Young Applicant: USC Marshall Vs. Try again Next year

Question

I had a very rough application season this past R2. Got rejected by 9 top 15 schools and got admitted to USC Marshall. I am currently 22 years old working for an innovative vertically integrated retail company with large brand recognition within sustainability and high quality products (~1B in revenue). When I applied this past round I was in an entry level position in the accounting department and have since been promoted to Finance Admin working directly under the CFO preparing all presentations for the executive board and implementing ERP systems. I started working for the company part-time during my junior year at school and once I graduated in May 2015 I was hired full time. I have had 4 promotions in the ~2.5 years I have worked at this company.

Part time experience - 18 months
Full Time Experience - 11 months to date

Post MBA I am looking to get into For-Profit Social entrepreneurship. I plan to reside in California.

Leadership Experience is very strong from my undergrad. I was the president of a sports team for 3 years, founded an athletic honor society, was the treasurer for four other honor societies, and sat on numerous fee committees on campus. Strong volunteer work as well. Graduated as valedictorian of my business school (California state school) with a 3.98 GPA.

GMAT is a 720.

White (middle eastern) Male
US Born citizen

My question is whether or not to reapply next year/two years, or accept the offer I got to USC Marshall. The only interviews I got this application season were for MIT Sloan (My #1 choice) and USC Marshall. If I were to reapply it would be to:

Duke
Yale
Ross
MIT
Berkeley
Tuck

Background info is that I am getting married in the end of July, so it would be more financially risky to go get my MBA when I am 28 like everyone else.

I really appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

Flyte · Answer

I wold reapply, but would wait until fall 2017 to do so (class of 2020). Schools judge based on WE in most cases and 11 months is just too little out with on the two elite 2+2 programs (HBS and GSB).

Posted from my mobile device

riceman · Answer

Thanks for the Response Flyte. If I applied for class of 2019 I would technically have 2.25 years of full-time WE at matriculation (1.25 at R1 application). Compared to over 3 years at matriculation if I applied for the class of 2020 (would be over two years at the time of application). Do they only look at work experience from the time I apply or by the time of matriculation?

Would you still advice waiting the extra year?

aerien · Answer

A story and then my 2 cents:

I went through this process twice. And yes, the first time around, I was admitted but I was also really young, like you. I went to the admitted student weekend / admitted student events for where I was admitted and tried to imagine myself being with that peer set for the next two years. And for me, *I* felt young. Sure, from an application point of view, I checked all the boxes and adcom felt I could contribute, which I could. But when I was having conversations with others, I didn't feel right in that setting. And at that point in the process, walking into that room with your school, it should feel right.

Now, that's my experience and my experience alone. At this point, the cards are in your hand. Go to the USC admit events -- see what you think. Maybe you'll fit right in (maybe they're skewing younger these days?), and you'll find your place and your people. Or maybe you'll have a little voice in the back of your head asking "what if?". If that voice is there, wait. Reapply later when that lingering question is not there anymore.

You're 1 year out of school basically. You have time. And even if you do wait, you can always of course reapply to USC if that's still a great fit for you at that point. Yes, it is possible to reapply and be admitted again; I wouldn't encourage it per se but it is possible. PM me if you want to chat more.

PugLyfe · Answer

I think you should wait another two years and reapply. Your stats are good enough for a top 15. You just need a strong work story and professional accomplishments to add onto those stats. Plus, if you reapply to your choice programs, they will see the improvements you've made and how you've grown since your initial interest. I definitely feel you should wait. Good luck!

alphabeta1234 · Answer

I say reapply. USC ranks below 30. With your GMAT score you should be top 10. No worse than top 20. You have the luxury of waiting another year. No need to rush it. Your application will be stronger next year.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

I would reapply, your performance in the process this year should be symbolic that with a good profile you were not very successful. You are a very young candidate so would recommend holding off for a few years and reapplying with a tight story and clear b-school need

riceman · Answer

So I guess the question now is whether or not to wait two years and apply for the class of 2020 or apply round 1 this September. Anyone think I can pull it off this next application season?

mbaseeker18 · Answer

Are you stupid? Look at the average age and average work ex at your target programs. What will you be able to contribute to your classmates experience if you're 23 years old and have 2yrs experience? Wait two years and you'll have a much better shot.

riceman · Answer

That would be appropriate for the average applicant. I would consider myself and my background to be non-traditional. I am not looking to just go into finance or consulting, if I was, I would wait until the average age and WE. I'm looking to make a global change, and to me, the sooner the better.

mbaseeker18 · Answer

Yeah, you're still missing the point. It's not just about  your  goals. It's about what you can contribute to your cohort's experience. That's the reason why the average age at most top programs is what it is. If you want to make global change, feel free to get started now. The lack of an MBA isn't stopping you.

bb · Answer

Another reason most advise against getting MBA without much work experience is recruiting. It will be a challenge competing with candidates from your program, let alone UCLA, or Haas, or Stanford for the juicy positions. You will have to take the slim pickings. Recruiters of MBA's are looking for shiny stars - those who have a proven track record, who were a stars before their MBA, and now are getting a shiny polish of the degree. You have something with 4 promotions but only 1 year of that and 1 promotion is probably a full-time one, and the rest of the WE will be discounted. Sorry.

MBA is your chance to multiply your income and shift to a new level of management. However, if you are making 50K/year now and you got an MBA, I don't think a lot of people will feel right to pay you $150K or even $100K since you will be 24 when you graduate... unless you have a position you know that is waiting for you, moving forward with an MBA with just a year of experience is a very rushed move and not optimal when you talking about maximizing return and potential.

I am sorry if this is not what you wanted to hear. I did my MBA early too - I was only 24 when I matriculated (with 3 years of FT WE) - I think I should have worked for a few more years. Got a bit more mature, had a bit more failures, and a few more successes that I can appear more seasoned to employers looking for Director of Finance for example or senior consultant.

mfprado1073 · Answer

That sounded a little cocky. If that was your attitude while writing essays, I imagine that hurt your applications to most top schools. I would give you three pieces of advice:
 - Try again in 2-3 years at least. WE is very relevant for the competitiveness of your application.
 - Tweak your attitude towards having lasting impact, instead of only settling for global change.
 - Redirect your career now towards what you want to do after earning your degree. If you want to do luxury goods but has only worked in the coal mines, the story will fall short.

Finally, I agree with  mbaseeker18  on this one. If you want to change the world, start now. Your "average applicant" has taught math in Africa, went to war for its country or earned a prestigious degree after coming out of small poor neighborhood in Colombia before even attending BSchool. And these are the ones that decide to change tracks and go to BSchool. Imagine the ones that don't and just keep having sustainable impact. If you want to do something different after school, you have got to show the track record that proves that you can and you will.

For the moment, you don't. You're just another below average applicant, with nothing special to show and that has career expectations you have not lived up to.

jameswestbrook · Answer

Hi  jerfted  can you please provide an update on your reapplication? Do you feel that the extra year helped you out? I am in a similar situation as you were in last year. Thank you very much.

Young Applicant: USC Marshall Vs. Try again Next year

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