Mr. Utilitarian Mobility

Hi, this is Deepak Punwani from MBA Exchange. You have a few things going in your profile. You have a STEM undergrad degree from a relatively well known University. You have a very good GMAT score. And you have a good Masters program GPA. Am guessing if you can explain the low undergrad GPA, there wouldn’t be too many questions about your academic prowess. And your work is in one of the “hot” sectors – autonomous vehicles. And therefore your background and goals are well aligned. Also like the fact that you have an international mindset. The impeding transfer to Mexico is testament to that. If your recommenders can allude to two factors – 1) You are a cutting edge professional and Tesla would be lucky to have you 2) You can work in an international team, it really helps your chances. Would therefore be bullish on your chances re Ross too especially if you could showcase your personal interests and who you are as a person. Additionally show the adcoms that you have a unique worldview based on your insights on Pakistan’s economy and its place in the world. That coupled with your US Masters makes me want to have you in my class if I were to go back in time 🙂 . So execute well and wish you good luck !

Hi Mr. Utilitarian Mobility,
This is Debbie Choy, Senior Consultant at mbaMission. I like your background in the automotive industry – a non-traditional “feeder” industry to business schools. In addition, b-schools are always looking for strong international candidates. In 8 years of admissions consulting, I can tell you that schools do not get enough candidates from Pakistan. That said, since you are coming from a technical background, it is critical to explain in your essays why you are interested in transitioning to the business side, and how an MBA fits in with your long-term career path. Further, don’t be afraid to share in your essays what unique insights you would bring to the classroom, based on your experiences working in a part of the world that is very different from North America. You can also share your personal experiences growing up in Pakistan as well as working in a school in an underprivileged city. All these experiences make your perspectives unique and make for richer discussions in the classroom! This is what AdCom is seeking in candidates. If you can share all these coherently and compellingly in your essays, I think you’d have above average odds at USC Marshall (typical acceptance rate is around 33%). Best of luck!

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. Being from Pakistan will definitely help you, as it’s definitely an under-represented country in MBA admissions in the U.S., as will your strong GMAT. You might want to explain the lower GPA in the optional essay (just a line or two) and explain that it won’t be an indicator of how you’ll perform in an MBA program. Showing a solid transcript from your master’s program will also be helpful. You’ll need to nail the Why MBA part of your application, since you want to pivot to the business side away from the technical side. You already have an advanced degree, so be sure to explain why an MBA is critical to reach that post-MBA goal of a strategy role at Toyota or Tesla. I think it will make for a compelling story, saying how you’ve seen things from the technical side and want to get a solid general management education to make a bigger impact from the strategy/business side. I think you have a solid shot at USC. Good luck!