Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class of 2017

Gita Ramamurti

Yale School of Management (and Yale School of Public Health – Joint Degree)

Hometown: Boston, MA

Undergraduate School and Major: Harvard University, Social Studies

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group; Collaborator with Partners in Health – Lesotho

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? If you are preparing for the GMAT, I would recommend taking advantage of the free prep software provided on the official GMAT website, doing practice problems and making sure to review questions you got incorrect, and taking full-length practice tests to get a sense of the pace of the exam.

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? Before researching schools, it’s helpful to first take a step back and think about what skills, experiences, and networks you are hoping to develop through your MBA experience. Doing so then makes it easier to identify specific characteristics you would want your MBA program to have. I also recommend taking time to speak with friends or acquaintances who have attended different MBA programs since they can provide an insider’s perspective on the school and can also help convey the school’s more intangible aspects such as its day-to-day culture (which is really important!).

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? Start early! It’s absolutely crazy how fast the months go by as the application deadline approaches. In retrospect, one thing I wish I had done was make a schedule over the summer of what I should accomplish each weekend leading up to the application deadline, whether drafting my first essay, filling in the online application forms, or checking in with my recommenders. Laying out a plan ahead of time would have enabled me to better avoid a pile up of tasks the last few weeks of the process.

I would also suggest keeping an open system throughout the application process (e.g. by sharing essays with people you know or practicing interviews with friends). You can learn a lot that way (plus it makes the process a little more fun / social!).

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I chose Yale SOM because of the diversity of its student body, its global perspective, its relatively small class size, and the support the school provides for students interested in both traditional and less-traditional post-MBA paths. As someone interested in global health and social-sector work, I particularly appreciated the interesting mix of experiences and interests SOM students have. There is a real sense of community at the school. There are also amazing academic and extracurricular opportunities that come with being part of the larger Yale community (including numerous joint-degree options).

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? Before I graduate, I’m hoping to develop skills and gain knowledge that will come in handy for a career in global health program management. I’m also hoping to get involved with extracurriculars like the Net Impact club, gain international experience, participate in the Healthcare Conference, and, most importantly, spend time hanging out with and learning from great people.