Ryan Brown, a former MER ( myEssayReview) student, graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Georgia College and State University. After four successful years as a finance professional, he aspired to become a Strategic Finance Manager at his current organization, Acuity Brands, Inc. To achieve his post-MBA goal, Ryan collaborated with MER to apply to the full-time MBA program at Goizueta Business School, Emory. His application was a success, and he received admission offers for both the 1-year and 2-year programs with an impressive merit-based scholarship of $45,000 for the 1-year program and $60,000 for the 2-year program. Ryan is all set to start his MBA studies at Emory in Fall 2016.

In this interview with Poonam, Ryan talks about the following:

• His background
• Reasons to pursue an MBA
• Career goals
• Application, strategy, planning, and preparation
• The most challenging part of the application process
• Preference for Emory (He applied to only one school-Emory)
• Helpful Tips for prospective MBA applicants
• Interests/ Hobbies

Poonam: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What do you do now?

Ryan:  Certainly! I was born and raised in Macon, GA, and received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Georgia College in 2012. After graduating, I entered the mortgage industry, working in the Secondary Marketing department for a national online mortgage lender where I was responsible for the daily pricing and trading of originated mortgages to correspondent end investors. After a year and a half, I transitioned into the Corporate F.P. &A environment for a public lighting manufacturing company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. I am currently a Senior Financial Analyst and have supported strategic growth initiatives and acquisitions for the Sales, Verticals, Business Strategy, and Product groups over my 2.5 years at my current company.

Poonam:  When did you start thinking about an MBA?

Ryan: I have always known that I wanted to pursue an MBA, as I am a big proponent of opportunities for continued personal growth and development. After graduating from undergrad, I took the initiative to do informational interviews with a few high performers in my network who had already received their MBA The consensus was that the more work experience you can bring to the table, the more you would get out of the program. So I set a 5-year goal for myself and decided that if I could achieve my personal goals within 5 years, that would be the time to pursue my MBA Fortunately, I achieved that goal in 4 years, so I applied a year early.

Poonam:  That's awesome. What are your career goals?

Ryan: Long-term, I want to develop myself as a strategic consultant, thought leader, and business developer. I envision myself as a powerful team leader responsible for driving innovations and long-term corporate planning. My experience thus far in Finance has given me an excellent foundation for understanding marketing strategy, business intelligence, and the financial impacts of decision-making, and I think leveraging these experiences will help develop me into a well-rounded corporate executive.

Poonam: When did you start preparing for your application? Could you please share your application strategy, planning, and preparation with our readers?

Ryan: I started preparing for my applications a full year before I applied. This all fell into my 5-year plan that I mentioned before; when I realized that I was ahead of schedule, I began to "pretend" that I was applying for business school a year before I actually planned to submit applications. I began to think about my stories, my essays (because they generally stay the same), and my candidate profile compared to those I would read about on GMAT Club and the schools' websites. Over the next year, I would tweak my stories (adding or changing based on my new experiences) and did some soul-searching to understand why I would get my MBA. Then four months before the Round 1 deadline for my target school (Emory), I started to get in gear. Because of my preparation over the past year, I pretty much knew all of the stories I wanted to tell and how I would speak to them in the interview. However, I was not sure how to best convey my ideas in the almost impossibly short essays. That is why I contacted you!

Poonam: So what was the most challenging aspect of the school admissions process? How did you approach that challenge and overcome it? How would you advise other MBA applicants who are facing similar challenges?

Ryan: The essays were the most challenging aspects of the admissions process. As I said before, I felt I had enough preparation for interviewing skills, and knowing my story that most of the application process did not bother me. However, writing an essay about an important, impactful story in only 250 words is VERY challenging. I think the easiest way for me to tackle these essays was to think about them in the STAR format and then write down an outline. I spent about an hour a day looking over my STAR outlines and writing notes about my stories, and then picking the most impactful ideas to include in my writing. Ultimately, the help I received from you really made my essays shine. I think it's great having an outside, objective viewpoint to help drive the meaning of the story home. Also, receiving feedback like, "this point you made is incredibly impactful, so why did you wait until the last paragraph to tell me this?" made writing my essays a lot easier.

