Pre-MBA Salary

Question

I know you should never inflate your salary on the application. However there is a bit of an ambiguity on my salary as I'm currently working in a 3rd world country where I am entitled to a 50% tax-protected premium on top of my base pay. On a pre-tax / gross basis it will amount to a +70% increase.

Seeing that there is a large gap between my salaries before and after I started working overseas, even though I am not technically lying, I wonder if adcoms will actually believe the numbers. Should I just list my salary without the location premium?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

bb · Answer

Wow.... that's a great salary. You sure you want to take a pay cut and get an MBA? :lol

You can put any verifiable number (a background check company will be verifying a LOT of things if you matriculate) but in reality you can choose whatever makes the most sense in your package/story/work history. Chances are some other people who were expats/etc have had large salaries and applied to MBA programs, so this is nothing really new in the MBA admission world.

appleamily · Answer

Yeah I think I am making more money than I can spend, but I'm not sure if it actually makes me happy, and it's hindering my chances of landing a husband. :cry:

Anyways, I feel that I'm essentially cheating by claiming the location premium as part of my salary since salaries should be a reflection of one's career progression, which is what I think adcoms are looking for when they compare the numbers. However a location premium really has nothing to do with my professional capacity; I am getting paid more only because I am an expat. I guess adcoms will either be impressed or be put-off by my attempt to skew the number in my favor. Hmm. :?:

MonicaCLuna321@yahoo.com · Answer

great salary..

bb · Answer

I can definitely see that - you should in this case exclude your bonus from consideration. Frankly, Adcom does not care how much money you make now. That's just for statistics and just to see the relationship. I am sure a number of folks even have a decreasing number (esp. going from one industry to the next) and that's a story too - it is all a story. Some are super boring and others are interesting.

Good Luck!

Good Luck!

phlaym39 · Answer

That's right. I took a decrease of about 25%, going from corporate to social sector.

cosmopolitan · Answer

CBS asked for the salary excluding benefits such as housing and allowances.
Given that your premium is part of your salary for an expat posting, add it to it.
And as far as finding a husband goes, which schools are you applying to? ;-)

appleamily · Answer

So far only INSEAD... all my eggs in one basket. Woohoo. And I already told my boss I'ma quit. 8-)

Pre-MBA Salary

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