Researching Non-Profit MBAs
Researching Non-Profit MBAs
Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:17 pm
Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:17 pm
QuoteHi all,
I found Beat the GMAT several weeks ago and have enjoyed perusing the articles and forums - so thanks to everyone for such a great resource!
I’m very new to all of this and am in the very early planning stages of my MBA journey. I’d like to do a non-profit specialization and am interested to hear suggestions on various programs.
As a background, I did my undergraduate at Penn State, majoring in Art (concentration in drawing & painting) and minoring in International Studies. I’m aware that sitting around in a studio for hours on end doing figure studies of nude models probably was not the best preparation for business school.
Also did a semester in Florence, Italy. After graduation, I worked at a small arts service non-profit for two years, in a job where I wore many hats. Now I work at the National Gallery of Art in the exhibitions department. My work experience has been largely administrative but I have learned a tremendous amount about the issues that face arts organizations and other non-profits on a daily basis. That is very much what made me want to go to business school. I feel that the arts industry needs to have stronger leaders with better business minds and practices, especially in today’s economy.
Anyway! There is a program at Wisconsin that is specifically an Arts Management MBA. It seems great, but at such an early stage I don’t want to rule out other, more general non-profit MBA programs. Berkeley’s, of course, looks amazing - but is probably a lofty goal for me (both financially and academically). I’ve done some research on these and a few other programs, but would love to hear firsthand from others who may have pursued similar programs.
Thanks in advance!
I found Beat the GMAT several weeks ago and have enjoyed perusing the articles and forums - so thanks to everyone for such a great resource!
I’m very new to all of this and am in the very early planning stages of my MBA journey. I’d like to do a non-profit specialization and am interested to hear suggestions on various programs.
As a background, I did my undergraduate at Penn State, majoring in Art (concentration in drawing & painting) and minoring in International Studies. I’m aware that sitting around in a studio for hours on end doing figure studies of nude models probably was not the best preparation for business school.
Also did a semester in Florence, Italy. After graduation, I worked at a small arts service non-profit for two years, in a job where I wore many hats. Now I work at the National Gallery of Art in the exhibitions department. My work experience has been largely administrative but I have learned a tremendous amount about the issues that face arts organizations and other non-profits on a daily basis. That is very much what made me want to go to business school. I feel that the arts industry needs to have stronger leaders with better business minds and practices, especially in today’s economy.
Anyway! There is a program at Wisconsin that is specifically an Arts Management MBA. It seems great, but at such an early stage I don’t want to rule out other, more general non-profit MBA programs. Berkeley’s, of course, looks amazing - but is probably a lofty goal for me (both financially and academically). I’ve done some research on these and a few other programs, but would love to hear firsthand from others who may have pursued similar programs.
Thanks in advance!
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Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:10 am
Well you certainly DO have a unique background, and that can be rather helpful. The question is: what is your plan? How will join your Arts experience with business? What's your goal? do you want to open a Gallery? Do you have a startup idea? Want to manage a company like Getty images? It would definitely be a good idea to link your past with your present and future.
If your focus is more non-profit, then there are a TON of amazing programs - not least of which Stanford, Yale, Haas, Harvard... (and there are many more, depending on your GMAT). Otherwise it might make sense to go to a school/region which is traditionally strong in the arts, so Columbia/NYU are logical, as are UCLA, and other West coast schools.
And don't sell yourself short even if you did spend a lot of time painting nudes! B-school is about learning. Of course if you have a great GMAT it WILL help!
If your focus is more non-profit, then there are a TON of amazing programs - not least of which Stanford, Yale, Haas, Harvard... (and there are many more, depending on your GMAT). Otherwise it might make sense to go to a school/region which is traditionally strong in the arts, so Columbia/NYU are logical, as are UCLA, and other West coast schools.
And don't sell yourself short even if you did spend a lot of time painting nudes! B-school is about learning. Of course if you have a great GMAT it WILL help!
_________________
Jon Frank
Harvard MBA, 2005
Founder and CEO, Admissionado
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