Age 33 12 years WE why is that a TABOO for my application?

Question

Please help me understand, experts.

I am a hotel school under grad, from India with 60% score. 12 years work experience, from scratch to now middle management operations head. I am inclined to 1 year full time MBA program of Richard Ivey. But I am told EMBA is best for me. Something I dont want to do. I have been preparing for this since ages, just that personal obligations forced me not to take this up earlier.

Can someone please help me understand how my application will be waited, cos admin head Asper of Ivey is recommending EMBA. I am completely shattered.....

CobraKai · Answer

Any school that suggests the EMBA on the basis of your age is just using it as a cop out. The key is to present your goals well and why a full-time MBA is best for you.

Check out this blog if you haven't already - it's a US applicant who gained admittance to 3 top 10 schools at the age of 35.

https://www.mbaover30.com

Accepted.com · Answer

There can be a few reasons why the admissions director steered you to Ivey's EMBA program:

1. He know his full-time MBA program is geared towards people with 3-8 years of experience and feels you will be unhappy in it once you get there because your classmates won't offer you a lot given your seniority.
2. He looks at your credentials and feels that you are not competitive at the regular MBA and would be competitive at the EMBA.
3. His school makes more money on EMBA students than on full-time MBA students.

The MBA over 30 blog is excellent, but the author did not say I want to go to School X and that's the only one I want to go to. If you are willing to consider programs other than Ivey, your chances improve.

While you certainly can apply to Ivey and make your best case for acceptance now -- and focused goals are a key element -- I would take the admissions director's advice to apply elsewhere very seriously. I'm much more skeptical when they say you should apply than when they encourage you to apply elsewhere.

You may be interested in:
  https://www.accepted.com/mba/older.aspx 
 https://www.accepted.com/mba/bestembaprograms.aspx 
 https://blog.accepted.com/2013/02/26/the-mba-family-a-roundup-and-overview/

sdas · Answer

Thanks to you both. I am now re considering the schools I must apply to....It is a tough call, but lets see...Any other advise how to get over this stumbling block will really help.

Accepted.com · Answer

Have you consider the Sloan Fellows programs at Stanford, MIT, and London Business School? These are full-time, one-year programs aimed at middle managers who want to advance to senior management.

Best,
Linda

sdas · Answer

Thanks. I did not find anything relevant in Stanford. Sloan is a good kick off fellowship program, but the profile of class is all of senior management level. Still I am researching on it. LBS I am not keen on. I am more towards North America. Do share other options, if you may please. It will be great help

Accepted.com · Answer

Do you want to return to the hotel industry after you earn your MBA? If not, what do you want to do?

sdas · Answer

Very valid question, my expectation is to move into Corporate Strategy/Management Consultancy as priority, which could be in hotel management firms like HVS or other industry consultancies. However, moving back to hotels will be a secondary option, I will not completely rule that out. Many thanks for digging out my real concerns, your advises really help. It is a big big decision for me, to peruse MBA, topped with heavy education debts, and then career switch (not sure if this is a career switch actually). Other constraint is between 1 year and 2 years programs. Really hard to tell, how it will be treated in North America, post my MBA, if I do 1 year, can that be a limitation for my placements (without internship). I cannot afford a 2 year career gap at this stage, that is next to impossible for me. I am a mid level operations management member currently, a big leap I care for...pls do send me in galore advises, as that is how my decisions will shape up

Accepted.com · Answer

What is your GMAT?

sdas · Answer

Not appeared GMAT yet, target 700+. Planning in 3 months. 
Have a on line post/distance learning graduate diploma in business admin, specialize in Finance with A+ and a masters in commerce from university also through distance learning (dont know how much these will add to my profile). Could not undertake full time education in 12 years. Professionally decent success, good growth, good accomplishments.

Accepted.com · Answer

If your GMAT ends up as planned, I encourage you to investigate Cornell Johnson. it has a renowned program in hospitality management as well as general management and consulting companies recruit there. It is also is relatively friendly to older applicants. If you have a 700+ GMAT, Ivey may also become much friendlier...

