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sss
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Joined: 26 Jun 2004
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MBA at 35 26 Jun 2004, 18:19
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Hi,

Maybe I'm a late bloomer, however, I think I finally feel the need to get an MBA. I've been in technology consulting for the last 5 years and have lived in 5 continents while doing that. I'm hoping to switch to Product management and I definitely think an MBA will help me move up the corporate chain faster.

That being said, I'll be leaving behind 6 figure salary. Therefore, I'm thinking of going to B-school only if I get into one of the top 5 schools. Do you guys think that my age will be a factor when I apply to these schools?
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MBA at 35 27 Jun 2004, 12:04
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sss

That being said, I'll be leaving behind 6 figure salary. Therefore, I'm thinking of going to B-school only if I get into one of the top 5 schools. Do you guys think that my age will be a factor when I apply to these schools?
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Yeah, I do think it will be a factor. At least in American schools, there are only a handful of 35+ people in each class. The most important thing that you'll need to do is really think through the "Why MBA" question, specifically answering "Why now?" It's obviously not easy giving up a six-figure salary, and rather than being impressed by this, adcomms may wonder why you'd do it at this stage of your career.

Executive MBA and part-time programs may also be an option for you. But if you're only interested in a "regular" full-time MBA, spend a lot of time thinking through the "Why MBA?" question, and also demonstrating (via your interview) that you'd fit into a class of mostly twenty-somethings.

Scott
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MBA at 35 27 Jun 2004, 12:20
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Thanks Scott,

I'm not sure what the requirements for an E-MBA are, however, I haven't
really attempted to get into the management change until now. I'm still a Senior Consultant and I'm not sure if that will suffice for the E-MBA.

Also, any ideas on points that I can emphasize to show that I'll fit in with the 20 somethings?
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MBA at 35 27 Jun 2004, 16:52
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sss

Also, any ideas on points that I can emphasize to show that I'll fit in with the 20 somethings?
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I bet you can accomplish most of this by 1) simply demonstrating that you understand that you'll be older than your average classmates and 2) making clear that this wouldn't be a problem for you. Sometimes an older student gets to b-school and bristles a bit when he realizes that everyone has a lot less experience than he does. You'd mainly want to show that you see your extra experience as an asset, but that you also will appreciate the backgrounds of younger, less experienced classmates, especially those who come from backgrounds different from your own. You don't want them to expect that you'll be condescending to your classmates or anything like that.

Scott