2009 NYU Stern MBA Marketing Chat with Kate Mickle

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Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 1:58:59 PM)
Hello! First I want to welcome you all to Accepted.com’s NYU Stern Marketing Chat. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat. First I want to welcome all applicants to the NYU Stern chat today, and I want to congratulate you for taking the time to learn more about the resources available in the Marketing Sector. To make a sound decision and to get accepted, you need to know as much as you can about the schools you are applying to. Being here today allows you to ask the experts about this outstanding business school.

I also want to welcome Kate Mickle, Assistant Director, MBA Admissions at New York University’s Stern School of Business as well as the following students who generously agreed to participate:

• Laura Ryan – Second-year Stern MBA student - Prior to Stern, Laura worked in consulting and B2B marketing. At Stern, she is specializing in marketing and is Co-President of the Graduate Marketing Association. She spent last summer interning at Colgate-Palmolive in brand management and looks forward to joining Colgate-Palmolive's Global Marketing Development Program post-graduation. Laura is from Philadelphia and received a BA from Bucknell University.
• Albert So - Second-year Stern MBA student - Prior to business school, Albert worked at General Mills as a Packaging Engineer with a focus on developing and launching new package designs for a variety of product lines. At Stern, Albert is the Vice President of Knowledge Management for the Graduate Marketing Association and a member of the Asian Business Society, Social Enterprise Association and Graduate Finance Association. This past summer he interned at Kraft Foods and worked on developing a new product platform for the snacks division. He will be returning to Kraft after graduation. Albert is from Michigan and received a BS from Michigan State University.
• David Wang – Second-year Stern MBA student - Before business school, David worked as a web developer at a non-profit association. Currently, he is specializing in Marketing, Strategy and Product Management at Stern. In addition, he is the President of the Technology and New Media Group and Co-Chair of the MBA Media and Entertainment Conference. He interned in brand management for Activision Blizzard, a video game company, over the summer and will return to Activision Blizzard full-time after graduation. David is from California and received a BS from the University of California, Los Angeles.
• Noa Yemini – Second-year Stern MBA student - Prior to Stern, Noa worked as an Advertising Coordinator for Men's Fitness and Natural Health magazines at American Media Inc. Currently, she is active in Stern’s Luxury & Retail Club as Vice President of Marketing, Events and Public Relations. During the summer, Noa interned at L'Oreal Paris in marketing for their mascara product lines. She will return to L'Oreal full-time as an Assistant Marketing Manager after graduation. Noa is from New York and received a BA from Columbia University.

Thanks to everyone for joining.

Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 2:01:09 PM)
For the students: What does the marketing club at Stern do?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:04:07 PM)
The Graduate Marketing Association (GMA) helps prepare members secure marketing internships and full-time jobs by preparing them for interviews and providing them with networking opportunities through various educational events.

jjohnson (Dec 15, 2008 2:04:20 PM)
Noa: What percentage of students pursue a focus of luxury and retail?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:04:33 PM)
To give you a sense of how many full-time students are interested in Marketing, the Graduate Marketing Association currently has approximately 250 members.

Brajesh (Dec 15, 2008 2:04:36 PM)
Kate: What is the scope of placement for a non-American student to get placed in a marketing company and what sort of companies are usually hiring for marketing positions?

Ankur (Dec 15, 2008 2:05:32 PM)
David: I have gained experience in a technical role about the online advertisement industry. Are their some courses/recruiting companies which just focus on online marketing?

EMR (Dec 15, 2008 2:05:35 PM)
Laura: Do the student who chose to specialize in Marketing have a great chance to work with companies while studying?

Kams (Dec 15, 2008 2:05:39 PM)
Albert: I am interested in pursuing Product Development. Is there a specific curriculum for Product Development at Stern?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:05:50 PM)
Jjohnson: I don't have an exact percentage of students focusing on Luxury and Retail, but the Luxury and Retail Club currently has about 200 members (part-time and full-time).

Vanessa (Dec 15, 2008 2:06:27 PM)
Noa: What classes are available regarding marketing of luxury goods?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:06:35 PM)
Kams: Great question! There is a specialization that you can pursue that focuses on Product Development and you can tailor your classes toward it.

