MBA Student Profile: Kristina Schneider, Tuck School of Business

TopMBA.com talks to Kristina Schneider about her decision to do an MBA, why she chose Tuck School of Business, and her future career plans. 

What were you doing before your MBA?

I was working as a Facilities Management consultant in Germany, advising clients from various industries in a range of cities and abroad during construction or reorganization on numerous aspects of the operation of their real estate. Before that I successfully finished by Bachelors degree in Property Development at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England.      

What were your main reasons for deciding to attend business school?

After my employer hired an ex-management consultant, I saw the differences in her approach and our company's approach. I realized that I needed more business experienced and decided to go to b-school to learn the relevant tools. Additionally, the learning curve in my prior job had started to flatten.      

What research did you undertake in selecting your school?

I looked at rankings and read - A Business Week Guide: The Best Business Schools - as well as the websites of the schools I was interested in. I also made it a point to attend the World MBA Fair and talked to alums.      

What were the main criteria in your selection?

My primary criterion was a strong general management curriculum (with some classes in real estate). Also, the school had to be known in the recruiting world, i.e. I only looked at the Top 20 schools.      

Why did you decide to study either in your own country or overseas?

My first decision was whether I wanted to attend b-school in the U.S. or in Europe. I decided on the U.S. as my profile was closer to the typical MBA candidate there. I also felt that the American programs had additional benefits due to their long history (Tuck is the oldest business school in the world) as well as the impact of the U.S. economy on the world.      

How well do your think the MBA is regarded in your home country?

I think the MBA is seen as increasingly important in Europe. With the Bologna convention taking full effect in 2010, all of Europe has (theoretically) shifted to Bachelor's and Master's degree. This will give an MBA from a top U.S. school a bigger weight than possibly today.      

How are you financing your studies?

I am financing my studies via personal savings and a loan offered through the school by an independent organization.             

Have you already been, or do you intend to become an entrepreneur?

Long-term I can see myself becoming an entrepreneur. However, I think that there is value in supplementing b-school learning with real life work experience, first.      

Are there any well-known and/or successful entrepreneurs that are alumni of your school?

There are a good number of success stories. In consulting there is Bill Achtmeyer, Founder of The Parthenon Group. There is James Allwin, Founder of the Allwin Initiative at Tuck and many others.     

How much do you expect to earn on graduation?

Around $100,000 p.a.      

What do you expect to do on graduation and where do you expect to be based?

Upon graduation, I expect to work in the U.S. and be a management consultant.      

How easy or difficult do you expect it to be to achieve these objectives?

I think my personality along with the tools acquired while at Tuck will make these objectives achievable - through hard work. Due to the teamwork emphasize at Tuck as well as the opportunities provided by extra-curricular activities, I am learning a lot about leading people. I also know that I can rely on the strong alumni network, if I need help along the way.