I don’t know if it’s the right place to post, but here is some information for those going to UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business: 1. Student Profile - Most Indians are from the IT background - Students from US are generally fro…
I don't know if it's the right place to post, but here is some information for those going to UC Irvine's Merage School of Business:
1. Student Profile
- Most Indians are from the IT background
- Students from US are generally from rich background, but are highly competitive. Most of them could have gotten into a US news top 20 school,but chose UCI for UC system and OC.
- Average GMAT for class is around 680
2. Academic Environment
- Highly competitive. Students for some reason tend to focus on grades
- High profile professors. All Phds from top universities
- More case studies and projects oriented than classes.
- Most of your time will go in your study group meetings, writing up project reports and preparing presentations.
3. Extra-curricular activities
- You get ample leadership opportunities - on campus and off campus
- If you can manage your time well, there are enough extra curricular activities to keep you busy and excited
4. Career Opportunities
- No matter what school you go to, your work experience is THE most important thing. If you are in IT and want to use MBA to get into finance, you'll have to work really hard to network, get things related to finance in your resume and skill sets. Be prepared to start your job in an IT consultancy
- There is enough industry interaction, Merage is a well recognized school in California.
5. Cost
-You have a good chance of getting a TA/RA in 2nd year, that will cover your living expenses
- Housing is expensive $700-$1000/month. And it is advisable to live on campus
Conclusion
Choose Merage if:
- You didn't get an admit in US News top 10-12 School
- You don't have scholarship from top 10-20 US news Schools
- You want to have luxurious 21 months in Orange County
- If you want University of California tag and California Governor's signature on your degree
- If you have the appetite to pay back the loan or afford the expenses
- If you are proactive and are confident about your work experience
- California
Some general advise for people planning to do their MBA in USA:
- India is growing fast, staying put and working hard in India might be more fruitful
- Not every place in US is as good, unless you are going to Florida or California, be prepared for extreme weather conditions, crime etc.
- H1B visa can be a pain. It starts with finding a sponsor, then h1b approval, then stamping and then port of entry....renewal after 3 years etc.
- It's not just about placements