Ram (Dec 15, 2008 2:06:40 PM)
Albert: What do you think is the single most valuable resource that NYU provides with respect to marketing for career switchers?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:08:19 PM)
Vanessa: There is a luxury marketing class taught by the head of the Luxury Marketing Council, Greg Furman. In addition, this year there is an international class called Doing Business in Milan that focuses specifically on marketing and retailing of luxury goods. It is a week long course.

Tasha (Dec 15, 2008 2:08:22 PM)
Noa: What does the Luxury & Retail club do at Stern?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:09:44 PM)
EMR: Absolutely, a Marketing specialization enables students to thoroughly explore the role of marketing in business, which can be achieved in the classroom, through involvement in the Graduate Marketing Association, and by participating in consulting projects off-campus. In this sense, there are numerous ways to work with companies while studying!

Charlie B. (Dec 15, 2008 2:09:48 PM)
Laura: Something I'm sure everyone's curious about: How have you seen the economy affect both '07-'08 application rates, as well as graduation hiring rates? And has this affected marketers more or less than other fields?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:10:12 PM)
Brajesh: Typically companies will hire people to work in their native countries, where they have expertise in the local consumers and consumer market. Some companies may have global rotation programs, but this varies from company to company.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:10:29 PM)
Tasha: The Luxury and Retail Club provides students with the resources needed to launch a career in the Luxury and Retail industries. These resources include many networking opportunities and events, an annual Luxury and Retail Conference, and access to internships and corporate presentations within the industry.

Brajesh (Dec 15, 2008 2:10:30 PM)
Kate: Is there a possibility for one to specialize in marketing as well as strategic management?

Charles (Dec 15, 2008 2:10:33 PM)
This question is for Noa Yemini. The Luxury & Retail Club homepage mentions that 180 current MBA students are members. What percentage of members would you say are very active in the club? What kinds of activities take place during meetings? Are there any long-term plans to expand the reach of Luxury & Retailing within NYU and the marketing concentration specifically?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:11:06 PM)
Ram: There are two excellent resources at Stern to help career switchers into marketing. The first is the curriculum. Stern has great professors that teach you about the many marketing tools that you will need to succeed in the field. The second is the GMA which has "knowledge management" sessions which are geared specifically towards helping students obtain jobs in the marketing industry. This includes intense interview preparation, resume reviews, etc.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:11:41 PM)
Brajesh: Students can choose to specialize in up to three areas. This could include Marketing, Strategy, and Management.

MHong (Dec 15, 2008 2:11:45 PM)
Kate: Are there opportunities to engage in real-life marketing assignments (e.g., lab-type courses, in-school/part-time internships in NY, etc.)?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:12:25 PM)
Charlie B: Great question. Since it's still early in the recruiting season, it's a bit difficult to gauge hiring rates at this stage. That said, from what I have seen thus far, marketing companies tend to be the least affected by the current economic climate in the sense that they are still very active on campus.

Michele Shen (Dec 15, 2008 2:12:42 PM)
Laura: What type of positions in marketing focus more on strategy vs. production management?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:13:43 PM)
Charles: Excellent question. I don't have an exact percentage but we did have about 200 attendees at the Luxury and Retail Conference and each of our events averages about 50 attendees. We currently have around 20 board members who are very active in the club. We do not have events at meetings, but host a number of different events each month from lunch and learns featuring CEOs of luxury and retail companies to social, networking events at various retail locations. In the long term, the club is working on creating a retail specialization.

jfr (Dec 15, 2008 2:13:59 PM)
Noa: Do most students take advantage and have multiple specializations?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:14:44 PM)
Virginia: I am very happy with the decision and there are other students with similar backgrounds to mine who came from R&D, product development and operations, etc. For me, I chose to make the career switch because I wanted to be the one who actually is in charge of running the business as opposed to a cross functional member who supports the team. This is why I was excited about the opportunity to be a brand manager.

Michele Shen (Dec 15, 2008 2:14:58 PM)
Albert: Do many people at Stern pursue International marketing opportunities, and are there many of those types of opportunities available through Stern?

DavidWangNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:15:08 PM)
Ankur: That's a great background to have, given the rapid growth of online advertising. American Express Interactive (AXPI) and Wells Fargo are examples of companies that recruit at Stern specifically for online marketing positions. However generally speaking, most marketing positions today, from CPG to entertainment, both internships and full-time, have a heavy emphasis on online marketing and digital strategy. Speaking for myself, I spent my summer at Activision developing an integrated online marketing strategy for their Call of Duty franchise.

Louis (Dec 15, 2008 2:15:13 PM)
David: I am currently in the real-estate sales field and am looking to make a switch to marketing in the entertainment industry. What programs will help me as a student at Stern?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:15:53 PM)
MHong: Absolutely! There are many experiential learning opportunities here at Stern. Through "New York City Case Studies" our first year MBA students have the opportunity to study marketing challenges faced by famous NYC institutions, such as the Metropolitan Opera. This is just one of many examples.

uche (Dec 15, 2008 2:15:57 PM)
Kate:  I want to know if the availability of an alumni, current student or admissions officer in a particular locality influences the prospect of an applicant's chances of being invited for an interview and how this may affect the applicant's chances of admission.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:16:30 PM)
Jfr: I do not have an exact percentage, but students do take advantage of the opportunity to have a number of specializations. For example, I am concentrating in marketing and strategy. I think it's great to have some variety in the classes you choose so that you get the most out of your Stern experience.

frenchie (Dec 15, 2008 2:16:35 PM)
Noa: I'm from a government background, and will like to transit to international marketing in the retail/luxury goods sector. I'm particularly interested in working for L'Oreal: Could you share your experience of securing the L'Oreal internship?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:17:21 PM)
Michele: Good question! I would say that most marketing positions (e.g., brand management, financial services marketing, marketing research, brand consulting) involve significant strategic thinking. Product management, on the other hand, is more specific to the field of brand management.

hhd_mx (Dec 15, 2008 2:17:53 PM)
Laura: What resources are available to marketing students to help them land such great internships?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:17:56 PM)
Uche: Typically, interviews are conducted by a member of the admissions department. The majority of interviews take place here on campus. However, there are a number of off-site interviews available to students working or living abroad.

Pranjal (Dec 15, 2008 2:18:00 PM)
Kate: Hi, I am currently working in the financial services industry. I am looking to move over to a consultancy firm after my MBA and I am particularly interested in Marketing and Strategy. Given that I have no experience in this field, how is the curriculum based for first timers as compared to people with prior experience?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:19:03 PM)
Michele: Most students here pursue domestic marketing opportunities. There are International marketing opportunities available but most of the job opportunities presented on campus are for marketing jobs within the US, which probably reflects the overall demand of what students are looking for at Stern.

ariel PA (Dec 15, 2008 2:19:08 PM)
Albert: Can someone talk about the experience of the Competitive Strategy Course in the Marketplace and examples of how it offers real world experiences?

Manas_Sengupta (Dec 15, 2008 2:20:20 PM)
David, congrats on the Activision placement. Maybe we shall see your name in the CoD's credits.  Are the marketing courses at Stern, in truth, quant driven? And how well represented are marketing consultancy firms at the campus?

NY1030 (Dec 15, 2008 2:20:27 PM)
Noa: I heard that Stern was initiating an actual specialization in Luxury Retail this Fall. Has that happened? So that one actually graduates with a specialization in Luxury Retail? Or did I misread something?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:21:20 PM)
Pranjal: Many of our full-time MBA students are career-switchers, and you will find a great deal of support. We have a couple of fantastic programs to which you can apply, such as the "Industry Mentoring Initiative." This is a selective industry immersion program for first-year, full-time MBA students committed to learning about a new industry as they prepare to switch careers.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:22:21 PM)
NY1030: This is a great question, however there is currently no Luxury and Retail specialization. Part of the mission of the club is to create such a specialization and we are currently working on developing it. There are a number of classes that one can take that are Luxury and Retail focused such as Retail Operations, Retail Strategy, and Luxury Marketing.

