profile evaluation please - a bit unusual :)

[jacket882]

Hi Hopefully I can get a better idea on my chances of applying for next year

Basics:
European/Italian. Age: will be 27 when I apply and 28 when I join. Have moved to the UK (England) 2 years ago to study/work.

Education:
-2 bachelor's degrees - first one wasn't what I wanted (ended up with a low GPA) so I immediately started studying towards my 2nd one four years ago
-have 1 final year left on my 2nd degree - its in I.T. - atm have a high 1st class honors degree in a top15 uni GPA would be around 3.7 I guess? I am v confident I can keep this average going into my final year. I will therefore have 2 bachelor degrees when I apply, the most recent of which with a GPA around 3.7.

Extracurricular:
-played football (soccer) all my life until a serious injury prevented me from playing for a local club - captained my team for 5 years (14-19yrs old)
-also played volleyball for my school and captained the team
-took part in various student festivals at uni - dancing/choreographing/plays
-course representative in my 2nd degree for a small class

GMAT:
Haven't done the official one yet but various practice tests have constantly given me a score of 710-750

WE:
- Worked at hospital as a trainee physio during my 1st degree (few months)
- After my 1st degree I rented and started up a successful bar for 1.5 years while I studied evenings - started from scratch and the bar was v successful on weekends - it is still open till today, managed by someone else
- Worked for 1 year as a system engineer intern at Microsoft
- Worked for 3 months as a summer analyst at Goldman Sachs
- When I apply I will therefore have 1.5 years of entrepreneurial work and 1.5 years of work as physio trainee, and microsoft/goldman sachs tech internships

Why do I want an MBA
Basically I still want to work in I.T. - be it an IT company, or, preferably, the IT division of a financial company -> I would love to get into management and I believe my technical background will be v useful - I know that most of the management at Goldman Sachs tech in London have a technical background. The MBA would serve me as a stepping stone to give me all the background necessary to be able to manage successfully. I do not necessarily have to remain in an IT setting - but that would be ideal for me.

My question is -> since I kind of "wasted" 4 years getting my 1st degree that I dont really use (although I can get 4-5 good things I ve learnt from it on a personal and team setting).. I will be close to 28 when I graduate - should I work for another year or 2 or do I have a chance to get into a good MBA? I would only consider a top10 school MBA - thats just how I am, I'm ambitious and always go for the best

Any advice/feedback is much appreciated !

thank you

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear jacket882,

For the best chance at a top MBA program, I think it is best to gain some work experience in your desired field prior to applying. In addition to a 700+ GMAT score and a good GPA, you need to demonstrate career progression and have some leadership experiences you can write about in your essays. You might consider working for 1-2 years prior to applying if you decide to gain some IT experience first. It is possible to gain admission directly from your second degree program, but I think working first will make you more competitive.

Good luck,
Lisa

[jacket882]

Hi Lisa,

thanks for your answer -

I think I'm not entirely sure about 1 point

- you mention that I should get more work experience -> I have around 36 months of work experience in IT and entrepreneurial work - the average at most schools is 35-45 months

why is it that I should need more work experience if I am close to the average WE of mba students? I took a year and a half off studies in the middle of my 2nd degree to get some WE

or is it that you would like my work experience to be more leadership oriented? if this is the case, wot kind of WE do most mba admits have? how can I get some leadership experience with an IT degree and a grad position?

thanks for yr time

[Lisa Anderson]

In my opinion, I think it is important for you to gain experience in the IT field to not only utilize your new degree, but to acquire some leadership experiences to strengthen your business school applications. Leadership experiences do not have to be formal in title; they can also be spearheading a project or leading a team. While you do have the quantity of experience most schools prefer, there will be questions around why you pursued the degree in IT and then did not use it in the workplace. Also since you plan to stay in IT post-MBA, acquiring some IT experience prior to business school will make your career goals more realistic and aid in your future job search.

Ultimately, it is your decision on when to apply. If you feel you can make a compelling case and provide a solid rationale for going straight into business school after completing your IT degree, then you should apply.

Best of luck,
Lisa