Hi,

I took the GMAT with the intention of applying to full time programs in the next few years.

GMAT: 740 (Q50 V39)
Undergrad: Clemson Univ. Honors
GPA: 3.83 (top 3% of class)
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Work Experience:
3 co-op rotations with Fortune 500 company (2 R&D, 1 Manufacturing). Company is a Forbes top 10 reputable brand.
Current jobs: Engineer for same company in production facility
Race: White
Gender: Male
International exposure: study abroad for 1 summer, several coworkers from Europe
Leadership: events director for student board of university athletic dept. , filled in as production supervisor in between employees filling the role (this was 6 months in to my current job, so I was doing 2 jobs at once during the pandemic)

Essays: I have strong writing skills and would be able to sell what I have to offer

Recs: not sure who I plan to ask yet. Whoever it is will likely not have an MBA from an elite school.

My questions are:
Where do I need to improve?
What are realistic schools for me?

My plan is to apply in the next 2-3 years at the most. I will get a promotion in that time unless I apply to B school earlier. I am 1 year into my full time work.

Thanks!

Posted from my mobile device

My Suggestion:

- Improve by learning new skills through online courses offered on edx and coursera in the domain that you wish to pursue next
- If you apply after 3 years then schools may ask for your fresh GMAT score so be mentally prepared for it if it happens.
- Participate in some sustainability-related work or in some community service or both. It will help build your application well.
- Nurturing hobbies and interests are treated as looked moves

All the best!
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Hello clemsongrad,

Your GMAT and undergrad GPA are definitely very strong – as are your work and leadership experiences. Even with these advantages and strong writing skills, there are still ways to improve your candidacy.

Selecting the right recommenders will be part of this, and it should not matter whether or not they have an MBA from an elite school. What’s far more important is that you choose someone who is familiar with your work, character, strengths and weaknesses, and career aspirations. It’s also helpful to not only pick someone who is a good writer, but someone who will take the time to write a good LOR.

I would also suggest that you work on defining your personal story. This is the area that Personal MBA Coach clients often need the most help with. In order to craft a winning story, I advise you to start with the following process:

- Make a list of everything you have done in your life and take the time to write it all down. Think carefully about the decisions you have made, activities you enjoy and most importantly, why you made those choices.
- Think about your future goals. What do you want to do after you earn your MBA and again, why?
- Next, look for a theme! What single idea connects these together? This is the hard part, so give it time.

Business schools want to know how you will make the business world (and the world more broadly) better when you leave their campuses. They also want to know how you will leave a unique mark.

If you connect all aspects of your profile into a compelling and consistent story, you should have a shot at an M7/T10. We work with lots of folks in the months and years ahead of applying and we can tell you exactly what you need to do to improve your profile. The early planning clients do the best.

Take a look at our Early MBA Planning services to get started.

Happy to further discuss your profile and other areas you can focus on for improvement: scott@personalmbacoach.com

Regards,
Personal MBA Coach
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