The MBA Thread

[bananananana]

BW forums (10/20) says about 500 out of 800 round 1 interview slots have been taken already at HBS.

 

[dhc905]

I interviewed last year and ended up on the waitlist, would suck if I don't get an interview this year at all.

 

[maverick]

Alls I know is being older does not help for HBS

 

[L.R.]

Originally Posted by maverick

Alls I know is being older does not help for HBS

What is the new "ideal" age for applying to HBS or other top programs? I just graduated university, and am thinking of doing an MBA in a few years. I currently don't have the best background for it (B.A, mediocre marks, but ran my own business and half a dozen student groups).

So I'd like to start working on the proper background, but I'd also like to actually have a year or so off. Outside of classes I worked 30 hour weeks, and put myself through university by working. While others did the whole summer on the beach thing, I never had a chance. So I'm taking a year or so to actually travel, teach English overseas, then spend a year in the U.K, etc. I probably won't start a business oriented job until I'm 25 or so.

If I'm applying at age 28+, am I considered top old, given the mixed background? Or should I forgo the immediate fun, settle into a real career oriented job, and start working towards the MBA?

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Thanks!

 

[Viktri]

Thanks, I'll go with that.

I've done significant research in person & online; the data conflicts but I think (given what you've metnioned as a reliable indicator of recruiting in the absence of school stats) my IRL experiences may be a stronger indicator of recruiting.

Regarding applications and references, what kind of weaknesses are typical and appropriate for a reference to list? Other than the normal people skills, time management, etc.?

Originally Posted by Flambeur

This can be tricky. Really depends on the company, school, and city. I would investigate the companies you'd like to work for and see where they typically hire. This can sometimes be very easy or very hard to find. If information isn't readily available, a little networking can go a long way. Also, schools will oftentimes release info about where their students go.

Otherwise a good school is a good school, and a degree from a top 20 international school (from HBS to Insead) will be more or less portable. I personally have seen some companies target very specific schools for all international positions or positions for specific regions (i.e. Insead and LBS only for most European hires) or open it up to all the top schools. Or sometimes go regionally.

Also a good way to research this is to see where their interns come from, as in many cases those people end up being the bulk of an incoming class for a typical firm (offers extended after summer employment)

@ CS: Take the GMAT prep software offered on MBA.com - it gives an incredibly reliable indicator of your score. I scored exactly as expected. The GMAT prep questions are significantly easier than the actual exam; apparently the updates to the official guide haven't kept up with the actual exam but scoring is the same, if that makes sense. I would ignore LSAT/SAT/KAPLAN/other GMAT courses, etc as predictors.

 

[maverick]

Originally Posted by L.R.

What is the new "ideal" age for applying to HBS or other top programs? I just graduated university, and am thinking of doing an MBA in a few years. I currently don't have the best background for it (B.A, mediocre marks, but ran my own business and half a dozen student groups).

So I'd like to start working on the proper background, but I'd also like to actually have a year or so off. Outside of classes I worked 30 hour weeks, and put myself through university by working. While others did the whole summer on the beach thing, I never had a chance. So I'm taking a year or so to actually travel, teach English overseas, then spend a year in the U.K, etc. I probably won't start a business oriented job until I'm 25 or so.

If I'm applying at age 28+, am I considered top old, given the mixed background? Or should I forgo the immediate fun, settle into a real career oriented job, and start working towards the MBA?

I'm no expert but that age would definitely be outside the typical range for HBS. And your story doesn't sound unique enough to have them go outside that range (e.g. military service, founded successful business). Not as sure about other schools, but I think of the top schools HBS is the most focused on younger applicants...

 

[bananananana]

Originally Posted by L.R.

What is the new "ideal" age for applying to HBS or other top programs? I just graduated university, and am thinking of doing an MBA in a few years. I currently don't have the best background for it (B.A, mediocre marks, but ran my own business and half a dozen student groups).

