Editorial
student voice
Houses of Parliament, London
I looked carefully at the essays, spending time compelling, and the small city is simply beautiful. maximize my chances of changing career and
trying to work out where I had succeeded or failed The admissions team and facilities were a delight enhancing my employability for years to come.
in a team, how I’d like to be remembered, what my and I am sure I would have had a fantastic year if LBS’ brand within the business community was
influences were in life and work, why I took and left I had chosen to study there. The fact that fellow probably as prestigious as Oxford’s in the
the jobs I’d had and why I am really wanting to go students would all be studying different disciplines wider world.
to business school at this stage in my life. was also particularly attractive, not to mention the Importantly, LBS’ Sloan students were on
collegiate system, nightlife and student societies. average eight years older than Oxford’s MBAs, and
How did you decide which to accept? The program was also not as expensive as London its careers team seemed familiar and equipped to
Henley was the first to react with an offer. It’s a Business School, which waited another agonizing deal with older graduates looking for work on
highly respected school with a great demographic month before sending me their offer. completion of the program. Oxford boasted a 92%
in terms of age and origin of student, relatively This was now really decision time, and employment rate within three months of graduation.
small classes (hence falling However, there was a very real
under the radar of some possibility that I, as perhaps a
rankings), a proactive and bit of an outsider, would fall
well-informed careers team, “In particular, the personalized rankings at into the other 8%, which
and a beautiful setting. My would be a high price to pay
main problem was that they topmba.com/scorecard, which are for the dinner-party value of
wanted me to start in January being able to say “I studied at
- which was only three weeks interactive, helped me to order the schools Oxford”. Also, the opportunity
away - and I simply couldn’t to work with and learn from
get organized or raise the in relation to my own preferences.” contemporary peers, with an
money in time. average of 16 years’ business
Two very nervous and management experience,
months later, and Oxford had a big hand in tipping the
(Saïd Business School) came back with their offer. possibly one of the most difficult of my life. As balance towards the Sloan.
Back in the late 80s, neither Oxford nor Cambridge much as Oxford would have been an amazing I guess I’ll never know if I’ve made the right
had taught the subjects I took at undergraduate experience, something I would definitely never or wrong decision, but as Thierry Henry said when
level, so I had never before had the opportunity to forget or regret, I had to remember that I was doing asked about his move from Arsenal to Barcelona,
apply to either of the UK’s so-called elite this as a means to an end, and not for the year off. “How could I regret it? I thought about it a lot
universities. The “Oxford Experience” is incredibly It was a lifetime choice, and one that had to before making the decision.”

TopMBA CAreer Guide www.topmba.com 91
MBA_FALL_08_pp_066-287.indd 91 14/8/08 17:44:05
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