Hi,
This is the best forum on the internet. Thank you for all the help.

So I'm looking into doing an "Executive master" in a top French business school. I'm 32 years old Brazilian. I have around 3 years of relevant corporate experience. I Work in the accounting department of an Italian company, a world leader in its sector.

So, I will play "the poor guy card" here, but I come from humble's origins (low income parents, with no high school diploma), and during my teens I never thought I had potential. At 20, I moved alone to Italy to work in simple jobs. After a few years there, I realized I had potential, and while working full time I did my bachelors and masters in a "normal" italian public university. no business school in my resume. And I graduated at 29.

Fast forward a few years. I discover I'm able to do more. Now I want to go to a business school, change my career ( go to consulting or more managerial jobs). My aim is ESCP. Recently, I got 720 in GMAT, and got certified C1 level in 4 languages: English, Spanish, French, and Italian (plus I'm native in Portuguese). My goal now is build an amazing essay, and prepare extensively for the interview.

My goal is EMIB at ESCP (I know it's unfamous here), but it seems to suit me well. But i'm open to other ideas

My question: In your opinion do I have a shot in a top business school? A guy with average diploma, average job experience. But currently very determined, and dreams to boost his "late bloomer" career with a MBA (or EMIB). But, unfortunately the only "above average" achievements are GMAT and language skills.

I work full time, and an outside-campus MBA (or EMIB) it's the best fit for me.

Thank you for the help

Your situation is complex but promising. The ESCP EMIB has significant drawbacks - it's a private diploma rather than a state-recognized degree in France, contains only 60 ECTS credits compared to 120 for a full MSc, and lacks the career outcomes data of ESCP's flagship programs.
Your background is quite strong - a 720 GMAT score shows academic ability, your mastery of 5 languages at C1+ level is exceptional, and you've shown clear progression from modest beginnings through international work experience. These factors make you an interesting candidate.
For your goals of entering consulting or broader management roles, I'd recommend considering several alternatives:
The ESSEC SMIB program would serve you well through its broader curriculum, recognized qualification status, and strong consulting placement track record. The part-time format lets you continue working.
HEC Paris's specialized masters deserve consideration - they carry state recognition, attract top consulting recruiters, emphasize international business, and offer evening/weekend study options.
Several UK schools provide triple-crown accredited online MBAs that could meet your needs - Manchester Met, the Open University, and Bradford deliver internationally recognized qualifications with the flexibility to study while working, often at lower cost than French granes ecoles' degrees.
Your GMAT score and language abilities make you competitive. The key is targeting programs that directly support career switching into consulting, maintain strong career services, demonstrate solid placement records, and provide widely recognized qualifications.
This approach keeps you focused on the core question - which program will best enable your career transition?

Hi Stuart,
Thank you for your time, and all the information and suggestions. Very kind of you.
I will apply for ESSEC SMIB M2. But, the problem is that SMIB students has the average age of 23, so there will be complicated for me. However the ESSEC does not impose age limit for SMIB (as they do for MIM, < 30y). So i will try

perhaps is a gamble, but is there a chance that in the near future things change and the EMIB become a state-recognized degree? I know the possibility of state recognition would only apply to future graduates. But perhaps "past" students can request the state recognition later on? As it happens to foreigners diploma (non-eu) that aren't recognized in Eu coutries, and people must pass by a bureacratic process for recognition.

Something similar happened to SMIB https://www.essec.edu/en/news/essecs-smib-program-accredited-masters-degree/

I will have a look into your UK suggestions. I was not aware of those programs.
Thanks again

[Edited by luisgf on Nov 06, 2024]

You are looking at a wide range of options that don't fit a specific career goal. This makes it very hard for you to evaluate your options. Because of your interest is ESCP I assume that you may be considering a triple transition: industry, role and country. To change all of these at the same time and step up in salary would be best served with a full-time MBA where you'd have more exposure to your targets and more support.



What happened to the SMIB is unusual, but it's part of its evolution. SMIB was branded as Mastère Spécialisé and "Advanced Master" in international business strategy (rather than a general management MSc focussed on strategy) in two versions: full-time and part-time. The average age for the full time programme was 23. The part-time programme was aimed at executives and involved two Fridays and two Saturdays per month in la Défense, the business district of Paris.

TL;DR: The EMIB won't turn into a full-time, on-campus programme so it probably won't become a state masters.

[Edited by Duncan on Nov 07, 2024]

Are you the same person with the same profile who posted at the top of the thread? How to optimise your application depends on your goals and the school you are applying to.

Rather than viewing your work experience as "pretty average," I'd encourage positioning it as a foundation for your clear upward trajectory. The path from modest beginnings through self-funded education while working shows determination and resilience - qualities MBA programs seek. Combined with your GMAT and language abilities, this creates a compelling narrative of someone ready to accelerate their career progression through an MBA.

The key is focusing less on what you perceive as weaknesses and more on how your unique combination of intellectual ability (proven by GMAT), cross-cultural competence (proven by languages), and demonstrated grit (proven by your journey) makes you an attractive candidate. Which specific schools interest you most?