Calling all NON-TRADITIONAL applicants!

No non-trads out there?

Hi Skah-uh,

I assume by non-traditional you are referring to your education and work experience. I am not an applicant, but a consultant. However, I have greatly enjoyed working with non-traditional applicants over the years and have had great success with them. The secret is to understand what management and leadership are about and then identify how your non-traditional experience relates. Non-traditional applicants can be very desirable because they bring a unique perspective to the classroom. On the other hand, they have to more carefully explain why they are leaving their current background to pursue an MBA. These are questions you can best answer for yourself. There are some great books out there, especially Richard Montauk's "How to Get into the Top MBA Programs". Montauk's book has examples of successful essays to multiple schools including many from non-traditional applicants. Keep in mind the schools are looking for some one who can both benefit from and contribute to the MBA experience. Thinking in those terms can get you on the right track.

Tani[/i]

Second the reply above -- can't overemphasize the value you bring to the program. You need to show how the student body at large will be better off/progressed by the experience you bring. B-schools like to have diversity of experience in their students to allow people to learn off one another. As a non-trad, it will be important to show how your experience will uniquely address a key learning area/gap in the student body makeup.

Good luck!
Aveek Guha, President, www.mbadaycamp.com

Non traditional applicant checking in. I'm working right now on articulating why I want an MBA and why I want to change career paths at this time. I know my reasoning, but I clearly need to articulate this in a compelling manner. Having graduated with an english major and a spanish minor, I've also got to prove to them that I can do the quantitative work.