Mr. E-Sports Coach

Hi! This is Jean-Philippe, I’m Senior Consultant at The MBA Exchange and graduate of Harvard Business School (MBA). Ignore the naysayers – you have proven with your path that you have what it takes to make your goals happen! There are some rich experiences in your background, and the test score issues are definitely surmountable. However there is no room for error – you will need the perfect strategy AND implementation to present your full profile in a way that the Admissions Committees will understand and value. I’d be happy to discuss with you in more detail, just email me at jpo@mbaexchange.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

Hi, it’s Nisha from mbaMission! Your passion for and impact on E-sports is intriguing, and it’s a distinguishing extracurricular activity – make sure you communicate in your application how you got started in E-sports and why it is so important to you. However, schools will be just as focused on your academics and career path. Regarding academics – your undergrad GPA is weak, but your MsC standing should help offset it. Additionally, I recommend taking the GRE to get closer to the mid 160s on each side, which is more in line with the average for CBS and Wharton.

However, I think one thing schools might wonder: if you already have an MsC in investment management and are currently working in banking, why do you need an MBA? What are the skills/experiences that you need in order to meet your banking and investment management goals that you didn’t get in your master’s program? It’ll still be challenging but you will have your best shot if you make this very clear in your applications, and specify why each school is a strong fit for you based on its culture and resources within and outside of the classroom.

Mr. E-sports coach – Thanks for sharing your profile. Susan Cera here from Stratus. I’m less bullish on your chances at HBS. With your current stats which are lower than the averages, you don’t have a better chance than the average applicant (`10%) to get in. I think you have a really interesting story to tell and it will be imperative that you explain why you need an MBA if you want to return to IB, espeically when you already have an advanced degree in investments. What is it that you need to learn that ONLY an MBA will give you? Look beyond HBS. NYU and CBS host a MES (Media, Entertainment & Sports) conference each year. There are several other schools that are co-hosts. If you were to attend a school that is involved, you could engage with industry leaders that could offer guidance on your longer term career aspirations.
Take the time to clarify your goals and areas for development. Once you understand where you are trying to go, you might explore some other programs that can get you there. UCLA also comes to mind since LA offers great access to the entertainment industry.
All the best!