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23 Jun 2010, 18:49
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Hello Alex,
I read your article "Heart of the Matter" yesterday. Great article, I really enjoyed reading it. I think you're one of the most insightful consultants out there and seem to share a healthy view of where the MBA fits in life. Perhaps you can share some insight on my situation?
Personal Background
I'm 30 now, will be 31 at matriculation if I get in next year. I'm getting married in 2 weeks time. My wife's parents are in India/Hong Kong and getting to the age where she'd like to be around more. We've decided that I'm not internationally mobile with my current stats/contacts and an MBA could help me get a crack at real estate company focused in South Asia.
Work Experience
My background is 7 years real estate finance, investments sales, debt and equity raises on single assets and small portfolios for all the name brand Wall Street clients. Total transaction volume over the last 5 years has been roughly $1.8 Billion, with only $200 Million of that in 2009. We also did some FDIC consulting for failed bank real estate workouts, but I don't know if that's worth mentioning. Our group is a national private company, but without a lot of cachet.
Good career progression. I started as an Analyst at a public real estate service company, got hired at my current company as an Associate, bumped to Senior Associate sometime after that and was promoted to Vice President last year. My two Managing Directors said they would write beautiful recommendations for the last 5 years I've worked under them.
During the end of college, seeing no career prospects (see below), I started an intense real estate business acquiring pre-foreclosure houses with an investor and flipping them. I netted just under $100k but again, I'm not sure if that's valuable experience or not in the admin process. It helped enormously with undergrad interviews, but its pretty old now.
GMAT, GPA, Coursework
I got a 710 (6 AWA) on the GMAT this Spring, but with an unbalanced score of Q45 and V42 (74%/95% respectively). I have a humanities undergrad from a low-tier state school and got a 2.5 overall, but I worked near full time to pay my way. It pains me to even write that down. In light of those two negatives (GMAT/GPA) I've taken two extension courses in the hopes that I can demonstrate I'm a more mature and focused person than I was in undergrad and I'm capable of graduate school rigor even with a low quant score on the GMAT. One course was from UCLA called Math for Management (pre-MBA mathematics) and the other from UC Berkeley was an online statistics course. I got an A in both courses.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The most impressive extra curricular is a non-profit my fiance and I started 3 years ago which helps rural women in India earn money. We have the women hand sew and stitch Christmas stockings which we market here in the states. I'd have to double check the numbers but we've been able to send several thousand dollars($) back so far. Doesn't sound impressive, but with near 100% pass through, that money does a lot to improve lives there. We also have an orphanage we sponsor in India with books, art supplies, etc. Its kind of a feel good thing since the kids get all their basic education and needs from the state. Its just fun to see them get all excited to use crayons and stuff. I also have a loose chain of extra curriculars extending back to middle school including ROTC, volunteer summer camp teaching at the science museum, EMT medical staff volunteering for marathons (I got my EMT license from UCLA School of Medicine two years ago for fun), etc, but there's no real rhyme or reason to it, I just do it.
You're remarkable if you've made it this far! Sorry for the rather dull and un-MBA admission essay flavor of this post.
My question boils down to:
Do I have a realistic shot at LBS, Kellogg, Wharton(huge stretch I think), or any other elite school? I'm not sure I'll apply to safety schools if I'm not elite material. I just want a heads up if I'm way out of the money on the top tier schools.
(All three of the mentioned schools offer a semester abroad at Indian School of Business with full alumni status which will help my relocation dilemma. however LBS is the best school based on "fit", in my opinion.)
Thanks Alex, I really do appreciate your thoughts (and the time it took to read this).
Regards,
B
I read your article "Heart of the Matter" yesterday. Great article, I really enjoyed reading it. I think you're one of the most insightful consultants out there and seem to share a healthy view of where the MBA fits in life. Perhaps you can share some insight on my situation?
Personal Background
I'm 30 now, will be 31 at matriculation if I get in next year. I'm getting married in 2 weeks time. My wife's parents are in India/Hong Kong and getting to the age where she'd like to be around more. We've decided that I'm not internationally mobile with my current stats/contacts and an MBA could help me get a crack at real estate company focused in South Asia.
Work Experience
My background is 7 years real estate finance, investments sales, debt and equity raises on single assets and small portfolios for all the name brand Wall Street clients. Total transaction volume over the last 5 years has been roughly $1.8 Billion, with only $200 Million of that in 2009. We also did some FDIC consulting for failed bank real estate workouts, but I don't know if that's worth mentioning. Our group is a national private company, but without a lot of cachet.
Good career progression. I started as an Analyst at a public real estate service company, got hired at my current company as an Associate, bumped to Senior Associate sometime after that and was promoted to Vice President last year. My two Managing Directors said they would write beautiful recommendations for the last 5 years I've worked under them.
During the end of college, seeing no career prospects (see below), I started an intense real estate business acquiring pre-foreclosure houses with an investor and flipping them. I netted just under $100k but again, I'm not sure if that's valuable experience or not in the admin process. It helped enormously with undergrad interviews, but its pretty old now.
GMAT, GPA, Coursework
I got a 710 (6 AWA) on the GMAT this Spring, but with an unbalanced score of Q45 and V42 (74%/95% respectively). I have a humanities undergrad from a low-tier state school and got a 2.5 overall, but I worked near full time to pay my way. It pains me to even write that down. In light of those two negatives (GMAT/GPA) I've taken two extension courses in the hopes that I can demonstrate I'm a more mature and focused person than I was in undergrad and I'm capable of graduate school rigor even with a low quant score on the GMAT. One course was from UCLA called Math for Management (pre-MBA mathematics) and the other from UC Berkeley was an online statistics course. I got an A in both courses.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The most impressive extra curricular is a non-profit my fiance and I started 3 years ago which helps rural women in India earn money. We have the women hand sew and stitch Christmas stockings which we market here in the states. I'd have to double check the numbers but we've been able to send several thousand dollars($) back so far. Doesn't sound impressive, but with near 100% pass through, that money does a lot to improve lives there. We also have an orphanage we sponsor in India with books, art supplies, etc. Its kind of a feel good thing since the kids get all their basic education and needs from the state. Its just fun to see them get all excited to use crayons and stuff. I also have a loose chain of extra curriculars extending back to middle school including ROTC, volunteer summer camp teaching at the science museum, EMT medical staff volunteering for marathons (I got my EMT license from UCLA School of Medicine two years ago for fun), etc, but there's no real rhyme or reason to it, I just do it.
You're remarkable if you've made it this far! Sorry for the rather dull and un-MBA admission essay flavor of this post.
My question boils down to:
Do I have a realistic shot at LBS, Kellogg, Wharton(huge stretch I think), or any other elite school? I'm not sure I'll apply to safety schools if I'm not elite material. I just want a heads up if I'm way out of the money on the top tier schools.
(All three of the mentioned schools offer a semester abroad at Indian School of Business with full alumni status which will help my relocation dilemma. however LBS is the best school based on "fit", in my opinion.)
Thanks Alex, I really do appreciate your thoughts (and the time it took to read this).
Regards,
B
25 Jun 2010, 09:14
Kudos
Bookmarks
I think LBS and Kellogg are schools where you are in range for -- it's really a matter of doing a good job on the applications. As for Wharton, you'll be a stretch, but you have enough of a shot that it's worth giving it a try (you have enough stuff in your history to put together an interesting narrative). And yes, if I were in your shoes given your age and where you're at in your life/career I probably would be "top school or bust" as well (since it's probably not worth going anywhere but a top16 school given your history to date), but knowing full well that there would be no safety schools (so long as you're prepared for the possibility that you may not get in anywhere).
