Ask mbaMission

OK, I finally took the GMAT! Ended up with a 700 (42Q/42V) and expecting a 5.5. or 6.0 AWA. SO relieved to be done with that ordeal!

I told myself that, if I scored 700+, I would apply to more competitive programs. As such, I've narrowed my selection down to the following 9 schools:

Uber Elite
Harvard
U. Penn

Elite
Northwestern
Yale
UCLA

Almost Elite
Emory
Georgetown
UT-Austin
USC

Is 9 too much? I don't want to tire my recommenders, and need to make sure I have enough time to make each application great.

Would appreciate any thoughts and help!




Stats

Male, 26 years old at matriculation
American, Caucasian
UG: Top 50 University with 3.27 GPA
EC: Campus leader in several clubs

Studied Abroad in Japan, Fluent in Japanese


WE1: Hotel Manager at Fortune 100 Corporation with 20 direct reports
WE2: Hotel Manager, later Night Manager, at re-opening of world famous luxury hotel with 20 direct reports
WE3: Property Manager, then promoted to Asset Manager, at Japanese Real Estate Firm. Proposed new division, which was executed and I was given responsibility for it. Speak Japanese on daily basis at work.

Goal
Get MBA to pursue career in hotel development. I have strong hospitality leadership background, international experience, and have delved into real estate, so I feel I possess a strong profile.

briangtsmith -

Thanks so much for posting your profile for me to review. Congrats on quite a career path - reopening The Plaza hotel must have been quite an experience.

I am sure you are aware, but your grades and GMAT scores kind of put you at the bottom of the "middle 50%" for most of the schools you mention.

I feel like your professional progression to date is very strong, and your fluency in Japanese will also be seen as a strength by the Admissions Committees. Working with your EVP to ensure you have an extremely strong recommendation from him will be very important. Also, I might recommend you broaden your career goals from hotel development to hotel general management. In a global recession, do you think this might make you more nimble? Hotel development would be an option if this side of the business picks up, but being able to think about strategic planning, brand management, frontline/organizational management, and/or finance would make you flexible depending on whatever opportunity presents itself after graduation.

You probably have a solid chance at most of the schools you mention. I would suggest you do a bit more research and see what schools have had success placing people in real estate/hotel development businesses. The career offices should be able to give you a sense. Also, do any of them have a hospitality program? Beyond those suggestions, I would think that schools in urban locations (USC, UCLA, Georgetown, Emory) would at least offer you better internship and independent study options while you are pursuing your degree than would more rural schools (Yale, Duke, or UNC). This ability to build connections within an industry while in school can really help if you are going after a niche position. (I have had friends get hired by a professional sports team based on an independent study, and another friend worked their way into a small fashion company while in school.)

Hope this helps.
Jennifer

Great tips, thank you! I am focused now on getting my GMAT up into the 700's on practice exams, so that even if I get nervous I hopefully end up in the high-600's.

Interesting thought on making my career focus a bit more general. The schools I've chosen are all strong in international business, real estate, and entreprenuerism. As I eventually would like to open my own hotel, I felt these programs would give me the best education to do so. My short term goal of "developement," however, doesn't have to be concrete. Nice idea, much appreciated!

Updated, thanks all for your help!

Updated, thanks all for your help!

Now updated with actual GMAT, thanks!

briangtsmith -

Congratulations on your successful GMAT score! A 700 will serve you well.

As I think I mentioned in previous posts, you have a strong professional profile. Nine schools do seem a bit excessive. I feel like the range of schools on your list is also disparate and not focused - in terms of school size, location, academic strengths. These will determine your "fit" with the school much more so than the school's ranking. You may be well served to do some more in-depth research. Doing an outstanding job on four or five applications is better than doing a mediocre job on nine applications.

I believe that HBS, Wharton, and Northwestern will still be "reach" schools for you. The others all seem within your range. The GMAT is just one more data point. Your essays (on your career progress and your career goals, your recommendations, you personal stories, etc.) are all much more important in the long run.

Good luck,
Jennifer