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globetrotter
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questions about older applicants 21 Jun 2006, 15:02
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Hi Paul,

I have read your responses to many queries with much interest: thanks for providing your valuable services to all of us.

My questions tie in with previous answers that you provided concerning older applicants (I also read your related article on accepted.com, by the way).

1) You (and others) seem to indicate that older applicants are at a disadvantage because of difficult placement prospects. Yet, I read other articles stating that recruiters are seeking MBA grads with experience. Can you please clarify this? In case you're wondering, I'd be 34 or 35 at the start of classes (I'm hoping to get in a top 10 US B-school).

2) Does the difficulty of placing older grads vary depending on the specialization/industry? I have 10 years in the aerospace industry and would like to continue working in it post-MBA. Target positions: Operations Management and Strategy. The dreaded glass ceiling is getting awfully close and an MBA is an essential requirement in my industry if I want to pursue my carreer at the senior management level. I am not the least interested in I-Banking, Investment Consulting, and similar positions.

3) The two previous questions bring up another major concern that I have: assuming that I get accepted to a top-10 MBA program, I don't want to be stuck with a huge loan. Please know that I don't intend to pursue an MBA just so that I can earn barrels of money (I'll take a job that I'm passionate about over money any day), but I'd like to know that I'll earn at least enough to repay the loans. The ROI articles that I read are fine and all, but they usually only represent an average of the student pool. So, are job prospects for someone with my profile decent?

Please assume the following:
a) Currently have 10 yrs experience (Engineer --> Senior Engineer --> Program Manager)
b) Competitive academic background (both ugrad and grad)
c) Competitive international background (Europe & North America)
d) Part-time MBA not an option and I'm not interested in an Exec-MBA
e) Let's assume that I get in a top-10 US B-school (MIT is at the top of my list)

Thanks for your help!
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questions about older applicants 23 Jun 2006, 09:17
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globetrotter
Hi Paul,

I have read your responses to many queries with much interest: thanks for providing your valuable services to all of us.

My questions tie in with previous answers that you provided concerning older applicants (I also read your related article on accepted.com, by the way).

1) You (and others) seem to indicate that older applicants are at a disadvantage because of difficult placement prospects. Yet, I read other articles stating that recruiters are seeking MBA grads with experience. Can you please clarify this? In case you're wondering, I'd be 34 or 35 at the start of classes (I'm hoping to get in a top 10 US B-school).

2) Does the difficulty of placing older grads vary depending on the specialization/industry? I have 10 years in the aerospace industry and would like to continue working in it post-MBA. Target positions: Operations Management and Strategy. The dreaded glass ceiling is getting awfully close and an MBA is an essential requirement in my industry if I want to pursue my carreer at the senior management level. I am not the least interested in I-Banking, Investment Consulting, and similar positions.

3) The two previous questions bring up another major concern that I have: assuming that I get accepted to a top-10 MBA program, I don't want to be stuck with a huge loan. Please know that I don't intend to pursue an MBA just so that I can earn barrels of money (I'll take a job that I'm passionate about over money any day), but I'd like to know that I'll earn at least enough to repay the loans. The ROI articles that I read are fine and all, but they usually only represent an average of the student pool. So, are job prospects for someone with my profile decent?

Please assume the following:
a) Currently have 10 yrs experience (Engineer --> Senior Engineer --> Program Manager)
b) Competitive academic background (both ugrad and grad)
c) Competitive international background (Europe & North America)
d) Part-time MBA not an option and I'm not interested in an Exec-MBA
e) Let's assume that I get in a top-10 US B-school (MIT is at the top of my list)

Thanks for your help!
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globetrotter,

My answer to your first question relates to your second. B-schools' concerns about the employability of older graduates (to the extent they have them) is a function of the typical industries that MBAs target. That is, I-banks and consultancies are used to hiring younger people who can afford to put in the grueling hours, and these are the two most popular MBA fields. These employers may be unsure that older applicants will have the stamina and unencumbered personal lives to handle these hours. Your situation is different in that you are not aiming for these careers and you are not using the MBA to make a career change.

The real reason schools don't admit more older applicants may have less to do with placement concerns than with concerns that older folks may not blend as effectively into the B-school's team environment. Younger students are more 'moldable.' This is just conjecture on my part though. So I do think you should be able to make a stronger case for admission given your goals.

The answer to your third question would have to be industry-specific, I think: i.e., what are the job prospects for people with your profile in the aerospace industry. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that. Maybe some aerospace-oriented corporate recruiters could give you a decent answer?

Good luck,