FaRiKo
Hi there,
Could you please review my profile and provide your insights and opinions regarding chances of mine to be admitted to the schools listed below. Thanks in advance for your valuable insights.
Harvard Business School
Stanford Graduate School of Business
MIT Sloan School of Management
Haas School of Business
I'm 30 years old executive from Azerbaijan, Baku. I believe the name of my country might tell nothing since it used to be part of the Soviet Union and located far away from USA to which I would like to take my journey. Moreover, it is just small:) Yet I believe it might enhance my profile because there have been few applications for top MBA programmes from my motherland.
As for my work experience, currently I'm Director of Development Company and, at the same time, Chief Strategy Officer of the parent company which has activities in following spheres: real estate development, publishing house, and largest printing company in Caucasus. Previously I had been working in telecom for almost 10 years and was CEO of the biggest Pay TV in Azerbaijan in terms of footprint of its broadcasting network prior to joining Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) which was established with a sole purpose of organization of the first ever European Games. Before that, I managed the nation-wide project regarding deployment of digital terrestrial television network and simultaneously worked as Head of Business Development of the company in charge of this project, which then was the part of the biggest Telecom Group in Azerbaijan which had two mobile operators and other telecom and IT companies in the Group.
In parallel, I have had some start-up experience (I developed First Pay Radio Project in Azerbaijan (although it didn't become a full-fledged company) and consulted start-ups in the sphere of fin-tech, retail, media, and education).
On top of that, I fluently speak 4 languages: Azerbaijani (native), Russian, Turkish, and English.
Why do I want to get an MBA degree? In essence, unlike dozens MBA candidates (no offense intended to brilliant MBA candidates out there for whom I wish nothing but best), for me MBA is not as much about increase in salary or the honing of my management skills and the acquiring of knowledge, as about overall experience it provides. It is like a destination you want to travel and constant immersion in environment where you will be part of something significant whether it is people, projects, or new knowledge. As for my post-MBA plans, I want to pursue my journey in in some start-ups or venture capital firms or companies which is trying to have an impact on as much people as possible like Tesla, SpaceX, and the like.
Below are my scores:
IELTS score - 7.5
GMAT - 650/76%
Verbal - 38/85%
Quantitative 41/48%.
As for references, I can provide references from peoples ranging from the former minister (of the ministry I worked with on some projects) to current CEO of the Group I work in and Deputy CEO of one of the biggest banks in Azerbaijan.
I believe that my sub-par quantitative score (which is result, based on my CAT experience, of silly mistakes and bad time-management) may make admission committee raise eyebrows and may result in my application being rejected and, therefore, I would like to know how I can strengthen my overall profile.
Thanks once again in advance.
Hey there my friend!
It is indeed a great honor to hear from you! And yes, applicants from Azebijan are very very rare. I mean my company has done about 29,000 applications, and well, in my memory at least you are the first one from Azerbaijan.
So, your profile is AWESOME. I mean going into school as a CEO??? of the BIGGEST pay TV channel in Azerbaijan? And letters of recommendations from ministers? Holy Cow! Why do you even want to go to business school
So, now normally if any other candidate came to me with a 650 and asked me about the schools you are asking me about, I would say "Impossible". In your case, though, dude, I think you might have a real shot. Of course it would help a LOT if you possibly could retake the GMAT and score higher without any detriment to the time and effort you need to put in to write your applications. But given the amazing things you have done so far, you just might have a shot. And actually since you have already decided you will apply to top schools, then just go for it. I will support you all the way!
But please make a perfect application! If schools whose average GMAT is 730 will take on someone whose GMAT is 650, its because that person (you
) is awesome and amazing in every other aspect. So gotta make it happen (and/or retake the GMAT)
Anyhow, I'd love to hear from you, and work with you if you need assistance. Drop us a line:
https://admissionado.com/free-consultati ... n=mba_blogOtherwise, if you have any other questions, let me know!!
Best,
Jon Frank