Search found 351 matches


Re: 50 Years Old - Am I Too Old to Start Career?

It's an interesting challenge, and one I totally understand. IMO you're never too old to start a new career. "Too old to start a career," however, is different from "too old to get accepted to a full-time, two year MBA program." If you're serious about using a full-time MBA as a ...

by MargaretStrother

Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:32 pm
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: 50 Years Old - Am I Too Old to Start Career?
Replies: 2
Views: 2105

Re: Looking for guidance regarding Masters/MBA choices

Quick thoughts: At age 33, you're probably looking at an EMBA or part-time/fully-employed MBA. Why? Partly chances -- for top MBA programs, the curve begins to peter out after 30; partly fit -- you'll be with more people at your own level of experience. Which program or format for you depends on a f...


Re: Requesting a profile review

Hi -- my apologies for getting back to you so slowly on your query, and thanks for your patience. First off, I appreciate your comprehensive post! Makes it much easier to give you a solid assessment. Your target schools are reasonable, but I think you'll need a slightly higher Q GRE. That said, eigh...

by MargaretStrother

Tue Jun 09, 2020 6:38 am
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: Requesting a profile review
Replies: 1
Views: 2156

Re: Help required: Broken but the phoenix shall rise again

Well, there's 680 and there's 680. Granted your Q is a bit low for your demographic, but GMAT alone is not the sole criterion for admission to top business schools; on the contrary, admissions is a holistic process. What do you bring overall? And where are you headed, and why is this school the righ...


Re: Profile Evaluation for INSEAD

First of all, I’d like to congratulate you for a really well-presented profile! You’ve got some great stuff here: Super GMAT, one of the highest GPAs I’ve ever seen from a top Indian university, and I love that you’re challenging yourself by questioning whether your strengths are good enough – that ...

by MargaretStrother

Fri May 01, 2020 6:19 pm
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: Profile Evaluation for INSEAD
Replies: 1
Views: 2389

I understand your concerns! But 3 - 4 years of experience is pretty standard for MBA applicants, albeit many who are under 30. I do think, however, that your international/Greenpeace experience is a strong enough differentiating factor that if you target your post-MBA goals well and spend the spring...

by MargaretStrother

Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:48 am
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: MBA or MS..Can you help with my dilemma ?
Replies: 4
Views: 2791

Well, I'm an MBA advocate, so my first thought is MBA, for sure! You've got some great stuff in your profile, especially the volunteering experiences, which are strongly differentiating. But there are two things to consider: 1) Your age -- why aren't you applying for the MBA now? You could make a gr...

by MargaretStrother

Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:03 pm
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: MBA or MS..Can you help with my dilemma ?
Replies: 4
Views: 2791

Yes, you're in a less-differentiated applicant pool and your GMAT is slightly low for the schools you're targeting, but you have some strong differentiating points: most people in your category lack the international exposure you have, and you might want to increase that to maximize its relevance (p...


Harvard Business School's "Harbus" site offers a compilation of successful HBS essays, which is updated annually. It can be helpful -- not to copy, heaven forbid, somebody else's work, but to show you how many different effective approaches there can be, while providing a reasonably good o...

by MargaretStrother

Sat Oct 26, 2019 8:04 am
Forum: The Application Process
Topic: Successful Essays
Replies: 7
Views: 2209

As others have observed here, a contribution essay is a research essay. Every contribution should include three parts: 1) What you have to contribute 2) Where you got that from 3) Where it will add value at the school That third part should be very specific: if it's a club that you hope to join, kno...

by MargaretStrother

Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:55 am
Forum: The Application Process
Topic: "How would you contribute to the school?"
Replies: 9
Views: 29840

Hi -- so far your profile looks good! Strong academic and community involvement, leadership, great numbers. Now, HBS will want to know more about your goals and aspirations, why MBA, why HBS, why 2+2's unique program, and what you hope to do professionally in the years between being accepted to the ...

by MargaretStrother

Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:12 am
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: Profile Evaluation 2+2Hbs
Replies: 1
Views: 2171

HI Yanish,
I'm a fan of ESADE , but it's important that you research which school has stronger career support in the FMCG area. All other points being equal, I'd shoot for ESADE because my clients have been very happy with that program.

Good luck!
Margaret Strother

by MargaretStrother

Wed May 22, 2019 6:24 pm
Forum: Ask Admissionado
Topic: ESCP vs ESADE ?
Replies: 2
Views: 4920

Hi and thanks for your post! Looking at what you have here, your GPA is super and your internships/extracurriculars look strong as well. The international exposure is fantastic! However, the Q on your GRE needs work -- it would be hard to convince NYU that you could keep up with your class unless th...

by MargaretStrother

Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:16 am
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: My Profile Evaluation: NYU Part Time MBA
Replies: 1
Views: 2204

This is a topic we should discuss off-line, because the specificity of your questions would need further research. I suggest that you reach out to Stacy Blackman Consulting for a free analysis: https://www.stacyblackman.com/contact/

Thanks for your interest!
Margaret Strother

by MargaretStrother

Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:29 am
Forum: Ask Stacy Blackman
Topic: Msc finance/MiM profile evaluation (High GMAT)
Replies: 5
Views: 3545

You've got some great stuff here! I wouldn't be too worried about being "over-represented" -- you clearly can hold your own in your demographic. A few suggestions: if your GPA was significantly stronger after the first year, that's something to address in your optional essay. I like to see...