Admission Questions? Ask Our Expert
Chioma Isiadinso
I had been in the admissions business for three years at Carnegie Mellon University when I moved to Cambridge to take on an assistant director role at the Harvard Business School. From the open houses and information sessions to the countless phone calls that barraged our offices every day, one thing was clear: MBA candidates were stressed out about their applications. It’s safe to say that with rejection numbers in the 80-to-90 percent range at the best schools, applicants recognize that they are up against significant odds to get an acceptance letter from a top program.
I took away one important lesson from my ten years in admissions: The successful candidates are highly memorable. It wasn’t until I left Harvard and launched my consultancy firm, EXPARTUS, that it dawned on me that the successful applicants to business school had figured out what many consumer goods companies know too well: the importance of selling a value proposition to a customer. I authored The Best Business School Admissions Secrets, and now counsel MBA applicants to help them find the right value proposition to get into their dream schools. Some of my advice can be found here at Poets&Quants, including Understanding the MBA Admissions Cycle and GMATs and GPAs: What You Need to Know About the Raw Numbers.
In any case, I’ve agreed to help anxious applicants with difficult questions at Poets&Quants. No question is out of bounds. Worried about your undergraduate record? Concerned about your GMAT score? Not entirely certain where you should apply to get your MBA? Unsure of how to answer the essay questions? Wondering who you should ask to write your letters of recommendation?
Fire away. I’ll do my best to answer your queries.
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Hi,Chioma,
I’m from China.I have one question about MBA program. Which university offer a better MBA program, Drexel University or University of Colorado at Boulder? Could you give me some detail reasons ? Thank you very much.
Best regards,
Evelyn
Hi Chioma,
I really appreciate your effort in solving so many queries.
I will put forward my questions very briefly. First my profile.
UG :Bachelor of Engineer in Mechanical & Production from one of top private university in India.
Among top 10 in the department of 120 students.
GMAT : 650, giving another shot soon. Aiming 700+.
WE : Almost two years’ experience as Project Engineer with a leading Software Company to develop E-Commerce application for country’s largest Insurance Company.
-I was appointed “People’s Champ” for my company and was responsible for conducting various Sports Events and Cultural Activities in our company.
ECs and accomplishments :-Represented my college in a national level business quiz and won the First Prize in the year 2008.
-Performed at many big stages including those of Indian Idol(semi-finalist), X-Factor and have been invited to sing at various public gatherings.
-Classical Singer and also a proficient Tabla Player.
- Proficient in French, learning spanish and mandarin. Hope to finish in 2 years(By the time i apply to b-schools).
I am planning to apply to 1 year MBA after 2 years(Avoiding 2 yr program in US due to cost and not so great profile). Looking for career shift into consulting.
My questions;
1) How realistic are my chances at INSEAD?
2) Insead looks for international exp. How important is that?
3) What more can i do in these 2 years to maximise my chances at INSEAD.
4)Do i stand any chance in top US b-schools?
Looking forward for your reply.
Thanks,
Priyanka.
Hi Chioma,
Thanks very much for the assistance you provide on this site…
Like most others, I am looking for some professional perspective on my business school aspirations – are they realistic? should I change my anticipated target schools? my anticipated timeframe? is quant an issue?
Stats -
–GMAT: 740 (47Q/45V), 6.0 AWA – 1st attempt.
–GPA: 3.6 from ivy league. Major in linguistics, english lit minor. Strong improvement (3.7 last 2), but some grade inflation at ivy league college, and minimal quant courses (A in calculus 1 (B median grade), B+ Econ 1 (B+ median) – both 1st yr…Linguistics is highly analytical but not quant). Studied abroad in New Zealand, Greece.
–Work Experience: 3.5yrs (to date) in asset management in Boston. Distressed debt/leveraged loans – medium size firm, but market leader in leveraged loan space. 6 months work experience in London (2010). Promoted research assistant –> research associate –> credit analyst (current), expect promotion to assistant vice-president this ~October. Lots of good experience w/company mgmt teams, negotiating loan terms, restructuring and bankruptcy process (US and Europe – have personally sat on steering committees). Personally responsible for $1.4Bil in non-inv-grade loans.
