Ask Jeremy @ MBAMission.com - What it takes to get to the best global business school

[MBA Mission]

Vishal,

Thanks for your inquiry.

Clearly, your GMAT is quite strong. I have worked with Indian candidates before and know that engineering grades need to be viewed in relative terms, as a 60% can sometimes top the class. So, I would need more information in this regard.

Still, I think that you are going to find it difficult to get that coveted letter of acceptance, due to the fact that you have not only switched jobs but switched fields frequently. While you don’t need to remain in one job or field, the schools like to see a clear path and clear upward trajectory. Further, what is it that you think differentiates you from all other Indian candidates, particularly professionally? With such a strong pool, how will you standout and capture the attention of the ultra-selective Admissions Committees at schools like Stanford and Harvard?

I think that LBS is a possibility, but if you are looking to American schools you might consider schools with strong Finance programs that are not as highly ranked – NYU and Texas for example. I think that HBS, Chicago and Stanford will be reaches, unless I am missing something significant from your profile.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype:MBAMission

Originally Posted by yepsee

Hi Jeremy,

I have posted this info on another thread also. However, I wanted to get your perspective on my profile and what else can I do to improve it.

Here is my profile :-

1. B.Tech - IITD - Civil Engg. - 6.24/10.0 (2003 passout)
2. GMAT - 780 (Q=50,V=47)
3. Work Ex: -

• Jun 2003 - Didn't get a job from campus. Searched on my own and joined a software company. Realised this is not what i want to do. Quit in Aug 2003
• Sep 2003 - Went back to a professor and started working in an R&D center of Transportation Engg. Slowly got into econometrics and stuff. Quit in March 2004 coz my contract ended.
• Apr 2004 - Joined a small (30-35 ppl) Market Research company. Learned a lot there. Got promoted in 3 months. Had a leadership role as well. Quit in May 2005 coz reached saturation.
• June 2005 - Joined one of the biggest Credit Card company. Working in same analytics field. Build models, do statistical analysis.

4. I take out time from my job to go to a school for underprivileged children to teach.
5. I am aiming for Fall 2007 and want to do MBA in Finance.

I am planning to apply to Chicago, Stanford, Harvard and LBS.

Could you give your opinion about what these institutes look for and whether my profile is in synch with that?

Are there any other good schools for finance?

What are the weak points in my profile?

Would be really great if you could share your thoughts here.

Vishal

[MBA Mission]

HMG,

Thanks for your inquiry.

In terms of improving your candidacy during a two year period, there is quite a lot that can be done. Industry best certifications can help, but the top-schools are more interested in the qualitative aspects of your profile – the aspects that cannot be quantified. I would argue that, if you had to choose, you would be better off coaching a children’s basketball team for two years, but this, of course, does not need to be a trade-off. You could/can do both.

I constantly tell my clients, “The application process is an art, not a science”. GMAT scores, GPAs and certifications do not necessarily add up to an acceptance, particularly among your very competitive peer group. You will need to find ways through personal, community and professional experiences to differentiate yourself – to achieve more and to have unique experiences. This is, of course, is easier said than done.

In terms of community activity, for example, you would benefit from being focused on two different organizations and making significant differences within them – showing true leadership and leading change or growth. It is not enough to just volunteer regularly; you need to show that you have had your personal impact; you need to be able to prove to the admissions committees that everything you undertake is done with intensity of spirit and excellence. Generally “speaking” this should be true of your personal and professional life as well. You want to show the committee that you are constantly seeking opportunities and that when you seize them, you commit yourself to achieving the highest standards.

This is a pretty broad and philosophical answer. If you happen to have specific questions about choices that you are making -- organizations to join, career moves to make, etc. --please feel free to post again.

I am sorry for what you perceived to be a delay in my response. I try to be as thoughtful as possible and sometimes it takes to craft a detailed response. With time, I will get to everyone!

