London. Companies around the world are looking for the qualities that MBAs bring to an organization and can bring to their future management team. You will find that many industries are similar to their global counterparts and will have a global recruitment strategy for MBAs, others operate on a more regional level and make hiring decisions according to need rather than a rotational program. It will vary amongst industries.

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:18:47 AM)
Hi Surabhi--I am the Co-President of the Marketing Club this year (so I am slightly biased) but it is a very active club with over 500 members working to develop strong links with the European Marketing Community. We are sponsored by L'Oreal and will be hosting the L'Oreal Lunch 'n Learn series starting in November (a speaker series aimed at educating students on various elements of the marketing mix). This is in addition to a number of other events we have planned. You can e-mail me at marketingclub@london.edu if you have more specific questions. We do have a retail and consumer goods club that was launched last year and has a number of strong events on campus.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:18:49 AM)
jk - this is an area that very important to us as an institution. It has been led from the top by our Dean Laura Tyson. In terms of that particular %, we perhaps pay the price because of our diversity. whilst our female % for US students is around 40%, (better than most US schools), it is less high for other nationalities. So we are working hard to increase our marketing activities and more importantly our work with the subject of women in business. We have the exciting new Lehman Brothers Women in Business Research Centre, (official launch 1 Nov) and a vibrant and powerful Women in Business Student Club. Their conference is on 20 October and looks to be another highlight of the School's Club Calendar. We're very proud to say that our efforts have paid off and we've increased the female % this year.

jk (Oct 10, 2006 10:19:17 AM)
David - can you describe the ways in which you think LBS provides a more solid academic experience when compared to IMD or INSEAD?

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:20:19 AM)
Lisa U: I found the School prepared me very well for the job hunt. We go through workshops on how to position ourselves for the job we want, write professional CVs and cover letters - and how to handle several rounds of interviews that are designed to test your analytical, logical and social abilities. This past summer, everyone who wanted an internship found one.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:20:25 AM)
Mkwok - we don't take any external credits towards the London Business School MBA

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:20:33 AM)
Surabhi - I'll chime in with Dana, I'm also part of the Marketing Club Exec committee and for me (career changer) they've been incredibly helpful in finding out more about the industry and helping me to prepare for my change.

Chuck (Oct 10, 2006 10:20:45 AM)
Great! Thank you Natasja!

jk (Oct 10, 2006 10:20:59 AM)
Diane - Which are the companies with which LBS has long standing relationships? Specifically interested in North-American based firms.

Surabhi (Oct 10, 2006 10:21:27 AM)
Natasja - How easy is it to find a place in the exchange program?

ross (Oct 10, 2006 10:21:56 AM)
Dana and Asbjorn: Could one of the students please comment on work load and degree of difficulty. I did not attend an ivy league undergraduate university and am wondering what the difficulty of courses at LBS would be. I know the group work and case studies would be as difficult as what you put into it, but how about testing and grading? Could you also please comment on your % of free time versus how often you are working on homework. Thanks.

Chuck (Oct 10, 2006 10:22:11 AM)
Dana and Natasja - Thank you very much about the housing tips. How do first year students typically find fellow students as roommates?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:22:55 AM)
Hi Alexandre--I was very fortunate to be company sponsored but I also took out a loan to support some with the living expenses. I chose to get a loan in Canada rather than work through an English bank but it will be a personal choice for you. Also, I highly recommend that you do research on various bursaries, loans and scholarships offered by companies and governments in your home country. I was amazed at what was available.

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:02 AM)
Venky: We don't classify applicants into ideal candidates... everyone is different and therefore these different experiences make for a more diverse class. The more diverse the class the more you can learn from each other. As for how we differentiate ourselves from other British business schools... obviously we are based right in the heart of London, so you have the opportunity to make the most of everything a huge multicultural city has to offer. We are very proud of the caliber of our student body. Finally, our school only focuses on courses for professionals with postgraduate experience.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:05 AM)
Hi Linda, first year MBA students arrive one month prior to the start of classes to start working on their strategy for the upcoming two years. This includes a core course that students go through, in conjunction with a series of workshops, to define their ambitions and desires and areas of development. This not only applies to a job search but also develops skills students will use throughout their time at the School and throughout their careers. Modules such as: self assessment, networking, CV development and business communications are included.

JC (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:20 AM)
Mary: I currently work in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) field. Does the LBS program offer formal CSR learning opportunities (given that London is an international leader in CSR)? I know about the Net Impact volunteer student opportunities. Is there something more formal? Do recruiters look for students with CSR experience?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:24 AM)
Surabhi - every year there are about 100 places on the exchange program, so everyone who wants to go, usually ends up going. The process runs through essays, which you write for your top 3 target exchange schools, saying why you want to go there, these are read blind, and then the people with the best reason are picked. I got one of my top 3 schools, so I'm very happy, and I think most people end up with one of their top 3 picks

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:42 AM)
jk - I wouldn't like to pass comment on whether we 'provide a more solid academic experience than IMD or INSEAD'. We offer a different experience. Perhaps you are referring to what advantage students get from studying for longer? The 15-21 month program length allows students to look at subjects in depth across a broad breadth of areas....and most importantly allows you to integrate your learning into practical projects and scenarios.

chien (Oct 10, 2006 10:23:42 AM)
Felicity: Hi-- I just joined so I don't know who to address this to: Much is made of a "good fit" with a school. Beyond the obvious (teamwork, finance, international...) what is the ideal fit you would like to see in a candidate? Can you give a "dream" description, just to help us build an idea?

jackieb (Oct 10, 2006 10:24:17 AM)
Diane what has been your experience with opportunities in Africa?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:24:49 AM)
Chuck: on our intranet, called Portal, there is a flatshare list, where people post if they want to share, so that's one way. Another way is to place an ad on the accommodation section of Portal, specifying what you're looking for. A lot of students meet their prospective flatmates at the Admits Weekend too (which is where I found one housemate, the other we found through the flatshare list).

