Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class of 2017

Leah Karlins

Yale School of Management 

Hometown: Campbell, California

Undergraduate School and Major: Stanford University, International Relations

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:  The Bridgespan Group, Consultant (San Francisco, CA); African Entrepreneur Collective, Program Manager (Kigali, Rwanda)

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? I recommend taking one of the free official practice tests early on to identify the sections where you need to improve, and then focus your studying on those sections. I studied a couple nights per week and did full-length practice tests on weekends. The timing is the toughest part, so it was helpful to practice that under realistic circumstances.

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? Visit a few schools to get a sense of what really matters to you. Ask current students and alumni what they most valued about their experiences. One piece of advice I got was to apply to more than two but no more than five schools per round – otherwise, it just gets too crazy. I followed that advice and it worked well.

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 you start on your essays, take a couple weeks to reflect on what you want to do after your MBA and how the degree will help you get there. Force yourself to get specific about the industry and roles you aspire to in the near-term and long-term, and the broader impact you want to have on the world. Nailing down that story will make all of your applications easier.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? When I visited Yale, it was immediately obvious that the students were not only incredibly smart and driven, but also uniquely thoughtful about the broader impact of their work on people and the planet. I was inspired to meet graduating students who were heading off to all kinds of careers, from Google to IDEO to McKinsey to nonprofits, all expressing a shared commitment to be leaders for both business and society.

I was also impressed by the breadth of Yale’s international opportunities and diverse student body. I loved the idea of combining all these global experiences with the incredible resources of the broader Yale community. There was no other school where I could take a global study trip to South Africa, enroll in classes at Yale’s Law and Forestry schools, watch world-class theatre at the Yale Rep, and spend the weekend in New York City, all in the same semester.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? My primary goal is to grow as a leader – to practice making high-stakes decisions in challenging contexts, to reflect on my values and interests, and to learn from the experiences and wisdom of my professors and classmates. I hope to build relationships with people who will challenge and inspire me, both personally and professionally. And I want to learn how to play ice hockey!