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Profile evaluation non-typical applicant FT MBA

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Profile evaluation non-typical applicant FT MBA

by fvilhena » Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:25 am
Hi,

I'd really appreciate if you could evaluate my profile as I am non typical applicant. I intend to apply in the first and second rounds for the next application season.

1) GMAT Score 720 (Q46 V42 AWA 5)

2) Background
Male, 30 years old, from South America.

3) Academics
Attended one of the best universities in my country. Majored in Economics.
Graduated as one of the best 3 in my class. Converted GPA: 3.45

4) Professional information
6 years of working experience.
Entrepreneur.
Founded and operated a small coffee shop chain (with around 50 employees) that I have just sold after receiving multiple offers from competitors. Actually, we will have the contracts signed by the end of the next two weeks. Great articles were published in newspapers and magazines about my company.

5) Professional Goals
Entrepreneurship in finance.
I am currently working on some ideas that I would like to pursue after b-school. I need the skills that I will be able to develop attending a MBA program that is great both on finance and on general management.

6) Extracurriculars
Pro bono consulting for small companies
Some community activities

7) Targeted Schools

HBS, Stanford - Are they reasonable reaches? Will my age harm my chances of acceptance on these schools?

Wharton, Booth, Tuck

Columbia, Kellogg, Yale, MIT


- Should I Retake the GMAT? Will a 750 or 760 improve a lot my profile?

- How would you classify these schools regarding my chances?

- Would you suggest any other MBA that would fit my profile and expectations?

- I am also interested in hiring an admission consultant firm. Do you work with applicants who live outside the US?
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by Tani » Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:39 am
Being an "alternative" candidate can be a great advantage. I have had great success getting candidates with unusual backgrounds into top schools. The most difficult candidate to work with is the one that exactly fits the typical B-school profile. You have several strengths: a solid GMAT score, an excellent undergraduate record and an entrepreneurial background. Also, being from South America puts you in a relatively small applicant pool.

Your entrepreneurial background will set you apart. In addition, I assume you have been hiring, firing and training hourly workers. This gives you a very different perspective on running a business than that of 25-year-olds who have 3 years in investment banking working only with highly-educated white collar peers. Having successfully sold your business also gives you a background that few will match. (And the publicity won't hurt!) This will serve you well since schools are looking to build a diversity of opinion and experience in the classroom.

You are targeting a very tough list of schools. You are the sort of candidate who should apply and your chances are good, but keep in mind that all the schools you mention turn down many more outstanding applicants than they suggest. You may want to consider a safety school. Babson is an excellent school. Although it's overall ranking is not top ten, it is considered by many to be the best school for entrepreneurial studies in the world.

Through Kaplan I have worked with applicants from five continents and at least twenty countries. We use email and Skype. Virtually all our admissions consulting is done remotely. Out of the 300+ candidates I have worked with, only two have been local. You can check out our services on https://www.kaptest.com/GMAT/Business-Sc ... vices.html. You can check out resumes of all our consultants and request one that appeals to you.

Good luck,
Tani Wolff
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by fvilhena » Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:44 am
Hi Tani!

I really appreciate your response!

Would Babson provide opportunities for banking jobs if I feel that I need more experience and connections before I start my new venture? Athough Babson is very respected in entrepreneurship, I am afraid that it is not well known outside the US and that it would not provide me with an effective network. What is your opinion?

Could Duke or Johnson be considered safety schools?

Thanks a lot!
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by Tani » Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:28 am
I hate to think of schools as strong as Duke and Johnson as "Safety" schools, but they should do for you. As for Babson, I am sure many of their graduates rightly plan to work in large companies to build their skills before setting out on their own. I don't know how strong their international connections are, but you can certainly contact the admissions department and ask what percent of their graduates go on to international careers. I do know that a couple of my international students have gone there. I don't know of a school outside the US that has that strong an entrepreneurial focus.
Tani Wolff
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