Simon School Admissions Blog

Simon Sunset Concert Series

By: Stefanie

I am continuously amazed by our students.  Not only are they smart and business saavy, as time goes by during their time here at Simon, we discover the special talents they have that make them unique individuals.  In an effort to celebrate those that are musically talented, the Student Services Office created the Sunset Concert Series this past fall.  Recently, I attended the spring quarter's concert which highlighted the vocals of first year joint MD/MBA student, Jason Reminick, and his girlfriend, Sheira Feuerstein.  Sheira came up from NYC where she performs in shows full-time to join Jason for our Simon concert. 

While enjoying cheese and crackers and sipping on wine, the crowd of MBA and MS students as well as staff were captivated by their performances of such favorites as "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera, "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables,  "Mr. Cellophane" from Chicago, and "Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors to name a few. 

We are truly lucky to have students like Jason in the Simon program!  I look forward to the next Sunset Concert Series in Fall 2009.

Rochester Named the 17th Best Walking City in the U.S.

By: Stefanie

According to Prevention Magazine, Rochester, NY has been named the 17th best place in the U.S. for walking.  This annual survey is conducted along with the American Podiatric Medical Association and Sperling's Best Places and was based on 19 factors including number of parks in the area, crime rates, and pedestrian accidents. 

Monroe County's Parks Department operates 21 parks covering nearly 12,000 acres.  My favorites include:

• Mendon Ponds - fantastic and lengthy trails with beautiful views of the ponds.  Also allows cross-country skiing in the winter;
• Highland Park - nice views of the city at the top of the reservoir, amazing variety of vegetation in the park itself but also inside the Lamberton Conservatory, and home to Rochester's annual Lilac Festival;
• Ellison Park - in addition to its nice hiking trails, Ellison is also known for its popular dog park
• Genesee Valley - mentioned in an earlier blog post for its golf course but which also has terrific open fields where our students are known to play cricket every weekend and which hosts our annual Simon Games sporting event.

Walking in Rochester isn't limited to parks though.  On any day of the week, but especially on the weekends, the path that runs along the Erie Canal (part of the NYS Canalway Trail System) is filled with walkers in addition to joggers and cyclists.  The Genesee Riverway Trail runs north-south along the Genesee River connecting the Erie Canal Trailway with Lake Ontario.  The wonderful benefit of this trail is that it passes directly through the University's River Campus so students living on-campus without a car can even have access to these lovely walkways.

And last, but definitely not least, nothing can beat a stroll along Park Avenue - preferably with an Abbot's Frozen Custard in hand!

So, put on your walking shoes and get moving!

Around Rochester: Golfing in Monroe County

By: Stefanie

Spring has arrived and you know what that means... golf season!  After the long winter months, Rochesterians literally can not wait to get out on the golf courses.  According to the Greater Rochester Visitor Association, "Rochester is said to have more golf holes per capita than any other northeastern city in America; and within the Greater Rochester area, more rounds of golf are played per capita than in many cities twice its size".  It is incredible that we have 82 courses in and around Rochester (within a 45-minute drive), including 20 private country clubs, 35 semi-private clubs and 27 public/resort courses.

Without a private club membership, I usually frequent the public courses.  However, these are still solid courses and very affordable too.  I often play at Genesee Valley Park which is only 5 minutes from campus and is super cheap ($16 for 18 holes during the week and $17 for 18 holes on the weekend - where can you beat that?).  Riverton Golf Club is another great public course - and a tough one at that - which is close to campus and also where the Simon Golf Club has had a student/staff/faculty tournament.

The following golf courses are certainly not public courses, but ones where some lucky students have accompanied Simon professors to play a round.  The famous Oak Hill Country Club has been home to The PGA Championship and The US Open.  The Country Club of Rochester, the city's first private golf course, also has an impressive course and grounds which include swimming, tennis, and skating.

After a few months of not swinging the club, getting out to a driving range can be beneficial to your game.  Big Oak and Genesee Valley are a couple good places and golf lessons are readily available and affordable. 

So whether you are an avid golf fan and player, or have never swung a club before, Rochester's golf courses definitely welcome you!

Around Rochester: Ice Skating at Manhattan Square Park

By: Stefanie

Since Rochester is a four season climate, Rochesterians must embrace winter and make the most of it.  One fun and inexpensive activity to get you outdoors - that's an alternative to the more expensive (and personally more dangerous!) downhill skiing - is ice skating.

There are a few indoor rinks, but I had the chance recently to check out the outdoor rink at Manhattan Square Park.  Run by the City of Rochester, this rink re-opened this year with an expanded warming shelter (where you change into your skates, get rentals, etc) with a new heated floor and fireplace, a 30% larger rink, new rental skates, and a new lighting and sound system.

