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flowmv
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 06 May 2024, 23:19
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­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 06 May 2024, 23:35
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flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.2 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
Show more
­flowmv hope this finds you well.

I may be criticized for my tough remarks sometimes on this forum, but I would like to be candid in my feedback. If you want to become a product manager, I am afraid that the MiM route may not be the best investment of time or money for you. Evaluate what kind of product manager you do want to be. Product management is a vast domain. First, research and understand the nuances of the industry you want to work in as a product manager and then evaluate whether an MiM is the right upskilling path for becoming a product manager in a new country (that's too many variables changing). If you can utilize the next couple of years to build the right skill sets and get into a PM role or a role at the periphery of product management, that would enhance your profile significantly before you consider a Tier 1 MBA program. 

And generally if you are confused between an MiM and an MBA, you can refer to this
MIM vs MBA : The B-School Applications (gmatclub.com)

Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting 
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­
 
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 07 May 2024, 00:51
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flowmv­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.2 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
Show more
­
Thank you for your detailed feedback, Aachal. I'm having second thoughts of MiM too, and I do feel it's not the right option for me anymore. In terms of product management, as my experience has been in the tech space, I do want to pursue the role in the tech industry. As I have a year or two now to build my profile further, I have a couple of follow up questions:

- My preferred destination for education and work would be the states. Do you think my 3 year degree would be an issue? Anything I can do to overcome it?
- Any tips apart from building experience and GMAT to further build my profile apart from the GMAT now that I have time, for the best odds?
- Considering I'm at 2 years of work experience now, would you recommend applying for 2026 intake next September? or would you recommend to get experience for a year or two more?

Thank you for your time again. When I'm ready to apply, I will definitely consider reaching out to you.
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 07 May 2024, 06:12
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flowmv­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.2 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
­
Thank you for your detailed feedback, Aachal. I'm having second thoughts of MiM too, and I do feel it's not the right option for me anymore. In terms of product management, as my experience has been in the tech space, I do want to pursue the role in the tech industry. As I have a year or two now to build my profile further, I have a couple of follow up questions:

- My preferred destination for education and work would be the states. Do you think my 3 year degree would be an issue? Anything I can do to overcome it?
- Any tips apart from building experience and GMAT to further build my profile apart from the GMAT now that I have time, for the best odds?
- Considering I'm at 2 years of work experience now, would you recommend applying for 2026 intake next September? or would you recommend to get experience for a year or two more?

Thank you for your time again. When I'm ready to apply, I will definitely consider reaching out to you.
Show more
­flowmv you are welcome!

- My preferred destination for education and work would be the states. Do you think my 3 year degree would be an issue? Anything I can do to overcome it?If you're seeking a life in the USA, this is all the more reason why you should invest in gaining more product-relevant experience if that's your area of interest. Honestly, it's quite commendable that you've pivoted to tech without any formal education in this sector. If you can showcase a consistent upward trajectory, your chances of getting into better-ranked B-schools will improve. You should also not restrict yourself to only an MBA. There are plenty of tech-focused programs you can explore. You may want to read about Tepper's one-year Masters of Sciences in Product Management, which is a highly targeted program feeding into top product management roles. Different schools have different rules regarding undergraduate education. You can discuss your case with the adcoms before applying. Most schools now prioritize the quality of work experience over the duration of undergraduate studies.


- Any tips apart from building experience and GMAT to further build my profile apart from the GMAT now that I have time, for the best odds?

Yes, participate actively in extracurricular activities whatever you interest might be. You can identify a weak area that you would like to overcome and take up an activity that directly addresses that. Extracurriculars where you get an opportunity to engage with other people is always better from an MBA perspective.

- Considering I'm at 2 years of work experience now, would you recommend applying for 2026 intake next September? or would you recommend to get experience for a year or two more?

Depends on the quality of experience. You can connect with me to discuss your case.

Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis

Best wishes
Aanchal Sahni (INSEAD MBA alum, former INSEAD MBA admissions interviewer)
Founder, MBAGuideConsulting 
LinkedIn |WEBSITE: https://mbaguideconsulting.com/| Message(WA): +91 9971200927| email- mbaguideconsulting@gmail.com­
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 07 May 2024, 22:02
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flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
Show more
­Hi @flowmv, 

We agree with what Aanchal has mentioned. Product Management is a power pack role which an MBA will you a good pathway to. 

Answering your question about the 3-year undergraduate degree, it's not a problem as a mix of top business schools accepts 3-year degrees. You can focus on building the right profile by engaging in extracurriculars relevant to your profile, attempting GMAT and getting good scores, the right work experience in your area of interest, and lastly strong presentation of it all in your supplemental essays. 

We're happy to connect with you over a call and discuss your profile in detail. Our MBA consultants come with vast experience over the years which will act in your favor as you plan your applications. 

You can block a free consultation slot with the team here. 
You can also speak with them directly vai call at +91 7780769732
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 07 May 2024, 22:56
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flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
Show more
­Hello flowmv,

Thanks for writing in.

