Hi Mikel,
Thanks for reaching out. Your entrepreneurial experience and involvement in your family's business are both strengths that you should definitely highlight in your applications. I think your two big challenges are academics and work experience / level. With academics, it sounds like you have a much higher GMAT score in you! I would try to give the test one more shot. Especially since your GPA was not the strongest earlier. With work experience, am I right that you're in a graduate program now? Most applicants have 3-5 years full time work experience when they apply, so I'm not sure that you hit that mark yet. If not, I recommend waiting, and giving yourself more time with the GMAT too. If you're looking at Round 3 deadlines (March/April) for schools in the US, acceptance rates in that round are quite tough. You would have much better chances applying in one of the first two rounds.
That's how I see it, but maybe you have good reasons to go ahead and apply now. If so, just make sure that's a part of your application story in terms of why you need an MBA, and why you need one now. I would also make sure that if you choose to pursue finance, you get more specific on what kind of role, company, etc.
Otherwise, it does seem like you have a good range of schools on your list. Agree that Tuck will be challenging, and probably LBS too, though you should have some good options with the other schools on your list. But they will all look for a significant amount of work experience, so that is still a concern I have.
Hope that helps!
Kate
mikellaverde wrote:
Hello, I would highly appreciate to get some advice on my MBA profile/application (2019 Intake):
My profile:
Colombian Male, 24 years old.
Education:
-Ongoing Specialization in Statistics: currently Ranked 1st in class. (GPA 4.8/5) (2018-Present)
BSc, Industrial engineering (2013-2017)
----Double concentration in Finance and Logistics.
----(GPA 3.74/5) and (4.48/5 in senior year) –I know I screwed up my gpa, I went through some tough years.
---- got an award for the first place in a national engineering exam all graduates must take.
Work:
Entrepreneurship (2017-Present)
---- biological control products to combat diseases of the oil palm in Colombia.
----I’m working with the business plan I used as my undergrad dissertation. Is being quite successful (150k revenue in first year)
Family business (2016-Present) (kind of part-time occasional)
----My family runs an oil palm plantation business in which I have developed some specific projects to optimize the operation. (economically impactful)
Internship (6 months 2016)
----developed a knowledge management system for a boutique consulting firm.
Extras:
As some extras I would mention that I was a rugby player during my university time and a former captain of the rugby team.
Also, right now I’m an athlete in a cycling team here in Colombia.
TOEFL 111/ reading 29/30 listening 30/30 speaking 26/30 writing 26/30
GMAT my story with the GMAT has been challenging and somehow disappointing
After 4 months of study I sat it on December 2018
First attempt: 660 Q45 V36 IR7 AWA5.
I thought I could do better. I was scoring 700-720-710 in my last 3 CATS so I believed I would improve it:
Second attempt: 640 Q48 V31 IR5 –3 days ago, I canceled the score. My quant is what I expected but I screwed up the verbal (don’t know why, I felt great but at the end had to run a bit (3-4 questions) and IR I was just anxious about the verbal.
I probably don’t have a chance to try again because of deadlines.
Thoughts:
----In a short-term I would like to work in a finance related job. I feel very passionate about the subject and I haven’t had the opportunity to work in such a role for a big company. I would like to have that experience (Don’t know if I should mention that in my application)
----My midterm goal with the mba is to develop and enhance my business abilities so that I can manage more effectively my start-up. The business has a great potential to the future but sometimes I feel I lack the skills to address day-by-day issues.
----I will eventually manage my family business (It is quite a big company that has been in constant grown) so I will also require some managerial skills to be successful as a CEO.
Target BS:
I want a BS with a good finance background (I will concentrate in either entrepreneurship or finance)
I would love to enter to a Top program but I’m not sure about how my profile would do.
I want a 2 year or at least 1.5 years program.
Canada: Good post-mba options for me (up to 3 years of work permit painless)
• Rotman
USA: It is less difficult to find a working visa (not as easy as Canada)
• Rochester, Simon: Strong in Finance, they gave me a free waiver so I’m just going to try.
• Tuck: This is my favorite BS of all, I can feel that connection from the gut. But I know it’s probably impossible to get into.
England: I love England, but I know that working there is difficult.
• LBS
• Manchester
France: I do not know a word of French
• Hec Paris: they have been very interested in me, I’m not sure if this is because of my profile or just marketing.
Spain: Spain is also a difficult place to work for a Latin-American
• IESE
• ESADE
First, thank you for taking the time to answer! It would be helpful to know what kind of business school I could realistically aspire to, as well as any advice that can help me to prepare my application.
regards,
Mikel.