Meet Cambridge Judge’s MBA Class of 2017

APPLICATIONS UP 11%

The Cambridge MBA has won strong word of mouth from alumni in recent years. In the 2016 Financial Times ranking, for example, the program ranked 4th for “Value For Money” and 6th for “Career Progression,” with the Class of 2015 notching a 95% three-month placement rate. This positive vibe has translated into more applications, which rose from 875 in 2014-12015 to 980 in 2015-2016. GMAT scores also held steady at 690, a point higher than HEC Paris, with the percentage of females in the class slipping from 37% to 33%.

Overall, 35% of the class studied the arts and humanities as undergrads, making Judge akin to Wharton in terms of the liberal arts composing the largest bloc of the class. Engineering (24%), finance (16%), business (14%), law (7%), and medicine (4%) also make up large swaths of the class.  In terms of professional backgrounds, the catch-all category of “Industry” takes up 43% of the class, down from 54% in 2016. Finance made up some of the difference, going from 21% to 26%, while consulting climbed from 19% to 21%. “Other” comprises the remaining 10%,

ONE-YEAR STUDENTS GAIN MORE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE THAN THEY WOULD FROM AN INTERNSHIP

When you ask the 2017 Class to share what led them to the Cambridge MBA, several themes emerge. One is hands-on learning. Think a condensed one-year program is too short to accommodate internships? At Judge, students basically enjoy two required internships through the Cambridge Venture Project and the Global Consulting Project (GCP). The former starts in the fall, with 4-5 member student teams fanning out across Silicon Fen for four-to-six week market analysis partnerships in industries like tech, energy, and medicine. The GCP occurs in the spring, with student teams pairing up with clients like Google, Barclays, Linkedin, and E&Y to handle everything from product launches to financial assessments. In doing so, they are able to apply what they learn, gain real world experience, and build their networks. Even more, as Teach For America veteran Doug Paetzell notes, these projects enable students to explore fields that they may not have otherwise considered.

The program’s diversity was another big plus. To an extent, you could compare the Cambridge MBA to visiting 42 cultures over 12 months. In such a multicultural setting, students can gain the connections and global perspective to increase their global options, if not their mobility, Paetzell notes. “My visit to CJBS really reinforced that this programme draws students from so many different backgrounds and geographies who can bring a diversity of ideas and opinions to the discussion. I really think that working on real-world problems while learning from my peers from so many different backgrounds will prepare me for the increasingly global market.”

The size and scope of Judge — and Cambridge as a whole — was another advantage. With 160 students, classes are small enough where students can get to know their peers beyond names and faces. That applies to faculty and staff too, with students enjoying extensive one-on-one career coaching through the school’s Career Accelerator program.  At the same time, MBA students are part of one of the world’s oldest and most renowned universities. In fact, they are even placed in one of the school’s 31 colleges where they live with students studying everything from physics to law. Such a dynamic, where students from different disciplines can exchange ideas, on only enhances the learning adds Paetzell. “It’s conversations like these that will help make you a more well-rounded, knowledgeable business student.”

ONE OF THE BEST YEARS OF THEIR LIVES

So where does the Class of 2017 go from here? Prasad Pamidimukkala hopes to use the tools he gains to scale the type of work he did in Kenya. “I want to be able to develop a portfolio of business ventures that combine my passion for entrepreneurship with social impact, thus setting an example for future entrepreneurs and proving that business is the best tool to fight poverty, overcome inequality, and make a positive difference in people’s lives!”

Thomaier plans to make a similar impact in either the healthcare or consumer goods markets. “These two sectors offer huge opportunities to drive positive change in wellness outcomes and economic empowerment around the world.”

Before making a difference in the world, they intend to learn everything they can from their classmates. In the process, they hope to enrich their lives in return. “One of the things that struck me the most when I spoke to CJBS students was their unwavering resolve that the year they had spent at Cambridge was one of the best years of their lives,” says Rosa. “If I am a small part of the reason my peers look back on their time at CJBS and come to the same conclusion, I will be truly well served. I hope they remember me as warm and collaborative, energetic and bright, but most of all a good person of whom they have fond memories.”

DON’T MISS: THE STEREOTYPE-DEFYING MBAS IN THE CLASS OF 2018 OR MEET CAMBRIDGE JUDGE’S MBA CLASS OF 2016

To read profiles of incoming Cambridge students — along with their advice on tackling the GMAT, applications, and interviews — click on the links below.

Kristina Chiappetta / Livingston, NJ

Doug Paetzell / New York, NY

Leela Prasad Pamidimukkala / Ann Arbor, MI

Andres Prieto / Zurich, Switzerland

Matt Rosseau / Philadelphia, PA 

Karl Schwonik / Gwynne, Alberta, Canada

Bethany Thomaier / Boulder, CO

Nat Rosa / Bogota, Columbia