Meet The MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2017

Anna Thomas

MIT Sloan School of Management (Joint program with the Harvard Kennedy School – MPP)

Hometown: Portland, Oregon

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service – International Security Studies

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: McKinsey & Company, Business Analyst; Khan Academy, Strategic Initiatives Fellow

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE?  First things first: People can get into business school with the GRE – I’m a case in point. If you’ve already taken the GRE or are considering non-business programs that require it, don’t think twice. For either the GRE or GMAT, pick a target score range based on your overall applicant profile and stick to it (re-taking the exam to get a couple extra percentile points is probably not worth it). If you have no quantitative qualifications on your transcript or resume, you should give yourself enough study time to nail the math section. If your stellar academic record speaks for itself, you may be better off focusing extra energy on writing an essay that sets you apart. Regardless, I can guarantee that you will not regret taking the test as early as possible; even if you hit your dream score on the first try, it’s so nice to have one major stress point off your plate once applications open up.

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? The business school application process takes a lot of time, mindshare, and research, so you don’t want to waste any energy on schools you’re not 100% excited about.

Before you even open an app, it’s worth thinking about your specific goals for an MBA and any personal needs or preferences you have for two years of grad school. Use these requirements to filter out the programs that may not get you there, even if they’re enticing in other ways. Do you want access to mentors in a certain industry? Are you interested in a joint degree or taking classes in a specific field? Do you need funding? It can be tempting to play the rankings game, but even the M7 differ a ton in what they offer – and you’d be hard-pressed to explain why all seven are perfect fits for you. One mistake I made – and I beg you not to repeat – was to spend time applying to and getting courted by a program that I ultimately had to turn down when I realized the location would make maintaining my long-distance relationship very difficult. That was an oversight that could have easily been avoided with more careful research and reflection prior to putting in the hours.

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? If you took my advice above, you can count your applications on one hand.  Any more, and it’ll be a challenge to put together thoughtful, well-researched, and engaging applications without losing your jobs or friends in the process. Some thoughts on the application itself:

• Essays: Don’t be afraid of a “boring” life story! The essay is all about personality and potential, not your resume. The admissions people really want to see that you know what you’re getting into with an MBA (and an MBA from that specific school); you’ll make the most of your time; and you’ll be a positive contributor to the class. You can demonstrate self-awareness, humility, and positivity through even the most simple of stories. I got into one school with an essay about something I’d said as a four year-old. Just remember that your essay is meant to be a story. Keep it clear and entertaining and make sure someone who just gives a 30-second glance can get the gist and walk away knowing you a little better. 

• Recommendations: One great piece of advice I got was to picture the reactions of your target recommenders right when you ask them to write you a recommendation. You only want to entrust this important task to your biggest professional advocates; they should be honored by the request and thrilled to get to write about you. If, however, you think your recommender will hesitate, be less than enthusiastic, or will try to find an out, it’s probably not a good fit (and definitely don’t press it). In particular, be careful when looking for “brand” in your recommenders. Unless your boss’s boss’s boss jumps for joy when you ask him or her for a recommendation, you should probably be sticking to the people you work with regularly who will take the time to craft the most honest and glowing review. 

• Interviews: interview format and importance varies by school, but they are always a great opportunity to get inside info on a program, so make sure you have some specific questions prepared in advance (i.e., try to avoid asking anything that can be answered with a few clicks on their website). In general, the interview is your chance to “leap off the page” and show how interesting and down-to-earth you are, so be charismatic and try your best to leave any condescension and over-confidence at the door. You want your interviewer to feel like they are doing you a valuable favor, not vice versa.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? There were several reasons why I chose Sloan over other programs, but the largest factor was the culture. As an introvert and someone with little no interest in being in the spotlight, it was important to me to find a small, close-knit program with a strong campus life where I’d feel comfortable coming out of my shell. Sloan certainly has its share of CEO aspirants, but the school’s social capital comes in the form of a curious and humble student body that spends more time in the robotics lab or at the pub than on extravagant trips or competing for individual recognition. Sloan’s status as a leader in the operations and manufacturing segments also appealed to me, since my interest in these areas still far outweighs my technical acumen. Finally, I knew I wanted to do a joint program with the Harvard Kennedy School and Sloan provided the perfect other half: I can stay put in Cambridge for my three years, but still reap the benefits of two very different schools and networks.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I would love to walk off the MBA graduation stage with a much clearer sense of the professional environment that will make me happiest. Coming into business school, I have a mental list of the global challenges I want to address and some hypotheses on how to do so.  However, I don’t know what my “dream job” looks like. With the exception of my consulting projects, I have very limited experience in the private sector and in functions other than strategic planning and business operations. Through coursework, conversations with classmates and the Sloan network, internships, and other extracurricular ventures, I’m hoping to pin down one challenge to get started from one specific angle. Getting there will no doubt require a lot of trips outside my comfort zone (I can’t hide from public speaking forever!), but I’m honestly pretty excited about the journey. 

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