Author Archives: Kristin Miller

Incredible India

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Team India 2011 at the Taj Mahal

Team India 2011 at the Taj Mahal (photo by Katie Dochen, '12)

I first heard about the Global Connections program while at Preview Weekend last year (for any prospective students reading this who are coming to Preview Weekend this weekend – have fun and I hope I see you around!) Choosing to go on a Global was a no-brainer for me. Yes, from a business perspective it would be beneficial to experience other cultures and go on company visits, but really, I knew this would be a great bonding experience and an opportunity to travel with people I may not have known before the trip. Continue reading →

The Goal

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No, I am not talking about the Goldratt book (don’t worry, if you don’t know about that book right now, you will by the end of your first semester!) The goal is to get an amazing job at the end of my two years at McCombs. While grades and participation in clubs and everything else in business school can contribute to getting that job, no other element contributes more than our Career Class.

I wouldn’t say it’s my least favorite class, but I will say it is the class that gives me the most anxiety. Early in the semester we listened to a panel of second years who described their internship search from the year before. One notable panelist told us he started his search in July. The summer before he came to business school. The panic among the 1st years was palpable that day.

The Ford Career Center, McCombs' state-of-the-art career services facility.

But when I get freaked out or start wondering, for example, why I’m tweaking my resume in September when internships don’t start their application process until November, I remind myself of the ultimate goal here. And acknowledge that without the weekly nudge and the pass/fail grade dependent on completing these tasks for a class, I would most likely have been in BEYOND PANIC MODE right now, having succumbed to immediate due dates, and neglected the important. Our first on-campus recruitment deadlines close December 1st, and suddenly I am incredibly grateful that my resume is ready, I’ve had the list of common interview questions to practice for months, and my basic cover letter is well under way.

After our first week of brief and meets (preliminary networking with on-campus recruiters from a variety of companies) most of my anxiety about unpreparedness has gone away. Now I’m trying to figure out where, exactly, I want to work and the brief and meets are helping me to make that decision. I can now say that I am on my way to the goal, so keep checking back as I will continue blogging about my getting-the-internship progress.

Veggies and Scones and Pork, Oh My!

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Reserve your holiday goose now!

An entire quarter is over, which means we just had finals, which means that for the past week I subsisted on Red Bull and microwavable meals. Knowing that my week’s vegetable intake came in the form of tomato sauce over pasta or lettuce on my chicken sandwich, I set my alarm for 8:30am this Saturday to head to the Downtown Austin Farmers Market to get some real vegetables in my system.

The Farmer’s Market in Austin has a broad mix of vendors selling everything from raw ingredients – fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and meats (this morning I saw beef, chicken, pork, sausage and seafood available) – to prepared foods like breakfast tacos, tamales and incredibly tasty scones. It’s the perfect mix of brunch and shopping and exactly how I like to spend my Saturday mornings.

The scene at 4th and Guadalupe on Saturday mornings.

First up after arrival is a walk-through of all the tents. After a post-finals celebratory night out on Thursday, I have $16 in my wallet and while the scones and cheeses are my first impulse, I must get some veggies.

How gorgeous are these zucchini and summer squash? $3 for the bin? Sold!

I pick up some zucchini, peppers and dinosaur kale and thus feel guilt-free heading over to the prepared foods tents. Here’s the brunch part. So with a breakfast taco in one hand and a cup of ginger-peach-ade in the other, I scope out a sunny patch of grass and have a seat. After an incredibly busy 1st quarter, this is my breather weekend before we start up our next round of core classes. So I do that. Breathe. Eat taco. Sip ginger-peach-ade. Repeat.

Almost irresistable.

Down to my last $3 I check out the baked goods stand. While the pies look incredible in all their sun-dappled glory, the white chocolate-raspberry scones are the final winner. Of course I came to McCombs for the quality of the program, but just as important in my decision was what else this city had to offer and the Austin Farmers Market is a perfect example of the “extras” that come with an education at UT.

Half a Quarter

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It’s 10pm in Reliant (a study space akin to a library… but without all those pesky books) and many students have been here for hours. The fragrance of Red Bull and mild panic perfume the air and one only hears rustling paper and the occasional sniffle. That’s right, it’s midterms for the 1st years at McCombs, and none of us know quite what to expect.  What we do know: half a quarter of accounting, finance, statistics and microeconomics… right?

With my background in art history, you can imagine how I initially felt reading that schedule – the first part of our core curriculum – compressed now, so we have time for more focused electives later. But it turns out MBA Program Director Tina Mabley (in a most excellent pep-email) was right – she and the admissions committee knew I could handle finance and accounting even if I didn’t agree at the moment.

Lest you think McCombs is all study and no play, let me assure you that through all the stress, good times were still to be had.  A collective no-sleep-and-over-caffeinated accounting class/giggle fest a day or two after the midterm. Relishing the non-competitive, non-judgemental atmosphere as I asked yet again, “What is the difference between ‘discount rate’ and ‘cost of capital’?” Discovering a NYC-style Halal cart on 6th Street. Our first tailgate and home football game – a win, of course. And so many other small moments I might ordinarily ignore, but were all the more sweet in my stressed state. Evidence of life outside Reliant.

And indeed, life moves on. Finals are in just 2.5 weeks!

Are you applying to business school from a non-traditional background and have questions about the curriculum? General questions about the core? Don’t hesitate to reach out!