–Extra-curriculars: Big Brother (for 3yrs); CFA level III candidate (taking in June 2012) w/I and II passed 1st attempts (not sure how much this will help, but very proud of this after zero finance undergrad); play in a band (some Cambridge, MA concerts – I sing, play trumpet, some guitar); proficient in Latin, Ancient Greek (I love languages! I just had to give up French/Spanish for Ancient Greek in high school and never looked back…would love to re-up my Spanish (ok) at B-school). Loads of extracurriculars in college (serious singer, research assistance, weekly op-ed columnist, tutor, club sports, fraternity, senior society, others). Love love literature and poetry, write as much as I can.
–Reason for B-school: Want to get more involved in the operations/marketing/logistics/blood and guts of a company! Work experience has been great because of huge diversity of industries covered, wide exposure to capital markets, restructuring/bankruptcy proceedings, corporate finance as well as covering and investing in companies from $100M to $10Bil in revenue. But the ivory-tower judgments of finance are not for me – I want to help to build a company, department or brand; to wade waist-deep into company development (startup or burgeoning) and be personally responsible for under-, out- and all other types of performance. To lead inspired employees and build an awesome (better!) mousetrap from the ground up. Much more motivated by the prospect of inspiring and empowering employees than by salary, and I am willing to live on the cheapcheapcheap to do it. I didn’t study business undergrad and think the fantastic education, resources, student body of a top business school is crucial to transition to the general management/marketing/entrepreneurship career that I am interested in long term.
I am a white male from Northeast US working in finance (oh no!) and looking to apply to full-time MBA programs, mostly in the US. My tops are Berkeley, Columbia, NYU; also looking at Kellogg, MIT, Wharton, London Biz, maybe Yale. Stanford would be amazing, but not sure I have much of a chance there and really conflicted on where to apply given realistic cap of ~5 applications while working full time.
Questions are – how realistic is this? Should I wait another year, lock down CFA certification and AVP (though both could be complete this Fall…) and some further experience? Is my personal brand strong enough, or do I need to be more specific in career aspirations post-MBA? Are there issues w/quant? Extracurriculars?
Thanks in advance for your time and assistance.
Best,
Caleb
Dear Chioma,
In terms of the updates we should share with the admissions committee post application submission, do you suggest we should mail the institute if there has been a significant change in compensation. This may in a way be indicative of good performance, though I expect that in itself it would not provide the reader with enough to come to that conclusion.
Hi Chioma,
I have a unique question for you. The gist of my question is whether financially it is a good idea for me to pursue a MBA full time. I would really appreciate if you could provide your insight when you get a chance.
Let me start out with my professional and academic background.
I am a US permanent resident working for one of the top tech companies in US (pick one from Google, Intel, Apple, or Microsoft).
I completed my Undergrad (Bachelor of Engineering) in India (from an above average school) and then completed grad school (M.S.) from U.S (again, from an above average school).
Since my graduation from the grad school, I have been working for one of the aforementioned tech company for the past 6 years as a Senior Engineer. Because of my professional performance I also got ‘close to’ two promotions in these 6 years (it’s ‘close to’ because one promotion is on the way).
My current pay package is $121,000/annum (including bonuses but excluding stock options/profit sharing, which typically comes to +$20,000/annum).
From my Undergrad days in India, I always wanted to do a MBA from a leading American university. This yearning was for improving my professional skills as well as for being part of a unique experience. Right now, when I look at the cost involved in pursuing this dream, I am not very confident that this will be a good decision for me financially since the total investment in accomplishing this dream will be around $410,000, if I include my loss of current pay too.
I understand that new possibilities and avenues can open up for me with a MBA degree, but, my question for you is whether this pursuit will be worth the investment? How long will it take for me to recuperate my investment? Does this investment makes sense only if I get into a top tier MBA school?
I am aware of Mr. Buffet’s famous comment that the best investment is investing in education, however, the amount of money that I need to set aside and that I need to forgo for pursuing a full-time MBA is intimidating!
