Ask mbaMission

Hello,

I'm currently looking into a few MBA programs to start within the next 3-4 years and I'd like to get a feel for how competitive my profile is. My top choices are INSEAD and LBS. However, there are a number of US schools that I am also interested in.

I'm a 28 year old American with 5+ years of international work experience. I have a B.S. in Economics and B.S.B.A. in Finance with an overall GPA of 3.4 (3.8 in Business). My GMAT score was 650 overall (6/6 for the AWA). I also hold a number of professional certifications in Project Management and Cost Engineering. My extracurricular activities have been minimal because most of my career has been spent doing project work with a standard 80-90+ hour work week. However, while I was a full-time student, I was very active in sports and professional organizations and also worked part-time (not sure if this has any value considering how long ago that was).

To expand on my work experience, I've spent almost all of my time with major Engineering & Construction firms on large-scale multi-billion dollar projects; including my current role. I've held positions managing 7-9 people on average, but did have periods managing many more while we transitioned senior roles. An interesting facet of my last role was the diversity of my staff - there were 9 individuals from 8 different countries. I've worked in 5 countries, including a year in the United States, and traveled to almost 50. I'm going with a 3-4 year outlook because that is how long my current assignment is anticipated to last. Only then will I have time to do an MBA program full-time. Also, having a few years to work with gives me time to build my profile as well as improve in other areas, such as the GMAT, if necessary.

For my post-MBA career, I plan to continue in the field of Project Management, though I've contemplated making a move to Corporate Finance or Investing later in my career.

Would somebody be kind enough to give their assessment of my current profile, and if possible, share any thoughts on what will make it more competitive (additional certifications, volunteer work, etc.) when it comes time to apply?

Thanks!

Hi "M",

Thanks for your sharing your profile. Let's break it down:

Academics: You've got a great GPA from undergrad - not sure what school you went to? Your GMAT is fairly low, though, and I would definitely recommend as one action item that you aim to retake the GMAT and score a 700+ to be competitive at top programs.

Professional experience: Your experience is really interesting and unique, and I think you'll be able to demonstrate strong leadership capacity in this dimension.

Community: I know you said you haven't had much time for this, but it will be an important component, and since you're not applying for some time, I definitely think you should find a way to take on some community work. Ideally, you could take a leadership role at a non-profit or other community organization that you are passionate about, but at the very least, take on consistent volunteer role with an organization (then maybe work your way up to a leadership role). Leadership is ideal in this area if possible.

Extracurricular: Same as above - -it would be great to show that you are just as active and passionate about your interests as you were in college. If you play soccer, you could perhaps take this to the next level by coaching a youth soccer team or captaining or founding a local soccer team... Once again, you'll see that demonstrating leadership in this dimension is ideal.

So, the three things I think you should work on over the next couple years are:

1. Work towards a higher GMAT score (even if you can get a 680+, it'll put you in a much stronger position. But ideally 700+).
2. Take on community leadership role - stick with it, make real impact on a cause/organization.
3. Take on a leadership role in an extracurricular activity that you are passionate about. Make impact.

I also think you should continue to evolve your career narrative. In 3-4 years, you'll have almost 10 years work experience, which is on the high end for full time MBA programs. You could consider an Executive MBA or Part time MBA instead, especially if you want to stay in Project Management or a similar field. Really ask yourself if you need an MBA to achieve your career goals -- at that stage of your career, the admissions committee is going to really need to understand why you need an MBA to achieve your goals. If you plan to stay in the same field, it seems you don't really need a full time MBA, but perhaps just continuing education alongside your job (executive or part-time MBA). Or, if you want to switch careers, you'll need to make a strong case and prove why you want to switch this late in the game and how an MBA factors in.

Best of luck,
Mili