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission

Originally Posted by himanshumohan78

hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the Initiative taken for PGs. I want to ask one generic question.
This will be applicable to almost all MBA aspirants.
I am planning to do MBA in next 1-2 year from Ivy collegs either in India/US/Europe.
I am from IT sector with a 'not-so-good' college. My question is how i can improve my profile in order to make myself equip for applying to ivy league colleges keeping in mind that my academic college is not so good.
Few of the things i am doing is:
1. Industry best certifications - I just completed my project Mgt certification from PMI.
Now doing oracle ERP certification ( as i am working as Tech consultant in ERP domain).
2. few Extra Curriculars like Joining Public speaking club.

I have 3 yrs of IT experience and i am MCA. By the time i will join MBA college i will have around 4-5 yrs of exp.
So i have 1-2 yrs with me to improve my profile and get to the level where i can apply for TOP MBA colleges. I need your valuable suggestions /Tips on how i can improve my profile.

Thanks abd Regds,
HMG

[iday]

Hello Jeremy,
Thanks a lot for helping us out with your valuable insights. I'd request you to evaluate my profile and let me know whether i make a possible fit for the schools i am looking at.

• Acads: BE (Electronics and communication) from a "locally" well know colege - scored 80.75%, which gets converted to a 3.7 GPA. (The topper has a 87.5%)
• GMAT: 750 (Q50, V41)
• Work ex: 3 yrs (will be 4 by fall 2007) with a software company (HCL Technologies) as a developer.
• Extra currics: Pretty good in sports and arts. Represented college in 2 diff games at varsity level. Member of many literary societies and art clubs in college.
• Leadership skills: Have good record in both College and work place.
• Community Service: Member of service groups in college. Was involved in the recent tsunami rehabilitation work. Also involved in some work with school students.

I'm targeting a finance profile post MBA , with touches of entrepreneurship/general-management. The schools i am planning to apply at are Wharton, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia, London, HBS, Tuck. Schools like Duke, Stern, Yale, Kellogg, UCLA are all on the second list - dunno how many i'd apply. Wud like to get it done with round 1 itself.

Please let me know how big a drawback, if at all, is my lack of relevant experience. I am reading material to learn Finance and related concepts, but i agree it would not equate to the kind of stuff a fin student learns thru college.

Is there any other weakness in my candidature which i'm missing to see? Is there any other data which os necessary for you to analyse my profile? Please let me know your views - they will be really helpful.

thanks,
Iday

[MBA Mission]

As an addendum to my post on what you can do to prepare for the coming year, I have attached a series that I wrote over the last few weeks on this very topic, only it was targeted at those applying this year. Still, the series should be entirely valid, only with adjustments implied for the timing of certain events.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission



During the next few weeks, I will be posting a series helping to prepare applicants for the coming year. Topics will include:

- Scheduling/Application milestones
- Enhancing your community profile
- Developing your personal profile
- Visiting schools/networking with alums and students
- Cultivating relationships with recommenders
- Selecting additional coursework
- Resume Preparation
- Reviewing existing applications
- Short answer completion
- Firm sponsorship
- Adding professional dimensions/accelerating professional goals

Feel free to ask for any additions to the series that are of relevance to you.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission



The following is the second in a series of postings on preparation for the coming year.

Establishing Application Milestones

While there are still seven months until next year’s first round deadlines pass, there may in fact be less time to prepare than prospective applicants might imagine. Many candidates do not contemplate how daunting it can be to start the application process in September, especially those who have their eyes on October deadlines. Suddenly, you could face the task of tackling the GMAT, writing many different essays for five or six different schools, drafting a resume, selecting and managing recommenders and completing campus visits -- all at once. If that is not enough, you will still have to continue with existing commitments to your employer, community and family. The difference between completing your ideal number of applications and a reduced, “manageable” number might be the difference between starting to prepare now and starting in the summer or fall.

GMAT – Complete by June

The GMAT is clearly the most stressful piece of the puzzle that can be taken care of at your discretion. The benefits of taking the GMAT soon are twofold, you have a solid understanding of where you will be competitive and, again, the test is out of the way. Most candidates prepare for several months for the GMAT and it is important to leave time to retake the test just in case your score is not as high as you had hoped. The bottom line is that it is best to be studying for the GMAT in isolation -- not while writing your essays; I recommend that my candidates complete the GMAT by the end of June, leaving you April, May and June to study – get started.

