After working in the consulting industry for several years, Olga Rocha (McDonough, ‘22) was at a career crossroads, and ultimately decided to pursue an MBA at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. Thus far, Olga has appreciated Georgetown’s culture of supportive growth. During this interview, Olga spoke about her journey to deciding to pursue an MBA, why she chose Georgetown, and her advice to prospective MBA applicants.
After working in the consulting industry for several years, Olga Rocha (McDonough, ‘22) was at a career crossroads, and ultimately decided to pursue an MBA at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. Thus far, Olga has appreciated Georgetown’s culture of supportive growth. During this interview, Olga spoke about her journey to deciding to pursue an MBA, why she chose Georgetown, and her advice to prospective MBA applicants.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply?
Prior to business school, I was a manager at Accenture Federal Services. I had been considering business school for several years, but decided to finally take the leap and apply in 2020 mid-pandemic. My career was at a crossroads again after a recent promotion; ultimately, I found that I was not doing the type of work I wanted to do nor did I have a skillset aligned with my career goals. I only applied to Georgetown (in round 4+) and found out I was admitted roughly a month afterwards.
MBASchooled: What were the most important questions you asked in order to help make your admissions decision?
I focused my questions on four main criteria: location, sustainability aspect to education, strength of alumni community, and academic rigor. These were crucial in creating my short list of schools I was interested in and ultimately made me feel confident I had found the right mix of factors to solely pursue Georgetown.
MBASchooled: What sources of information (ex: people, resources, websites, students) did you evaluate when making your admissions decision?
I leveraged my personal network to evaluate my admissions decision and navigate the application process overall. In addition to the close friends who shepherded me through the compressed experience, I also relied on MBA blogs and information sessions for prospective students.
MBASchooled: After spending a semester at Georgetown, what’s something that you now know about Georgetown that you wish you knew when you applied?
When I applied, I did not realize how strong the student voice was at Georgetown. I have seen in my first semester, how even as a first year I am able to share an idea, galvanize support, and effect change that will help my fellow classmates. It has been especially rewarding to see that students have ownership and power to build a stronger Georgetown community, even with all the struggles that pandemic times bring to our MBA experience.
MBASchooled: Who did you talk to that was most helpful in learning information to help you make a decision? What questions did you ask?
A close friend from college that at the time was finishing his MBA was the most helpful in making my decision. He provided insight into the application and school selection processes. Even today, he is my go-to person for all things MBA. (Special shoutout to him and the hours he spent reassuring me in 2020.)
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at Georgetown? Can you share an example of an experience that you think personifies what this means?
Georgetown’s culture is that of supportive growth. You will be challenged to explore, learn, and progress without fear of lacking a support network. One example was my finance class, a topic to which I have had minimal exposure and gave me much trepidation on a weekly basis. I was encouraged to risk making a mistake in the service of learning, and when in utter doubt, I could always rely on the zoom chat to save me from the cold call.
MBASchooled: Now that you’ve been at Georgetown for a semester, is there a specific moment or highlight where you felt confident that you made the right decision?
So many moments, but if I had to pick one it would be a recent meeting for a program we are piloting for students to support projects at non-profits as consultants. While it was a seemingly standard regroup session with stakeholders, I had another glimpse of how rewarding my Georgetown experience can be: I was actively contributing based on my expertise all the while challenging myself to take on a new role and opportunity in the community.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for admitted students on how they can make the best decision?
Look for a place that feels like home – two years is simultaneously a long and short time to have it be wasted in a place you won’t be able to be yourself.