A qualified tax and estate planning attorney, Brian wants to take his career to the next level and become a leading player on the eminent stage of international business.
And where better? According to the Financial Times, 88% of Johnson at Cornell MBA grads find employment less than three months after graduation, with an average salary increase of 102%. And the MBA program ranks in the FT’s global top 40.
Despite this, Brian stresses the importance of looking beyond the rankings; choosing the school that feels like the right fit for you.
His knowledge of the admissions process is extensive. He sat and secured impressive scores on both the GMAT and the GRE; 720 and 331 respectively. But if he were to do it all again, he would only sit the GRE.
What do you hope to gain from an MBA?
The opportunity to use my legal and tax knowledge to influence and understand the business and finance worlds inspired me to pursue an MBA.
Collaborating as part of a team, learning from my classmates who have worked in other industries, and expanding my financial and managerial experiences are just a few of the ways I anticipate an MBA helping me grow.
What are the most important factors to you when choosing a business school?
I applied to programs that offered me flexibility, top-notch faculty and resources, and team-based learning combined with leadership opportunities. “Fit” is the most important aspect, but I also looked at reputation, location, faculty and cost.
Why did you decide on Johnson at Cornell?
It’s a phenomenal fit for me; a place that I can call home and be proud of.
After attending an event for prospective students, I knew that Johnson was an ideal place for me to learn and grow. Not only did the program boast impressive faculty and curriculum, but my classmates arrived without pretension and with plenty of accolades and accomplishments.
What did they ask you in your admissions interview?
The interview was conversational. They asked me about my trajectory from law to business, and why Johnson. The focus seemed to be on my transferable skills from my prior studies, work experience, and extracurricular to business school and my future career.
We spent the last half hour discussing some of the immersions, international travels, and other opportunities available at Johnson, and the uniquely collaborative program and student body.
What was the biggest challenge in the application process?
Crafting my story for specific programs and schools. I tried to be authentic in each of my essays, and it was difficult and time-consuming to research the schools and brainstorm specific narratives to explain why that program would be an excellent fit for me.
Time management was also a challenge. If I could do it again, I would make my applications more of a priority and do more research, especially in my communications with current students, alumni, and program faculty.
How do the GMAT and the GRE compare?
If I could repeat the process, I would have only taken the GRE.
The GMAT tests applicable skills, but the math was a little more esoteric and rule-based. The GRE worked more to my strengths, and my GRE scores were much more indicative of my abilities.
How did you prepare for the GMAT and the GRE?
For the GMAT, mostly through self-study by buying the Manhattan Prep and Kaplan books. I also paid for the EmpowerGMAT course because it provided flexibility and bite-sized lessons, especially in quantitative skills.
For the GRE, I used Kaplan GRE prep books because they seemed to be most like the actual exam.
For both, I practiced by taking as many practice exams as possible and reviewing my mistakes. This technique allowed me to think like the test writers; to understand how the questions are constructed, and to anticipate some of the tricks and traps for on test day.
What advice do you have for others considering an MBA?
Look beyond the rankings. Once you are accepted into a certain echelon of programs, you will see that “fit” is much more important. Each school and program has its own personality and you should be clear how that personality fits with your own.
Ultimately, pursuing an MBA should be a life-changing decision. Not only are you foregoing salary and your current career development and trajectory, but you are also strategically aligning yourself with a program and university. This program, with its lessons and experiences, will follow you for the rest of your life.
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