Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

Thanks for your help! really appreciate it

Hey MBA.Aspirant --

While we didn't dig deep into that long list of ECs we can see from a brief review of your info that you have a lot of interesting pieces to work with for an MBA app.

A few questions first though:

• * Why are you taking the GRE instead of the GMAT? Many schools now accept both, however a few schools do prefer the GMAT, and it's considered the standard for MBA admissions.
  
  * Your projected quant score obviously looks strong but that verbal is very low. You'll need a more balanced score (whether it's the GRE or the GMAT) to have a real shot at any of these schools.
  
  * When are you thinking of applying? Since you haven't even taken your test yet does that mean you're just getting started and you'll be applying next year, to start in Fall 2013?
  
  * When you say "1-year programs" we're a little confused -- are you targeting the Kellogg 1Y MBA? NYU does not have a one-year program. Columbia has an accelerated track with the J-Term however the admissions deadline for that is now past; the J-Term is ideal for someone going into family business so that might be a good option for you if you end up applying next year (the app typically opens in May or June and you'd begin in January 2013, graduate May 2014). Many European programs are shorter but most US programs are the standard 2-year cycle

You're a little on the young side for the schools that you've named; average age at Kellogg and NYU is around 28, the European schools are even older. You'll need to a) communicate why now is the right time for you to get your MBA; and b) express your professional experiences in a way that shows how you'll contribute to the bschool classroom. Both of these will be important in order to help the adcom see that now is the time to get the MBA. You also of course need to focus on the career goals etc in the essays, to show what your plan is. Your goals sound appropriate though also very ambitious, and the adcom likely will be unfamiliar with the auto industry in the Middle East, so you'll need to do at least a little bit of laying groundwork in your essay to show what these goals are and how you'll achieve them.

But we're getting a little ahead of ourselves...

Basically, your profile looks interesting and the educational background is solid, the fact that you've already spent some time in the US will be helpful, you're coming from a less competitive demographic group, and it looks like you've got a lot of stuff to talk about (your challenge might be just figuring out which are the most important!! nice problem to have). So yes, you have the pieces that are appropriate for a top-level school, and it'll be about putting them all together.

If you want to answer the questions we laid out here, we'd be happy to help you fine-tune your strategy for the apps.

Best of luck with test prep, too!
EssaySnark


edited to fix formatting