Meet Boston College’s MBA Class of 2017

Megan O’Neil

Boston College, Carroll Graduate School of Management

Hometown: Boise, Idaho

Undergraduate School and Major:  Stanford University, Linguistics (Also, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry – MA, dual program with MBA)

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Apple, Inc., Recruitment Coordinator

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? The most important thing to remember is that everyone is different and there are study methods that might or might not work for you. For me, I knew that I needed to brush up on some of my math skills, so that is what I focused on. Some of my classmates focused more on the writing and verbal portions of the test. Find what works for you, set a goal for yourself, and focus on that. Don’t get caught up in what other people are or aren’t doing.

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? Because I am in a dual program at Boston College, my school search was a bit different. However, I would recommend thinking outside the box about what is important to you. Many students tend to focus on the rankings or other aspects of a school that may look good to an outsider, but you’ll be spending two entire years in the environment, so make your list based on where you’ll be able to thrive. At Boston College, I didn’t realize how much I would love the small class size, but for me it makes all the difference.

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? I’ve worked in recruiting at a tech company and admissions at a graduate school and the most important thing for any applicant is to be truly representative of one’s self. It can be tempting to highlight things that you think a school might especially want to see, but if that’s not who you really are, it will be apparent. Focus on the strengths that set you apart and find recommenders who can speak to your strengths.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? As I mentioned above, something that I really love is the small class size—we have fewer than 100 students in our first-year cohort! However, when I was applying, I was more attracted by other aspects, like the integration of the business school with the rest of campus. Another thing I love is the ability to specialize in so many different areas at Boston College. The faculty is amazing and offer truly wonderful classes!

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? When I graduate, I really want to feel that I took advantage of everything at Boston College. There are so many great classes, so I want to be able to take as many as I can. The community is also exceptionally strong, so I want to use this time to engage with my classmates and establish bonds that will continue after graduation.