One of the most common questions I receive as a Graduate Ambassador and an undergraduate literature major is whether I struggled with the quantitative and analytical nature of business school. I’m here to dispel any myths you might have about transiting from a “soft” background into a “hard” one. I know this is a common concern of many applicants and I’m here to assuage your fears.
Never once have I felt as though I didn’t have the resources to succeed in any of my quantitative pursuits. In fact, the classes are taught to engage and challenge students at all levels. Plus, the professors are extremely accessible and your classmates are always willing to help. When I took Corporate Finance with the legendary Aswath Damodaran, I was shocked by the speed with which he would respond to my emails. Not only that but, he remember my name and that I was covering Burberry for my final project (out of a sea of 400 students) after I met with him for just 10 minutes. With his support and with the help of my classmates, I succeeded in his course despite the challenging nature of the material. Further, I had numerous classmates take time out of their busy schedules to assist me. Needless to say, I never felt like I was on my own.
When deciding what courses to take this semester, I was concerned that my financing and accounting skills were not strong enough to take financial modeling. It was a subject I had never seriously considered before. However, as someone who looks to start her own business one day or ascend to senior leadership, I came to realize that I shouldn’t leave business school without this skill. I knew the class was particularly demanding, and so I expressed my concerns to the professor. Via email, I asked if I should take the course. To my (pleasant) surprise, I received a phone call from the professor later that evening encouraging me to take the class and ensuring I would not regret it. With the help of the teaching fellows and my classmates, I found the class extremely rewarding. Despite my initial hesitation, taking the class was ultimately the right decision for me. With the sense that I am never alone in the Stern community, I had the confidence and resources I needed to complete the course and perform fairly well!
With my stories in mind, I hope you’ll realize that you there is no reason to worry. You’ll get by with a little help from your friends.