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Hi Graham/Clear Admit team,

If you could take a few moments to have a look, it'd be much appreciated!

UGPA: U. Waterloo (repeatedly #1 by Macleans, Canada), 2005, Sociology major, Management Minor, 73%, about a 3.0 US conversion

Grad school: Cranfield SoM (#2 Business School after LBS, Financial Times, UK), 2008, Strategic Marketing, 2:1, about a 3.5 US conversion

Aiming for Kellogg, NYU, Cornell, Berkeley, UCLA. What would be your assessment of the given info? Would love to hear feedback on the chances of H/W/S as well.

Thanks in advance

Dear Canuck,

Thanks for your post!

On the surface, you've got an interesting profile for b-school, in light of your marketing focus and the fact that you worked for a radio station (fairly unique). Your grades look decent for both ugrad (a 3.0 from a well-regarded Canadian school is really like a 3.5 in the States) and Cranfield's master's program. Your XCs sound promising between sports (hockey) and some volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Of course, you'll need to perform well on the GMAT to keep things consistent (ideally at the 700+ level, or even higher if you look at top-10 schools).

The real issue you are going to face is twofold:

-You already have a masters in a business field from a fairly well-known school (did you actually receive an MBA? if so, that's a potential deal-breaker...). The fact that you've only just completed the degree in 2008 (and didn't pursue it straight after ugrad) could make an MBA application seem a bit odd, or a bit like you are trying to undo a mistake.

-On the flipside of this, your plan to wait a year or two until you are 29 is not adviseable - at least not for the top MBA programs. Keep in mind that the average age at most of the top schools is in the 27-28 range - and getting younger each year. In particular, schools like HBS and Stanford are on the record as being in support of applicants with a bit less experience. Wharton has made similar statements as well.

Overall, I am a bit puzzled as to why you aren't considering an application this coming fall (to begin school in the fall of 2010). That would give you a year of full-time experience (post-masters) at the time of application, and two years by the time you matriculate. It would also enable you to apply at age 26/27, which is much more in the range of your target schools. Of course, if the degree you earned from Cranfield is actually an MBA (as opposed to a specialized masters in marketing), a lot of my advice goes out the window, since most programs aren't in the market for applicants who already have MBAs.

Feel free to send along your resume to [email protected] if you have any further questions or would like to set up a call with one of our counselors.

Best of luck,

Graham

Hi Graham,

Much thanks for your reply and insight. I have tried to address some of the points you have raised.

[color=darkred]You already have a masters in a business field from a fairly well-known school (did you actually receive an MBA? if so, that's a potential deal-breaker...). The fact that you've only just completed the degree in 2008 (and didn't pursue it straight after ugrad) could make an MBA application seem a bit odd, or a bit like you are trying to undo a mistake.[/color]
I will graduate in June and receive an MSc. It is indeed a specialist masters, but my reason in pursuing an MBA would be to build overall business management skills. I view my degree as an academic and research-based degree that deals with a fair amount of theory. Practicality and general management are key reasons as to why I want to apply.

[color=darkred]On the flipside of this, your plan to wait a year or two until you are 29 is not adviseable - at least not for the top MBA programs. Keep in mind that the average age at most of the top schools is in the 27-28 range - and getting younger each year.[/color]
I thought to apply next year, with 29 being my age at matriculation because of my work experience. Currently as a Marketing Manager, I figure I would need to increase my education, to again, develop a holistic business skillset.

[color=darkred]Overall, I am a bit puzzled as to why you aren't considering an application this coming fall (to begin school in the fall of 2010). That would give you a year of full-time experience (post-masters) at the time of application, and two years by the time you matriculate. It would also enable you to apply at age 26/27, which is much more in the range of your target schools.[/color]
Really? I knew that schools are really feeling the applicants that are 27ish, but I thought I would be able to justify a relatively 'late' application with a higher degree.

Your response is thought-provoking and has given me a bit to think about. I was actually planning on starting to study for the GMAT in May, so the time frame is still very feasible for 2010 applications.

Please, let me know your thoughts in regards to my reasoning or any other points of interest.

Thanks!