How to assess one's profile as being unique or not

[lamamike]

Hi Stacy, I was interested in a comment you made regarding another post. Someone had asked you whether 700 on the GMAT was a good score, and he described his profile (software programmer desiring to go to a few good schools). You replied that his profile was quite common, and that he would benefit from finding other ways to stand out. That got me thinking about my own profile and whether or not it adds to or detracts from my suitability as an applicant.

I'm 35 and have 8 years of teaching experience in S. Korea and Taiwan. I now speak Mandarin quite well (have academic instruction as well as 1 year living in Beijing and 7+ years living in Taiwan). Of those years, 6 have been in a management role at a private English school. My degree (from the University of Texas, Austin) was in Biochemistry (BA), and my GPA is 3.25. I studied (abroad program) in Beijing for a year with excellent grades. Before moving to Asia, I launched and ran a small consulting company while in and just after university (about 2 years).

I will take the GMAT in 2 weeks; my average score on the official practice GMAT exams was 720 (I got the same score on both exams), and in the same range on 5 additional Manhattan practice exams. Assuming that is my score is a 720, how does my profile add to or detract from my application? I had assumed that my 10 years out of school and long stay in Asia might detract from my application until I read your reply, which made me think that perhaps my unorthodox profile might help me stand out. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your help evaluating my situation.

[Stacy Blackman]

Hi lamamike,

Thanks for posting. The GMAT score you should aim for will change depending on the schools you are applying to, but a 720 is a very strong score.

Regarding your profile, older candidates have to prove that it makes sense to return to school at this late stage of their career, and that they are not merely encountering a mid-career crisis. They also have to demonstrate that all of their time in the work world has been well spent. They should demonstrate progression, tangible contributions, and a high level of self-awareness, confidence, and maturity.

A 37-year-old applicant who has spent 15 years in the same position without showing significant growth or progression will have a hard time being admitted to a top school. But this is not because they are 37 or because of the 15 years of experience. Rather, it is because they may have not demonstrated growth during that time.

This being said, here is a case study of 37 year old who was accepted into Harvard Business School: https://www.stacyblackman.com/2011/05/12 ... applicant/

Hope this is of help.

Cheers,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team