From Banking to Purposeful Impact: Katherines UCLA Anderson Journey

Question

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In 2023, I worked with Katherine on her applications to several MBA programs. She earned admits from  Kellogg ,  UC Davis , and  UCLA Anderson , ultimately choosing Anderson, which offered her a  $120K scholarship . 
 
Last month, while attending the AIGAC conference at UCLA Anderson, I had the pleasure of meeting Katherine in person for the first time, two years after our close collaboration on her applications. What began as a casual post-conference meet-up at my hotel turned into something truly special. Katherine had driven over an hour through LA traffic to see me, and as she began reflecting on her journey at Anderson, it became clear that this conversation needed to be shared. So, we spontaneously decided to record it for the benefit of prospective and incoming Anderson students. 
 
In our  first interview , we discussed her successful admits to top MBA programs. In this  second, in-person interview , Katherine takes us through her transformative two-year journey: navigating the demands of investment banking recruiting, discovering purpose through academics and service, and ultimately choosing a mission-driven role at a fintech startup. Her story is one of  courage, contribution, and clarity —a powerful example for anyone considering an MBA.

Talking Points:

Katherine’s Background and Journey to Anderson 01:50 
 A Demanding First Year: Balancing Academics and IB Recruiting 03:07 
 Overcoming Challenges of the First Year: Passion as a Driving Force 09:12 
 Favorite Moments: Capstone Projects and Community Service 11:07 
 Contribution to Anderson 17:40 
 Intense Internship at Echos Advisory: Lessons from IB 20:56 
 Insights on Coffee Chats and Networking Culture 25:30 
 Surprising Classmate Reactions and Group Learning at Anderson 31:07 
 Challenges Faced as a Younger Candidate with Limited Work Experience 32:50 
 Post-MBA Plans: Joining a Fintech Startup with Social Impact 35:44 
 The Role of AI in Her Work and at Anderson 38:15 
 Advice for Incoming MBA Students 40:05  
 
Let’s dive into a conversation with Katherine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMKAhW_BDa4

Poonam: Hello Katherine, thank you for driving all the way to see me for this in-person interview. Let me tell the audience I worked with Katherine on her applications, and she got into Anderson with a $120k scholarship. Now she's graduating next month. Let's get started.

Katherine’s Background 
   
Poonam : Congratulations on becoming an Anderson graduate soon. I'm curious to know about your Anderson experience. Could you please introduce yourself to our audience?  
  
Katherine:  Hi, I'm Katherine, and I originally come from China. I did my bachelor's at Temple University and my master's at UC Davis, both business-related majors. After graduating, I worked at PWC in Hong Kong for about two and a half years. That's when I met Poonam and decided to apply for the MBA programs. I got a full scholarship to Anderson, and I am graduating next month. Last summer, I interned in investment banking, and after graduation, I will join a startup in the finance industry. 
  
A Demanding First Year: Balancing Academics and IB Recruiting  
   
Poonam:  Can you tell me about your typical day at Anderson, especially your first year? I've heard it's challenging with all the adjustments and pressures.  
  
Katherine:  First and second years are quite different. In the first year, the focus is on finding a summer internship. My day would start around 6 a.m. because I needed to drive an hour through LA traffic to make my 8 a.m. class. 
 
Most mornings, I'd do coffee chats for recruiting instead of attending class, as these are crucial for getting investment banking interviews. We'd have classes scheduled from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., depending on your selection. I focused on networking events with the Financial Association rather than cultural clubs.

In the evenings, companies would come to campus for presentations. We had a system where we'd coordinate questions among ourselves to impress the bankers, which created additional pressure. After the events, around 9 p.m., we'd write thank-you notes, cross-checking each other's emails to ensure they were perfect. 
 
For investment banking prep, we'd also practice technical questions and behavioral interviews, often until 1 or 2 a.m. So, my typical first-year day ran from 6 a.m. to about 2 a.m.

Poonam:  That's a very long day with hardly any rest.

How Katherine Navigated the Challenges of First Year 
  
Katherine:  Yes, but it was worth it. My advice for navigating these challenges is to pick things you're passionate about. When you have enough energy and passion, you can handle the pressure. Sometimes, coffee chats don't go well, or you see friends getting opportunities while you haven't yet, but passion keeps you going through the recruiting process. 
  
Katherine’s Favorite Moments- Capstone Project and Community Service

Poonam:  What are your favorite moments from Anderson? 
  
Katherine:  A recent one was our capstone program competition two weeks ago. Our team worked with an architecture firm trying to win more projects. None of us had real estate experience, but we traveled to four cities across the US to conduct interviews and observe projects. We developed models to help them showcase their strengths and stand out. While we didn't win first prize, the judges said they wanted to buy our product because it created real value. I'm proud that we created something valuable for an industry we weren't familiar with. 
   
