IV with a Self-Funded MBA Applicant Admitted to INSEAD

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring  interviews with MBA applicant bloggers, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at  the MBA application process. And now†¦introducing Hasmita Nair. Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What is your favorite non-school book? Hasmita: Im a South African and was born in a small coastal town called Port Elizabeth. I later moved to a bigger city, Johannesburg, and studied Actuarial Science at the University of Witwatersrand. After that, I worked at Procter and Gamble as a financial analyst, then moved to Nedbank Capital where I worked in Market Risk, and for the past 4 years Ive been at Anglo American in Treasury. I love reading; my favourite book is probably A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Accepted: Congratulations on your acceptance to INSEAD! Why do you think this is the best program for you? What are you most looking forward to? Hasmita: There were a few things that attracted me to INSEAD. First, the global appeal of the school. I loved that I could study in both Singapore and France. I also liked the fact that it is a relatively short MBA. Because I am self funded, the U.S. MBAs of 2 years+ were not really an option for me. Accepted: Can you talk about how you raised your tuition money?   Hasmita: I got a partial scholarship from INSEAD, and also got a loan from Prodigy for a portion. For the rest, I used money generated from the sale of my apartment and my car. As a last resort, I was going to cash out my pension but Im glad I didnt have to. Accepted: Can you share a few tips for our applicants who may also be struggling with how to finance their MBAs? Hasmita: I think that if you can get into a world class MBA, the money will sort itself out. Money is really not a reason not to apply if you believe you have the potential. There are so many scholarships out there, and student loans are always an option too. I like to think that my salary post MBA will make it worth being in all this debt now. Accepted: Do you plan on returning to that industry after you graduate, or entering a new field?   Hasmita: My hobby is freelance journalism, I write for a few magazines and a national newspaper, focusing on food and travel. I would love to merge my passion for writing with finance somehow. Perhaps strategy for a large travel company? Im keeping my options open right now. Accepted: Looking back, what was the most challenging aspect of the b-school admissions process? How did you approach that challenge and overcome it? Hasmita: Because the deadlines were all at similar times, and I applied to 8 schools, the application process was all consuming for a period of time. The application essays were grueling, and it took a lot of time and energy. Applying was also expensive; I just paced myself and took it one step at a time. I also project managed my referees, because asking them to complete 8x referrals was an equally grueling request. I made them aware of what needed to be done long in advance and all went smoothly. Accepted: Can you tell us more about your blog? When did you start blogging? What have you gained from the experience? Do you plan on continuing to blog over the course of your studies? Hasmita: My blog, Jozilicious, started as a way for me to express myself creatively. Ive always been passionate about food and travel, and found myself giving recommendations to people a lot, so I thought that Id be better off posting all my favourite spots online. About a year and a half ago, I was offered my own page in a national newspaper, and after that my freelance journalism career took off. Its been great to have such a fulfilling hobby, but it does get difficult managing my time. I am definitely planning to blog while Im in Singapore and France. I think my readers will be interested to see what Ive been up to. For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. For specific advice on how to create the best application for INSEAD, check out our  INSEAD 2014 MBA Essay Tips!   You can read more about Hasmita’s b-school journey by checking out her blog, Jozilicious.  Thank you Hasmita for sharing your story with us! Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best