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Nonprofit profile

by Bazz126 » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:43 pm
Hello,

I'm applying (first round) to Darden, Fuqua, NYU, Columbia, and Texas (Austin). I think I have an interesting profile, but wanted to get your thoughts, since these are all competitive programs.

GMAT:
- 650 [Q37 V42]. I know, guess I'm a poet...

Education:
- BA, Economics, from a good public university
- 3.6 GPA
- received the school's top merit-based academic scholarship (one of 25 selected from my entering class)

Extra Curricular/honors:
- Captain of Division I athletics team in college, received athletics scholarship
- two different fraternity chairs held
- lots of community service leadership
- 3 separate academic scholarships
- Volunteer now in a soup kitchen and for Junior Achievement

Work:
- have worked in the nonprofit public policy sector for 4 yrs as a fundraiser (for two well known public policy think tanks; 3.5 years at one, 6 months at my current job)
- have moved through the ranks and excelled in this field; job entails lot's of strategic planning, marketing, and pitching large donors and prospects on a variety of projects
- have great recs from former bosses

I have a more elegant plan that I'm focusing my essays around, but long and short of it is that I want to get my MBA as preparation for running my own policy-oriented nonprofit. GMAT is of concern, but I'm hoping that my undergraduate academic credentials and good marks in Calculus and Statistics might allay some of the quant concerns.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Gracias,
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by essaysnark » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:54 pm
Hola Bazz126 --

Yes, there's lots to like in that profile - and yes, you're right to be concerned about the GMAT, at least for some of the schools on your list.

Unclear if you're proposing to launch your nonprofit straight out of school (got a little confused with your "long and the short of it" remark). Columbia in particular on this list would want to see a real plan. If you've not done anything entrepreneurial before, that might be a concern for them. It could also be an issue for some of the other schools, but the degree to which they react to this will vary from program to program. If you're going to do something else straight out of school as preparation for launching the nonprofit as the long-term goal, it might be easier for these schools to buy into this.

Stern is a great choice as they are really expanding their nonprofit/social venture type focus lately. BUT EssaySnark is still concerned about that GMAT score for them. The good news is they are open to having someone submit an application and indicate a future re-test date, so if you're committed to Stern and want to have a real go of it, that would be a strategy we'd recommend.

Your GPA is above average and Columbia in particularly is fond of good students. However, good grades in calc and stats in college aren't going to necessarily overcome a lower quant on the GMAT since college was awhile back for you. Darden also might be a question mark - they're known as one of the most academically rigorous schools. You likely have a shot at all of these but you're right to wonder about the GMAT. It's likely going to come down to your essays, for you more than most, given this marginal score.

Wondering why Yale isn't on this list? Or potentially Ross? It's sort of a random collection, frankly... we can see the logic partially but not completely. Care to shed some light on your thinking around school choice?

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by Bazz126 » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:23 pm
Thanks for the prompt response. Didn't want to overwhelm with my entire post MBA plans. Just to clarify, I don't want to launch NP right out of school. Seeking the general management for the long term non profit plan, and entrepreneurship exposure so that I can get a job with an international nonprofit focused on grooming and investing in top entrepreneurs in developing countries. Would then pair this international experience with my policy experience and focus my own org on addressing public policy issues that hamper entrepreneurship in developing countries.

TX has a public policy focus, Darden is in state and has a great entrepreneurship focus that they're building on, NYU for the reasons you stated, Columbia b/c of the NY connection and good international network. I cut and pasted without mentioning round 2 schools, which will be Yale. They have a wonderful program for what I want to do.
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by Jon@Admissionado » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:43 pm
Hey there Bazz,
Well, it looks like you have a nice profile. Your real years of non profit work will definitely give you a boost over what your profile would be if you had something more "generic". If you can additionally show that you are one of the best in your field, i.e. that you have years of great non-profit work, it will be very helpful too. Your GMAT as pointed out is statistically a bit low, but I think given your profile, you easily "Rank" higher than your GMAT. If your NGO has some political involvement that would be doubly good.
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by Bazz126 » Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:17 am
Jon, thanks very much. That is good news. Yes, my think tank is politically involved (in issues and policies) both internationally and in the US. We have a great impact, but is there a way to highlight the political involvement without sounding too partisan? Many thanks for your help!
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by PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:05 pm
Bazz,

I don't want to just duplicate what my peers have mentioned about your low GMAT.

On a different subject, on your essays try to showcase if possible more than just fundraising activities. Adcoms like to see folks who have demonstrated achievement in a number of business and leadership categories. Talk about how you have sold internally, developed partnerships, been part of strategic planning...and of course if you have been on projects that are not fundraising related, like a web site redesign, then definitely push them.

Fundraising is not as broad a business exposure versus some other areas, so try to bring in other stories from your work and extra curricular life.

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by Jon@Admissionado » Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:31 am
Well, it's business school, and you have no obligation to political neutrality. I think that as long as you show good respect for the "other side" you can openly take a side.
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by Bazz126 » Thu Oct 20, 2011 4:56 am
Alex and Jon, thanks very much. Alex, thanks for the advice re: fundraising. Thankfully, though I'm a fundraiser, I spend much of my time on strategy and marketing, so I will definitely continue to play up those angles on the apps.

Jon, that's a good point. My org deals a lot with policies that affect business, and tends to come down on one side of most issues. Glad to know that as long as I show some respect for the opposing view that won't be a bad thing.
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by throughmba » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:22 am
The good thing about the nonprofit goal theme is that they have a strong claim and gives a subtle message of leadership. I would have given importance to three aspects of the theme:

Direction,
Initiative Shown, and
Managed difficult situations

Now to show serious involvement to the extent of goal you need to show passion and "real" business experience. Fundraising can definitely be one of them. The thing which strikes my mind is how much, what level, alone or in group.

Helping develop a partnership is another lethal eye-catcher. Obviously it has its own parameters of who, what level,impact etc.

Third thing which starts jamming me when I see a nonprofit is lesser analytically ability. So you need to put this in the mind of the reader that you had been into backend stuff of analysis as well.

Somewhere you should also convince that an MBA is a must to achieve what you aim.

Going with a non profit and opting for an MBA is a challenge to convince in the sense that I must not look a career switcher if I am sticking with non-profit and vice-versa.
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by Bazz126 » Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:25 am
Thanks, Alex!
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by MBAPrepAdvantage » Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:40 am
Notwithstanding all of the great non-GMAT advice try to retake your GMAT, if possible. Although many of these schools have 20% scores around a 650, many of those spots are filled by people from underrepresented minority groups and/or from countries with historically lower GMAT scores. If you do not have time to retake the GMAT prior to applying then consider retaking the GMAT right after you submit the applications.

Some schools will take this updated score, but even so you can then submit the new score if you are waitlisted.

Best of luck,
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