Hello dear Ms Blackman, thanks for being so kind as to offer some input on this forum. 1st question I have, I'm an LA local and would like to know if your office has any workshop or seminar organized here since your location says LA as well. I see one in SF on the 14th which I unfortunately would not be able to attend.
1) PROFILE
For starters, I grew up in LA in an immigrant household till I was 10 at which point my parents took me back to their West African country so I could get a taste of a different world and gain a different perspective on life. It was a big cultural shock, but I got used to it eventually.
2) EDUCATION
I even decided to stay there for college which was an intl recognized schl. I majored in Economics, graduated in 1999 and my GPA was pretty high, had it converted and its a 3.5. I also helped stop a full-scale riot on the university campus which is another story altogether. I learned quite a bit from it and plan on incorporating it into my essays.
3) WORK EXPERIENCE
I then taught high school math for a yr in that country, and worked in a consulting financial firm for a yr working on large scale projects with international organizations as well as the government.
I moved back to LA and due to my huge interest in computer programming, I did an Oracle associate in database programming, GPA was over a 3.5. I used this to start my part-time personal business in programming, while working for the last few years as a manager for group homes as well as working with programs for disadvantaged minority teens (mostly African-American males).
4) WHY get an MBA
My purpose of wanting an MBA is to be able to nurture and further develop vital skills that will be important for me to use to manage my business which is in delivering information technology to developing countries and under-served communities. I am hopeful that I will be able to construct a bridge between the two different worlds that I grew up in, to be able to apply it to their world, and help create methods that allow people to use technology to impact their lives and create a means to an end.
I am studying to take the GMAT at the end of Sep, and so far I am hopeful that I will get a 700+.
Right now I have a list of schls
1) Harvard
2) Wharton
3) Stanford
4) USC
5) UCLA
6) Chicago
7) Northwestern
8) Michigan
The top 3 being my "WOW schools", #s 4-5 being my local LA schls, and 6-8 being top schls which are located near where my girlfriend is (we'll be getting married soon)
While I know there are some heavy hitters in my list, I wonder just how much my lack of extensive business work experience would hurt. I have excellent letters of recommendations from some Cali professors, as well as my employer which should highlight my drive and passion, as I worked hand in hand with them. My father is an alum of USC MBA prog, and would like to write a letter for that prog, is it ok to add his?? HBS still remains my dream schl but I would equally be ecstatic to get into any of the 8.
Thanks much for your anticipated response. Best regards
1) PROFILE
For starters, I grew up in LA in an immigrant household till I was 10 at which point my parents took me back to their West African country so I could get a taste of a different world and gain a different perspective on life. It was a big cultural shock, but I got used to it eventually.
2) EDUCATION
I even decided to stay there for college which was an intl recognized schl. I majored in Economics, graduated in 1999 and my GPA was pretty high, had it converted and its a 3.5. I also helped stop a full-scale riot on the university campus which is another story altogether. I learned quite a bit from it and plan on incorporating it into my essays.
3) WORK EXPERIENCE
I then taught high school math for a yr in that country, and worked in a consulting financial firm for a yr working on large scale projects with international organizations as well as the government.
I moved back to LA and due to my huge interest in computer programming, I did an Oracle associate in database programming, GPA was over a 3.5. I used this to start my part-time personal business in programming, while working for the last few years as a manager for group homes as well as working with programs for disadvantaged minority teens (mostly African-American males).
4) WHY get an MBA
My purpose of wanting an MBA is to be able to nurture and further develop vital skills that will be important for me to use to manage my business which is in delivering information technology to developing countries and under-served communities. I am hopeful that I will be able to construct a bridge between the two different worlds that I grew up in, to be able to apply it to their world, and help create methods that allow people to use technology to impact their lives and create a means to an end.
I am studying to take the GMAT at the end of Sep, and so far I am hopeful that I will get a 700+.
Right now I have a list of schls
1) Harvard
2) Wharton
3) Stanford
4) USC
5) UCLA
6) Chicago
7) Northwestern
8) Michigan
The top 3 being my "WOW schools", #s 4-5 being my local LA schls, and 6-8 being top schls which are located near where my girlfriend is (we'll be getting married soon)
While I know there are some heavy hitters in my list, I wonder just how much my lack of extensive business work experience would hurt. I have excellent letters of recommendations from some Cali professors, as well as my employer which should highlight my drive and passion, as I worked hand in hand with them. My father is an alum of USC MBA prog, and would like to write a letter for that prog, is it ok to add his?? HBS still remains my dream schl but I would equally be ecstatic to get into any of the 8.
Thanks much for your anticipated response. Best regards
