Yale School of Management

From the Admissions Office
April 2, 2009

As spring rolls around, thoughts turn to many things — including, for aspiring business school students, which school might be the best fit for them. This is certainly the case for candidates who have already applied to and been accepted at various programs. But it is equally true for prospective applicants who are starting to think about which schools they will investigate further during the summer and into the fall. We thought we would take a moment to highlight some of the many aspects of a business school that are worth considering during this decision-making process, as well as ask some of our students why Yale SOM was the right choice for them.

Classroom and Academic Community

The academic environment is an obvious and important component of the business school experience. Issues to consider include class size, pedagogical methodology (case-based vs. lecture-based learning), and other aspects of the learning environment (such as grading system and nature of assignments). At Yale SOM, this environment is shaped by our integrated MBA curriculum and innovative “raw case” format, both of which make the classroom experience much more real-world and contextual than traditional MBA curricula.

Focus and Fit

Just as important as the environment inside the classroom is what the community is like outside the classroom, since much of business school life and learning is peer-to-peer. It’s important to choose a school and community you’re comfortable with and that can help you get to the next step in your career. One of the hallmarks of Yale SOM's program is the small class size, which fosters a collaborative and cohesive community. Within the small class, we try to bring together a diverse group of students who have different perspectives to add to the community. Looking at these issues of size, culture, diversity, extracurricular opportunities, career interests, and other elements of the community can be critical to the decision-making process.

Alumni Network and Career Opportunities

Matching your career interests with the competencies of the school can be another key consideration. Even if you have a good idea of what career path you’d like to pursue after your MBA, it’s important to select a school with a wide range of industries represented and resources available. Yale SOM's mission of educating leaders for business and society means that its graduates aspire to lead across all industries and sectors. The Career Development Office at Yale SOM helps students develop their career goals with a comprehensive first-year curriculum and personalized support throughout their time at SOM and beyond. Yale SOM alumni are also a key resource to students.

In general, the best way to learn about a program is to visit campus, where you’ll be able to experience the classroom dynamics and teaching methods first-hand, as well as what the community outside the classroom is like. If you’re not able to visit campus, you can use our online tools to get to know the community better.

Why did you choose Yale SOM?

Santiago Ferrer '10
I chose SOM due to the diversity of its student body, its small size, its mission which parallels my career goals of working both in the private and public sector and its integrated curriculum which looks at business problems more like a leader in the “real world” does.

Lisa Law '10
I chose SOM for its supportive environment and people. Everyone here genuinely wants to lend a helping hand, whether it means pointing out the right way to Donaldson Commons or sitting down to chat with me about my goals and aspirations and how I hope to achieve them. I realized how special SOM was from day one — where else would I get thrown into a group project on the first day of orientation? Although the project was meant to get my creative and intellectual juices flowing, it was also a representative example of where I believe SOM excels — in promoting and fostering relationships.

Joseph Gabriel '10
Coming from a multidisciplinary background, I naturally believe that a diversity of experiences and viewpoints creates the best atmosphere for learning, and I feel that Yale SOM provides this environment. The school's integrated MBA curriculum codifies this approach most visibly, but a quick talk with our students reveals a variety of backgrounds, goals, opinions, and opportunities for collaboration.

Admissions Office
Yale School of Management
135 Prospect Street
Box 208200
New Haven, CT 06520-8200
203.432.5635, Admissions Office
203.432.6380, Visitor Center
fax 203.432.7004
mba.admissions@yale.edu