Hi uhhgmat,
Thanks for reaching out. Let me share some thoughts on your profile information. First, excellent GPA, especially in that major and a great school. GMAT is very strong too. As you probably know, it will be just below average for some of the very top programs. I noticed the lower IR / AWA scores too. I'm a bit more concerned about IR than AWA (since they have other ways to evaluate your writing). I can understand your points about the unique demands of your work. Just tread carefully with that additional essay as you need to be very careful not to make excuses. Your four years of work make this a great time for you to apply. I like the cross-functional nature of your work too, that will translate well to Tech. Any promotions during that time? Any international exposure? If so, those would be things to highlight too. Your activities outside work are strong and I think schools will value your commitment to mentoring others.
I think Tech seems like a reasonable post-MBA path for you, and there are lots of opportunities there for MBAs. Make sure you have identified specific roles within Tech and specific target companies (that hire at your target schools).
I agree with the focus on narrowing your list of schools. H/S/W will be the toughest ones on your list. You might want to mix in another school like Ross, which has a good reputation in Tech. NYU Stern also has a tech-focused MBA that might be of interest to you.
Be sure to check out our Insider's Guides to supplement your own research on those schools:
https://shop.mbamission.com/collections ... r-s-guidesHope that helps and good luck!
Kate
uhhgmat wrote:
Background:
26, Asian Male
Academics:
Undergraduate: UCLA
GPA: 3.86 (Magna Cum Laude)
Major: Chemical Engineering
GMAT: 720 (Q: 48, V: 40, IR: 3, AWA: 4)*
*I plan to write an essay addressing my low IR/AWA scores. Key points for that essay are as follows:
- When I officially decided to go for an MBA (March 2019), my work was going through a work intensive maintenance window.
- I was working ~80 hours a week, 6 days a week, including days/night shifts for 12 weeks
- I tried studying while working 80 hrs a week, but the physical and mental fatigue made it tough (my work entails physical activity - climbing through equipment for inspections & technical analysis during this maintenance window).
- When the maintenance window ended, I had to transition from night shifts and had effectively 3 weeks to study.
- With verbal reasoning being my weakest subject, I choose to focus on that.
- With a relatively strong work experience and GPA, I felt that would help bolster my IR/AWA scores (and even my quant score).
- Instead of retaking the GMAT, I felt my time was better suited researching MBA programs, determining post-MBA career, & determining what I would do with my time at different MBA programs to achieve the post MBA career.
Work Exp:
4 years (currently) as a Process Engineer at a Fortune 50 petroleum refining company
A sample of major projects/achievements include the following:
- Leading interdisciplinary teams to remove equipment deficiencies & increase unit reliability
- Optimizing process unit to increase throughput & generate millions of dollar/year in profit
Extra curricular:
I am very big on mentorship so a lot of my extra cirriculars reflect this:
- Mentorship roles in a few engineering clubs as an undergrad. Help set up various events including: UCLA's Engineering Welcome Day, resume workshops, interview/internship prep, etc.
- Recruiting lead at UCLA for my company. This extends to being involved in our internship program as a supervisor & buddy. Also I have been involved with my local high school students (through my company) with discussions about college, STEM fields, career fairs, resumes, etc.
Goal:
Ideally, I hope to make a joint degree program that has exposure to tech to help switch in Tech as a product manager.
My current role has me communicating with a wide audience from engineers, operators (essentially our customers), and management, so I feel like this aspect translates smoothly. The reason I am pursuing and MBA to learn the business side of this role (different analytical tools/metrics, case studies, hands on experience, etc.) and also learn more about the tech space (joining clubs, learning how to code, etc.)
Target Schools:
MIT Sloan, Kellogg, Chicago, Wharton, HBS, GSB, Haas, Anderson, McCombs
I am planning to apply this fall for 2020 admit. I choose these schools based on the programs & the location. I still need to do more research into the culture/fit and other resources that would help my career goals.
Thanks! Please do let me know how realistic/unrealistic the goals are or if there are areas of my profile I need to address to make myself more competitive. Also, if there are other schools with a strong Tech MBA that I should be considering, please let me know.
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23 Jun 2019, 10:39
