María José Güémez Calzado (Majo), Yale SOM’s MBA Class of 2026
Age: 26
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Undergraduate Institution and Major: ITAM, Economics
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company Mexico, 3 years
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I think I always knew or expected to do a masters degree but was not sure what that would be on until a couple of years ago. As an economics undergrad I felt like I had a solid understanding of core business topics, but was looking to strengthen my practical and leadership skills. As I grew as a consultant, business school was a way for me to take a break while also continue developing in both professional and personal skills that would allow me to stay in consulting for a longer time.
Why did you choose Yale SOM? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
The first thing that really stood out to us from SOM was its mission and commitment to the mission. My husband and I are both passionate about working towards more than just money and profit and we loved the idea of going to a school that not only supported but encouraged us to look beyond the private sector. Additionally, we loved how tied SOM is to the broader Yale community. Having the opportunity to take classes throughout the university is something we found would be really beneficial to our development and our overall experience. Finally, we really liked the community we saw at SOM. The willingness to help from current and former students and their relationship with the school years after graduating made us excited to be a part of the community for years to come.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2026?
I have always loved building community, sharing my culture in different environments, and getting involved in initiatives to support that. I recently joined the Latin America and Hispanic Student Association, where we work to build a strong sense of belonging for all LATAM and Hispanic students while also showcasing our culture. I hope to support my fellow Latin classmates to find within our community a sense of belonging and help each other develop ourselves in the best possible way at SOM.
Also, I am getting involved in the women in management club, looking forward to contributing to this community, creating and fostering an inclusive environment where every woman has the resources to develop and be successful in any matter.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
My husband and I applied to business school together and are now both students at Yale SOM. Building a strong admissions story that is aligned with your partner’s but is also your own can be tricky, along with the heightened anxiety of getting accepted into the same program, but going though the process together made it easier.
Post-MBA career interests:
In the short term, I am hoping to go back into consulting and continue working within the consumer and education sectors in Mexico and Latin America. In the long term, I would love to go into education management in Mexico and work to improve education accessibility across the country.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Get your GMAT/GRE done as soon as possible. My dad suggested I take it during my last semester in college and it made the overall process somewhat less stressful. You will probably take the test more than once, so budget and plan accordingly.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Focus on enjoying the process. While time-consuming and, at times, draining, there is so much introspection and learning about yourself you can do from writing down and exploring your passions, goals, and motivations. The right school will be waiting for you and you will have the best time at your MBA so make sure the process to get there is also enjoyable
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
GMAT. Going back to high school geometry and sentence correction were so tough! What really helped me get through it was knowing that there was an end in sight and gamifying my study. I would choose a random number of questions to answer per day, and it would be easy on myself when I was struggling. Having accountability buddies also helped me through the process and made it much more enjoyable, as I could talk to my friends about it.
What is your initial impression of the Yale SOM students/culture/community?
There is a very strong sense of community and support across the school. Everyone is willing to go out of their way to help you in whatever way they can. My personal favorite example is the hockey team and hockey captains. Some of our captains have played hockey their entire life and could be playing games every week, instead they are using their time to teach beginners and giving us the opportunity to learn and make hockey accessible to everyone. I personally really value that and am extremely grateful for their willingness to share and build a community instead of building a club where only experienced players can join.
What is one thing you have learned about Yale SOM that has surprised you?
I was really surprised by the school’s commitment to entrepreneurship and nonprofit work. SOM’s internship fund works to provide financial support for students who choose to pursue social work or entrepreneurship. This once again shows the school’s and students’ commitment to the mission and how we want to grow and build a stronger community together.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
I’m anxious about how I’m going to manage my time and juggle friends, homework, recruiting, and overall being a regular human being. I am a BIG FOMO person but also need sleep to function, so I will be working overtime to manage my multiple interests and commitments.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
The people I am meeting and will continue to meet. SOM has such a diverse group of students, not only culturally but also professionally. I am excited to get to know and learn from my classmates and their partners as well as everyone across the overall Yale community.
