New York, Mountbatten InProgramme - Living Costs in New York

[Current Intern]

Sorry about the double post guys, don't know why that has posted again. Can anyone point me in the direction of a forum where I can complain about forums please?

[Clive David]

Current Intern = MB employee? Wouldn't be surprized

[Coffee]

I think Clive David is an MB employee, attempting a clever double bluff.

[Coffee]

Actually, I should come clean, I'm an MB employee too. Sorry guys.

[Current Sept intern2]

Current Intern wrote:

continued from above...
The flats again simply described as a 'joke'. I fail to see how? They are standard, average flats. They are not halls and we in fact share them with 100's probably 1000's of other people, who I'm sure would all be deeply offended by their home being described that way and I'm sure all pay a large rent to stay there. They are far from a joke. I have had several friends come to stay who have all been impressed by the flats, they are basic but I'd say better than your average uni accomodation. They're not luxury but they're not bad. You'd have to be from a very wealthy, fortunate even sheltered background to seriously believe they were bad. Location wise they are fantastic! Based in New Jersey they are 1 stop on the undergorund (5minutes) outside Manhattan and 15-20minutes to 33rd Street which is like central Manhattan, about 10blocks from Timesquare and 20 from central Park (20minute walk). This underground runs ALL night as well so transport home from nights out is not a problem - London take note!
In addition to their proximity and ease of transport to central NYC they are based on the waterfront of the Hudson River so outside our flats there are breath taking views of the NYC skyline. It's a modern, clean commuter town. It feels very safe, has all the ammenities you need (local supermarket, offy etc) and is perfect for our life of commuting. I basically spend all my time in NYC (why wouldn't you) but whn I'm home it's a real nice break from the mad city life in a very quiet, safe area. In my opinion it's perfect!
As for cocroaches...nonsense! I've never heard of this and haven't seen one in 8 months. I'd imagine you'd have to let your flat get in a pretty disgusting state!
As for the MB staff who seem to take some ridiculous criticism in some of the reviews I've just read. I'd call that criticism outrageous! All my dealings with them have been fantastic. They have specialised support staff for everything! Accomodation, studies, placements, everything and they have all been brilliant with me. They are avialable whenever you need them (within reason, I wouldn't call any of them in the middle of the night but I wouldn't want to wake my Mum up in teh middle of the night, we're adults after all!), are pleasant and very helpful. I could praise them all day but they're spot on basically.
I think I've covered everything that I so strongly disagreed with there.
As I say it's been the best 8 months of my life and I know it's a similar story for the vast majority of interns on my intake. Don't let the forum whingers dishearten you. I suspect they've actually left and if not, if they stopped spending all there time on internet forums moaning and went out and enjoyed the greatest city in the world (probably) they'd have less to moan about!
I started by saying I don't rate forums as I've always believed they attracted the small minority of moaners and this forum has fully supported my theory! I've always been of the opinion that everyone has different views and the only way to know is go and check it out yourself, don't sit on the internet reading about it, just go and do it.
If you want to go and spend a year of your youth in New York and can afford it (admittedly the price has gone up from when I did it) then go and do it and don't let an internet whingers put you off!

Hey MB staff!!!!

so, not all flats have an 'amazing view' maybe 50% do? the rest overlook staples or target carpark!

cockroaches- not seen any myself but herd of many flats having loads, and these flats arent dirty!

[Hopeful New Yorker]

Has anyone actually not made it to the candidate pool?? Startin to think everyone just gets accepted

[NYNY]

MB Old Sept wrote:

I know exactly how the entire organisation works and I wouldn't want my worst enemy have to deal with MB staff when they have it in for you.

Wow that sounds a bit weird and scary considering you're letting them have control of your life for 12 months! No thanks!

[AJ_NY]

Asking what Hopeful New Yorker asked. Did everyone make it to the candidate pool?

[Sasha]

Yes I got through to the next stage. Lots to consider and do still though. Specially the placement stages. Gotta get a placement yet.

Money is the big one thing to consider for myself having lots of debts already.

It would be nice for people to exchange contact details at sum point when people are confirmed as entering the scheme (as after all we are all competing for jobs I imagine). But hey :) Good luck to everyone for the next stage.

[Annoyed]

As a former forum addict, I just checked this for the first time since I got to NY a couple of months ago.

I have never been more annoyed.

What you get out of this depends what you put in. I know people who sit in a cubicle 9-5 finishing their tasks and sending emails and IMs to each other. I personally do not work in a firm which would allow this - I have a massive workload (which I asked for) and absolutely LOVE my job and apartment in NJ.

Another example: a guy I know who works for a large company (with the cubicle slackers) DOESNT leave at 5PM. He leaves at 7-8PM every night, putting in loads of hours and getting loads of responsibililty. He has now been in meetings to discuss employment opportunities both in NY and in the UK. Now he can chillax.

Seriously!

Get a grip - stop moaning. Do it or don't. But if you do, you'll sure as HELL have the best 12 months of your life.