Tasha (Dec 15, 2008 2:22:26 PM)
What companies do the students concentrating in Luxury and Retail intern and or end up working for after graduation?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:22:55 PM)
Ben: Our application review process is holistic. We look at a number of different areas when considering an applicant's candidacy.

jjj123 (Dec 15, 2008 2:22:59 PM)
Kate: Given the current economic slowdown, has there been a reduction of recruiters looking for graduates to fill marketing roles at Stern? Is there a reduction expected?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:23:31 PM)
Hhd_mx: The GMA offers a plethora of ways to equip students with the tools they need to excel in the recruiting process! For example, every Wednesday, we hold "knowledge management" sessions that feature activities like resume critiques, cover letter assistance, interview casing preparation and basic marketing fundamentals, etc. In addition, the GMA offers students numerous opportunities to interact with recruiters throughout the fall semester through company site visits, the annual GMA Conference, Lunch and Learn events, and other great functions.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:24:36 PM)
jjj123: Great question. Our recruiting program is still very full and active.

EMR (Dec 15, 2008 2:25:18 PM)
Kate: What happens when an MBA applicant's GMAT score is relatively low, but created an innovative idea to market himself to attend in a Marketing Concentrated MBA? Should we first market ourselves in order to attend NYU?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:25:39 PM)
Ariel PA: The Competitive Strategy course is a great class. Most students who go into marketing typically will take this course (myself included!). It offers a blend of cases and lectures. The cases focus on classic "competitive strategy" cases and you will have the opportunity to solve one of these classes as a team and present your findings to the entire class and defend your arguments. After my internship this summer, I can say that this class was very relevant and dealt with several strategic issues that I faced over the summer.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:26:30 PM)
Tasha: Good question! Students end up working anywhere from L'Oreal to Target to Coach; these companies come to campus to recruit students. In addition, many students find positions on their own through Stern alumni and networking events and have ended up working at companies such as Macys, LVMH, and Chanel.

dd (Dec 15, 2008 2:26:45 PM)
Noa: What's the difference between choosing your emphasis in "luxury/retail" versus just "marketing"- can you focus on one, both or multiple areas?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:26:51 PM)
EMR: We definitely take all parts of the application into consideration. If you are interested in retaking the GMAT please note that we take only your highest score into consideration.

GDerchi (Dec 15, 2008 2:27:08 PM)
Kate: What percentage of marketing students have an agency background (advertising, PR, etc)?

mba-2011 (Dec 15, 2008 2:28:34 PM)
David, can you talk a little bit about new media marketing at Stern? Particularly curriculum/projects at Stern for marketing in the online space?

DavidWangNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:06 PM)
Louis: As a career switcher myself, I totally understand your situation. Stern has one of the strongest Entertainment, Media, and Technology (EMT) programs in the nation providing students with a solid understanding of the issues that face entertainment companies today, and the Media, Entertainment, and Sports Association (MESA) holds events that give students the opportunity to network and learn from industry leaders. Entertainment is different from other industries in that there often isn't a formal recruiting track for hires, and is largely relationship driven. Through MESA and Stern's EMT alumni network, Stern has been terrific at helping students build relationships and expand their own network in entertainment - something that is especially key for a career switcher into EMT.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:21 PM)
GDerchi: I don't have an exact percentage, but to give you an idea of the overall class, 10% of admitted students for the Fall 2008 Full-time class had a background in Marketing, Advertising, or Public Relations.

NY1030 (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:28 PM)
Kate: Are first-round applicants this year considerably greater in quantity or more competitive in quality vs. prior years' 1st round applicants?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:35 PM)
Sdeducation: The Stern Consulting Corps (SCC) offers students the option to consult for a variety of firms, including non-profits. In addition, in taking the course "Brand Strategy" here at Stern, students are able to provide branding assistance to a company of their choice, including non-profits. Finally, in courses such as "Advanced Marketing Planning & Strategy" and "Promotional Marketing", we are exposed to a variety of cause marketing techniques.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:40 PM)
Dd: You can focus on one or both, however Luxury and Retail is a more specific focus, not an official concentration. For example, my specialization is marketing but I wanted to work at a Luxury and/or Retail company. Within Luxury and Retail you can focus on marketing, finance, operations, etc. Deciding to focus on Luxury and Retail is more about what kind of company you want to work for rather than the function you choose to work in.

