I hope you all could help me with targeting some business schools to apply to.

I'm a 30 year old female from Canada. I've been living and working in London, after completing a master in international development. My work experience includes over 5 years of working in an NGO mainly doing communications and some marketing.

I'm interested in doing an MBA to transition into the private sector. I am not sure what industry I would be looking at but something with a little more stability and career growth than I am currently on track to do.

At the same time I am planning on returning to Canada. I am not sure if it's better to do my MBA here (I know LBS is one of the top schools in the world) or look at one of the Canadian options. From what I understand from talking to my colleagues, Canadian MBA programs aren't as well established as those in the UK. So that is something I must take into consideration.

I have not taken the GMAT (yet). I know I will struggle with the quantitative section but I have plans to prepare.

I would really appreciate advice from the experts here.

Above the entry-level MBA associateships, networking is everything in Canada. Top management roles are really tightly networked, especially in the West. The only Canadian school with something like powerful careers services is Ivey. Your background will interest them, so a GMAT over 640 should be okay.

PS Give them a narrative about one of the firms that interest you and is one of their major recruiting partners. See https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/cmsmedia/359927/iveymba-permanent-employment-report.pdf

[Edited by Duncan on Aug 29, 2019]

I think you'll be an attractive applicant to Canadian B schools. I am unsure about the perception of Canadian MBA for UK audience. They would value UK MBA more.

If you want to return to Canada - assuming Toronto. Ivey/Queens/UofT/Schulich will provide a good launchpad. Depending on which company and position you want to work even Ryerson could work in your favour.

Depending on your GMAT score and money/time you want to invest in your MBA. You could be a strong candidate to top/mid B schools both in UK and Canada.

Ok, got it!! Thanks for the advice. Ivey and Queen's are definitely on my shortlist. The major issue I see with these schools is timing, since they start in January and March it would probably mean I would be aiming for 2021 to start at this point. Which is ok I suppose it just wasn't what I was planning.

Since my long term goal is for the time being to return to Canada, I take your point that I should focus on schools there. It makes sense.

640 on the GMAT I think is doable!

If you really want to push for 2020, you have a bit more time with Ivey, at the very least. I think their application cycle doesn't close until January (although you should try to get your app in well before that, if possible.)

And with Queen's, although the international application cycle has closed, you probably have at least a bit more time, being (I'm assuming) a Canadian citizen. Ask them.

That's great to know, thank you!