Profile Eval - 37 yrs old, military, CFA, law degree

Question

Hi Alex,
 
I am thinking of doing an MBA in a few years time and I will be 37 years old by the time I enrol. 
Would I be disadvantaged by applying at that age? 
Could I get your statistics for the percentage of students in a class who are over 35?
 
I have a Bachelor of Laws (Honors) from a Singapore university and have been working in the Airforce for over 15 years as a helicopter pilot. I have also completed CFA level 3.
 
Are undergrad degree results more important than having good GMAT scores and strong recommendations from employers?
 
Doing a full-time MBA would provide me with a stepping stone to transit to a second career after my stint in the military and I hope that my age will not be a stumbling block in realising this aspiration.
 
Some people have suggested doing an EMBA but I feel that a full-time degree from a top-tier school would really help me move on to something different. I'm not doing an MBA simply because I have no other options, but I would like to experience something other than flying which I have been doing for most of my life. Could this be to my advantage during the admissions process?

I was considering HBS, INSEAD, Stanford, HEC and IE Business School in Spain.

Thanks,

Shaun

AlexMBAApply · Answer

10% of students at virtually any top US school are 31 or younger at matriculation. In Europe, it is usually 1-2 years older. At 37, you'll be an outlier - most of that 10% are in their early 30s. Those who are 35 and older are virtually a handful (maybe 1-2% of the class).

Given that you are in a non-traditional career for a b-school applicant, it's really hard to say what your chances are -- you're an unknown quantity, and one of those cases where it is totally dependent on the subjectivity of the adcom. Age will be less of an issue for you because you're so different -- in any case, apply to the schools you think you'd like to go. My hunch though is that HBS and Stanford are likely slim to none -- because my guess is that the only thing you can really bring to the table is being different for the sake of being different, which isn't enough regardless of your age (they may not have helicopter pilots applying in droves, but whether you're a sheep herder, Antarctic Penguin explorer, etc it still comes down to whether they can picture you being a boss/leader type who is great at managing people in a business environment).

shaunmat · Answer

Thanks Alex.

What are your thoughts about an EMBA from the Chicago GSB or INSEAD?

This age thing is really quite disappointing. I did send HBS admissions an email and they said that age was not a factor, but I guess its not a fact they can outwardly admit.

shaunmat · Answer

Alex,

A number of my colleagues are in the same situation. Most are bonded till their mid to late thirties because they have accepted promotions or gone for exclusive overseas military courses.

Should I have taken a break from the military and gone to Business School at an earlier age? I would have had to return to the air force after graduation and I would not have been able to take advantage of the on-campus recruiting.

AlexMBAApply · Answer

Compulsory service is 3 years in Singapore, right?

In any case, you can't change your age. It is what it is. They don't like older folks for full-time programs (unless they are US military officers, but even then, most of them serve five years and are in b-school in their late 20s and early 30s). That's just a reality.

Profile Eval - 37 yrs old, military, CFA, law degree

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