Meet The Top First-Year MBAs From India

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Shaily Jaisinghani

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I am inquisitive, empathetic and detail-oriented. I enjoy graphology (handwriting analysis) and playing badminton.

Hometown: Mumbai, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I enjoy exploring different cultures and have lived in India, China, USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Undergraduate School and Major: Indian Institute of Technology ā€“ Kharagpur (India), B.Tech in Agricultural and Food Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Senior Analyst at Deutsche Bank, Investment Banking and Debt Capital Markets

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In the last team that I worked with, our team had to carry out a robust and thorough due diligence assessment of clients. Our findings would be presented to an internal review committee. The approval of the review committee is an integral KYC procedure before initiating business with a client. Thus, our team had to present a strong case to the committee and defend it, if need be.

On one such significant project, I held the pen on the diligence process and collaborated with various teams within and outside the firm to prepare a proposal. After weeks of relentless work, our team prepared a persuasive case. My team was so impressed with my detail-oriented work that they asked me to present our case to the review committee. In the past, this was done by people with at least a couple of years of work experience whereas I had spent only three months with the team. Thus, gaining the trust of my team in such a short span of time is my biggest accomplishment.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Start the process early. Time management is key for cracking the GMAT. It is a skill that can be developed by taking mock tests. So practice as much as possible.

Research the schools, attend information sessions, visit the school (if possible), talk to current students and alumni, and find out which schools are a good fit for you.

Be yourself in the essays. Everyone has a unique story to tell based on their interests, motivations, and passions. A business school application is a great way to convey who you are as a whole person. Trying to be someone else is a huge disservice to yourself.

For recommendations, reach out to supervisors who know you well and are genuinely invested in you. In letters of recommendation, titles do not matter; depth of content does.

Do mock interviews and be prepared for behavioral questions. During these mock sessions, seek feedback from family and friends – they know you best.

In short, stay on top of your game and it will all work out. Good luck!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? A driving force behind my pursuit of the Booth MBA is the ability to hone my leadership skills. Booth offers ample leadership-building opportunities such as the LEAD program, leadership development electives, extracurricular activities like the Graduate Business Council and 50+ student groups and clubs. Booth also offers amazing opportunities to develop an entrepreneurial mindset at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and I look forward to it.

Another thing that I like about the collaborative and down-to-earth Booth community is the pay-it-forward culture. I witnessed the culture first-hand at the Booth MBA Information Session in Mumbai ā€“ over 10 alumni attended the event and patiently answered all our questions. The passion to give back to the school by mentoring juniors is ingrained in every alumnus across the globe!

Additionally, highly regarded faculty, flexible curriculum and a warm Midwestern culture made Booth the perfect choice for my MBA.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I want to build on my investment banking background and understanding of capital markets and blend it with my learnings at business school in leadership, entrepreneurship and management to evolve as a business leader. My dream job would be one that helps me attain this goal.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? Shaily is a genuinely nice person. She always looks for the best in people and encourages them to achieve their dreams.

She has demonstrated effective leadership and interpersonal skills. Her contributions to the classroom discussions, clubs and associations reflect a strong desire to challenge assumptions and exceed expectations.

Overall, she has grown a lot personally and professionally by learning from her business school peers and professors. She is an emerging business leader and definitely someone to watch out for.

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