[sdabocconi_09]

Hi,

I'm a current MBA student at SDA (School of Management) Bocconi, Italy.

I would be happy to answer queries related to Admissions, my study experience @ Bocconi / Italy, etc.

A few guidelines: Please don't ask very generic questions (refer to school website for these details). Be elaborative & specific while asking questions.

Looking forward to your queries.


Thanks

[Miami111]

Hi sdabocconi_09,
I live in the USA working for a big IT company. I have been thinking for a while to do an MBA and Europe MBAs are very interesting to me since they only take one year to complete and it's a very international environment.

I'm currently thinking about applying for the SDA Bocconi MBA program 2009-2010 but would like your input on how the program has met your expectations so far and how good are the job prospects.

Any advice would be appreciated to help me decide on what program to choose.

Thanks!

[sdabocconi_09]

how the program has met your expectations so far and how good are the job prospects ?

1. Schedule - It is a one year program & the schedule is quite hectic. In general, we have 4 classes daily from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Post classes, we could have a seminar, guest lecture, company presentaion, networking event, etc so there is very little time to get involved in multiple options (though some people do) so one year program is suited only for people who are clear what they want out of their MBA program. The school is meeting my expectations in terms of schedule & quality of classes in such a way that I gain maximum out of the program.

2. Faculty - Faculty for courses on marketting, strategy, economics & finance is one of the best. We have professors who have contributed in shaping the EU policies, are board members at major european banks & institutions and share their experiences/challenges with the class. I'm learning something new about europe everyday and at the same time it's a great cultural experience. I believe this would be true for all the top business schools in Europe.
On the con side, I feel the school needs better faculty in quants or organisation behavior courses.

3. Job Prospects -
Pro Side - The school has great contacts in Consulting & Finance sectors. Almost all top Consulting firms & Banks recruit from Bocconi. ATK recently had a B School Case competition & SDA was one of the 7 business schools in Europe (& 13 across globe) where ATK ran the competition. This clearly shows the confidence ATK has in SDA Bocconi graduates.

Con Side - If you want to work in Italy, then you MUST be good in Italian. This is especially true for consulting industry. Banks & Industry firms prefer international human capital.


Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions

[NOTHING1954]

Hi sdabocconi_09,

How many Indians were there in the MBA batch at Bocconi that just graduated?
How many of them got jobs in Italy and how many elsewhere in Europe?
How many of them had to come back to India?
If you have information on this, it will be useful if you can share it.
Thanks.

[Miami111]

sdabocconi_09,
Thanks for your response! I really appreciate it

How's living in Milan? How are the people? the culture?

In your current MBA group for 2008-2009, are there many students from the U.S. or is it mostly Italian and European?

How's the team environment? Do people work mostly together or individually?

and lastly ... how are the job prospects for work within the U.S. ? I'm sure that the job prospect for work within Italy and Europe are great but I would also like to know the job prospects for students that want to work in the U.S. after graduating.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions!

[bschooladdict#1]

I am applying to the MCF program at Bocconi for Fall 2009 entry. I have not been able to find any information (other than school website) on this program. Anybody with information to share would be greatly appreciated:

1) How competitive are admissions for Non-Italians?
2) What kind of GMAT scores are awarded the couple of scholarships offered?
3) what are the job prospects in London after the program?
4) How is the quality of the program and the students?

Thanks to all.

[sdabocconi_09]

Originally Posted by bschooladdict#1

I am applying to the MCF program at Bocconi for Fall 2009 entry. I have not been able to find any information (other than school website) on this program. Anybody with information to share would be greatly appreciated:

1) How competitive are admissions for Non-Italians?
2) What kind of GMAT scores are awarded the couple of scholarships offered?
3) what are the job prospects in London after the program?
4) How is the quality of the program and the students?

Thanks to all.

Bocconi is a special kind of university with focus on finance & economics research/studies. The profs are one of the best in their fields and MCF@Bocconi is really one of the best programs.

I know an Indian in the MCF class so i'll ask him to answer your queries in detail. Alternatively, I suggest you to contact admissions department. They are very helpful in this regards & can also help in putting you in contact with current students.

All the best

[sdabocconi_09]

Originally Posted by NOTHING1954

Hi sdabocconi_09,

How many Indians were there in the MBA batch at Bocconi that just graduated?
How many of them got jobs in Italy and how many elsewhere in Europe?
How many of them had to come back to India?
If you have information on this, it will be useful if you can share it.
Thanks.

My genuine apologies for a late reply.

1. The MBA33 batch (the batch that just graduated on 12th Dec 0 had 4 Indians. From last year, SDA has been increasing its intake from emerging countries like Russia, India, etc. This year we have 14 Indians in the batch & the group is really very competitive.

2. Out of the 4 Indians in the last batch, 2 decided to go on an exchange program so I don't know if they have found a job. The 2 that decided not to go for exchange have not accepted an offer yet.

3. None of them had to go back to India. They are still in Italy & post-graduation are looking for the right job offers. This is the way it happens in most EU schools. While analyzing EU schools, one should look at 3M after graduation data as the recruitment style is very different in EU schools compared to non-EU schools.

Please feel free to ask if you have more queries.

[sdabocconi_09]

Originally Posted by Miami111

sdabocconi_09,
Thanks for your response! I really appreciate it

How's living in Milan? How are the people? the culture?

In your current MBA group for 2008-2009, are there many students from the U.S. or is it mostly Italian and European?

How's the team environment? Do people work mostly together or individually?

and lastly ... how are the job prospects for work within the U.S. ? I'm sure that the job prospect for work within Italy and Europe are great but I would also like to know the job prospects for students that want to work in the U.S. after graduating.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer my questions!

Apologies for being late.

1. We have 6 students from USA out of 108 this year. Overall the class has people 40% Italians & 60% non-Italians (representing 29 countries). However, this ratio is just for our batch. Next year class composition could be completely different.

2. Hmm... I can only talk about the 1st semester as the first semester just got over yesterday. The program is a mix of group assignments (20% - 30%), individual performance in exams (generally 60%-70%) and contribution during regular classes (10% - 20%). In summary, its a nice mix of group & individual evaluation.

3. Again a subjective Q without a definitive answer... subject to many ifs & buts... If you have a US work permit than it is quite easy to get a job in US. Bocconi has an exchange tie up with few of the best US college. So, a good strategy would be to opt for an exchange in UCLA, NYU et al and then use career services of the host institution to get a job in US (not all colleges offer career services to exchange students so do inquire)

Please feel free to ask more questions. I would be happy to answer them.

[asv711]

Hi...

Thanks for taking the initiative to generate awareness regarding SDA. I have sent my application to SDA last week. I am interested to work in the luxury goods sector. Italy being the fashion capital was one of my first choices.

But the website does not boast of many high-end luxury brands coming to recruit to the school. Is it because there are few people with this 'niche' interest? Can the career services help you get a job of your choice?

Moreover, how easy it is to find a job, say in UK post your MBA from SDA? Please elaborate.

Lastly, how well does an Indian fit into the Italian education and work culture? If you could speak about your experiences, it would be great!!

Thanks,
ASV.