Comments for Ask the Harvard MBA http://www.asktheharvardmba.com My name is Chris Yeh. I'm a Harvard MBA, and you can ask me anything! Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:02:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-382 admin Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:19:06 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-382 Ben, I'll send you the address via email. No worries, I'll send it back when you're done. Or, if you're in the Bay Area, we can meet up to effect the transfer. I love it when a reader steps up like this! Ben,

I’ll send you the address via email. No worries, I’ll send it back when you’re done. Or, if you’re in the Bay Area, we can meet up to effect the transfer.

I love it when a reader steps up like this!

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by Ben http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-381 Ben Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:57:53 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-381 Ok, send me a mailing address and when I'm done with it (should be this week) I'll send it to you (if you promise to send it back, that is). I would actually love to hear your opinion as I am planning on applying to HBS in the next couple years. Thanks. Ok, send me a mailing address and when I’m done with it (should be this week) I’ll send it to you (if you promise to send it back, that is). I would actually love to hear your opinion as I am planning on applying to HBS in the next couple years. Thanks.

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-380 admin Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:51:34 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-380 Ben, as I explained in my post, I have no intention of putting any more money in Broughton's pocket. If you want to send me your copy, I'll be happy to read it and report back. Ben, as I explained in my post, I have no intention of putting any more money in Broughton’s pocket. If you want to send me your copy, I’ll be happy to read it and report back.

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by Ben http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-378 Ben Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:50:23 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-378 I think you need to read the book before you make comments. You too Olivier, you read "part of the book" and that entitles you to commentary on his writing. Your comment is just as bad as what you are implying that he is doing. The reviews take some of his writing out of context - and the fact that you are commenting on their interpretation is kinda lazy. I think you need to read the book before you make comments. You too Olivier, you read “part of the book” and that entitles you to commentary on his writing. Your comment is just as bad as what you are implying that he is doing. The reviews take some of his writing out of context - and the fact that you are commenting on their interpretation is kinda lazy.

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by olivier cardon http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-375 olivier cardon Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:52:00 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-375 Classmate of Chris Yeh, European, I concord with Chris's views on the book. I read part of the book and my guess is that Broughton is just playing the publishing game: making a couple of over-the-top assertions to be reviewed and get attention. As far as HBS is concerned, it is like anything else: it is what you make of it. If you want to be a cynic and play guitar nobody will beat you with a stick. Thinking of it I actually took some painting classes while at Harvard and had quite some fun going out and traveling and doing lots of sports. Re: Mormons and former military men: it is pretty much a non-issue. Nobody is trying to convert you, and the few former military men I befriended were really nice guys. I was there pre-2001 some things might have changed a bit but I don't think so. Last but not least, there are some people at Harvard who actually want to do good and make our world a better place. Quite a few went to work in non-profit organizations and are doing a hell of a job. If that's what you are after, HBS has an excellent track-record/curriculum/network in that field. Again, like anything else, it's what you want to make of it. Classmate of Chris Yeh, European, I concord with Chris’s views on the book. I read part of the book and my guess is that Broughton is just playing the publishing game: making a couple of over-the-top assertions to be reviewed and get attention.

As far as HBS is concerned, it is like anything else: it is what you make of it. If you want to be a cynic and play guitar nobody will beat you with a stick. Thinking of it I actually took some painting classes while at Harvard and had quite some fun going out and traveling and doing lots of sports.

Re: Mormons and former military men: it is pretty much a non-issue. Nobody is trying to convert you, and the few former military men I befriended were really nice guys. I was there pre-2001 some things might have changed a bit but I don’t think so.

Last but not least, there are some people at Harvard who actually want to do good and make our world a better place. Quite a few went to work in non-profit organizations and are doing a hell of a job. If that’s what you are after, HBS has an excellent track-record/curriculum/network in that field.

Again, like anything else, it’s what you want to make of it.

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by Brian http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-374 Brian Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:40:40 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-374 Whoops! Excuse the typo in the second sentence, what I meant to say is "success <i>is</i> often equated with making boatloads of money". Whoops! Excuse the typo in the second sentence, what I meant to say is “success is often equated with making boatloads of money”.

