Why Yale SOM?

At this time of year, some of you may be weighing offers from several schools, while others are just beginning to investigate business schools. In either case, we thought you might benefit from hearing from several of our students about why Yale SOM was the right choice for them.

Diana Stein '10

I was particularly attracted to the integrated curriculum. Given that I’d studied business as an undergraduate (finance and accounting), I was not looking for the business school experience to be as much about learning the hard skills as about how the various silos work together in the real world. I felt that both the combination of cases and lectures as well as the integration of various business disciplines which SOM teaches in the core was unique.

Jason Hill '11 

When I came to Welcome Weekend at SOM, the sense of ownership felt by the students for the school was palpable. In every conversation and presentation, I could tell that I’d found a student body who believed their actions could shape and improve the SOM experience. Unlike the transactional vibe at some other schools, it was clear that SOM’s unique culture and tight community were both built on this sense of responsibility. It was clear that SOM would provide not only a stellar education and network but also the opportunity to help build something exciting. I wanted to be a part of that energy.

Kate Derr '11

I wanted a business school where I could easily apply what I learned in the classroom to real-world business settings. The integrated curriculum allows me to learn every avenue of business through the multiple perspectives of the different players in the business cycle. I chose SOM for its willingness to think globally about how an MBA can best be used in this world. SOM’s vision of the necessity to engage successful and talented leaders in the social sector aligns with my own professional goals.

Howard Chang '11 

I chose SOM because the community really stood out to me. I connected with the students and faculty because we shared similar values and goals. What’s even better is that I’ve seen that our community really extends beyond the great friendships I’ve made in my class to the alumni and across the university. The curriculum takes a very unique approach to teaching the core business skills and then challenging us to combine those skills to become more thoughtful leaders. The way that SOM continues to develop the curriculum shows me just how driven students and faculty are to create a great program here.

Mark Butterworth '11

I had never lived in the U.S. before, and so ended up visiting nine schools in total to get a feel for each of them and their surroundings. I found it remarkable how self-selecting the process was: some schools just didn’t “feel” right. Yale SOM is unique in its combination of curriculum design, small class size and dual focus on both business and society. That blend just sat right with me over and above the other schools I experienced.

Hiromi Yoshida '11

I chose to come to Yale because I had heard of the diversity of the student body and was excited about learning about a variety of topics from unique and different perspectives. In addition, as a joint degree student with absolutely no background in business, I appreciated both the structure and flexibility of the program. The first six weeks allowed me to gain basic knowledge and skills that would be useful for the rest of the program. And then the flexibility that the program offers allows me to create my own MBA curriculum so that I may explore the intersections between medicine and business.

Ethan Brown '11

I chose SOM because I was impressed by the quality of SOM’s faculty, particularly in marketing, and was attracted to the sense of community that I saw during my visits to campus. Once welcome weekend ended, I knew where I was going to go!

Jamila Amarshi '11

I chose SOM because after speaking to students, professors, and staff at different schools, it was clear to me that SOM was the only school that understood and embraced my non-traditional background and goal of combining business with education and the arts. When I visited the school, I was struck by the strong sense of community and welcoming atmosphere, and by decision time, the choice was obvious!



Admissions Office
Yale School of Management
135 Prospect Street
Box 208200
New Haven, CT 06520-8200
203.432.5635, Admissions Office
203.432.6380, Visitor Center
fax 203.432.7004 
mba.admissions@yale.edu