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:25:01 AM)
Natasja, what was your primary objective to go for semester at Stern and how many students actually do the exchange, what other universities are involved in this exchange and does it affect tuition costs?

Venky (Oct 10, 2006 10:25:33 AM)
Natasja, Dana, Asbjorn: Why did you choose LBS over the others? What was "the" factor?

MaryFerreiraLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:25:43 AM)
Surabhi, while Natasja is answering your question you might be interested to know that we know have international exchange agreements with 34 business schools around the globe - Fudan in Shanghai and Melbourne Business School are our newest exchange partners. Typically up to one third of the class will choose to go on exchange split across the autumn and spring term. In exchange we welcome students from other schools. On Friday we had welcome drinks at our local pub, The Windsor Castle, for the 60+ exhange students who are studying with us this term. I think we have quite large contingents from Kellogg and CEIBS who have joined us this term.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 10:26:17 AM)
As a follow-up to Venky's last question: Has London met your expectations? Where has it fallen short? (other than the weather :-) )

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:26:43 AM)
Mary: Can you please comment on the foreign language requirements at LBS? Are there mandatory exams that students must pass in another non-English language? If so, what happens when a student doesn't quite have great language skills? Should they not consider applying to LBS.

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:26:49 AM)
Chuck, I found my flatmates through the portal system. It worked out really well. We met in London 2 weeks before class and started the house hunt. It took us about 10 days to find a great 3 bedroom flat. It was a very smooth process.

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:27:10 AM)
Mary :is there any fixed quota for each dead line?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:27:17 AM)
Hi Ashok, the GMAT is compulsory for any degree program you apply to at London Business School. The GMAT score range for our new MBA class was between 600 and 800, and the average score is 682.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:27:32 AM)
Venky: for me the choice for London Business School was a combination of factors: a top school which will give me the best academics possible, in a great location, where I really liked the people (staff and students) and where I felt at home. I think the 'wow' factor is different for everyone, that's why it's so important to try and find out about every school you're considering.

Venky (Oct 10, 2006 10:27:35 AM)
Felicity: How important is the GMAT?

JamieNZ (Oct 10, 2006 10:27:44 AM)
Natasja - apart from your observation about diversity, what other differences have you noticed from the experience and education at Stern, compared to LBS?

Anupreet (Oct 10, 2006 10:28:08 AM)
Mary: There is a large contingent of IT professionals from India, who aspire to be at LBS to advance their careers, and I am sure like in other top business schools, must be amongst the largest number of applicant groups. What qualities \ attributes do you look for to select from within this particular group of applicants?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:28:22 AM)
Hi Jackie, Companies in Africa are interested in MBA London Business School students, usually in relatively small numbers, but we have had students just this past year go to the region. If that is a special area of interest for you, we are part of an organization that holds a Careers in Africa online event each year that you will be entitled to participate in as a London Business School student.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:28:37 AM)
Hi Ross, I find the courses of quite varying difficulty. This is because I have done some of the courses before - e.g. Strategy. So I found that I dedicated much more time to say Finance since I hadn't done much of that before. Group work is additionally challenging, because you interact with people with different backgrounds and from different cultures ... great for stimulating discussions, harder when you have to reach consensus. I think the admissions process is set to gauge candidates' abilities to grasp new issues and test the intellectual firepower. So a good career progress and a solid GMAT score will be good indicators of whether you would find the work load overwhelming. I find that I use 50-60 hours a week on School work - including group meetings and preparation time. In the end, we are here to learn, and I wouldn't want an MBA that didn't challenge my thinking and pushed my learning curve up!

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:28:39 AM)
Diane: Could you comment on opportunities in Private Equity or general business, specifically in Eastern Europe - if you know of any? Students who have obtained internships there, or who have obtained full time positions in that area after graduation. Do you know of any?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:28:49 AM)
Linda: it has exceeded my expectations! I didn't think I'd find this many interesting people, that I'd work so hard, that I'd learn so much, and that I'd have so much fun (and I didn't mind the weather that much ;-). It hasn't fallen short on any expectations of mine to be honest, it's delivered on everything I wanted and much more.

Neeru (Oct 10, 2006 10:29:01 AM)
Thanks David

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:29:16 AM)
David : Does an application rejection adversely affect an applicants chances on reapplication? Is there a minimum time span that an applicant needs to wait before being able to reapply?

Gop (Oct 10, 2006 10:29:46 AM)
David: is age a critical factor in LBS admissions? Older candidates have lesser chance to get admission at LBS?

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 10:30:11 AM)
Wonderful Natasja!

bill (Oct 10, 2006 10:30:28 AM)
Hi Natasja, as you have experience of both Stern and LBS, how would you compare the two programs? Where does LBS stand out?

