This is somewhat of a continuation to my previous post. As an applicant/prospective student, I know how valuable it was in my decision making process to hear why people decided to attend a particular school. As a way to pay it forward, I decided to ask some recent graduates, current students, and fellow incoming members of the Class of 2016 the question, “Why Anderson?” I just wanted to thanks to everyone that responded! So, here it goes. (WARNING: This is a beast of a post)
One recent graduate, who played a huge part in me deciding on Anderson said, “I had a great career in New York, and I wasn't sure I needed to go to business school, and if I did, I thought I wanted to go to one of the top five schools. When, I was introduced to Anderson, however, my perspective changed completely. The students were ambitious but supportive of each other, and were the happiest people of any business schools I had visited. From Ivy Leaguers to Iraq War veterans to former male models, the class was more diverse than I thought possible, and I knew I could learn a lot from these people. I decided to go to Anderson over other, higher ranked schools, because it simply felt right. I have never once regretted that decision.” She continued, "Anderson has been nothing short of a transformational experience. I became incredibly involved early on in my first year, and I have most enjoyed getting to know every one of my classmates through student government, professional organizations, and fun Anderson traditions like football tailgates, C4C Charity Weekend, and Lit Club. As I graduate, I feel lucky to have made such incredible new friends, and I know it is a network of impressive people that will help me for the rest of my life."
One current student I spoke with told me, “By far, what I've enjoyed the most is getting to know the other students at Anderson. Unlike some schools that are known primarily for a particular industry, the career backgrounds and career choices for Anderson students are incredibly diverse. Typically, you'll see about 20% of students each go to consulting, finance, marketing, tech, or entrepreneurship/start-up. Because of that diversity, you have a tremendous number of opportunities to collaborate with other students and do not feel the competitive pressure that you might at another program where career interests are more narrowly focused. It's nice, and has definitely been something that I've taken advantage of since I arrived.”
One of my fellow bloggers, Piyush said that as he went through the application process, he “fell in love with the people, school, and of course, the location.” He went on to say, “I remember the email I received from a second year student. She wrote passionately about UCLA’s collaborative environment, which will allow me to intimately know my classmates and develop a sense of community. She also got me excited about events that the school hosts such as the Dean’s speaker series and EA conference, which will give me a unique opportunity to interact with industry leaders and build a network. I was instantly sold on the school after my interview with a second year student. Not only I was able to instantly connect with her but also really learn about her experience at Anderson.”
Another one of my fellow bloggers, Mike Leve, told me that he was so excited about Anderson, that he couldn’t submit is deposit check fast enough. He explained, “From my perspective, my decision to attend Anderson boiled down to a simple equation that permeated my thinking throughout the 20-month MBA application process. Business school is just that…50% business, and 50% school. All of the companies on my short-list are L.A.-based. Schools in the Midwest (where I call home) and the East Coast, regardless of the nominal rankings advantage, would only provide a small percentage of added value to my $200K investment. Anderson has the largest ROI (yay! B-school speak) in regards to the 50% business component.”
One fellow member of the Class of 2016 explained, “I was looking for a friendly and collaborative student body. This may seem obvious to everyone but through my experiences of visiting different schools this type of environment is far from the norm. A-Days confirmed my initial interactions with UCLA staff and students. I was struck by how open and genuinely interested everyone was in getting to know me.” He continued, “I wanted to be part of a community that has been and would continue to be at the forefront of innovation and technology. Since my career ambition is to start my own tech company, I put a premium on schools that were highly invested in entrepreneurship and technology. Needless to say UCLA Anderson’s Entrepreneurship and High-Tech Business Associations weighed heavily in my decision.”
Another member of the Class of 2016 and fellow BYU grad told me, “The main reason I chose Anderson is the school's diversity when it comes to the industries students both come from and go to after graduating. The diversity of hiring companies at Anderson is unmatched.” He went on to say, “I also wanted to be surrounded by students with varied backgrounds and goals post-MBA. From my point of view, Anderson has more resources to support students with non-traditional post-MBA goals. Last but not least, the location can't be beat. The companies in the area, the weather and the beach are all huge pluses.”
Another incoming student said, “UCLA is a top school that can help me reach my career goals -- but that can be said for many schools. What made UCLA stand out to me was the people. Meeting my future classmates and current students at the admit weekend sealed the deal. Everyone was really smart, motivated, and driven; equally important, they were also supportive, down to earth, and just plain nice.” She went on to say, “UCLA Anderson definitely has a close-knit community, with a good balance of work and play. I also liked the diversity of the group, particularly in backgrounds and career goals - every industry and function imaginable is represented. I'm quite certain I'm going to learn more from my classmates than I will from my books - and have a good time along the way.”
These are just some snippets of how these individuals answered the questions, “Why Anderson?” If you want to read their full responses, feel free to check them out here.
- James Huntington, MBA '16
Follow me on Twitter @jhuntington14 and UCLA Anderson @UCLAMBA