The atmosphere is wonderful - perfect for going with a special someone, the family, or a group of friends.  I went at night so the air was crisp and it was a calm and peaceful to skate under the stars.  The rink is large enough for beginners to skate around the perimeter leaving the middle for more advanced skaters to do their turns and spins. Once you have had your fill of skating, you can walk to one of the East Avenue area cafes (such as Java Joe's or Spot Coffee) to warm up with a hot chocolate or a latte.

So if you are looking for something different to do on a weeknight or a weekend this winter, head down to Manhattan Square Park.  But don't wait!  The rink will only be open through March 21st (weather permitting).  The entrance fee is $4 for adults, $2 for youths (17 and under), and families will pay a maximum of $12.  Rentals, if needed, are an additional $3 and an ID is required. Happy skating!

Around Rochester: Rochester Philharmonic Gala Holiday Pops

By: Stefanie

What a privilege it is to live in a culturally rich city such as Rochester.  We are home to one of the nation's premier orchestras - the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (or RPO for short).  Founded in 1922 by George Eastman, the orchestra calls the beautiful Eastman Theatre home and is a must-do when visiting or living in Rochester. 

On December 19th, I went to a matinee performance of their annual Gala Holiday Pops event.  It was my first time attending this particular show and I was excited for what was to come as I heard great things.  I was not disappointed.  Led by RPO's highly acclaimed principal pops conductor, Jeff Tyzik, the musicians took us on a winter wonderland adventure of Christmas classics such as Do You Hear What I Hear?, The Little Drummer Boy, Let It Snow, We Three Kings, and Ave Maria as well as original score by Mr. Tyzik.  The audience, many all decked out in their holiday best, were also treated to vocals in some songs provided by New York Voices and The Festival High School Chorale - including a beautifully sung version of the Chanukah song, S'vivon.  The afternoon was capped off by a very energized full orchestra and choir rendition of the Gospel Hallelujah.

This was a wonderfully entertaining and festive show and I will definitely be making it an annual part of my holiday season celebration!

Anderson Cooper Visits the University of Rochester

By: Stefanie

The University of Rochester's Meliora Weekend, our alumni weekend and homecoming, was held October 16-19.  It was a wonderful time to gather current undergraduate and graduate students, their parents, faculty, and staff, and welcome back alumni for a weekend filled with fun and informative activities.  When I heard the keynote speaker was going to be Anderson Cooper, Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and CNN anchor, I rushed to register for the event as I knew it was going to be a popular one.  And sure enough, both the live presentation and the simulcast sold out very quickly.

A buzz was in the air of the Palestra leading up to when Mr. Cooper was introduced.  And when he came out on stage it was to heavy applause.  It is always exciting to see someone who you normally see on TV live in person in the same room as you. 

I knew I was in for a treat, but I was really surprised to learn how funny this man truly is.  He started off his talk by telling us that when he graduated from college, he applied for a job but was turned down.  So he decided to make his own luck.  He went ahead and borrowed a friend's video camera, made a fake press pass and bought a one-way ticket to Somalia!  Who does that?  And to make the story even better - he didn't even line up a place to stay.  He wouldn't recommend that anyone follow his lead in doing this - but for him it worked.  The rest of his talk was a mixture of stories from his travels, talking about his constant quest to educate his viewers about the world's happenings - whether they are popular topics or not - and giving advice to us that everyone can make a difference.  He ended by taking numerous questions from the audience.  And we sent him off with a resounding standing ovation.

I thoroughly enjoyed his talk and wished it could have been longer quite frankly.  If you ever have the chance to see him - definitely take the opportunity!

Around Rochester: Erie Canal Night Cruise

By: Stefanie

The Erie Canal is a New York State man-made waterway which opened in 1825.  At the time, it was an engineering feat as no machinery was used - only the power of people and horses.  Even though I had frequently used the bike path that runs alongside the canal, I had yet to get a different view of the canal -from the water while on a tour boat cruise.  Well, I finally got the opportunity on a recent Thursday night, when I hopped aboard the Colonial Belle. 

My friends and I selected one of their many themed cruises - the Jimmy Buffet cruise.  This cruise departed at 7:30 PM, so we were able to see the canal both when it was still light out and also by moonlight.  The boat has an enclosed area on the main deck where the food and full-service bar are located and also an open level on top where most people sit to enjoy the view and the live music.  The cruise was about 2 hours and took us through the historical villages of Fairport (where the boat departs) and Pittsford, past parks and waterfront homes, and under many bridges.  In between songs, the captain would narrate the tour and give us canal history.  As evening turned to night, the canal became still and peaceful with only the moon and scarce house or street lamps lighting the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed my evening and highly recommend a cruise on the Erie Canal to anyone who enjoys good views and being out on the water.  The Colonial Belle also holds daytime tours and prices vary depending on length of cruise, theme, and whether food is served onboard.  For further details, check their website: www.colonialbelle.com/.