Hope you will reply to my question…
Thanks,
GreenHorn
Dear Chioma,
Thank you for taking the time out to review my profile. Let me give you a brief on my resume so that you can have a better understanding of the same:
a) Work Experience: I am planning to apply for 2013 batch and hoping to work till early 2013. I would have gained ~3 years of work experience (front end investment banking) which I think should prepare me to apply to a business school. I am also closely working with a couple of NGOs at this point of time. Will that be an important factor during the review process of my application?
b) International Exposure: Apart from my one year stint in the UK during my masters (A top British Uni), I don’t really have any international exposure. Having said that, I do work with a lot of mid-market and boutique investments banks in US and UK which might count as “international exposure”.
c) GMAT: I have a GMAT score of 710
d) Social Involvement: I have worked with C.O.R.P for one year teaching English in a municipal school in Mumbai and a six month internship with a microfinance firm covering rural areas and villages in the state of Rajasthan, India
e) Investment banking background: Mid-market investment banks in India give a better profile and exposure to its analysts as compared to their peers in the US and Europe. I have worked on live deals and also been a part of the business development exercise of the bank which is rare in global banks or US banks where analysts have a limited role.
f) Education: BA (Economics) Top of the class and university topper at Mumbai University, one of the oldest and prestigious arts and science college in India. Masters in Finance and Economics from a top British b-school.
g) Schools short listed: – Wharton Business School
- Yale SOM
- MIT Sloan
- Chicago Booth
- Kellogg
- Tepper School
- Columbia
- Duke
- Darden Virginia
I am still confused about schools in the UK (LBS, Judge and Oxford) and how much work experience they require since the average age in those schools is way higher than their American peers.
Please do let me know if my choice of schools is apt for my resume. Your thoughts will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for all your help and support.
Hoping to hear soon from you.
Hello USNA 08,
Thanks for your question.
You have an interesting background that many schools would be keen to have in their program. The 720 is solid. The 3.2 is a bit low but still competitive given Naval Academy (I’m assuming a traditionally tough major like Engineering….)
As an officer, I’m sure you will have solid stories to share to showcase your leadership so that’s likely solid as well. Off the bat, it’s likely the Stern, McDonough should come out admits (assuming you don’t blow the essays, recs, or interviews!). Wharton and Columbia should find you interesting as well….it will come down to how impressive the actual projects you worked on were and also how you tie it back to what you wish to do long term. You do have a shot at HBS as well. While it can go either way with HBS (depends on how you stack up compared to other Naval officers in the pool), how you position your story, what else you have from your personal life/background that has influenced you/your brand.
I don’t like to speak in percentages so the best way to view your school list is:
Likely Yes: Stern/Georgetown
Good shot if you don’t make any major mistakes in the execution of the application: Columbia, Wharton
Stretch: HBS but could still happen but you have to bring the big guns to the fight:-)
Hope this helps and all the best. Feel free to touch base if you want to talk more about your plans/positioning.
Cheers,
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Evelyn
Better is a subjective word…it depends on your goals, where you want to work after graduation, the type of experience you are looking for in an MBA program, etc. Also whether you want to live in Philadelphia an urban city vs Boulder (foothills of the Rocky Mountains). Also how important is diversity and having international students in your class? Colorado Leeds program has about 11% internationals vs Drexel’s 20%.
It’s a personal decision but do take time to do your research before selecting the best one.
Regards,
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Sunshine,
Thanks for your questions. You asked about INSEAD. It is probably one of the most international programs out there and it is near impossible to get admitted without evidence of some international work experience. See if you can work on a project outside India for several months or if your company doesn’t offer any international opportunities then explore whether a job change would give you that access. While international exposure is not a requirement for many business schools it is very helpful in differentiating you from others from your industry/demographic region so I recommend using the next two years to make sure you strengthen your leadership at work and outside work as well as taking on an international assignment.
All the best!
Regards,
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hello Caleb (Excited to Switch Career),
Thanks for sharing your question and quite frankly the way you write gave me a bit of an insight into who you are. Short answer: if you feel ready, apply round one this year. You come across as thoughtful, self-assured without arrogance, and interesting…B-schools like people who are comfortable in their own skin and don’t follow the herd (which is the way you come across). Trust yourself, your story. You have lots going on that you are genuinely interested in….stay connected to your passions especially outside work, continue to deliver quality impact at work and your rationale for b-school makes sense. Not convinced you need to get the CFA before applying. If you feel the extra time is needed then push off to next year but I don’t think you’ll need it. What’s the quant %?
