MIT Sloan - 12-01-2023 | Clear Admit ApplyWire

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November 30, 2023 10:19pm ET

Applying: MIT Sloan, Oxford / Saïd, Stanford GSB, Yale SOM

Intake Year: 2024

Pre-MBA Career: Director, Human Resources

Post-MBA Target Industry: Entrepreneurship

GPA: 3.3

Years of Work Experience: 9

Post MBA Location: Sub-saharan Africa

Notes:

I am one of the key leaders responsible for launching a low-cost airline in West Africa during covid-19 as well as securing a multi-million dollar investment at a critical phase in our in journey a well as bootstrapping the airline with my own personal funds and establishing a talent pipeline program to train a new generation of aviators ( pilots, engineers, cabin crew etc). I am considering the MSx program at GSB and the Sloan Fellow MIT.
I am aware that MIT Sloan Fellow program ( one-year program does not require test scores). However, GSB requires an admission test. I am planning to take my test in December. I don't feel prepared and nor do I feel that GMAT is a true reflection of an individuals intellectual vitality. Thus, I am relying on my strong work experience on the Africa continent +start-ups. Any advice?

Like (1)

Show Comments (6) Last: December 11, 2023

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1584 Your experience does sound very impressive. What are your goals, after these programs? That will also be important. Are you also involved in activities outside of work?

For your undergrad, how competitive was your GPA? Were you near the top of your class?

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jp899 Likes Earned: 4 Yes, I seat on a committee that provides scholarship to African scholars to attend universities abroad. I also help small businesses pro-bono.... (1)

jp899 Likes Earned: 4 I had a B+ overall GPA. (1)

grichmond Verified User. Likes Earned: 1155 A couple of thoughts:

1. For the very near term, I’d work hard to prepare for the GMAT exam and do the best that you can. While your career is indeed impressive, schools will still need evidence of your academic abilities - which they can only get from coursework/degrees/tests, and not the professional realm. Your B+ is fine, but likely not strong enough to have Stanford ignore a low test score, if that makes sense (as could be the case with someone with a A+ average, etc.).

2. Are you planning to continue with your airline venture post-MBA? I presume yes? And if so, that means you’ll be back in Africa, correct? As such, I’d think carefully about which of the programs out there might be best suited to helping you build your network of investors, aviation industry experts, and so on - with an eye towards Africa. As I suspect you are aware, London Business School also offers a Sloan Masters in Leadership & Strategy, so you may want to add them into the mix. In short, you may want to do some more research and consider casting a slightly wider net too.

Best of luck!

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jp899 Likes Earned: 4 Thanks for getting back to me.... I am burning the midnight candle with GMAT prep using TTP. I will strongly consider LBS as well. Post-MBA.... I would like to pivot and explore the entrepreneurship realm or a c-level position. The airline biz is quite stressful and even more stressful in certain jurisdictions due to political instability and other environmental factors. Thus, I will continue to be involved since it is my project child, but not in the day-to-day anymore. (1)

alexbr4 Verified User. Likes Earned: 1584 More details on this candidacy in this episode of Wire Taps: https://www.clearadmit.com/2023/12/mba-wire-taps-327-super-profile-305-gre-airline-entrepreneur-engineer-690-gmat/ (0)