PE and guidance request.

Question

Hi, Jon!

I appreciate your efforts to make our community better and kindly ask to evaluate my application profile, though it may seem a bit controversial.

I am 31 years old male from Russia, married and just received the greatest gift from my wife - little daughter. I graduated from the most respected Russian university where I majored in chemistry. Though my GPA is not great at all (I tried to convert to US scale and ended with something around 3.1), some people said that my academic performance was good enough. I have had a combination of part-time job and kind of health problem at the beginning of my education (at second year I even had to get academic vacation because of this) that prevent me to achieve higher grades. After graduation there were barely any job for me in Russia for my specialization, so I switched to IT and after series of short attempts to find work-of-my-dream I finally landed at one of the biggest investment company in Russia. For 5 years of work there I was nominated one year as Best Employee and received proposal to head my team. Last two years I was Head of IT in a new financial structure established by the former top-manager of my previous company and had 2-3 really interesting projects done during that time. Last several months I am unemployed: I forced my MBA preparation, also my close relative needed my help and support because of severe illness.

Some additional information:
1. GMAT1 - 600, GMAT2 - 690 (Q49, V35, AWA4, IR5). Sadly, there is no time left to retake before second deadline, though last two mocks before exam yield 750 and 770.
2. I did not have TOEFL score yet, but I expect to reach 100 points threshold.
3. My dream is to combine my previous experience in chemistry and current experience in information technologies, and to get into some greentech/biotech/health company. Eventually I want to establish my own company with concentration in recycle and/or renewable energy technologies. I should agree that I better fit for research or analytic work, but MBA allows to see further and broader, and to get right direction from right people.
4. My schools are Haas, Columbia, Duke, Mays and Ross. I also think about Marriott, primary because of affordable tuition but this school is a bit confusing for its Ecclesiastical Endorsement :shock:

Application for INSEAD two-year program in R3 is also considered.
5. My wife is the same age as I am and also wants to get an MBA with me, but her GMAT1 is 620; she will have her second attempt in two weeks (well, it is quite difficult to enforce your brainpower while you are nursing a baby)

So, my questions to you are:
1. What are my chances to get into the mentioned schools? :-D

Is my list of schools coherent with my goals from your point of view? This list is based on a limited research so I could miss something. May be you can clarify requirements of Marriott as well.
2. What are the chances to get MBA together with my spouse? Or we have better chances to apply separately?
3. Should I consider to retake GMAT and apply in R3?
4. Will age decrease our chances to get admitted?
5. Should I mention my academic vacation (I'm not sure if in US term "academic vacation" is used and understood in a right manner)? AFAIK, adcomms dislike vacation to prepare for admission, so should I emphasize the reasons in any additional letter?

Many thanks for your response!

Application for INSEAD two-year program in R3 is also considered. 5. My wife is the same age as I am and also wants to get an MBA with me, but her GMAT1 is 620; she will have her second attempt in two weeks (well, it is quite difficult to enforce your brainpower while you are nursing a baby) So, my questions to you are: 1. What are my chances to get into the mentioned schools? :-D

Is my list of schools coherent with my goals from your point of view? This list is based on a limited research so I could miss something. May be you can clarify requirements of Marriott as well. 2. What are the chances to get MBA together with my spouse? Or we have better chances to apply separately? 3. Should I consider to retake GMAT and apply in R3? 4. Will age decrease our chances to get admitted? 5. Should I mention my academic vacation (I'm not sure if in US term "academic vacation" is used and understood in a right manner)? AFAIK, adcomms dislike vacation to prepare for admission, so should I emphasize the reasons in any additional letter? Many thanks for your response!