If you are looking to be in Product Management, the MBA is what you need (without a doubt). Our suggestion would be to spend the next 2 years building your profile (working on GMAT, getting into a role that logically extends into a PM role post MBA, and adding some valuable extracurricular activities that do not just involve volunteering but help you highlight your leadership potential as well).

Having 5 to 5.5 years of experience would quite be the sweet spot and giving yourself this time will be completely worth it.

There are US and Canadian schools that are not open to a 3-year undegrad degree; so, yes, this will limit your options a bit; however, you will still have several options open in front of you.

Hope this helps.

All the best!
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 08 May 2024, 07:27
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1. Get a good GMAT score.
2. Wait a year and then consider applying for an MBA - it is the stronger of the two degrees any way.
3. Think about your goals a bit - you will be competing with mainstream software engineers from FAANG firms - can you showcase equivalent depth?

If you have some time, you can definitely work on both points 1 and 3.

Reach out if you want to chat more: https://bit.ly/GM_AugAcd_Profile_Evaluation

Best,
Karthik
flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
Show more
­
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 18 May 2024, 10:11
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flowmv

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flowmv­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.2 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
­
Thank you for your detailed feedback, Aachal. I'm having second thoughts of MiM too, and I do feel it's not the right option for me anymore. In terms of product management, as my experience has been in the tech space, I do want to pursue the role in the tech industry. As I have a year or two now to build my profile further, I have a couple of follow up questions:

- My preferred destination for education and work would be the states. Do you think my 3 year degree would be an issue? Anything I can do to overcome it?
- Any tips apart from building experience and GMAT to further build my profile apart from the GMAT now that I have time, for the best odds?
- Considering I'm at 2 years of work experience now, would you recommend applying for 2026 intake next September? or would you recommend to get experience for a year or two more?

Thank you for your time again. When I'm ready to apply, I will definitely consider reaching out to you.
­flowmv you are welcome!

- My preferred destination for education and work would be the states. Do you think my 3 year degree would be an issue? Anything I can do to overcome it?If you're seeking a life in the USA, this is all the more reason why you should invest in gaining more product-relevant experience if that's your area of interest. Honestly, it's quite commendable that you've pivoted to tech without any formal education in this sector. If you can showcase a consistent upward trajectory, your chances of getting into better-ranked B-schools will improve. You should also not restrict yourself to only an MBA. There are plenty of tech-focused programs you can explore. You may want to read about Tepper's one-year Masters of Sciences in Product Management, which is a highly targeted program feeding into top product management roles. Different schools have different rules regarding undergraduate education. You can discuss your case with the adcoms before applying. Most schools now prioritize the quality of work experience over the duration of undergraduate studies.


- Any tips apart from building experience and GMAT to further build my profile apart from the GMAT now that I have time, for the best odds?

Yes, participate actively in extracurricular activities whatever you interest might be. You can identify a weak area that you would like to overcome and take up an activity that directly addresses that. Extracurriculars where you get an opportunity to engage with other people is always better from an MBA perspective.

- Considering I'm at 2 years of work experience now, would you recommend applying for 2026 intake next September? or would you recommend to get experience for a year or two more?

Depends on the quality of experience. You can connect with me to discuss your case.

Get personalized advice tailored to your unique circumstances in the B School admissions process. Reapplying? Get a free ding analysis
 
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­
Hey Aanchal.

Thank you for the response again. I planned to get back earlier but due to a personal emergency forgot about the forum. I've looked at the CMU Tepper program already and I was a bit upset that one of their eligiblity criterion states I need a 4 year undergrad, which I don't have. Are there any 1 year Comp Sci coures that I can do side by side while working that also give me an accredition that will help me with eligiblity for this program, and also other MBA ones that need 4 years?

Other than that, thank you again, I will definitely consider reaching out in a few months. ­
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 18 May 2024, 10:13
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flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
­Hi @flowmv, 

We agree with what Aanchal has mentioned. Product Management is a power pack role which an MBA will you a good pathway to. 

Answering your question about the 3-year undergraduate degree, it's not a problem as a mix of top business schools accepts 3-year degrees. You can focus on building the right profile by engaging in extracurriculars relevant to your profile, attempting GMAT and getting good scores, the right work experience in your area of interest, and lastly strong presentation of it all in your supplemental essays. 

We're happy to connect with you over a call and discuss your profile in detail. Our MBA consultants come with vast experience over the years which will act in your favor as you plan your applications. 

You can also speak with them directly vai call at +91 7780769732
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Thank you for the advice. I'll definitely consider reaching out in a few months.­
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 18 May 2024, 10:28
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ExpertsGlobal

flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
­Hello flowmv,

Thanks for writing in.

If you are looking to be in Product Management, the MBA is what you need (without a doubt). Our suggestion would be to spend the next 2 years building your profile (working on GMAT, getting into a role that logically extends into a PM role post MBA, and adding some valuable extracurricular activities that do not just involve volunteering but help you highlight your leadership potential as well).

