Translated from french by myself.
Thomas Sengmany, 29, from Paris, tells his experience.
Sunday 12 june, I will obtain my MBA from Stanford University. It is considered one of the top universities in the United States. My parents will come for France for this. A symbol of our period, the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, will make a speech.
These last two years, I was inside an elevator. An elevator that took me to a place I never knew even existed.
The first time I was invited to a party with MBA students, I came with the conclusion the next two years will be the most expensive in my entire life.
In France, most of nights with friends were about eating chips, nuts and frozens pizzas bought at the local supermarket.
Here, at Stanford, you take a jet for Las Vegas on Tuesday night after, you party in the club of a luxury casino, before coming back before 6 A.M. for the class to start.
A big part of my prom, used to work, before the MBA, in sectors with a very highcome like investment funds and consulting.
One of my classmate earned 150000 euros at the age of 23. In my class, there were daughters and son of Global CEOs. Some students were so wealthy that their names were on Stanford Buildings.
I was born and grew up in Seine Saint Denis and went to the Claude Monet high school, in the 13th neighborhood of Paris. My parents came from Hong Kong and Macao. When they arrived in France, they started as workers in Chinese Restaurants. My father worked as waiter before opening an acunpuncture office. My mother worked as a stylist in fashion.
In 2020, in the Middle of the Pandemic, I resigned from my job at L'Oreal.
After 5 years there, I wanted to evolve. I wanted change. An MBA seems like a good idea. The Stanford one was very prestigious. So I applied. And they took me.
« The elevator toward success » said my friends. An elevator with a cost : 220000 euros for two years. It's 5 times more than the median wage of the american population.
In Palo Alto, the town where Stanford is located, I pay 1700 euros per month for one small room. That this is the price to pay to live near the headquarters of Apple and Google.
What exactly do you learn for 220 000 euros ?
To value a company during mergers and acquisitiosn ? A book that cost 35 euros give you the same knowledge. To be tough but nice during a conflict ? Becoming a parent, you learn the same thing.
At Stanford University, what I really learned, what understanding the rules of the elite and how to network. Networking. It's the pure essence of the MBA. During my two years at Stanford, I joined the MBA lifestyle.
Regular dinners in Gastronomic Restaurants, where you spend 100 euros for a meal. Parties that cost 200 euros when you include Uber and Costums ordered on Amazon. Trips on a jet for 2000 euros or more. And you do that as much as possible. Sometimes several times a week.
Nobody puts a gun on your head to do it. But it's the rule here, to create your network and social circle.
Despite all of this, I do not regret my investment. Sure, you may be biased, believing it was all worth it. But I met world leading professors in their fields. The CEO of the largest corporations, start-up founders, celebrities like Gwynet Paltrow and Jessica Alba came to share private advice or gave courses. Barack Obama himself came to meet us in april. One of my classmate had a meeting with Obama to present his project.
The MBA also allowed me to grow. I took a Stanford course called “The paths to power” where I learned to gain political influence and get others to do what I want. By talking about the life of my parents during a talk similar to TED in class, I realize how much I can be proud of myself.