 My advice to prospective applicants is - KNOW your personal stories inside and out and then tell them to as many people as possible. That is what you will do to the Ad Com, so why not practice on people who can tell you what will make you better?

Poonam: Great suggestion. You applied to only one school.  How is Emory the best school for you?

Ryan: I thoroughly researched potential programs and their benefits, and Emory stood out to me as the best choice for a few reasons. First, Emory is located in Atlanta, the geographic location where I would like to work. Second, the class sizes are small, meaning you develop an intimate relationship with students and faculty. Third, I believe your Net Worth is your network, and Emory's class structure facilitates a powerful network within the program. Finally, Emory's reputation in the Southeast as a top-tier Consulting and Finance school means I can get exposure to a great curriculum that will help me develop as a strategic thinker and leader. Also, it will open doors to potential employers that recognize the pedigree of the program's rigorous yet thorough nature.

Poonam: You were admitted to Emory for both the 1-year and 2-year programs with a very generous merit-based scholarship: $45,000 for the 1-year program and $60,000 for the 2-year program. Which one have you decided to join, and why?

Ryan: I was excited to receive the news about my scholarships, and ultimately, I decided to commit to the one-year program. I feel my education and employment backgrounds lend well to the accelerated nature of their program as I am very quantitatively -focused in both realms. I don't feel that I need to leverage an internship to continue the career path that I am interested in. Additionally, the ROI on a One-Year MBA is incredible – you enter the workforce quicker, and the program is less expensive. It's a win-win. A caveat, though, is it is a lot of work. They make that clear as you enter the program. But if you have the right background they are looking for, you will succeed.

Poonam:  That's true. Do you have any admissions tips for applicants aiming for the top 20 MBA programs?

Ryan: In the age of the internet, almost everything you need is at your fingertips. Research schools, research what they are looking for, and previous and current class statistics…research everything. Then really do some soul searching to figure out what it is that you are looking for. Once you have done those things, don't be shy to ask (and sometimes pay) for help. I purchased a GMAT study course and countless interview books and admissions guides. However, I believe my most helpful resource was you, Poonam. Having someone on your 'team' to be completely objective about your entire candidacy profile is invaluable. You need someone on your side who is willing to ask questions and challenge you on what you are trying to communicate. Poonam was that resource for me, and I certainly would have struggled through the entire application process without her. But most importantly, know your STORY. Why  MBA?  Why now? Once you've sold YOURSELF on the idea of an MBA and truly believe your reasoning,  you can get into any school you want to. Oh, and proofread everything. Do not embarrass yourself by misspelling something on your résumé.

Poonam:  Thanks for your valuable insights. Do you plan to stay in Atlanta after receiving your MBA? Do you plan to relocate elsewhere?

Ryan: I am interested in staying in Atlanta– I already have a solid network in the area and enjoy the vibrant nature of the city and employment opportunities. I have also considered relocating to potentially North or South Carolina or potentially New York, but I think my heart is in Atlanta.

Poonam: What are your favorite non-school books?  What are your hobbies?

Ryan: Anything by Nelson DeMille. He is an ex-military author who writes suspense/ action historical fiction, usually centering around anti-terrorism or government conspiracy. My favorite book is The Gold Coast, but Charm School and The Lion are also incredible. When I am not reading, I enjoy trying out new recipes in the kitchen, riding my bike, or attending live theater or symphonic concerts.

Poonam:  Thank you, Ryan, for sharing your story with us. It was a pleasure chatting with you. Your valuable insights will be a great resource to prospective MBA candidates. Good luck with your Emory experience and your future career.

Click here for Ryan's testimonial of MER services.

Click here for Ryan's GMAT Club review.

Note: You can connect with Ryan via LinkedIn.

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Since 2011, MER (myEssayReview) has helped many applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA programs worldwide. (MER owner Poonam is among the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club).

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