Grace Zhao (Dec 15, 2008 2:29:45 PM)
Noa: How long is the MBA program in luxuriant brand managing? And what companies do you have special relationships with for brand managing? Are any of Stern's specialties for marketing different from other MBA programs?

Judd (Dec 15, 2008 2:30:18 PM)
Laura: Are there any courses that focus on shopper marketing? What about overall marketing planning and strategy development?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:30:37 PM)
Kams: There are many Stern students that have gone to EMT companies, Disney, HBO, Warner Bros, Marvel, Activision, just to name a few. We have two clubs as well that focus specifically on these kinds of companies: TANG and MESA. You can find out more about these clubs on the Stern club website. These EMT companies look for talented students and specializing in product development is great, but not a requirement.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:32:40 PM)
Grace Zhao: Stern does not currently have a luxury brand management program that differs from the Stern MBA. The full-time Stern MBA program is a 2 year program and you can choose to specialize in brand management. The Luxury and Retail Club is a professional club dedicated to teaching you more about luxury brands and to providing you with the resources to get a position at a Luxury and Retail company. The club has a special relationship with L'Oreal, Coach, Target, Ferragamo, and a number of other luxury and retail companies.

Charles (Dec 15, 2008 2:32:43 PM)
Noa: Do many members of the Luxury & Retail Club have previous experience in those industries?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:32:50 PM)
NY1030: Great question. Application numbers vary from year to year. We will be able to make the best assessment after the final application deadline. Our location in New York City and reputation for academic excellence always attracts many competitive applicants.

zahraq (Dec 15, 2008 2:32:53 PM)
Kate: How can a candidate set herself apart from the competition in order to get selected for the Marketing MBA at NYU Stern?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:34:17 PM)
Zahraq: All applications are reviewed using the same criteria. The best tip I can give you is to submit your application when you feel confident that it is as strong as it can be!

Pranjal (Dec 15, 2008 2:34:21 PM)
Kate: Approximately what percentage of Marketing students go for hard core consultancy jobs?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:34:34 PM)
Charles: Great question! I don't have exact numbers but I would say the majority of members do not have previous experience in those industries and join the club because they are looking to start a career in the luxury and retail industries.

jjohnson (Dec 15, 2008 2:34:58 PM)
Noa: When will luxury and retail become an established concentration?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:36:14 PM)
Jjohnson: I wish I knew the answer to that question! Right now we have club members working on creating such a concentration but nothing is finalized.

Warren (Dec 15, 2008 2:36:23 PM)
Noa: I know the big beauty brands, such as L'Oreal, recruit heavily from Stern. How about the smaller niche beauty brands? Or do these opportunities require a more proactive approach, relatively speaking?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:36:33 PM)
Judd: Shopper Marketing is a hot topic these days! It is covered in detail in both "Advanced Marketing Planning and Strategy" and "Promotional Marketing." "Advanced Marketing Planning and Strategy" is actually a comprehensive course that is solely based around developing marketing plans and "Competitive Strategies of the Marketplace" is an excellent class devoted to marketing strategy.

EMR (Dec 15, 2008 2:36:38 PM)
Laura: I would like to specialize in Consumer Behavior. What consumer related courses does NYU have?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:36:40 PM)
Dalip295: There are typically four major buckets that companies fall under who come here. The following lists off a few of the bigger companies that come: (1) Traditional CPG: such as Colgate, Kraft, Unilever, J&J, Reckitt-Benkiser and Pepperidge Farms. (2) Financial Services: such as American Express, Citi, and Wells Fargo. (3) Pharma: such as Merck, Pfizer and Wyeth. (4) Lux-Retail: such as L'Oreal and Coach. This is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many more companies that look for marketing people at Stern such as Microsoft, Activision, Google and Burt's Bees, etc.

DavidWangNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:37:19 PM)
Mba-2011: New media marketing, online marketing, digital marketing, etc., is a very popular subject these days, and our marketing curriculum and course projects certainly reflect that. Search and the New Economy is a great course that focuses on the fundamentals of search engine marketing, keywords campaigns, social network marketing, and web metrics. Courses such as Consumer Behavior and Promotional Marketing dive into the strategies that surround online viral and buzz marketing. For my New Product Development class, I had the opportunity to develop an integrated online marketing plan for an iPhone application!

Warren (Dec 15, 2008 2:37:32 PM)
David: Coming from a skin care manufacturing background, I am very interested in going into brand management & Stern's Product Management Specialization. Since you are following both the Marketing and Product Management Specialization, can you speak a little bit about how the two differ, and how Stern's Product Management Specialization sets itself apart and adds value for aspiring Brand Managers?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:39:08 PM)
Pranjal: If you are interested in consulting, there are a number of prestigious consulting companies that recruit here at Stern.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:39:40 PM)
Warren: Smaller niche brands do not recruit on campus but, that being said, many people have interned at smaller beauty brands through off-campus recruiting. I interned at a very small beauty company called Bourjois in the Spring of last year and I secured this position by sending emails to the company. You can use the Stern alumni database and other networking resources and events to find an internship at a smaller niche brand. In addition, Luxury and Retail Club members get exclusive access to internship postings at these types of companies.

shirley (Dec 15, 2008 2:39:45 PM)
Noa: I've heard that international students barely get marketing jobs in US. Is that true? What kind of program can Stern equip students with to have more solid hands-on experience?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:40:10 PM)
Varun: There are a variety of career options for Marketing MBA Grads. Most are under the general umbrella of "Brand Management/Product Management." But there is also marketing research, consumer insights, promotional marketing and opportunities.

Tasha (Dec 15, 2008 2:40:16 PM)
Albert: What percentage of marketing courses are case study?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:41:13 PM)
EMR: While Stern does not have an official specialization in consumer behavior, it offers many great courses related to the topic. These courses include "Consumer Behavior," "Promotional Marketing," "Advanced Marketing Strategy & Planning," and the core marketing class.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:41:36 PM)
Lkj2k: Everyone who graduates from the Stern MBA program graduates with a degree in General Management. Students have the option to choose up to three specializations in addition to this. On the application we ask you to indicate your intended specialization(s) if admitted, but you are not bound to this. We review all applications using the same criteria.

cdb1219 (Dec 15, 2008 2:41:57 PM)
Kate: I know the average GMAT score for Stern is about 700, but is there a minimum score for the GMAT exam?

Pranjal (Dec 15, 2008 2:41:59 PM)
Laura: During your internship at Colgate-Palmolive, what kinds of tasks did you get to work on?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:42:13 PM)
Ben: Great question. In this economy, pricing becomes a very important topic. There is a marketing pricing strategy elective course that is offered here at Stern that covers issues such as this. Your core marketing course will also have several lectures devoted to this topic.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:42:15 PM)
Shirley: I wish I knew the answer to this question. Many international students were able to get marketing jobs last year. In fact there was an international student working at L'Oreal last summer. I am not familiar with the recruiting process for International students, you can learn more about this online.

zahraq (Dec 15, 2008 2:42:51 PM)
Albert: In order to work while studying at NYU, what are the options available on campus such as graduate assistantships etc?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:43:11 PM)
Cdb1219: We not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. The GMAT score 80% range for the Fall 2008 Admitted class profile is 660-760. This means that 10% scored below 660.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:43:29 PM)
Dalip295: Great question, you can learn more about on-campus recruitment on our Career Opportunities Page.

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:43:35 PM)
Tasha: Most of the marketing classes here at Stern are a blend of lectures and case studies which I feel is a great mix. There are several marketing electives that do not involve cases but most of them will have some case studies integrated into the curriculum.

jjohnson (Dec 15, 2008 2:44:06 PM)
Noa: For students looking to focus in luxury and retail, is it more common that they do have professional experience in that area? Or is it just a general interest?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:45:58 PM)
Brittany: We have an outstanding staff in the Office of Career Development, and they are constantly cultivating relationships with a variety of companies. We also have staff members in the Office of Career Development dedicated to liaising specifically with marketing companies and companies interested in hiring within their marketing departments.

