Question: Student involvement is an extremely important part of the MBA experience and this is reflected in the character of students on campus. What type of student club or campus community event do you envisage yourself initiating? How would you set about organizing this, and how would you communicate it to the wider School community?
When I first came to America, I decided not to allow myself to be the quiet guy from South Korea. So upon entering college, I immediately joined the Korean Students Organization and the Asian-American friendship group. I actively participated in every event, meeting, fund raiser, and activity by these two groups and slowly I started to learn English and gradually became familiar with the American way of life. It was a big leap to endless fast food chains and television sitcoms. Needless to say, I truly enjoyed being an active member of these groups and soon they weren’t enough. I then joined the International Students organization that was an eye opener for me. I then was exposed to more cultures and especially the sub-cultures in the United States. If there is a group like this in ________ University, then I would surely be the first to sign up. If not, then I would try to create one myself.
I really would like to act as an ambassador of South Korea and raise people’s awareness of our culture, history, customs, and current situation. I believe that understanding is the key to building strong relationships and this is what I have come to love about the International Students group. Aside from doing this, I would also love to know about the other cultures as well. Other students’ experiences in their country, as well as the change in lifestyle upon arriving in the United States are also information I believe that are worth knowing. Sharing embarrassing experiences like not knowing what to say when confronted by an English speaker, getting lost because of not understanding signs, and having a problem even from ordering a simple hamburger is a way of moving on and just laughing about them in the end.
I find that an important aspect of such clubs is that the world is more globalized than ever before. It is easier for companies to deal with clients from across the world and a good knowledge of their culture can be a key factor in gaining their trust. People around the globe are usually honored to find that you have taken the time to learn about their culture and language.
Joining a club also helps you learn to interact and perform with a group. This is usually the case in a real world setting. Businesses function through team and networking. If you have a solid foundation in networking, then it would be easy to get to know the giants of the industry you are in, which will give way to a smooth climb to the top. A lot of big business deals have been made over lunch and the proper knowledge and experience of knowing how to interact and converse would build solid stepping stones to success.
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Question: Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your study group, and how do you intend to contribute to it?
When I was 16, I made a decision that would forever change my life. I was born and raised in Barcelona, Spain by my Spanish father and Filipina mother. At home, we would only speak Castillian and for some reason I wasn’t taught my mother’s native tongue. Throughout my life, I have been quite the introvert as I couldn’t seem to fit with any group. To make up for my anti-social lifestyle, I would focus my time on my studies and would be very good at it. I would soon feel quite empty and question what more the world could offer me. When I was 15, I was able to watch an American television show that would inspire me to research on the life in the United States and the opportunities waiting. A year later, I moved to the US without knowing a single word of English. It was quite a challenge throughout the remaining years of my high school life but then I persevered in spite of the adversity I had to face. I took English classes, a series of speech classes, and soon practiced the language by conversing with my classmates. The small step of trying to communicate with other people ignited a quality that I never knew I had.
In college, my English was already quite excellent and even better than some of my peers. I joined a Foreign Affairs organization because I wanted to act as an ambassador of my homeland, Spain. I would engage in a lot of talks, speeches, and debates. Soon enough, I would find myself in leadership positions in every team or group I would be a part of. This made me think of running for president of the student council which led to a landslide victory.
After college, I took a job at a large banking firm as part of a financial strategy team. My years of experience in leading our team to success confirmed that indeed, leadership was a central quality I had in me all along. Still, the world is rapidly changing and new trends arise with every beat of the heart. My college experience was a key factor in the growth of my leadership skills, especially my ability to exchange ideas with people of different backgrounds, and I am confident that this is what an MBA would provide. A continued education would only strengthen this characteristic of mine and soon enough success is to surely follow. The environment at ______ University with its collection of top notch students and faculty would be a great avenue for me to explore my key attribute. I know that when I finish my MBA, a steady climb to the top awaits me.
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1. Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is ___ University the best MBA program for you?
As I lay down on the sandy beach of my hometown, the crashing of the waves and the awe inspiring brightness of the stars remind me of a dream that I have wanted to turn into a reality for quite sometime now. As a young girl living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the view of the horizon from the shoreline has always made me wonder about the world outside of Brazil. Since then I have considered a life of mountain trekking, backpacking around Europe, and exploring the outskirts of the polar regions to experience absolute nirvana. As much as I would want to fulfill this dream, I turn my sights from the stars to the establishments behind me. I am suddenly reminded of our family business and how I have also made good plans of improving and expanding our real estate company.
Working as the operations manager of my family’s real estate company, I am responsible for making sure that the well-being and quality of life of our employees are kept intact through expanding the company to a stronger and well-established corporation. Through the knowledge I have gained from my undergraduate degree in finance, I have done an amazing job for the company’s progress towards its goals. Although all has been well at the moment, I am certain that an undergraduate degree is not enough if I wanted to make my plans for the company a reality. This is why I am adamant in earning an MBA. Upon the first thought of it, the only institution that popped into my mind was ____ University. The primary focus of its curriculum is the perfect complement to my skills, experiences, personality, and prior education. Now that the world is becoming smaller and smaller because of globalization, new business models have begun to appear, and it can get quite difficult to catch up. The curriculum, reputation, experience, prestigious faculty, and environment at ______ University would ensure that I would not be left behind in a rapidly shifting global
market.
My family’s company is an up-and-coming player in the real estate business. It has already made big leaps in closing big accounts within Brazil and some of the neighboring countries. My experience in all my duties including operations management, financial analysis, and collection of data have made people overlook the fact that I am a woman in a male dominated business. Since the company is still climbing towards its peak, I know that I would soon have to face crucial decisions that would make or break the company. An MBA would ensure that when that time comes, I have the ample amount of knowledge and experience to continue an already great momentum.
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