Morpheus (Oct 10, 2006 10:30:38 AM)
When a student completes the course in 15 month, what are the things missed by her other than just 3 electives mentioned at http://www.london.edu/mba/programme/choice.html

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:30:47 AM)
ejaan, we are very different to US programs. Whilst the top schools are our peers with regards to rankings, brand and many other issues, it is our location and student body that makes us different. We attract and recruit candidates from all walks of life...and we make sure they have something substantial to offer to their peers. Their is no hiding in a London Business School classroom or study group. We have a small class size of c300, which we break up into actual classes of about 75 and study group of 6 or 7. All learning is highly collaborative and therefore we recruit people who actively want to learn from and with others. If you just want to ace your way through classes and don't really care what your peers think, then we're not right for you. If you want to engage in high level debate about a range of subjects and be challenged every day in ways you didn't think you would in a school environment, then we are!

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:33:09 AM)
Students: How do you expect to have the payback of the investment in the MBA? How long?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:33:12 AM)
Hi JamieNZ and bill: the classroom experience at London Business School and Stern is very similar, no real differences there. The diversity for me stands out the most, and that is obvious in a number of areas: the examples here are exclusively American, whereas our examples/professors/cases tend to come from all over the world which I prefer. A lot of students at Stern come from New York itself so the social cohesion I feel is a little less, a lot of them already have social lives etc, and are not active at School, whereas at London Business School I think 85% come in from abroad, so you bond a lot more in London. And I think our parties are much better (and diverse, we've got a great Diwali party coming up that the India Club is organizing, one of my favorite parties last year) than Stern's!!

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 10:33:14 AM)
Dana, are you saying that even if you specialize in finance, you could find employment in say - consulting?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:33:33 AM)
Venky--I spent a significant amount of time researching schools. For me, I wanted to ensure the school I chose had a rigorous academic program (recognized in the rankings), a strong global equity and a diverse student body. My VP of HR in the company I worked for recommended that I visit the schools and sit in on a "class." It was the best thing I could have done! The classroom visit gives you an immediate sense for the program and helps determine which school is the best "fit" for you. I really felt that London Business School had the diversity in terms of academics and students that I was seeking. I also felt that the students were very supportive of one another (and collaborative) in the classroom environment. There is a real work hard play hard mentality here at the school that I have appreciated! Also, it goes without saying that London is just brilliant--the opportunities to network, travel and socialize are endless!

vikram (Oct 10, 2006 10:33:38 AM)
Hi Diane : Can you throw some light on the Private Banking placements - both summer and final - at London Business School.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:34:55 AM)
Hi Venky: I chose London Business School because I wanted to continue building my international business network, learn of business theory and practices in industries outside the one I already knew. Finally, I wanted to open new career opportunities. So far, the school has delivered 100%: I have met great new friends, learned a lot, and moved my career from the shipping and transportation industry into management consulting.

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:35:45 AM)
Hi chien. Yes, most business schools will talk about wanting students who are the right "fit" for their program, or their school. In our case, we look for candidates who are really going to get involved in the School community, by joining the many clubs and events, and also who will continue to be active in the alumni community. We also want to see candidates who are good team-players, who can display leadership skills and/or potential to be strong leaders, who have had international exposure and importantly have a global outlook. Additionally, when considering applications, we want to fill the class with people from a variety of different backgrounds, both regional/nationalities and professions.

Inclined (Oct 10, 2006 10:36:15 AM)
Felicity, the HSBC loan scheme which you mentioned is based on the previous salaries. But when you consider the currency conversion with Indian Rupees and couple it with the fact that the applicant is from a non-traditional background, it is almost impossible to manage anywhere near that 50,000GBP,which you quoted. Do you've any suggestions for such applicants? Are there any school-based fellowships/scholarships available for non-traditional applicants from developing economies?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:36:21 AM)
Hi Linda---London has far exceeded my expectations (and as I Canadian...how can I complain about the mild London winters?!) My only complaint is that there is no air-conditioning in the tube so commuting in the summer was torture. Other than that, it's been fantastic!

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:06 AM)
Hi Venky, you can refer to my answer to Ashok on the GMAT.

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:18 AM)
Have ay of you (students) taken some of the entrepreneurial courses? Could you please comment on the quality?

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:28 AM)
Felicity: How important are recommendations for LBS admissions? I am based in Europe, where a good really means good and getting anything above is extremely difficult

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:35 AM)
Gop - Age is not an issue we look at...literally. We've never thought that students can be 'too experienced'. Also new Age Discrimination legislation in the UK ensures that nobody can make recruitment decisions, (schools, or companies), based on age. We look at a candidate's experience and see if it is good enough to allow them to contribute to our learning community. We expect students to have enough relevant experience to refer back to when in classes and interacting with other students. Age is not relevant.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:39 AM)
Hi JK, London Business School has close relationships with all of the top investment banks and consulting houses around the world, including the US. In addition, Career Services travels each year to New York and the West Coast, Seattle and Silicon Valley to meet with recruiters with groups of students on Career Treks. London Business School also has a North American Regional Advisory Board that connects the School to global organizations based in the US. If you are keen on returning to the US post graduation, you will find a network of alumni that have chosen the same path before you, as well as a North American student club. As London Business School focuses on global relationships, you are sure to find contacts in each area of the world through a variety of networking opportunities the School presents to you.

ejaan (Oct 10, 2006 10:37:54 AM)
David: How does LBS handle waitlists? Could someone elaborate? How does an LBS applicant typically end up on one?

daniel k (Oct 10, 2006 10:38:10 AM)
Diane: I currently live and work in Silicon Valley, and plan to come back here after my MBA. Do you know what's LBS MBA reputation in this area (compared to the local Berkeley and Stanford schools)? Have you known graduates that found jobs in the area? 10x

sonal (Oct 10, 2006 10:39:51 AM)
Mary: How many applications does LBS receive each year and how many or what % are admitted?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:39:55 AM)
Hi Julian_fromLA: I've taken Understanding Entrepreneurial Management, which is the basic intro course to Entrepreneurship and really liked that, you develop and idea to a point where you're ready to make a business plan. I've signed up to do another 2 entrepreneurship electives next term. The E-ship faculty are very good, and very well connected, so I'm looking forward to those courses. Check out http://www.london.edu/entrepreneurship.html for more info.

