Hey Ricardo:
Thanks for reaching out to me. The good news is is that you are definitely competitive at a top 20 full-time program - I would actually put you in the running for a top 10 program. You have all the stats and the Work experience to back it up.
I want to focus here on top 5 programs for the remainder of my response. This is because I am not really worried about you getting into Most programs from 6 to 10. At a top-five program - Let us say Harvard, Stanford, Wharton – you need to really focus on differentiating yourself. At this point in the game, it goes beyond stats. (Of course you know all this.)
You have fairly vanilla – which is not a bad thing – work experience within consulting and audit. How are you going to stand out from all the other South American to come from similar backgrounds? This is what you have to worry about at a top-five program. The competition is that fierce. The good news is is that I believe that if you can form a complete story - That is aligning your background with your goals and personal convictions – You can crack into the top 3. Again this is especially relevant at schools like Stanford and Harvard, where they ask you very open-ended questions such as "what matters most to you."
Differentiating yourself Through your essays begins with having personal reasons and convictions that align with what you ultimately want to do in your career. This goes beyond working for a multinational firm in the short term and upon graduation from an MBA program. For example –You have to be able to connect your reasons for pursuing And MBA and your ultimate career goals to the decisions that you have made throughout your life, as well as some of the more personal experiences that have affected you (and of course your decision-making.) These are the personal reasons for why you want to effect A great deal of change in the world. It may sound rather lofty to presume you are going to affect great change in the world, But you have to realize that this is what Harvard and Stanford (for example) are looking for in their candidates and their candidates ultimate aspirations. If you cannot do this, Then it is best not to apply to the schools.
Of course, this is what I do for a living – help people connect the dots. I would really like to talk to you about your candidacy, because I know you are most definitely good at a top 20, and even a top 10. I think I can help you. So if you would like to set up some time to speak, please email me at
MBA@amerasiaconsulting.com. Please reference this conversation in your email and ask to speak directly with me.
Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti
ricardosgouvea wrote:
Hi guys,
I would love to hear your thoughts about my profile and my chances to be accept in a Top 20 FT program. A snapshot of my profile:
1) WE - 8 years in audit and consulting field at the Latin America region (Deloitte, Walmart, KPMG, Scania and BASF (actual))
2) GMAT - 720 (Q46, V44)
3) Education - Business Administration at Federal University of Pernambuco – UFPE – Brazil – GPA 3.6 - GY 2009
4) Extra Curricular Activities - College, Vice President of Talent Management at AIESEC (World Largest Student Organization) - Post-College, in every company participated in all volunteer activities.
5) Certifications - Certificated of Risk Management (University of Toronto)
6) Targets - Full time MBA - Top 20 FT
7) Application - R1 or R2 2015 or R1 R2 2016
8) Goal post-MBA - Work with strategy, finance or management in multinational companies (not consulting) in US or Europe
Thanks a lot guys!
Cheers,
Ricardo