Handicapping Your Odds of MBA Success

 

 

Mr. Chip Design

• 740 GMAT
• 3.26 GPA
• Undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and computer science from California State University
• 3.7 GPA (master’s)
• Graduate degree in electrical engineering from UC-San Diego
• Work experiences includes five years of solid IC chip design experience for wireless communication products at a global semiconductor company
• Extracurricular activities include fundraising for HIV/AIDS charity; also participated in aidslifecycle, a seven-day cycling tour from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for HIV services and awareness of HIV/AIDS; volunteer for community events to support equality
• Goal: To switch to management consulting with a specialized team in technology
• Long-term goal: To move into private equity PE firm that specializes in technology
• 30-year-old native of Taiwan (Came to the U.S. at the age of 17 as an international student; first in the family to study in the U.S. and graduate from college)

Odds of Success:

Harvard: 30%

Stanford: 10% to 20%

MIT: 30% to 40%

Wharton: 30% to 40%

Columbia: 30% to 40+%

Northwestern: 40%

Berkeley: 50+%

Duke: 50+%

UCLA: 50+%

Sandy’s Analysis: Let’s see: a 3.2 GPA at Cal State U (OUCH!), a grad GPA of 3.7 at UC San Diego, a 740 GMAT, 5 years experience and now a senior engineer in chip design at a global semiconductor company, and real solid extracurrics in AIDS-related charities.  Not seeing that as Stanford, just because of low grades and pedigree of tier 2 Cali schools, although I could change my mind if your firm has a history of placing kids there.

You are also tilting old in terms of business experience for many schools, especially if you will be 31 with  six years of engineering at one firm at matriculation –that is tilting toward an EMBA.

Here is some free advice: stay away from saying you want to go into PE as a long-term goal.  Top schools already got tons actual PE guys and gals, and also many wannabes with IB backgrounds . Make the point, in whatever way possible, that you are interested in innovation and technology and leadership, and want to lead, reform, and guide cutting-edge tech companies.

While that could happen (and has) in reality via some tech-oriented PE firm, don’t say it. It sounds like tech guy dreaming  and not a career path for a guy who will be 32 or 33 when he graduates –and then plans to do consulting for a while.  In fact, given your age, I’d not mention consulting, either. Just say you want to transition from tech leadership to general management at some exciting  tech company, and give examples of guys who have done that.

Wharton is not a natural fit with this background but you are solid enough, and the 740 makes up for the low-ish first GPA (as does, a bit,  the immigrant story and a real bit, your graduate GPA). Columbia is also not a natural fit, and they may wonder what you are doing there, so apply early, if not Early Decision. You should be in-line at Kellogg, Berk, Duke and UCLA. Try to explain in ALL cases why you want an MBA and not an EMBA which, as noted, you are approaching in terms of age and work experience.