You are also thinking of the app number the right way. 5 is a good number. School list is a good start. You may want to break it into two rounds…Pin down 3-4 round one and you never know, Stanford could still be in the running for you as a stretch which you could do round 2.
Give me a shout if you have other questions (chioma@expartus.com).
Hi Greenhorn,
You raise a really important question about the ROI of the MBA. This is a question so many applicants have to contend with. The short answer is that it is a personal decision that you have to make based on your particular situation.
Check out P&Q’S assessment of the recent GMAC study of MBAs and their view of the value of the degree (http://poetsandquants.com/2012/01/11/mba-still-worth-it-absolutely-say-alums/).
The study reports that the majority of the respondents viewed the MBA ROI positively, but the 14% who don’t have jobs yet may be rethinking the value of their investment.
Here are some questions worth asking yourself before taking a decision: Will you achieve success and be fully satisfied with your career without the MBA? Look at where you wish to end up (people in those roles—do most have MBAs?) If most do not, you likely can get to your end goal without the degree. Also assess how satisfied you are with your career/industry….If you are not looking to make huge changes career-wise, then it’s likely that you can navigate your career successfully without the MBA. For most people, the decision to pursue the MBA goes beyond the dollar amount they will make over the lifetime of their career and is more about the investment in themselves and developing a global network of potential investors, partners and friends.
Trust your gut when making this decision and I wish you continued success!
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Chioma,
I think i should also give you a little background and what my future plans might be:
- Male/ Indian / 24 years
- Finished BA (Eco) in 2008, MSc in 2009 and have been working with a leading Indian investment bank as an M&A/PE analyst.
- Have also worked with our in house research team to compile sector reports
- Organised and executed an Indian mid-market conference organized by the bank which attracted 170 companies and 80 investors
- Have also been involved with the sponsor group responsible for business development and deal origination for the bank.
- Hoping to continue with IB after MBA, with continued emphasis on the Indian economy and markets along with getting a holistic experience of the international settings and markets.
- Eventually start a VC fund to support agricultural industries in South Asia
I hope you can throw some light on my profile as an Indian applicant and my choice of schools.
Looking forward to your support and guidance
Thanking you in advance. Cheers
- Indian Banker
Hi Chioma,
My Profile:
- Male/Indian/28 years
- GMAT 700
- Work Exp: 2 years in IT Consulting with a global Consulting firm, 2 Years as a Business Analyst with a leading Investment Bank (Technology), 1.5 years as a HR consultant with a renowned Behavioral Economics Consulting firm (recruits from leading colleges of the world)
- Acads: 3.3 (Tier 2 college in India)
- International Exposure: 6 months in UK
- Extra Curriculats: Good (Co-Founder of couple of NPOs)
- Target Schools: INSEAD,LBS, Kellog
Question: Is my profile good enough? Do the 2 years of HR consulting make me a strong candidate (On diversity grounds), or do they make me come across as “Confused”?
Thanks in Anticipation!
Hi Indian Banker,
Thank you for your question. I think you have a realistic list of schools. Wharton and Columbia will be the most competitive but given your profile both are also within range assuming you have stellar recommendations and strong essays to back up the solid academic profile. If you think you could raise the GMAT score from 710 to a 740 or so, it is worth doing so.
Your goal of transitioning from banking into VC is not uncommon, however, keep in mind that getting into VC is super tough/competitive….Is Private Equity more of a realistic career plan? Worth looking at.
The other question that the admission board could have is Why Agriculture? You will have to back that up so it doesn’t seem like it comes from left field. For example, did if you worked on a Con Agra Foods deal or a similar company? If so, highlight what you liked about the food industry and what you would like to do to create impact in that space.
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi HR Consultant from India,
You will need to convey your thought process for going from IT consulting to Biz analyst role in IB Technology group. This makes sense. What may be a bit confusing is the HR consulting role at the Behavioral Econ Consulting Company. What exactly did you do? Is it a leader in its space? Do people from your firm go to business school? It will be very important to connect the dots from your first two jobs to this current role. And even more importantly, how does your current role fit into your long term goals.
As for whether the profile is good enough, a higher GMAT will help combined with excellent essays that address the career choices plus solid recs that rave about how great you are (backed up with solid examples).
