Carlos Alvidrez, SDM'12
carlos.alvidrez@sloan.mit.edu
Field: Risk Management
Hometown: Stamford, CT, USA
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: Get your textbook before the semester starts; read the materials before each class with religious discipline; start your assignments the day they are given; and get familiar with remote connectivity tools for teleconferencing, file sharing and concurrent online document editing. But most importantly, enjoy the enlightening SDM experience with your amazing classmates.

Marwan Hussein, SDM'12
marwanh@mit.edu
Field: Space and Robotics
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Program Option: 24 Month Local Commuter
Tip: I highly recommend doing research while studying at MIT because it enriches your overall experience at the institute. If you are interested in research assistantships make sure that you target professors who have research interests that overlap with your experience.

Leena Ratnam, SDM'11
rleena@mit.edu
Field: Information Systems
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Program Option: 16 Month On Campus
Tip: SDM is a rewarding experience! Be ready to become self-aware and self-reflective - it will force you to do so. MIT is an ocean and it is up to you to figure out how you want to utilize the endless opportunities available. Identify your area of interest and research ahead of time on what's happening out here in your area of interest/background. This will save you time once you start your program, as well as help you figure out your career after SDM.

Melissa Rosen, SDM'11
melrosen@mit.edu
Field: Medical devices, engineering consulting, mechanical engineering
Hometown: Salem, MA
Program Option: 24 Month Local Commuter
Tip: Accept your limitations and welcome different ways of thinking as an opportunity, not as a challenge.

Elizabeth Cilley Southerlan, SDM'12
ecilley@mit.edu
Field: Healthcare Systems
Hometown: Denver, CO
Program Option: 13 Months on Campus for Spring and Fall
Tip: SDM information sessions are a great way to gain insight into the program. These sessions have a mixture of students, professors and administrators that would love to field any type of question you may have!

Atul Dubal, SDM'12
atulamd@mit.edu
Field: IT services
Hometown: Pune, India
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: If you are a distance student who is working, make sure that you choose your subjects for the term wisely. Managing time smartly is the key as it can become very difficult to balance time between family, work and study.

Jaya Plmanabhan, SDM'11
jayap@mit.edu
Field: Information technology
Hometown: Singapore
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: The major adjustment I had to make was getting accustomed to public speaking. I took some public speaking classes.

Ming Fai Wong, SDM'12
mingfai@sloan.mit.edu
Field: Information Technology, Healthcare, Government
Hometown: Singapore
Program Option: 13 Month On Campus
Tip: The statement of objectives is a really useful document. We all wrote it as part of the admission application process, and I found it useful to review it halfway through the program and again at the end. It helped me stay focused on what I wanted to achieve through the program, and reflect on the journey when I reached the end.

Anuar Badin, SDM'11
abadin@mit.edu
Field: Automotive
Hometown: Mexico City
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: For those distance students I suggest to follow the recommended course path to avoid excessive work loads.

Karla Beristain, SDM'11
kberista@mit.edu
Field: Automotive
Hometown: Mexico
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: Adjusting to being a distance student from Dearborn, MI — not Mexico — has been tough, but SDM has been a great experience because I get to do all the networking at Ford and I can apply everything I learn right away.

Alvaro Madero, SDM'12
amaderog@mit.edu
Field: IT Telecomm
Hometown: Monterrey, NL, Mexico
Program Option: 16 Month On Campus
Tip: SDM is much more than taking courses to fulfill requirements. Networking with others in the program starts very early and they will be a very important part of the experience. This group will help you take advantage of a lot more inside and outside MIT than you could on your own. We like to work and play together, so participate and help organize the activities!

Esteban Montero, SDM'12
jmontero@mit.edu
Field: Mining Engineer
Hometown: Chile
Program Option: 24 Month Local Commuter
Tip: Take advantage of this list of students!

Carlos Zamora, SDM'11
carlos.zamora@sloan.mit.edu
Field: Automotive
Hometown: Mexico City
Program Option: 24 Month Distance Commuter
Tip: For distance students: Distance experience is great but look for the course you must take in order to decide which term to be on campus.

Bassel Alsultan, SDM'11
bassel@mit.edu
Field: Energy
Hometown: Saudi Arabia
Program Option: 16 Month On Campus

Mohammad H. Al-Tayyar, SDM'12
mohammad.altayyar@sloan.mit.edu
Field: Energy
Hometown: Saudi Arabia
Program Option: 16 Month On Campus
Tip: MIT offers tremendous opportunities for growth and development within the classroom and beyond. Always keep an eye open for learning opportunities and challenge yourself to pursue activities outside your comfort zone. The SDM program allows for flexibility in pursuing very diverse interests, take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.

Sergey Naumov, SDM'11
snaumov@mit.edu
Field: Information technology
Hometown: Russia
Program Option: 24 Month Local Commuter
Tip: Hotels are expensive and suitable only for a few days. The trick is to find some decent accommodation for month or so (subletting is great if you are here in January or summer), and then look around for better options. In the busy season, you will have to make a decision almost instantly or the room will be gone.

Shiladitya Ray, SDM'13
shila@mit.edu
Field: Information Technology in Telecom and Finance Domains
Hometown: Calcutta, India and London, UK
Program Option: 13 Month On Campus
Tip: The best guide I can think of is to be very clear of career goals, what the course offers, how SDM fits in and what you want out of the course!! There will be no dearth of opportunities while at MIT, hence it is even more important to have a clear picture of your goals and align courses and other extra-curricular's accordingly.

Israel Valentin, SDM'13
ivalent@mit.edu
Field: Telecommunications
Hometown: Valladolid, Spain
Program Option: 13 Month On Campus
Tip: Be ready for challenging your mind every moment. SDM is an amazing experience that really opens your mind. Besides the courses, the extracurricular activities are numerous and very important, so take time to enjoy the plenty of activities MIT offers!