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jonatasjun
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jonatasjun
Hello everyone!

I am an international student dreaming of pursuing my MBA in the US. I work in real estate development and management, and I am passionate about this field. I would like to continue working in real estate particularly in the finance/private equity side or move into consulting or any area of IB

What are the best schools to apply to that are relevant in real estate? I saw that Wharton and MIT have a great program, but I am worried about the cost.

I am o terrified of taking out student loans in dollars, especially if I don’t find a job in the US and must return to my home country with a weak currency. To minimize this risk, I am hoping to secure scholarships (I know they are hard to get). Are there any of these schools known for being particularly generous with scholarships, especially for international students? What do you guys recommed to get a full ride?


Here is my profile:

Education:

Graduated in Civil Engineering from UFMG (a top 5 school in Brazil)

Completed an exchange program at Montana State University with a federal full-ride scholarship

Postgraduate degree (a mix of a certificate + a professional master's, but not exactly - 1.5 years of study) from Fundação Dom Cabral, one of the best business schools in Brazil

Work Experience:

2.5 years at one of the largest publicly listed construction/real estate companies

Currently in a management position for almost 5 years at a smaller but locally leading real estate development company

Certifications and Volunteer Work:

PMP certification

Extensive volunteer work (English teacher, Excel teacher, PMI volunteer, etc.)

Academic Performance:

GPA at UFMG (Brazilian undergrad): 3.34 (estimated, as it is graded out of 100)

GPA at MSU (exchange student for spring, summer, and fall): 3.67

GPA at FDC (postgraduate business school): 3.64

GMAT:

Just started studying but aiming for a score of 720-750 to have any hope of scholarships...

Just FYI, I am from Brazil.

What do you guys think? Besides a strong SOP, essays, and recommendation letters, how can I improve my profile? Should I apply for any M7 schools or just be realistic at T15/25

Thank you for any advice or suggestions!



Thank you!

­
­Hey, jonatasjun


To make your MBA application stronger and minimize the financial risk involved, you need to focus on improving your GMAT preparation through the use of prep courses and practice exams in order to meet your target score, which is around 720 to 750. Getting high GMAT scores will give you an advantage in being awarded scholarships by top programs. Strong academic performance, including GPAs, is also vital in securing scholarships.

Committees place great emphasis on academic achievements and a previous record of excellent results,, thus showing that you can take up rigorous studies found in MBA programs. With competitive GPAs, you stand a good chance of availing yourself of merit-based scholarships,, where academically gifted applicants are usually preferred. Attend industry conferences and webinars, and network with alumni from your dream schools using LinkedIn.


Ensure that you communicate your enthusiasm for real estate and how the particular tracks are consistent with your career goals while also mentioning the relevant faculty. Focus on your managerial experience and leadership positions in projects or volunteer activities to highlight what you can contribute to the MBA community. You could also get more certifications in areas like real estate financing or investments so as to build up your profile.

Considering that you have limited savings, it may be wise to apply to T15/T25 programs that have robust real estate concentrations, such as UNC Kenan-Flagler, UC Berkeley Haas, and NYU Stern. These schools usually offer better financial support compared to M7 institutions. Make sure your applications are tailored towards schools that align with your goals in real estate finance, private equity, or consulting while at the same time seeking scholarship opportunities diligently so as to ease your finances.


Let's connect, have a detailed overview of your profile and help you craft a stand-out application.Click here to schedule a complimentary profile evaluations session with our experts . We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools.


Good luck :D
­
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MBAandBeyond

jonatasjun
Hello everyone!

I am an international student dreaming of pursuing my MBA in the US. I work in real estate development and management, and I am passionate about this field. I would like to continue working in real estate particularly in the finance/private equity side or move into consulting or any area of IB

What are the best schools to apply to that are relevant in real estate? I saw that Wharton and MIT have a great program, but I am worried about the cost.

I am o terrified of taking out student loans in dollars, especially if I don’t find a job in the US and must return to my home country with a weak currency. To minimize this risk, I am hoping to secure scholarships (I know they are hard to get). Are there any of these schools known for being particularly generous with scholarships, especially for international students? What do you guys recommed to get a full ride?


Here is my profile:

Education:

Graduated in Civil Engineering from UFMG (a top 5 school in Brazil)

Completed an exchange program at Montana State University with a federal full-ride scholarship

Postgraduate degree (a mix of a certificate + a professional master's, but not exactly - 1.5 years of study) from Fundação Dom Cabral, one of the best business schools in Brazil

Work Experience:

2.5 years at one of the largest publicly listed construction/real estate companies

Currently in a management position for almost 5 years at a smaller but locally leading real estate development company

Certifications and Volunteer Work:

PMP certification

Extensive volunteer work (English teacher, Excel teacher, PMI volunteer, etc.)

Academic Performance:

GPA at UFMG (Brazilian undergrad): 3.34 (estimated, as it is graded out of 100)

GPA at MSU (exchange student for spring, summer, and fall): 3.67

GPA at FDC (postgraduate business school): 3.64

GMAT:

Just started studying but aiming for a score of 720-750 to have any hope of scholarships...

Just FYI, I am from Brazil.

What do you guys think? Besides a strong SOP, essays, and recommendation letters, how can I improve my profile? Should I apply for any M7 schools or just be realistic at T15/25

Thank you for any advice or suggestions!



