Meet The Ivey MBA Class of 2016

Clemence Chen 

Ivey Business School at University of Western Ontario 

Hometown: Shanghai, China

Undergraduate School and Major:

Master of Law in Intellectual Property and Technology, Washington University in St. Louis;

Bachelor of Law, Shanghai JiaoTong University

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

Consultant, Intellectual Property Management Office, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

Project Assistant, APCO Worldwide

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Start to prepare early and do enough practice exams under time pressure.

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? Do your research, attend info sessions or a class visit if you can, and reach out to alumni with insights into the school’s culture, strengths, and overall student experience. I would also recommend looking at the current student profiles on the school’s website to get a sense of how your background could potentially fit into the admissions pool.

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? The MBA is a big investment and probably one of the most important decisions for your future career, so instead of being safe and choosing safe schools, why not be proactive and try your best to get into your dream school? Make sure you do sufficient research, explore as many channels as possible to understand your target schools, and only apply when you are fully comfortable with all your application materials – recommendation letters, GMAT, and essays. Don’t submit with any regrets.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? [I chose Ivey for its] Case-based method, strong alumni network, and prestigious reputation within Canada.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? Solid business understanding and knowledge, unforgettable learning and social experience with great people, and life-long friendships.