Meet The Wharton MBA Class of 2017

Sandra Tyan 

The Wharton School Of The University of Pennsylvania 

Hometown: San Diego, CA

Undergraduate School and Major: Stanford University, Economics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

• Tea Collection: Assistant Operations Manager, Operations Manager, Business Intelligence Manager
• Fabletics: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Manager

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? I found a prep class to be incredibly helpful in preparing for the GMAT because it provided a structure for studying the various exam topics and taught me invaluable test-taking tips. Plus it was nice to have fellow classmates to commiserate with over all those long hours of studying!

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? If time and budget allow, I strongly recommend visiting schools (while classes are in session) first to create your list of target schools. Sign up for a class visit, attend the info session, and take a tour of the campus to see if you can picture yourself there for the next two years. Also, talk to as many current students and recent graduates as you can about their experience because no one knows the school’s culture better than the students. Applications are a grueling and time-intensive process and you’ll want to focus your energy on schools where you know you would be happy attending.

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? Choose a group of close friends, family, and mentors who know you well and ask for their help throughout the entire process of applying to schools. They will be your support system and strongest advocates – the ones who somehow never tire of reading that essay draft for the umpteenth time at midnight or running through one more round of mock interviews.

P.S. remember to thank them when you get your acceptance letter!

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I want to start a company that merges fashion and technology and Wharton is the perfect fit for me because of its ties to Silicon Valley with a campus in San Francisco and its strength in retail with the Baker Retailing Center.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? There are so many things I want to learn and experience at Wharton it’s hard to narrow it down to just one!  If I had to pick one thing, it would be developing my soft skills because business is as much about the numbers as it is the people.