Search Yale School of Management
  1. MBA
  2. First impressions of SOM

First impressions of SOM

Georgi Marin | September 3, 2007

Well, I am finally here... After a year-long preparation, application process, talking to students at different schools and hunting for MBA blogs, today I have the opportunity to finally sit at the other end of the table and tell you what it is like to be at Yale SOM. In short: it is not easy, but it is enjoyable! Orientation for my Class of 2009 started on 16 August - quite early it seems, but there was a reason why - activities followed one after the other in a hectic schedule leaving us with no time to waste. A warm welcome from Dean Podolny was followed by a group meeting related to our upcoming International Experience only to jump into a different dimension while listening to the amazing Stuart Moore and his Sapient fairy-tale story. The Strozzi Institute came into play and took us into the world of martial arts to get us "centered". Just when we needed to relax from all the action, the Taste of New Haven surprised us with the best of the town's cuisine delivered for free in our home - the Caulkins Courtyard. After some more Strozzi, we went to a picnic at the Lighthouse Park, measuring with our feet the Atlantic's temperature and comparing the taste of hot-dogs and hamburgers... When we got back Dean Foster - the President of Dean Foster Associates - took us on a trip around the world, exploring cultural diversity in business. Some more International Experience activities, followed by introduction to our cohorts, some Career Development Office exercises and Orientation came to an end... with three student-organized parties of course! Post-Orientation thoughts: I am looking forward to spending two magnificent years with some highly-intelligent, highly-motivated and very friendly classmates and I am looking forward to learning from a set of faculty that is of a world-best class! Notes: International Experience is a trip for first-year MBAs organized by SOM, taking students to various destinations on all continents. You can get some more information about it here. The Strozzi Institute and what they do - here. Stuart Moore and Dean Foster visited us as guest-speakers, Mr. Moore was our key-note speaker.