Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

I felt like I needed to have an MBA to get to the next level of my career. For both the pedigree and the knowledge, I felt than an MBA would enable me to advance into truly cross-functional role in an organization. 

Why did you choose the Georgia Tech MBA program over other MBA programs?

In addition to the obvious location advantage, there was a sense of excitement here that other schools didn’t have. Georgia Tech seemed to be getting stronger every year, and the students, faculty, and administration all showed an excitement about it.

Please comment on the relevance and quality of the program to your career goals:

The program has given me a much more rounded business education, giving me a better perspective on everything involved in an organization. Whereas before school I was very apt with the finance part of the business, I now understand how financial decisions affect the marketing, operations, IT, accounting, HR, etc., and vice versa. This is absolutely critical in taking the next step in to a more cross-functional role within an organization. 

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

After working for four years at Coca-Cola Enterprises, I was ready for a new challenge that would boost my career by enhancing my business management knowledge and leadership skills, building on my engineering background.

Why did you choose the Georgia Tech MBA program over other MBA programs?            

Georgia Tech provided the greatest return on my investment without compromising any aspects of the MBA experience. I knew I would easily be able to obtain the job and career I aimed for with my MBA from Georgia Tech. 

Please comment on the academic experience at Georgia Tech.

The best part of the academic experience in the MBA program at Georgia Tech is the strong sense of community. The small class sizes mean that professors, faculty, students, even the Dean, know so much more than just your name, and have a personal interest in helping you succeed.

Please discuss opportunities to network or develop leadership skills outside the classroom. 

Any MBA student can step up into a leadership role in this program. Clubs and student government require leadership roles, but student ideas and new initiatives are welcomed as well. Serving as student body president was a valuable learning experience for me while in the MBA program. The experience helped me develop leadership skills to excel in my career, but also allowed me to help improve the program for future students.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

Graduate level education was first and foremost a lifelong goal of mine. Secondly, I thought an MBA would give me an opportunity to learn from and share my experiences (to date) with my peers.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

TI:GER enables students to understand "what it takes" to bring an idea to fruition in a really low stakes environment. The program is a clear differentiator for the Georgia Tech MBA program, especially for those interested in entrepreneurial pursuits.

Comment on the academic experience at Georgia Tech:

Georgia Tech offers a rigorous curriculum with ample opportunity to tailor to individual needs and interests. The core of the program offers a pleasing balance between case-based and traditional lecture teaching modalities.

Are you making a functional and/or industry career change? If so, how is the program supporting your goals?

Before pursuing my MBA, I led the Information Technology organization at Teach For America as the VP of Enterprise Architecture and prior to this I led the Emerging / Advanced Technology group at Bank of New York Mellon. I am interested in not only changing function but also industry.

The Georgia Tech MBA program not only provides the right academic foundation to succeed, but also relevant practical experience through the various practicum classes and programs such as TIGER. The vibrant startup community surrounding the Georgia Tech community offers plenty of opportunities to apply new found knowledge and skills.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

A firm grounding in business management knowledge and the cultivation of leadership skills are some of the things I hope to gain out of an MBA. At a functional level, I chose to pursue an MBA to gain expertise in operations and finance. I wanted to transition from being a technical consultant to a functional role where I can leverage my interpersonal skills and contribute more on the business side.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

Georgia Tech is a brand that is recognized nationally and globally. I chose Tech’s MBA because it’s a high ranking program in both operations and technology management. You get the best of both - a closely knit highly personal community of the Scheller College of Business within a large renowned research institution offering world class facilities. The College also has excellent job placement records thanks to the dedicated career services. Further, being located in the heart of Atlanta brings you close to a number of opportunities.

What’s your favorite thing about the program?

The small class size leading to a highly interpersonal atmosphere between the students, faculty, career services and staff is my favorite thing about the program. You receive a lot of personal attention from professors both in and out of class, and the students are very friendly, they trust and help each other.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

My choice to pursue an MBA was two-fold. First, I knew that I wanted to work in human resources and with my current credentials I was not competitive in that market. I felt I really needed an MBA to set me apart and help me secure the job I wanted. Second, I knew my background had developed my soft skills and I felt I was missing the quantitative skills necessary to excel in business. An MBA will help me accomplish my career goals and make me a more well-rounded business person.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

I chose Georgia Tech because of their career services and the community. When I made the decision to go to a full-time MBA program my highest priority was to choose a program where I was nearly 100% positive that I would graduate with a great job. Out of the programs I was considering, Georgia Tech offered the strongest chance of this happening.

I also chose Georgia Tech because of the community. When I visited campus I realized how different the culture was versus the other schools I visited. The students were so welcoming, friendly and down-to-earth. They felt like people I would enjoy working with and seeing on a day-to-day basis.

The collaborative attitude of the students is unique to this program.  All of my classmates have been so helpful with everything from studying to group projects, extracurricular events, and even in our internship searches. You hope the other person has a great interview and gets the job. In class and in the job search, no one ever feels that this is a zero sum game; we all really want each other to succeed.

