Ask Stacy Blackman

Hi Stacy, Hi Amy!

I'm a European student, and I'd like to pursue a MBA in the USA.
I plan to apply next year, but I've already taken the GMAT two years ago, and I've just taken the TOEFL test too.
I'd like an assessment of my opportunities and some indications about which school you think I should apply for.
Here's my profile:

AGE: 28
Nationality: Italian
BA: Cultural Anthropology (social sciences-related then) mark 110/110, GPA: 3.76 for last two years, 3.85 for all 5 years.
GMAT score: 680 (Q43, V40)
TOEFL IBT: 109
Work experience: set up my own business re-selling media products through internet when I was at university (1,5 years) on my website. Kind of unofficial business, yet profitable and that gave me deep insight into business.
After graduation, I've joined my current employer. I've worked with them for 1,5 years now. I started as assistant to the Quality Assurance Manager, and I've been recently promoted to Quality Assurance Manager. I work for a mid-sized company working in the logistics field, with 320 employees.
I can speak fluently italian, english and spanish, and I can speak good finnish and a bit of chinese.
I've travelled extensively to 27 countries for tourism, plus two volunteering experiences of 20 days each in Romania and The Gambia.
I've spent one year in Finland as exchange student and a summer semester at UMKC in Kansas City, MO.
I've been involved in volunteering for the last 6 months, and I'm studying french.

Given my stats - which I put here again - you told me I could aim to some good schools. Would Emory University (Goizueta), UNC-Chapel hill, Purdue University feasible?
thanks!

Andrea

Hi Andrea,

I definitely think those schools are reasonable for you. I might even aim a bit higher to try a stretch school or two, you have an interesting background and I especially like the international experience and volunteering.

Think about Darden or Fuqua, for example - depending on what your goals are.

Good luck!

Amy

Hi Amy,
and thanks for your reply! it really boosted my morale!
May I just ask you something else? I calculated my GPA based on what is a DUKE University conversion table I found a couple of years ago.
In Italy, exams marks range from 18 (D) to 30 (A), with 0-17 equal to F.
That Duke chart coverted marks this way:

30 = A
29 = A-
28= B+
26-27= B
25 = B-
24 = C+
22-23 = C
21 = C-
20 = D+
18-19=D

What do you think? Could that be accurate?
Thanks again!

Andrea

P.S.
- May I ask you what do you find especially interesting in my background? thanks!

Hi Andrea,

Each school varies in how they want to handle international GPAs - some want conversions while others don't. The best policy is to contact the schools directly.

I think your languages, international experience and volunteering are all interesting and unique.

Good luck!

Amy

Hi there again,
I have to correct something:

it's about my ug education. In fact, in italy we have a Bachelor's Degree (3 years, "Laurea"), followed by a Specialist Bachelor's Degree (that WES says to be comparable to a US Master's Degree, "Laurea Specialistica", but that in Italy is undergraduate level I guess, as there are masters after that).

My Laurea (3 years) was in history (humanities), with a final mark of 110/110 cum laude and a gpa of 4.00/4 (or, in italian terms, 30/30).
My laurea specialistica was in Cultural Anthropology (social sciences), with a final mark of 108/110 (just for comparison, the average mark of all the degrees obtained by students in all Italian university in all subjects is 102,5) and a GPA of 29,04/30 or 3.71/4 .

Do you think that being 108/110 and not 110/110 is a minus? Also, it took for me 3 years and not two to obtain my specialist bachelor's, mostly because I set up my business, I went to study abroad in Finland and to study english to the USA and because I had to take 6 exams more than other people as I was transferring from aother University. Anyway, it's not uncommon for people here to take 6 or 7 years to graduate instead of the 5 years stated.

So, what do you think? Should I be worried or should I be confident anyway about my academic credentials? Do you think they are strong? And how will schools evaluate my final mark, as there isn't anything quite like that in the USA?

thanks a lot for your help!

