-
bdbbrooklyn
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:39 am
I am a 36-year old attorney working as General Counsel and Director of Operations for a small (but successful) real estate development and sports management company in New York City. In addition to serving as General Counsel for the company, I regularly participate in the "business" side of the company by directing its operations, meeting with equity partners, project managing real estate developments and even conducting DCF analyses of potential deals. I particularly enjoy the "start-up" aspects of new developments, including setting up operations, processes, SOPs, etc. but get bored after the development is up-and-running. I think my true calling is entrepreneurship, consulting or VC, where I can analyze the feasibility of a project and implement its launch.
My first question is, is the full-time MBA program right for me? From my research, I think the career shift is substantial enough to merit a full-time program -- as opposed to a part-time or executive MBA, which seem to focus on improving the skills one wants to use in their current field. I am currently making a considerable salary but am willing to forgo the salary and take on additional educational loans if the payoff (i.e., career enjoyment, potential earnings, etc.) is worth it. To me, that sounds like I should only go if I can go to a very good school.
From my research, the schools that I think best fit my disposition and goals are:
Stanford
Wharton
London Business School
Haas
Anderson
IESE
I'm looking at the European schools because: (i) I've always wanted to live and work internationally; (ii) I think they would provide a life-changing, perspective-shifting experience; and, (iii) the age "issue" is less of a problem. Based on my interest in entrepreneurship, consulting and/or VC, do these schools seem like good choices?
To provide you with my statistics, I attended undergrad at Franklin and Marshall College, a small liberal arts college that ranks 43rd by US News and 36th by Forbes, and majored in English Literature. I obtained a 3.0 GPA (which was in the top 50% (just barely) but was involved in everything: Class President for all four years, fraternity member, President of Student Activities Financing Committee, Student-representative to the Alumni board. I also held jobs throughout college to finance my living expenses. I also studies abroad at Oxford for a semester. My grades are not good, I know. But, I did go from bad to better, I was overly involved in extra-curriculars and it was a long time ago (graduated in 1996).
I went to Boston University School of Law (ranked 20th by US News) and received a 3.4 GPA. I participated in Moot Court and was on the Public Interest Law Journal. I also received a grant from BU's Public Interest Law Project to volunteer for several non-profit organizations during my second year summer. Many of the classes I took were related to real estate and land use.
My career has taken a circuitous route to get me to where I am today. I initially went to work as a consultant for a real estate development company in Boston (Spaulding and Slye Colliers, now Jones Lang LaSalle Boston) and was tasked with reconfiguring the business process of the real estate department for its largest client, Lotus Development Corporation, after Lotus had been purchased by IBM. I was awarded that year's Client Service Award for my transformation of the department. At the time, I was worried that my law degree was dying on the vine, so I moved to NYC where I pursued a "big firm" job. I worked as a contract attorney at Debevoise and Plimpton, one of the world's most prestigious law firms, for two years and actively participated in many complex, commercial litigations. I then was hired as a Staff Attorney at Paul, Weiss Rifkind Wharton and Garrison, another prestigious firm. I continued to work in commercial litigation, but now with a securities focus. I worked exclusively on the largest civil litigation in American history defending Citibank in the WorldCom implosion. There were dozens of attorneys involved and I was promoted to manage their work in preparation for discovery and depositions.
I still had a desire to work in real estate and land use, and after nearly two years with Paul Weiss, I took a substantial salary cut to be Assistant General Counsel for New York City Department of Buildings. I argued cases before the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals, defending the department's building code and zoning decisions. I discovered that land use work, particularly in a regulatory setting, was not for me and, after a year, I left to pursue another position. For several years, I had been taking evening classes at SUNY FIT to further pursue my interest in the built environment. I had taken several classes in architectural drafting and computer graphics and, together with my land use experience, was able to obtain a job with an exclusive interior design firm in New York as General Counsel and Project Manager. It was a glamorous year, but the firm's operational flaws, general disorganization and customer dissatisfaction were demoralizing and I left for my current job within a year.
Because of my experience at the DOB and with the design firm, I was uniquely qualified for the position of project manager at a company that was converting a commercial building in downtown Manhattan into luxury residences. Unfortunately, the firm had absolutely no infrastructure when I came, only two very connected principals who are almost always traveling or golfing. I worked tirelessly for months, hiring people, setting up an accounting function, implementing technology, standard operating procedures (which the principals were very wary of), budgets, while simultaneously managing the due diligence, contract negotiations, marketing and construction of a $75M development project. The company then acquired a minor league baseball team with the intent of relocating it and acquiring state and local incentives to build a stadium and ancillary businesses. Again, I conducted all of the due diligence, supervised all of the consultants and managed the construction of the stadium, flying across the country bi-weekly. I also set up the company that would manage the baseball team operations, by hiring approximately 50 people and establishing all of the technology and processes involved. I had a crash course in sports marketing and oversaw the first season in the new location, which was a resounding success. I've been at the company for 3.5 years now and have since been promoted to General Counsel and Director of Operations. Now, however, I would like to develop the analytical and operational skills that I am lacking.
I am now just starting to prepare for the GMAT and have 6 weeks to study. With no study at all, I got a 650 on the MBA.com practice test. I'm using the ManhattanGMAT self-study program.
So, what do you think of my chances? Should I wait a year to better prepare (and be a year older)?
Oh, and for community service and activities, I was hoping to highlight my devotion to public interest in law school, as well as the fact that I'm gay and am very committed to participating in gay rights marches (including the recent march on Washington), although not in any official capacity. (One more question about being gay . . . I personally see coming out of the closet as one of my greatest accomplishments. Is that appropriate for the essays?)
