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

JonFrank

Hi, Jon, thanks for your help! Your advice is really valuable. About the Gmat, I really wonder if awa matters, since I got a extremly low awa score --3.5 along with the 730. I guess the reason is I used some tempalets. But with the first gmat test, when I have no preparation at all, I got 650 and 4.5. So which one really counts? 3.5 or 4.5? though none of them sounds good.

And the GPA, mine is 3.1, but the ranking is relatively okay, I even got merit-based scholarships. So should I explain or just let it go?

And are those scores too dangerous for me to seize LBS and UCLA anderson?

-- by 会员 ardor (2010/10/23 15:15:50)

Hello there!  Well I have good news and I have bad news.  The good news is that your GPA is just fine—don’t even worry about it!  The bad news, is that neither of your AWA scores are that good.  L  In instances like this, the TOEFL can become even more important—have you taken the TOEFL?  What did you get?  I am not worried about the GPA, but the AWA is juuuust a bit scary in this case.


Jon Frank

JonFrank

Have a nice day, Jon!
First of all, thanks very much for your valuable suggestions here for Chinese applicants. I've got one more question here and wait for your help
Both of my recommenders told me that they were kind of confused about the ratings in LOR. They did want to place all of those qualities in the range of 2%, however, they were afraid that it would look fake, given that Chinese LOR were not so trusted...So, whether they should "intently" choose one or two of the qualities to rate 5% or 10%?
Many Thanks!

-- by 会员 ciduo777 (2010/10/23 16:04:16)

Hey there!  The answer is that yes, it would look a bit suspect if ALL of the boxes were to read top 2%.  Therefore, you should sprinkle in some 5% and 10% as well.  It will still be very impressive—so don’t worry about it.  In fact, if they don’t sprinkle in a few of these lower rankings, the adcom might not believe your LOR.  J  Good catch, and great question!


Jon Frank

JonFrank

Hi Jon,

Thank you for your contribution here in the forum. Your contribution is truly appreciated. I've got some concerns and questions about my background and the choice of schools. If you could give me some insight, it would be very helpful.

My background:
1. Undergraduate: GPA 8.5/12.0 from Top 3 Uni in HK
2. GMAT: 760 +5.0
3. 3yr IBank Analyst Exp with CFA + now out of job
*I quitted the bank early this year because I had been employed under contract but my team could not get any permanent headcount for me (*my dept head and my seniors all wanted to keep me but the bank policy didn’t allow. We got no associate in the team and only hired analysts by 2yr contract). Since then, I worked for a 2month online volunteering project for an US NGO to set up a program in South Africa. After that, I also started a small business which is about selling products in online auction page and social network.
4. Short-term career: some strategic job after mba, such as management consulting or business dev. in international corp. Long-term career: work in NGO to advice corporations in developing countries

My key concern is about my working exp and "out of job status".  
1) I can get my senior and boss to be my recommenders. Is it a good proof that I didn’t get a permanent position just because of bank policy? (During these 3 years, I actually worked as an associate to lead the transaction solely.)
2) Can you advice me how I could tell my story during my out-of-job period? I started my business because I wanted to start a short-term project before mba to learn about business. But so far it is small and operates badly. I am worried that the school might think I have no better choice so I apply for school.

Lastly, given my background, is it too risky that I just apply for the following mba only?
1. Harvard        2. Stanford    3. Wharton    4. Kellogg    5.Michigan

Thank you again Jon. Have a great week ahead!

Thanks,
Raiy

-- by 会员 raiy (2010/10/24 9:38:08)

Raiy, thank you for the thoughtful email.  Yes, you find yourself in a bit of a bind here.  And I believe that we can help.  You will need to do a few things here, and maybe it will work.  First of all, you need, need, need to add a few safer schools to your list.  Add two more programs—perhaps Cornell and UCLA.  Also, consider Babson, both because it is the best entrepreneurship program in the world, and because you will likely get in.

Now, next you will need to write an optional essay that is VERY effective indeed.  Let me try something different for ya.  What if you said…that you left your job.  On purpose.  Could you spin your current role as a full time gig?  That you left your full time job and all its glory, to do something more exciting and entrepreneurial?  You had these two exciting opportunities, and you wanted to pursue them?  THAT would be the most strength you could portray dude.  That you did it all on purpose.  What are our chances we could pull that off?  Might your supervisors sign off on that story?

Jon Frank

梁朝伟

Superman never sleeps....

梁朝伟

Hi Jon,

A very quick question here: do you think long term internships ( full time, 19 months) can be considered as part of work experience when applying for MBA?
Thanks.

梁朝伟

JonFrank

Hi Jon,

A very quick question here: do you think long term internships ( full time, 19 months) can be considered as part of work experience when applying for MBA?
Thanks.