Andrea

Hi Andrea,

The way you have defined your academics sounds very strong to my US bias. I think achieving perfect scores is not necessary. You may want to discuss the length of time it took to receive your degree, but I also don't think it is very significant.

For MBA admissions, while academic ability is important, showing leadership and management potential is very important.

Good luck!

Amy

Hi again Amy,
I have another question about my background, if I can.
I told you I set up my own business when I was at university. I had an idea, and I started selling used and new dvds (bought at wholesale price) on the net, through my own website, ebay and other ad sites, plus through local magazines. I didn't set up a company as i acted as a private seller, but it was a 100% genuine business idea anyway! I had to plan sales, market dvds, do costumer care. And with the money I earned I managed to pay two years of my university studies, incuding one full year in Finland!

Would this be a positive thing for me in front of the admission commitee? Does this show entrepreneurship and leadership?

Thanks a lot again!

Yes, it's definitely great to show initiative and entrepreneurial skills.

Hi there again,
I've just read part of the "new" profiles posted by Businessweek about 2009 graduating MBA classes around America, and I'm a bit concerned. I've seen a surge in application, a surge in average and median GMAT scores of admitted students and a lowering of acceptance rates. Given my target schools, should I really be worried of this increased competitiveness? Or it's just normal, cyclical?

Thanks!

Dear Amy and Stacy,
I'm very grateful for your answers!
But I have another correction using this system:

A = 4
A-: 3.7
B+=3.3

and so on, and using the WES translation chart, my italian gpas are 4.0/4 for the Laurea and only 3.58/4 for the Laurea Specialistica. At this point, I'm very concerned... 3.58 in a social science like anthropology, well, i don't think it's that high... what do you think? Should I be worried about that?
I mean, I know it's higher than 95% of the average gpas of the best programs, but I also know that there are lot's of people with about my same gpa and more difficult BS like engeneering for instance. Will universities take that in account negatively?

I really feel my second gpa is lower than the first one because in the last two years i set up my internet business (which took a lot of time out of me!), because i traveled a lot (also as exchange student) and because i started to work full-time (and my last two exams where i took a C and a C- reflect this!). Do you think I can address this in my essays to turn this into an advantage?
And overall, do you think my second gpa is low or good?
given all of my background (that you can find in the first post here), do you think that schools like Brigham Young, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, UNC-Chapel Hill, Michigan State University and Rice University are feasible for me? If i aply to all of them, do you think I will be admitted at least into one of them?

Thanks a lot again!!

Another thing about my GPA... while it is 3.58 for my Specialist BA (which lasts two years) it took three years for me to complete it. So, schools that asks for the last two years of your gpa, will consider it all or just the last two years? It this case, my GPA would be 3.55... I dunno, it really freaks me ut this entire GPA stuff! You talked about 3.5 being a good score (not to be concerned about) for top schools, do you think it's true also in my case and with my ug in antrhopology?

thanks!

mbaseeker09,

Your GPA is completely reasonable. No need to be concerned about it.

Good luck!

Amy

Hi Amy,
I'm sorry to bother you again for what you believe is a stupid matter...

But 3.58 is"completely reasonable" or strong? What would be the difference with a 3.71 GPA in the same subject?

Moreover, as I told you before, I've discovered through WES and through the European Union Education website that what we call LAurea Specialistica is a graduate studies level course. WES equals it to a US Master's Degree. Would that be the case then? Is WES reliable as a standard?

And if my laurea specialistica is truly equal to a Master's Degree in the US, would its GPA be considered differently from my bachelor's one? Which one would weigh the most? Would my 4/4 GPA balance the 3.58 one?

Thanks again, I really rely on having a strong gpa!

Hi mbaseeker08,

It's not a "stupid subject" - however, you don't need to be concerned with your GPA because it is in the range that is acceptable.

A GPA in the 3.5 range is definitely nothing to be concerned about. I don't think a 3.71 would make a material difference.

I would focus on the factors that are currently under your control - such as essays.

Good luck!

Amy