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Matteo, MSc, ESADE, Jan 2018, Student of the Month

Matteo, MSc, ESADE, Jan 2018, Student of the Month

Meet Matteo, an international individual from Belgium who has proficiency in three languages: French, Italian, and Dutch. He has his own family business, Ditta Graceffa, and has been a part of that ever since he was in school. He currently works as a sales marketing officer there. From Belgium, it was not that easy for him to go abroad, brush up on his skills, have more international exposure, and get the education to grow in his career developing the family business. But when Matteo decided to go for an MBA, he talked about his situation with Dr Hubert, and even though he had very little time, he made it to the Master of Science at ESADE, one of the best European schools. Let's dive into his preparation journey below!

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I am Matteo and I work as a Sales Marketing Officer at Ditta Graceffa – a family business for the past year. Prior to this, I worked as an entrepreneur developing an E-commerce business model in the fast-paced virtual reality environment. I’ve been deeply interested in business and have worked for my family business since my school days dividing time between school and work.

What prompted you to apply for an MS in Global Commerce?

I come from a very international family where we speak three languages at home: French, Italian, and Dutch. After having completed my Master of Science in Human Resource Management, I wanted to have more international exposure and also focus on strategy before coming back to Belgium and taking care of the family business. I had several master's programs in mind such as a Masters from ESSEC, ESEP, Bocconi, etc. But my main aim was an MS in Global Commerce that takes place between three business schools: University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, Lingnan University in Guangzhou, China, and ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, I earned an MS in Global Strategic Management and a Certificate in International Management. I never believed that it would be possible to get into this exclusive program as they accept only one in eleven students and getting into the program was one of the highlights of my life.

What did you find the most difficult in the application process?

I started my preparations with the MBA Center in the month of March when the deadline was a month away. The most difficult part of the entire process therefore was time management. Fortunately, I got great support from the MBA Center who provided me, private teachers, to help me prepare for the GMAT. I managed to get 660 in my GMAT, which is the minimum score required by ESADE for this type of program.

What is life like at ESADE?

Located in Barcelona, one of the five greatest cities in Europe, the quality of life at ESADE is the highest standard. With great teachers, world-class facilities and an intense work culture, the program itself is very intense yet unique in its outlook. The tie-up among three schools makes the program a unique one in itself.

What would be your advice to someone applying for an MBA program?

I would consider myself very lucky as I have been successful in my endeavor even though I prepared for GMAT only for a month. This is a highly unadvisable approach as getting into a school like ESADE requires better preparation. Belgians are not very keen on education abroad. As such it was a stroke of luck that I found MBA Center when I did.

What I would advise other applicants is to prepare in advance. Give yourself six months of solid preparation time. Apart from that, I would also like to suggest that applicants get in touch with the MBA Center. I have seen their professionalism and commitment to the success of their students and recommend their services highly.