梁朝伟

-- by 会员 梁朝伟 (2010/10/26 17:58:48)

Hey there!  Of course they can—19 months is a very long time.  Remember, so long as you back up your claims, the adcom will believe…whatever you tell them to believe.  So if you explain that you did a TON of work during these 19 months, and that it was effectively a work experience, then we will believe you.  Just be sure to back it up with experiences that prove that you DID a lot of work.  Some internships are very easy, and don’t involve much work.  Here, PROVE to us that you did lots of work.  And then, you will be in great shape.  Hope this helps!

Jon Frank
Founder

梁朝伟

Hi Jon,

A very quick question here: do you think long term internships ( full time, 19 months) can be considered as part of work experience when applying for MBA?
Thanks.

梁朝伟

-- by 会员 梁朝伟 (2010/10/26 17:58:48)

Hey there!  Of course they can—19 months is a very long time.  Remember, so long as you back up your claims, the adcom will believe…whatever you tell them to believe.  So if you explain that you did a TON of work during these 19 months, and that it was effectively a work experience, then we will believe you.  Just be sure to back it up with experiences that prove that you DID a lot of work.  Some internships are very easy, and don’t involve much work.  Here, PROVE to us that you did lots of work.  And then, you will be in great shape.  Hope this helps!

Jon Frank
Founder

-- by 会员 JonFrank (2010/10/27 13:52:41)

Great, thanks Jon.

raiy

Hi Jon,

Thank you for your contribution here in the forum. Your contribution is truly appreciated. I've got some concerns and questions about my background and the choice of schools. If you could give me some insight, it would be very helpful.

My background:
1. Undergraduate: GPA 8.5/12.0 from Top 3 Uni in HK
2. GMAT: 760 +5.0
3. 3yr IBank Analyst Exp with CFA + now out of job
*I quitted the bank early this year because I had been employed under contract but my team could not get any permanent headcount for me (*my dept head and my seniors all wanted to keep me but the bank policy didn’t allow. We got no associate in the team and only hired analysts by 2yr contract). Since then, I worked for a 2month online volunteering project for an US NGO to set up a program in South Africa. After that, I also started a small business which is about selling products in online auction page and social network.
4. Short-term career: some strategic job after mba, such as management consulting or business dev. in international corp. Long-term career: work in NGO to advice corporations in developing countries

My key concern is about my working exp and "out of job status".  
1) I can get my senior and boss to be my recommenders. Is it a good proof that I didn’t get a permanent position just because of bank policy? (During these 3 years, I actually worked as an associate to lead the transaction solely.)
2) Can you advice me how I could tell my story during my out-of-job period? I started my business because I wanted to start a short-term project before mba to learn about business. But so far it is small and operates badly. I am worried that the school might think I have no better choice so I apply for school.

Lastly, given my background, is it too risky that I just apply for the following mba only?
1. Harvard        2. Stanford    3. Wharton    4. Kellogg    5.Michigan

Thank you again Jon. Have a great week ahead!

Thanks,
Raiy

-- by 会员 raiy (2010/10/24 9:38:08)

Raiy, thank you for the thoughtful email.  Yes, you find yourself in a bit of a bind here.  And I believe that we can help.  You will need to do a few things here, and maybe it will work.  First of all, you need, need, need to add a few safer schools to your list.  Add two more programs—perhaps Cornell and UCLA.  Also, consider Babson, both because it is the best entrepreneurship program in the world, and because you will likely get in.

Now, next you will need to write an optional essay that is VERY effective indeed.  Let me try something different for ya.  What if you said…that you left your job.  On purpose.  Could you spin your current role as a full time gig?  That you left your full time job and all its glory, to do something more exciting and entrepreneurial?  You had these two exciting opportunities, and you wanted to pursue them?  THAT would be the most strength you could portray dude.  That you did it all on purpose.  What are our chances we could pull that off?  Might your supervisors sign off on that story?

Jon Frank
Founder,
jfrank@mba2005.hbs.edu

-- by 会员 JonFrank (2010/10/26 15:10:19)

Thank you very much for your advice. I will certainly look at the schools you recommended. But in your opinion, does my background have a chance to those top mba schools?

Actually, I have some potential job opportunties, i.e. research analyst (sell side) and investment analyst (buy side) coming to me these days. Just a little bit concern over here. As the new opportunties are quite different from my previous job (IBD Analyst) or post-MBA career path, would the new/upcoming job (if I put it on my CV) be questionable by the admission officers? Or I would rather choose to hide the new job and present myself as working FT for my business (while I expect myself to continue the business part-time if I get a FT offer) to give a stronger story?

Thanks,
Raiy

kongkong57

Jon，AWA score is very important?? Mine is 740/4.5, and another one earlier is 660/5, but my tofle writing is 27. Don't scare me here. would be this score has problem if i apply for a top 10 b-school?

dieselmaxii

Hi,Jon.
great post! thanks for ur help. i've got one question. i finished my undergraduate studies and got my bachelor degree in china in 2006, and then continued my studies in the unveristy of warwick in the UK. the problem is, this school gave me an offer of postgraduate diploma...not master degree..i wonder if you people in the north america recognize this diploma? and will it help with my application?  
thanks!
diesel