[NYNY]

Annoyed wrote:

As a former forum addict, I just checked this for the first time since I got to NY a couple of months ago.
I have never been more annoyed.
What you get out of this depends what you put in. I know people who sit in a cubicle 9-5 finishing their tasks and sending emails and IMs to each other. I personally do not work in a firm which would allow this - I have a massive workload (which I asked for) and absolutely LOVE my job and apartment in NJ.
Another example: a guy I know who works for a large company (with the cubicle slackers) DOESNT leave at 5PM. He leaves at 7-8PM every night, putting in loads of hours and getting loads of responsibililty. He has now been in meetings to discuss employment opportunities both in NY and in the UK. Now he can chillax.
Seriously!
Get a grip - stop moaning. Do it or don't. But if you do, you'll sure as HELL have the best 12 months of your life.

Yet another Mountbatten post....

[Living the Dream]

why do people who hate MB soo much keep coming on this website...

[AJ_NY]

I was wondering exactly the same. And why do people doubt posts written in praise (if you can it so!) of MB. People really wind me up when they start doubting good things in life.

How was your interview Living the Dream?

[old interns]

for jobs it really is luck of the draw. I know some people who worked 12 hour days with no breaks and had awful managers. I know other people that didn't work so hard but had great bosses and got bonus and great references from them at the end of the 12 months. I was at the bad end of the scale - came convinced i would get a full time job at the end of it so worked my ass off, but my managers didn't give a sh*t about me, even after all my hard work the reference they gave MB was nothing more than a few ticks in boxes.

What I can say though, is my life has changed so much since NY. It might not be in the career perspective like I had originally hoped, but I have so many great friends and memories from my time there that I wouldn't take it back. But, I wasnt asked to pay 6 grand for the experience.

For 2 grand I'd tell everyone to do it, but 6 is going to price so many people out of it and completely change the dynamics of MB to an elitist internship which is such a shame.

[NYC]

Yeah I completely agree - I think the amount of people who apply for September will drop dramatically, which means that MB won't be able to be choosy about who goes, which means the overall calibre of interns will drop. The put it bluntly, it will be full of rich kids who just want an easy way to live in NY. Where does that put us people who really are excited about the experience and career prospects that might come out of doing this programme.

For me, it is a huge stretch to pay the £3k. At this price, it is just about justifiable, but I cannot understand the doubling of the fee with no benefits added whatsoever.

As for all the speculation about MB and the jobs, it is going to differ so greatly between each individual that it is pointless being put off by one or two people's complaining.

I'm likening it to when we all went off to uni all those years ago - we all must know those few people who couldn't hack being away from home, or hated the lectures and then quit altogether. It all depends on your ability to adapt to new situations and having realistic expectations of what you are going to achieve.

I know full well that there are going to aspects of the programme I won't like, and aspects that I am going to love. So keep an open-mind and don't get distracted from the odd one or two who are moaning about it. If you don't like it, go home.

[Sasha]

I am being open. Haven't been offered a placement yet and if I do, well realistic expectations go all the way. Not going to have a large amount of money to take with me If I get in so it will be hard either way, I know full well how much its going to cost when out there.

Everything adds up, a coffee here or there a beer here or there. Things start to mount. uNLESS your lucky and get your transport paid by your placement company.

I am hoping to get in, I think it will be an amazing year, specially in terms for growing as a person.

[Tara]

Be great to see what the apartments look like...anyone have any photos on a site that we can look at?

[Saz]

Theres some on the website, not very detailed though. You can find the buildings on google maps. Go down to street view. Trying to find the close up location, the link is on here website somewhere.

[Alex]

I've decided to withdraw my application, I don't think this programme is worth it, even at "£3k", we basically fund the entire programme ourselves, paying to work or staple/file/make tea, paying for our visas, the flights and in some ways, the accommodation. Menial work when you have a degree at such low rates...I don't know..

Final straw came when Mountbatten people seemed so keen and enthusiastic in pushing us to work in Connecticut(it's a 2hour commute! Imagine, Enjoy NYC? I think not.) Apparently they have around 70 interns working in Connecticut... It didn't seem that they care much about the welfare of those on the scheme. They just want as many people they can get to sign up and pay asap.

I think it would be an awesome year for all the rich mummy and daddy kids but for the rest of us, it would be a tough year budgeting and dealing with Mountbatten staff.

Mountbatten have come across as a money-hungry scheme and I don't want to be a part of it.

[Mr T]

Haha its quite funny comin on here an readin some non-sense posts. I used this Forum a couple of months ago now as I am one of the New Sept 09 interns, I generally couldn care for writin on this unless i needed somethin but some of these current interns are pure jokers!
This is the best possible thing I could do and would happily pay$6k bein in my same situation again!! an that was fresh out of uni strugglin to find a grad job an thinkin abo spendin at least 6K on doin a masters in economics.
I have come out here an work for one of the largest IB banks in the world an havin a great time doin it. I most certainly do not make tea or do filing an am learnin alot abo the feild I want to work in. An for those that are complainin abo their jobs u pretty much get told what u are doin before ur interview, so its their own fault.
And again as for MB staff i dont really know what more they want they are not here to be our parents they get u a job an give u accomadation which is abit of a squeeze for 5-6 ppl but its liveable. I not really sure what more u want from them they are not goin to sort you r problems out we are adults cry home to mother if you really that bothered.
in general I would advise that MB is def worth it aslong as u dont take a job that is not in the feild you want to work. Bear in mind a large majority of the jobs are in Finance. hope this helps x