Dear friends,
Hope everyone is doing fine through the current turbulent times. It would be great to hear your opinions and advice regarding the below situation (framed somewhat as a case, which I found easier to communicate):
Current situation: Consultant at Simon-Kucher and Partners for 1.5 years based in Dubai.
Goal: To course an MBA at a top american school for the following four reasons:
- Pivot in terms of career position (whether moving up the rank within consulting, switching industries or geography or embracing entrepreneurship)
- Expand and build a powerful network
- Upgrade CV (for potential entrepreneurship plans)
- Learn and make the most of the experience
Question: Which would be the best option in terms of a) timing (when to apply) and b) path to reach that goal, given the current situation?
Initially, I have considered two options:
- Applying to and joining MBB to leverage the relations between the firms and target schools (increasing the chances of admission)
- Staying at SKP and applying directly after taking some time to prepare (building connections externally with alumni to obtain a referral)
Additionally, insights from those of you who have had experience on the following topics would be very much appreciated:
- Time required to prepare applications to top MBA schools (including networking, GMAT prep, applications & interviews)
- GMAT study plan (how to best prepare and recommended resources)
- Application process (this would vary by school, however it would be great to know what the general timeline looks like)
- Most important components of an application (i.e. referrals, career/life story, professional experience, network...)
- Outlook on MBA recruiting in top US schools
Thank you very much in advance for your time and help!
Looking forward to reading your comments, and to connect if you would be happy to share experience you or your contacts may have.
Pedro