Meet The Incoming Haas Class of 2017

Alvaro Silberstein

Alvaro Silberstein

 

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Undergraduate School and Major: Pontificia Universidad Catolica of Chile, Industrial Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: MatrixConsulting – Latinamerican Management Consultancy Firm

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? 

  1. Before you start studying you should do a practice test. Schedule your GMAT test for three to five months later, depending on your score on the practice test.
  2. Take as many practice test as you can. It is the most effective way of improving your score.
  3. Take advantage of weekends to take practice tests and correct them.
  4. Don’t be disappointed if you get a low score your first time. It happens to almost everyone.

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? 

  1. Do a lot of research to identify schools that are a good fit for you to understand what you want from an MBA program.
  2. Talk with alumni from the schools that you are interested in. This will help you know more about the school, its culture and people.
  3. Don’t pay too much attention to rankings. Choose the business schools that work for you. 

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? 

  1. Read the essay questions and take time – two to three weeks – to self-reflect. Then you should start writing
  2. Be honest when writing your essays. Try to state your emotions, achievements, fails, goals, and fears. Show who you really are.
  3. Choose two people who know you very well and who have experience writing essays. Ask them for their advice in the process of developing your essays. Don’t ask for feedback from too many people, however. It might confuse you.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? 

  1. I felt a big cultural, professional, and ethical fit with Haas and the University of California, Berkeley (its values, history and location)
  2. Since I am planning a career in technology and entrepreneurship, I chose to be in the Bay Area, where there are vast opportunities.
  3. Talking with alumni and students from the school made me realize that they were the kind of people I wanted to be with.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I want to start a company and develop new technologies that solve the daily life challenges of people with disabilities.

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