IE Business School

Master in Management | Part 1


Rahimah · 2013 - 2014

Published: 1 July 2021 | by Rahimah

Hi everyone!

My name is Rahimah and I recently started my Master in Management at IE Business School in Madrid. Before I start sharing my experiences about the admission process and how the program has been so far, it would be helpful to tell you a bit about myself.

While I have lived in Asia, Europe, and other parts of North America, I predominantly grew up in Calgary, Canada. Upon graduating high school I started my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto where I completed my Bachelor in Science with a double major in Psychology and Ethics, Society, and Law this past June.

What initially attracted me to IE was it’s emphasis on entrepreneurship, it’s diverse student profile, and of course, it’s international reputation as one of Europe’s best business schools.

The Admissions Process

While the admission process was far from easy, the staff at IE definitely made it smoother and more bearable. Even before I had started my application, they were prompt (usually within a day or two) at replying to all of my questions, and the entire admission process took less than 2 months. This was a huge positive for me as it really told me a lot about how they treated their (prospective) students.

When it comes to the admission requirements, I opted to take the IE admission test (ieGAT) in place of the GMAT. The ieGAT requires no preparation (a big pro for me as I was busy wrapping up the final semester of my bachelors) and was quite straightforward. I was then lucky enough to be able to do my interview locally in Toronto with a member of the IE’s NY office who I had met during an info-session a few weeks earlier.

Within a three weeks of my interview I received my acceptance response and began planning my move to Madrid!

Why I chose IE

While there are a number of schools that offer Master in Management programs, my decision to come to IE was predominantly based on three things. The first was the program structure and offerings; I really liked the idea of being able to choose your specialization in the third semester after 6 months of laying the groundwork of management concepts. Second was the diversity of the program. Not only the variety in professional and academic backgrounds, but the international composition of the program was particularly appealing. I’ve always loved meeting new people from all backgrounds and cultures (perhaps a result of moving around a lot when I younger), and felt that IE really fostered this idea and would allow me to be with likeminded people. Finally, I found it difficult to pass up the opportunity to live in city like Madrid!

The start of the program

Having come from a non-business related academic background, deciding to do my Master in Management was not an easy one, and I admittedly found myself getting more anxious as the start date approached. Thankfully, all of these feelings went away when I got to Segovia for the opening ceremony in early September. Hearing the speeches and motivating words from various faculty members helped put me at ease, and I knew immediately it was just the beginning of a great year.

The first two weeks consisted of a start module where we participated in numerous workshops and courses. From entrepreneurship to learning to use excel to teambuilding; it was a great opportunity for us to become familiar with our school, classmates, and city. Now, deeper in to the program, classes include subjects like financial accounting, marketing, economics, and quantitative methods.

While some concepts may take me longer to get than my classmates due my academic background, I’ve found that everyone—whether administration, professors, and especially, classmates, are more than willing to help out whenever you need it. This, for me, has made the program far more enjoyable.

Similarly, while I find the course work has been interesting, the best part of the experience so far has undoubtedly been the people. Everyone has been so warm and open, and it is because of them that I enjoy going to school every day. Additionally, the rich diversity in the classroom not only allows me to learn from the experiences of my classmates but it has also allowed me to learn a lot about myself and the way I work with others.

The Future

With the first term nearing its end and getting busier than ever, I’m excited to see what the rest of the program holds in store. While I know it’s not going to be easy, I find myself continually motivated by the school, the people around me, and of course, the exciting city I live in. This reaffirms the fact that I made the right decision in choosing IE and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the program unfolds!

-Rahimah

Your Contact at IE Business School

Cristina Bejarano Ricaurte is your person of contact for Masters in Management at IE Business School in Madrid. She would be happy to answer any of your questions regarding IE’s Master in Management program and why IE can help you go beyond your own limits.

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