Candidate:

Mr. Old Product Manager

About Me:

My lower grades were mainly at Dixie State University. I was part of an early college program and took college classes from ages 15-18, graduating tuition free. While grateful for that experience, I spread myself too thin as I was the varsity soccer captain and the senior class president in student government. My GPA improved at the U of U.

Schools:

Target School: INSEAD

Considering: Said Business School, Cambridge Judge, IESE, London Business School

See More Profiles For: INSEAD

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: University of Utah

Undergrad Major: Business Management

GPA: 3.0

GMAT: 660 - retaking

Age: 30, Ethnicity: White

Other Degree/Certification: Associate's degree

School Name: Dixie State University

Extracurriculars: Two years of full-time service as a Mormon missionary in England and Wales, Internship in Dublin, Ireland for 5 months before final year at University of Utah, Serving as an advisor to a Bishop in local church congregation

Work History:

Title: Product Manager

Industry: Technology

Company: E-Commerce

Length of Employment: 1 yr, 1 mos

Title: Business Analyst

Industry: Real Estate

Company: Fortune 500

Length of Employment: 4 yrs, 6 mos

Big Life Wins:

Promoted 3 times in 4.5 years at my first company. After taking part in a software implementation, I changed roles from HR into IT/Product and worked as a business analyst for 2 years. Joined an E-Commerce firm in late 2019 as a product manager and led a key project resulting in ~ $20M in revenue over most of 2020.

Post MBA Goal:

Work in Europe as a Product Manager at a Tech company for 2-5 years before returning to the United States. I’d be happy to start at a larger company, but would also like to work at a start-up and move into a Director of Product role. Self-funding my MBA with savings, plus the sale of a house. Remaining debt-free is important to me.

Odds:

Join in! Click here to assess the odds of Mr. Old Product Manager

The Experts Rate The Odds At: 38%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 35%

Hi Mr. Old Product Manager,
This is Debbie Choy, Senior Consultant at mbaMission. I am impressed by your profile – from your international service experience to doing well at work (promotions and all)! I do think the schools you’re targeting will expose you to a fantastic network of alums and classmates from all over Europe. In addition, these schools, especially INSEAD, also look for candidates with a global background like you. That said, I also agree with Melisa that getting a stronger GMAT score will be an important factor, especially given INSEAD’s average GMAT score is around 710. Beyond that, be sure to weave in your personal stories and also explain why you wish to spend a few years in Europe post-MBA. Consider that it’s never …

Hi Mr. Old Product Manager,
This is Debbie Choy, Senior Consultant at mbaMission. I am impressed by your profile – from your international service experience to doing well at work (promotions and all)! I do think the schools you’re targeting will expose you to a fantastic network of alums and classmates from all over Europe. In addition, these schools, especially INSEAD, also look for candidates with a global background like you. That said, I also agree with Melisa that getting a stronger GMAT score will be an important factor, especially given INSEAD’s average GMAT score is around 710. Beyond that, be sure to weave in your personal stories and also explain why you wish to spend a few years in Europe post-MBA. Consider that it’s never easy relocating, so how will the experiences and network you build in Europe help you in your long-term career goals? That could be a question on AdCom’s mind, as well as a question for you to consider as well. Wishing you the best in your MBA journey!

4 years ago Read the full review
Stratus Admissions Counseling Odds Assessment: 40%

Hi Mr. Old Project Manager, Melisa here from Stratus Admissions. Sounds like you’ve had some really interesting international experience on your missions trip and study abroad experience. I understand being bit by the travel/international bug (having lived abroad myself a couple times) and love that you are looking at international programs. While there is placement among all countries at European schools, you may want to think about where you want to spend your couple years post-MBA. Are you interested in learning another language through the experience – would be an amazing opportunity! From a stats perspective, you re-taking the GMAT is going to be more important because of your lower GPA. Sounds like you have a story there, which you should tell, but admissions is …

Hi Mr. Old Project Manager, Melisa here from Stratus Admissions. Sounds like you’ve had some really interesting international experience on your missions trip and study abroad experience. I understand being bit by the travel/international bug (having lived abroad myself a couple times) and love that you are looking at international programs. While there is placement among all countries at European schools, you may want to think about where you want to spend your couple years post-MBA. Are you interested in learning another language through the experience – would be an amazing opportunity! From a stats perspective, you re-taking the GMAT is going to be more important because of your lower GPA. Sounds like you have a story there, which you should tell, but admissions is going to want to have evidence that you can handle the academic rigor of the program. It would also be worth highlighting the quantitative nature of your work. Having PM experience will be something you can contribute to the class – and gives you a good platform to use to transition to Europe in a similar role. Talk with current students at these schools to understand what recruiting looks like from larger companies versus start ups. And then think about where you are hoping either of these positions to take you in the long term. More competitive stats will make you more attractive for scholarships to aid in the self-funding. Wish you the best of luck!

4 years ago Read the full review