“Why should I attend an admissions event?”
Great question! I’m glad you asked.
Admissions events are a GREAT way to get to know more about Heller programs, the Heller community, life in the Greater Boston area and more! Sure, you could visit the website and do additional research, but there’s no better way to get a firsthand understanding of Heller and what your life could be like as a future student than talking to people that were once in your shoes. The Heller admissions office offers in person events for prospective students that may want to shadow classes, have lunch with current students, and meet with faculty and administrators. We also offer virtual events for people that can’t travel. Whether it’s program overviews, career outcome webinars, or tips on how to do your best on the application, every virtual event has so much rich information for your journey from application to orientation.
I distinctly remember attending three events prior to coming to Heller:
1. How to Hack Your Statement of Purpose Info Session
When I started my application for admission to Heller, I remember flying through it! I had my letters of recommendation lined up, my resume was ready, and I had all I needed to fill out the personal information section of the application (it’s certainly the easiest part). But! I remember getting to the Personal Statement portion of the application and freezing. What is a personal statement? How do I write one? Why does an admissions review team need to know about my life story? How much of my life story is too much to tell to strangers?? I remember all of these questions swirling in my head, so much so that I closed the application and didn’t open it back up for at least 3 months… During that time, I was panicking slightly, but I also decided to be proactive and attend the online session created to answer all of my questions. I registered for the virtual session and was walked step by step through how to write a personal statement and what exactly the Heller admission review committee would be looking for. They didn’t need to (and probably didn’t want to) know about my childhood stuffed animals or all the careers I thought I’d pursue from the age of 6 and on. But they did need to know who I was, what brought me to Heller, and how I planned to use my knowledge and skills to be a great student and an even better person and professional post-graduation.
2. Comparative Approaches to Global Injustice & Social Inequality Class Visit
As I said before, it’s one thing to research and read class descriptions. It’s another thing to visit a class! So when the opportunity to attend a virtual class came around, I jumped at the opportunity. Although it’s been 3 years since that class visit, I still remember the content, the guest speaker, and how I felt when I almost unmuted myself to answer a question posed by the professor. I also forgot I was a visitor, not a student! It was at that moment that I knew Heller could be the place for me. I loved what I was hearing others learn and I craved more. And of course I registered for that exact course a year later when selecting my own classes as a first semester student!
3. Q+A with Current MBA Students
The last event I attended before accepting my admissions offer to Heller was a Q & A session with current students. This is what pushed me fully over the Brandeis ledge. I was deciding between Heller and another school at the time, but being able to chat with just students and ask them the real questions I didn’t feel comfortable asking others at the time let me know Heller was where I belonged. I got advice on where to live, how to be a student again after a break between undergrad and grad school, how well Heller lived up to its motto “Knowledge Advancing Social Justice”, and more. I asked every question I could think of, and the current students (now alumni) at the time answered thoughtfully and honestly. And that’s why I’m here now!
There are so many ways to engage with Heller and see if this is the school for you. Please take advantage of alllllll of them! We want you to! You never know which event will push you over the Brandeis ledge and lead you to this amazing stream of knowledge and community.
See more about upcoming events here: Admissions Events | The Heller School