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Profile evaluation

by Kenyanwarrior » Fri May 10, 2013 3:23 am
Hi Everyone,

As a way of introduction, I am aged 32. I have just started my prep for GMAT and will be writing the test in 3 months time. As I prepare for the GMAT, I would appreciate if the experts on this forum would review my profile and provide comments.

Education: BA - Economics & Mathematics from a Kenyan university. We use British system for grading so the overall award was second class honours upper division (2.1).

Languages: Full proficiency in English and Swahili (written & spoken). Intermediate proficiency in French (written & spoken)

Experience: 7 years working in one of the Big4's consulting department. Was promoted to manager five (5) months ago. Have worked in 10 different African countries including consulting for companies across the Globe.

Community: Member of the board of governors of a local high school. I have facilitated raising of over $55K funds through which we have build additional classrooms and a 50 seat library.

Post MBA Career goals: Long term goal is to work for a governmental organisation. Short term goal is to work for a top consulting firm preferably MBB. At the consulting firms, I plan to focus my experience in public sector practice so that I can build skills to help me transition to my long term goal.

Target schools: Usual suspects, HBS, GSB, Wharton, INSEAD, CBS amongst others.

I have been given an opportunity to transfer to our NY office this August for a period of 2 years. My thinking was that I should accept the opportunity (as it will further bolster my profile)and apply to schools in Sep 2014 (i.e for classes beginning in Sep 2015). Do you guys think I have chance considering my age - I will be 34 by the time I am matriculating? Should I be worried about my age?
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by CriticalSquareMBA » Fri May 10, 2013 7:38 am
Hi there,

Thank you for all the detail you provided - it definitely makes responding to you a little easier!

The short answer is yes. Your age will be a detriment at many of the top programs. HOWEVER - it's only a number. You have a very unique profile filled with what seem to be amazing experiences. Also, yes, a move to NYC would be great! It rounds out your profile, gives you even more global exposure, and cements you as a top ranked practitioner (because consulting firms do not lightly move international assets to the domestic market - it's a big deal!). Not to mention, your short term and long term goals are incredibly articulate, realistic, and impactful.

Therefore, I think you can use your age as a part of your story. Weave support around why this is the right time versus, say, 5 years ago. Highlight the experiences that made those last few years so much more important and how that will translate to you driving more value within your MBA class than you could have earlier in your career.

Certain programs you listed below do ding older applicants, regardless of experience but some of the others do not.

For you, I believe the best path forward is to embrace your age and put forward a compelling case for why this is the right time for you to get an MBA and why it's the right time for an MBA program to accept you. A win win, in other words.

Let me know if you have any questions - I would be happy to talk through this in more detail!

Bhavik
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by 99Colleges: MBA Admission » Sun May 12, 2013 4:32 am
Rightly pointed out by Bhavik that you are on the higher side as far as age is concerned esp for HBS and Stanford. Why do you want to wait for another year before you apply? You may get work experience in NY by waiting for another year but it will further push you upwards on the age bracket.If you apply this year, you would have made the move to NY by the time you submit your application and would have still made the point to the adcom that you are one of the top consultants in your company.
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by Kenyanwarrior » Sun May 12, 2013 10:11 pm
@ Bhavik;

Many thanks for your comments - it's quite useful.I agree with you that there is nothing much I can do about my age apart from embracing it and using it to my advantage. We can definitely explore further so let me drop you a PM and agree on when we can have a call.

@ 99Colleges;

Thank you too for your comments and insights - they are also very useful. You have brought a perspective I hadn't thought of i.e applying this year as opposed to waiting until I finish 2 years @ NYC. Question is: You mention that by being transferred to NY will be sufficient to prove that I am an o/s consultant. Does this mean that the Adcom will not be concerned about my experience in NY? The reason I say this is because if I decide to apply say in R2 (Jan 2014), I will only have worked in NY for about 4 months. The effect of this will be that all my experiences in my essays will be Kenyan/African ones and I will have nothing to write home about NY experience. I know one could argue that there people who apply directly from Africa but the experience is that such candidates rarely get admitted thanks to a couple of factors including un-competitive universities amongst others. I would be glad if you could comment on this.

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by 99Colleges: MBA Admission » Mon May 13, 2013 9:26 am
Kenyanwarrior,

Your question can have both the answers - apply this year or next year. My opinion is that you are looking too far into the future. You never know how your consulting experience in NY (nearly 18 months)pans out if you decide to wait another year. Are you sure that you will have great experiences to write about when you apply in 2014? Pl do not think that I am sounding pessimistic. And, each year that does not go towards your goal, once you have decided, is a year lost. If you were 25 odd years old, my answer would have been different.
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by CriticalSquareMBA » Mon May 13, 2013 1:05 pm
Hi there,

I would love to discuss it in more detail with you and I look forward to you setting up time!

Speak soon,

Bhavik
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