Bianca DiSanto

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

Hometown: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: Won a handwriting competition for having the best penmanship.

Undergraduate School and Major: Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, Class of 2017

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Digital Marketing & E-commerce Manager at L’Oreal USA

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? For me, the flexible curriculum was an incredibly important feature of the Booth MBA. Having already completed an undergraduate degree in Business, I wanted a program that trusted me enough to know what I needed to learn. Booth is unique in allowing me to entirely dedicate my coursework to filling the knowledge gaps I have personally identified for myself and taking classes that build on the academic and professional foundations I have already developed to set me up for success in the next phase of my career.

What has been your first impression of the Booth MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far? The commitment to community cannot be understated when it comes to Booth. Even as an applicant, I was overwhelmed by the “Pay it Forward” ethos of the Booth community. Boothies stood alone in their willingness to meet with me (virtually or in-person), answer my questions, put me in touch with other members of their network who they felt might be helpful, and help me determine if Booth was really the best place for me. Every interaction was marked with a notable selflessness and humility that made me want to be a member of this incredible community.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While working for the Lancome brand at L’Oreal, I led a cross-functional task force of Global Content, US Marketing, and US Digital team members to standardize the e-commerce product assets used in the Luxury Products Division. Through quantitative and qualitative research, I developed a set of guidelines for the creative digital product assets that were eventually presented to and accepted by our Global Leadership team and are currently implemented in all markets for the brand.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? In addition to Booth I applied to Wharton, Columbia Business School, MIT Sloan, and Tuck.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Chicago Booth’s MBA program? The best advice I can give is to spend some time reflecting on not only how an MBA will help you achieve your personal and professional goals, but also how your unique experiences will contribute to your class and community. Once you are able to clearly articulate these two elements, the application is simply a way to communicate your vision to the admissions committee. Trusting yourself and your abilities is also a crucial component to the admissions process – don’t sell yourself short because it is easier to believe in someone who believes in themselves.

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