MBA After 40 Years of Age

Question

I am Anit - B.Tech CS-2004, working as a project manager in the IT service industry. I have 15+ years of experience in Software development & management and 40 years of age.

My aim is to move higher up the career ladder in the next 3 to 5 years.

I do have some questions before getting enrolled and invest my time to GMAT preparation:

1. Can you suggest if MBA is a good fit for me?
2. Do I need to appear for the GMAT exam? If yes , then what score in GMAT is required?
3. What colleges/universities are best fit as per my age group, experience and ROI?

Your earlier response will be highly appreciated. Please let me know if any other information is required.

Thanks & Regards
Anit Sharma

TheUltimateWinner · Answer

I have a same question/query here. I am also waiting for the reply.

2. if your expected university's requirement is gmat, then you must go for that. check business school website, please...you school will definitely define about the gmat score.

bb · Answer

Hi ANITS1 . Here is my take and thoughts and recommendations about age and MBA: https://gmatclub.com/forum/old-for-an-mba-352223.html There are many sides to this question but in a nutshell, with age, your options become fewer, which is a bit counter-intuitive but most top programs are looking for highly charged careers. The lower-ranked programs do take in older folks from time to time and they often have the trade off of being less expensive and smaller, thus more comfortable. However, as an older candidate you will be surrounded by lots of young folks and a lot of your job search will be off campus on your own.... but with a decent story that should not stop you from changing your career or pursuing a different path/track.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Consider checking out the websites of some of the schools you are interested in. You may be a better fit for some of the Executive MBA programs, for example. Schools may also have online seminars you can join and ask these questions directly.

Might be worth writing a detailed profile review. Perhaps include the countries you are interested in and the importance scholarships in your ultimate decision.

gmatophobia · Answer

There are couple of programs that are designed for professionals who are in their mid career or upper mid careers. The minimum work experience required in these programs is around 10 years. IMO, such programs will fit in better considering your work experience than traditional 2 year MBA programs. Here are few programs that you may want to consider - 1) MIT Sloan Fellows 2) Standford MsX 2) USC IBear MBA 4) Foster GEMBA 5) LBS Sloan Fellows 6) Nanyang Fellows MBA 7) ISB PGP Pro (not full time program) If you're not looking for a full time MBA program, then executive MBA from top colleges is definitely an add-on to your CV. Some articles that can be helpful - Can you and Should You Apply to Top MBA Programs When You Are Over 30? Is MBA after 30 a good investment? QS Executive MBA Rankings 2022 Best Options for Senior Executives - Webinar conducted by Aringo & GMATClub P.S.- IMO, age is just a number and its never too late to start a new beginning.

bb · Answer

Thank you! I did not know about a few of these - Forster GRMBA 😱

👍👍👍

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gmatophobia · Answer

I didn't know about few of these programs either

. Attended a webinar conducted by GMATClub & Aringo a couple of months back and the information was shared in there. Edited my post to add the link to that webinar. Apart from full time MBA programs there are a range of part time / evening MBA programs offered by most of the top B-Schools. These programs are great for seasoned candidates as it not only gives an opportunity to pursue MBA along with full time job but also provides great platform to network with fellow batchmates on weekend classes. Of course, the downside of these programs is that they are only relevant for candidates who are already located in that region as student visa, as far as I know, is not offered to part time programs.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Anit,

You are asking a number of Admissions questions, so you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and goals. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement (and the more time that you have to act on that advice, the better). There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

Depending on the specific Programs that you are interested in, studying for the Executive Assessment might be a better option than studying for the GMAT (and in some cases, you might not actually have to take either Exam), so you should first take some time to research the specific Programs that fit your career goals and then go from there.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Contact Rich at: [email protected]

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi ANITS1,

When do you plan to make a decision about your GMAT?

Braintree · Answer

Apart from all the great suggestions you have already got, you may consider the following:

1. Academic learning and rigor - That depends on your mindset. Normally, there is a strong negative correlation between age and ‘academic’ adaptability - and that’s why schools are reluctant to admit ppl in the higher 30’s and 40’s. But you could be among the exceptions. To confirm that, it might be better for you to first get a taste of what you will actually be going through during an MBA - The GMAT does precisely that - so it is all the more important for you as an adaptability gauge. You could also enroll in a MOOC course involving business studies - such as on coursera or edx and get a feel of what learning business subjects will be like.

2. Job Prospects - You need to be realistic about your job expectations post-MBA. Employers generally will not be looking for a profile such as yours during campus recruitments, nor would your school’s career services be able to do much. So you would have to network on your own - and it won’t be easy.

3. Application Success- You have to be very clear as to why an MBA right now? And have evidence to back your academic adaptability and employability post-mba - a good story, a great GMAT score, some additional recent academic certificates, and evidence of employability (such as your employer sponsoring the MBA), among others. No good school would want a difficult-to-be-employed candidate.

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MBA After 40 Years of Age

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