No Promises

Two months. That's eight Friday's of clicking the "Dismiss" button on my Outlook Alert instructing me to "Post to Blog." It's a matter of priorities and waxing philosophical about my MBA efforts has not been one of them.

I'm now half way through the program and I've started working on my concentration coursework.

Sidebar: I didn't fully explain the concentration option at SMU in previous posts. Many business schools have a set curriculum for the MBA programs they offer. SMU allows its MBA candidates to focus on the specific disciplines after completing the core coursework. The program is 48 credits in length, 20 of which are dedicated to core coursework. The remaining 28 credits can be allocated as the student deems. My concentrations are Finance (14 credits required) and Strategy (14 credits required). So every one of my remaining courses will be either Finance or Strategy.

The ability to choose concentrations is a big selling point for SMU and was key for me. My undergraduate work was in liberal arts and appealed to the more qualitative side of business. Returning to school was partially motivated by the desire to bulk up on the quantitative skills. I can focus on that at SMU.

END SIDEBAR

Within my Strategy work I'm focusing on the more quantitative courses as well, specifically in Mergers & Acquisitions, Game Theory and Private Equity & Venture Capital. My Finance concentration courses will lean toward more of the Corporate Finance and Valuation side of the discipline.

This week has been spent going over my Spring '08 courses. I am applying for a course SMU offers through the Strategy department called the Venture Capital Practicum. When evaluating programs, be sure to research the types of Practicums (self-study/portfolio experience) they offer. This type of course is the laboratory for the classroom material. In my case, I will be assigned to a VC firm and manage a proposal and recommendation from a business seeking funding. I will perform the due diligence, evaluation, etc. and do so under the tutelage of the VC firm partners. Very valuable. I hope my application is competitive enough to be chosen.

This Fall semester also marks the beginning of a program that SMU offers that is virtually exclusive to the school: the Associate Board program. The name is misleading; the program is a mentoring program where SMU assigns area business leaders -- all senior executives -- with students interested in the industry/business in which the mentor works. I received the mentor I chose and have begun the process.

During the course of the mentor/mentee relationship, I can expect to build my industry contacts by 15-20 persons, learn hard skills for the industry, focus my resume for the industry, and on and on. This program is more valuable to me than my degree when it comes to securing a position in the industry and with the company I want to work. The degree is valuable, however, my mentor will help me lay the groundwork for post-Grad employment quicker than the degree.

This is a quick summary of some of the things going on. I make no promises that I will post more frequently, but hope to do so again in a few weeks.

It's Fall in Dallas. And it's 104 Degrees F.

I have a sinking feeling that the posting frequency is going to stay like this for a while. It's been three weeks since my last post and it feels much longer.

I am now through the second week of the Fall semester, Mod A (25% complete). This semester is quickly shaping up to be the most onerous thus far. Between work, school, family and referee assignments my schedule is full. At least it's the best season of the year.

* * * * *

I wrapped up the summer semester the first week in August leaving a healthy two week break before the next round of classes began. It wasn't that healthy.

These breaks can be your death knell. For many of us, after pushing for a long period without coming up for air, when the break does finally come, not only do you mentally check out, your body takes a break also. Your immune system goes AWOL. The slightest strain of anything in the air attacks you and sets you back for the entire break.

Of course, you have enough time to recover; however, this time I spent so much time physically recovering, I left no time for mental recovery. The most difficult thing after a break like this is getting motivated again. You see the same cases you have during undergraduate. You're still going over your core coursework that most likely is not all that interesting to you. And it's still nice outside. Again, for those of you who look down on the MBA, people that overcome this alone should develop at least some level of respect.

Bottom line: Avoid breaks if you can. Just suffocate yourself for two years. At least, that's what I'd prefer.

* * * * *

This semester's first module presents the final two core courses of the program; it's all electives and concentration coursework after this.

My schedule includes:

• Strategic Management; and
• Operations Management.

Both classes are decent capstones to the core coursework, but not remarkable. The assigned reading for Ops Management is "The Goal," which is required reading for nearly every undergraduate business student. I'm reading it for the fourth time. Still good, but basic.

The Ops course covers the following:

• Process Analysis and Improvement
• System Design
• Project Management
• Queue Management

This course will be common to every MBA program.

The Strategy course covers the usual as well:

• Industry Analysis (Porter's Five)
• Competitive Advantage
• The Value Chain
• Competitive Intelligence

Both courses are a good way to round out the first stage of the program. I'm just anxious to get them done.