Hey All,

I have a question about the exchange programs for MBA programs. I do realize exchange programs differ depending on the schools but I'm particularly interested in insight or feedback from anyone in regard to the following:

1) What value did you get out of your exchange program that you did not get from your actual MBA program?
2) Were you able to tap into the network of the exchange school and as well benefit from the career services of the exchange school?
3) Can time spent on exchange at a prestigious school add to one's resume and have you experienced this helping you in some form in your career?
4) In what ways were you as an exchange student limited in what you could or could not be involved in or benefit from?
5) Has anyone taken a job in the country where they did their exchange?

Last, I'd be really interested in those who have done exchanges at any of the following schools, as my program offers them as exchange options amongst others:

- HKUST
- ESSEC
- Tsinghua
- Univ of North Carolina
- Univ of Chicago
- Antai
- COPPEAD


Appreciate it!!

I'm familiar with half the schools on your list, but did my exchange at Dartmouth College. My rather generic answers are:-
1. The exchange is part of the MBA programme, of course. I got different courses, different classmates and an international experience.
2. I was able to network through my classmates, but to make good use of the schools, but I don't have the access that an alumnus would have.
3. Yes, it's certainly opened a few doors for me and made it easier for me to connect with business people in the country where I studied.
4. Limited access to the most desirable connections to recruiters, and to recruitment events.
5. I don't think any of the exchange students at Dartmouth found work there, or were looking to.

Thanks Duncan for your response!

All great insight. So, are you saying for #4, that you'd wanted to get access to recruiters there but weren't able to, as well as with respect to the events?

Also, when it came to competitions, innovation labs (or something similar), incubators, or similar things, were you able to partake?

Thanks!

I think the rule of thumb is that the schools bend over backwards to be good hosts, but their own students have to come first. I was very welcome to benefit from a wide range of the career-oriented services at Tuck: I was able to attend lunches and schedule one-to-one sessions with visiting alumni who offer office hours; I could attend presentations by recruiters. I also had a consultation with a careers advisor and had access to the alumni database. But of course I was not in the CV book, or able to take part in job interviews. My attendance at events was possible when they were not booked out by Tuck's own students. In the short period of an exchange period not everything is possible, but they did a lot for me and my guess it the support was better than exchange students get at most schools.

Yea, it definitely sounds like they supported you well and made things accessible. I envision my exchange experience happening in much the same way. I do hope to benefit from that network, explore opportunities in the respective market and be able to take advantage of many things as the students enrolled.

Thanks for your feedback/insight!

I would definitely love to hear -- if anyone were able to share -- about exchange experiences at the particular schools listed above. Were your experiences as nice as it seems Duncan's was at Tuck?

Thanks again Duncan!