]]> Comment on Can you invest in students studying their MBA at Harvard? by Edward http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/07/22/can-you-invest-in-students-studying-their-mba-at-harvard/#comment-373 Edward Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:21:00 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/07/22/can-you-invest-in-students-studying-their-mba-at-harvard/#comment-373 Two concepts here. First of all, there is already a person-to-person lending site exclusively for student loans. It's called fynanz.com. I don't have any experience with this specific p2p lending site, but it certainly would be one way to make an investment via lending to a budding college or grad student. As far as the "personal IPO" concept, well...great concept, but how to pull it off? A plain old loan is just easier to manage than an "IPO". There's all sorts of practical considerations, like to how to determine future earnings, how to deal with "reinvested" profits, when "dividends" would be paid, how and when one could opt out of the contract ... in short, student loans are just easier for everyone to manage. Two concepts here. First of all, there is already a person-to-person lending site exclusively for student loans. It’s called fynanz.com. I don’t have any experience with this specific p2p lending site, but it certainly would be one way to make an investment via lending to a budding college or grad student.

As far as the “personal IPO” concept, well…great concept, but how to pull it off? A plain old loan is just easier to manage than an “IPO”. There’s all sorts of practical considerations, like to how to determine future earnings, how to deal with “reinvested” profits, when “dividends” would be paid, how and when one could opt out of the contract … in short, student loans are just easier for everyone to manage.

]]> Comment on How accurate is “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School”? by admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-372 admin Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:17:19 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/08/23/how-accurate-is-ahead-of-the-curve-two-years-at-harvard-business-school/#comment-372 Brian makes ane excellent point about HBS and and Mormonism: "I don't doubt that the primary goal of HBS is to generate successful alumni (read donors). Success if often equated with making boatloads of money. Mormons regularly give a percentage of their income (10%) to the LDS church as tithing. If HBS seeks donors, it makes sense to seek out those who have a history of regularly donating their money to a cause/group." Great point. http://sigwang.blogspot.com/2008/08/harvard-mba-responds.html Brian makes ane excellent point about HBS and and Mormonism:

“I don’t doubt that the primary goal of HBS is to generate successful alumni (read donors). Success if often equated with making boatloads of money. Mormons regularly give a percentage of their income (10%) to the LDS church as tithing. If HBS seeks donors, it makes sense to seek out those who have a history of regularly donating their money to a cause/group.”

Great point.

http://sigwang.blogspot.com/2008/08/harvard-mba-responds.html

]]> Comment on How Do You Speed-read Effectively? by admin http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/06/27/how-do-you-speed-read-effectively/#comment-365 admin Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:18:43 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/06/27/how-do-you-speed-read-effectively/#comment-365 The bottom line is that life isn't fair; it seems like some people are natural speed readers, and that some aren't. However, most people CAN read faster than they currently do. The bottom line is that life isn’t fair; it seems like some people are natural speed readers, and that some aren’t. However, most people CAN read faster than they currently do.

]]> Comment on How Do You Speed-read Effectively? by Nikki http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/06/27/how-do-you-speed-read-effectively/#comment-364 Nikki Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:12:55 +0000 http://www.asktheharvardmba.com/2008/06/27/how-do-you-speed-read-effectively/#comment-364 I'm also a natural speed reader, and I hate when people tell me that I'm not 'enjoying' the book. I read every word, and I don't skim. I usually retain at the least 80% of what I read. I'm not sure how I do it, but I do. I found out I read fast when I was at a sleepover, and I read three YA paperbacks in twenty minutes. My friends were shocked. I don't know how I do it- I just do. I look at a word and I know what it says as soon as I look at it. I found this while searching on Google for other natural speed readers. I’m also a natural speed reader, and I hate when people tell me that I’m not ‘enjoying’ the book.

I read every word, and I don’t skim. I usually retain at the least 80% of what I read. I’m not sure how I do it, but I do.

I found out I read fast when I was at a sleepover, and I read three YA paperbacks in twenty minutes. My friends were shocked.

I don’t know how I do it- I just do. I look at a word and I know what it says as soon as I look at it.

I found this while searching on Google for other natural speed readers.

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