Finding Home as a Couple at Yale SOM
Ivan Esquinca ’26 and Majo Guemez ’26 reflect on their experience navigating business school as husband and wife.
We’re Majo and Iván, a married couple from Mexico navigating the SOM experience together at Yale SOM. When we first met in college, we never imagined that one day we’d be applying to business school together. Majo had always been certain that an MBA was part of her future, and she solidified that goal while working as a consultant at McKinsey. For Iván, the idea of business school was more of a possibility than a plan. While he envisioned himself pursuing an MBA at some point, he wasn’t sure when or where his career would take him. As our professional paths evolved, so did our conversations about business school. When we got married in September 2023, we knew that in just a few months, we’d be diving into the stress and uncertainty of MBA applications together.
Applying to business school is an intense experience on its own. Doing it as a couple? Twice the stress, twice the anxiety. We weren’t just worried about getting in—we had to get in together. Every rejection or waitlist would impact not just one of us, but both. And of course, everyone asked the same dreaded question: “What if you don’t get into the same school?” Our answer: “We will.” (Truthfully, we just didn’t want to dwell on the possibility.)
At the same time, applying together was one of our greatest advantages. We were each other’s biggest supporters, motivating each other through GMAT prep, essay writing, and interview prep. Majo had taken the GMAT early, but she organized a study group for our friends, encouraging us all to stay on track. We applied in Round 2, which meant spending our Christmas vacation finalizing applications instead of fully relaxing—but at least we understood exactly what the other was going through.
When we were choosing where to apply, Majo recalled advice she’d received: When choosing a business school, look at the people you admire most at work, and figure out where they went to business school. Some of her closest mentors and friends were SOM alums, which made us curious. Meanwhile, Yale had already been on Iván’s radar for a long time. In high school, he spent six weeks at a Yale summer program and fell in love with the campus and New Haven. The idea of coming back as a student was exciting.
SOM’s focus on leadership for business and society resonated deeply with us. Majo is passionate about education, and Iván has always been drawn to economic development and public policy. While applying, we attended an event in Mexico City where Dean Charles spoke to us personally; that sense of belonging really made a difference. But what truly solidified our decision was our visit during the interview weekend. We attended a class, spoke with students, and got a firsthand feel for the culture. We met other prospective students (including one who later became a close friend), but intentionally avoided making too many connections—we didn’t want to jinx our acceptance by getting too attached.
When decision day finally came, we were skiing on the West Coast, refreshing our inboxes after a long day on the slopes. Seeing two acceptance emails from SOM was one of the happiest moments of our lives.
We took a week to celebrate before making our final decision. To avoid influencing each other, we spent a week separately researching, talking to alumni, and reflecting. When we finally sat down for dinner to discuss it, the decision was instant: SOM was the place for us.
Coming to SOM was the first time we were starting something completely new at the same time. We worried about how it might feel, but it has been surprisingly easy. Since we’re both living the same experiences—classes, recruiting, social events—it’s natural to share and support each other.
One of the best parts? The friendships. We each have our own friends and we have “couple” friends; but in the end, they’re all just friends. Iván jokes that even though he’s a Green Cohort student, he’s also an honorary Silver Cohort member thanks to Majo.
SOM keeps us busy. Between academics, career prep, and social events, it’s easy to get caught up in everything. Early on, we agreed to be intentional about making time for each other—planning dates, even if it’s just grabbing coffee between classes. We have found hobbies to do together, such as playing hockey every Wednesday, and individual hobbies, such as golfing or watching Dancing with the Stars with friends. We also decided that just because we’re married doesn’t mean we have to do everything together. If one of us wants to go to a party and the other doesn’t, that’s okay. We support each other in experiencing business school in our own ways.
SOM has already shaped us in ways we never expected, and we know this experience will stay with us long after graduation. The friendships we’ve built, the lessons we’ve learned, and the experiences we’ve shared are things we’ll carry with us for life. Sometimes we joke that this feels like a dream—one that will be hard to wake up from when we go back to working full-time and living in different places than our friends. But for now, we’re making the most of every moment.