Resume – Complete by July

Additionally, as you take breaks from your GMAT study or possibly between taking your test and the release of essay questions by your school of choice, it is wise to take the time to update your resume. Aside from the satisfaction that comes with completing this piece of the puzzle, your resume can be a solid starting point for brainstorming about your professional essays and considering your accomplishments in greater depth. Of course, your most recent entry for your existing job will need to be reviewed and possibly updated near the deadline, but, again, this is a small step in a much larger process that will ultimately relieve some pressure on you. Again, the goal is to only have essays to write as of July. (Resume drafting will be explored in greater depth as part of this series.)

Community Service – Start now

If you have not yet begun making a commitment to your community, now is certainly the time to get started. With seven months until the first round deadline, you still have time to make a significant contribution to an organization and not run into the credibility problems that occur when you start volunteering two months before the deadline. Furthermore, you don’t want to be making up for lost time in your community, just as you are about to tackle five applications. Unfortunately, six months ago was a better time to start getting involved, but right now you are nearing the limit for what is suspicious with respect to next year. (Community service will be explored in greater depth as part of this series.)

Knowledge Gathering – Start now

Now is also the time to begin understanding the differences between the MBA programs. Even though most schools’ Class Visit programs have ended for the year, you can still learn about programs via rankings, school websites, message boards and, most importantly, by talking to current students and alumni. There are significant differences from program to program, as a result of pedagogy, class size, locations, strength of alumni base, professional specializations, facilities, professors and firms that recruit on campus. By educating yourself about each school’s unique offerings, you will be able to make a stronger case for yourself and your fit with a particular school. (Networking will be explored in greater depth as part of this series.)

Supplementary Classes – Complete by August (at the latest)

Start time and intensities of supplemental courses such as calculus or financial accounting vary according to the institution offering them. Thus, it is difficult to advise on a broad basis how to time these classes. Preferably, you can take these classes in isolation, so that you can focus on the GMAT and essay writing exclusively. However, if you cannot avoid some overlap, it is better to take a class while studying for the GMAT as the increased numerical exposure can help improve your test score. While you may not be able to control the end dates of the class, it is best to have these classes completed before the essay questions are released and if this is not possible, at the end of summer session (August) at the latest.

Conclusion

There is certainly no need to panic, but the clock is ticking. By taking some important steps now, you can reduce the pressure next fall and thus increase your chances of gaining admission to the school of your choice.



The following is the second in a series of postings on preparation for the coming year.

Enhancing Your Community Profile

As I noted in my previous post on Establishing Application Milestones, if you have not yet become involved in a community organization, now is the time to get started. If you start to volunteer in September, your gesture will seem far less sincere and you will lack the track record to credibly discuss your experiences in your essays.

When considering volunteer activities, you should – first and foremost – become involved in an organization about which you feel passionately. If you are excited about your volunteer experience, you will be more committed, have a more profound experience and will have a far more genuine story to tell.

Ideally, you will have a record of community experience that complements and supplements your profile: the accountant who volunteers with Junior Achievement is complementing his existing profile, showing a commitment to his professional path and the desire to give back in this area; the accountant who coaches soccer in his community is supplementing his profile in that he is offering a new window into his profile and personality. Your community activities have the power to show a true passion for your field (complementary) or enhance the committee’s perspective (supplementary) and thus differentiate you from many others.

In the example above, I use Junior Achievement and Soccer Coaching to illustrate my point; while a solid commitment to any organization will be helpful to your candidacy, the more esoteric the organization, the more distinct you become. While you should not volunteer in a completely obscure organization just to be different, if you are truly passionate about both soccer and antiquities preservation, you should consider volunteering in the latter field, thus increasing your opportunities to discuss this unusual hobby/interest. Regardless of the organization and the nature of your activities, if you can (to cart out a cliché) “make a difference” within your organization and show true leadership in doing so, you should be able to add an entirely new dimension to your application.