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:40:48 AM)
Students: Are there ways to chose "specialty" tracks? What is involved, and can a student have more than one?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:40:50 AM)
Hi Lisa, you will find that many of the skills you learn are transferable to many sectors. If you chose to specialize in finance, you will still have the opportunity to secure a position in consulting. In fact, consulting is quite an analytical role so you may decide to focus on finance for your coursework and/or summer internship while at the same time work with the consulting club on their preparation series to prepare you for a full-time position in finance post graduation.

Kamil (Oct 10, 2006 10:41:22 AM)
Diane: similarly to Jackie's questions - do you see LBS interns or graduates going to East Asia - Hong Kong, Shangai,...?

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:41:28 AM)
Hi Ross--The first time is quite intense as you are adjusting to being back in school and in a sense learning how to study again. However, once you get into a pattern, the course load is quite manageable with enough time to socialize, network and participate in a number of the social, professional and sports clubs on campus. I spend about 55 hours a week on school work and some of the group work is challenging but I have learned the most from the toughest assignments!

Cnu (Oct 10, 2006 10:41:38 AM)
How is the placement for students in Asia (and India in particular). Some of the US schools (Stanford / Harvard/ Wharton) reimburse / reduce the students fee if they choose to work in developing countries. Is there any such program at LBS ?

MaryFerreiraLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:42:13 AM)
Hello JC, I do know that we have the largest Net Impact chapter in the UK which is lead by our current students. As part of this they are very involved with the set up of the Global Social Venture Competition alongside students from Haas and Columbia Business Schools. Some our faculty have recently won some awards for the writing of business cases at the European Case Awards held in September. Two of the cases that you might be interested in include The Big Issue by Stephanie Robertson and Julian Lloyd and also Ethics and Social Responsibility - GlaxoSmithKline and Developing Country Access to Essential Medicines by Craig Smith and Anne Duncan. Diane Morgan from Career Services is probably more qualified to talk about what are the key areas of interest in relation to our recruiting firms from the industry sector. However, we have several students in our new first year MBA class who have a CSR background and who hope to influence the firms/industries in which they end up.// CSR is an area of growing int

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:42:37 AM)
Hi Julian from LA: You get "concentrations" or "specializations" based on taking a number of courses within the same academic area, e.g. Finance, Strategy etc. I believe it is technically possible to do two specializations, but to my knowledge not many do two.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:42:45 AM)
Hi Julian_fromLA: I'm not sure what you mean by specialty tracks, if you mean concentrations, then yes, I am taking one (which by the way is not mandatory to do). I'm taking a concentration in marketing, which means that I have to take a set number of marketing elective credits to get the concentration, and I'm taking it to show recruiters I am serious about my career change. You can have more than one concentration if you want (2 is possible if you plan carefully)

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:43:03 AM)
Hi Inclined. Yes, you are right about the HSBC loan scheme taking your previous salary into consideration, but they also consider your future earning potential, based on the industry you desire to get into and which country you intend to work in. Of the scholarships we have available, approximately one third of our students will receive one. In addition to the corporate and regional scholarships, there are many Annual Fund scholarships available to be awarded when a place is offered. There are also a number of external scholarships and loan schemes available to all international students.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:43:11 AM)
Morpheus, the choice that comes with the 15-21 flexibility comes with it's own set of responsibilities. You have to look carefully at what is important for you. You will still be able to go on exchange for a semester, (as a third of our students do), but only in the Autumn Term, (Aug-Dec); you will need to look at Club and Student governance involvement; you need to consider which electives are running and when. The fact that our electives are run for students together across all our Masters programs means that we already have to make the timetable work for as many students as possible.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:43:54 AM)
Are there any musicians on the chat?

Sherif (Oct 10, 2006 10:44:09 AM)
Hi Dana - As a Canadian, what do you find LBS offers most, to complement your background? Do you do your undergrad studies in Canada? If so, what has LBS offered that Canada hasn't? (McGill alumnus)

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:44:23 AM)
Hello Vikram, Most of the major banks will have a division that will focus on private banking and depending on the market (conditions are good now!) will recruit specifically into that area. The roles are usually a combination of finance and sales. If you don't have a finance background, this may be an area that you look to once you hone your finance skills.

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 10:44:31 AM)
Thank you Diane!

ejaan (Oct 10, 2006 10:44:45 AM)
Diane: I'm typically looking to be among a multinational firm and be part of their operations in my home country (India). How many such firms recruit currently at LBS? How much does 'ease of future placement' play into LBS application decisions?

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:44:48 AM)
Thank you Natasja. Have you taken any Entrepreneurial courses in NYU

info1 (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:08 AM)
Natasja, Dana, and Asbjorn: Do any of you see any weaknesses in the program or things you would like to see change or improved?

chien (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:22 AM)
thanks Felicity--very helpful.

bill (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:32 AM)
Thanks Natasja. Can you tell me a little more about exchange? How people are picked? How many of the class exchange?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:48 AM)
Hi Julian_fromLA: yes, I'm taking Entrepreneurial Finance at NYU (had a class this morning actually), which is great. The professor used to work for Goldman, is in his early 70s and teaches because he loves it (and is incredibly knowledgeable, since he's an angel investor now).