Best,
Linda

sdas · Answer

Hi Linda,

Thanks for your reply once again. I did consider Cornell MMH program as an option, then decided to be in North America, since I wish to settle there. Also, the MMH Cornell is extremely hospitality focused, an alumni recommended to seek more general management options to broaden chances of diversity. I am not looking at their 2 years program though. Also, financing in US will be slight challenging for me. Its a big task to chose the school as per our requirement, we are already business managers deciding so much by ourselves

Accepted.com · Answer

I was thinking that you may more want to go for the Cornell Johnson MBA and take a few classes in the hospitality program, but I understand the financial concerns.

Good luck!

Best,
Linda

sdas · Answer

Hello Linda,

I shared my background and constraints pretty much with you. I need some further advise from you, if that is not too much of an asking. My queries are as follows:

1. With my profile is it better I go for PT or FT program (I am focusing on 1 year only)?
2. Will EMBA fit my profile and future career switch from operations to management consultancy - considering Queens-Cornell, Kellogg - Schulich EMBA?
3. Most B Schools dont publish much on EMBA placement records - are the career management assistance any different for MBA and EMBA programs?
4. My concern over FT MBA - the placement records are good, but what are the start up job levels - I am already at mid management/leadership role, post my mba - I only aim senior management positions. MBA placement records dont show exact break up, but from what I know these positions are mostly entry level positions.
5. How are the course curriculum, mode of academics, placement services different for EMBA and MBA program - are there any other key differentiators between these 2 forms?

Though, Ivey, Sauder, Queens FT program are on my list - I am likely to weigh my decision against EMBA (including ROI) - your advise as always will be of immense significance

Regards

SD

Accepted.com · Answer

1) In general neither the one year nor the PT programs are great for major career switches. The FT 2-year programs are best at facilitating that kind of change. That doesn't mean it can't happen, it just means it's harder. 2) The EMBA fits your profile. Again, it's designed more for career enhancers than career changers. 3) They can be very different. You need to check at each school if their EMBA students have the same access to career management and recruiting as the full-time students. At some schools the answer is "no" and at some schools it's "yes." 4) You're right. The FT programs are geared to people earlier in their careers. 5) I already said that the career placement services may be different. EMBA programs obviously are part-time and have a more experienced, older student body (usually). they also have a reputation as being "MBA-lite," not as rigorous sometimes as the full-time programs. The schools obviously deny it. It's also just different to go to a full-time program where the students are full-time in students than an EMBA program where the MBA curriculum is on top of a full-time job. You might be interested in https://www.accepted.com/mba/emba.aspx and https://blog.accepted.com/2013/02/26/the ... -overview/ . Best, Linda

sdas · Answer

Extremely helpful insights. Coming back to the EMBA options I mentioned, in sync with my career aspirations, what would be your inputs to that?

Thanks again

Accepted.com · Answer

You're a little bit caught between a rock and a hard place. Your qualifications are more appropriate for an EMBA program, but your aspirations are more appropriate for a full-time program. On the other hand, before you spend the money and go through the effort, do you really think you will be able to just jump into consulting straight from bschool? Would it perhaps be wiser to go for the EMBA, move into a senior management role in the hospitality industry, and then perhaps move into consulting?

Best,
Linda

sdas · Answer

AWESOME suggestion Linda. You rock. You know I was browsing briefly through the class profiles of EMBA - and I see all very senior management profiles, there is a catch thus for me - will I be able to cope up with them, more so cause I dont have their level of experience and second because I am not from business school background.....

You got to help me out in this Linda - I am looking for the best learning with best ROI commensurate to my profile - so that I can move into senior management, yes my aspirations are management consulting - but as you rightly advised, I can explore that shift anytime later, though I will prefer immediate, but if that is a far cry then why not wait for it.....

Muchos gracias....

Accepted.com · Answer

I think you have to show that you do belong in the EMBA programs. That's your challenge. Otherwise, again, you're unlikely to be accepted.

Best,
Linda

sdas · Answer

From what I researched so far - EMBA seems to have predominantly senior management profiles. With international and business background. That is a hit for me. So - I really have to push myself too hard...any tips!!!!

Age 33 12 years WE why is that a TABOO for my application?

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