Marketing PhD admissions committees see you as a package. You are competing against other packages for a few coveted spots. The “Profile Approach” is about seeing yourself from this angle and being able to identify your profile strengths and weaknesses.
Everybody’s package or profile has the same components:
Type of Undergrad:
Undergrad GPA:
Type of Grad:
Grad GPA:
GMAT:
Relevant Courses:
Letters of Recommendation:
Research Experience:
Teaching Experience:
Research Interests:
Statement of Purpose:
Concerns:
Other (Work, etc.):
There’s no such thing as a perfect profile, but your profile is in competition with all of the other profiles at each school you apply to. The other sections of the admission guide go into detail about each of the profile components so I don’t need to cover them here.
Here’s what will help you.
- Look at the profiles below. These are real profiles from applicants who got accepted to marketing PhD programs. (Taken from URCH)
- Write out your own profile in the same format and figure out which profiles you’re competitive with.
- Using these profiles as benchmarks, decide where you can gain most ground with the time you have before applications are due.
The big takeaway is that profiles are varied, but time is the ultimate resource. Those who decide to pursue a marketing PhD earlier in their college careers end up significantly better prepared.
Accepted: Top 10 School
Undergrad: Economics & Psychology (Double Major)
Undergrad GPA: 3.5
Grad: Finance
Grad GPA: 3.8
GMAT: 760
Accepted: Top 10 School
Undergrad: Economics & Psychology (Double Major, Top School)
Undergrad GPA: 3.6
GMAT: 710
Relevant Courses: 3 graduate-level courses
Letters of Recommendation: Strong letters from thesis advisor, lab professors
Teaching Experience: TA’d 4 classes (3 psychology, 1 economics)
Research Experience: Combined 3.5 years in medical/psychology research. 2 posters at local conferences, 1 poster at national conference, 1 presentation at national conference, 2 working papers to be submitted to journals
Other: Awarded several research scholarships/grants, research associate at public health group (current job), 2 years work experience as a computer programmer, 6 months as a therapist; volunteers extra time at labs
Accepted: Top 20 School
Undergrad: Economics & Psychology (Double Major)
Undergrad GPA: 3.6
Type of Grad: Experimental psychology
Grad GPA: 4.0
GRE: 750 Q, 800 V
Courses: Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Stats courses
Letters of Recommendation: Professors in the Masters program
Research Experience: A few publications (not first author), conference presentation, conference poster
Teaching Experience: 4 semesters as lab instructor for research/statistics course
Accepted: Top 30 School
Undergrad: Marketing (Top school)
Undergrad GPA: 3.5
Grad: Marketing MS
Grad GPA:
GMAT: 710
Courses: 6 economics courses
Letters of Recommendation: Graduate program professors
Research Experience: Research coursework only
Teaching Experience: 2 years as Marketing course TA
Accepted: Top 30 School
Undergrad: Marketing
Undergrad GPA: 3.8
Type of Grad: N/A
GMAT: 720
Courses: Basic business curriculum
Letters of Recommendation: Undergraduate professors
Research Experience: 1.5 years as research assistant. No publications/presentations.
Teaching Experience: TA for unrelated course; marketing lectures at local universities
Other: 4 years industry experience in Internet marketing
Accepted: Top 50 School
Undergrad GPA: 3.8
Grad GPA: 3.7
GMAT: 750
Research Experience: Limited/None
Accepted: Top 60 School
Undergrad: Physics
Undergrad GPA:
Grad: MBA (Marketing)
Grad GPA:
GMAT: 730
Research Experience: Solo authored research paper under review at local journal.
Accepted: Top 100 School
Undergrad: Advertising/Journalism
Undergrad: GPA: 3.2
Grad: MS, Mass Communication, MBA
Grad GPA: 3.75
GMAT: 660
Research Experience: Presentation at national conference
Teaching Experience: Combined 4.5 years at college level
Other: 20 years industry experience in Marketing and Advertising (Older applicant)