About Aadhar: Aadhar is originally from Mumbai, India. He studied Computer Engineering during his undergrad at the University of Mumbai, and after graduation, worked in Digital Strategy and Tech Consulting at Deloitte. At Anderson, he seeks to pivot from Consulting into Product or Strategy roles within the Tech Industry.

---

Share Success. I remember hearing these words repeatedly during my Anderson application process – in coffee chats, webinars, and even my interview! Naturally, it seemed too good to be true, like a catchy tagline. After spending 9 months in the program, I can confidently say it’s more than that – Share Success is truly at the heart of Anderson’s culture and is ingrained within every aspect of the MBA experience.

For most of us non-LA natives, the ethos kicks in a couple of months before setting foot on campus. Transitioning to a new city brings many challenges and anxiety, but the second years really come through with their guides and checklists. They make it easy to figure out everything from apartment hunting to navigating public transportation. Even the first years who arrive early begin internalizing this spirit. I remember some of them went on apartment tours on behalf of others and even let them crash with them before their leases began.

While the program sets us up for success once school begins by forming learning groups with diverse backgrounds, your classmates really go above and beyond to ensure everyone can do well. A few examples: one classmate has shared their study guide and final notes with the entire class before every midterm and final, learning team members who know a subject really well spend additional time to help others get through the material, and Anderson even provides students the opportunity to meet regularly with tutors for each of the core classes if needed.

Now, for the big one: Recruiting. Many of us come to B-School to pivot into a new industry or role and fortunately, Anderson has it covered by placing first-years into Anderson Career Teams (ACT) and Interview Prep Teams (IPT), which are student-led groups designed to educate first years on the industry they’re targeting to prepare them to pursue careers in their desired fields. These teams are run by second-year Anderson students who sacrifice their time to ensure the first years can put their best foot forward in recruiting. Although everyone in the same year is theoretically competing for employment opportunities, it doesn’t appear so. Those who interview for a role first gladly share the questions asked and do mock interviews with other Anderson candidates so that they could be better prepared.

I can list a dozen more examples, but the bottom line is if a cutthroat MBA experience is the norm, Anderson is the exception. This is a place where you grow together with your classmates and where the community is always looking out for you.

---

• Student Blogger: Aadhar Gautam FTMBA’25 
• Undergrad: University of Mumbai ’19 
• Pre-MBA: Consultant at Deloitte
• Leadership@Anderson: VP of International Relations, Anderson Onboarding Committee; Director of International Outreach, Admissions Ambassador Corps; Director of Career Development, Technology Business Association
• Instagram: @aadhar01