MBA Application Essay
To Whom It May Concern at Questrom School of Business Admissions;
The kindled pilot flame of my ten-year quest for a traditional master’s in business administration has been reignited into a roaring blaze with my discovering of Boston University’s Online MBA Program.
With my aunts stressing the importance of a graduate degree, I began my freshman year in 2008 with continuing education as the goal, and by junior year I was on the hunt for a program that would accept me straight out of college. But as a result of tumultuous circumstances, cross-country and international moves, and various professional endeavors, graduate school grew more distant with every passing year. Until it was 2016, and I had plateaued. My mentor told me to do “something big” to get out of it, and after much deliberation I decided that meant it was the perfect time to take on my life goal of getting an MBA. Or so I thought, until I brought it up to him.
“Take the money you would spend on an MBA and invest it in your own company. I got an MBA, and I can personally tell you it has not helped me in my career. You are better off going into business for yourself and you will learn real business lessons, in real time; a Real-World MBA.” Is what he advised. I decided to listen to my mentor, and my journey for my “Real-World MBA” began.
What was born as an air-conditioning service company, turned into a journey to self-fund, launch, and establish an on-demand home services platform in my home country of Panama. It was terrifying to not have any prior knowledge or exposure to the tech industry or e-commerce, but this is what attracted me to it. I scoured the internet, devoured business books, and audiobooks, reached out strangers, and in 11 months after starting my project I launched the Android and iOS apps I had developed in India. Along the way I switched to a job that gave me time to dedicate to my company, and picked up any side jobs to make extra money to invest into the app. Including stints at managing an office building, an entry-level marketing position, and any air-conditioning service jobs I could get. I learned something with every wall I hit, and it has turned out to be a wonderful experience, of profound highs and lows. By experiencing firsthand every segment of business, that I otherwise never world have touched, my platform, Hecho (means “Done” in Spanish), has and continues to, shape me as a person and allowed me to develop an impeccable business acumen.
But as I progress on my quest for a “Real-World MBA”, I have realized it can also include an actual one, thanks to the flexibility and content of Questrom’s Online MBA. The program aligns perfectly with my life because it would give me the opportunity to continue to progress professionally, work on my entrepreneurial endeavors, and pursue an MBA, all at the same time. It is worth mentioning that being a Massachusetts native who grew up abroad, the weight and prestige of the Boston University name rings heavy in my heart.
I am also well acquainted to online work, thanks to finishing my undergraduate degree online, and working remotely for my current job. Whilst working full-time as a manager of an HVAC store, I went back to school after a four-year sabbatical to finish my senior year, having graduated from Colorado State University-Global Campus’ online program. I found that not only did I flourish with the autonomy I had to do the coursework on my own time, but I often would get to implement what I was learning firsthand because we would be covering a theory in the course that fit perfectly with what I was dealing with at work. It also gave me the confidence to lean into my passion for autonomous work, and I have been working remotely for the past two years for a capital and logistics firm.
I am excited and hopeful to be a part of this program. I am grateful to have waited this long to pursue an MBA because I know I can take the most from it now than I ever could in the past. I may not know what the future has in store for me, but I do know a Master’s in Business Administration from the Questrom School of Business at Boston University will help me get there. Thank you for your consideration.
Warm regards,