When I was researching which MBA programs I wanted to apply to, picking the right location was a top priority for me. I narrowed down my destinations to cities on the east coast and New York quickly became a strong contender. As I was starting my applications, NYU announced their new Tech MBA program. As I learned more about the program it was clear to me that it was the right fit for my professional goals. Since starting the program just three weeks ago, I’m glad to say my decision has been validated and I’m thankful to have been accepted. One of the best reasons to attend Stern is its prime location in New York and the growing tech ecosystem surrounding the school.
I had never lived in a city as large as New York but adjusting to the lifestyle was fairly straightforward. However, finding a place to live in New York is tough. The rental real estate market is competitive, and apartments move quickly. Many of my classmates used brokers to find a place to live, but I was determined to find an apartment without one. (This also saved me paying about a month’s rent to a realtor to unlock the door…) While searching for apartments, I was very impressed with Streeteasy and its ability to sort by “no-fee” listings. I ended up with a killer apartment in Washington Heights. The commute is a little bit longer than I’d like it to be, but the rent is a bargain, and the view of the George Washington Bridge is phenomenal.
If you ultimately choose Stern for your MBA, I highly recommend leaving your current job a few weeks early to adjust to life in New York. Depending on where you’re coming from and familiarity with the city, the adjustment can take a few weeks and you’ll need to learn where the closest places are to do laundry, shop for groceries, or catch the subway.
It would be an understatement to say I was pleasantly surprised with the inaugural Tech MBA class. We organized a quick meet up at an indoor beer garden before orientation began and got to know each other and learn about our past roles and future goals. A few days later during our formal orientation, I met some more of the smartest, most humble group of classmates I could have asked for. Stern prides itself for assessing emotional intelligence as part of their application process – and it shows. We also got to meet several current students in the full-time 2-year program and alumni who worked in our target industries, all within the first 48 hours of being in the same room. I can’t wait to see how the power of Stern’s network shapes my career in the future. The collaborative nature is ingrained on our first day of orientation and has a ripple effect throughout the entire school.
I’d be lying if I said reading textbooks and doing problem sets was “fun” in the traditional sense. The accelerated pace of the Tech MBA program will inundate you with plenty of pre-work to complete before each class begins and homework between classes. Each class has been twice a week, three hours each, and require your full presence and engagement. However, if you weren’t prepared to study hard and truly learn business concepts through immersion, you wouldn’t be considering Stern to begin with.
The flip side of this is great. While Sternies work hard, they play hard, too. Our class has organized plenty of outings since we arrive in New York, ranging from rooftop barbecues to happy hours after a long day (or week) of classes. We’ve also already visited a few big players in the New York tech industry, I’ll be sure to detail those experiences in my future blog posts – stay tuned!