Renata (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:49 AM)
Hello everyone. My family has a big textile company in Brazil and I have worked as marketing director for 9 years. 3 years ago, I decided to get work experience from other companies too and worked for Telemar, the biggest telecommunications company in the country for almost 2 years also in the marketing field. Is my work experience good enough? Or am I somehow in disadvantage because it’s a family business?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:45:53 AM)
Sonal, we had about 1800 applications last year and interviewed about half. The class was 310 in the end. It was a really tough year!

A (Oct 10, 2006 10:46:04 AM)
Hi ! Had lost the connection for a while. I hope I haven't missed the answer to my question. To reiterate, David and Felicity, does an application rejection adversely affect an applicant's chances on reapplication? Does an applicant need to wait a minimum time span before being able to reapply?

Kamil (Oct 10, 2006 10:46:28 AM)
Mary: to all alumni, what do you do to keep the LBS "network" alive after graduation? does the School support you in this regard in any way?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:47:15 AM)
Hi Info1: I would love it if we could take more electives! There's so many interesting ones that I had a very hard time choosing. But I suppose there's only so much you can do in a year.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:47:34 AM)
Hello info1: The school often solicits feedback from Students, and part of what me and others said last year was that the workload in the first term was disproportionately high compared to others. The MBA program office took this to heart, and have distributed courses more evenly for the MBA2008 class that started recently.

Ram (Oct 10, 2006 10:47:57 AM)
Hi any career changers into Finance? I would like to know how challenging has it been to seek opportunities in Finance if you have background from non-Finance.

gop (Oct 10, 2006 10:48:16 AM)
Asbjorn, we might not be musicians, but can give a try ;)

Kamil (Oct 10, 2006 10:48:21 AM)
yes Asbjorn - I sing in a choir:-) do you have a "choir" club at LBS?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:48:22 AM)
Hi bill, approximately 100 people go on exchange every year, varies a little bit year on year. For more, see my earlier answer to you and JamieNZ

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:48:39 AM)
Hi Daniel, Hopefully you had the chance to meet some of the London Business School students on one of their annual treks! We had a few students at Google this summer and they worked alongside students from the US business schools. Being a top global business school, our reputation is very strong. Obviously the proximity of Stanford and Berkeley make it easy for students to have frequent access to recruiters in the area but you will find that when recruiters are looking for top talent, they will go to all of the top schools to provide their future leaders. Email, frequent trips to the states, global recruitment teams and alumni in the organizations ensure that London Business School has a presence.

Inclined (Oct 10, 2006 10:49:18 AM)
Thanks Felicity. Another question for you : Will you view a candidate with NGO operation experience who wants to shift to strategy consulting as one with a disjoint in his experience and goals?

Bee-Lee (Oct 10, 2006 10:49:25 AM)
Does the student body at LBS consist of a balance between liberal arts and more technical oriented people?

vikram (Oct 10, 2006 10:49:31 AM)
Thanks Diane

arun (Oct 10, 2006 10:49:51 AM)
I currently work in the IT industry (based in the US) and am considering applying to LBS. The prospect of studying at LBS really excites me for various reasons - (Excellent diversity in terms of students and experience, Global brand name, strong ties with industry). I would like to know if LBS has strong ties with the IT industry particularly with high-tech startups in the UK. I recently visited LBS, met with Dana and was very impressed with what I learned at the MBA drop-in session - I strongly urge all prospective applicants to try to do this. Visiting the school, I learned a whole lot more and am even more fired up about applying.

neeraj (Oct 10, 2006 10:50:06 AM)
Hi Diane/All...On the final jobs after MBA, with specialization in finance, what should you expect to get - especially if you are from IT background (with some exposure to financial world)... Are all the jobs very much business focused or you have other options like business analyst helping the IT?

Kamil (Oct 10, 2006 10:50:12 AM)
Asbjorn, how do you balance dedicating your time to family vs. workload/incentives to maximize your study at LBS?

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:50:19 AM)
Natasja, Do you see a difference in the level/strength of courses between NYU and LBS.

info1 (Oct 10, 2006 10:50:25 AM)
speaking of music interest, what is the role of the band and are there other music clubs?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:51:38 AM)
Hi Julian_fromLA: no, I don't think there are too many differences in the level or strength of courses, as you would expect of top schools. I am very impressed with the faculty here, and love my courses, and am very much looking forward to my electives in London when I get back.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:51:43 AM)
Hi Gop and Kamil: We can always use more energetic people that want to get involved and raise the School spirit through music! There currently is no specific "Choir Club" at School, but the "Band Club", which I am the President of, promotes all things than include music and fun. This past year, we've had Karaoke nights, Talent night (basically open stage - including Chinese Opera, Australian stand-up comedy and fabulous Indian dancing to name but a few of the acts), ... and of course performances by the current student band.

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:51:54 AM)
ejaan - we do manage a waitlist and with a relatively small class size of c300 it is vital to our admission process. Many excellent candidates spend time on the waitlist and then end up in the class. Not all waitlisted candidates will make it to the class. It is one of the toughest parts of the admissions cycle for us. We do not use the waitlist as easy option and we believe that everyone waitlisted is capable of taking a top MBA. However, when things are as competitive as they have been in recent years, we have to focus on finding the best possible class for us - that means a diverse, but balanced class of talented individuals, all with something to offer. We want students who appreciate that they can only get what they want from a school like London Business School - therefore students who have researched and understand us. Finding the best 'fit' is not easy, but it is vital to us and every top school.

