Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class of 2017

Clover Duan

Yale School of Management

Hometown: Beijing, China

Undergraduate School and Major: Peking University, Information Management and Systems

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: I joined Accenture as a consulting analyst after graduation, with a focus on the financial services industry. Two-and-a-half years later, I joined LGT Venture Philanthropy as an impact catalyst fellow, responsible for early-stage impact investments in the Chinese market. This summer, I worked for Narada Foundation as an external consultant to help structure an impact fund in order to accelerate the pace of social investment in China.

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? I would like to say NEVER GIVE UP. If you’re are a first-time GMAT-taker and got 750+ — you’re super lucky. I would like to suggest a kind of “lean” method (like the popular lean startup). Keep taking exercises and then quickly analyze the gap between your line of reasoning and the correct answer and then do this process again and again. The more you understand the logic of GMAT/GRE tests, the better you’ll be ranked (percentile-wise). All-in-all, this kind of exam is standard. Try your best and in the end you’ll achieve your goal. If you haven’t got it, this is just not the end.

Based on your own selection process, what advice do you have for applicants who are trying to draw up a list of target schools to which to apply? Always keep your goal in mind – your expected career, lifestyle, location preference, etc. “Fit” is very important in putting together the list of programs where you intend to apply. Think more on what really do you want to do in the coming years and over your lifetime. And explore your gap and the resources schools are able to provide (do some homework!). Remember that it’s not necessary to put too much weight on the school ranking itself.

What advice do you have for applicants in actually applying to a school, writing essays, doing admission interviews, and getting recommenders to write letters on your behalf? Before starting your first application, think carefully on your long-term and short-term goal and then how the school can help you better yourself. When initiating all details, make them “3Cs” – Clear, Concise, and Consistent. For example, you’ll have stories to tell through the application process. Do tell them to your family members, friends, and peers to see whether the stories make enough sense. And when you’ve got the compelling stories, write them down in a way that readers will find easy to follow.

As for the recommendation letters, communication is your first-and-foremost priority. Speak with your recommenders – in most cases your current and former supervisor – to let them understand your choice. During the interaction, tell them more about yourself and your thoughts regarding the whole thing. Leave enough time to let them make a winning recommendation.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? My career aspiration is to stand in the intersection of finance and the social sector. And my long-term career goal is focused on the impact investing space. I believe that the Yale School of Management, which aims to “educate leaders for business and society,” is my best fit among all programs. Besides, I’m comfortable with the relatively small community and close ties.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I would like to explore more opportunities on the integration of financial markets and social benefits (e.g. public finance), exploring innovative approaches, and building up skill sets and insights. I’m also running a non-profit start-up called “APriceOnValue” (a think tank in impact investing space) and I hope to make it stronger and benefit more people in these two years.