Unsure of her post-graduate options, Arianna Shahin turned to the SPDC for guidance and gained acceptance into Wake Forest University with a scholarship.
Arianna Shahin ’21 did not know what she wanted to do upon graduation. With no ideas in mind, Shahin decided to meet with a career advisor to gain perspective about her post-graduate options as an Accounting major. It was during that meeting that Shahin began to think about attending graduate school for the very first time.
After thinking about it, Shahin started the application process, deciding graduate programs would be the right move due to its advantages. Here she could further her education in the field while also preparing for The Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. By working with the SPDC staff and utilizing their resources like Big Interview, Shahin gained acceptance with a scholarship into her top-choice graduate school, Wake Forest.
Recently, Shahin answered some questions from the SPDC about her application experience.
Who did you work with, and what help did you receive from the Student Professional Development Center?
In the Student Professional Development Center, I worked with Rhonda Kosusko, who helped me edit essay questions for my applications. I also had a mock interview with Ms. Kosusko in preparation for graduate school program interviews. I found it helpful to run through basic interview questions in this setting as I got feedback while simultaneously gaining practice experience. Ms. Kosusko also assisted me greatly in my decision-making process, working to understand what I truly was looking for in a graduate program.
What recommendations would you share with students about the Student Professional Development Center?
Working as a Student Ambassador at the Student Professional Development Center has allowed me to understand the office’s resources for Elon students. In preparation for my graduate school applications, I heavily utilized these resources. I made appointments to review my resume, edit essay questions, and practice with a mock interview. I found all of these to be impactful as I gained professional insight into my preparation.
I also used Big Interview – a free online resource offered by the SPDC – as an additional tool to help prepare for my interview. I am very grateful for these resources provided by the SPDC as they contributed to my confidence as an applicant in general while also aiding my preparedness for the application process.
Please tell me about your experience getting accepted into Wake Forest.
Wake Forest was my top-choice graduate school program. Therefore, I worked diligently on completing my application ahead of the deadline. I became proactive about writing my essays and meeting with SPDC advisors to review the application’s specific components. I also reached out to the admissions counselor at Wake Forest to answer my questions.
During my interview with Wake, I felt very confident and prepared because of my mock interview with the SPDC and my practice utilizing Big Interview.
Just a few weeks after the interview, I received an email about being accepted into Wake and the scholarship I was awarded. That moment was indeed one of the most rewarding moments I have ever experienced. It felt like all my hard work and perseverance had paid off.
What career goals do you have after you gain experience?
After graduate school, I would like to work for a public accounting firm to gain additional experience in the field and utilize the knowledge I gained from the master’s program. While doing so, I plan to work towards obtaining my CPA license.
A long-range goal is to open my own dance studio and ultimately combine my Dance and Accounting passions.
Which faculty members did you work with to prepare, and what help did you receive?
In addition to the SPDC, I worked closely with two of my professors, Hani Tadros and Chris Baker, to prepare my graduate school applications. These two faculty members have genuinely inspired me throughout my time at Elon and gave me the confidence I needed to succeed. I cannot thank them enough for providing letters of recommendation and believing in my academic abilities throughout my time at Elon.