For Your Consideration

[ptgbeauregard]

Thanks in advance...this is a great service!

Applying for full-time MBA class of 2011 -- marketing concentration

Demographics
White Male American
28 at matriculation

Education
University of Maryland, College Park
BS - Marketing
3.5 GPA
Dean's Scholarship (tuition first two years)
Dean's List 6/8 semesters

GMAT
780 (99%)
Q49 (89%)
V50 (99%)

Resume

Fortune 500 Consumer Products Company (2.5 years)
Sales and Marketing Development Program
Interned with the company, worked there 2 1/2 years total
Averaged about 1 promotion a year
Managed team of four people in sales role
Left because of desire to relocate (one LOR will come from this company)

Fortune 500 Communications Company (1.5 years)
Managed team of 15 people in sales role
Great story to tell with turning around numbers
Left because position was eliminated company-wide (one LOR will come from this company)

Event Marketing Company (3 months)
Managed team of 30-35 with a level of management below me
Worked with several Fortune 500 marketing companies as clients
Covered a large region of US
Left because of a better opportunity (this is a transient industry, it was understood I may not be there long)

Fortune 100 Electronics Company (current)
Hybrid sales/marketing role
Manage team of 5 people
Assist in marketing projects

Overall, I think I can show a progression in responsibility and a variety of experiences. My salary has doubled in 5 years.

Extracurricular

College
Substance Abuse Intervention Program -- student volunteer/counselor
Youth Counseling role at a "boys town" type place

After
ASFPA - Out of the Darkness Community Walks

Awards
I have various awards and company training classes. Their names are essentially meaningless outside of the respective companies (i.e. "Channel Award"), but they can be used to show achievement.

Interesting personal facts

Have lived in 5 different states (big deal, right? but it was definitely a learning experience...does Miami count as a foreign country?)
Visited 6 different countries
I grew up on a quasi-farm and still help my parents out there, mucking stalls, repairing fences, cowboy stuff...

I have a personal challenge involving my immediate family. I'll leave it at that. It's not something I will bring up during admissions unless it feels right (interview).

So, there it is. I am planning on applying to UVA, Indiana, Emory, Georgetown, and Vanderbilt. I would say my biggest weaknesses are perceived "job-switching" and lack of extracurriculars. However, I think I can frame my work experience well because, well, I did things for the right reasons and can speak convincingly about it. Extracurriculars, those that I have participated in mean a lot to me and could make me a valuable member of the campus community.

Lastly, I would just like to comment on something. Before I took the GMAT, the only person who had anything more than a passing interest in my graduate education was me. Since, well...let's just say I feel a little bit like Kino in The Pearl. Even my Dad, who was mainly concerned with the financial aspect of education, is now sending me info about Harvard and UPenn. I think what a lot of people who are unfamiliar with this process may not realize is that a high GMAT score is not a "golden ticket". Nor is it the sole indicator of a fit for b-school.

However, another part of me realizes that this score will at least get admissions at top schools to take a second look at my application, at which point I can invest the time and energy it takes to make it as compelling as possible. I almost owe it to myself to "give it a shot", even though I would not have considered it before. Another part of me wants to let it ride at the schools I have really determined would be a good fit and see if it scares up any scholarship money.

I beg your pardon for the stream of consciousness at the end there, but I guess it comes down to this: should I reach for the top schools or stay with where I'm at? I may not think top schools are a "fit" because I have not researched them fully. However, I am not looking to go into finance or consulting, and it seems like some "lower tier" schools have excellent marketing programs. I know that ultimately, that is a very personal decision, but I'm looking for an outside perspective from an expert.

If you're still reading, thanks. I look forward to your feedback.

[raabenb]

My friend, by no means am I even close to an expert (I have not even applied yet). While UVA, Indiana, Emory, Georgetown, and Vanderbilt are all great programs....AIM HIGHER! Wait to see what SB says of course but I have a feeling they will also think you are aiming low with your profile!

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear ptgbeauregard,

You have a solid overall profile to be competitive at any MBA program. You are right--GMAT does not equal a golden ticket. However, there are many aspects to your background that will allow you to put together a compelling application for any program.

The schools you listed will all be interested in you, and you would be in contention for some great scholarships with many (if not all) of these schools. So, if you feel they can provide you what you want in terms of curriculum and career opportunities, then you should probably keep them on your list.

However, you also have the potential to be admitted at a top 10 program. If you identify a good marketing program, then it might be worth researching further. Perhaps look at Kellogg and Michigan a little closer? While top 10 schools do not generally offer large scholarships, there is something to why they have the reputations they do. That is not to say the other schools are not great, because they are.

If you can, I would encourage you to try to visit any of the schools under consideration and attend class to get a feel for the culture. You might confirm UVA, Indiana, Emory, Georgetown, and Vanderbilt are the best choices for you, and that is great. Don't let anyone tell you differently! But I think it would be good for you to spend a little time looking at a few other programs, if for nothing else than to never second-guess your choices later.

Best of luck,
Lisa

[ptgbeauregard]

Thank you very much for your input. It pretty much echoes what I've been thinking. I have heard that while an MBA at some schools can definitely get you ahead, at certain schools it can launch you into the stratosphere and keep you there in perpetuity (provided you work on your end for it). So I will probably start a "new search" for the top flight programs and pick a few to apply to.

Also, special thanks to raabenb, who reached out to me when I was calling into the dark for a fellow marketing guy. Your advice really helped on test day. This whole site has been great -- I am not constantly surrounded by people applying to business school. When I first started, anything 700+ seemed unattainable. But everyone on here seems to shoot for the stars, and they also have a plan to get there. It raised the bar, for me at least.

Thanks again.