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Profile Evaluation: Non-traditional background

Free advice from the world's top MBA consultants
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by colinporter101 » Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:10 am
Undergrad GPA: Psychology 3.3 University of California, San Diego
Graduate GPA: Cognitive Neuroscience 3.6
GMAT: 700 (Q-46, V-40)
White male, American.
Lots of extra-curricular pursuits. Rock climbing, Mountaineering.....

I want to pursue an MBA in finance, but I am concerned about my background and work experience. All of my past employment (4 years) has been in research labs and I'd like to know the impact this will have on my probability of success. I'm very passionate in pursuing an MBA, so being denied from top tier programs would be unfortunate but would not stop me from achieving my goals.

Here are the schools I am applying to. I am looking for advance on additional programs to consider.

Reach Schools:
NYU
Columbia

Reasonable:
Vanderbilt
Arizona State
USC

Safety:
SDSU
University of Arizona (Eller)

Many thanks,
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by paulsbodine » Tue Feb 08, 2011 9:57 am
Colinporter101,

One potential impact of your research lab-focused career is that business schools may assume you haven't had opportunities to demonstrate leadership. So if you have had leadership roles in your lab, you need to highlight this in your application. If you have not, then you need to be able to point to leadership roles outside of work -- in your extracurriculars and/or community work. If there's none there either, then you have a problem.

I agree with your handicapping of your chances at your target schools.

Hope this helps,
Paul Bodine
Author, "Great Applications for Business School," "Perfect Phrases for Business School Acceptance," "Perfect Phrases for Letters of Recommendation"
https://www.paulsbodine.com/
[email protected]
(858) 869-1959
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