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:51:59 AM)
Hi A. Thanks for resubmitting your question. No, a rejection from a previous year will not be taken into consideration if/when you reapply. However, if you were unsuccessful in the past, it is in best interest to consider why that may have been, and attempt to improve any areas of weakness (this may be your English ability/skills, your GMAT score, your work experience etc). As an aside, if you applied in the past two years, we will still have your application and your transcripts, so you will not need to resubmit these. However, we strongly recommend that you provide new references and CV, and of course complete the new application form and essays.

MaryFerreiraLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:52:09 AM)
Bill, I answered a question earlier about international exchange but typically up to one third of the class choose to go on exchange in either the autumn or spring term. Our students have to go through an application process. We give a lot of briefings about the different exchange schools in the 2nd term of the first year so that students have plenty of time to decide whether they want to go on exchange or not. We have a set number of slots with each school and some schools are more popular than others. the latter changes year by year. All sorts of motivation for going on exchange too from learning a language, to living by the beach for the 3 months, to studying with a professor you admire, to deepening the job search to a particular geographic region. Some schools give full access in terms of elective portfolio and careers access and others might be a bit more limited and work on a bidding system. In addition our students think carefully about the timing of the exchange term so they do not have to mi

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:52:21 AM)
Hi Kamil, we are seeing more and more students look to Hong Kong and Shanghai for opportunities and we are seeing MBA level salaries (with some level of localization) enticing people to go to these areas as their first job out of business school, rather than a few years down the line. Of course Hong Kong is a magnet for students interested in banking and many of the top consulting houses are drawing students to Shanghai. In some regions, native language skills are desirable but we also have an exchange program with a top school in Shanghai that students are taking advantage of to scope out the area and improve their language skills while on exchange.

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:52:25 AM)
Do Global Private Banks recruit for the Relationship Management side from campus?

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:52:34 AM)
Dana: I noticed that LBS does not have an i-banking club. 19% of MBA 2005 went into that industry. Am I missing something here? Is i-banking covered by the private equity club?

Guest (Oct 10, 2006 10:53:23 AM)
Diane: Can you highlight on the career opportunities in the Mgmt Consulting in Europe?

Jamey (Oct 10, 2006 10:53:51 AM)
Given the percentage of women at LBS, how does the average study group look- are there some all male study groups/ females alone? From the student blogs it looks like the country mix is great, but I worry about the gender mix.

Surabhi (Oct 10, 2006 10:54:04 AM)
Does LBS use case-based teaching?

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:54:21 AM)
Since I am doing my MBA with a wife and one-year old daughter, I am happy to answer questions from those of you that are thinking of bringing partners or families along!

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 10:54:35 AM)
Mary: How active is the alumni network? In Chicago, it was mentioned that, although available, the alumni group was not as active as desired

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:54:41 AM)
Hi Sherif--I have a Bachelor of Commerce and although the basic academic theory hasn't changed (NPV is still NPV!) I find the classroom environment to be much different. The diversity of the students heightens the learning experience. In my study group, I had 6 people from 6 different countries and professional backgrounds. The depth of discussion was impressive. Also, given that the school is situated in London we have access to the head-quarters of the majority of companies traded on the FTSE which leads to immense recruiting/networking opportunities. Last year alone I went to speaker events featuring Bill Clinton, Sir Richard Branson and Jack Welsh. I have appreciated this access to global leadership....far different from my academic experience in Canada!

Shawn Isakson (Oct 10, 2006 10:55:04 AM)
DianeMorgan: I am currently assigned as an engineer for BP in Alaska. What has been BP's response - support during study, and career placement post education - to their engineers enrolling in LBS?

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 10:55:26 AM)
Hi Natasja, Diane, Dana or anyone else who knows - Is it true that for the exchange program, you cannot go back to your home country? Please clarify. Thanks!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:55:27 AM)
Hi Jamey: study groups usually have one or two women in them (they are divided equally over the different groups), and I haven't found that to be a problem (my background is in utilities, where I was usually the only woman).

juan (Oct 10, 2006 10:55:29 AM)
David, what's the teaching method at LBS?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:56:20 AM)
Hello Ejaan, returning to India is also a trend that we are seeing now, although most students are not doing this currently after graduation so you may be very well placed if this is something you want to do immediately. Most of our companies from India are recruiting into their global operations in locations outside of India but this is more a reflection of the students, rather than the company.

Katrina (Oct 10, 2006 10:56:30 AM)
Diane I have heard that for international students getting their MBA in the States its soooo much harder to land a job in US upon graduation. What about LBS? How possible is it to actually stay in London for a non-US-European-national graduate?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:56:37 AM)
Hi LisaU, there are two rounds for applying to exchange schools. In the first one, you can't go back to a country you've lived in for 3 years since you've been an adult, to encourage people to widen their cultural horizon. In the second round (for which schools there are places left after the first one), that restriction is lifted, so you can apply to schools in your home country (if they have places left).

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 10:56:47 AM)
Felicity: Another question - what sort of extracurricular activities is the admissions team looking for? should we list every single thing we have been involved in??

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:56:48 AM)
Hi Inclined. When you're hoping to make the shift from one area to another, your chances will really depend on the skills you have developed, no matter where. Perhaps Diane can elaborate further on this.

jenny (Oct 10, 2006 10:58:39 AM)
Diane: what kind of jobs/companies do the LBS Marketing grads usually end up in? I know there is no standard, but can you give me a general idea of what one can expect?