INSEAD also likes solid international experience and not sure what you did for the 6 months in the UK. It seems ok but longer international experience would likely be preferred. Kellogg and LBS seem possible (not a shoo-in but could happen with the right execution.)
All the best!
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Chioma,
Thanks for helping us evaluate our profiles and answering our queries.
I already have an MBA from India and I am evaluating the benefits of pursuing a second MBA from a top US B-school. I have requested for a few evaluations from consultants, MBA grads and current students and seem to be getting mixed reviews in terms of my chances and the value of a second MBA. I would like to hear from you about these two aspects before deciding to apply!!
A brief background:
Age: 25; Nationality: Indian
GMAT: 740 (Q: 51, V: 39); AWA: 6.0
MBA (2010): Top 5 B-schools in India; high GPA and ranked among top 5 in the batch (dean’s merit list); worked on an original dissertation during my study and was awarded the highest grade for the same.
Engineering (2008): GPA of 9.4/10; ranked 2nd in my dept. and 4th. overall
Certifications: CFA Level 3 Candidate
Work Ex: Around 1 yr and 9 months. I hope to have around 3 years of work-
ex. by the time I enroll. Currently working as a strategy consultant in financial services with a Big 4 firm in India (9 months) – with some international exposure in emerging markets. I have worked on engagements for about 3-4 foreign banks in various areas of strategy and business planning. 1 year of exp. at a domestic brokerage firm as a product manager prior to this (where I was also given the additional responsibilities of a) training financial advisors and b) building a team in a new region. I also have internship experiences at a global FMCG major and a global conglomerate.
Extra currics: Senior placement executive during my MBA (in India placements are completely student run), student’s union during engg., represented my MBA university in 4 sports, awarded the governor’s medal in boy scouts during school (plus quite a few activities to show leadership and initiatives).
Community: I have tutored students from rural India on computer literacy for a brief period and have also worked with NGOs in rural India with regards to health and sanitation (though to be honest the latter was a part of our curriculum).
Reason for MBA: I did not utilize my first MBA to the fullest (lack of work exp. – fresh out of college). Work-ex. (consulting engagements) have helped me realize what I want to do – start my own small business focused investment banking (primarily raising capital) and business consulting firm (focusing on transformation and sustenance, in addition to providing professional and technical training). I have a fair bit of exposure to justify this claim including an understanding of other emerging markets. I intend to take courses on negotiations, entrepreneurship, private equity etc.
Post MBA: work for VC/ PE in emerging markets, gain sufficient exposure on
aspects like fund raising, business planning etc. and then return to India to start my venture.
Schools: Wharton, Harvard, Booth, Stanford, Stern; also considering Yale
and Kellogg.
Also are there any other schools that you think I should apply to?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Chioma,
Thank you so much for taking the time out to reply.
One more doubt, Is it worth applying to British universities like Judge and Said for their 1 year MBA given my profile (illustrated in my previous posts) or should i just stick to the traditional 2 year program given i dont have insane years of work experience??
Thank you in advance and i really appreciate all your help. Cheers
Indian Banker
I am completing Northeastern University, The College of Professional Studies (AACSB Accredited). Which is a night school for adults to complete there bachelors and currently hold professional positions. I am going to be graduating roughly with a 3.5 gpa in finance and accounting management. My practice GMAT scores are 690 and 740. I will be 30 ½ when I graduate with my Bachelors and 31 when I intend to start MBA (general Management, possibly finance). My business background is mostly international account management in the food service industry (international Airlines and local) and currently business development for a very large utility company in the northeast. My question is should I bother applying to top 20 ranked school fulltime? Would I even be considered? Is it more logical to apply to a part time program? NYU part time is an option?
Hi Chioma,
Forgot to mention in my previous post that I am Male/Latino. I do participate in volunteer programs. Train in martial Art for 5 Years also.
Hi Chioma,
Thanks in advance for your help.
Could you help evaluate my profile?
Work:- 2.5 years at big4 accounting in Tax
-1 year in college as teacher’s assistant
School- I have bachelors and masters in accountancy from UT Austin(McCombs) with 3.87 and 3.67 GPA, respectively.
GMAT-720
HOld CPA.
I really want to break into I-Bank as an associate.