Comment on the academic experience at Georgia Tech:

The academic experience has been rigorous, and I feel it prepared me well for my internship. I gained the quantitative skills I really wanted to strengthen, but also enriched my qualitative skills. I like the flexibility of our curriculum and look forward to taking classes ranging from Emerging Technologies to Negotiation & Conflict next semester. 

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

While my positions in the Marine Corps provided me a great deal of project management and leadership experience, I needed a stronger finance and accounting background in order to succeed in today’s business world. In addition, I was unfamiliar with technologies involved in customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning and supply chain management.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

The reputation of Georgia Tech is recognized nationwide, and I knew it would open doors if I wished to work internationally. Georgia Tech’s relationship with successful Atlanta Fortune 500 companies and its access to resources like the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) set it apart as I knew my education would include the technical skills necessary to compete in the global economy. I knew the people I would meet and the reputation of the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business would fill the gaps I needed to succeed outside of the Marine Corps.

Did you make a functional and/or industry career change? If so, how did the program support your goals?

Despite having some experience helping peers start a small business as a junior partner, I had little experience in the private sector. Georgia Tech is a very military friendly MBA program, and its focus on creating well rounded business leaders despite their background has proved very beneficial to my life change.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

To switch careers from technology consulting to B2B marketing in the short term and to gain the required skills to start my own company in the long term.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

I chose Georgia Tech MBA for the people and culture, which makes it both unique and a rewarding experience for students. When I visited Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, I had a positive "vibe". I found the students, faculty and staff to be down-to-earth. Everyone came across as hard-working smart people, with whom I would love to work. Moreover, the College had the support systems required to fulfill my career aspirations and best of breed faculty, reliable career services, renowned entrepreneurship program (TI:GER), speaker series (IMPACT), and great infrastructure.

Did you make a functional and/or industry career change? If so, how did the program support your goals?

Yes, I initially made a switch from IT consulting to marketing in telecommunications. Without any prior wireless/telecommunication industry experience, I was able to secure an internship with Qualcomm, leaders in wireless/telecommunication truly due to Georgia Tech MBA program. I had the opportunity to work for Research In Motion through the Integrative Management Exercise in the Strategy Class and for Kore Telematics, world's largest specialized M2M wireless service provider, in the Marketing Practicum. These two academic projects equipped me with deep understanding of the industry and helped me change both industry and function.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

I decided to pursue an MBA because I wanted to diversify my skill set and switch careers from Engineering to Product Management.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

I chose Georgia Tech because of the strong sense of community I felt when I attended the Welcome Event for admitted students. Georgia Tech’s small class size sets it apart because it creates an environment that fosters relationships among students, faculty and staff. Students also have great leadership opportunities because of the small class size.

Comment about your experiences with the College’s career services.

Another advantage of Georgia Tech’s class size is the personal attention students receive from the Career Services staff. We had an eight-week Career Workshop during our first semester, which helped us effectively prepare for company information sessions, job fairs and interviews. My career advisor was very proactive and helpful. She worked with me to perfect my resume and we had several mock interviews to help me prepare for my internship interviews. She gave me honest feedback about my performance and tips for improvement.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

I wanted to pursue my interest in entrepreneurship, while being open to other career options.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

Georgia Tech’s MBA program is rapidly growing in reputation and prestige. Its strong ties to ATDC, VentureLab, venture capital and entrepreneur community create an incredible environment for thought-leaders in innovation and technology. The main reason why I came here is because of the TI:GER program and ATDC.

Comment on the academic experience at Georgia Tech:

Considering this is my third degree here, one would think the coursework would be easier for me. On the contrary! The rigor and demand is quite challenging and expectation level is high. It is no surprise that many companies recruit here.

Discuss opportunities to network or develop leadership skills outside the classroom.

I served as the vice president of the Entrepreneur Club. Through the club, I met some incredible talents and heard their startup stories – it’s a great networking opportunity. My TI:GER team was chosen to represent Georgia Tech in a regional business plan competition. The learning curve is steep in understanding how to commercialize an invention and start a company from ground-up.

My involvement with ATDC and VentureLab has given me incredible exposure to other various startups, and insights into actual operations of these organizations. In addition, my involvement with Foundation Capital (a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley through Georgia Tech’s ties), gave me the other side of the story, to see how venture capitalists evaluate, make decisions, and identify opportunities.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

I chose to pursue an MBA because I wanted to enhance my understanding of business by learning from the diverse perspectives of students and professors on both personal and business topics.

Why did you choose Georgia Tech over other MBA programs and what’s unique to Georgia Tech’s MBA?

I chose Georgia Tech for the small class size and  to enhance my ability to work in diverse groups during the class projects.  It was critical as well to be part of a program that balanced challenging classes with opportunities to get to know my classmates outside of school including socials, tailgating and other off-campus events.

Are you making a functional and/or industry career change? If so, how is the program supporting your goals?

I moved from operations to marketing strategy and the program aided me in this transition, both through coursework (core and electives), as well as extracurricular activities. Through the clubs, I had the opportunity to interact with hiring managers and executives to prepare me for my new career.