Poonam:  Good. You have been working so hard. Your day starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 1:00 a.m. Could you get any fun moments, any moments to enjoy yourself, and the company of friends?  
  
Katherine : The second year was much happier than the first year as the pressure eased. I took a happiness class that taught me to recognize the positive aspects of my life that I often overlooked. Through that class, I joined a program called Food On in West Hollywood, delivering food to homeless people. This changed my perspective on homelessness - I met talented people who had experienced setbacks but were still trying to improve their lives. 
 
I also took classes outside Anderson, a healthcare class in medical school, and a social psychology class. Meeting MD and PhD students with completely different mindsets was fascinating. I'm currently helping a psychology professor with research, which has given me new perspectives on life.

Katherine’s Contribution to Anderson

Poonam:  What do you think is your most valuable contribution to Anderson? 
  
Katherine:  I'd say networking and being a listener. In investment banking, males have advantages over females, especially internationals. I was the only international female who got a summer banking internship in my class. This year, the female representation improved from about 5% to 30%, though the industry still prefers males.

When first-year students struggled, they could talk to me rather than peers in the same situation. I shared my network with them, which helped several get interviews and internship offers. This experience encourages me to maintain good relationships because you never know when they'll be valuable. 
  
Katherine’s Internship Experience at IB firm Echos Advisory  
   
Poonam:  That's a wonderful contribution. Can you share your experience at Echos Advisory?  
  
Katherine:  I interned there last summer in healthcare investment banking. Having no healthcare background made it challenging- I had to quickly learn the US healthcare system, drug development processes, medical terminology, and disease names.

The hours were intense- my lightest week was 80 hours, typically 100, with the hardest being 110 hours. My managing director was very critical, never encouraged me, always pointed out mistakes, and demanded that work be delivered by 6 a.m. Monday.

At the end of summer, he told me I was his best summer associate ever and that I'd passed his test. He explained he wasn't trying to be harsh but preparing me for the pressure of investment banking. He acknowledged the disadvantages women face in the industry and advised that if I wanted to reach top levels, I'd need to handle these challenges or consider other industries. The experience taught me a lot. 
   
Poonam:  Despite knowing how challenging investment banking is, do you still want to pursue it?  
  
Katherine:  Not right now. At PWC, hours were also crazy, but people appreciated overtime work. In investment banking, everything is your liability- delivering high-quality work with no excuses, no tolerance for mistakes, and often no appreciation. It depends on the team, though; some have a better culture than others. 
  
Katherine’s Insights on Coffee Chats and Networking Culture

Poonam:  You mentioned doing 20 coffee chats in a day. 
  
Katherine:  It's a week, not a day! Coffee chats are necessary for investment banking recruiting- they're the gateway to interviews. For example, with JPMorgan, you'd start with a junior associate, and if they like you, you progress to VPs and MDs. You need positive feedback from at least three out of five team members. 
 
Time management is crucial because bankers are in different time zones. You can't be late even by seconds, and you must end exactly on time. I'd set alarms at 25 and 30 minutes to properly close conversations. The first week was so exhausting- constant talking, pressure, wearing suits and heels all day. But after a month, you get used to it, and it keeps getting easier, and the skills transfer to other networking situations. After doing IB networking, you will find networking situations pretty easy.

We receive extensive training for IB recruiting. For example, during coffee chats, we coordinate with other candidates to ask thoughtful questions in turn, ensuring the conversation flows smoothly without interruptions or awkward pauses. This long-term practice helps us improve and present ourselves authentically. 
  
Surprising Classmate Reactions and Group Learning at Anderson  
   
Poonam:  Interesting to know about it. I'll give you a minute break. You can take a few seconds to relax. So we have talked about the pressures of recruiting, investment banking internships, and coffee chats, let's talk about something interesting. What did your classmates find most surprising about you?  
  
Katherine:  My age. I only had 2.5 years of work experience, and I was the youngest in my class. During icebreakers on the first day, people would ask why I didn't pursue a master's instead of an MBA. They were also surprised that I wanted a finance job despite my outgoing personality, which seemed suited for consulting. When they learned that I had already worked in the financial services and still wanted to work in the financial services, they advised that I should reconsider my decision.

Poonam:  Even though you were the youngest in class, they still gained from you, and you also gained from their experience. 
  
Katherine:  Yes, I’d say we truly learn from each other while working together, and Anderson supports that well. We were placed in diverse study groups- mine included students from China, India, Chile, and the U.S.A., with backgrounds in healthcare, finance, consulting, and tech. No matter the course, someone in the group brought relevant expertise, creating a great environment for mutual support and learning.

