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Kevinst
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:57 am
- Thanked: 11 times
- Followed by:6 members
Hello,
profile:
I am German, 24 years old and have been working for 8 year in the Software Industry.
While still being in school I have worked for several companies as a Software Developer from 2003 - 2007 (part time).
In 2007 I graduated from a German Gymnasium (our school system is divided in three different "High schools", where Gymnasium is meant for the "best") with honors.
Afterwards I founded my own Tech-company with two other share holders (one 4 years older, one 10 years older). My responsibilities were:
- Leading our hired Software Developers
- Consulting our clients
- Taking care of the companys Marketing
As one of our clients was General Motors I flew out to Detroit, Michigan immediately as soon as I graduated from the Gymnasium (in August 2007) and stayed on customers site until March 2009. I consulted the client in Software Development affairs and helped them to commission Engine Test Beds that are used to develop Engines and ensure that the produced exhaust meets government regulations.
During my time in the states we opened up a branch of our company in Michigan and hired an employee. Besides that we bought an office building and received Investor visas from the US government.
As soon as I left General Motors in March 2009 and went back to Germany I left the company that we founded (personal issues with one other share holder).
Since then I've been a self-employed Software Consultant who has consulted the following companies in the past years:
- Big Hardware (Computer devices, GPS devices) manufacturer in Stuttgart, Germany
- Worlds Biggest Sports Betting company in Vienna, Austria
- Germanys Biggest TV broadcaster in Cologne, Germany
My tasks where mainly to build Software Architectures, design Software and help the companys implement the Software. One exception was the project in Vienna. My task there was mainly to introduce a new Technology to the company and train their Development team in that technology.
I tried to never stay longer with a company/project than one year in order to gain as much experience as possible in the most efficient way. This way I had the chance to see how all these different companies approach similar problems in different ways and how successful they were.
Everytime I switched to another client I moved close to the customers site. Consequently I have been traveling quite a lot in the past years.
During all these years since graduation I've been a student of Germanys only state-maintained distance university (FernUniversitaet Hagen), studying business informatics. Although I had been enrolled as a Part time student (as I've always been working full time), I graduated 1 year sooner than if I had followed their advised Part Time schedule. I graduated with a GPA of 4.05, reaching the highest GPA that's been achieved in that subject so far.
I received the degree last December.
The following January (2012) I moved to San Diego, California to work for another company in the Tech Field, which is famous for developing Software using cutting-edge technologies and working together with big companies such as Microsoft.
(Short notice: This emigration to the US was possible since I received my Green Card in 2009 through the Lottery).
Since then I've been studying for the GMAT exam.
About 3 years ago I've discovered my passion for economics and the financial markets. Since then I've been reading a lot of books about the subject and went to several events.
Besides that I've been spending my spare time with trading (stocks, derivatives), sky diving, gym, running, snowboarding.
I am aiming for a GMAT score of 700+ and the schools of my dreams would be Stanford or HBS.
Do you think I have any chance with my profile to get accepted at these schools if I achieve such a GMAT score?
I am a scared that my missing extracurricular activities will be a show stopper. I simply never had time to do anything time consuming besides my full time work and studies.
As I want to apply some time in 2013 I would still have time to take care of extracurricular activities. Do you think this will help? Can you suggest something particular?
I thought about giving German or Maths classes in one of the local universities.
One other question is the following:
Another dream of mine is to soon travel around the world for a whole year and - for a change - not study and work at all. I've been debating whether it makes more sense to do that trip as soon as I am done with GMAT or after I am done with the MBA studies. Do you think having such a 1-year gap of "Traveling around the world" would be considered a positive or negative aspect of my application?
Thank you so much for reading this!
Kevin
profile:
I am German, 24 years old and have been working for 8 year in the Software Industry.
While still being in school I have worked for several companies as a Software Developer from 2003 - 2007 (part time).
In 2007 I graduated from a German Gymnasium (our school system is divided in three different "High schools", where Gymnasium is meant for the "best") with honors.
Afterwards I founded my own Tech-company with two other share holders (one 4 years older, one 10 years older). My responsibilities were:
- Leading our hired Software Developers
- Consulting our clients
- Taking care of the companys Marketing
As one of our clients was General Motors I flew out to Detroit, Michigan immediately as soon as I graduated from the Gymnasium (in August 2007) and stayed on customers site until March 2009. I consulted the client in Software Development affairs and helped them to commission Engine Test Beds that are used to develop Engines and ensure that the produced exhaust meets government regulations.
During my time in the states we opened up a branch of our company in Michigan and hired an employee. Besides that we bought an office building and received Investor visas from the US government.
As soon as I left General Motors in March 2009 and went back to Germany I left the company that we founded (personal issues with one other share holder).
Since then I've been a self-employed Software Consultant who has consulted the following companies in the past years:
- Big Hardware (Computer devices, GPS devices) manufacturer in Stuttgart, Germany
- Worlds Biggest Sports Betting company in Vienna, Austria
- Germanys Biggest TV broadcaster in Cologne, Germany
My tasks where mainly to build Software Architectures, design Software and help the companys implement the Software. One exception was the project in Vienna. My task there was mainly to introduce a new Technology to the company and train their Development team in that technology.
I tried to never stay longer with a company/project than one year in order to gain as much experience as possible in the most efficient way. This way I had the chance to see how all these different companies approach similar problems in different ways and how successful they were.
Everytime I switched to another client I moved close to the customers site. Consequently I have been traveling quite a lot in the past years.
During all these years since graduation I've been a student of Germanys only state-maintained distance university (FernUniversitaet Hagen), studying business informatics. Although I had been enrolled as a Part time student (as I've always been working full time), I graduated 1 year sooner than if I had followed their advised Part Time schedule. I graduated with a GPA of 4.05, reaching the highest GPA that's been achieved in that subject so far.
I received the degree last December.
The following January (2012) I moved to San Diego, California to work for another company in the Tech Field, which is famous for developing Software using cutting-edge technologies and working together with big companies such as Microsoft.
(Short notice: This emigration to the US was possible since I received my Green Card in 2009 through the Lottery).
Since then I've been studying for the GMAT exam.
About 3 years ago I've discovered my passion for economics and the financial markets. Since then I've been reading a lot of books about the subject and went to several events.
Besides that I've been spending my spare time with trading (stocks, derivatives), sky diving, gym, running, snowboarding.
I am aiming for a GMAT score of 700+ and the schools of my dreams would be Stanford or HBS.
Do you think I have any chance with my profile to get accepted at these schools if I achieve such a GMAT score?
I am a scared that my missing extracurricular activities will be a show stopper. I simply never had time to do anything time consuming besides my full time work and studies.
As I want to apply some time in 2013 I would still have time to take care of extracurricular activities. Do you think this will help? Can you suggest something particular?
I thought about giving German or Maths classes in one of the local universities.
One other question is the following:
Another dream of mine is to soon travel around the world for a whole year and - for a change - not study and work at all. I've been debating whether it makes more sense to do that trip as soon as I am done with GMAT or after I am done with the MBA studies. Do you think having such a 1-year gap of "Traveling around the world" would be considered a positive or negative aspect of my application?
Thank you so much for reading this!
Kevin
