Meet Boston College’s MBA Class of 2017

Sasha Pulde 

Boston College, Carroll Graduate School of Management 

Hometown: Lexington, Massachusetts

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgetown University, Healthcare Management and Policy

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: CVS Health, Senior Consultant

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Practice, Practice, Practice. There is a lot of benefit from taking as many practice tests as possible. It will give you an understanding of the types of questions on the test and how to allocate the appropriate amount of time to each question. Furthermore, practice exams will allow you to become comfortable with taking a fairly long exam on the computer. Time management is crucial to success on the GMAT. There is also value in understanding your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to each question. Attitude is also important – do not get discouraged if you do not receive the score you want on your first practice test. Often times, you will end up doing better on the real exam than on the practice tests – keep trying.

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?  There were a few components that went into my list of target business schools. Firstly, location was particularly important to me. I grew up in Boston and knew that I wanted to end up here for the long-term, so I focused my search primarily on schools that were in the Northeast. Cultural fit of the school was also important to my decision. For example, I know that I succeed in a smaller environment, and therefore the size of Boston College was one of the most appealing factors of the program. It is also important to talk to other alumni and current students about their experiences. Talking to other people can help decide which school is right for you as well.

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 most important advice related to the application process is an understanding of why you want to go to business school and if it is the right decision at that specific moment in time. It will be evident to the interviewers who are evaluating your application if you are applying just to apply to school. It is important to take the time to understand why and how business school will benefit your personal and professional goals at that moment. The essay may be the most important element of your application. It is one of the few components of your application where the school will be able to understand you as a person rather than just your GPA or GMAT score. Spend a lot of time on perfecting your essay and have people around you proofread your essay. 

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I chose Boston College for a number of reasons. Academically, I believe that BC has a strong balance of academics and practical application of what you learn in school. First year full time MBA students have the opportunity to work on a consulting project. This will provide a tangible opportunity to apply our knowledge and gain skills that will be successful and applicable in the professional world. The size of Boston College is also very appealing as there are only about 90 students in the first year full time program. The small size of the program has allowed me an opportunity to learn a lot from other members of my class as well as my professors. Boston College has an innately strong sense of culture. No matter where I am, I see something that reminds me of Boston College and provides a sense of belonging that is one of a kind. Lastly, I am very happy to be able to continue my education in the city where I grew up.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I hope that by attending business school I will be able to gain experiences in other industries while still leveraging what I have learned in my past academic and professional life. I also hope to learn from my peers and gain new relationships with my fellow classmates.