Poonam, founder and president of myEssayReview, is publishing interviews of her most recent successful students. This is the latest in the series. Here is a chat with Mansi, who was accepted into 5 top MBA programs –Kellogg, Wharton, INSEAD, Stanford, and Harvard. Mansi is headed to Harvard, her dream school.
Mansi’s interview will be published in 4 parts wherein she will share her background, goals, reasons to pursue MBA, unwavering preference for HBS, application strategy and preparation, advice on video essays, and much more
Poonam: Congratulations on getting admit offers from 5 top schools- Kellogg, Wharton, INSEAD, Stanford, and Harvard. This is phenomenal success. How does it feel?
Mansi: Thank you so much. Congratulations to you as well. I feel privileged and lucky as well.
Poonam: Thank you. You are being modest. You have worked hard for it.
Mansi: Yes, we have worked hard for it.
Poonam: Sure, we did. Thank you. Can you tell something about yourself? What and where did you study as an undergrad? And what do you do now?
Mansi: For sure. I was born and brought up in Chandigarh, a town in India. I graduated from IIT Delhi in 2012. And after that I joined oil and gas industry. I worked for Schlumberger in India and Indonesia for a couple of years. Then I joined Cairn which is an oil and gas company based out of India. For the last 3.5 years, I have been working with this company in planning and construction. Overall my total number of years of experience is 5.5 years.
Poonam: When did you start thinking about MBA? Why now?
Mansi: I started thinking about MBA seriously right after graduating from IIT. But first, I wanted to get right amount of work experience required for a business school. I took my first GMAT exam while I was in Schlumberger, but I wasn’t very serious about it and could not pursue my MBA plans back then due to my hectic work schedule. About three years back, I started thinking seriously and took conscious steps in my career to gain a holistic view of my industry. For example, I moved from an oil and service provider to an operator company. Also, I tried a business planning role, which further helped me to understand the oil and gas business.s
Poonam: Good. What are your career goals?
Mansi: Post MBA, I want to pursue strategy consulting with a global consulting firm such as Mckinsey and BCG for a few years. The diverse and global experience that I will get through strategy consulting will also help me to accelerate my learning and career growth. Down the line, I envision myself as a leader in the Oil and Gas Industry itself. I see myself in more of a General Management strategy role which I am sure Harvard will give me ample opportunities for.
Poonam: You applied to Kellogg, INSEAD, Wharton, Stanford, and Harvard, and you are accepted by all of them. You are going to Harvard. Usually people debate between two equally great schools, but you had your heart set on Harvard. You were always very clear that you will go to Harvard. How is Harvard your dream school?
Mansi: Absolutely correct. I am really thankful that I got through all these schools. All these schools are really great in their own way. But yes, my dream school has always been Harvard. When I started my preparation, I wrote on a piece of paper HBS and put that on the wall. And every single day, I will look at that paper on the wall and aim for. I felt connected to HBS when I saw that my college seniors who went to HBS were making an impact in their respective industries. Their example inspired me the most to move towards Harvard. That is why Harvard was always my dream school. In addition, the case study method of Harvard appeals the most to me. Yes, I am clear about going to Harvard, my dream school.
Poonam: I am glad your dream has come true.
Note: Stay tuned to Mansi’s interview Part 2 wherein she talks about her application strategy, planning and preparation that led to her amazing success.
This interview was first published in myEssayReview blog.
For questions, email Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com
