I came to the Full-time MBA at Smith School of Business because ...

of its emphasis on team-based learning, unique coaching opportunities, and a lean one-year program structure. When I was doing my research for MBA programs, Smith stood out due to these factors. To begin with, it is the only program in Canada which begins in January and runs for one year. This got my attention as a traditional 2-year program comes at a greater opportunity cost. Secondly, I wanted to leverage this opportunity to work on my personal brand and step out of my comfort zone. The emphasis on team-based learning and coaching aligned perfectly with my goals.

Pressing the rewind button, if I were to give my 1 year ago self some advice, it would be to not overly stress on the GMAT as several other factors determine an applicant’s eligibility to the Smith MBA program. This would also be my tip to incoming applicants. Instead of stressing over your weaknesses, try to double down on your strengths. In other words, put your best foot forward.

As I mentioned above, my primary objective is to crack open that comfort zone and be comfortable with situations that I would otherwise stay away from and also get a job by the end of it.

• Hometown: Brampton, Ontario
• Country of Origin: India
• Prior Industry: Banking Technology
• Career Focus: Strategy/Product Management/Technology