Business & Society, Abroad

For the past three months, I traded Yale SOM’s cozy campus for the energetic streets around the London School of Economics. As an exchange student for the semester, I’ve taken courses within the managements department and public policy department, I’ve made lifelong friends with fellow exchange students, and I’ve gone on several escapades across Europe. It’s truly been a highlight of my SOM experience during the MBA program. Here’s what you should know if you’re considering an exchange program during your time at SOM:

Is an Exchange Program for You?

One of the reasons I chose SOM was the school’s emphasis on global leadership–we literally have a graduation requirement about global experiences, and the school provides funds for you to go abroad, if you choose. An exchange program is one of several ways in which you can fulfill this requirement, and for me, it’s the one I knew I’d prioritize.

Developing a global mindset has always been a priority for me. I’ve lived and volunteered in Argentina for a year and a half, and I’ve had the goal to work abroad with my partner. I even contemplated going to business school abroad to help me build a more global network, but in the end I decided that wasn’t necessary—Yale’s robust global alumni community, as well as its strong partnerships with various international business schools, would help me build the network I was looking for, while still allowing me to attend a business school known for its mission to educate leaders for business and society

During my first year at SOM, I decided an exchange program made the most sense for fulfilling my Global Studies Requirement—I wanted the most time abroad as I could take for a fuller international experience, and my partner was able to work remotely abroad for a few months.

Expect Challenges—and Amazing Experiences

Being on an exchange program comes with challenges:

• Being away from friends: After a summer away at our various internship locations, I craved being back with everyone on campus. Hopping to another school on a different continent, away from the people I’ve gotten so close with, was incredibly difficult. It was also hard to miss out on SOM traditions with my favorite people and to feel that my SOM time had been truncated by being away.
• Time Zone Difference: I kept two SOM leadership positions and trying to keep up with team meetings meant frequent late-night calls. It’s not ideal to coordinate campus events from afar, and limiting club involvement for the semester was a major tradeoff.

But LSE has been incredible. Here’s what I’ve loved:

• Academics: LSE focuses on theory, and with a lecture-seminar format—where one of your meetings a week is with a small group with which you dive further into lecture material—you discuss and debate a lot. It’s been incredible to have a full semester to dive deeper into topics and question frameworks.
• International focus: My classmates here have been from all over the world, and they actively bring up examples from their home countries. It’s been refreshing to take a less U.S.-focused perspective and to hear more about how leaders frame problems around the world.
• Traveling: By far, trips around England, the UK, and Europe have made this exchange program well worth the tradeoffs. I’ve loved exploring new places, making fun memories, and seeing more of this incredible world.
• Friends: Our MBA exchange group chat has had me cackling in public, and our weekly outings have been some of my favorite experiences. I’ve loved getting to befriend MBA students across schools, and I’ve also loved befriending classmates in different programs at LSE.

How to Make the Most of Your Exchange Program

If I was a first-year again, I’d choose to apply and study abroad in a heartbeat. This semester has been the perfect addition to my SOM experience; it’s helped me grow, it’s given me more confidence to work abroad one day, and it’s helped expand my perspective. If you decide to do the LSE exchange semester during the fall, here’s how I’d maximize the experience:

• Start a group chat with the other MBA exchange students ASAP.
• Have weekly dinners—each person in our MBA exchange group took a different week to find a cool restaurant in their neighborhood. Not everyone could make it every week, but it was nice to have a weekly planned event.
• Move to London early (taking advantage that school doesn’t start until later in September) and travel around Europe. You can also stay after the semester ends, or do both! You can also plan trips during your time at LSE, but remember to have weekends at home, so you can enjoy London, too.
• Take care of your mental space and give yourself a break when you need it. It’s OK to not go out every weekend.