Alejandra Cantu

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

“Mexican, curious, golden retriever energy, morning person.”

Hometown: Monterrey, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love doing aerial silks and my dream job would be acting in Cirque du Soleil

Undergraduate School and Major: Industrial Engineering / TEC de Monterrey

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Business Analyst, McKinsey & Company

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Chicago Booth’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Being able to tailor Booth’s MBA program to my specific gaps and curiosities, and also knowing that I’d be learning from outstanding people no matter what courses I chose, was a key factor that put Booth at the top of my list.

What has been your first impression of the Booth MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far? Boothies are excited to welcome you into the community from day one, they will go out of their way to help you, give you recommendations, and make you feel part of the family.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? Chicago is an incredible place. The city has a very rich cultural background, as well as other benefits associated with being in a large city like having access to many activities and an incredible business network. I think that combined with the amazing community that Booth has makes it a great place to get your MBA.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? My main motivation was that I wanted to complement my engineering background with more technical business knowledge before taking the next step in my career. After graduation, I want to return to McKinsey and help grow the Marketing & Sales practice in Mexico.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Columbia, MIT, Kellogg

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Chicago Booth’s MBA program? Be authentic when building your application, and take time to reflect on your personal and professional path. This process can be exhausting, but it is also a period of reflection where you can learn much about yourself. Take time to understand where you want to be and trust the process.

DON’T MISS: MEET CHICAGO BOOTH’S MBA CLASS OF 2024