Meet The Indiana Kelley MBA Class of 2017

Alexandra Aghajanian 

Indiana University, Kelley School of Business

Hometown: Laguna Niguel, CA

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Southern California, Biomedical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Abbott Medical Optics – Manufacturing Engineer; Alcon Laboratories – Quality Engineer

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE?

You need to figure out how best you study and provide yourself enough time to study. I needed a more structured environment, so I signed up for a GMAT course to take. I went to a class every week and dedicated a couple of hours a week to study. Another piece of advice is hold yourself accountable and schedule your GMAT. The GMAT can be intimidating and many procrastinate taking the exam. If you schedule the exam, you have an end goal for studying.

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 best advice I got when looking at schools is try and find a school that fits with your post-MBA goals. Whether there is a certain company, industry or job that you are interested in pursuing, look for schools that can help you achieve your post-MBA goal. Second, Network!  I recommend talking with alumni and current students at schools that interest you. If alumni and students are willing to talk about their amazing experience, it speaks a lot to the culture of the school. They will be able to help you figure out if the school is the right fit for you.

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? Start early and review, review, review. The applications process is daunting and each school has different essays and requirements.  With writing essays, it is important to be honest and be yourself. Don’t try to write about what you think schools want to hear. The same can be said about the admissions interview: Be yourself. The interview is a chance for you to show your passions reveal what you want out of the MBA process, and see how the school can help you achieve your goals.  If your passions and values don’t align with the program, then the program is not a good fit for you.

When asking recommenders to write letters, ensure that they know you well, either a former or current manager is ideal. I also recommend asking early. I sat down with my recommenders and discussed my post-MBA goals and provided the strength and values that I wanted to highlight.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I chose to attend Kelley because of fit.  From the small class sizes that help foster the Kelley culture of collaboration to the programs that are focused on career development and growth, I was able to see Kelley as an amazing program that would help me reach my post-MBA career goal. Also when I visited Bloomington, I fell in love with the town.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I hope to create a great network with my classmates and learn and grow from their experiences. With the small class sizes, I feel like I will be able to know each of my classmates and build a lifelong network.