Interview with an RoadToMyMBA, a B-School Applicant and Blogger

This interview is the latest in an Accepted.com blog series featuring  interviews with MBA applicant bloggers, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look at  the MBA application process. And now†¦introducing our anonymous blogger, RoadToMyMBA†¦ Accepted: First, can you tell us a little about yourself? Where are you from? Where and what did you study as an undergrad? What is your current job?   RoadToMyMBA: Hi, Im a 26 year old financial consultant from Brazil. I have a BA degree in international relations from a private university here in my city and Ive also studied economics for 3 years in another university but did not obtain this second bachelor’s degree since Ive put my registration as on-hold. I currently work for a Big 4 consulting firm in the corporate finance area. I work with valuation, MA and long-term fundraising projects with companies of various sizes throughout Brazil. Ive been working here for about 4 years and right now Im a Senior Consultant. Accepted: Where do you plan on applying to b-school?   RoadToMyMBA: Im planning to apply exclusively to US MBA programs and right now Im narrowing my choices, but they are between Tuck, Stern, Darden, Fuqua, McCombs, Kenan-Flagler and Kelley. I know its a lot of options but its a hard decision, especially for me that cant travel to the campus and to the best MBA events in USA. Im doing my best to make the right choice. Accepted: What attracts you to the U.S. programs, as opposed to other top schools in Europe or Asia?   RoadToMyMBA: When I was younger (15 years old to be precise) I had the opportunity to live in the USA for one year as a high school exchange student. Since then, Ive thought to come back and live in the USA for a longer period. Another important aspect is how well renowned the American universities are in business education. Im looking forward to studying with some bright students and world-class faculty. Accepted: What stage of the application process are you up to so far? What has been the most challenging step and how did you work to overcome it?   RoadToMyMBA: Im pretty much in the beginning of my application. I truly believe that I will only be able to apply in the second round for all MBA programs Ive chosen so far. The most challenging step so far is the GMAT. I did my first GMAT test two weeks ago and scored a low 560. Right now Im back to studies since Im planning to retake the GMAT in mid-November. Accepted: Do you plan on staying in your current industry post-MBA, or changing to a new field/career?   RoadToMyMBA: I would like to change my career to work in the financial sector, such as investment banking or private equity more precisely. Since I work as a corporate finance consultant, the change will not be very hard. At least that is what I think Accepted: Why did you decide to blog about your experience? What have you gained from the experience? What do you hope others will learn?   RoadToMyMBA: The main reason is to help others in the same situation as me (professionals coming from emerging countries that want to do a top notch MBA abroad and needing some help in the process). The other reasons are to help improve my communication abilities in English and to make me relax a little bit during the whole process. For one-on-one guidance on your b-school application, please see our MBA Application Packages. You can read more about RoadToMyMBA’s b-school journey by checking out his blog, Road to My MBA.  Thank you for sharing your story with us – we wish you loads of luck! Related Resources: †¢Ã‚  Which Schools are Good for PE/VC and VC-Backed Entrepreneurship †¢ MBA Applicant Blogger Interviews †¢Ã‚  Financial Aid   Health Insurance for International Students