Here is a little bit about me and my application process:
I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2009 with a degree in business with a focus in marketing. Before fully dedicating myself to becoming part of the “real world” I took the summer to rejuvenate after three years of study (I managed to graduate a full year early!). I casually searched and applied for jobs all summer - most of which I never heard back from. I quickly realized that I wanted to head back to school and get my masters degree and after some serious thought, I decided to shoot for my MBA. I would like to point out that I heard two very different philosophies. Some firmly believe that an MBA is an MBA and it doesn't matter where you get it and others are all for brand names. So, should I opt for an economical price tag or an impressive name and "go big or go home" attitude? I took things one step at a time and focused on the GMATs. I then casually looked at various schools in the area over the next year (hey, the scores are good for five years, I had no reason to rush). After searching through what seemed like thousands of schools and having countless conversations, mostly with my older brother who was also searching for graduate programs, I decided that the quality of a program was more important than cost of tuition. By the end of round two of GMATs, I had very little time before my application deadlines - good thing I work well under pressure and those that wrote my letters of recommendation are amazing!
While searching for programs, I looked at what would best round out my skills. Still being in the developmental stages of my professional career, my biggest opportunity was/is gaining experience. I was most concerned with finding a school that would catch me up to par with my colleagues upon graduation. Northeastern's Corporate Residency program seemed to offer just that! And not only nationally ranked, but I heard nothing but rave reviews from friends, friends of friends and family (and let's be honest, those are the opinions that really matter). I also loved that the international experience is built into the curriculum, as I did not take advantage of that opportunity during my undergrad degree. Though I have always lived in the "Boston area," I was attracted to all of the opportunities that are available to young professionals while living in the city.
I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2009 with a degree in business with a focus in marketing. Before fully dedicating myself to becoming part of the “real world” I took the summer to rejuvenate after three years of study (I managed to graduate a full year early!). I casually searched and applied for jobs all summer - most of which I never heard back from. I quickly realized that I wanted to head back to school and get my masters degree and after some serious thought, I decided to shoot for my MBA. I would like to point out that I heard two very different philosophies. Some firmly believe that an MBA is an MBA and it doesn't matter where you get it and others are all for brand names. So, should I opt for an economical price tag or an impressive name and "go big or go home" attitude? I took things one step at a time and focused on the GMATs. I then casually looked at various schools in the area over the next year (hey, the scores are good for five years, I had no reason to rush). After searching through what seemed like thousands of schools and having countless conversations, mostly with my older brother who was also searching for graduate programs, I decided that the quality of a program was more important than cost of tuition. By the end of round two of GMATs, I had very little time before my application deadlines - good thing I work well under pressure and those that wrote my letters of recommendation are amazing!
While searching for programs, I looked at what would best round out my skills. Still being in the developmental stages of my professional career, my biggest opportunity was/is gaining experience. I was most concerned with finding a school that would catch me up to par with my colleagues upon graduation. Northeastern's Corporate Residency program seemed to offer just that! And not only nationally ranked, but I heard nothing but rave reviews from friends, friends of friends and family (and let's be honest, those are the opinions that really matter). I also loved that the international experience is built into the curriculum, as I did not take advantage of that opportunity during my undergrad degree. Though I have always lived in the "Boston area," I was attracted to all of the opportunities that are available to young professionals while living in the city.
*The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Northeastern University, its staff, faculty or affiliates and are solely the opinion of Keri Deming
Keri -- Congrats again!!!! Thanks for the shout out on the letters of reference, but remember the credit is all yours for making such great impressions! Love the blog - looking forward to hearing your adventures. Patrick
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