So I'd like to start working on the proper background, but I'd also like to actually have a year or so off. Outside of classes I worked 30 hour weeks, and put myself through university by working. While others did the whole summer on the beach thing, I never had a chance. So I'm taking a year or so to actually travel, teach English overseas, then spend a year in the U.K, etc. I probably won't start a business oriented job until I'm 25 or so.

If I'm applying at age 28+, am I considered top old, given the mixed background? Or should I forgo the immediate fun, settle into a real career oriented job, and start working towards the MBA?

Wharton, CBS, and Fuqua are all good programs that value a longer work experience.

 

[Flambeur]

I really do think that that new HBS thing for young kids and lack of experience (2+2, give me a break) is going to end up badly.

 

[maverick]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

I really do think that that new HBS thing for young kids and lack of experience (2+2, give me a break) is going to end up badly.

Agree... will just make it more of a farm for consulting firms and IB associates

 

[L.R.]

I wonder how much pre-MBA experience matters when applying for jobs post-MBA.

A friend of mine had his older sister go to HBS right after college. She has "meh" grades (3.1 or similar) and from a decent but unspectacular university in eastern Canada. She was in the reserves during school, but still, that's not huge.

However, she found a really nice job upon graduation (Undergrad in 2004, HBS grad in 2006). Would her pre-MBA experience have much of an impact in her job search?

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by L.R.

I wonder how much pre-MBA experience matters when applying for jobs post-MBA. A friend of mine had his older sister go to HBS right after college. She has "meh" grades (3.1 or similar) and from a decent but unspectacular university in eastern Canada. She was in the reserves during school, but still, that's not huge. However, she found a really nice job upon graduation (Undergrad in 2004, HBS grad in 2006). Would her pre-MBA experience have much of an impact in her job search?
I think it depends...my company would never hire a fresh MBA that didn't already have some ties to our [fairly narrow] field. I have heard stories about them trying it in the past and it ending badly so now basically if you didn't work for us (or our competitors) before B-School, then you simply won't get looked at (though we hire more PhDs than MBAs so...ymmv) edit: that's not entirely true...you might still get looked at but you would get pulled in at the same level as a fresh undergrad with maybe the ability to advance a little faster. Obviously there are other places where having the MBA piece of paper is the important bit so you can still get a pretty good job with zero experience.

 

[CunningSmeagol]

Originally Posted by Viktri

@ CS: Take the GMAT prep software offered on MBA.com - it gives an incredibly reliable indicator of your score. I scored exactly as expected. The GMAT prep questions are significantly easier than the actual exam; apparently the updates to the official guide haven't kept up with the actual exam but scoring is the same, if that makes sense. I would ignore LSAT/SAT/KAPLAN/other GMAT courses, etc as predictors.

Yea, took it (the prep software) this morning and got 770. So, I still need a range of schools to look at. I am thinking 5-10 US News.

 

[calisanfran]

CunningSmeagol - its hard to answer your question without knowing more specifics. The immediate question that comes up, and one that AdCom's will ask you to justify, is your jump from a full-time profession to music school. Don't get me wrong - you can actually spin it well if you are creative (and that's what essays are meant to be), but its a hard one. So how would you portray your "story" in the essays? i.e., give us a sense of what you want to do in the future and why do you feel your past experiences + an MBA will help you get there?

Your "story" needs to a cogent, logical one. That's probably the #1 criteria when assessing B School applications. The application readers needs to get the feeling that you have a well thought out plan for your career and the various steps you have taken in the past, and now with the MBA, links everything together.

 

[polar-lemon]

Originally Posted by CunningSmeagol

Yea, took it (the prep software) this morning and got 770. So, I still need a range of schools to look at. I am thinking 5-10 US News.

Why not 1-10? I'm no expert, but my understanding is that academic history matters much less for B school. In other words, while your gpa may be "low" for top 5 law schools, for example, I think it's well in the range of the top 5 B schools (average 3.5). Since yours is both in science and from Duke, I think it's in the right range.