MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Posts: 2457
Given Kudos: 2
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: profile eval.
[#permalink]
20 Jun 2010, 18:53
Yes, you would be an unconventional applicant, but not someone who they haven't seen before at all (which is a good thing). You're not the only person with entertainment industry experience that they've seen, but there's certainly far less of folks like yourself than there are those in accounting, banking, consulting, engineering, etc.
As such, in spite of your age and inexperience, you may have an outside shot at schools right now. However, a lot of it comes down to your GMAT, quality of your applications (they have to get a sense that you're mature for your age), and a bit of luck (the people who happen to read your application will either like you for who you are right now, and other who won't no matter what simply because you have no full-time experience).
As for GMAT, you basically need a 700+ in your situation (and probably a monster score like a 760). Or, if you take the GRE, probably 1450 and above (I'm not as familiar with GREs but the averages for the b-schools that accept GREs is in that range).
If you have the time and energy to apply, by all means go for it -- just keep some realistic expectations, and be prepared to look for full-time jobs at the same time. And if you don't get in, you'll hopefully have a decent job lined up, which will position you well to reapply in a few years' time.
Now, whether you feel you're ready for b-school right now is really a personal thing. Best way to find that out if you haven't already is to visit some of these top b-schools while classes are in session (which you won't be able to do until Sept). Get a feel for who your peers are going to be - not just whether you can keep up with them academically or your ability to contribute to classroom discussions and project work, but whether you will fit in socially as well, since a bit part of networking in plain English is basically your ability to make friends with your classmates. And that comes down to whether you feel you can relate to them -- those with even only 2-3 years of experience will be in a different stage of life compared to someone straight out of college.
There's a bit of a self-selection going on with b-school as well when it comes to timing. A good number of the applicants apply when they're "ready" in their life -- not necessarily from a professional standpoint, but from a personal standpoint -- people tend to apply at a time in their lives when they are looking to settle down a bit more. They see b-school as the swan song (subconsciously or not) to their youth, a sort of formal bookend to their childhood. Married folks will go into it with the idea that they're likely looking to have kids very soon after b-school. Single folks (not all, but quite a number) go in with the idea that they are ready to settle into a more stable career/life and get married shortly thereafter (you'll find there's TONS of weddings within the first 1-3 years post-MBA) - they're looking to get married sooner than later.
So whether you are in that position or not -- understand that from a personal standpoint, that is the headspace where a lot of your MBA classmates will be. For some, this "I'm ready to settle down soon" comes earlier, for others it comes later in their 20s or 30s (or never). This isn't what adcoms are looking for, but it's an important consideration when it comes to "fit" -- whether you can connect with your classmates in a way where you're growing with them and where you're roughly in a similar headspace. And this does in a way affect your ability to network - even if in a subtle way.
While there are wild and crazy dreamers in every b-school, they are in the minority. Because of the headspace many of the MBA students are in (looking to settle down) -- they will be more conservative than other people their age. By "conservative" I don't mean politically (although that can also be the case) - but less adventurous and spontaneous than other people their age or people you're used to being around (spontaneous undergrads, film industry folks) in their choices, behavior, interests, activities, etc.
B-school has herd mentality - not only when it comes to career choices, but personal lives as well. More than perhaps other people their age (mid-20s and above), there seems to be a greater rush to grow up amongst b-schoolers -- an unspoken but prevalent pressure that you'll get in many contexts for people in that age group, but arguably more so in a b-school environment where the people tend to be more conservative and less adventurous in their lifestyle choices. This may not be a big deal if you're in your mid- or late-20s (because you'll face this kind of social pressure no matter where you are), but it may feel oppressive for a 21- or 22 year old, unless you're one of the few guys your age that is already feeling ready to settle down.
Given that you're just getting out of college where folks are young enough to be more open minded and adventurous, while also working in an industry that certainly encourages that, you may find the b-school environment at this point in your life even more alien and oppressive/restrictive than you would if you were a few years older.