Berkeley / Haas - 11-03-2020 | Clear Admit ApplyWire

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November 2, 2020 2:53pm ET

Applying: Berkeley / Haas, Northwestern / Kellogg, U. Chicago Booth, UCLA Anderson, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2021

Pre-MBA Career: Production, Video game industry

Post-MBA Target Industry: Technology, Entrepreneurship Companies: Other

GMAT: 720

GPA: 3.55

Years of Work Experience: 6

Location: USA, West Coast

Notes:

White male, 30. Currently work in video game industry. Multiple promotions throughout my work at a startup (5-6 years, promotion schedule considered fast) and wear many hats. Manage multiple teams, while also pushing finance, operations and business initiatives as company scales. Want to stay in industry, but want to move to a strategy role (perhaps analytics focused). Applying to FT, but also considering PT (Each program listed I'm considering both programs, but Kellogg I'd love to do FT) due to age and current work. Long term goal is to take my knowledge and experience to help found a startup, or work at a gaming focused VC. ECs include mental health volunteering post-undergrad (took off a year and volunteered every workday for that year) and diversity initiatives within the gaming industry. Was a late bloomer, but I know age is an issue. First gen college grad. I know my GMAT isn't stellar (48Q/41V split), nor is my GPA, but wondering what people think my chances are. I'll be retaking the GMAT online soon to pump the numbers if possible, I think I've got more in the tank for verbal. I really love Kellogg for fit, as the team approach and values/culture align well with me.

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Show Comments (9) Last: November 23, 2020

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1677 Numbers are decent. If you can push up the GMAT just a little, it might help. Online gaming industry is super interesting right now. So that may help. Fit will be an issue to address, show how you’ll fully engage with the MBA experience, for the full-time options. Impact at work will be important to portray. Be curious to understand your choice for taking a year off, after undergrad. (1)

grichmond Verified User. Likes Earned: 1245 Don't sell yourself short! I'd argue that your numbers certainly keep you in play, and that your unique experience, consistent goals, and admirable ECs are a great selling point. As Alex points out, you will want to demonstrate a real desire to immerse yourself in the MBA community (be specific when asked), so as to navigate the age issue. If you can swing FT, I'd keep your focus there - it's a truly unique experience (assuming the pandemic lets up at some point). As to the GMAT, I suppose it can't hurt to try an pump that verbal score way up and aim for an overall result that is above the average at your target schools. Thanks for your post and best of luck to you!
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anon25852 Likes Earned: 90 OP here thanks for the comments! I took the year off because I graduated early and was considering medicine or research. Half the experience was research and the other half was helping reintegrate patients back to society. It was a really transformational experience for me, and completely changed the way I think about mental health, those who have it, and the issue on a macro scale. I went into the experience wanting to decide on career goals, but years later realize what I most got out of it was empathy, understanding and patience. I think what attracts me most to FT is the ability to fully immerse myself, so I'll try to make that shine through in the applications. Thanks again!! (1)

anon25852 Likes Earned: 90 OP again. If there's any school that you think might be an additional fit from a culture or goal perspective, I'm all ears as well. Appreciate all the insight you've given me and others. (1)

anon22776 Likes Earned: 155 Great fit schools that will help are USC Marshall, Carnegie Mellon Tepper and I will add a reach school like MIT Sloan but in the app place an interest in the one year Sloan's Fellows program so the consider you for both regular full time and the Sloan's Fellows mba. Best of luck (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1677 More details on this candidacy in this episode of Wire Taps: https://www.clearadmit.com/2020/11/episode-130-wire-taps/ (1)

anon25852 Likes Earned: 90 Wow cool! Thanks for the comments Alex and Graham! You were right on city selection, I've worked with my SO to narrow it down. Appreciate it!! (1)

anon25852 Likes Earned: 90 Unsure if the comments make it back to you guys, but figured I'd update. I ended up retaking and getting a 750 (47Q/46V)!!! Rounding out my list. Thanks for the insight again all! (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1677 Nice increase, well done! (1)