Share this article on...
Contact Us
- Report errors or inaccuracies topmba@qsnetwork.com
- Contribute articles contribute@qsnetwork.com
- Advertise advertise@qsnetwork.com
MBA student - Anton Voronstov
Before embarking on his MBA, Anton Vorontsov ensured his application was the best it could be. The MBA candidate at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, talks with QS TopMBA.com about his career and what it’s like to be a part of the MBA Class of 2009.
Anton Vorontsov
MBA - Class of 2009
The University of Chicago
Graduate School of Business
avoronts@ChicagoGSB.edu
TopMBA: What were you doing before your MBA?
Anton: I set the goal to get into a top business school rather early - shortly after the graduation from Kharkiv National University in Ukraine. At that time I was working in the international department of one of the local Ukrainian banks and was responsible for the management of correspondent accounts opened with foreign banks. In September 2002 I visited New York for a one week training seminar organised by Deutsche Bank. While I was there I visited the campuses of Yale and Columbia business schools to meet students. These meetings had an invaluable influence on my further development. Within three months after my return from New York, I moved to Kiev, the political and financial capital of Ukraine, and found a new job in international banking. Later, to strengthen my pre-MBA credentials, I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers Ukraine, where I experienced three challenging years of professional growth. Eventually, I was ready for the step that I had been planning for many years.
TopMBA: What were your main reasons for deciding to attend business school?
Anton: An MBA degree is a great opportunity to boost a career and become an international player. Although there are a number of success stories among my peers and friends in Ukraine, I am still fascinated by the global markets and career growth they might bring.
TopMBA: What research did you undertake in selecting your school?
Anton: The selection process was quite straightforward, -the higher the ranking of a school, the better it is. My search focused on the US magic seven business schools.
TopMBA: Have you ever visited the QS World MBA Tour? If yes, did you find it useful?
Anton: I visited the QS World MBA Tour in Kiev in October 2006 and found it extremely useful. Although I had rather good knowledge about each business school I was applying to, meeting their representatives in person helped me significantly in writing application essays. It was a great chance to get a hint about the culture of a school and learn something which is not published on a school's website.
TopMBA: What were the main criteria in your selection?
Anton: Speaking about Chicago GSB, the main criteria I used in selecting this school was the ability it had to differentiate itself from others. It was the first business school, which started making regular visits to Kiev, Ukraine with presentations of its executive MBA program. Although my goal was to apply to a full-time program, the opportunity to speak with EMBA students had a positive impact on my impression of the school.
TopMBA: How well do your think the MBA is regarded in your home country?
Anton: During the last five years MBAs have become a hot topic in Ukrainian "white collars" circles. A number of local business schools have appeared which reflect the growing demand from middle and top management in theoretical backgrounds of doing business. Currently, there is a process of adjusting the quality of education from one side and the expectations from another.
TopMBA: What was the main reason for you choosing to study abroad?
Anton: Overseas MBA programs have always been the priority for me. Mainly because of the key word "international": international experience, career, and networking. The environment I am exposed to in an overseas MBA program is inevitably larger than in any local business school. In other words it is a question of where to sail - in the sea or in the ocean.
MBA Admissions