MBA with strong private equity & venture capital focus

Question

Linda 

My Profile is

GMAT: 710 Q 90 V 86

Engineering score - 71% ( 70 / 100 )

Nationality: Indian

Languages: English, Tamil

Work experience: 

2 years as software engineer in HP, India
1.5 years as senior engineer in HP, India
1.5 years as Analyst, Co-ordinator in HP, Mountain view, CA

Interested in an MBA which will equip me with skills and contacts necessary to raise funds from US, Europe for 

IT Service and Technology startups in India, Singapore etc
Food processing, packaging and export oriented startups

I also thinking of learning mandarin Chinese 

Could you please suggest some 5 good schools and also tips for admissions.

Through a little research, I found the following program to foster strong ties with private equity players

Tuck
Insead
NYU Stern
Stanford

Could you please suggest some schools that match my profile.

Thanks
Senthil

senthil · Answer

Should I spend some more time strengthening my profile? If so let me know.

Hjort · Answer

Hi, Texas-Austin and UCLA both have Venture Fellows programs that might interest you. https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/students/vcf/ https://www.uclavc.org/venturefellows.html Hjort

senthil · Answer

Hjort

McCombs, Texas is asking for a Masters Degree, especially for Indian students. This is similar to Chicago GSB's requirement of CA or masters degree for Indians.

Tuck seems to have a good private equity research centre.
https://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pecenter/about/faqs.html

After reading all the messages and resume books in this forums, I realize that there is a huge competition from Indian students with profile similar to mine. I have minor things to differentiate like

1. I have filed a patent
2. I attended toastmasters club while in Mountain view CA to interact with people from diverse background.
3. I've got 3 promotions in 4 years
4. I have won many software contests in India, mostly as a team.
5. I learned major computer science subjects while doing my major in electronics and communication engineering.
6. I have helped HP win some outsourcing projects and participated in preparation of bids. etc
7. Traditionally my family is into Agriculture and I have lot of interest and insight into large scale farming and farm products.

But none of these seems to create that "Aha" effect needed to get into Ultra elite schools.

I strongly need a program ( MBA or Non-MBA) which will help me start a consultancy firm bridging the needs of local startup companies in India ( and later south Asia ) and Major private equity funds in San Jose/London/New York. Getting into ultra elite b-school will help me hone the skills and build the network faster.

Given my profile, getting into top b-school appears to be a stretch. Now I have to pick one from the following options

1. Spend one more year strengthening my profile.
2. Target for programs like Master of Finance in Top schools.
3. Compromise by aiming for 2nd and third level schools.

I am waiting for someone to throw some light.

Thanks
Senthil

Hjort · Answer

Read the text for Texas carefully:

"The equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor degree from an accredited institution. For applicants who attended undergraduate institutions in India, the University of Texas at Austin does not consider the Bachelor’s of Communication equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree. Applicants holding this three-year degree are not eligible for admission to our graduate school programs. You must have already completed (and have been awarded) a master’s degree in India in addition to your bachelor’s degree to be eligible for graduate study. Partial completion of the master’s program will not make you eligible for our graduate programs. Applicants who hold Associate memberships with the Institute of Chartered Accountancy in addition to their bachelor’s degree are also eligible for graduate study at UT."

Draw you own conclusions but it appears to require a Masters (or CA) if the applicant has a 3 year degree, not a 4 year degree. A 4 year degree from India would probably be viewed as the equivalent of a 4 year US degree.

Dartmouth, UCLA, and NYU are all from the same general reputation cluster (Elite).

Hjort

Accepted.com · Answer

Do you have any community service other than the Toastmasters you mentioned in your post to Hjort? If not, then Stanford is probably an unlikely admit and the others become much less likely admits because there are so many Indian IT applicants.