Admissionado · Answer

Hello hello, and thanks for stopping by! First let me answer your questions as directly as possible. I hear that works well in Russia

1. What are my chances to get into the mentioned schools? :-D

Is my list of schools coherent with my goals from your point of view? This list is based on a limited research so I could miss something. May be you can clarify requirements of Marriott as well. It's gonna be tough. You have a few things going against you, but mainly two: 1. Your GMAT is below the average 2. You are unemployed. Either of these things can be overcomable, but together, to continue to apply at the level you are thinking of, it's tough... 2. What are the chances to get MBA together with my spouse? Or we have better chances to apply separately? This is a very good question. I have seen couple successfully AND unsuccessfully apply (meaning occasions where only one of the two got in). I don't think there's any secret here. If they like you both, they take you both, if they like one, they take one and see what happens. But there is no point in NOT telling them that you are applying as a couple. 3. Should I consider to retake GMAT and apply in R3? Round 3 will be very difficult for an international applicant. HOWEVER, if it means you will be applying with a) a Higher GMAT AND b) A job, then I would say wait till round 3 (or better yet, Round 1 a year later) 4. Will age decrease our chances to get admitted? 31 is a weee bit old. But you should be fine. Even 32 should be fine

5. Should I mention my academic vacation (I'm not sure if in US term "academic vacation" is used and understood in a right manner)? AFAIK, adcomms dislike vacation to prepare for admission, so should I emphasize the reasons in any additional letter? This is something you can think about later - exactly how to present what... You are right that AdComs don't like when people quit a job to prepare the application... which is why, if you can, you should get a job before you apply. Sooo, the short of it, is that you have an interesting career, with with your current situation your school list is very out of range. The question then comes to you: Do you change your situation? Or do you change your school list? Hope this helps! And feel free to write back with any additional thoughts, comments, whatever, Best, Jon

lolopolo · Answer

Hi, Jon! Thanks for your great input, this was exactly what I needed, though I am disappointed a bit. First let me answer your questions as directly as possible. I hear that works well in Russia

You're right, shooting from the hip is highly appreciated among Russians :wink:

1. What are my chances to get into the mentioned schools? :-D

Is my list of schools coherent with my goals from your point of view? This list is based on a limited research so I could miss something. May be you can clarify requirements of Marriott as well. It's gonna be tough. You have a few things going against you, but mainly two: 1. Your GMAT is below the average 2. You are unemployed. Either of these things can be overcomable, but together, to continue to apply at the level you are thinking of, it's tough... I see several solutions here. First: just make a good cover letter that will explain all circumstances (there were several conditions, which forced me to quit my job). Second: I can get a position in family business, but, IMO, this will raise even more questions from adcomms. Otherwise getting job for half year or so would be a bit unfair. What do you think is better? 2. What are the chances to get MBA together with my spouse? Or we have better chances to apply separately? This is a very good question. I have seen couple successfully AND unsuccessfully apply (meaning occasions where only one of the two got in). I don't think there's any secret here. If they like you both, they take you both, if they like one, they take one and see what happens. But there is no point in NOT telling them that you are applying as a couple. Nice to hear that anyway. 40-50 points difference in GMAT shouldn't be a big issue, am I right? Her GPA is better, and she has more relevant WE as financial adviser. Sooo, the short of it, is that you have an interesting career, with with your current situation your school list is very out of range. The question then comes to you: Do you change your situation? Or do you change your school list? If you were me, what schools do you suggest, in which I could be competitive? Once again, many thanks for your useful feedback.

Admissionado · Answer

Hey hey, So if we started getting into color posting this post will get REEEAL messy reeeeal quick. So let me just answer in the order you asked. :-D

First regarding your proposed solutions. Explanations can help, but to an extent. When they have another candidate from Russia with a job and a higher GMAT you can be sure they will take him instead. Second solution: Going to the family business - this can work, esp. if it is part of your goals - this works really good if the family business is HUGE. If it's like a five-man operation its a less convincing solution. But still better than unemployment. Next, about you and your spouse - actually 40-50 points is a HUGE difference. Esp. when we are talking about the difference between a 690 and 740 (the difference, to make it clear, is between applying with thirty points under the average of 10 points above... its HUGE). Who has 40 points more though? Does she have a 650? Or a 740? With a 690 and unemployed, your range is more in the 10-30 ranking than top 10, which would be a bit hard... So, you STILL may want to think about retaking... I'll leave that up to you... But come back with any questions if you have, All the best, JF

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