Case Study #5: Short work history

Applicant Profile for “Joyce” (not her real name)

Academic:  Business major at a top university in China. Graduated with a 3.8 overall GPA
Professional:  1 year of experience as management consultant in Shanghai
Non-work activities:  Manages a website community for young professionals in China that she launched while still in college. Serves as consultant to family business. Served as head of student government in college
GMAT:  750
Post-MBA goal:  Work in private equity or venture capital, and then become an entrepreneur
Target schools:  Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, NYU

The MBA Exchange’s Solution

Joyce’s full-time work experience is significantly below the average of 3+ years for admitted applicants at her targeted schools. We reviewed our experience with past clients who had similar profiles and goals, and devised the following three-part strategy to help Joyce position her short work history as sufficient preparation for business school:

– Devote a large percentage of essay content to leadership and entrepreneurship experiences in college.
– Emphasize the impact of her strategic contribution to family business despite relative lack of formal business experience.
– Communicate the added value her diverse experiences will bring to the MBA community.

Applicant’s Outcome/Results

We worked diligently with Joyce to help her develop powerful essay content that communicated that the depth of business and leadership exposure during college and in her first year of work are equivalent to several years of post-college professional experience. We helped her align her strengths with the selection criteria at her targeted schools. Joyce was ultimately offered admission to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, and NYU.

In order to capitalize on our experience and advice as Joyce did, The MBA Exchange invites prospective clients to contact us for free, preliminary evaluation up to a year before they apply to business school. Engaging us for a Comprehensive Consultation will allow you time and proven strategies to strengthen your candidacy and then to prepare more compelling applications that maximize your chances for admission.

Client Comments

“Despite having only one year of work experience, working with The MBA Exchange enabled me to get into four business schools! My consultant spent a lot of time with me up front, getting to know my personal and academic background, so that we could integrate those experiences with my professional accomplishments as a consultant into powerful, beautifully written essays. Thank you.”