rsomosierra wrote:
Hi there, I would really like some opinions about my profile and my chances. Also I haven't thought deeply about what schools to apply, so I'm open to any suggestions in that area
Some key facts:
*I'm 24 years old (25 when application rounds start)
*I'm argentinean
*I'm only looking for one year MBA programmes (unless Harvard begs for me, you know)
*I'm looking forward to applying for class of '18, so I think there's enough time ahead should any amendment in my profile is necessary
*My dream school is Oxford Said (of course I'd rather go for an ultra elite, but I know that's not within my reach)
*I'm mostly drawn to european programmes since I have an EU passport, but I'm not turning down any USA suggestions
*I haven't taken the GMAT yet
*Area of interest: Mainly marketing, entrepreneurship also
So, here we go with the profile description
GMAT: Not taken yet, aiming for 700ish (730 would be awesome) I have plenty of time to study ahead
Education:
GPA: Aiming to a 3.4 - 3.5 (actually 8ish/10 in the grades system we use here in Argentina) finishing my BA in International Trade at National University of La Matanza (an institution even our own president mocked at a Harvard speech a few years ago) this december 2015
Note: I have two or three basic maths finals with F grades from my reckless freshman year. Not sure if they will affect my GPA or even be red flags to anybody, anywhere
Hoping to be a CFA lvl 2 candidate by june 2016
Work experience: 7 years (by the application period) managing my family's real estate brokerage company (actually a small local firm that's been active since 1961). In charge of some development projects the last years, and a lot of dealing-with-costumers experience, with a few employers on the payroll
Languages:
*Native spanish
*Fluent in english (willing to take TOEFL any time soon)
*Basic portuguese (going to take intensive course in 2016)
*Basic mandarin chinese (going to take intensive course in 2016)
Thinking about german, french or italian, also
Extras:
*Multi-instrumentalist musician (guitar, singer, piano, bass, drums). Over ten years of music studies (not academically awarded, sadly)
*Amateur tennis player. Over six years of enthusiasm
*Professional race (car) driver. Courses taken at the once international race track of Buenos Aires (held F1 grand prix in the '90s)
*Boat license
*Muay Thai (amateur) less than a year
*Basic Java programming (2 month course taken with Oracle completion certificate)
*Management of property my family owns (includes an hotel in the most important beach city of the Buenos Aires province)
*Attended to a course about financial markets that granted me a diplomma at the teaching institution of the Buenos Aires stock exchange for six months (it's something)
*Did some stock trading
*Did some international trade, marketing and finance consulting to some friend's start-ups, some of them with high potential (at least locally)
I think that's pretty much it. Sorry for maybe making it a bit too long but I didn't want to keep anything out. If you've reached this very sentence after reading everything, thank you for your time. I'm hoping for some nice reviews, you guys rock.
Best regards, Ramiro
Ramiro,
Thanks for the detailed post. How much work have you done with the real estate business? Tell me more about that, in terms of hours/week and annual revenues. Feel free to email any of this if its sensitive. I ask because I've helped younger applicants get into great schools (including those still in school who have worked for family businesses), though I would need to know how much we can count this as full-time experience since most work during college doesn't count.
What do you want to do after the MBA?
Your profile is interesting and if you do well enough on the GMAT you have a decent chance at some good one year programs depending on the answers to my questions. I'll get more specific once I find out more.
Scott@personalmbacoach.com