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 10:58:47 AM)
Renata, sorry it's taken me a while to get to your question. Your experience sounds very interesting. You will be able to contribute from the specific challenges facing family firms, and also draw from your corporate experience.

daniel k (Oct 10, 2006 10:59:37 AM)
David, I have a very international background (Russia, Israel, US), a 750 GMAT, but only 4.5 years of software engineering experience (no managerial experience so far). Do you think it's worth a try - applying this year, or should I wait a year or two while building a better resume?

sheila (Oct 10, 2006 10:59:51 AM)
Hi everyone. I'm Sheila from Indonesia. Can somebody explain to me what are the advantages of doing MBA in Europe particularly in LBS compare to US MBA ? thanks so much

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:00:22 AM)
Juan - how do we learn is a big question. Our students learn in their Study Groups, (same diverse group through the whole First Year), core classes of 75 where the faculty member is often only a facilitator to the lively discussion by students drawing from years of experience, corporate guest speakers, visiting specialist faculty.  Like many schools we use a balance of cases and formal lecturing. It depends on the subject matter of that particular day. Some subjects are best suited to cases and some to instruction and discussion.

Shawn Isakson (Oct 10, 2006 11:00:51 AM)
Asbjorn: Did you relocate to London from afar? How have you managed to balance the demands of lecture/study, with the demands of a growing family?

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:01:11 AM)
Hi Neeraj, when you arrive on campus, you will go through a series of workshops that will help you narrow down your options to find something that is best suited to your skills and personal wishes. Finance is quite a large area for London Business School so you could decide to go into Corporate Finance, Markets, Asset Management, etc in banking or a finance position within industry. You may chose to leverage your IT background or make a career switch it will really depend on your transferable skills and the areas you are most passionate about.

daniel k (Oct 10, 2006 11:01:42 AM)
Asbjorn: I have a wife and a 1.5yo baby :). Could you, please, comment on the family arrangements there? 10x!

Julian_fromLA (Oct 10, 2006 11:02:10 AM)
Felicity: If you are on the waitlist and are not admitted. Do you provide feedback to make the application stronger the following year?

gop (Oct 10, 2006 11:03:40 AM)
Having never been to London, I don't know much about the place. Just wondering how you guys and gals chill out. Hope you have great places there.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:03:59 AM)
Hi Shawn, London Business School has a very strong relationship with BP and they are a corporate partner of the School. Each year we have many students that come from BP for the full-time MBA and also Executive MBA students that pursue their MBA while they are studying. BP very much recognizes the value of the MBA and supports their students, BP alumni and future candidates in the program. You would find many colleagues at London Business School coming from BP!

Kamil (Oct 10, 2006 11:04:12 AM)
Diane: in finance, do you see a number of LBS MBA graduates going into trading, or is i-banking-advisory more popular?

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:04:51 AM)
Hi Lisa U. No, you don't need to list everything you're involved in, instead perhaps focus on one or two activities you have really enjoyed, and where you feel you have developed a skill-set. Any extracurricular activities you have been/are involved in gives us an indication of what your involvement will be like at the School, so it is important to include your experiences in at least one activity.

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:05:26 AM)
Hi Shawn, I came from Denmark. My wife gave birth right at the beginning of the MBA (timing is everything, right?), so she and our daughter only came to London after the Christmas break. It gave me time to settle in here, and her the advantage of having lots of family and friends around to help with the baby.

Jamey (Oct 10, 2006 11:05:39 AM)
Asbjorn- do you know anyone with a long distance partner? Mine will thankfully be in the UK, but with classes and meetings, what are we looking at realistically for quality time. PS- how is the Nordic club? I will need to keep working on my Finnish while in b school.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:05:48 AM)
Hi Gop: London is THE best place to chill out, everything you could want is here: pubs, nightclubs, cinemas, theatre, sports etc... you name it, we've got it. I love having Regent's Park right on our doorstep, great for playing some frisbee on lunch breaks, or just grabbing a quick sandwich and hanging out. Plus: Sundowners! Our weekly free bar on Thursday night between 6 and 8, when the whole community gathers to catch up.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:05:50 AM)
David & Felicity , if you are looking at an application and the numbers and basic profile are in the ballpark for a London Business School student, what distinguishes an application that is accepted from one that is rejected?

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:06:14 AM)
Natasja, Dana, and Asbjørn: We are several days away from London Business School's first application deadline (Oct. 20). What advice would you have for applicants aiming to submit in January.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:06:28 AM)
In fact: Asbjorn's lovely baby girl was our first MBA baby!!! We were all very proud!

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:06:33 AM)
Hi Gop--London has it all...a great music scene, club scene, world famous theatre, tons of sporting events and of course the famous pub culture. From the moment you arrive the various clubs at school will have events planned that you can take advantage of to explore the city and experience the night life. I have been to tons of plays, day trips to cities outside of London and even managed to take in both a cricket game and a football game. You will always find something to do in London.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:06:47 AM)
Hi Katrina, MBA students in the UK are entitled to the HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Program) scheme which allows all graduates to work here legally. Work authorization will not be an issue for MBA students for the internships or full-time positions. It is truly a much different environment than international students pursuing degrees in the US.

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:07:02 AM)
David, Mary, & Felicity , if you are looking at an application and the numbers and basic profile are in the ballpark for a London Business School student, what distinguishes an application that is accepted from one that is rejected?

