Mr. Proptech Implementer

Hi, it’s Nisha from mbaMission. Congrats on the Engineering/Architecture dual degree – that does sound incredibly rigorous. And it clearly set you up for a progressive career so far in real estate project management. You’d ,mentioned you have 5 years of RE experience – in what capacity did you work prior to entering project management?

I think real estate development makes a lot of sense for you – in your application, though, you’ll want to make it clear why you wish to pivot from design/construction. Which experiences and observations (including the advent of technologies related to RE developments) have led you to this goal?

Berkeley is a good fit with your ambitions, but as you likely know, it is quite competitive. Your GMAT score is great, but given your lower GPA, you might even try giving it another shot if you feel that there’s any room for improvement). Other programs I’d consider are UCLA and NYU Stern. Hope that helps a bit – best of luck!

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. There’s a lot to like in your profile here — solid real estate experience, good GMAT and the engineering/architecture degree, which is pretty unusual for MBA candidates. I love the change management experience you have as well, which I think you can really capitalize on because it’s using very different skills from that will show you as well-rounded. Your GPA is fairly low but with a good GMAT it is somewhat mitigated. I also would recommend mentioning that GPA in your optional essay, explaining any reason for it (work, bad prioritizing, health issues, etc.) as well as that it is not indicative of the effort you’d put into an MBA program. It’s not an excuse at all but just an explanation since when you don’t address it adcoms fill in the blanks themselves. Be sure to explain your vision of how your experience in construction and real estate combined with an MBA will enable you to make a big impact in the real estate development space. Your profile is very similar to a client I am working with now who was invited to interview at HBS. Feel free to reach out for a free consult any time!
By the way, I love that you put being a dad as a big life win! I’m sure you’ve learned more about yourself from this experience so far than from anything else you’ve ever done. I wish you lots of luck in the process!