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diablo2man
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Joined: 17 Dec 2010
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Schools: CBS '16 (I) Wharton '16 HBS '16 Stanford '16
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Working Experience and Profile Eval 17 Dec 2010, 06:06
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Hi Alex,

I read all your posts on blog and found they are very useful. But it lacks a important part: how many years of full-time working experiences are best for MBA application. I'm now at my first year working and want to apply for b-school next year (so I'm 25 years old and have 2 and half years working experiences when 2012 Fall begins). Do you think it is the good time? I don't think my work will change dynamically in 1 or 2 years in terms of leadership or title.

A simple self introduction: college in China (not the top one) and went to graduate school in US (CMU). CS/IT related major. Now working in credit suisse IT quant team (provide analytical support to trading desk). Good GPA (3.8). Good GMAT (740)

Probably education and working backgrounds are just normal. But:

I have pretty good leadership experience: Found two large student clubs in college (all exist now). Always invited to do campus wide speech about career development and student org management. Won Dean's Leadership Fellow in CMU (only one in my major).

I also have some interesting experiences: found and operated a bubble tea chain business on campus. Co-found and invest in a education consulting firm (provide services like yours but only for Financial Engineer/Accounting/IT, not for MBA. Since I also ran similar business, I know the value of a really good consultant). Operates a large Asian Network Event in NYC (300+ attendants every months)

My target schools are Stanford, MIT, Wharton and Columbia (I know I'm not the typical Harvard background).

Do you think it is possible and when should I begin prepare (under your help)?

Thanks.
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AlexMBAApply
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Working Experience and Profile Eval 17 Dec 2010, 12:33
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Most full-time MBA students have between 2 - 6 years of post college work experience. In your case, work for a year or two, and then consider applying.
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diablo2man
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Joined: 17 Dec 2010
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Schools: CBS '16 (I) Wharton '16 HBS '16 Stanford '16
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Working Experience and Profile Eval 17 Dec 2010, 13:42
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Alex, I will have around 1.5 years working experiences when I apply next year (= 2.5 years when I enrolled. Do you think it is not enough and suggest i apply in 2012?

Btw, could you evaluate my profile?

Thanks.


AlexMBAApply
Most full-time MBA students have between 2 - 6 years of post college work experience. In your case, work for a year or two, and then consider applying.
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AlexMBAApply
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Working Experience and Profile Eval 17 Dec 2010, 14:13
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Work for a few more years.

Also, your college activities are good and solid, but not really out of this world compared to other applicants applying to these top b-schools. Remember that you're not competing against average folks at places like Wharton, Stanford, HBS, Columbia, MIT, etc. but you're up against some of the most ambitious and driven young working professionals IN THE WORLD. They also have had some strong college extracurriculars, and have solid and blue chip work experience.

For now, don't focus on schools. Focus on work - one step at a time. If you're so preoccupied with b-school, you'll be too distracted with what's in front of you, which is building up solid working experience. It seems to be a common refrain from recent college grads like yourself who are barely out of school and are already thinking about grad school years from now - and then taking for granted the more important thing, which is making the most of your current working experience.

Be the most accomplished person you can be (in whatever way you feel you want - no one should have to tell you how to be accomplished, or what to accomplish; that is something you need to figure out on your own). And then when the time comes to apply in a few years, you can then decide whether to go to b-school or not, and which schools may or may not be a fit for you. However, at this point it's really not much of a useful discussion.
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diablo2man
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Working Experience and Profile Eval 17 Dec 2010, 16:39
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Thanks. Your opinion is very useful to me.

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