I know, I know . . . too many questions. Sorry to make you read all of this and, if I've taken advantage of your generosity, I am willing to pay for a consultant. I just needed to get it all down on paper so that it would stop occupying my thoughts. Thank you very much.
My first question is, is the full-time MBA program right for me? From my research, I think the career shift is substantial enough to merit a full-time program -- as opposed to a part-time or executive MBA, which seem to focus on improving the skills one wants to use in their current field. I am currently making a considerable salary but am willing to forgo the salary and take on additional educational loans if the payoff (i.e., career enjoyment, potential earnings, etc.) is worth it. To me, that sounds like I should only go if I can go to a very good school.
From my research, the schools that I think best fit my disposition and goals are:
Stanford
Wharton
London Business School
Haas
Anderson
IESE
I'm looking at the European schools because: (i) I've always wanted to live and work internationally; (ii) I think they would provide a life-changing, perspective-shifting experience; and, (iii) the age "issue" is less of a problem. Based on my interest in entrepreneurship, consulting and/or VC, do these schools seem like good choices?
To provide you with my statistics, I attended undergrad at Franklin and Marshall College, a small liberal arts college that ranks 43rd by US News and 36th by Forbes, and majored in English Literature. I obtained a 3.0 GPA (which was in the top 50% (just barely) but was involved in everything: Class President for all four years, fraternity member, President of Student Activities Financing Committee, Student-representative to the Alumni board. I also held jobs throughout college to finance my living expenses. I also studies abroad at Oxford for a semester. My grades are not good, I know. But, I did go from bad to better, I was overly involved in extra-curriculars and it was a long time ago (graduated in 1996).
I went to Boston University School of Law (ranked 20th by US News) and received a 3.4 GPA. I participated in Moot Court and was on the Public Interest Law Journal. I also received a grant from BU's Public Interest Law Project to volunteer for several non-profit organizations during my second year summer. Many of the classes I took were related to real estate and land use.
My career has taken a circuitous route to get me to where I am today. I initially went to work as a consultant for a real estate development company in Boston (Spaulding and Slye Colliers, now Jones Lang LaSalle Boston) and was tasked with reconfiguring the business process of the real estate department for its largest client, Lotus Development Corporation, after Lotus had been purchased by IBM. I was awarded that year's Client Service Award for my transformation of the department. At the time, I was worried that my law degree was dying on the vine, so I moved to NYC where I pursued a "big firm" job. I worked as a contract attorney at Debevoise and Plimpton, one of the world's most prestigious law firms, for two years and actively participated in many complex, commercial litigations. I then was hired as a Staff Attorney at Paul, Weiss Rifkind Wharton and Garrison, another prestigious firm. I continued to work in commercial litigation, but now with a securities focus. I worked exclusively on the largest civil litigation in American history defending Citibank in the WorldCom implosion. There were dozens of attorneys involved and I was promoted to manage their work in preparation for discovery and depositions.
I still had a desire to work in real estate and land use, and after nearly two years with Paul Weiss, I took a substantial salary cut to be Assistant General Counsel for New York City Department of Buildings. I argued cases before the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals, defending the department's building code and zoning decisions. I discovered that land use work, particularly in a regulatory setting, was not for me and, after a year, I left to pursue another position. For several years, I had been taking evening classes at SUNY FIT to further pursue my interest in the built environment. I had taken several classes in architectural drafting and computer graphics and, together with my land use experience, was able to obtain a job with an exclusive interior design firm in New York as General Counsel and Project Manager. It was a glamorous year, but the firm's operational flaws, general disorganization and customer dissatisfaction were demoralizing and I left for my current job within a year.
Because of my experience at the DOB and with the design firm, I was uniquely qualified for the position of project manager at a company that was converting a commercial building in downtown Manhattan into luxury residences. Unfortunately, the firm had absolutely no infrastructure when I came, only two very connected principals who are almost always traveling or golfing. I worked tirelessly for months, hiring people, setting up an accounting function, implementing technology, standard operating procedures (which the principals were very wary of), budgets, while simultaneously managing the due diligence, contract negotiations, marketing and construction of a $75M development project. The company then acquired a minor league baseball team with the intent of relocating it and acquiring state and local incentives to build a stadium and ancillary businesses. Again, I conducted all of the due diligence, supervised all of the consultants and managed the construction of the stadium, flying across the country bi-weekly. I also set up the company that would manage the baseball team operations, by hiring approximately 50 people and establishing all of the technology and processes involved. I had a crash course in sports marketing and oversaw the first season in the new location, which was a resounding success. I've been at the company for 3.5 years now and have since been promoted to General Counsel and Director of Operations. Now, however, I would like to develop the analytical and operational skills that I am lacking.
I am now just starting to prepare for the GMAT and have 6 weeks to study. With no study at all, I got a 650 on the MBA.com practice test. I'm using the ManhattanGMAT self-study program.
So, what do you think of my chances? Should I wait a year to better prepare (and be a year older)?
Oh, and for community service and activities, I was hoping to highlight my devotion to public interest in law school, as well as the fact that I'm gay and am very committed to participating in gay rights marches (including the recent march on Washington), although not in any official capacity. (One more question about being gay . . . I personally see coming out of the closet as one of my greatest accomplishments. Is that appropriate for the essays?)
I know, I know . . . too many questions. Sorry to make you read all of this and, if I've taken advantage of your generosity, I am willing to pay for a consultant. I just needed to get it all down on paper so that it would stop occupying my thoughts. Thank you very much.