Thank you!

­
­Hey, jonatasjun


To make your MBA application stronger and minimize the financial risk involved, you need to focus on improving your GMAT preparation through the use of prep courses and practice exams in order to meet your target score, which is around 720 to 750. Getting high GMAT scores will give you an advantage in being awarded scholarships by top programs. Strong academic performance, including GPAs, is also vital in securing scholarships.

Committees place great emphasis on academic achievements and a previous record of excellent results,, thus showing that you can take up rigorous studies found in MBA programs. With competitive GPAs, you stand a good chance of availing yourself of merit-based scholarships,, where academically gifted applicants are usually preferred. Attend industry conferences and webinars, and network with alumni from your dream schools using LinkedIn.


Ensure that you communicate your enthusiasm for real estate and how the particular tracks are consistent with your career goals while also mentioning the relevant faculty. Focus on your managerial experience and leadership positions in projects or volunteer activities to highlight what you can contribute to the MBA community. You could also get more certifications in areas like real estate financing or investments so as to build up your profile.

Considering that you have limited savings, it may be wise to apply to T15/T25 programs that have robust real estate concentrations, such as UNC Kenan-Flagler, UC Berkeley Haas, and NYU Stern. These schools usually offer better financial support compared to M7 institutions. Make sure your applications are tailored towards schools that align with your goals in real estate finance, private equity, or consulting while at the same time seeking scholarship opportunities diligently so as to ease your finances.


Let's connect, have a detailed overview of your profile and help you craft a stand-out application. We match you with the students and alums of top B-Schools according to your background and target schools.


Good luck :D
­
­That was so helpful! Thank you and I will check your work (probably can't afford lol)­
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jonatasjun
­My short term goal is to enter at least a top 25 mba with low financial commitment (I will probably have like 20k USD saved max.)

­My end goal is to immigrate to the US. But since my country has a terrible currency, I am afraid to take debt in USD since I don't know if I will secure that job later on...
­I meant, where do you wanna go post-MBA?
Target Industry, function, location?
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jonatasjun
­My short term goal is to enter at least a top 25 mba with low financial commitment (I will probably have like 20k USD saved max.)

­My end goal is to immigrate to the US. But since my country has a terrible currency, I am afraid to take debt in USD since I don't know if I will secure that job later on...
­I meant, where do you wanna go post-MBA?
Target Industry, function, location?
­Well, my main focus is to stay in the real estate industry. But I would be fine in any other area of IB or consultant as well.
Location almost anywhere is fine. As I said, I did a year and half study abroad in Motana and I actually loved it lol.
I don't know much of other states besides NY,Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, etc.
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jonatasjun

Businessconquerer

jonatasjun
­My short term goal is to enter at least a top 25 mba with low financial commitment (I will probably have like 20k USD saved max.)

­My end goal is to immigrate to the US. But since my country has a terrible currency, I am afraid to take debt in USD since I don't know if I will secure that job later on...
­I meant, where do you wanna go post-MBA?
Target Industry, function, location?
­Well, my main focus is to stay in the real estate industry. But I would be fine in any other area of IB or consultant as well.
Location almost anywhere is fine. As I said, I did a year and half study abroad in Motana and I actually loved it lol.
I don't know much of other states besides NY,Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, etc.
­University of Wisconsin- Madison has some good reputation in real estate and llikelihood of you getting a scholarship is much higher as well.

Although, I think instead of looking at bands, looking at what programs are well suited for your goal would be key. Georgetown could be another one that stands out.
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jonatasjun

Businessconquerer
­I meant, where do you wanna go post-MBA?
Target Industry, function, location?
­Well, my main focus is to stay in the real estate industry. But I would be fine in any other area of IB or consultant as well.
Location almost anywhere is fine. As I said, I did a year and half study abroad in Motana and I actually loved it lol.
I don't know much of other states besides NY,Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, California, Washington, etc.
­University of Wisconsin- Madison has some good reputation in real estate and llikelihood of you getting a scholarship is much higher as well.

Although, I think instead of looking at bands, looking at what programs are well suited for your goal would be key. Georgetown could be another one that stands out.
­Thank you. I will look at those programs as well!­
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Hi jonatasjun

I am Priyanka, Clent Manager at ARINGO. Speaking about your profile, your undergrad degree in Civil, combined with the postgraduate business program will provide you a solid understanding of the industry. The exchange program at Montana establishes a global perspective, which is highly valued skill for adcoms.

Your career progression, from a large public company to a leadership role in a smaller firm should demonstrate growth and responsibility. Your PMP certification indicates strong project management skills which is also a highly valued asset in real estate development.
Wharton and MIT are top-tier programs, while schools like Kellogg, Columbia, and UCLA also offer excellent real estate programs and have a history of supporting international students.

To enhance your profile, you will have to concentrate on quantifying your achievements in your current role, such as revenue generation, project profitability and team management. Also please explore opportunities to take on leadership roles in professional organizations or community initiatives to demonstrate your social responsibilities.

A GMAT score in the 720-750 range is a competitive target but remember that a holistic application is crucial. To gain a deeper understanding of your profile and explore potential schools in more detail, connect with us.
Click here to connect for a detailed profile analysis.

You can also email me your CV at: priyankak@aringo.com
Good Luck!