This interview is the latest in an Accepted blog series featuring interviews with MBA students, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at top MBA programs. And now for a chat with Sana Rahim...
Accepted: We'd like to get to know you! Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad?
Sana: I was born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming. I moved to the Chicagoland suburbs when I was in 6th grade. I studied English Literature and Political Science at Northwestern University.
Accepted: What's your favorite non-school book?
Sana: That's tough! As a former English major, I have many favorite books... But most recently I have enjoyed poetry by Nayyirah Waheed in her work entitled salt.
Accepted: Where are you currently in b-school? What year?
Sana: I just started at UCLA Anderson this fall, expecting to graduate in 2019.
Accepted: Why did you choose that program? How were you a good fit?
Sana: I chose UCLA because they had a robust and flexible part time program. I wanted to be able to apply the skills and knowledge from the classroom in my day to day work and the Fully Employed MBA program was the perfect path for me to do just that. I also was very interested in their Global Access Program (GAP), which gives students the opportunity to apply an international business lens to the concepts learned throughout the program in a real consulting project.
Accepted: What are some of your most rewarding extracurricular activities (both before entering UCLA Anderson and current activities)? How have those activities helped shape your career?
Sana: I have been heavily involved in social impact work. I led efforts with The Global Engagement Summit and GlobeMed during my time at Northwestern and those experiences have shaped my interest in figuring out how social impact and profitability can coexist in a private sector environment. I frequently post on social issues and hope to continue to explore new models of doing business.
Accepted: How did the application process go for you? Did you experience any challenges? How did you overcome them?
Sana: I actually really enjoyed the application process and learning about different programs and opportunities. The only challenging part was learning to get back into a study routine for the GRE after five years of not being a student. I overcame that by creating a schedule that I held myself accountable to. I also rewarded myself for improvements in my score to make sure I was staying healthy and optimistic!
Accepted: Can you share your top three GRE tips?
Sana:
1. Based on your schedule, figure out a study routine that you can stick to.
2. Practice, practice, practice!
3. Seek focused tutoring for areas you recognize you are weak in and can not improve on your own through practice.
Accepted: Any last words of wisdom you'd like to share?
Sana: Whatever business path you pursue, find a way to integrate social good in the work you do. Whether it's how you manage your employees or how you affect the community you work in, make environmental, social, and economic impact part of your core metrics for success.
If you want to follow Sana's MBA journey, check her out on Twitter (@SanaRahimKhan89). Thank you Sana for sharing your story with us- we wish you much success!
For one-on-one guidance with your b-school application, check out our MBA Application Packages.
Do you want to be featured in Accepted’s blog? If you want to share your med school journey with the world (or at least with our readers), email us at bloggers@accepted.com.
Related Resources:
• Entrepreneurship at UCLA Anderson
• UCLA 2016-17 MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines
• UCLA Anderson Student Interview: Enjoying the MBA Whirlwind
This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.
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