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:45:58 PM)
Zahraq: There are several options available that enable you to work while studying at NYU. The most popular is a TA (Teaching assistant). There are also Graduate assistant positions which vary and range from helping out in admissions to the career center. You typically can take on these roles in your second year.

Tasha (Dec 15, 2008 2:46:02 PM)
Kate: Have you seen an increase in the number of applications so far this year and will you adjust your acceptance rate accordingly?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:46:06 PM)
Jjohnson: From my experience, it seems most of the students interested in luxury and retail are career switchers without professional experience in this area, such as myself. Some people do join the club because of a general interest in luxury and retail industries and do not actually want to work in the industry.

frenchie (Dec 15, 2008 2:46:23 PM)
Noa - I hear from alumni that L'Oreal recruits heavily from NYU, is this true? If so, why do you think NYU students are more attractive to L'Oreal? How many NYU MBAs get a job with L'Oreal on average?

shirley (Dec 15, 2008 2:46:53 PM)
Laura: Would you please name some of your favorite marketing classes and professors in Stern?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:46:58 PM)
Pranjal: During my internship at Colgate-Palmolive, I worked on the Palmolive dish liquid brand and had three main projects. The first was to develop a Palmolive decorator series exclusive to Target, the second was to update existing Palmolive in-store displays, and the third was to perform a cost-savings analysis associated with a Palmolive bottle downsizing initiative. This range of projects was great in that it gave me an excellent sense of what brand management entails!

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:48:32 PM)
Frenchie: L'Oreal does heavily recruit at Stern; this is one of the reasons I chose to attend Stern. The company has a great relationship with the school and I believe they like the downtown, down to earth nature of the Stern students. Last summer there were 5 Stern students interning at L'Oreal (out of a total of 17 interns). 4 out of these 5 interns got job offers for full-time and all 4 of us accepted.

Charles (Dec 15, 2008 2:48:37 PM)
Noa: I come from the fashion business with a degree in Fashion Merchandising, and had been planning to pursue an MBA to advance my career in luxury/fashion goods, but I have been hearing a lot about how the MBA is mostly for career switching. Do you think that an MBA is the correct path for someone wishing to further their existing career, specifically in luxury retailing?

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:49:13 PM)
Tasha, our 2008 Fall class size is 415, and will remain close to this number in the future. It is impossible to predict the number of applications we will receive. This past year we received nearly 4,800.

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:49:24 PM)
Miri: Many courses at Stern will cover parts of Marketing research. There are several courses that are focused upon it though, "Introduction to Marketing Research", "Research Implementation", and "Consumer Behavior".

merylafrika (Dec 15, 2008 2:49:24 PM)
Kate: To any of the NYU people - I'm from South Africa and as it was previously mentioned, you said companies try to recruit students to work in their home country. I just wanted to know if any of you know of African students, mainly from Southern Africa, who were placed in companies back in their countries or if they ended up working outside of this region, in the US or Europe?

DavidWangNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:51:07 PM)
Warren: Stern's marketing specialization focuses on giving students a strong understanding of fundamental marketing principles, and how to apply them properly in different situations and contexts through the case study method. Product Management looks at the marketing issues surrounding a specific product, whether that is redefining an existing product, launching a brand extension, or launching a new brand. There is a degree of overlap between the two specializations, but that is in order to reinforce certain concepts that are important to both. Brand Strategy and New Product Development are great examples of courses that set Stern's Product Management specialization apart from the rest.

Warren (Dec 15, 2008 2:51:21 PM)
David: How has the Product Management Specializations prepared you most for a career in marketing, what has been its biggest asset?

DavidWangNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:51:59 PM)
Warren: The courses for Stern's Product Management specialization are taught by an amazing faculty who do a wonderful job of applying practical solutions to managing a brand or developing a new product. They are lifelong experts in their respective fields and represent a wealth of knowledge for students to learn from.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:52:03 PM)
Merylafrika: A good resource would be to contact members of our Stern in Africa Association - sia@stern.nyu.edu.

Rui (Dec 15, 2008 2:52:06 PM)
Kate: I was put on the W/L of Stern, what else can I do now?

