Grant Zeller, Chicago Booth MBA Class of 2020
Age: 28
Hometown: Holland, PA
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Bucknell University, Economics & Philosophy
Pre-MBA Work Experience: A little over five years at Nielsen in market research focusing on consumer goods manufacturers in the New York/New Jersey area, as well as a stint at Sony Music Entertainment in Partner Development Analytics.
Why business school? Why now?
I loved my previous work experiences, but I felt I had “blind spots” in my business knowledge, particularly in areas such as finance that are essential to running any business. Since I didn’t necessarily feel like I wanted to stay in marketing-adjacent fields for my whole career, I came to the conclusion that it would be important to fill in those knowledge gaps. I was fortunate to come to this realization around the time that one normally attends business school.
Why Booth? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I happened to have a few classmates from undergrad who had gone through the MBA admissions process together before me and all wound up at different places, so I sought their diverse perspectives as I decided which schools I wanted to look into. One of them attended Booth and was really enthusiastic about recommending it for a few reasons.
First, he cited the University of Chicago’s extremely rich academic tradition, particularly in economics, and identified this as the foundation for Booth’s program. To be frank, I got the impression from some schools I visited that what happens in the classroom is not very impactful, which seems like a huge waste of time to me.
Second, he found that his classmates were consistently fun, intelligent, and down-to-earth, and genuinely looked out for one another, which definitely lines up with my experiences thus far.
Finally, he loved living in Chicago, and it was somewhat bittersweet for him that the post-MBA role he landed required him to move after graduation. Most Booth students live in “The Loop,” Chicago’s really beautiful and lively downtown area, and it’s been really fun and easy to explore other areas of the city.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
In my experience, market research tends to be a less traditional background among MBA students, yet it can be leveraged to inform virtually any decision in marketing strategy. I’m hopeful that this background will enable me to make informed contributions or recall unique anecdotes in my classes or in conversations with my peers.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I can be seen washing my car on Google Maps. See below:
Post-MBA career interests?
When I reflected on what aspects of my career to date I really enjoyed, I think my favorite components were coming together with a team of really smart, driven people to solve tough problems, and finding a way to convey analysis and solutions in a compelling, impactful story. There are many roles that fit this bill, but I am particularly drawn to management consulting, which will likely be my focus during recruiting season.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
If possible, I would recommend finishing decent drafts of the written responses (essays and short answers) as early as possible—like, earlier than what seems necessary. Then take a week or two completely off, and then revisit them. I was surprised by how much I wanted to change and how much value my edits added.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I think I overextended myself a bit in late summer/fall while I was completing the applications. The combination of applications on top of a full-time job was demanding enough, so to the extent that you can, I would recommend limiting other significant pursuits for a few months so you can devote as much energy as you can to the admissions process. You don’t want to feel like you could have or should have done more.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I was pretty nervous for interviews because of the uncertainty inherent to how they unfold. There are lots of different ways of coping with this uncertainty, but my method was to set a preparation process that I knew was rigorous and stick to it. For example, I created flashcards of typical interview questions and asked a friend to mock interview me, and also recorded myself answering the questions. Whenever anxiety would creep in, I would remind myself to trust the process and have faith that my preparation would be sufficient.
What is your initial impression of Booth’s students/culture/community?
I’m thrilled by how friendly everyone is! My fellow 1Y’s are all so excited to meet each other, and the 2Y’s are eager to meet the first years and help us get acclimated. The unofficial mantra of Booth’s culture is “pay it forward,” and this mentality is clearly evident and creates a strong and welcoming community.
I just returned from my “Random Walk,” Booth’s pre-orientation trip in which roughly a dozen 1Y’s are paired with four 2Y’s and travel to a far-flung locale — in my case, Cyprus. Throughout seven days filled with beach time and activities such as ATV riding along the coast (and, of course, seven late nights out), the whole group really gelled and became a family. It’s really easy to see why so many 2Ys say they met some of their closest friends on their Random Walks.
One thing you have learned about Booth that has surprised you?
It can be helpful to rely a bit on schools’ historical reputations when trying to decide which ones to apply to, but typically they are only part of the picture, and I’ve found that is certainly the case for Booth. Its historical reputation is that it is a finance school, and while that is certainly a huge strength of the program, it would be more precisely described as a quantitative school. Booth aims to produce MBAs that make well-reasoned, data-driven decisions, and given the era we are entering, that toolkit has never been more valuable.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Recruiting seems pretty daunting, and though there are many things to do during the first year of business school, landing an internship appears to be the single most important pursuit for most students. The 2Y’s assure us not to worry about it right now and that there will be plenty of assisted preparation for things like interviews and networking, but it’s hard to not look ahead on the calendar and get a little antsy.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Booth likes to tout its flexible curriculum, which I see as an opportunity to get early exposure to some of the “superstar” professors for which Booth is known. It would be pretty surreal to step into a business school classroom for the first time and learn from a Nobel laureate. Also, I love snow, and something tells me I’ve come to the right place for that.
