Life advice? - MBA, business, travel, & music

Discussion in 'Professional Trading' started by malaka56, Oct 1, 2005.

  1. to hell with musicians!
     
    #11     Oct 2, 2005
  2. Hi Malaka,

    I spent some time in China also and studied part of my MBA in Asia. One option for you would be to go to enroll in the Tsinghua University MBA program in Beijing. It is considered one of the best programs in China and you'd make a TON of connections while you were there. You'd also have the alumni association after. Courses are taught in English and tuition is way cheap ~ $2,500/semester USD (if I remember correctly) and you already know how far a $1,000 USD will take you in living expenses. Another Chinese university would be Fudan in Shanghai or you could look into programs in Hong Kong.

    Good Luck!
    Adam
     
    #12     Oct 3, 2005
  3. malaka56

    malaka56

    Hi granville,

    Thats an interesting idea. I have never seriously considered it before. Beijing isn't my favorite city by a long shot, but HK wouldn't be bad. From what I understand, most MBAs in China are bought by businessmen with lots of guanxi (connections), and hold little water and arent taken seriously. I don't know about those specific universities though.

    I enjoy doing business in China, but the thought of living in beijing and being trained in "chinese business" is kind of scary. Quality of life issues also arise.
    I have no doubt your right about the connection factor tho...
    good suggestion though, i will take it into consideration, thanks!
     
    #13     Oct 3, 2005
  4. Hi Malaka,
    Yes, I think some - actually, everyone would use whatever guanxi they have to get into a good program. However, I also know that Chinese schools (especially the good ones) are very hard to get into. Example: one of my classmates while I was on exchange was the only person selected from 3,000 applicants from her city. This is a country with 1.2 billion people all trying to make the capitalist dream come true and the top business programs are one way to do it.

    My overall impression of the average Chinese MBA student:
    1. With so many applicants, they are the very creme of the crop.. the very best of a large pool makes for top talent. However, the screening process tends to favor good test takers and some other life and interpersonal skills could be laking.
    2. I think American students at top universities have more experience and deeper backgrounds. There just isn't enough opportunity to go around (IMO) so you get good students, bright, good test takers, but laking in some business experience.
    3. As with all programs... there are some very good and some not so good. This is true even in China. Chinese students that make it into US programs (IMO) are very very top talent (and well off financially)

    Final note: A degree from Tsingua would be HIGHLY regarded in China. For example, me.. a white guy, just bought a sweatshirt with the school's logo in Beijing. I wore in in Shanghai and the bell hop at the hotel noticed it in amazement.. people on the street noticed it... strangers were always looking at my shirt .. even in London tourists asked me about it as did students from China at my university in NY. A business contact was impressed with a candidate from the school... 'oh..tsinghua!'. It's the MIT of China.

    If you went, you would gain huge life experience and yes..it is scary:) It is different. thats why few do it. it is cheap too.. probably about $35K USD cash outlay for a two year program with living expenses. You could also teach english for $30-$50/hour to make ends meet:)
     
    #14     Oct 5, 2005