Disadvantages of Being a Younger Candidate 
 
However, my limited work experience was a challenge during internship recruiting. While I aimed for investment banking, I also explored corporate finance roles as a backup. In corporate interviews, when candidates had similar qualifications, those with more years of experience were often favored. Corporations tend to prefer experienced candidates for internships, fearing that younger MBA interns might disrupt internal team dynamics, especially when it comes to promotions. 
 
That said, this challenge was mostly limited to internships. For full-time roles, my experience level will likely align well with appropriate titles and responsibilities. 
  
Katherine’s Post-Graduation Plans: Joining a Fintech Startup with Social Impact  
   
Poonam:  You have come this far, so you'll do well after graduating also. What are your plans after graduation?  
  
Katherine:  Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I’m joining my friend’s startup. I chose this team because I admire the founder- he and his original team helped build China’s pension system, which was previously underdeveloped. They created a system similar to the U.S. 401(k) and IRA, aiming to ensure better retirement security for the elderly. I want to work with people who care about social impact and operate ethically. 
 
I also like their mission of using AI to make people’s lives easier, and to simplify everyday decisions, like shopping for a laptop, so people can save time and focus on more meaningful or creative tasks. My role will focus on the finance side, helping lower the barrier to investing so that people can manage their money without needing deep financial knowledge. We aim to lower the barrier for the finance world a little bit to make sure it can serve everyone.

The Role of AI in her Work and at Anderson 
   
Poonam:  I'm so glad that you'll be using AI in your work. The master class we attended at UCLA the day before was the highlight of my day at UCLA. It was an amazing class where the professor told us that they adapted AI six years back and are now integrating it into their curriculum to enhance every project and activity.  
  
Katherine:  Yes, Anderson is doing a great job adopting AI. We even have dedicated staff working to integrate AI into our student systems. One of them, Sanford—he’s a senior associate leading AI development. He often signs his emails with a note saying "This is written by Copilot AI because I'm in charge of the AI development in Anderson. I'm trying to make this AI understand me more about my leadership and leadership style." Also, our capstone projects are starting to use AI. 
   
Poonam:  That’s wonderful. AI is bringing a revolution in every aspect of our lives. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our viewers, Katherine?

Katherine’s Advice for Incoming MBA Candidates 
  
Katherine:  For those considering an MBA, yes, it is intense and comes with pressure, but if you're committed, the rewards are worth it. You’ll gain not only knowledge but lasting friendships. 
 
My biggest advice: Don't try to do everything, and know what you're passionate about. That clarity will keep you motivated through challenges. Once you identify what you enjoy, focus on it. Early on, I tried to pursue investment banking, consulting, and tech all at once; I ended up getting burned out and didn’t excel at any. You can’t compete with people who are fully focused if you’re spread too thin. So pick one or two areas and go deep. 
 
Don't worry about missing social activities- true friends will remain by the end. Once you've achieved your goals, you'll have a better sense of which groups and activities align with your interests. 
 
One last tip: settle your living situation before school starts. Some of my classmates had barely furnished apartments until December because they were too busy to assemble furniture. MBA life is busy but enjoyable if you prepare well. 
   
Poonam:  So your biggest advice is:

Don’t waste your time and energy by engaging in too many activities. Stay focused on your professional goals. Don’t feel you’re missing out by not joining every activity because your priority is to work toward the goal for which you came here.  
  True friends will stay with you, no matter what.  
  Arrive early and settle in before the program begins.   
  
Thank you so much, Katherine, for making the effort to drive down and meet me. It was a pleasure seeing you in person and hearing your insights. I’m sure both prospective and incoming Anderson students will benefit tremendously from your insights. Wishing you success with your startup and beyond. Please stay in touch. I’d love to hear how things progress!

Katherine:  Thank you for having me.

Key Takeaways from the Interview

Let passion lead : Staying true to what excites you can sustain motivation through intense phases like recruiting. 
  Value diverse teams : Collaborating with peers from varied backgrounds enhances learning and perspective. 
  Support your community : Sharing knowledge and networks can make a lasting impact on others' journeys. 
  Know when to pivot : Sometimes, the right career move is recognizing when a path no longer aligns with your goals. 
  Pursue purpose : Aligning your career with meaningful values can be deeply fulfilling. 
  Leverage AI thoughtfully : Business schools are increasingly integrating AI to enhance learning and innovation. 
  Tips for MBA Success :
 
 Focus your efforts—don’t stretch yourself too thin. 
 Meaningful friendships will last, even if you miss a few social events. 
 Arrive early and settle in to start strong.

Read Katherine's first interview, where she shared how she got accepted into Kellogg, UC Davis, and UCLA Anderson, with substantial scholarships:
 
  A Chinese Finance Professional’s Path to Kellogg, UCLA, & UC Davis with Scholarships

You can connect with Katherine via   Linkedin.

From Banking to Purposeful Impact: Katherines UCLA Anderson Journey

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