Meet MIT Sloan’s MBA Class of 2018

Jonathan Lovett

MIT, Sloan School of Management

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: I’ve always wanted to solve a Rubik’s Cube while skydiving; I’m not afraid of challenges.

Hometown: Augusta, Georgia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a HUGE track and field nerd.  I ran track for 2 years during undergrad.

Undergraduate School and Major: Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University – B.S. in Chemical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Procter & Gamble Company – R&D Engineer

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I led a cost savings initiative for our Bounty Napkins brand that delivered on necessary structural savings while also improving one of the product characteristics of the napkins. Beyond cost savings, , the most meaningful outcome of the project was the  new sense of trust fostered between our R&D and manufacturing organizations.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants?

Get the GMAT/GRE out of the way.  Schedule a test date early enough for you to have time to re-take the exam and create a structured study plan.  Set daily study goals for yourself and use practice tests to gauge your progress.

I highly recommend taking multiple full-length practice tests (Kaplan, Manhattan Prep, etc.) and using your score reports to figure out where you need more practice. Also, full-length practice exams are an inexpensive and effective way to simulate the jitters and mental fatigue that come during exam day.

Focus on your story.  Each component of your application will give admissions a brief snapshot of who you are as a person. Make sure the snapshots you submit are clear, concise and, above all, reflect your personal values and your individuality. Also, realize that your audience (i.e. admissions) is a group of people who are particularly passionate about the culture and the mission of the program. Therefore, before applying, you should research the program in detail to understand how your values fit in with the overall culture of the program.

Embrace the struggle. The MBA application process is long and arduous, but it is one of the few opportunities where you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your previous success and understand the themes behind it. Prior to starting the process, write down your strengths, your personal values, and your goals and revisit them when you need motivation during the process.  Also, remember to include your close friends and family in the process. They will prove to be invaluable proofreaders, cheerleaders and shoulders to lean on when things get tough during the process.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? MIT Sloan’s mission is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. When I visited Sloan during an informational weekend, I experienced how integrated their mission was in the everyday lives of the students.  By experiencing the culture, I also realized how strongly my own values resonated with that mission.

Also, Sloan was the perfect fit for me because it is seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the broader MIT community. Thus, by attending Sloan, I have countless opportunities to collaborate with some of the most prominent technical and business minds in the world.

Finally, the culture at MIT Sloan is friendly and highly collaborative. There is a mantra of “Sloanies helping Sloanies” that was extended to me even as I was applying. Every Sloanie wants to see other Sloanies succeed and it’s reflected in how dynamic the culture is.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Up to this point, my favorite assignments have been in roles where I am able to use my innate curiosity to solve complex problems on a fundamental level. I also love traveling and meeting new people. Post-MBA, I’d love to work in strategy consulting because it will give me exposure to complex problems, a full travel schedule and tons of folks to meet across different industries.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? While I’m at Sloan, I want to focus on building a compelling personal brand, which not only showcases my ambition and drive, but also my collaborative nature. After two years, I want my peers to speak about how my gutsy leadership and willingness to assist enabled our teams to achieve more than we initially imagined. I wouldn’t be upset if my classmates thought of me as the “Lebron James of our class” because of my “assists” (though Sloan is in a much better spot than pre-Lebron Cleveland was).