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:08:29 AM)
Linda: my advice would be to think about your application as a whole, not as different parts. Look at the bigger picture and be clear about what you are trying to say. Have other people read your essays, but not too many (their opinions will drive you nuts). Keep an eye on the MBAblog (http://mbablog.london.edu) to find out what the first years are doing so you have an idea of what goes on at London. And if you can, come and visit before you put in an application, or join us at one of the information sessions.,

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:09:12 AM)
To Shawn and Daniel K: I find that the high degrees of freedom I have as a student are quite conducive for family life. I am able to plan and move my work around to fit my family; I can be there when my daughter is awake, and work when she's sleeping. I work about the same number of hours as I did in my last job before the MBA, but I am able to spend MUCH more quality time with the family now. Also, the School has a very active Partners Club which my wife is involved in. It's really a good way to get partners involved in School life, and a great way for my wife to meet and talk with others in the same situation as her.

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:10:31 AM)
Hi Jenny, London Business School marketing graduates do go into a variety of positions, some of them go into finance organizations in a marketing role, some will go into FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) as marketers and some will go into industry in marketing and sales. There are marketing opportunities in every sector and the School has a strong marketing club that together with Career Services, present the opportunities of the previous class. Last year we had students go into American Express, L'Oreal, Novartis, etc - all different sectors with great marketing opportunities!

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:11:13 AM)
Daniel K - impossible for me to pass judgment on your chances with that information, we'd need to see a full application. Only you can judge when you feel ready. Candidates need to be able to contribute on many different levels, so you need to feel that you have enough variety in your experience. We do not ask that all students have prior managerial experience, but we want to see management or processes, progression, and of course, ambition!

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:12:18 AM)
Hi Kamil, London Business School graduates really do split depending on the business and deal activity of the bank each year. You will have opportunities to pursue either avenue.

MaryFerreiraLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:12:32 AM)
Hello Julian. We have 50+ active alumni clubs in international locations and alumni based in over 100 countries. The club activity depends very much on how active is the particular alumni committee for a specific city. Some clubs organize regular social activity but the majority like to organize a mix of social and business events in order to find common interest. In some cities the alumni will also organize 1-2 events per year with a group of other top business schools - usually when there is a high profile speaker involved for example. The mass of alumni in a particular region is also a factor. As we typically have 15-20% US nationals in an MBA class, a proportion of these will spend some of their careers back in the States so the alumni based in that region grows in number year by year (we have just celebrated our 40th birthday as a business school). In the States we have particularly large alumni contingents on the West coast and the DC, NYC and Boston areas.

Lisa U (Oct 10, 2006 11:13:36 AM)
Natasja, this is for you - I really enjoy reading your blog. very nice pictures and great advice for prospective students! Did you really take all those pictures with your phone?

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:10 AM)
Thank you again all for participating today. Special thanks to David, Felicity, Mary, Diane , Natasja, Dana, and Asbjørn.

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:22 AM)
Hi LisaU: thanks! I love writing it. About half the pictures are taken with my mobile, the rest with a digital SLR. Thanks for reading!

NatasjaGiezenLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:36 AM)
Linda: you're very welcome, thanks for hosting and thank you everyone for attending

DanaMcNabbLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:42 AM)
Hi Linda, I highly recommend a classroom visit if that is at all possible to fit into your schedule. You will find that the experience helps crystallize your opinions and objectives when it comes to writing your essays. Also, I focused on getting personal references from people I had actually worked for as I felt they could speak the best to my leadership potential. I would highly recommend having someone you respect who doesn't work in "business" to review your essays as I found they provided a unique perspective. Good luck!

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:48 AM)
We look forward to seeing you at future chats, and here is a list of the upcoming scheduled chats:

DianeMorganLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:54 AM)
Bye everyone, we hope you enjoyed the session and got a feel for how wonderful London Business School is!

Asbjorn Kastaniegaard LBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:14:56 AM)
Hi Jamey! I know many that manage long-distance relationships while doing the MBA. I did it during first term, but am really enjoying it now my family is here. I would expect a rough first term, where you spend a lot of time and energy getting back into student life. But after you're on top of things, the flexibility starts paying off. As to the Nordic Club, I'm afraid we haven't been able to gain critical mass to get one up and running.

FelicityIrvineLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:15:02 AM)
Hi Julian-fromLA. You can refer to David Simpson's earlier answer regarding the waitlist. Unfortunately we cannot provide individual feedback to you if your previous waitlisted application was ultimately unsuccessful. This is a lot to do with the fact your application was obviously considered to be strong in the first place, hence being placed on the waitlist on not rejected. The only thing we can recommend is to perhaps consider any areas that you may be able to improve (GMAT, English skills, work experience and team building/leadership opportunities etc).

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:15:07 AM)
Chicago Oct. 16 Haas Oct. 18 Consortium 2 Oct. 25

Linda Abraham (Oct 10, 2006 11:15:16 AM)
Please check the Web site (http://www.accepted.com/chat/schedule.aspx#mba ) for details and exact time.

sheila (Oct 10, 2006 11:17:35 AM)
Does applying in the second round hurt our chance of being accepted in LBS? (comparing with applying in the first round)

DavidSimpsonLBS (Oct 10, 2006 11:17:35 AM)
Sheila, we have four stages for applications. Your chances are equal in the first three stages, but remember, you have a lot of planning to do, so leave yourself lots of time to source a financing portfolio and leave your job. Stage 4 is often much more competitive and we have to waitlist some fantastic applicants, just because we don't have space. We honestly do take good people from all stages though - it's the best way we get a well balanced class. After all, we want the best possible 300 students, not the first 300!

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