Dean's Weekend is an exclusive, invitation-only campus visit for prospective MBA students at Weatherhead School of Management. In the past, students arrive on campus for an all-expenses paid weekend to help them see what life is like as a Weatherhead student. In an effort to keep our community safe amid the global pandemic, Dean's Weekend will be conducted virtually this year, but attendees will still network with Weatherhead alumni, meet faculty, connect with other prospective students and more.
Meet Rachel Horvath, a current student in the MBA program whose journey at Weatherhead began at Dean’s Weekend last year. Interested in applying for this exclusive experience? Apply today!
Question: What would you tell applicants who are considering coming to Dean’s Weekend in 2021 but haven’t made the decision yet?
Rachel: I would highly recommend making the time to attend this event. I was working full-time and took a vacation day to attend, and I found that having the dedicated time to focus on getting to know the school helped me move forward in my decision-making process. I was still undecided on whether I was truly “ready” to go back to school and the experience at Dean’s weekend increased my confidence that there would be no better time to get started!
Question: Describe your experience at Dean’s Weekend. What did you learn?
Rachel: The weekend had a nice mix of presentations, interactive time, and “free” time for networking and getting to know other prospective students, faculty, and alumni. One important learning came from an early presentation that discussed what makes Weatherhead stand out versus other programs, and what our faculty see as the main equity that a Weatherhead MBA provides students. Their priority was to help us find our unique path in the world- whether that be in the C-Suite, a non-profit, or forging a new path in the business world.I was also really impressed to see that Weatherhead has invested in classes on digital technologies and AI. These classes are evolving as rapidly as the technology evolves, which piqued my interest in taking Data Analytics electives I may not have considered otherwise.
Question: What stood out?
Rachel: Thinking back on the weekend, the most impactful interactions I had were with professors, current Weatherhead students, and other prospective MBA students. I connected almost immediately with a few prospective students and having them to talk to about our interests in the program as we walked around between sessions made me feel more comfortable. Several people I got to know that weekend ended up in my MBA Cohort or as teachers of our courses, and it was amazing to see familiar faces on the first day of school.
Question: Did you meet with faculty and current MBA students?
Rachel: I had the chance to meet with several faculty members and participate in “mock classes” that showed us the discussion-based learning approaches that many Weatherhead professors utilize. There were also current MBA students participating in most exercises, and I enjoyed hearing their answers to the professor’s questions and being able to talk with them after class about their journey to Weatherhead.
Question: What did you learn?
Rachel: I was excited to learn that the course structure would allow me to think creatively and approach problems differently than I had in the past. For one class with Finance Professor Scott Fine, we “negotiated” an acquisition with another pair of students. It was a little stressful at first looking at financial statements and trying to discern an offer price, but once we got into the exercise, I enjoyed learning about valuation strategies and negotiation tactics. It also opened my eyes to a side of finance that I hadn’t been exposed to in my undergraduate business courses.
Question: What were the benefits of the group exercises, working with other students, meeting the faculty, etc. during the weekend?
Rachel: A huge benefit of the weekend was seeing first-hand how much Weatherhead’s professors care about getting to know each student and helping them succeed. It was clear that each professor knew not only the name but also the background and career interests of every MBA student we saw; in some cases, they had even helped the students secure internships or full-time jobs. This experience made me realize that there was a whole community of Case students, faculty, and alumni who have invested in supporting one another and pursuing their passions.
Question: This year is virtual. How do you think students will still benefit from attending?
Rachel: I think there is still a huge benefit from attending virtually and hope prospective students will enjoy learning about the program from the comfort of their own homes. I know that the passion our current students and faculty have will translate over a Zoom call, and it will hopefully open up more time for prospective students to be able to ask questions and get to know each other between sessions. It’s a bummer that students won’t be able to see the campus for this year's Dean’s Weekend, but I’m confident that the admissions team will convey the beauty and excitement of campus and the Cleveland area.
Question: What factors were important in making your final decision on an MBA school?
Rachel: The ability to design a program that fit my evolving career interests was important, and I found that Case gave me that flexibility by allowing students to focus on core classes and self-exploration in the first year before diving into electives in the second year. Having the time to reset and think about my career allowed me to get the most out of the program.Financing my education was another important factor for me. I was juggling the tradeoffs between returning full-time versus a part-time program that would allow me to continue to work while I went to school. I was impressed by the financial aid that Case provided, and the admissions team helped me understand my options for making this investment.
Question: Discuss your first year as an MBA student at Weatherhead.
Rachel: Speaking to my experience during my first year, I have grown a lot as a leader and professional with the help of our career office and professors. From the LEAD class that focused on matching our “ideal self” with our “real self”, to discussions over virtual “coffee chats” with professors, I was able to see my career aspirations clearly for the first time. The intentionality of our faculty to build personal growth and leadership into the curriculum is impressive, and it’s something I didn’t see at the other programs I was considering.