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

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

ki88el

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your time and effort on this thread.

I am planning to apply in R2 and would highly appreciate your advice on which b-schools to apply for. Let me brief my background:

1. Undergraduate: B.S. degree in Computer Science with GPA: 3.5/4.0 from Top 4 university in China.
2. 9 yrs W/E in Top IT US multinational company, including 3 yrs oversea W/E in Asia.
   Current job position: Senior Project Manager.
   The oversea assignment explains why I'm applying for MBA at age of 31...
3. post-MBA career goal: corporate - general management / MNC global business development, but not limited to hi-tech companies.
4. G: 720/5.5, T: 106.
   I took GMAT exam in Mid-September and am not satisfied with my score 'coz I could have done better, say 750+.
   On one hand, I know that applicants from mainland China usually have higher average GMAT scores.
   On the other hand, I should leave time for essays and applications.
   I'm not sure whether it's better to retake the exam in October.

After all, I haven't decided my target schools yet. I'm fine with Top 30 (prefer Top 15) US MBA programmes. The question is I don't know which b-schools fit me better.
- (Tuck? Haas?)  --- Will my GMAT score be a setback?
- (Fuqua? Darden? Ross?)  
- (Tepper? UTA?)
- Open to other recommendations.

Looking forward to your expert opinion.

Sincerely,

Kouji

perain

Hi Jon,


Thanks for your insightful ideas.


Do you mind giving some advises for the career switchers here? You mentioned that the Adcom don't like the career switch-but most of people do switch career paths after their MBA, and I believe most of the applicants  intend to land a different job(either in another industry or for another work junction or both) by means of taking an MBA. So, how to deliver an essay that speaks our minds, and, at the same time, convinces the Adcom?


Regards,
Nic

JonFrank

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

-- by 会员 sr888152 (2011/9/22 13:59:31)

Shu, your chances are good my friend.  Of course it depends on your GMAT score (and I wish you could apply Round 1!) but yes, I like what I see so far.  Given your focus in General Management, I would also consider Tuck and Ross, BOTH great in that area.  And if you NAIL your GMAT, perhaps you could also look at HBS!  J  Why not, you have the background, again, depending on your future GMAT score…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005

JonFrank

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your time and effort on this thread.

I am planning to apply in R2 and would highly appreciate your advice on which b-schools to apply for. Let me brief my background:

1. Undergraduate: B.S. degree in Computer Science with GPA: 3.5/4.0 from Top 4 university in China.
2. 9 yrs W/E in Top IT US multinational company, including 3 yrs oversea W/E in Asia.
   Current job position: Senior Project Manager.
   The oversea assignment explains why I'm applying for MBA at age of 31...
3. post-MBA career goal: corporate - general management / MNC global business development, but not limited to hi-tech companies.
4. G: 720/5.5, T: 106.
   I took GMAT exam in Mid-September and am not satisfied with my score 'coz I could have done better, say 750+.
   On one hand, I know that applicants from mainland China usually have higher average GMAT scores.
   On the other hand, I should leave time for essays and applications.
   I'm not sure whether it's better to retake the exam in October.

After all, I haven't decided my target schools yet. I'm fine with Top 30 (prefer Top 15) US MBA programmes. The question is I don't know which b-schools fit me better.
- (Tuck? Haas?)  --- Will my GMAT score be a setback?
- (Fuqua? Darden? Ross?)  
- (Tepper? UTA?)
- Open to other recommendations.

Looking forward to your expert opinion.

Sincerely,

Kouji

-- by 会员 ki88el (2011/9/25 10:12:58)

Kouji, yes your school selection seems right on.   I like it—but remember, regardless of what schools you select, you will need to write an optional essay addressing your age.  Just short, fewer than 200 words even.  But explain why you are applying a few years late; many folks, for example, will also have international experience but they will not be as late in the game as you. As for the GMAT, I would say that you can apply to some schools (UTA, Duke) this round with your current score.  In the meanwhile, you can retake the test in October, and if your score goes up you can submit your NEW scores to your schools; and for sure, use that new school for your R2 apps.  But why not apply to some schools in R1, and some in R2 w your new GMAT score?  That’s what we would recommend—apply to your “Safer” programs R1 (and benefit from that extra R1 boost) and in the meanwhile, get that GMAT score higher…


Jon Frank
HBS 2005