After working as a financial consultant for KPMG in Nigeria, Chiamaka Okoye (HBS, ‘22) decided to pursue an MBA to broaden her business acumen and explore other career opportunities. After navigating the MBA application process, Okoye was admitted to HBS, and enrolled in this year’s incoming class. During this interview, Okoye shares her MBA application journey from her initial decision to apply to business school, why she chose HBS, and what she’s most excited about. She also shares advice for MBA applicants on how to successfully navigate the MBA application and admissions process.
MBASchooled: What did you do prior to business school, and why did you decide to apply to business school?
Prior to Business School, I worked as a Finance Consultant at KPMG in Nigeria. My work mainly involved providing outsourced financial reporting, analysis and review services to clients across various industries. Over time, I grew more interested in other aspects of business – how strategic decisions are made, how to improve operational efficiency and ultimately customer experience and how to leverage technology to drive business success in an increasingly technology-dependent world.
I started exploring the possibility of making a career switch into roles that would allow me to do work within these areas of interest. Business School provided the perfect opportunity to learn more about these topics and make a career switch as smooth and painless as possible.
MBASchooled: What were some of the criteria that were important to you when you were selecting schools to apply to?
The strength of the brand and alumni network was the top consideration for me. I believe that an MBA degree is worth it only if it opens doors for me that I would not have had access to otherwise, and that’s exactly what you get with a high quality network and strong brand. It’s a stamp of credibility that I’ve already started benefitting from.
The career prospects were also an important factor. I targeted schools that have strong career services and naturally attract recruiters in the fields I am interested in.
MBASchooled: Talk about your application process. What were some of the challenging aspects?
The application process as a whole was no joke. You really can’t half-ass it if you hope to come out with a positive outcome. I was working a very demanding job so even setting aside the time I needed was a challenge. I had to prioritize and ultimately put in extra hours to make sure I met the deadline.
The essay was definitely top of the “challenges” list for me. It was hard enough answering the typical “Why MBA” and “Why this school” questions, but dealing with Harvard’s open-ended essay was not a walk in the park. I struggled to find the “right angle” and had to do a lot of introspection and be very honest with myself about why I wanted the MBA and the experiences that had the most impact on that decision.
Coming from my (quite regular) academic and professional background, it was also very easy to believe that there’s nothing special or interesting about me and I had to really work through that while completing my application. I learnt that as long as I could demonstrate how excited I was about the work I did, and the impact I made through it, it didn’t matter that I hadn’t found the cure for AIDS.
The application process had its merits though. It forced me to really think about my motivations, passions and what I wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t just about crafting a story, it was about believing it, living it and finding patterns in my own life and experience that I didn’t even realize existed before then.
MBASchooled: You’ve written extensively about some of the aspects of the MBA application process. What are some of the most important lessons you learned from this experience?
The most important lesson for me was that everyone’s story is important and everyone has something to offer. No matter how big or intimidating HBS and other top schools look or how mundane your experiences may seem, you have value to bring to the table, and demonstrating that is a key part of a successful application.
I also learnt that it’s really important to get to know each school I was applying to and what made them unique and different from one another. I tried to connect with each school individually and personally and that helped me convincingly articulate why I wanted to be a part of that particular school in my application.
MBASchooled: What were some of the best ways you found to learn about the various MBA programs you applied to?
Apart from devouring pretty much every piece of information on the school websites, I found speaking to alumni/current students very effective in understanding the culture of the different schools beyond what was available on their websites. I knew people personally that I spoke with and also reached a few people via social media. It especially helped in my interviews because my answers about what drew me to the school were organic and honest.
I also followed a number of Youtube channels and blogs that provided very useful information including comparisons of different programs.
MBASchooled: You ended up selecting Harvard Business School. Why did you choose HBS?
Three major reasons factored into my decision: network, brand recognition and access to funding.
Harvard has one of the largest and broadest (both in terms of geography and industry) alumni networks of the top business schools, and they are quite active and readily involved with current students and fellow alumni when needed.
Harvard’s brand is also very widely known and almost guarantees that wherever in the world you end up, you will be recognised as the product of a top quality institution.
I also got the sense from current students that getting into HBS is the hard part, and funding was hardly ever an issue for admits, and that has been my experience. HBS truly views your education as a shared investment, and offers need-based financial aid that is quite generous.
MBASchooled: Now that you are into school, what are you most looking forward to?
I would say the friendships. I have met so many amazing people already as my class has found ways to connect virtually, thanks to COVID, and I’m really looking forward to cultivating deeper relationships as school activities fully begin.
I’m also very excited to see how we’re all going to navigate the next couple of months. It’s going to be a challenging year because we’re starting in unprecedented circumstances (I for one will be attending classes and other activities all the way from Nigeria initially) but the school has really done a lot to make sure the experience remains very rich, including introducing a number of offerings just for my class.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for prospective MBA applicants about the MBA application process?
I think the most important thing to keep in mind as you complete your applications is to be true to yourself. There is going to be temptation to paint yourself a certain way, or even anxiety because you feel you may not be unique or interesting enough. Tell a story that only you can tell because it is authentic to you, and not the story you think the Admissions Committee wants to hear.
Also, always aim to demonstrate, rather than state, your best qualities and how they align to what your target schools want. Describe specific experiences that will help the Admissions Committee get to know you and understand your passions. And remember, you are just as valuable to the school as the school is to you.
For more resources and to hear Chiamaka’s story, check out her LinkedIn posts, and her website