Today we interviewed Tanya Saigol, a dear friend and former colleague of our founder. Tanya was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan, but pursued her higher education in the US. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014, and subsequently worked at JP Morgan in Singapore. Today she is getting her MBA at Harvard Business School, and expects to graduate in 2019.

Check out her interview with us below:

PrepMe: You’re from Pakistan, from a family who is involved in private education, among other ventures. So why did you choose to study in the US? And why Penn?

Tanya Saigol: As much as I love Pakistan, I felt that my personal development and the longevity of my family’s business was predicated on my going abroad to build a network and learn best business practices.

PM: Did you apply early or regular decision?

TS: Early decision. After visiting Penn I was certain that’s where I wanted to go.

PM: What was the toughest part of undergrad application for you?

TS: The personal statement/essay.

PM: What was your major at Penn?

TS: International Relations

PM: What was your favorite thing about Penn?

TS: The friends that I have made from all over the world.

PM: Now you’re getting an MBA- why?

TS: I had never formally studied business and while that is not necessary to run a successful company, I still felt I had a long way to go in becoming a good general manager and entrepreneur. The MBA experience has addressed this skill gap and has also helped expand my network in the US and internationally.

PM: Why Harvard?

TS: The case method and the Section experience! Both are incredible and make the HBS experience unlike any other.

PM: How is it different from undergraduate education?

TS: There are more differences than similarities. The MBA program is socially, academically, and professionally more rigorous but the pressure is self-imposed. At HBS, for example, grades do not matter and students generally take courses that interest them without fear of underperforming.

PM: How was the application process different from the undergraduate education?

TS: The MBA application process is more goal oriented. The majority of the schools that I applied to wanted to know 1) my motivation for getting an MBA and 2) what I hoped to accomplish with the degree

PM: Being an international student do you think that it brings you more advantages or disadvantages with regards to both the application processes and the undergrad and grad experiences in the US?

TS: Advantages, providing you have solid English language skills and a willingness to learn outside your comfort zone.

PM: Do you have any advice for current high schoolers looking to apply to the US? What about for professionals looking to apply to grad school?

TS: For current high school students, there are many fantastic colleges and universities in the US, don’t get hung up on rankings. For prospective MBA candidates, make sure you are thoughtful about why you want a degree and what you hope to accomplish with it.