Can you tell us more about yourself?
Hi, I am Emmanuelle. I hold a BSc from the University College London which I graduated with First Class Honours. I was a member of various societies and events at the university. Upon completion of my degree, I worked as a Postgraduate Teaching and Research Assistant for the University College London for over three years.
What prompted you to apply for a MIF?
The degree that I got from University College London was in Management and Statistics and even after three years spent at UCL, I felt that I did not have the background to work in the field that I wanted.
Also, I’m from Belgium and after spending three years in London I wanted to explore the world and develop international exposure in terms of my career prospects. So I decided to get a MIF degree from HEC or ESSEC or ESCP. However, talking to Dr. Hubert Silly he advised me that a degree in the US in a field that I was interested in would help me get better knowledge and international experience. The other thing I had in mind was that my studies had been primarily technical, mainly statistics in business and I wanted to expand my portfolio to include finance and explore this career path.
What did you find the most difficult in the application process?
I am pretty good at maths and as someone who has already spent two years in the UK, my English was pretty fluent I got the 700 I needed for the GMAT after just two months of preparation. However, the most difficult part of the admission process was the applications as I could not see how to relate my current studies and work experience with a MIF and a career in investment banking. In this respect, the interactions I had with Dr. Hubert Silly were very instrumental in helping me identify some of the elements in my studies and work experiences that are important for a career in finance and investment banking. It was a great opportunity to work with such a professional.
What is life like at MIT?
Getting into MIT was the highlight of my life till then. I enjoyed every moment of the two years in school. I was a part of multiple clubs there including the European Business Club, Management Consulting Club, Sloan Women in Management, etc. Being a part of these clubs gave me a chance to interact with loads of other students, many of whom came from diverse backgrounds from all across the globe and I managed to create lifelong friends from amongst the people I met there.
What would be your advice to someone applying for an MBA program?
Even though I did not take much time to prepare for the GMAT, I recommend applicants to spend at least three to six months preparing for the test. I found out at MIT, that the higher your score, the more likely you are to get in. So if you are getting 700 in your practice tests, aim for 740, and if you already have a 740, aim higher to get 760 or 770. I stopped at 700 and it could have been a problem for me. Luckily it didn’t turn out to be so. But do not take a chance on your admissions by not getting the highest score you can possibly get.
Another thing that I recommend is that you need to believe in yourself. Self-confidence is key. Most of the candidates applying for MIF are 21-22 years old and as such, they have not exhibited much in terms of work experience. The big things to getting into a MIF are your grades and your motivation. If it is something you really want to do, get an internship right after your first year of studies. Stay motivated.
Finally, work with people like Dr. Hubert Silly and MBA Center who have helped hundreds of students get into good schools. Even at MIT, I was with several students who had been students of the MBA Center and Dr. Hubert Silly. I even recommended his services to many of my friends and many of them have been admitted to Harvard, LSE, LBS, etc.