Meena Asdhir

Coming back to Ivey for my MBA was an easy decision. After working two years in the energy industry in marketing, I was itching to change roles and industries altogether. I knew that obtaining an MBA was crucial to moving up the ladder, and the timing was perfect. I would have access to career management and opportunities to network with recruiters. To top it all off, I did not have to study for the time-consuming GMAT, and the program was only eight months long — at half the cost of other prestigious schools. Pursuing my MBA at Ivey would allow me to refresh my business skills, take courses that I missed out on in HBA, network with a diverse, accomplished group of peers, and enjoy student life one last time!

The MBA program is like the HBA program, except on steroids. Instead of having an entire semester to complete an elective, you have six weeks. The calibre of class discussions is incredible, with insights from peers who have worked as engineers, doctors, teachers, chefs, and more. Everyone has chosen to take time out of their busy lives to pursue an MBA, and the commitment and engagement truly shows. With only 150 people in the program, you create strong friendships very quickly.

The Accelerated MBAs join the program four months after the full-year MBA class starts, and begin with two months of business fundamental refresher courses: economics and communications. Since the class size is small — our class was only twenty students — it is easy to get back into the swing of doing cases and contributing. Our section formed a family-like bond, spending so much time together. The transition with the full-year MBA class was also smooth, as the first week back in London is filled with social activities catered to encourage co-mingling.  

Although everything goes by at lightning speed, there is still time to have fun. As the social rep for my section, I had the opportunity to plan and witness first-hand how many events were available for the MBA class. From bar nights, bus parties, and brewery tours to hockey tournaments, Olympic games, and charity/community events, the opportunities to get involved are endless. There are countless clubs from industry focus (Marking, Tech, Finance) to interest focus (Culinary, Entrepreneurship, Social Impact), and coordinating events including a trip to Silicon Valley and a Value Creation Conference joint with the Master of Engineering Students. Also, the international study trip elective is the best opportunity to explore new countries and get international business experience while enjoying the convenience of a fully planned trip. The South East Asia trip was the highlight of my MBA experience.

Overall, I highly recommend the Accelerated MBA program to any HBA graduate looking to boost their credentials and grow their network.

Upon graduating, I pursued the entrepreneurial route and launched my own business, Send a Scroll. Send a Scroll is an online gift business that allows individuals to send personalized messages on royal scrolls, to anyone for any occasion. Check out sendascroll.com for more details.