Hello there, I’m Duong. I did my MBA at the W.P.Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Class of 2019. It was the #25 MBA Program back in my days, and I had a full scholarship.
1. Background:
I had always wanted to do an MBA since I graduated from college. My education journey was mostly free of charge, as I could only afford a U.S. education with the help of financial aids. I went to Secondary School and Junior College (high school equivalent) in Singapore on a government scholarship, and then I went on to college on a college-based scholarship too. Back in the days, I did not have much financial assistance from my family to study in the U.S., plus it was during the recession phase of 2009, so getting financial aid was tough. I was admitted to a few high ranked colleges, but I ended up going to New Mexico Highlands University, of which rank I don’t think existed. But the programs were affordable, and I was given a small scholarship, which was the main reason for my choice of college.
However, going to a small college in a small town was not all that helpful to land a high paying job, and I soon realized that as my fun college days came to an end. So after graduation, I started to plan my MBA route immediately for 2 main reasons. Firstly, an MBA from a prestigious institution would open up many doors for me later in life, career and professional relationships. Secondly, I wanted to come back to the U.S. to bring my family to nice places I had been to. So I started the application process 4 years early, and that helped tremendously.
After doing a lot of research, I saw a path that would take me to a good MBA program. As a candidate from a small college, I would not stand a chance to get into a top graduate program as I would be competing with other candidates from top tier universities, who went to popular companies, which further improved their chances of getting into those programs. I figured I had to be very deliberate and strategic in my early career choices, either it has to be from a top company, or something nontraditional that tells a really good story that could convince the recruiters of my contribution to the program.
2. The preparation & application process:
I spent around 4 months working on the GMAT to get it out of the way. My score of 730 was decent enough, and it was around the 96th percentile back then. The average Harvard GMAT score was 720, so I figured that my score was good enough. However, I failed to land a job at top tier consulting firms, so my option was to go with a nontraditional career path that could lead me to a good MBA program in the most convincing way. I ended up working at an NGO which helped protect endangered animals. Diversity would often be welcomed, and my experience working at an NGO would add values and unique perspectives to the experience of my peers in whichever graduate program I would go to.
And there it was, after working for around 2 years, I had a good enough profile to land a spot in a top MBA program. By then, ASU was doing a second batch of an MBA program that would sponsor 100% tuition fee for all MBA candidates, something that shocked the education system in the U.S. altogether. I figured that was my opportunity, so I applied early in September to maximize my chances. And it was a recruitment process like no other. Apart from the usual information declaration, the question given for my statement of purpose was: “If your life was a music video, what would it be like,” and I was pleasantly surprised with how this program was being so creative in their selection process. I told a really good story and got through the application screening process. The second part was the interview, which was a case interview like those in consulting interviews. Since I prepared for consulting interviews intensively in the past, I had no trouble getting through the interview, and was admitted by January.
3. The Experience:
The MBA program at W.P.Carey was an experience that if I had to do it again, I’d probably do it the same all over. It broadened my perspective in all aspects, be it work, philosophy, human relationships, or life in general. My graduate school experience is probably different from others, which were commonly portrayed with a lot of parties and gatherings and filled with relevant chemicals. My program was a tough program academically, with the professors extremely willing to help the students integrate as much knowledge as possible, with in-depth knowledge in the field that was unmatched by others. I met and worked with professional students from all walks of life, with varied backgrounds and perspectives. I made friends, burned bridges, had fun, and in the process, I found not only knowledge, friendship and connections, but also a deep sense of self. I figured out who I was, and who I wanted to become in the future.
4. Life after MBA:
My concentration was Supply Chain Management, the field that my MBA program ranked #1 in the U.S. I was in it for fame and money. However, life got tough again after Trump became president, and after having 2 job offers rescinded for being an international student, I decided to head back to Vietnam. I did not get to use my specialty in Supply Chain Management afterall, and I am rather thankful for that because I am now in an industry that suits me much better and helped me grow tremendously as a person. I got into Garena Vietnam and was in charge of operating the biggest MOBA mobile game in Vietnam: Liên Quân Mobile after I got back. Had I not been through such a rigorous MBA program as that in W.P.Carey, I don’t think I would be up for the job. The skills and knowledge that I acquired through the MBA program, despite not being technically relevant, offered me an excellent business mindset and framework to perform well in my job in tech and gaming. I am now in a good phase in my life, doing what I love, learning and improving every day, and being paid for all that. To me, the MBA was hands down a life changing experience.
5. Advice for aspiring candidates:
If you are looking into an MBA program, you should go for it. Here’s a few helpful things that you might want to consider doing early:
Consider your priorities: The MBA program is a major dedication in terms of time (1 - 2 years), resources (tuition and living expenses) and efforts (networking, skills developments). However, it would open up many doors for your career path in the future. Also, that means a lot of changes. It is helpful to consider your resources and weigh the risks against the benefits of the MBA, and see if that is the way for you. For this, you might want to speak to a few MBA who are willing to share their experience on how their priorities shifted during and after the MBA.
Start early if you decide to pursue an MBA. Good MBA program is quite competitive, as other MBA candidates also prepare extensively to beat the competition for a slot in the program. See how you compare to other typical candidates at the program you want to pursue, and prepare yourself in a timely manner. If you are a few years short of the average candidate at the MBA program of your interest, you might want to do so, and starting early will give you the upper hand.
Get help: If you are not aware of the best way to become competitive for an MBA program, talk to ex-MBAs. Sometimes a lot of insider information is not disclosed on websites or in forums. Plus you get to network with exMBAs from those programs, which also shows recruiters you did research and actively reach out to exMBAs, indicating your serious interest.
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