Dear after15,

You do not have to be from a certain industry or profession to be a competitive applicant for business school. Most programs try to have a diversity of experiences from degrees to work experience to geography. I think you have some interesting aspects to your profile, but you are correct that a GMAT in the 700s will put you in the best position. If you score over a 650, then I think you might still be competitive. For tips on identifying schools, I encourage you to visit our sticky on school selection.

Decisions are based on more than a GMAT score and GPA, so it is important to have well-written essays, good recommendations and a strong interview. You appear to have career progression and should have examples from both your professional experiences and extracurricular activities for your essays. In the next year, you should focus on preparing for the GMAT to get the highest score possible for you. You can also get involved with an organization in the community to have a more recent experience.

Good luck,
Lisa