MLT MBA Prep: Q&A with a prospective participant
Thought I'd share some Q and A I had with a recent applicant to the Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) MBA Prep Program.
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Q1. My biggest concern is regarding the required workshops. I understand that these can be held anywhere throughout the country and may require participants to travel. In your experience, how much time, if any, did you have to take away from work to participate in ML4T workshops or other events? How far in advance are participants given knowledge of the timeframe for these events so they can plan accordingly? I am asking this because I on my current project, a day off is hard to come by and advance planning will be imperative. I am concerned about receiving this information in enough time to arrange to be away from work if necessary.
A1. I generally took one day off work for each workshop, if it was being held far away and at a school I was interested in. It allowed for comfortable travel time and visiting with friends I might have at the school and touring the school. Lucky for me, one of the workshops I attended was held at the University closest to me (Stanford), so I didn't have to take any time off. It's a lot of information to digest at one time, and I know of a lot of other people who took a day off just to recuperate or devote to various application tasks. The attendance times are mandatory, and staff is very strict about enforcing them, so you can 't cut out early or arrive late. I think some folks got kicked out of the program after the first session because they weren't present for the last roll call of the weekend. Visiting schools on your own is a whole other animal, and I would say I took off at least one day for each school. So far, I have visited 5 out of a possible 6 schools. The weekends are already set, I believe, for at least the first mandatory session, so that date's known. I got at least two months notice of the other two, with the dates of the second session being part of the MLT contract I signed in the first part of the year. One promise I had to make in the contract was to clear my weekends for the months in question just in case the dates moved. Those months were June and mid-Sept to mid-October. Life does happen, though, so I was able to attend the alternate workshop in the fall because I was involved in a wedding on the weekend of the workshop for my cohort. There are a very few reasons to not be able to attend a session, and they require physical proof (invitation) of a conflict. That said, it is mandatory to attend three sessions, so there's not flexibility to attend just two. The curriculum is so packed that you would miss a LOT if that were allowed to happen.
Q2. How difficult was it for you to balance work and program requirements? Realistically, how much time should I expect (on a daily/weekly basis) to dedicate to ML4T activities and requirements?
A2. On a weekly basis, maybe 10 hours at the most. Five hours would be about right. I spent about 2-3 hours on the monthly homework assignments. Our coach had additional weekly writing assignments, and I probably spent 2-3 hours (at the high end) on these. The GMAT deadline is a real one, so it's up to you how much time you'll spend on studying for it within the given mandatory timeframe. The homework is less busy work and more checking in on how you're progressing toward and planning for application requirements. The extra writing assignments were well worth it.
Q3. Did you feel there were sufficient opportunities for you to network with other ML4T participants? How valuable were the networking opportunities?
A3. Yes. There are the mandatory three sessions, and then, within the regional cohort, even more opportunities depending on the desires of the group. You also run into other MLT folks at events hosted by the schools. We have a yahoo group, too, which is great since we share information and keep each other on task through the group.
Q4. What was the biggest challenge for you throughout the program?
A4. Being serious about what it would take for me to get the GMAT done. That's a personal challenge, but one that I wouldn't have seen proven\early (July) had it not been for MLT requirements.
Q5. What, in your opinion, is the biggest benefit of participating in ML4T?
A5. Hard to break it down to just one. For me, the biggest benefit has been the coach interaction. Having the expertise of someone who has been there and is interested in my success has been invaluable. Second to that would be the up close and personal contact you get with the admissions staff at top schools. Third would be just being a part of the MLT network. It is a booming organization, and has many powerful partnerships we get access to as part of the program. Having the ability to call someone in the program who is just as involved with the process as I am is also wonderful, since my friends and family can only take so much.
Q6. Do you think ML4T has significantly improved your chances of getting admitted to your school of choice? If so, how?
A6. Yes. See reasons above. I think awareness building is really big. I would have underestimated what was needed to put my best foot forward, and may have missed the mark on a lot of the nuances to the process like relationship management and the importance of a cohesive story in selling my candidacy.