Do I have a shot at any of the schools below?:
Columbia, TUCK, STERN, BOOTH, YALE
Hi Indian Banker
I think it is also reasonable to include Said and Judge. Both schools see a good size of their class go into Finance Sector (Said-34% and Judge 25%) and these numbers are not too far off from some of the US schools you are considering.
The location where you wish to live post Bschool should also be a factor for you when selecting a school. Both UK schools have a sizeable number of their alumni in Asia and UK. Fewer in the US. The US schools also have a large portion of their students in America after graduation.
Cheers,
Chioma
Would my profile be strong at HBS, MIT, NYU, Columbia, Tuck, and Wharton ?
Graduate from Maryland – Finance/ Int. Business
GPA – 3.87
GMAT – 720
Worked for 2 years in PWC M&A Advisory
CFA Level 3
Board of Directors for Non-profit (GED tutoring)
Board of Alumni group for Maryland
Founded my own non-profit on the side
Looking to do something with non-profit (will obviously refine)
Thank you
Hi Chioma!
I am just curious, what are the repercussions for not accepting an offer of admission at Columbia GSB during Early Decision round? I am aware you are losing out on a $6,000 deposit, but what else can they do to you if you simply decide you do not want to go to Columbia GSB anymore? Is the statement of intent legally binding? Do they notify other MBA programs of your actions?
Thanks!
Indian Banker,
The other reason I recommend including the two UK schools is that you will have 3 years of experience which is about the minimum number they require. If you had less, it isn’t impossible but would be more challenging. So go for it and all the best.
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Mr. Confused,
You are welcome! I do enjoy hearing from you guys so keep the questions coming.
Most programs have an open policy regarding applicants with an MBA, at least on paper. While many of the programs say they don’t discriminate against applicants with an MBA, I suspect that many do not get admitted. The simple reason is that the admissions board is looking to admit individuals who will be transformed by the program and it can be tough to show/prove that another MBA is necessary for a candidate to achieve their huge life vision….they will simply question the judgement of the applicant, whether the information would be duplication of their previous degree and whether it makes sense…
The good news is that there are some circumstances where an applicant can justify why they need another MBA. For example taking an MBA straight out of school, perhaps not having had much exposure or even clarity of your goals at the time and how you are now working in a space where you clearly need further skills to achieve the goals/responsibilities….The other reasonable rationale could be a regional program vs wanting a broader/global program….
In some ways you have some of those elements and can play up the limited perspective and recognizing the need for broader skills which a global program can give you…
Your challenge will likely fall around the issue of your long term aspirations: VC/PE space (an area that is already overly represented); secondly, the admission board could question why you are not able to leverage the first degree for your goals given that you have landed in a solid place in strategy consulting role at a Big 4 firm already.
You have to weigh the benefits and upside of getting in against the odds of doing all that work and not getting in. If you don’t apply you don’t get in for sure. If you do, you may well get rejected everywhere. But there is always the chance that you get into one of your schools. It’s a tough call, quite honestly and I can see why this seems confusing! If you are convinced about your goals and need for the MBA, then go for it but keep a realistic view of the admission chances.
Best,
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hello Anthony,
Thanks for your question. Schools value diversity at all levels…so being a seasoned non-traditional applicants can be ok for some programs. Aim for a 700 plus for sure to become attractive especially for programs in the mid top range (14th-20th) or so. You will need to show leadership impact at both the Food service /Airline industry and Utility industry. Your long term goal has to be airtight. Schools will likely question your candidacy if your career goals do not make sense to them. If on the other hand you connect the dots and tie it neatly to what they offer in particular you could score some admission decisions. Of the top of my head I could see Cornell as an option given their solid general management program, interest in diversity and strong hospitality management school at the university.
Not sure about how you can/will leverage the Martial Arts story and volunteer involvement but I’m sure they can fit in somewhere in your story. The key is to explain in a reasonable way why you are now graduating from college at a later stage (was it life circumstances beyond your control—eg….helping loved ones/raising them….)
NYU’s Stern program could also be a great option, especially if you could get your employer at the Utility company to sponsor you!
I hope this helps.
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi Jay,
Yes you do have a shot at the schools you listed but execution will be key. The essays, the quality of experiences both professional and personal and the strengths of the recommendations will all serve to tip your application to the yes pile if executed correctly. The goal to go from accounting to banking is a reasonable career switch but make sure to build a clear logical rationale for why you want to make this switch and share the experiences you have had in your current role that gave you exposure to banking .
