method wrote:
You should post this in the MBA Apply forum as well because Alex will give you a very accurate and candid response from a real expert.
If you'll allow me to be a splash of cold water, I think you are mildly delusional, and here's why:
The big 4: academics, work experience, extras and career goals. You strike out on all 4.
Academics
Undergrad: No big name and no rockstar GPA.
GMAT: 710 which is "enough to check the box", but for T10 is average.
Plenty of people go to the big schools from ordinary universities, plenty of people go with average GPAs, and plenty of people go with average to below-average GMATs. But it's somewhat difficult to own all three of these. Even then it might be possible if you had a killer track record at work which leads me to....
Work Experience
In your own words, it was backwater cost-center for a no-name company. Plenty of people get in with this experience, but usually it's with a known commodity. Also, you don't have a string of promotions do you? This is sort of the threestripes effect, where someone killed it at work for a rockstar company, and then that trumped the academics situation.
Extracurriculars
In your own words, not much going on. Definitely no leadership card here which is what you need badly. Peace Corps kind of fills this, but it's at the expense of the work experience bucket, which is ultimately more important.
Career Goals
Pure train wreck. You're targeting management consulting, but you don't really have any technical expertise. They like premium undergrads, big GMATs, Fortune 500 experience, and again, you're not bringing any of it. You might actually have a chance if you sold social entrepreneurship and made a linear connection to Peace Corps, but you're shooting yourself in the foot with a moderately unsellable goal.
My advice to you is to take a cold hard look at the facts of your profile, and then begin researching schools in the 20-30 range. By all means, pick 1-3 schools out of the 10-20 bracket, but T10 is really on the outer reaches. The cost/benefit of making a serious run at T10 schools is really not in your favor.
I hope this advice helps, it's meant as a reality check to steer you down a productive path and not see you strike out one more season. Good luck!
Thank you very much for your response. I have been going through this process solo for the most part and can use all of the advice I can get.
In re-reading my post along with your comments I did notice a number of key weaknesses:
1. On-going leadership and extracurricular activities are certainly issues I will definitely need to work to address.
2. Academics - I agree, as it stands, this is certainly not an area of strength.
3. Career Goals - Absolutely a train-wreck. One of those thoughts I have been dwelling on consistently for the past year or so and still have not had much progress. This certainly needs focus.
It also occurs to me that I tend to do a very poor job selling myself (which will definitely need to improve if I wish to be admitted anywhere).
I do believe I may have underrepresented myself slightly, and would be curious to if any of the following additional information impacts your previous assessment:
Work Experience (you asked about promotions):
1. I only worked in a traditional, private-sector position for 3 years prior to Peace Corps. In that time:
a. I was promoted a year and a half after joining (initiated entirely by me, involved me moving to a different office and playing an important role in major office transition)
b. I also relocated to a third office a year later to take over IT responsibility there (again, initiated by me). No title change, but it came with a pay bump and additional responsibility.
2. Company-wise, I should probably say “Top 10 Direct Marketing Agency” (by US Revenue) instead of non-big-name companies.
3. I would consider the diversity of my experiences a reasonable plus, though I am not sure how to sell it:
a. Worked for a company that was acquired
b. Relocating into a variety of offices of a direct marketing agency
c. Living in a developing country (complete with mud hut, and no running water or electricity)
d. Working in schools and computer labs in a developing country
e. Returning home to help launch a startup with a social-mission (with the former CEO of the company I worked for)
Leadership:
I believe you are right in that this is an area of weakness. That said, I do think I have some ammunition here:
1. In college I was a Vice President of my service fraternity and re-chartered another student organization (which is still active).
2. During my Peace Corps Service, I was elected to represent a region of 25 of my peers on the volunteer advisory board.
3. I organized a student scholarship program and got approval to launch it from the country director, though I completed my service before I could get everything up and running.
4. In addition, I launched and lead a number of interesting projects (started a peer tutoring group at a local school, taught evening math classes for a year, wrote a few grants, obtained funding for and initiated a construction project to improve sanitation at a local school, designed and launched a country-wide IT skills program including conducting number of regional trainings, conducted a technology needs assessment for the National Malaria Control Program, in addition to a few other things I can’t think of at the moment).
Academics:
1. I’m in the process of building an alternative transcript, which will hopefully communicate to the adcom that I am serious about this pursuit, and has also given me a bit of a business background (A’s in some accounting courses, a math course, and soon, an econ course).
2. As you pointed out, 710 merely checks the box and I should seriously consider retaking the GMAT (especially if I think I can do even a few points better).
Career Goals:
You are absolutely right in that it sounds very disjointed. Although I will likely take a more traditional MBA career immediately following graduation (have to pay off the loans somehow, though I may omit this interim step entirely on my essays), I believe a clear, social entrepreneurship route is the way to go. Perhaps I should mention that within 3 years of graduation, I intend to launch a socially focused entrepreneurial venture.
On a personal level, I also am not sure that anything over a top 15-20 program will give me the mileage I need. My most recent startup experience has clearly illustrated the value of credibility, both for securing potential clients, partners, and investors. The better the program, the greater the credibility. In addition, the ROI does not seem to make as much sense when you fall below a 100k median along and employment options drop as well.
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29 Mar 2012, 19:31
