We all had more in common than we had differences
One of the most satisfying things about the program was the opportunity to build my network among a group of very talented, intelligent and diverse classmates. I knew that I could call anyone in my cohort to ask for advice, or a referral, or just to go out for a beer. I had a lot of confidence in this network.
I grew up in three different countries—India, Oman, and the US—which gave me an early appreciation of diversity. It was good to see the diversity at Haas. I could sit down with a classmate who spent his childhood in Latvia, for example, and compare our experiences. Seeing all of this diversity was a reminder that we all were human—fundamentally we all had more in common than we had differences.
Knowing that I could rely on them for support was very reassuring
You needed to use all of your time- and project-management skills to keep a job, school, and a personal life going all at once. Having such a good rapport with my classmates, knowing that I can rely on them for support and as a resource, was very reassuring.”
When I was researching MBA programs, one Berkeley Haas grad who worked at Adobe described the Evening & Weekend Program as a ‘linchpin’ in his career development. That was good to hear for two reasons: first, to know that alumni felt good about making the investment in their career; second, because advancing my career into a management position was one of my objectives.
The faculty were dedicated to our education and our success
Obviously, the faculty were very professional and more than competent. What you didn't realize until you got here was how much they cared about their students. They were dedicated to our education and our success.
Something thought-provoking came up in just about every class, whether it was something the professor said or an observation a classmate made based on his or her on-the-job experience.
When it was over, I could fully appreciate the breadth of the core curriculum. Being in the middle of it, however, was a challenge. A worthwhile challenge.