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hi John
From a profile standpoint you are admissible based on the GMAT/GPA/CFA and PWC M&A advisory work profile. The non-profit exp is also a plus. Your candidacy will be won or lost based on the execution: how you brand yourself in your essays and the strength of your recommendations. If the essays are great and your recs back up your story with strong anecdotes showing your leadership and impact on their organization/people you should have some admission offers at the end of the process. Of course interviews are also quite important as well. Happy to chat offline if you have other questions about how to tease out your brand message for your essays/recs.
Cheers,
Chioma
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hello Eric,
This is a tricky situation. As far as I know it’s a loss on the deposit front. But you want to tread carefully–you don’t want to tick off Columbia. I’ve not heard of Mary Miller or anyone on her team going around contacting other schools but policies can change at any point. As you may know on the college front Early Decision is binding and anyone who applies ED and gets in is compelled to accept the offer. Schools take it seriously and share names at the college level. To my knowledge it isn’t at that level on the MBA level (yet).
Cheers,
Chioma (chioma@expartus.com)
EXPARTUS
Helping You Gain Admission to Your Top Schools
http://www.expartus.com
Hello Chioma,
I will be graduating with a BSBA in Finance, from a state university in December 2012. GPA : 3.8, 715 GMAT. 31 years old, having spent the last 5 years running and expanding the family business, also starting my own auto finance company. I have run three different small businesses and have a very strong sales background. Also having worked with the Ministry of Education in Belize volunteering teaching rural children to read. I am an African American male, with aspirations of enlarging my knowledge base to become a more effective entrepreneur, also seeking a great location for networking. I am a strong networking personality, recommendations include the PM of Belize. I do not love the family business and would love to transition into Asset Management, I have a 4.0 in my major. I am hoping UVA, if not, where should I be considering. Thank you.
Hi Chioma,
Thank you for replying to my questions. I really appreciate it.
I just came across this “Early Action” stage for US schools. How many business schools offer that and how are the deadlines different from Round 1 deadlines?
Is it advantageous for international students like me to take advantage of this?
Sorry for bombarding you with my questions every other day.
Thanking you in anticipation
Cheers
Hi Chioma,
Thanks for taking the time to respond to questions.
I’m planning on applying to some of the top tier schools for the 2013 cycle. I graduated with academic honors from NYU-Stern’s undergrad program, and while I haven’t taken the GMAT yet, practice tests indicate that I can break 730. Since graduation, I have worked in Deloitte Consulting’s strategy practice.
I feel like I should be competitive in the admissions process, but I’m wondering whether the undergraduate business degree is a liability. To what extent should I be explaining the decision to go “back” to business school in my applications? What are some things schools look for in those with undergraduate degrees that can set them apart?
Hi Chioma,
Thanks for the great feedback. One more question, would you consider Tuck, Yale SOM along with Cornell part of the 14th – 20th? I am asking because I do not know what rankings to go by.
Thanks again.
Hi Chioma,
Thanks for your reply! I will evaluate my options and take a decision accordingly.
Cheers.
Hi Chioma,
I’d really appreciate it if you could give me a very honest opinion on my profile and my chances with the schools I fancy….
I’m a 25 year old male from India. Graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Mumbai University. GPA 0f 3.2.
After which I worked for a year with an oil n gas service company for 1 year as a sales engineer. But handled all the projects that the company had along with strategies for future bids. I wanted to know more about the oil field and understand the oil field operations so I jumped to Halliburton as an M/LWD Engineer. Now I am leading the on field operations for north eastern India.
I’ve been with the current organisation for over 16 months. At the time of matriculation I’d have around 4 years of work experience.
I gave the GMAT recently and got a 690( Way below my test prep scores of 730). Planning to retake it.
My goal is to work for one of the majors in corporate strategy, Long term I’d like to start my own consultancy for mid level oil companies.( Observed lot of Mid level companies, fail to gather the momentum to move a level up).
Target Schools:
- Yale
-Duke
-Ross
-Darden
-Mc Combs
-Tuck
-Kellogg
Thanks a ton Chioma.!!!
Cheers..