Thinking About Getting My MBA

[Fanatical]

Hello,

I am in my mid-twenties and am based out of Vancouver BC. I have thought about going back to school for the last year and wanted to gauge the feedback of everyone here.

From an educational standpoint, I have a B.Comm, Diploma of Technology and have my Project Management Professional designation. I graduated university with a 3.8 GPA.

I currently work as a Project Manager for a boutique consulting firm and have had several previous roles for small and large organizations working in Operations. I also have my own business centered on internet marketing and selling both physical and digital products.

If I was to go back to school, I would want to go to one of the top schools in Canada (e.g. Ivey, York or Rotman) or go to a top 10 school in the US. I think doing some kind of exchange program would also be a good life experience to go through.

Here are some thoughts/questions I have:

1. What is required to obtain a significant scholarship for a top university?
2. How much does my GMAT score matter and what should I be aiming for?
3. What are good GMAT prep programs that you are aware of?
4. Is 25 to young to get your GMAT? Several co-workers have made me believe so.

I appreciate the feedback.

Fanatical

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear Fanatical,

Significant scholarships to business school are rare, especially from top 20 programs. The competition to receive an award is fierce as it is from admitted candidates, not the entire pool. I do not recommend selecting schools based on likelihood of scholarship awards, but generally speaking, you will need to be an above average to outstanding candidate in the eyes of the admissions committee for the best chance at an award. Thus you might want to expand your school list beyond the top 10 if scholarship awards are a priority for you. All application components, including the GMAT, are significant in your evaluation, but one is not more important than another. To be in the best competitive position, you want to be above the average of your target schools. There are many GMAT prep programs. I would suggest researching them for teaching methods and style to ensure you are selecting one that is the best match for how you learn and what you need in terms of preparation. Lastly, 25 is not too young. What matters is the quality of professional experience you have gained between graduating from college and the time you apply. If you feel you are ready to go to business school and have amassed quality work experience, then you should apply.

Good luck,
Lisa