The following is the third in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Developing Your Personal Profile

Similar to your community endeavors, personal achievements enable you to differentiate yourself from the indistinguishable masses. While every candidate has his/her work experience and academics, you can offer a far more diversified and remarkable picture of yourself through volunteer and personal accomplishments.
In terms of personal achievements, you should focus on accelerating the timeline of existing endeavors. If you have always intended to publish a certain article and are almost finished a final draft, then finish it. If you have always intended to complete the CFA and only have level three left, take the final test this year. If you can run twenty miles and have always dreamed of running the marathon, then run it this year. I am not suggesting that if you have never run a mile in your life that you start training for the marathon now; I am suggesting that if a goal is in sight and it will be otherwise achieved, you accelerate your timeline and ensure that you have completed it before the first round deadline.

Beyond the examples above, other areas of personal accomplishment include language study (achieving fluency), adventure travel (completing a certain hike/climb, etc), professional and extra-curricular certifications (CA, EMT, etc) and more. Many candidates often exclusively pursue community activity in the months before their applications, but personal opportunities can also significantly affect your profile and separate you from the field.

Originally Posted by himanshumohan78

hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the Initiative taken for PGs. I want to ask one generic question.
This will be applicable to almost all MBA aspirants.
I am planning to do MBA in next 1-2 year from Ivy collegs either in India/US/Europe.
I am from IT sector with a 'not-so-good' college. My question is how i can improve my profile in order to make myself equip for applying to ivy league colleges keeping in mind that my academic college is not so good.
Few of the things i am doing is:
1. Industry best certifications - I just completed my project Mgt certification from PMI.
Now doing oracle ERP certification ( as i am working as Tech consultant in ERP domain).
2. few Extra Curriculars like Joining Public speaking club.

I have 3 yrs of IT experience and i am MCA. By the time i will join MBA college i will have around 4-5 yrs of exp.
So i have 1-2 yrs with me to improve my profile and get to the level where i can apply for TOP MBA colleges. I need your valuable suggestions /Tips on how i can improve my profile.

Thanks abd Regds,
HMG

[MBA Mission]

(Well, a post should not exceed 15000 characters, so here is much of the rest in another frame...)

The following is the fourth in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Visiting Campuses and Networking with Students and Alumni

As I have noted in previous posts, it would be ideal for you as a prospective candidate to have nothing but your applications to manage come July (when most applications are released). While many take their GMAT and TOEFL exams by June in order to focus on their essays starting in July, few realize that there is a tremendous opportunity to visit campuses now -- both to learn about specific programs of choice and to ensure that the fall schedule is not too busy. It is difficult enough for many candidates to manage their professional, personal and community lives; the addition of five class visits in five different cities during a one or two month span can often be stressful and too much to manage.

Many schools (Stanford, HBS, Chicago, Kellogg, etc) still have campus visit programs that are in place until the end of their respective academic years and some offer visits throughout the summer, depending on their academic calendars. By visiting several of your schools of choice now, you will not only save yourself the stress in the fall, but you will also benefit from the visit itself.

Campus visits are not just checked boxes for the admissions committee, but are tremendous opportunities for you to gain an intimate understanding of various academic methodologies and academic and social environments. While your campus visits may help you choose which schools to apply to, they will also help you frame your thoughts and write far more personal essays. There is only so much that you can learn about a school via its website. Your campus visit will enable you to experience the true character of your MBA program of choice and then discuss your connection to it in a profound way. You can express a certain sincerity, if you can write about your personal interactions with professors and students as a catalyst for your decision to apply to a certain school.

Similarly, by meeting with any alumni or current students that you may know, you can gain a more intimate understanding of your school of choice. Current students in particular will have an awareness of specific programs and classes that may not hold a prominent place on their school’s websites, but may be quite appealing to you and may enable you to strengthen your case for attending a certain school. By meeting with students and alumni and visiting classes and taking thorough notes on your experience, you will have a variety of data points which will help serve as a foundation for you to persuade the admissions committees that their school is most suitable for you, in a way that few others will be able to compare.

If you do not have connections with current students and alumni, you can politely contact current students who are heads of the clubs that are of interest to you and ask them for a few moments to discuss their school’s attributes. If you aspire to be an entrepreneur for example, speaking with the President of the Entrepreneurship Club will enable you to quickly understand the various offerings at your school of choice and may even result in your finding an advocate for your candidacy.



