Unordinary candidate: Funded PhD Program?

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi guys, I want to aim high and go back to school so I am dreaming of a funded PhD program in Management, ideally focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, and the like. However I by no means am an average candidate so I would like to gain some feedback from you guys as to my reality chances and schools to look at. Here’s the scoop (forgive the length):</p>

<p>For undergrad, I finished CS/Eng at my country’s highest ranked school (per US News and QS World University). However, I had some personal issues and took almost 8 years and finished with a subpar GPA (equiv around 2.8). </p>

<p>After a while, I got a MSc in Innovation and IT at Champlain (VT) with GPA 3.52. It included a year-long research project that produced a 50+ page paper that I would like to continue working on at doctoral level.</p>

<p>I do better at tests than at GPA, I finished at top 1% at my country’s standardized test after high school, and I also had one of the top 5 scores in the country overall for Engineering on a proficiency test per field study applied to all finishing undergrads. (Manage to waive out of GRE with this at MSc), can expect to score on a similar percentile at GRE or GMAT when needed. TOEFL as well, was highest in my country when I took it.</p>

<p>However I am most interested in a program that appreciates my work experience. After undergrad I have started 5 companies, including an IT company that grew into a business technology consulting firm. It’s been 8 years now and I have led a team that has worked for over 300 customers across different industries in 8 different countries, understanding their business needs and deploying enterprise IT solutions for them. Along this time I got to work with different technologies and business use cases, like customer behavior, data consolidation, analytics, performance metrics, and innovation. Now a ‘Big 4’ is wooing me to sell them my company, and I’m thinking its a good chance to pursue a PhD. Those cases served as lab testing for my MSc research and I have an interesting grasp of a proposal I want to continue as PhD material and have means in industry to tap into the market for conducting needed research. </p>

<p>So, I am looking into US schools/programs where I can advance my management and applied computer technology studies, that would appreciate this experience over a lack of better academic records. Some interdisciplinary programs might be a good fit too (mgmt-Eng, mgmt-CS, even mgmt-social sciences…) I could get decent recommendations from my MSc professors, and trust I can convey this interest in a good SOP… but don’t know where this leaves me… don’t know what other information I can bring up to further strengthen my case -in resumes or profiles, don’t know the value for instance of unrelated yet interesting facts, like I was admitted to our country’s national conservatory at age 11, and later I turned out a music scholarship there to study engineering. I’ve been invited to speak at some conferences in different locations (US and elsewhere). Also should I address my undergrad subperformance somewhere within essays/SOP/etc? </p>

<p>A big issue for me is that I would expect to need financial aid/fellowships/funds for this program, since I can’t afford it by myself.</p>

<p>Whew… long post. So, do I have a serious chance? Do any of you know of programs that would welcome me as an asset in their entrepreneurship and innovation chapters? What schools are realistically and optimistically within my reach along something like this? If I would apply in a year or two, what would you recommend I focus on during this time to strengthen my chances?</p>

<p>Thanks for taking the effort of reading this and sharing any valuable info!</p>

2

<p>Nobody can “chance” you for graduate school beyond thinking that you probably have a chance somewhere.</p>

<p>You should read existing papers that are related to your current work/thesis, and look for professors who are doing similar research.</p>

<p>But you also need to ask yourself why you need a Ph.D. Is it your desire to go into academia as a career? If not, you may not need a doctorate to pursue your goals.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for your input. Certainly you pose a great question. Having worked in consulting for nearly 10 years, I feel a PhD is a great way to bridge my experience and applied knowledge with a more focused, research-oriented deep dive. I strongly enjoy the overlap between business and academia that consulting can offer, and after a lot of practical experience, I want to strengthen my academic research skills since I’ve been working in a few forefront business topics which I want to explore academically.</p>

<p>I will certainly look for common interests with departments and faculty, so the question was also designed to hear from others who might know of management schools or interdisciplinary programs that focus research on innovation and/or technology.</p>

4

<p>* feel a PhD is a great way to bridge my experience and applied knowledge with a more focused, research-oriented deep dive*</p>

<p>This doesn’t really answer the question. First of all, it sounds like vague mumbo-jumbo, to be perfectly honest. I’m a PhD student in my dissertation phase at the moment; a PhD doesn’t really bridge any gaps. But more importantly, a business PhD program will be interested in what you plan to use the PhD for. Just wanting to strengthen your research skills is not enough, since you can read books and purchase access to journals to do that. Do you want to be a business professor? Do you want to teach business to students? Do you want to do research in a business school, a government agency, a think tank, or a corporate environment? Do you want to improve management processes and do further investigation into what makes good business/management strategy? Do you have a particular area of interest with a burning question you want to answer? These are the kinds of things doctoral programs are looking for. They don’t just want people who want to strengthen skills or learn something; they want people who need the PhD to do something rather specific (become a researcher, in some capacity).</p>

<p>It’s also impossible to recommend management programs without knowing a research interest, since where you go will be affected by what you want to study. “Innovation and technology” are impossibly broad areas; every single business school in the United States likely has a bevy of researchers doing research on those topics. What KIND of technology and innovation? The use of mobile applications to sell a particular kind of widget? The management of hedge funds using some particular new technology? (Clearly management is not my field, but you get the picture.)</p>

<p>Honestly, simply from your two posts it doesn’t seem like you have a compelling reason to get a PhD. It just seems like you think it’s the next logical step, or that you’re not sure what else to do next.</p>