Dear Vincent,

Retail is an industry that does have representation; how much varies greatly though by school. Some schools tend to see a higher number of applicants from this industry than others. For folks wanting to stay in the industry, they often tend to do part-time or executive programs. There is not a preferred industry for business schools, nor is there a quota on how many seats are for folks with a particular industry background at most schools. If you are applying to some programs where there are not many folks from the retail sector, it could actually work to your advantage depending on how you present your professional experience.

Many MBA admissions consulting firms do have folks all over the world, so hopefully someone will know of a specific person for you in Paris. However, it is not necessary to have a consultant in your city if you are open to using technology to forge that relationship. My firm works with clients all over the world. I encourage you to do some additional research on consulting options; we do offer a free consultation by phone (visit our website for further details, www.stacyblackman.com).

Good luck,
Lisa