Marketer Moves to Consulting Through the Cambridge Judge MBA
How she got into her top choice school despite self-doubt
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Patricia got into 2 international schools with $28k in scholarships
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Before MBA Protocol
The bulk of my experience has been in social media at a digital marketing agency that specializes in B2B companies in the tech sector. I also had a 5-year tenure as a marketing manager at a business services company and that’s when I started considering an MBA – I had a general understanding of my role in growing the company but lacked the tools to transform my marketing area into a growth engine. I knew an MBA would help me close the knowledge and skills gaps that I’d noticed over the years. I wasn’t strictly sure about what role or career path I wanted for my future, but I did know I wanted to grow.
Why MBA, why now
I like that working in a marketing agency allows you to see a variety of customers and helping them solve different problems. Post MBA I would like to expand on that and go into consulting. It seems like a natural extension of my current experience and what I hope to gain from the MBA.
While I do have a business background from my undergrad (I majored in Marketing), an MBA will help me strengthen those foundations and provide a stepping stone for me to approach consulting firms with confidence and a solid set of skills and experience from the consulting projects I will participate in during the MBA.
Why MBA Protocol
The “call to adventure” philosophy really resonated with me. It helped me reframe this journey full of uncertainty that I was about to embark on into something to be excited about.
I knew I made the right choice because I knew I could count on anyone in the team for whatever I needed.
The community we ended up creating in our cohort was incredibly supportive; it was genuinely one of the most enjoyable things about this entire process.
The work we did together
I had to dive deep into my personal and professional history, which helped me own my story and become more confident when telling it, knowing that I have as much a right as anyone else to pursue an MBA and to earn my place in a program.
I was of course nervous for the interview portion of the process, but knowing what makes me uniquely me and what I can bring to the table helped me navigate the anxiety. I mentioned earlier that I wasn’t sure what I wanted my career to look like on the other side of the MBA, but this journey really forced me to weigh my options and not only make up my mind but see the exact way forward.
During the process, I spoke a few times one on one with Heather, and she truly has an incredible ability to see you. She helped me connect the dots on aspects of my personal history that I later used in my essays, and I came to respect her opinion to the point of taking a leap of faith when she asked me to and submitting a particular application in round 2 after weeks of agonizing over it. She never for a second doubted that I would make it, even if I myself did at times.
MBA Admission Results
I got into Cambridge Judge Business School, my first choice, with a Cambridge MBA Distinction Award and an invitation to become a Forté Fellow. I’m also now a member of Wolfson College. It still doesn’t feel real. I think it won’t become real until the first day I’m actually on campus.
I also got admitted to Rotman Business School at the University of Toronto with a scholarship. I had 3 other schools in my roster: one of them rejected me, and I didn’t end up applying to the other two once I got an offer from Cambridge in December.
Advice to other pivoters
If you take this seriously, it’s possibly one of the scariest things you’ll ever do. You’ll question everything you thought you knew about yourself. At multiple stages, you’ll probably wonder why you’re doing this to yourself (especially when subjecting yourself to the GMAT multiple times like I did). You might want to put if off until you finally feel ready. Don’t wait.
Patricia’s Success Statistics
- Cambridge Judge Class of 2028!
- Pre-MBA: 9 years of experience in social media marketing
- Post-MBA goal: Management Consulting
- Admits: Cambridge Judge, University of Toronto, Rotman
- Scholarships: $28,000