Can you tell us more about yourself?
My name is Ethan and I am a graduate with a BSc in Economics and Business from the University of Amsterdam. I was also a part of an exchange program at the University of Melbourne. I have always been passionate about finance and have taken a summer course at The London School of Economics and Political Science. I joined the Deutsche Bank as an intern and worked in Wealth and Product Management. I completed internships most notably at the MA Boutique Nielen Schuman.
What prompted you to apply for a MIF?
The MA and Investment Banking sector is really competitive and I felt that with my Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business there was no chance for me to expect to have an analyst position at major investment banks in London such as Morgan Stanley or Goldman Sachs, etc. the Internship Director at Deutsche Bank at Amsterdam advised me to get further education in a top business school and that is what I decided to do at IE Business School.
The MIF at IE is the most competitive and prestigious program the Instituto de Empresa offers. I took the MIF for three reasons, the first being the quality of the program and the second being its duration that is one year as opposed to the other schools which offer two-year programs. Finally, I also took this as a chance to learn a new language as I already speak French, English, Dutch, Hebrew, German, and it was an opportunity for me to learn Spanish.
What did you find the most difficult in the application process?
The first difficulty was finding the right program, that would be in line with my expectations and one that would accept me. In that respect, Dr. Hubert Silly and MBA Center were extremely helpful because they allowed me to identify programs like HEC, IE, LBS, ESSEC, LSE, which would be interesting to me.
The second difficulty I faced was the GMAT. I was not at ease with the format of a multiple-choice answer test as I never had this type of exam before. It took me time to become rigorous and fast and get a 700. In that respect, the GMAT classes I had at Amsterdam with Dr. Hubert Silly were very useful and responsible for my success.
What is life like at IE?
Being a student at IE gave me a great many opportunities apart from the obvious ones. The classes and academia were the best in their field, but the networking opportunities provided were even greater. I also got a chance to experience the culture of the city and learn a new language.
What would be your advice to someone applying for a MIF program?
First of all, make due diligence around you. Ask the company that you want to work for what programs would help you get in. It is very important to understand and know what the company you are targeting is looking for. If I had not asked my Internship Director at Deutsche Bank what they required I would probably have gone for a Masters at Amsterdam and that would have turned out to be a mistake.
Secondly, aim for the best. Many students in the Netherlands are looking for cheap and affordable studies. But they do not realize that quality has a price and in order to target key careers at top investment banks and firms you an education that public universities may not be able to offer you.
Finally, the meetings and interactions that I had with Dr. Hubert Silly and MBA Center have been essential. MBA Center supported me in my choices and the direction that I had set. MBA Center deals with students who are in the same situation, students who want to apply to elite business schools, who are ambitious but need the help and guidance of professionals. And they have been doing so for over 20 years now. I cannot thank them enough for their help with the GMAT and their guidance during the admission process and recommend all serious candidates to meet with them at least once.