Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

Hi All,

I am a MBA aspirant who has been wanting to do a MBA for many years and is finally considering it as a serious option. the reason is to advance my career progression and also likely to move to a business/strategy consulting profile. I would like to have opinion from the experts on the following:

1) Benefits of doing a Full Time MBA program with my profile vis-a-vis an Executive MBA
2) Chances of acceptance in a top tier 1 year B school program (like INSEAD, LBS, IMD programs) considering that I am quite above the average age of participants.
3) I have yet to take the GMAT. What is the range of GMAT score that will help me get into one of the above said schools based on my profile below.

My profile - I have a total of 13 years of experience in the Telecom industry spanning across functions like software programming, project management, solution consulting, product sales and now business development. I have worked with large MNC's (likes of Alcatel & Nokia) and in multiple countries (India, France & Singapore). Currently I am in a regional sales profile handing apac region. my earlier academics degree was a bachelors in engineering.


Any expert comments will be much appreciated.

sachinsharma77,

To your questions:
1) The benefits of the full-time MBA include facilitating career switches (summer internships--in a two-year program) and greater opportunities for networking and a full intellectual experience (unless you do an eMBA at a place like Wharton whose eMBA is equivalent to its full-time MBA). The benefits of the eMBA are easier entry (lower GMAT requirements), smaller opportunity cost (no need to give up job), and if you're lucky, employer sponsorship. The eMBA is not really designed as a career switcher's degree. At top eMBA programs, matriculants on average have led 14 or so employees.
2) Given your age, I believe your chances of admission at a top eMBA program are higher than at the full-time programs of schools like INSEAD, LBS, or IMD. However, European MBAs are generally older so if you really want/prefer the full-time MBA experience, you might have a decent shot, depending on the strength of your profile.
3) A 700-720 GMAT would make you competitive at all these schools.

The depth of your leadership experiences will be key to your chances at a top full-time or an executive MBA program.

Hope this helps,

Sachin,

Most of the campus recruiting at the full time MBA program has standard norms and the recruiter will hardly treat your 13 years of experience different than a typical 4-5 years of someone else while handing over the compensation/offer letter. Hence, if you want a job in line with your experience, you might have to look at the options beyond the school's career center and have to do some work in reaching out to the people off-campus. This should be your main concern about a full time MBA program.

Executive MBA may be an option worth exploring because the typical work experience of exec MBA is 10+ years, which will fit your profile. However, exec MBAs are mostly company sponsored and there may not be too much recruitment activity in this program. You are right in looking only at European schools because they tend to have students with more work exp and of higher age demographics. Though 13 years is still on this higher side, you will always find few students with a similar profile and hence, should not rule it out completely.

When you are talking about the top school, your GMAT score should be as good as possible. 700+ to remove any concerns but as close around 750 as possible to actually use it as a strength.

sachinsharma77 wrote:Hi All,

I am a MBA aspirant who has been wanting to do a MBA for many years and is finally considering it as a serious option. the reason is to advance my career progression and also likely to move to a business/strategy consulting profile. I would like to have opinion from the experts on the following:

1) Benefits of doing a Full Time MBA program with my profile vis-a-vis an Executive MBA
2) Chances of acceptance in a top tier 1 year B school program (like INSEAD, LBS, IMD programs) considering that I am quite above the average age of participants.
3) I have yet to take the GMAT. What is the range of GMAT score that will help me get into one of the above said schools based on my profile below.

My profile - I have a total of 13 years of experience in the Telecom industry spanning across functions like software programming, project management, solution consulting, product sales and now business development. I have worked with large MNC's (likes of Alcatel & Nokia) and in multiple countries (India, France & Singapore). Currently I am in a regional sales profile handing apac region. my earlier academics degree was a bachelors in engineering.


Any expert comments will be much appreciated.

Hi,

I have similar experience like Sachin with a total of 13 years experience predominantly in IT having worked in India, US and China. I am currently heading my practice in China managing 60+ resources.

I am still wondering on which is better the full time MBA or Executive MBA. My purpose of going for an MBA is not necessarily to get out of IT but would like to get into High end consulting or Business Development. In a way I am looking for new doors that I cannot see now in IT or otherwise.

I dont prefer a part time program and rather choose between a Full time EMBA or a Full time MBA. My major concern being that after 13 years working through from a developer to program manager and not setting up a new center in China what kind of role I can expect from a new employer. I am not particularly looking to be a Project Manager role after an MBA. Can any of you give some idea as to the kind of roles , positions that could be offered to a person like me.

Regards,
Vishnu

Hi All,

Joining the league of 13 years of experience, even I have now 13 years of experience in Telecom Operator industry. Out of 13 years, only since past 5 years I am into business profile. In my initial years of career I have been into pure technical side of telecom operator sector.
I am interested in doing full time MBA/Full time EMBA only and not part time.
I am banking on my networking for jobs after MBA. Also I am looking forward to harness the advantage of MBA college alumni network.
Currently in practise test of GMAT on VeritasPrep I am getting 590 and in Manhattan I am getting 540.
Although I am targetting 650 to 700 as score, please suggest-practically which all colleges should I target?

Regards,
JD

jwalantudesai wrote:Hi All,

Joining the league of 13 years of experience, even I have now 13 years of experience in Telecom Operator industry. Out of 13 years, only since past 5 years I am into business profile. In my initial years of career I have been into pure technical side of telecom operator sector.
I am interested in doing full time MBA/Full time EMBA only and not part time.
I am banking on my networking for jobs after MBA. Also I am looking forward to harness the advantage of MBA college alumni network.
Currently in practise test of GMAT on VeritasPrep I am getting 590 and in Manhattan I am getting 540.
Although I am targetting 650 to 700 as score, please suggest-practically which all colleges should I target?

Regards,
JD

Hi Jwalant

With 13 years of experience, you are looking at a few specialized programs as possibilities, and we mention those here. You should ensure of course that your GMAT score is as close to 700 as possible, as that will make you more competitive.

In India, you should be looking at the IIMA PGPX program and possibly at ISB, though you will have lower chances at the latter. Abroad, INSEAD and IMD are two possibilities (will require some international experience), as well as the Sloan Fellows programs. The Sloan Fellows programs (three separate, full-time, MBA programs offered by Stanford, LBS, and MIT) are meant for people with extensive work experience, and the average work experience figure for their classes is often around 15 years.

You may also like to go through this article to understand these better.