Ask Jon Frank- P69-Q&A:WHY MBA? 7 OVERLOOKED REASONS TO GET AN MBA

知行

...... MY MISTAKE!  please cancel you valuable suggestion!   thank you KB 24

JonFrank

Hi Jon, May I ask your advise about my application? I’m 30 y/o with over 8 years W/E in SCM. GPA3.3, T102, G760. Do you think I should try to take T again, though personally I’m not that interested in it. Or should I just go ahead to work on the application package now because I heard that to catch the 1 round is very important. And do you think I have the chance to target at the schools ranked at around 20th? To tell the truth, I’d love to get a job in banking related after MBA. Thank you very much if you can give your enlightening instructions.

-- by 会员 welcometoryan (2011/9/15 20:04:25)

Hey there!  Thanks for the note, and happy to help.  First of all, if you can retake the TOEFL you should.  As it stands, it will likely keep you out of top ten programs.  You do wanna catch round 1—and if you are okay with top 25 or so, you will be okay.  But if you wanna do better, you will need a better TOEFL.  You are riiiight on the cusp.  Hope this helps!


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

JonFrank

Hi jon!  my back ground is as follows:
1. education: bacholor degree majored clinic medicine in top10 University in China   and also the master degree in healthcare managerment  in the same school.
   During the education, I take part in serveral The national natural science funds and Also The national social science funds programs
   And have four papers published in SCI journal.  
2. work experience : sales in German BAYER health care for four years.  last year, I have been promoted as senior sales.(not good promotion, I guess) .  also top sales in 2010,  get praised in the  bayer annual meeting in 2010.  

GMAT 720.
I decided to continue in pharmaceuticals industry after the MBA. so based on my background, is there chance for me to target on top 16 MBA?  my dream school is DUKE, TUCK and also Cornell University。 I would be appreciate to get you advices.
THANK YOU!

-- by 会员 知行 (2011/9/16 9:29:18)

Hey there.  Yes, you DO have a shot at Duke.  But it will be a bit of a strrrretch.  J  So apply there, by all means.  But I would also look at slightly safer schools.  Tuck is also a bit of a stretch.  What about Vanderbilt?  That’s a great healthcare program for sure.  I would consider adding some safer programs if I were you—just because (even if you apply R1) those programs you’ve listed are tough.  Would you also look at UNC?  Since you’re so close to healthcare jobs, that would be a great safer option as well…  Hope this helps, and good luck!


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

sirenfish

Thank you Jon!

JonFrank

Hello Jon,

I got lots of insights from you posts. Thanks for the sharing Could you take a few minutes to look at my profile?

BA from a top 5 univ in China, 3.6
3 yrs in media, Shanghai (I loved my main beats and got promoted within the first year)
MA from a top 5 program in the U.S., 3.5 (got full assistantship)
1.5 yrs marketing in a pharmaceutical firm, US.
plenty of extracurricular activities and volunteer experiences
G750. T waived

Here are my three LONG questions:

1. CBS is my dream school. But I can't hit R1 For R2, does the rule of "as early as possible" still apply? In other words, would submitting on 11/15 be much better than submitting on 12/15? Could you plz recommend some other schools that I may have a shot?

2. My role in the phar. firm basically has nothing to do with my previous experience in media in terms of job functions and industry. Would it make the adcom confused? If the answer is yes, how could I best remedy it? When I elaborate my career goal, is it more convicing to integrate with both fields or to stick with one of them?

3. Regarding the RL, Could I get a RL from interviewee/source instead of supervisor?

Sorry for asking so many questions. Thank you in advance!

-- by 会员 sirenfish (2011/9/16 23:42:59)

Hey there, thanks for the note.  Sadly, without hitting ED for CBS it will be VERY hard to get in. But yes, “the earlier the better” still applies.  So do your best to get your app in ASAP.  I love your background, and media and CBS DO go well together.  So generally, I think you have a shot.  I only wish you could get your app in earlier!  Congrats on that amazing GMAT score by the way.  Id also look at NYU, Haas, UCLA, Kellogg, and even HBS for that matter.  Lets give it a shot shall we?  J  And yes, you will run the risk of confusing the adcom for sure.  You will need to do a great job of SOMEHOW weaving the narratives together.  It all depends on your career goals—if you can show a logical trajectory from one job, to the next, into your career goals (with the MBA in the middle) you will be just fine. I cant get more specific without working with you of course, but yes, there WILL need to be a logical connection between your past and your future goals…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

sirenfish

Jon: Thank you very much for answering my questions. It helps a lot!

asap

Hello Jon, thanks for your insightful posts.

As you mentioned about career goal, currently I'm working in the postion of Corporate Finance of a energy company, short-term goal is to do consulting, and long-term goal is to come back  in corporate of energy industry, do you think it will be a logical trajectory as a career goal in the essay?

Thank you

JonFrank

Hello Jon, thanks for your insightful posts.

As you mentioned about career goal, currently I'm working in the postion of Corporate Finance of a energy company, short-term goal is to do consulting, and long-term goal is to come back  in corporate of energy industry, do you think it will be a logical trajectory as a career goal in the essay?

Thank you

-- by 会员 asap (2011/9/20 15:39:56)

Hey there.  Suuure that sounds just fine.  But one quick question for ya—why bother with all the career switching?  Why all the changes? Why not just…stick with your current career?  Why add consulting into the mix, since you already have such great stuff with energy, corporate finance, etc.?  Of course you can CHOOSE to do consulting once you get to school.  But why bother with a career change if you don’t have to?  Schools don’t like career changes typically, if we can help it…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

知行

THANK YOU JON.
I decide to apply my dream school this year , if I fail, I will retak GMAT  and IBT. Last Gmat test, I really had bad luck. During the half, The power is off, and the test is cancelled.  I have to travel to another city to retake the test. but then  I have to wait for two hours because my text is not download from US.  So I think all those do influenced me a lot.
Well ! do appreciate your adivices. THX again!

sr888152

Hi Joe,

Appreciate your answers and comments here, quite useful. Could you please help to evaluate my background below and give some advice?

My background:

Full-time W/E: 1.5 years in a top business consulting and market research company; 2.5 years in a Fortune 500 company with function of corporate strategy (strategic and business development project lead)
Education: bachelor in business administration in China (GPA: 3.9/4); master in economics in US (GPA: 3.3/4)
Others: startup and volunteer experience; quantitative research experience
G/T: TOEFL can be waived; will take GMAT in Jan’2012
Career goal: investment industry like PE/VC…
Target b-school: Cornell, UCLA

Thank you very much!

Shu