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May 0408:30 AM PDT
-09:30 AM PDT
A low GMAT score does not automatically end your MBA admission chances. Every year, top business schools admit candidates whose GMAT scores fall below the class average — not because the score doesn’t matter, but because the rest of the application....
May 0301:00 PM IST
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Looking to secure a coveted spot at a top business school? Our team of seasoned MBA admissions consultants, including top B schools alumni and industry leaders, is here to help turn your dreams into reality. Let’s kick-start your journey to success!
May 0507:00 PM EDT
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In this live 60-minute masterclass, How to Get Ahead of MBA Recruiting Now, we’ll walk through the four biggest mistakes incoming MBAs make and how to avoid them so you’re not scrambling to catch up once recruiting begins.
May 0710:00 AM EDT
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Sia Admissions Founder Susan Berishaj is covering this live on YouTube, May 7: how admissions committees actually evaluate goals statements, who is in the room, and why the goals statement most applicants submit wouldn't survive that conversation.- May 08
08:00 AM PDT
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21 Jul 2013, 09:55
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello everyone,
I'm considering an MBA to help make a major career change. My career up to this point, however, has been so varied that even applying will be a huge challenge (recommendations and work experience, for starters).
I received bachelors and masters degrees in music (BM and MM), focusing on voice, and then began working as a freelance opera singer. In the several years since graduating, I've had a reasonably successful "junior" career, secured top-ten management, and worked with some very high level folks. It's been great.
However, classical music is not lucrative, to say the least; day jobs were always necessary. Luckily, I took four semesters off during graduate school to teach English at a university in rural China. Not only did I learn to speak Mandarin, but teaching English as a second language became my most marketable skill upon returning to the States.
I worked both full and part-time (but only part-time the last two years, to facilitate the singing career) at a private, national chain of ESL schools, often taking summers off for music fellowships or jobs. I enjoyed teaching very much, was promoted, and received consistently high evaluations from all my students, who came from all over the world (especially Asia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil).
I have not yet taken the GMAT, but my GRE scores were 165 Verbal (95th percentile), 161 Math (80th percentile), and 5.0 Writing (93rd percentile). I had a 3.9 and 4.0 in undergrad and grad school, respectively, and while they were music degrees, I did have to write papers and whatnot. But it's not physics.
I worry that on an application, my work experience might look little better than nothing: it's either been for myself, or part time in a career that had minimal chances for "initiatives" and advancement. (At the time, I had just needed a steady paycheck.) I'm not sure which tier of schools I might even begin to look at, given my work experience situation and the fact that I have no one to write me a recommendation other than my former boss at the ESL school, who was just happy I showed up on time and got good reviews. That being said, I do really want to leverage my skills learned both as a freelance opera singer and as a teacher of international adult students.
I would greatly, greatly appreciate any suggestions or pointers. Thank you to everyone!
Michael
I'm considering an MBA to help make a major career change. My career up to this point, however, has been so varied that even applying will be a huge challenge (recommendations and work experience, for starters).
I received bachelors and masters degrees in music (BM and MM), focusing on voice, and then began working as a freelance opera singer. In the several years since graduating, I've had a reasonably successful "junior" career, secured top-ten management, and worked with some very high level folks. It's been great.
However, classical music is not lucrative, to say the least; day jobs were always necessary. Luckily, I took four semesters off during graduate school to teach English at a university in rural China. Not only did I learn to speak Mandarin, but teaching English as a second language became my most marketable skill upon returning to the States.
I worked both full and part-time (but only part-time the last two years, to facilitate the singing career) at a private, national chain of ESL schools, often taking summers off for music fellowships or jobs. I enjoyed teaching very much, was promoted, and received consistently high evaluations from all my students, who came from all over the world (especially Asia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil).
I have not yet taken the GMAT, but my GRE scores were 165 Verbal (95th percentile), 161 Math (80th percentile), and 5.0 Writing (93rd percentile). I had a 3.9 and 4.0 in undergrad and grad school, respectively, and while they were music degrees, I did have to write papers and whatnot. But it's not physics.
I worry that on an application, my work experience might look little better than nothing: it's either been for myself, or part time in a career that had minimal chances for "initiatives" and advancement. (At the time, I had just needed a steady paycheck.) I'm not sure which tier of schools I might even begin to look at, given my work experience situation and the fact that I have no one to write me a recommendation other than my former boss at the ESL school, who was just happy I showed up on time and got good reviews. That being said, I do really want to leverage my skills learned both as a freelance opera singer and as a teacher of international adult students.
I would greatly, greatly appreciate any suggestions or pointers. Thank you to everyone!
Michael
22 Jul 2013, 02:13
Kudos
Bookmarks
mopera
Well, the first thing I would ask you is WHY do you want to go to business school? (Cause this is the first thing the AdCom will want to know). The thing is, ESL can be perceived as the job for people who can't get a job, and the schools don't necessarily see it with a good eye. It's not that it's impossible or anything, but it's hard. Luckily though you have some nice extra stuff (your Opera career), and I don't know how yet this would/could fit with your goals and your story, but at least it makes you a more interesting candidate (as do your Mandarin skills).
What business school you will get into will depend a lot on your GMAT and if I have one piece of advice for you it is that you should not apply until you are 100% sure you have the highest GMAT you can possible get. It's that the GMAT becomes sooooooo important for folks who haven't worked in business yet, and if you pull a 720+ then the schools might say "Okay, this fella doesn't really have any relevant business experience, but he's got the base skills," and of course, vice versa.
24 Jul 2013, 23:46
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Michael,
Although your work experience may be less traditional, there are some great transferrable skills from being an effective teacher and advancing your career as an opera singer. Kudos for picking up Mandarin in such a short period of time.
It is great that you've been able to pursue your passion in music. Not sure what your short-term and long-term career goals are, but hopefully you can show that you have the transferrable skills to achieve the goals with an MBA and experiences you've had.
We've helped non-traditional applicants such as violinist, photographer, voice-over actress get into top business schools. Innovative ideas can happen when people cross disciplines, so combining art/music background w business could be really powerful.
Getting a great GMAT score will help, and I have a feeling you should have no problem there.
I get the impression that you're a very intelligent and likeable guy, so don't doubt yourself.
Good luck!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Christine Lin, Principal
Marvel Admissions Consulting
[email protected]
Although your work experience may be less traditional, there are some great transferrable skills from being an effective teacher and advancing your career as an opera singer. Kudos for picking up Mandarin in such a short period of time.
It is great that you've been able to pursue your passion in music. Not sure what your short-term and long-term career goals are, but hopefully you can show that you have the transferrable skills to achieve the goals with an MBA and experiences you've had.
We've helped non-traditional applicants such as violinist, photographer, voice-over actress get into top business schools. Innovative ideas can happen when people cross disciplines, so combining art/music background w business could be really powerful.
Getting a great GMAT score will help, and I have a feeling you should have no problem there.
I get the impression that you're a very intelligent and likeable guy, so don't doubt yourself.
Good luck!
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Christine Lin, Principal
Marvel Admissions Consulting
[email protected]
mopera
