prettyborrring wrote:
MBA Info
· Why MBA: I want to build my leadership skills and business acumen to transition into product management in consumer electronics (Apple, MSFT, Google, etc.). Since taking on additional responsibility as a senior engineer managing portions of my projects and mentoring other, more junior employees I've learned that I really enjoy being the one to drive progress towards an end product. In my [specific engineering role], I've also gotten more exposure to the business side of the process which I've found to be extremely attractive as something I'd like to work more in in the future.
· Why now: While with increasing seniority, I will be able to gain more leadership responsibilities as an engineer, at the end of the day those responsibilities will be focused on very specific engineering tasks. I'd like to take a leadership role with a higher level view over the projects I work on, versus a very detailed view over a singular portion. The longer I work in engineering, the more pigeonholed I am in engineering roles. An MBA would provide me with the knowledge and background necessary to get my foot in the door of entering the PM side of things.
· Target schools: Anderson, Johnson, Haas, Marshall, Stern, McDonough, Foster
Background
· Work experience: coming on 5 years of total experience. >3 years at current company split between 2 roles, expecting to be promoted to senior engineer from regular engineer at the end of this year. 1.5 years at a different company before my current company. Both companies are top semiconductor companies.
· Extra curriculars: Part time graduate school for an MSEE (if that counts as extra curriculars)
· Undergrad school/major: Top 10 undergrad engineering university/electrical engineering major
· Other education/coursework: Master’s of science in electrical engineering
· Demographics: 26M/East Asian
Stats
· GMAT Score: 710 (35V/50Q/IR7), still waiting on AWA but I've heard that it doesn't really matter
· Undergrad GPA: 3.03. Grad school: 3.73
Question:
Is it worth reattempting the GMAT for a higher score?
Would it be more effective to apply in Round 1 given my low undergraduate GPA?
Hi
prettyborrring1) I think it may be worthwhile to attempt a higher score because of your lower GPA if possible. While I like your work experience and reasoning for your MBA, your undergrad performance is lower than the average, and is a hurdle to overcome-- yes your grad GPA is better, but undergrad gets reported more than grad GPA so it won't erase your earlier performance. So, if you have it in you, I'd apply with a better GMAT at least at your most competitive schools (Haas, NYU). If not, just execute as well as possible on the apps and demonstrate fit.
2) While applying earlier can help some overrepresented candidates, you also want to be putting your best foot forward, and I worry you won't have much time to do that at some of these schools' R1 deadlines at this point. I'd probably focus more on good execution than early timing.
Hope this helps.
Warmly,
Julie-Anne Heafey
mbaMission
close
05 Sep 2021, 23:25