The following is the fifth in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Cultivating Relationships with Recommenders

While you may be like many others, worrying about your recommenders’ titles, what is far more important is that you select an individual who knows what is demanded of a recommender. Recommenders need to write very personal and intimate letters, discussing your talents, accomplishments, personality and potential. If the President of your firm can only discuss your work in vague and general terms, he/she will not help your cause. Conversely, if an Associate who is senior to you and supervises your work can offer powerful examples of the impact you have had on your company, he/she will help your cause far more.

As you contemplate those who you will select, try to gather some intelligence on your potential recommenders. Has he/she written letters for anyone else? Is he/she generous with his/her time when it comes to employee feedback and review sessions? Generally speaking, is your superior a good supervisor/boss? One of the best windows into your potential process will be previous colleagues, who you may even want to speak to discover how your supervisor managed the process. By identifying those who will be helpful and generous, you will alleviate the potential stress of missed deadlines and unpredictable letters.

While you should spend time right now doing your homework on your recommenders, another important step that you can take is getting in touch with previous supervisors with whom you have fallen out of contact. You do not want to be in a position where you are calling a former supervisor for the first time in years and asking him for a massive favor on a tight timeline. If you can identify a former supervisor whose time you will be needing, then make contact now and keep the relationship warm for the next few months. You will be far better off when the letter writing process begins.

You need to be careful in terms of who you ask to write on your behalf, especially when you are contemplating someone from your past. Certain individuals, such as military commanders, can often provide very valuable feedback, even if their experience with you was from years ago. Again, in the case of a former commander, you may need to locate him/her or warm that relationship up, after years of it being dormant. Under very particular circumstances, certain coaches and professors may also offer unique insight into your candidacy; but again, you may need to spend some time locating them and re-establishing your connection. Now is the time to make your connections; come September, it might be too late.



The following is the sixth in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Selecting Additional Coursework

MBA programs are far more forgiving of previous academic problems than virtually any other graduate discipline. For most, their academic experience is far in the past and their GMAT, references and work experience are better indicators of their potential for success. This is not to suggest that poor grades don’t matter; this is to suggest, however, that poor grades can be mitigated.

If your academic performance is worrisome to you, you should certainly consider enrolling in some additional coursework immediately. In particular, if you did poorly in math courses (even if your overall GPA is quite high), this will raise concerns about your ability to manage a heavily quantitative workload. Thus, you should consider a calculus, statistic or linear algebra class. Furthermore, in order to show an aptitude for management studies, you might want to consider taking an accounting, economics or corporate finance class. Needless to write, it is quite important that you get As in these courses to show not only that you have the aptitude but also that you have matured and take your academics quite seriously.

It is important to remember that additional coursework is not solely the domain of the “academically challenged.” Even those who did quite well in their undergrad classes might explore the option of taking additional coursework. Liberal Arts majors with 4.0s and no quantitative background can benefit from two As -- one in a math discipline one in a management discipline – enabling them to make a strong statement about their competencies for their coming studies.

Again, you do not want to be going to classes while writing essays and applying to a variety of schools. So, it is important that you understand what is available to you and do your utmost to get these courses done before the applications become available in July, if that is still possible in your area.



The following is the seventh in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Resume Preparation

Throughout this series, I have repeated a simple mantra – get anything and everything (class visits, coursework, GMAT exams, etc.) done now so that you can focus on your applications come July. Your resume can be constructed now and the final update to your most recent position can be added in October during the latest stages of the process. Aside from the obvious timing benefits in completing your resume now, you will also benefit from reflecting on your accomplishments, a process that will help you brainstorm essay ideas and enable you to remind your recommenders of your major achievements.

As you strive to write a standout resume, you should think to yourself, “What are my accomplishments?” not “What were my responsibilities?” By re-hashing your responsibilities, you will essentially be offering only the most basic information on your position. Many candidates choose to write something like: “Responsible for managing $10M media campaign, supervising staff of five junior brand managers, monitoring daily sales volumes and ensuring consistent supply of product from five production facilities in three countries.” The problem with stating responsibilities is that the reader has no understanding of whether this individual is effective in his/her position. Was the media campaign successful? Did the staff of five progress? Did sales volumes increase? Did the supply of products reach its destination?

