Day in the Life at UCLA Business School
Welcome to a day in my life as a UCLA MBA student! This post delves into my daily schedule and will hopefully give you some insight on whether an MBA is right for you!
First and foremost, one of the defining traits of my MBA course at UCLA (or any post grad course for that matter) is the flexibility and freedom provided by the coursework. For me, each week usually consists of around eight to nine classes, spread across the week depending upon the batch timings. This opens up a lot of opportunities as well as ample time for various extracurricular activities. Most well-established MBA programs also house various clubs and societies spread across a wide array of topics, including sports, art, literature, technology and so on. These clubs help provide a respite from the curriculum and a comfortable space for students to revel in their hobbies.
Daily Routine
7:30 AM: I live about three miles off campus, just a few miles away from Santa Monica beach. The ocean breeze is so refreshing as I drive towards campus, which helps me mentally review my day’s class schedule.
8:30 AM - 2:00PM: My first class of the day is Real Estate, followed by Leadership at 10:00am. After lunch I head to Corporate Strategy. This is my favourite course; it deals with the way companies make decisions, especially given current challenges, industry standards, and cultural shifts. I usually take breaks in between classes as a time to discuss and review content with friends.
2:30 PM: I meet up with four of my friends in the library where we discuss the investment results for the Student Investment Fund that we run a portfolio for. We manage half of the investment fund, which amounts over $1,000,000. Thus, our discussions largely revolve around the changes observed in the stock market during that week, investment ideas to bolster our gains, and the promising stocks we could purchase.
4:00 PM: After that, I run off for a true Business School tradition – food and drinks with fellow students at Beer Bust on the campus. It’s a fun way to discuss all the little and the not-so-little things in life with friends and catch up over the events of the week.
7:00 PM: At UCLA, we have the opportunity to attend evening lectures. Today I attend Ed Ziman’s presentation; there are around 50 of us eagerly listening to his every word. He even takes questions from the students for about an hour at the end, which is really generous.
10:00 PM: - After a small recap of the entire day thanks to the help of a Business School friend, I fall into bed right after midnight. Since the next day is a day-off from classes, I get to wake up a bit later, before I have to focus my attention on the study material ahead of me.
