Profile Evaluation Request

Hi,


I'd really appreciate it if you kindly give me some feedback.


· ​Demographics : 29, Female, Asian American
· Education: GPA 3.6, Economics major, Top 20 Public University
· GMAT or GRE: GMAT 710 (Q47, V40) I'm planning to retake it soon to get a higher score.
· Work experience: Tech consultant at a global consulting firm (Not MBB/Big4).
· Target schools: M7 schools, Yale SOM, Haas, NYU Stern



I started college at 20 and it took an extra year for me to graduate because of some personal issues. To make a long story short, I did ballet at school for about 10 years but had to change my career by the time I auditioned for colleges because of some health issues and injuries directly related to my performance. Fortunately, I got into a decent school after a few years of struggle and graduated with an okay GPA even though it took longer than I thought. Since I graduated from college, I've been working at a global consulting firm as a Technology Consultant. It's been about 2.5 years and I got promoted once.
I've always wanted to do an MBA but I'm concerned about my age and work experience. I know most people apply at 26 - 28 with 4-5 years of experience but if I apply this year, I will be applying at 29. Plus, other older applicants around my age usually have much more work experience, which is about 7-9 years. I'm concerned that admissions officers might interpret the relatively short years of work experience compared to my age as a sign of incompetency or academic failure.

My current GMAT score is 710 and I know it's on the lower side for my target schools. I'm planning to retake a couple more times within the next two months and apply in Round 2. In the worst case scenario (If I don't get the target score within the next two months), I will wait and apply next year (2022) in Round 1. I'm personally okay to apply next year but wonder whether it'd decrease the odds of me getting into one of the top schools. I'm already on the older side even if I apply this year (applying at 29) and if I apply in 2022, I will be applying at 30. It is personally and financially better for me to apply in 2022 but I've heard applying at/over 30 could decrease the odds significantly. My concerns are:


1. Will my age and relatively short years of work experience compared to my age be viewed negatively? Let's say I submit my application with a higher GMAT score (740+), do you think I still have a chance to get into top schools? I'd like to know whether the admission committees would view my age and relatively short work experience compared to my age as academic failure or lack of ability even if I submit my application with a high GMAT score.



2. Is there a huge difference between applying at 29 and applying at 30? If I apply in Round 2 this year, I will be applying at 29 with about 3 years of experience (3.6 at matriculation). If I apply next year, I will be applying at 30 with about 4 years of experience. If I actually end up applying next year, do you think the odds would decrease dramatically even if I submit my application with a higher GMAT score? Should I just try my best to apply this year in Round 2?




Thank you.

Hi SarahG1117,

Thank you for your post. Your college experience and years of work experience can certainly be explained in an optional essay. Keep in mind that you should be brief and to the point with these essays. Do not offer long-winded excuses or any more information than is needed.

As for your GMAT, raising your score 20 points or so would be advantageous to enhance your candidacy. When determining your target score, researching average scores is a great way to start. While those with a very strong profile, a unique background, or from an underrepresented applicant pool could gain admission with a below-average score, it is becoming less common to see large numbers of applicants with scores more than 20 to 30 points below average succeed.

In terms of work experience, while many MBA programs have no minimum work experience requirement, applicants have 3 to 6 years of pre-MBA experience on average. You will hit this range by the time of matriculation so I would not worry too much here.

Good question regarding your age. You are still fine to apply at age 30. You will be above the average age, but not that much above. I wouldn't wait any longer, however, since the longer you wait, the more likely it is that you will run out of time to give your dream program your best shot.

That said, the most important thing to do is to apply when you are 100% ready. If waiting gives you more time to settle into a new job, finish a major project, re-take the GMAT/GRE or secure a promotion, this could work in your favor.

Feel free to send a note to scott@personalmbacoach.com to begin discussing your application strategy. We work with lots of consultants and would be happy to help set you up for success via our comprehensive packages!

Best,
Personal MBA Coach



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