Ask the AdCom: Where Can I Find Some Peace and Quiet?

Hey everybody! We’re back with another installment of “Ask the AdCom,” where we share a wide range of tips and advice from admissions team members from a dozen top business schools. Since AdCom members are human, too, we know our readers will enjoy seeing  a different side of what makes these guys tick.

This fun space is not really about the application process but more about real-life topics, like what’s a good book to read, what mobile apps are amazeballs, where you can find a killer meal near campus, and all the fun stuff happening at b-school that makes lifelong memories for students.

We hope you enjoy their insights!

#AskAdCom
The A.D. White Reading Room within Uris Library, Cornell University

Today’s question is: Where is good place to study?

 John Roeder, Assistant Dean Graduate Admissions at SMU Cox School of Business, says the Collins Center for Executive Education is where most of our MBAs can be found.  The building has plenty of study rooms, is solely for graduate students, and is the newest addition to the Cox School of Business.

Morgan Bernstein, Executive Director of Full-Time MBA Admissions  at UC Berkeley-Haas School of Business, says the Thomas J.  Long Library is nice. Under a redwood tree or on the lawn outside Memorial Stadium is even nicer.

Kelly R. Wilson, Executive Director of Admissions  at CMU Tepper School of Business, recommends the third-floor meeting rooms (but reserve early).

Isser Gallogly, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions  at NYU Stern School of Business, says for study time, Stern has quiet study lounges, and NYU’s Bobst library is a couple of blocks away.  Students can also use dedicated collaboration spaces around the school for group study.

Allison Jamison, Admissions Director  at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, says it depends on how you like to study.  If you like to be around classmates and near food and beverage, the Fox Center is a popular choice.  The hub of Fuqua, the Fox Center is where you can find a quiet place (try the outdoor seating just outside the Fox Center enjoying the NC weather), or settle in the hub of activity and find a study partner.

For those who want a quieter space, the Ford Library is a popular choice.  Library fans suggest the chairs under the stairs on the first floor.  Still others prefer the team rooms, which can be reserved, and have write-on walls for you to organize your thoughts.

Melissa Fogerty, Director of Admissions  at Yale School of Management, notes that in 2014, Yale SOM moved to its new home, Edward P. Evans Hall, which you can tour on our website. One of my favorite places in the building is the Kenney Reading Room that floats 24 feet above the Ross Library, with views through the glass façade of Yale campus and the Evans Hall courtyard. The ample study spaces within Evans Hall make it easy for students to enjoy classes, club meetings, gym workouts, meals, and study groups all within the same space.

Judi Byers, the Executive Director of Admissions and Financial Aid  at Cornell’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, went straight to the source and asked current and recently graduated students for their vote.

  • Peter Su, MBA ’17: Study room in Sage Hall, Uris Library or Libe Slope.
  • Sydney Chernish, MBA ‘ 16: One of the great things about Sage Hall is that there are a wide variety of spaces to use depending on your study need or style. For group projects or casual work, 301 is my favorite room. For serious studying, I like the quiet study space in the second floor library. When I want to socialize I usually head to the Atrium.
  • Najeen Riazi, MBA ’17: When I’m with a group, I prefer the study rooms.  When I’m on my own, I usually choose one of the impressive libraries on campus.
  • Daniel Greenhaw, MBA ’16: 301 Sage Hall

Virginie Fougea, Associate Director of Admissions  at INSEAD, says the libraries on the Asia campus in Singapore and Europe campus in Fontainebleau are very welcoming and accessible 24hrs. We can also see participants working in groups everywhere on campus or in down town pizzerias in Fontainebleau for instance or within the park of the Château de Fontainebleau.

Rodrigo Malta, Director of Admissions  at the UT McCombs School of Business, recommends the quiet study rooms on the fourth or fifth floor of McCombs on campus, and says off-campus favorites include local coffee shops like Thunderbird or Mozart’s.

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Look out for the #AskAdCom in our social media channels, and we’ll see you again next week when we check in to Ask the AdCom to share their favorite inspirational quotes.

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