Hello everyone, it’s a Monday morning and that brings us back to the FutureWorks MBA Mondays.  Today, we will look at the peculiar case of the older MBA applicant; someone who maybe  a few years older than the average MBA student or even with more than eight to ten years of full time work experience. If you have 10 or more years of experience you may look at doing an Executive MBA or an EMBA – to know more about the EMBA and other related topics you can read some of our previous posts. If you like to take a look at things to consider when you are an older applicant to an MBA program then keeps reading.

In our consulting business, we come across many older applicants who are conflicted about “to do or not to do” when it comes to going for an MBA. Some of the apprehensions that these applicants have are not entirely baseless. However, there are many successful examples of people who have gone to pursue an MBA at an older age and are really happy with their decision in hindsight. For instance, Brian Bohrnstedt who graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania at age 35 and is now Director of Strategic Pricing for Accuride Corporation. In a recent panel discussion at MBApodcaster, Brian had the following to say about his MBA experience, “I’m 42 now, I finished the program when I was 35 and as far as I’m concerned it is one of the best decisions that I made in my life. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn’t change a thing and that is a pretty strong statement given the fact that it is an expensive program, it’s a lot of hard work, I’m married with kids and I was married with kids when I went through the program so that made it even more difficult but ultimately it got me going in the right direction in my career. I left Wharton, began working for a major automotive manufacturer in Detroit, got a lot of great hands-on experience there in areas that I had never worked in before and then I was able to take that experience and work in education and move into a more of a medium sized company but in a position with a lot more responsibility which is ultimately what I was looking for.”

Looking at Brian’s case and hearing him share his own thoughts in the discussion, we can derive that an MBA is not a bad decision even when you’ve crossed the average applicant age. However, some points which should be kept in mind by older applicants are:

  • Older applicants often assume that their vast experience will offset a poor GMAT.  However, it’s essential to understand that a lower GMAT could still hurt the applicants’ chances. They may still make it past the application stage based on their stellar experience, but it’s a chance they can ill afford to take. Also, great work experience coupled with a high GMAT will definitely make the sailing smoother.
  • While writing their essays, applicants should focus on showcasing strong business/managerial prowess supported by exact numbers wherever possible. The essay should be a picture of the applicant’s business/work related achievements as that’s probably their biggest asset in the application. However you should remember to focus on how being an older applicant can bring in experiences that others may not have and also benefit the rest of the class.
  • Another challenge here will be to link your career experience to future career goals. So, mention career experiences that link directly and logically to your goals. This should be the 1st priority to be addressed & highlighted in the application for older applicants.
  • More experience means increased expectations. Admission committees review candidates based on the leadership roles they have played. People with technical backgrounds and little vertical growth are at a disadvantage. So, if an older candidate falls in the latter group, then they must be sure to validate their technical expertise with value additions done to the business and provide solid reasons for the slow growth.

Admission committees also have some common concerns with older applicants, for instance:

Employment concerns- Older applicants may sometimes face placement difficulties post the MBA. In some companies all MBA applicants are recruited in at a particular level; in this case an older applicant may have difficulty proving they are willing to take a few steps down in their career if that happens to be the case. Further, if an older applicant is trying to make a career change again it may be difficult to do so, especially in a tight job market. . Therefore, it’s again very important for candidates to describe their complete post MBA career plan in their applications and also mention things they have learned over the years which are likely to put them at an advantage over their younger counterparts and demonstrate that their post MBA goals are realistic

Lacks of focus– In interviews, older applicants are often asked questions like “Why an MBA?” and “Why now?” You should smartly answer how you think the MBA program will help you achieve your realistic goals. Make the admission committee see that you are not just looking for a way to adjust your life routine or add a qualification to your resume, or that this is not just a way of changing jobs; convince them that this is a real target and goal of your life.

The final tip would be to always to stay positive. If you follow the above tips and develop strong and effective essays, then you should be in a good position when it comes to your applications.