Having 5 to 5.5 years of experience would quite be the sweet spot and giving yourself this time will be completely worth it.

There are US and Canadian schools that are not open to a 3-year undegrad degree; so, yes, this will limit your options a bit; however, you will still have several options open in front of you.

Hope this helps.

All the best!
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­
Thank you. Appreciate the response. I'll continue to gather experience, take some time to study for the GMAT on the side. 

> "Getting into a role that extends into a PM" -> From what I understand, a tech job in general extends to a PM role? Are there any specific roles I should target for and look to switch into before applying?

> What would you say are some valuable extra-curriculum activities?
I'm thinking of starting a freelance agency for websites and applications on the side apart from my main job to use my skills for extra income. If I keep getting work and make above a certain threshold, I'll happily train, delegate and lead a few people although that won't be the goal from the start. Do you think this could help with the profile? 

> Do the colleges with 3 year eligiblity have good ods of getting the job abroad?
The way I'm looking at right now is, if the uni we're applying for have good odds of me getting a job and a chance to work abroad at least for 2-3 years so I can repay the loan, it's all worth taking a shot. If the odds aren't good, I'd rather not risk the loan. If it opens some great uni options, I'd much rather do a 1 year programme, maybe in a Comp Sci role as I've been working in it, but have no recoginzed accrediation, if I can do that while working. If there are great institutions with good job prospects where I'd have a chance, then I understand not needing to do it though.

Thank you again.
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flowmv
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Advice on MiM / MBA. 18 May 2024, 10:33
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AugustAcademy
1. Get a good GMAT score.
2. Wait a year and then consider applying for an MBA - it is the stronger of the two degrees any way.
3. Think about your goals a bit - you will be competing with mainstream software engineers from FAANG firms - can you showcase equivalent depth?

If you have some time, you can definitely work on both points 1 and 3.

Reach out if you want to chat more: https://bit.ly/GM_AugAcd_Profile_Evaluation

Best,
Karthik
flowmv
­Hi everyone.

I really appreciate that this forum exists for me to ask here, and also you, for taking your time to read this and help people out. 

I'll briefly talk about my profile before I get to my question, as it will help you with the context.

I am 23 at present, did a business undergrad (Bachelors in Management Studies) from India, from a not so well known college, and also helpful to note that its a 3 year degree. I graduated in 2022 and immidiately took up on a job, so as of now, I have 2 years of job experience.

As my studies were online due to covid, I had a lot of free time and dabbled into programming in my final year. As a result, the job that I got was as a junior developer in a service based company which builds applications and websites for their clients. I eventually transitioned into a project manager role for smaller projects where I've been leading two developers for such projects, and on the side I also code myself as and when needed, typically for bigger projects that I'm not leading.

That being said, for the future, I want to transition into a product based role, as a product manager, or perhaps as a tech delivery manager or a role which involves the business side of things, and also thinking in terms customer experience, and how to consistently improve the product, preferably still being in the tech space. So again, ideally I want to transition towards a PM role.

Considering all of this, around in November 2023 , I made a decision to give the GMAT and try for MiM in this year's intake, as during the application I would've had a year and a half of experience, and that'd mean when I actually start the course, I'd have a bit over 2 years of experience, still with some chance of consideration. Admitedly, I should've planned this earlier and started prepping for GMAT, but with just a month of prep, I figured I'd give it a shot just to see how far I can get, and I didn't do so well. I needed more time with my prep, which I didn't give myself. 

Now, I'm at a stage where I'm at about 2 years of experience, and by the time I apply, it'd be around 2.6 years, by the time I start studying (if I get accepted for next years intake), it'd be around 3.4 years. So it's sort of these grounds (from what I've heard) where you're a bit overexperienced for MiM, and a bit underexperienced for an MBA, and thus I'm a bit lost now for whether I should continue to try for any of these courses, or just wait for 2-3 more years now, get more experience to build my profile further and then apply for an MBA.

I'll summarize some important points:

- I have 3 years of a degree & not 4. (Is this a problem for US based MiM / MBA courses?)
- I have 2 years of experience as of May 24. Thus, it'll be around ~3.3 years by the time I start the course for next years intake. (Is it worth applying for either MBA / MiM programs, or to wait and go for an MBA after a few years?)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and thank you so much again for the time.­
­
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­
Thanks Karthik.

Given I need 4-5 years of experience for the MBA, I still have over a year and half for applying, and I do have time for prepping for the GMAT. I'm dropping plans for MiM already as you're advising.

As for competing with mainstream engineers, it definitely will be a challenge for me. I'm trying to build the depth by learning lower level concepts, but at the same time I think a product role is more of a birds-eye role where business logic, how you think about the user experience and customers also plays a huge role, so I think my interest and understanding of the latter could help too.

I do agree with all the points either way, and will continue to work on all of it. Thanks again :)