By breaking each of these bullet points down, elaborating on each task and then showing clear consequences of these actions, the reader learns of your decisive maneuvers and, more importantly, your results.

Instead of “responsible for managing $10M media campaign” offer more details on the task:

· Initiated $10M television/internet “Island Vacation” promotion to introduce new Shine brand detergent…

Then, offer clear results of your efforts
· …surpassing first year sales targets in three months.

By following an action/results formula, you will offer the reader a consistent record of success and show that you have excelled in your work, which is of course, your goal for your resume.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission

www.mbamission.com
646-485-8844
Skype: MBAMission

Originally Posted by himanshumohan78

hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the Initiative taken for PGs. I want to ask one generic question.
This will be applicable to almost all MBA aspirants.
I am planning to do MBA in next 1-2 year from Ivy collegs either in India/US/Europe.
I am from IT sector with a 'not-so-good' college. My question is how i can improve my profile in order to make myself equip for applying to ivy league colleges keeping in mind that my academic college is not so good.
Few of the things i am doing is:
1. Industry best certifications - I just completed my project Mgt certification from PMI.
Now doing oracle ERP certification ( as i am working as Tech consultant in ERP domain).
2. few Extra Curriculars like Joining Public speaking club.

I have 3 yrs of IT experience and i am MCA. By the time i will join MBA college i will have around 4-5 yrs of exp.
So i have 1-2 yrs with me to improve my profile and get to the level where i can apply for TOP MBA colleges. I need your valuable suggestions /Tips on how i can improve my profile.

Thanks abd Regds,
HMG

[MBA Mission]

(After another 15000 characters, the series concludes...)

The following is the eighth in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Reviewing Existing Applications

A simple exercise that can be quite helpful in addressing your strengths and weaknesses is reviewing previous applications to programs that you are certain you will apply to in the future. While the essays may change in the coming year, you can still learn a great deal by reviewing the questions and anticipating how you might have answered them in the past. By contemplating your profile, you should come to a better understanding of your distinctiveness and marketability and target areas for improvement.

For example, HBS had seven essay questions this year:

1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience? (400-word limit)

2. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)

3. Discuss a defining experience in your development as a leader. (400-word limit)

4. In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively? (400-word limit)

5. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader? (400-word limit)

6. What are your career aspirations and how can an MBA help you to reach them? Why now? (400-word limit)

7. What do you wish the MBA Admissions Board had asked you? (400-word limit)

After taking some time to consider your answers to these (or any other school’s) essay questions, try to consider whether you are offering a diverse picture of your own experiences; try to understand whether you are able to offer something new and interesting in each essay; try to understand the entirety of your profile. It is possible that if you are lacking certain dimensions, repeat certain stories or are forced to place too much emphasis on one area of your life, you can target certain weaknesses and improve upon them going forward by taking on new activities (see Msg 5733.1134, 5733.1140).



The following is the ninth in a series of postings on preparing for the coming year.

Short Answer Completion

Throughout this series, I have focused on freeing candidates from all other constraints so that they can pay careful attention to their essays come January. Short answers – the small sections within the actual application forms themselves which pertain to your work history, community accomplishments, scholarships and criteria, etc. – do not change much from year to year. While many choose to put-off these “details” you can rid yourself of a headache now by taking the time to complete these sections. Furthermore, similar in benefit to your resume, by completing this step early on, you may contemplate and discover stories that will be quite useful in writing your essays.

An abbreviated version of HBS’s short answer on work history (which actually did change slightly last year) follows:

Job Description:
Job Title:
Your Responsibilities: (200 characters only)
Key Accomplishments: (200 characters only)
Most Significant Challenge: (200 characters only)
Reason for Leaving: (200 characters only)

Again, if you need to complete these forms thoughtfully for several positions and then complete several other similar sections for your volunteer and extra-curricular experiences, this can be time consuming as you approach the deadlines. By completing them now, for all of your applications, you will have a brainstorming tool in hand and a small obstacle out of the way.


The following is the tenth and final posting on a series about preparing for the coming year.

