Meet Ohio State’s MBA Class of 2017

Vinayak Viswanath

Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business

Hometown: Bangalore, Karnataka

Education: Cranfield University, MSc. Engineering & Management of Manufacturing Systems

Employment:

Caterpillar India Pvt. Ltd.

• Manufacturing Analyst
• Engineering Analyst
• Supply Chain Analyst

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Give yourself ample time for preparation and getting familiar with the materials and rules of the test. Eventually, you must take mock tests in simulated exam environments to measure yourself. Keep a log of each test you take and make sure to evaluate your progress. Analyze your performance trends to identify and work on areas of weakness. This will also help you scale up the intensity of your preparation. This approach will keep you calm and confident and help you excel on exam day.

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 first step to applying to B school is to really know yourself. Spend a few weeks considering what you want out of an MBA and what you want to achieve in your career, then start your research by visiting school websites, reading online articles, being active on online forums, and attending MBA fairs.

Find that one strong personal motivating factor. Mine came from a closely knit peer group that was focused on getting admitted to a top b-school and that was an informal forum of free information! Once you form a good knowledge bank with your research, start narrowing down schools. Pick those that you think form a perfect fit with your profile and career ambitions. Finally, do not bite off more than you can chew. Choose few and choose wise.

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? Submit a well-rounded and balanced application. The essays are the perfect way to describe what you are outside of your résumé. Avoid verbose language and focus on delivering as much content as possible in those few words. Remember to choose recommenders who are best qualified to speak about your professional skills and those who have worked with you in close capacity. Association rather than position matters. For interviews, be candid and display confidence in body language and diction. Communication is very important for success in b-school. Treat each application component as a unique opportunity to illustrate a different aspect of your personality. Avoid information overlap wherever possible.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Fisher checked a lot of my boxes when it came to academic and career fit. It had a small class size that enhanced collaboration and a sense of community. Being part of the larger Ohio State ecosystem gives you access to a community of vibrant, diverse and interesting people. With its good placement statistics and reputation in the business community at large, I saw it as the perfect vehicle toward my career goal.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I want to be richer in experience from opportunities that allow me to meet new people, and explore a colorful community culture while providing unique learning experiences to achieve my career objective.