*Background*
Work experience:
I'm currently a Product Manager in Internet Business in a Multinational Telecommunications company. I have 5.5 years of full-time experience, all in Telecommunications product management. The firm I work for is one of the top ones in my country, Bangladesh, and is a part of the 10th largest mobile network operator in the world. I've gotten regular, formal awards (Marketing Award for multiple quarters, Employee of the month for multiple times) at work, and my portfolio has increased with time. I can back my achievements with solid numbers.
Some career highlights
- Successful completion of 1-month international assignment & placement in HQ
- Former Management Trainee with fast track progression to Managerial role, within only 2.5 years of my career
- Project Manager for the first corporate merger in Bangladesh
- Product Manager for Facebook's Freebasics program in Bangladesh, which focuses on giving internet connectivity to the bottom of the pyramid, launching it for the first time in my country
On the side, I'm a director at my family business which focuses on government and non-profit sector consulting. I do business advisory for non-profits, and one of these non-profits was founded by an Oxford Said MBA alum. My area of expertise is "mobile tech & communications for development".
Extra curriculars:
During my undergrad I won multiple international & national awards in social entrepreneurship competitions. One of that was GSEC organized by University of Washington's Foster School of Business. My team had beat out MIT in that competition. I was also awarded by Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, for winning Yunus Centre's social entrepreneurship idea competition. I've coordinated nationwide charity drives back in my undergrad, 100+ people reporting to me.
Other coursework:
I finished MBA Math and I scored 100% in all of the MBA Math courses.
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Sex: Male
*Stats*
GRE Score:
My GRE total is 328, with a breakdown of 169 in Verbal, 159 in Quant, 4.5 in AW. I'm also done with my TOEFL with a 113/120.
Undergrad GPA:
I graduated from the best business school in my country. My alma mater has alums in top business schools all over the world, including the business schools that I plan to apply to.
My 3.13/4 CGPA (Major- Finance) is measly though, & I contracted Hep-E that made my CGPA suffer badly during my last year (4-year degree). I had the choice of postponing my studies for a year or taking a bad hit to my CGPA, & I chose the latter due to financial reasons. Anyways, even after taking my horrible fourth year in account, my last two years' CGPA is 3.35/4, so there is an upward trend there.
*MBA Info*
Goal of MBA:
Working in social impact on the side has actually inspired me to enter social impact full-time post-MBA, perhaps joining my family's business on a full-time basis, and/or starting a sister organisation to the family business focused on my area of expertise. My area of expertise, Telecommunications, is very important for social impact in my country, Bangladesh. Our internet connectivity is almost entirely mobile communications dependant.
Working in a large private organization has not given me the training I need to embark on a entrepreneurial venture or engage full-time in expanding a family business. I need an MBA to make me ready.
Target schools:
I plan to apply for the 2021 intake. My top favourite schools are- Said, Judge, Yale, Haas, Kellogg, Tuck, Johnson
My next favourites are- Stern, Fuqua, Ross, UCLA, LBS, INSEAD, Tepper, UNC, Foster, Goizueta, McDonough, Owen, Mendoza, Scheller, Rotman
I'll winnow down this list with further research.
However, I want a reality check so that I can focus on the schools which I actually stand a realistic chance at. For example, I'm pretty sure I won't make it to Yale, Haas, Stern. I plan to resit the GRE to raise my Quant, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the time for it.
I'll also welcome suggestions on schools that I may be missing out on, which are good fits for me.
[Edited by Naseef Us Sakib on May 20, 2020]
