Unusual Profile & Circumstances - Evaluation Request

[maxk297]

Dear Clear Admit,

Thank you for your time over this request.

My Profile -

Male/31 (Indian) Residing in China

GMAT - 710 (first Attempt ever)

Unusual Elements of Profile -
Education -
1.Bachelors in Hospitality (70% Scores - Best university in India) - 2004
2.Masters in Hospitality - France - 14.65/20 - 2010-2011
Language skills - English, French and Chinese

Certifications -
Six Sigma Green Belt

Publications -
Social Media marketing for Sustainable tourism

Experience -
Starwood Hotels and Resorts - 3.5 years - Manager operations
Tulleeho (start-up)Beverage Consulting and Marketing - 3 years Area Manager (India - West region)
Intern - Internet Marketing and Social Media - Vatel, France - 8 Months
Swissotel Singapore - 6 months - Manager operations


Then I moved to China with my Wife. Past 2+ years working in my father-in-laws mid-scale real estate firm. They Build Luxury hotels, Commercial and residential properties in China. I have been working in the hotel projects. Under me we started 2 hotel properties. I managed everything from the initial feasibility study up until opening day.

Property 1 -Boutique Hotel, Hangzhou City (project Complete)
Property 2 -High Luxury Hotel, 45 Residential Villas( in progress)

Now here is the tricky part - I have been offered to handle the company on my own. And I have grand plans for the company. But because of my past education and more importantly my specialization i am adept at the hotel part of the business but, in the position of CEO, if I Do accept, I will have to manage far more than that. Everything from company finances to leveraging debt and finally setting it into the right direction. I don't have the skills and knowledge to be able to do this.

I need a General MBA which will give me an in-depth understanding of businesses namely in the following areas - Finance, general management and strategy.

I need to get into a great school so I can build essential contacts which will further help me to secure larger projects in the future. I also need to work for maybe a year in a similar international firm to understand their workings.

In such circumstances a mediocre MBA will not do.

The reason I am posting this question is because all I see on all sorts of MBA forums are male/female - Engineer/IT sort of profiles and advice for them.

I would be grateful if an expert would do a 'profile assessment' and offer some good advice.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Warm Regards,
Maximus

[Eliot]

Hi Maximus,

Thank you for your post!

It's important to keep in mind that those over the age of 30 historically have a reduced chance of success in full-time MBA admissions processes. This is because the typical admitted student is usually 27 or 28 with 4-6 years of work experience. It may be that you would have better luck with an EMBA or part-time program, as they generally are looking for slightly more mature candidates. That said, you may look into INSEAD's MBA program. The age range in their class profiles is a bit wider and, given your international experience and goals, I could see it being a good fit for you.

When considering programs, it's understandable that you would be looking for "contacts" or a network; however, this is a taboo topic in admissions. So, you'll want to focus on the educational value of a program-the curriculum, the diverse perspectives the student community would provide, etc. Also, consider where you want to study. Do you want to stay in Asia or attend a U.S. program?

In terms of the particulars of your profile, 710 is a solid GMAT score-how did your Quantitative and Verbal scores break down? The top programs tend to look for 80%+ in both sections to assure you could handle the rigorous coursework. That said, a 710 total score will be competitive at top programs. Your work experience is rather non-traditional, but makes for an interesting story. This being the case, your task will not be to "stand out," but rather to "fit in." You'll have to be especially careful to quantify your accomplishments in business terms and to speak about your general leadership and managerial experience.

When you are ready to start your applications or if you would like to discuss your candidacy further, please contact us directly at https://www.clearadmit.com/services/free-consultation/