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Hope this helps, and good luck in the journey ahead,
TMG
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Q1. My biggest concern is regarding the required workshops. I understand that these can be held anywhere throughout the country and may require participants to travel. In your experience, how much time, if any, did you have to take away from work to participate in ML4T workshops or other events? How far in advance are participants given knowledge of the timeframe for these events so they can plan accordingly? I am asking this because I on my current project, a day off is hard to come by and advance planning will be imperative. I am concerned about receiving this information in enough time to arrange to be away from work if necessary.
A1. I generally took one day off work for each workshop, if it was being held far away and at a school I was interested in. It allowed for comfortable travel time and visiting with friends I might have at the school and touring the school. Lucky for me, one of the workshops I attended was held at the University closest to me (Stanford), so I didn't have to take any time off. It's a lot of information to digest at one time, and I know of a lot of other people who took a day off just to recuperate or devote to various application tasks. The attendance times are mandatory, and staff is very strict about enforcing them, so you can 't cut out early or arrive late. I think some folks got kicked out of the program after the first session because they weren't present for the last roll call of the weekend. Visiting schools on your own is a whole other animal, and I would say I took off at least one day for each school. So far, I have visited 5 out of a possible 6 schools. The weekends are already set, I believe, for at least the first mandatory session, so that date's known. I got at least two months notice of the other two, with the dates of the second session being part of the MLT contract I signed in the first part of the year. One promise I had to make in the contract was to clear my weekends for the months in question just in case the dates moved. Those months were June and mid-Sept to mid-October. Life does happen, though, so I was able to attend the alternate workshop in the fall because I was involved in a wedding on the weekend of the workshop for my cohort. There are a very few reasons to not be able to attend a session, and they require physical proof (invitation) of a conflict. That said, it is mandatory to attend three sessions, so there's not flexibility to attend just two. The curriculum is so packed that you would miss a LOT if that were allowed to happen.
Q2. How difficult was it for you to balance work and program requirements? Realistically, how much time should I expect (on a daily/weekly basis) to dedicate to ML4T activities and requirements?
A2. On a weekly basis, maybe 10 hours at the most. Five hours would be about right. I spent about 2-3 hours on the monthly homework assignments. Our coach had additional weekly writing assignments, and I probably spent 2-3 hours (at the high end) on these. The GMAT deadline is a real one, so it's up to you how much time you'll spend on studying for it within the given mandatory timeframe. The homework is less busy work and more checking in on how you're progressing toward and planning for application requirements. The extra writing assignments were well worth it.
Q3. Did you feel there were sufficient opportunities for you to network with other ML4T participants? How valuable were the networking opportunities?
A3. Yes. There are the mandatory three sessions, and then, within the regional cohort, even more opportunities depending on the desires of the group. You also run into other MLT folks at events hosted by the schools. We have a yahoo group, too, which is great since we share information and keep each other on task through the group.
Q4. What was the biggest challenge for you throughout the program?
A4. Being serious about what it would take for me to get the GMAT done. That's a personal challenge, but one that I wouldn't have seen proven\early (July) had it not been for MLT requirements.
Q5. What, in your opinion, is the biggest benefit of participating in ML4T?
A5. Hard to break it down to just one. For me, the biggest benefit has been the coach interaction. Having the expertise of someone who has been there and is interested in my success has been invaluable. Second to that would be the up close and personal contact you get with the admissions staff at top schools. Third would be just being a part of the MLT network. It is a booming organization, and has many powerful partnerships we get access to as part of the program. Having the ability to call someone in the program who is just as involved with the process as I am is also wonderful, since my friends and family can only take so much.
Q6. Do you think ML4T has significantly improved your chances of getting admitted to your school of choice? If so, how?
A6. Yes. See reasons above. I think awareness building is really big. I would have underestimated what was needed to put my best foot forward, and may have missed the mark on a lot of the nuances to the process like relationship management and the importance of a cohesive story in selling my candidacy.
--
Hope this helps, and good luck in the journey ahead,
TMG
posted by tiy at 5:05 AM
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