Nick Johnson, Stern, ’15
This week, I had the chance to interview Nick Johnson, a frequent MBASchooled Contributor and recent MBA graduate from NYU Stern. Since many incoming MBA students are getting ready to gear up for their first year of business school, Nick and I chatted about transitioning from work to business school what life is like as a first-year MBA student.
iTunes Link:Link
Direct Download: Link
Show Notes
- 2:17 – Nick talks about his transition from leaving his job to starting his MBA program
- 4:43 – Nick talks about Pre-MBA Internships, and some examples from some of his classmates
- 5:48 – Nick talks about the Pre-MBA “Camps” hosted by some top employers
- 6:38 – Nick shares his thoughts on what life is like during your first few months of business school, and talks about the most challenging/stressful components
- 9:30 – Nick talks about differences between “work” and “school”
- 13:00 – Nick discusses how he was able fit in down time during business school
- 14:05 – Nick shares the biggest challenges he faced during his first few months of business school
- 16:25 – Nick talks about the differences and similarities between his undergraduate studies and business school
- 19:25 – Nick discusses what he learned that he wish he knew when he started
- 22:14 – Nick gives his take on how to think about budgeting and finances while in business school
- 24:38 – Nick talks about potential income earning opportunities while in business school
- 29:44 – Nick talks about his networking approach while in business school
- 31:30 – Nick gives advice on how to get acclimated and adjusted to being in a top MBA program
Nick’s Quotes
On his biggest challenge: “By going to so many different things, so many different clubs, I began to question my rock solid plan. I was joining so many clubs, going to so many events. I was maybe a little shaken by this. I probably didn’t quite nail down the career focus as fast as I would have thought I would have.”
On differences between work and school: “Your priorities and structure get thrown into a mess. While I was working, someone’s title or position often told me who was in charge. When you get to business school, there are many different departments (career, student engagement, companies) and they are all pulling like they are the top priority, and there is no easy way to say who you are serving first.
On getting adjusted to business school: “Things will vary especially early on, so you’ll need to get used to throttling. Embrace each day, each week for what it’s going to bring. No two days are the same, especially that first semester, so you really need to take each day, each week, each month for what it is.”
