As an admissions consulting firm specialized in international applicants, we know the many obstacles international students have to overcome in order to be accepted into a top-ranked business school.
For an increasing number of students worldwide, #5 ranked China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) with campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zurich, and Accra, is at the top of their business school target list. For some students, however, attending an MBA program so far away from home brings up questions of cultural adaptation and recruitment opportunities post-MBA.
That’s why we sat down with Wang Zhe and Antonio Fernandez, both MBA 2021 Student Ambassadors at CEIBS, to get insider information on what it’s been like to pursue an elite degree in China.
Nationality: Chinese
Pre-MBA: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China, Attaché
Undergraduate: Beijing Foreign Studies University, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Philology and Literature
Nationality: Chilean
Pre-MBA: Parque Arauco, Corporate Senior Manager of Customer Management
Undergraduate: Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Civil Engineering
EL: First of all, congratulations on your admittance to CEIBS! How did you choose to attend this university?
Wang Zhe: I chose CEIBS to do my MBA because of its globally high ranking, its renowned faculty, and its excellent alumni network. Having previously worked in Latin America, I knew from the very beginning that I wanted both a global top business school and also a programme in China, so CEIBS MBA naturally stood out to me as the best choice.
Antonio Fernandez: Coming from Chile, I really felt I had two options to pursue my MBA, the USA or China. I chose CEIBS and China because of the pace of growth and technological revolution that we are witnessing here.
EL: What was most surprising to you immediately after arriving on campus?
AF: I actually already had friends who had studied at CEIBS before, so I felt I had a good handle on what to expect. It is a very international environment but also very new given CEIBS is a young school.
What surprised me most were the unique conversations we started to have in class. I did cases on Walmart and Netflix during my masters in the UK, but here, the insights I get from my Chinese classmates are very different, so it’s really helping me to develop an understanding of the Chinese perspective.
EL: What have classes been like? Did you feel you were prepared before arriving? If not, what do you wish you had done differently to prepare?
WZ: I have to admit that the classes are quite intense and usually very demanding for me. I come from a diplomatic background, working in Chinese embassies in Peru and Spain, so I came without formal training in business.
Nevertheless, I consider myself basically well prepared for this, as I had spent quite some time doing some pre-school studies and talked with many staff and senior students about what to expect.
AF: The first two terms have been quite difficult to manage. Everyone has been away from school for several years, so it takes time to get back into the groove.
Away from the academic side, there are so many activities going on, plus you are making new friends and getting used to working on group projects with multicultural teammates.
Students from the 2021 MBA Program participate in the annual Shanghai Night cruise on the Huangpu river, photo courtesy of Ceibs.edu
My advice is, enjoy the time, learn something truly unique, but find your balance inside and outside the classroom as soon as you can.
EL: How have you managed to balance classes and extracurricular activities during the MBA? What did you get involved in during your program?
Wang Zhe and Antonio enjoy dinner with their CEIBS classmates, photo courtesy of the student
WZ: For me personally, until now I always give clear priority to the classes over the extracurricular activities, mainly because the core courses in the first few terms are extremely important and useful. I also try to participate in as many activities as possible as long as I don’t miss the basic requirements of the core courses.
I’ll be considering giving more time to extracurricular activities as the academic pressure calms down later on.
EL: How are you approaching the job search process for your post-MBA position? How is career services helping you?
AF: The school has a formal team, someone who is helping you to build your resume. They also provide offline and online courses for teaching you how to think about your future and make evaluations in terms of preferred industries, which is very important for us.
But, of course it depends a lot on you as an individual. You need to identify your strengths and how to use them to find something that will force you to grow. The school has a lot of resources and connections, but it’s up to you to take advantage of them.
EL: What was the best experience you have had during your MBA thus far?
AF: By far, the best experience was our elective on the internationalization of Chinese companies. Forty students went to Nanjing to visit local companies who are expanding overseas.
Students from the 2021 MBA Program participate in the China module in Nanjing, photo courtesy of Ceibs.edu
Before going there, we did some cases about these companies and then went to meet their senior managers and decision-makers. It was a unique opportunity to ask them questions and it really brought the case studies to life.
EL: Overall, what has surprised you the most about your MBA experience?
WZ: I would say that it’s the magnitude of the things I can learn and I can do during the MBA at CEIBS. Things I can learn in and out of the classroom, and all things I can try on and off-campus, with the professors, with classmates, with alumni, with all the people and situations I’m exposed to.
The time, by contrast, is so limited. Therefore, I always remind myself to make wise choices and to make the best use of every day at school.
EL: Do you have any final advice for recently admitted or prospective CEIBS students?
WZ: Just prepare yourself as best you can, and I’m sure CEIBS won’t let you down.
AF: Learn before you come here. Dig into which clubs we have, which exchange schools we have and which electives you may wish to take. Time speeds up when you are on campus, so try and gather as much information as possible before you come.
EL: Thank you so much for your time, Antonio and Wang Zhe. You’ve definitely helped us gain greater insights into the CEIBS experience!
My team and I pride ourselves on being with you at every stage of the process as you apply to an elite program, giving you the confidence that you are taking the right steps toward your future with the information you need not only to get accepted into a top MBA, but to find a program you love for life.
That’s why I truly enjoyed talking with Antonio and Wang Zhe, and bringing this information to you.
If you need help planning school visits, designing an application strategy, or even if you’re just starting the application process and aren’t sure exactly what to do next, my team and I can help! Schedule your free consultation with us today.
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