Firm Sponsorship

Firm sponsored candidates are quite appealing to Admissions Committees as the committee knows that they will be employed upon graduation and that their post-MBA goals are within reach. Furthermore, the Admissions Committee will sleep better at night, knowing that their BusinessWeek responses will see a small statistical benefit in the “percentage of candidates employed upon graduation” and possibly even “average starting salary” categories. Firm sponsorship is frequently an asset.

I have worked with unsponsored clients, of course, but I have also worked with many clients who have been unaware that their firm’s do sponsor employees. For that sake, I have worked with clients whose firms did not have sponsorship programs, but created them when our candidates brought forth the idea.

So, first things first, you need to discover if your firm has such a program and then if they do, you need to learn all you can about the process for earning a firm scholarship. I have worked with international clients who have needed to apply internally 1.5 years before their proposed program would begin; obviously, in such a case, you do not want to be applying at the last moment. Similarly, if you are going to “invent” your company’s program, this might take months of bureaucratic haggling and decision making. This is certainly a process that you should start now.

Originally Posted by himanshumohan78

hi Jeremy,
Thanks for the Initiative taken for PGs. I want to ask one generic question.
This will be applicable to almost all MBA aspirants.
I am planning to do MBA in next 1-2 year from Ivy collegs either in India/US/Europe.
I am from IT sector with a 'not-so-good' college. My question is how i can improve my profile in order to make myself equip for applying to ivy league colleges keeping in mind that my academic college is not so good.
Few of the things i am doing is:
1. Industry best certifications - I just completed my project Mgt certification from PMI.
Now doing oracle ERP certification ( as i am working as Tech consultant in ERP domain).
2. few Extra Curriculars like Joining Public speaking club.

I have 3 yrs of IT experience and i am MCA. By the time i will join MBA college i will have around 4-5 yrs of exp.
So i have 1-2 yrs with me to improve my profile and get to the level where i can apply for TOP MBA colleges. I need your valuable suggestions /Tips on how i can improve my profile.

Thanks abd Regds,
HMG

[FreeSpirit]

My Profile


1. 2004 Batch Electrical Engineer from a Top Ten 10 Enginnering College. 3.6GPA. Top 10 in class.


2. First Job : L&T : Product Marketing Executive. Started as Graduate Engineering trainee, got promoted to Executive Leadership Cadre in 1 year itself. Looked after a newly launched product.


Present Job : Schneider Electric : Sales Engineer, look after entire Mumbai Industry. Will be promoted to Sr. Sales Engineer next year. Youngest person with such a profile in the company.

Widely travelled in India.Almost all business districts. Total exp today: 2 years. In 2008: 3.5years



3. Loads of Extra curriculars in College : Class representative, Secretary of 2 College Clubs, Member of Students Union, Editor of College Mazagine etc.


4. Should manage 720+ in GMAT. Taking it in Dec.


5. Looking at colleges to shift to MC. Looking at Darden/Kellog/IESE/Insead-Singapore.


6. Financial Aid a MUST with no cosigner.


7.Community Service : Only in college.


Looking at fall 2008 admit.Request you to please advice on Colleges to consider and how to go about the process effectively.


Regards

[MBA Mission]

Thanks for your inquiry.

You wrote 2.9/3, did you mean 2.9/4? Still, even if your GPA is low, that was eight years ago and you could make the case that there are better indicators with regard to your abilities and capacity for future success (recommendations, GMAT, etc.)

Your age is an obstacle, but there is nothing that you can do about this, so you will have to work with it. You will have to emphasize your experience as a decision maker and your international experience in East Africa; in simple terms, you will need to show that you are not applying because you are bored and old, but that you are applying now because your career was fascinating, you were a leader and you did not have time to take a breath until now.

Similarly, you should have very clear goals going forward – you need to make clear that your best years are ahead of you and that this MBA will make your future goals a reality. More so than with younger candidates, you will really need to have vision and ambition. You can’t get away with “I want to go into General Management.” It is just too vague; the school would rather invest in a younger candidate who has the time to climb the ranks.

I think that Stanford is unrealistic for you and Yale, with its small class, might be quite difficult as well. You might find a spot at Darden or Fuqua, but this really depends on how much leadership you have had in your workplace and whether you can “wow” the adcom with these experiences.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBAMission