Meet Virginia Darden’s MBA Class of 2017

David Peña

University of Virginia, Darden School of Business

Hometown: Barranquilla, Colombia

Undergraduate School and Major (Include Graduate School if Relevant): Universidad de los Andes (Bogota, Colombia), B.S.C. in Industrial Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Credit Suisse, Latin America group: Investment Banking Analyst 2010 – 2013, Investment Banking Associate 2013 – 2015

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Find what study method works best for you (tutoring, self-study, etc.) and start early. I had to juggle GMAT preparations with a fairly unpredictable and demanding work schedule, so my initial estimate of 2-4 months of GMAT preparation time ended up expanding to 6-7 months. Starting early will allow you to adapt to changes in your workplace and allow additional study time (if required) to increase your GMAT score and still meet your round application goals.

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? First, have a very clear idea of why you want an MBA in the first place and what you expect to get out of it. Second, go online and read about MBA programs you are interested in, but more importantly, begin to figure out which programs do not fit your needs. Last, contact as many alumni and current students from the schools you are interested in, get their perspectives on what the school ‘feels like,’ and figure out if the school is a ‘fit’ for you. The above steps should narrow the list of schools dramatically and should get you very excited about a few programs.

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? Continue the conversation with alumni and current students from the schools you are interested in and request their help in reviewing your application. For the recommenders, definitely find recommenders who are loyal to you and are willing to be your champions, regardless of title level.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? For me, it was a personal (lifestyle) choice, I had the opportunity to attend the Darden MBA alongside my girlfriend and I was particularly attracted to the case method.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I wish to learn about strategy, best management practices, effective business models, and how to effectively influence others into action. On the personal side, I will significantly expand my network and recruit a few mentors.