Frankly, I think you would be smart to spend another year strengthening your profile and trying to differentiate yourself from the many, many Indian IT applicants applying to business school. Please see 

 MBA Admissions: Application Advice for Indian Applicants 

If you do decide to go ahead, also consider Michigan in addition to the schools that Hjort mentioned.
Good luck!

senthil · Answer

Hi Hjort, Linda

 I am planning to apply for some schools, with finance and entrepreneurship specialization , from which I can reasonably hope to receive a call. I am thinking of Oxford Said. I like to know if you have some names to suggest in this regard. 

Thanks
Senthil

Accepted.com · Answer

I really don't know enought about Oxford Said's program in entrepreneurship to comment. 
Hjort recommended UCLA and UT, which are both excellent in entrepreneurship and at which you would be competitive. I concur. You may also want to consider Marshall, which in addition to a well-known entrepreneurship program is strong in international, specificaly in the Pacific Rim. Admittedly, it is lower ranked overall than UCLA or the other programs you initially listed.

Good luck!

senthil · Answer

Hjort, Linda ( For accepted.com ?)

 I would like to consider availing the service offered by Accepted.com. I am right now in Inda. I would like to know whether it is feasible. 

Thanks
Senthil

Hjort · Answer

For the sake of clarity, please note that I am NOT associated in any way with Accepted.com. However, I appreciate the fact the Linda is kind enough to let me post on this forum.

Hjort

Accepted.com · Answer

Thank you for your interest.

Working from India with Accepted.com is quite feasible. Our editors have worked with many clients in India, and all around the world. We work typically via e-mail, phone, and occasionally chat.

 In fact, we are currently running an  Old World Discount for clients in Asia, Europe, and Africa. We would be happy to work with you.

Good luck!

Hjort · Answer

Oxford Said appears to have a strong entrepreneurship program. As I have stated before, the Oxbridge schools appear to be oddly underappreciated by many American commentators despite the many positive aspects of Judge and Said. This will change over time.

As suggested by Linda, USC also has a good entrepreneurship program. And, of course, one cannot really talk about entrepreneurship without mentioning Babson in Massachusetts.

Feel free to send me a PM for further information.

Hjort

hb111_ · Answer

I know Oxford pretty well since I studied maths there a few years ago. The Oxford MBA is new but is growing in reputation. You only have to understand the teaching methods used at Oxford to be convinced this MBA will most certainly be regarded as the best in Europe by 2015.
Anyway, kudos is the main driver to a programme's reputation so studying at Oxford cannot do any harm. And you will have a fantastic time making friends who will be the leaders of tomorrow.

Hjort · Answer

Thanks HB111_ - I am glad to see that I am not the only one with a positive view of Oxford. 

Hjort

senthil · Answer

Is it feasible to work while studying and earn a part of the MBA expense. I have heard about this more frequently from an MS graduate than an MBA graduate. It might be difficult for an MBA graduate to work because of demanding work load. 

Since I am an international applicant, what are the work policies for students coming to US and UK . I know that we should apply for J1 visa to study and work in US. How easy is it to get J1 visa compared to F1 visa.

Hjort · Answer

Hi,

You might find the following website informative:

https://www.owen.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbi ... in-usa.cfm

Many schools offer assistantships in addition to other forms of aid. Some students find these assistantships to represent a good opportunity but they might be a poor match in your circumstance.

Georgetown:

"Do you have a research assistantship program?
Yes. MBA students serve as research and teaching assistants within the School of Business. These opportunities are posted at the beginning of the academic year and stipends range from 1100.00 to 3300.00 per semester. All candidates are eligible, but no applications are available until student orientation."

NYU Stern:

MBA Assistantship Positions

"The Department of Finance has openings for a number of MBA assistantships. Fall-Spring assistantships require an average of ten hours of work per week for fifteen weeks and pay a scholarship grant of $ 3,600. "

Hjort

Accepted.com · Answer

Some students work as teaching or research assistants, but other than that it is very difficult to work and attend a full-time MBA program. Most students do make some good money during the summer between their first and second year, but that's just the summer.

Good luck!

MBA with strong private equity & venture capital focus

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