Where to Live While at Simon: Off-Campus Housing

By: Stefanie

As promised in my last post, I will continue with the housing topic from last month.  If you wish to live off-campus, there are many options close to the university including apartment complexes, apartments within a house, and renting - or perhaps even purchasing - an entire home.

Apartment complexes can be a nice option for those unfamiliar with the Rochester area and who would prefer to live among many people and have amenities like pools and tennis courts, maintenance, cable, Internet, and other such services that may not be available through a private landlord. Typically, this can result in the complexes being slightly more expensive (upwards of $550 for a studio, $650 for a one bedroom, and $750 or more for two bedrooms) than other off-campus housing options. However, they also usually include heat and hot water in the rent - whereas apartments within homes may not.

Apartment complexes within walking, biking, public bus, or driving distance of Simon include: 1600 Elmwood, Elmwood Court, Elmwood Manor, Elmwood Terrace, Clintwood Apartments, French Court, Imperial South, and Rustic Village.

If you would rather live in more of a neighborhood-type environment with tree-lined streets and sidewalks, a few popular neighborhoods where Simon students choose to live are Park Avenue, Corn Hill, and the South Wedge.  These communities have a lot to offer in terms of restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, and parks where students can enjoy their time away from school.

Where to Live While at Simon: On-Campus Housing

By: Stefanie

Many times, students think the hardest part of the b-school process is behind them once they are admitted.  But then the question of where to live, and whether to live alone or with a roommate, comes to the forefront of concerns during the transition to b-school.

I always tell applicants and incoming students that housing for Simon students can by divided into 3 categories: on-campus, off-campus apartment complexes or houses just down the road from campus, and off-campus apartments or houses beyond the immediate area of campus.  I will touch upon on-campus housing in this post and the off-campus options in my next post.

The Office for Residential Life and Housing Services is the university office that handles all the adminstrative and operational responsibilities regarding on-campus housing.  While the residence halls directly on-campus are for University undergraduates, the graduate students have 4 graduate housing areas within walking distance of campus: University Park, Whipple Park, Towne House, and Goler House.

University Park is made up of many two-story apartment buildings in a neighborhood-like setting with lawns and parking areas.  It has studios, 1-bedrooms, and 2-bedrooms.

Whipple Park is family-friendly and, of all the options, is most like a neighborhood with manicured lawns and surrounding wooded areas.  This housing area offers 2-bedroom apartments and 2- and 3- bedroom townhouses.

If you are looking for a more urban-type atmosphere, Towne House or Goler House would be your options.  Towne House offers studio apartments with common kitchens in a two-story building close to restaurants, stores, public transportation and banks.  The studios also come furnished which can be a big plus if coming to Rochester from a long distance.  Goler House is a 13-story high-rise building which offers furnished studios, 1- and 2- bedroom apartments.  It is also accessible to stores, restaurants, banks, and public transportation.

Financial Aid Information

By: Stefanie

It's getting to be that time of year when admitted students - as well as those beginning to research b-schools for next year's application cycle - inquire about financial aid options at the Simon School.  There is detailed information on our website itself, but I will try to sort it out for you here as well:

Merit-Based Scholarship: the Simon School offers merit-based scholarship to well qualified full-time admitted students - regardless of program (M.B.A. or M.S.) or citizenship (we make no distinction between internationals and domestic students).  "Merit-based" means your candidacy as determined by all parts of your application and also as compared with other admitted students.  Any scholarship offer is given at the time of admission.

Loans and Other Financial Aid: most likely, you will need additional funding for study and living expenses - regardless of whether or not you were offered a scholarship.  In general, to receive U.S. federal loans or supplemental educational loans, you need to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.  Some options may be available to internationals who have lived 3 years or more in the U.S. and also have an established credit history.  For more information on loans, please go to the University of Rochester Financial Aid Office website.  Please pay careful attention when on this website to choose the options for "Graduate Students" as there is information that does not apply to Simon students - for example, the information for undergraduate international students.

A common form that will be needed for most Simon students will be the "Graduate Financial Aid Application" and this is now available for the 2008-2009 academic year.  Additionally, U.S. citizens should also complete the FAFSA for consideration for federal student loans.