Neha Jain, Wharton MBA Class of 2025
Neha Jain, Wharton MBA Class of 2025Age: 28
Hometown: Southlake, TX
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Columbia University, Major: Operations Research, Minor: Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): Fulbright Scholar, Fulbright Taiwan, 1 year; Engagement Manager, Oliver Wyman Health and Life Sciences, 5 years
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
There are three main reasons. The first was a desire to push the envelope on prevailing ideas in my industry. As a management consultant at Oliver Wyman’s Health and Life Sciences practice, I had an incredibly rewarding run of expanding access to preventive care through “value-based care”. The work my teams and clients did helped improve health outcomes and reduce costs for older Americans, and we tackled this work from the patient, provider, and payor perspectives. I found myself extremely curious about whether or not we could move this kind of preventive care access to earlier age groups. After all, the earlier you can deliver quality preventive care to someone, the longer they will be in better health and the less costs they and the medical system will incur over time. I also found myself extremely curious as to whether non-Western paradigms of preventive care could be even more effective. Traditions like India’s Ayurveda and China’s Traditional Chinese Medicine have totally different approaches to the body and I wondered if these could be helpful tools in supporting younger patients who are increasingly more interested in traditional, alternative forms of healthcare. I knew business school would help me explore these questions and come up with business-led solutions. The second reason was to connect with new friends and professional contacts after emerging from the pandemic, a particularly socially isolating period. The third reason was to explore extracurricular interests like singing, comedic writing, and dancing after taking classes during the pandemic but never getting a chance to put on live shows.
Why did you choose Wharton? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
As I thought about the above factors motivating me to attend business school, Wharton became my top choice. In terms of my professional goals, I knew there was a world-class faculty I could bounce questions off of, a strong cohort of healthcare-minded peers and healthcare-focused classes, and an incredible dual degree program for me to explore my international healthcare interests: Lauder, a dual master’s degree program in International Studies. In terms of connecting with more friends and professional contacts, Wharton has one of the largest class sizes of the top business schools and a huge alumni base to match. In terms of extracurriculars, I was especially excited about writing for and performing in Follies, Wharton’s Broadway-level student-produced and acted musical.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2025?
I am not afraid to put myself out there. I speak up in class, I lead social events, and am generally okay with any situation where there is a risk of making a fool of myself. Luckily, I have yet to crash and burn. I hope in some way this helps peers see that it’s safe to put themselves out there too!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I like to experiment on myself with various psychosomatic wellness techniques and herbs, like ashwagandha (Indian ginseng), the Emotional Freedom Technique, etc. and then share what works with friends! I can also beatbox on the flute.
Post-MBA career interests:
No matter what specific role I take on next, I want to drive impact at scale in U.S. healthcare by helping more people access better preventive care so they can live healthier lives at a lower cost. This could take shape as a returning management consultant deploying these ideas with clients, as a VC investing in the next wave of preventive care-focused start-ups, or even as an entrepreneur building out solutions I believe in.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would definitely talk to recent graduates of my top programs. Recent grads tend to have more time on their hands than busy MBAs and can still provide a clear picture of the school experience. I would also ask if these folks recommend any other programs based on their understanding of my profile. Ultimately, this question is what helped me find the Lauder program at Wharton!
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would start reflecting earlier on my story as an applicant and pressure test with multiple current/graduated MBA students.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Writing is rewriting, and that can be painful when you’re still juggling your job and struggle to objectively evaluate your own writing. I was very lucky to have supportive friends and a couple recent MBA grads who helped review my essays and push them to the next level.
What is your initial impression of the Wharton students/culture/community?
Wharton is an incredibly vibrant place with so many students from interesting cultural and professional backgrounds. I’ve enjoyed connecting with all the people I’ve met so far, and I know I haven’t even scratched the surface yet! I love all the traditions like Wharton’s Got Talent, Red & Blue Ball, and more that are helping us get to know each other as a community.
What is one thing you have learned about Wharton that has surprised you?
I have been really pleasantly surprised by all the infrastructure to support entrepreneurship. From several entrepreneurship clubs, to a multi-story entrepreneurship building stuffed with food labs, prototyping stations, marketing teams, etc., to an ecosystem of rich funding opportunities, there is so much support and encouragement to be an entrepreneur. Academics also help add structure to this experience with classes like Innovation, where you pitch and develop your own ideas in teams, and Venture Capital and the Finance of Innovation, where you learn about how VC funding works from the investor and founder perspective.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
As someone who craves a lot of solo, deep thinking time but also enjoys socializing and meeting new people, I’m looking forward to finding ways to strike that balance at Wharton – a place that’s equally full of intriguing ideas to ponder and intriguing people to meet!
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Follies 48!!!