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:52:08 PM)
Charles: Oh absolutely! I am a career switcher, but there are many, many students attending Stern to further their careers. There are many classes for entrepreneurs looking to start their own business and other classes extremely relevant to furthering your career without switching industries. Business school will provide you with the education and network necessary to advance your career.

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:52:37 PM)
Shirley: Sure! My all-time favorite class has been Advanced Marketing Planning and Strategy (taught by Prof Greenwald) which is an excellent course for those looking for a career in brand management. I have also enjoyed Competitive Strategies of the Marketplace with one of the Stern greats, Prof Czepiel and Consumer Behavior with Prof Sellier. In addition, I found New Product Marketing and Marketing Research to be very relevant.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:52:51 PM)
Charles: For more information you can visit our career development page.

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:53:00 PM)
Rui: If you are on the waitlist, it is a good idea to keep the admissions committee aware of any changes in your life (work, etc.) that may affect your application.

jjohnson (Dec 15, 2008 2:53:10 PM)
Kate: How much does the area that a student plans to specialize in affect his or her likelihood of acceptance?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:53:39 PM)
Miri: There is not a specialization in "Marketing Research" but as I mentioned you can take several classes that focus on it and your core classes will also overlap with marketing research concepts. I am not as familiar with what specific research firms come to Stern; however, you should be able to find more information about companies that come on campus via the Stern website.

2009wait (Dec 15, 2008 2:53:39 PM)
Laura: How does Stern help prepare for international marketing? Are there any treks that are specifically geared towards a global economy rather than a domestic one?

LauraRyanNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:54:45 PM)
2009wait: Great question! Stern offers a course called "International Marketing" which I am VERY excited to take next semester! In addition, students may couple a marketing specialization with a global business specialization to ensure a global mindset in business. Finally, all of the Doing Business In (DBI) courses that Stern offers are geared towards both established and emerging global economies.

sdeducation (Dec 15, 2008 2:54:48 PM)
Albert: Could you please talk about any courses or clubs that focus on cause marketing and branding in the non-profit industry?

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:55:16 PM)
Sdeducation: Our SEA club focuses specifically on the nonprofit industry. As far as classes go, you can take Advanced Market planning and strategy, promotional marketing, and brand strategy, which all cover an aspect of branding for nonprofit. The Brand Strategy course involves picking a company and developing a brand (or making their current brand better) so if you take the course, you certainly can choose to get some hands on learning on how to brand a non-profit!

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:55:18 PM)
Jjohnson: Good question. No matter what your area of interest, I encourage you to research your possible career interests. We like to see that a candidate has explored his or her options, and that career goals are well defined. Our pool of candidates comes from highly diverse professional backgrounds.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:56:40 PM)
Philip: Do you mean Fall 2007? Recruiting has not started for Fall 2008 admits just yet. In addition, recruiting is still going on for Fall 2007 admits so there is no information on that just yet.

Linda Abraham (Dec 15, 2008 2:56:56 PM)
Thank you again all for participating. Special thanks to Kate, Albert, David, Laura and Noa for joining us today. We look forward to seeing you at future chats. On deck:

MIT Sloan January 5th

USC Marshall January 7th

Consortium January 14th

Michigan Ross January 22nd

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Have a great day! Good luck with your applications!

KateMickleNYU (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:18 PM)
Best of luck to all!

Warren (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:30 PM)
Thank You Everyone!

zahraq (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:33 PM)
Thank you!

Pranjal (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:36 PM)
Thanks for the informative session!

ralph8003 (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:40 PM)
Thanx!

Jamie F (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:48 PM)
Thanks!

shirley (Dec 15, 2008 2:57:56 PM)
Thanks a lot :)

GDerchi (Dec 15, 2008 2:58:06 PM)
Thank you all!

NY1030 (Dec 15, 2008 2:58:12 PM)
Thanks Kate - it's great that Stern is doing this.

NoaYeminiNYU (Dec 15, 2008 3:00:19 PM)
Good luck with your applications!

AlbertSoNYU (Dec 15, 2008 3:01:23 PM)
Good luck!

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