Name: Tanvi Lal
Class: 2022
Future Industry: Venture Capital / Fintech
After starting her career at Deloitte Consulting, Tanvi Lal (Haas, ‘22) decided to pursue an MBA to explore other career paths. During our conversation, Tanvi spoke about her decision to go to Haas, why she believes Haas is a great fit for her career, and her advice to recently admitted Haas applicants on how to best make use of Days at Haas.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to apply?
I was a consultant with Deloitte before business school and specialized in large scale implementations. While I enjoyed my role at Deloitte and had some amazing opportunities through it, I wanted to explore other career paths and grow different skillsets. With some work experience under my belt, I felt ready for business school!
MBASchooled: What were the most important questions you asked in order to help make your admissions decision?
Will this school help me reach my personal and professional goals? Are there opportunities and programs that correspond to where I think I want to pivot? Does the school’s reputation and vibe fit me and what I need?
MBASchooled: What has been your favorite experience at Haas so far?
One of our classmates started holding daily workouts in the morning, which we dubbed “Haasfit”. These workouts were an awesome start to my day, a new way to meet people, and (bonus) they kept me in shape! I loved that our classmate stepped up to build community and that we all showed up to support and add to it.
MBASchooled: After spending a semester at Haas, what’s something that you now know about Haas that you wish you knew when you applied?
I’m not sure that this is Haas-specific, but business school is a LOT! Before you know it, life is packed with classes, extracurriculars, recruiting, working part-time, you name it! Make sure you take the time to breathe, relax, and set intention the summer before starting business school. Having clear goals will give you guard rails to pick activities and experiences that will help you reach those goals once you get to campus!
MBASchooled: Oftentimes, the word “culture” gets thrown around when talking about MBA programs. Can you characterize the culture at Haas ? Can you share an example of an experience that you think personifies what this means?
The quintessential Hassie is laid back but no less driven, smart, or organized than any other person out there. Students at Haas are wildly successful but extremely humble, kind, and willing to help each other out. I’ve been blown away at how helpful and proactive my classmates have been in helping me in recruiting, classes, or anything else I need!
MBASchooled: Now that you’ve been at Haas for a semester, is there a specific moment or highlight where you felt confident that you made the right decision?
It was my birthday a few weeks ago, and I told my classmates about it pretty last minute. I wasn’t expecting too many people to celebrate with me but a lot of Haasies rallied around me and made my day really special. I’d never had a community come together for me like that before – and that’s when I knew I made the right decision!
MBASchooled: As an MBA Admissions Ambassador, you talk to many prospective MBA students. What questions should admits ask before making a decision?
Admits should ask students (and other admits) what they like and don’t like about the school. Every school has its pros and cons, so your goal is to make sure the pros outweigh the cons, and that you have the right expectations coming in. Some benefits or issues you hear will be common to all schools – so your goal is to separate those general points from school-specific considerations.
MBASchooled: What advice do you have for admitted students on how they can make the best decision?
I’d love to say go with your gut – but the reality is so much more complicated! Between career, location, scholarships, culture, or any other big factor…pick 1 or 2 that are most important to you. You may not get a chance to get everything you want but by prioritizing what’s most important you can pick a school that’s the best fit for what you need.
MBASchooled: What are you excited about for Admit Weekend? What should prospective applicants take advantage of?
I am so excited to meet our new class and show them how amazing Haas is!! Admits should absolutely take this chance to get a feel for the (virtual) campus, talk to current students, and listen in / participate in programming. Additionally, one of the biggest reasons to attend is to get to know your future classmates! Are they people you like and vibe with? Can you see yourself spending the next 2 years with them? Admit Weekends are an invaluable way to help in your decision making process.