profile evaluation request

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profile evaluation request

by dee123 » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:26 pm
Hello,

can you please evaluate my profile. I am applying to UBC's sauder school of business full time MBA program. Can you tell me what my chances are and give me any suggestions to make my application better?

Canadian female
26 years old
4 years full time work experience since undergrad
620 GMAT
B+ to A- GPA (depending how you calculate it)
majored in philosophy for my undergraduate degree

have been working as an administrative coordinator at a health research department for the past 3 years. I have accounting experience, Human resources experience, communications experience and research experience. my position has many facets and I have received many significant raises, and responsibility expansions, but no title change type of promotions. I have also done project work on a contract basis for several previous employers. Before that I worked as a coordinator for several projects at a non-profit centre. all of my work experience is in the non-profit sector at the moment, but I am hoping to use the MBA as a bit of a career transition to move into the private sector.

for extracurriculars: I volunteer for a jewish youth group that I was co-director of for one year. i started as a participant and then worked my way up over 14 years. I was also in several choirs and won a millenium foundation merit scholarship during university.

I know my essays are really going to be key in my application since I am not the classic MBA candidate. do you have any suggestions of what to highlight or what not to emphasize in my essays?

Thanks!!!!!
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by Tani » Tue Dec 21, 2010 1:10 pm
UBC's average GMAT score is 650 so you should certainly be in the middle 80%. Your work experience has both pros and cons. The fact that you have not had a "title promotion" in three years is a concern, but committees recognize that not-for-profits are often more horizontal and don't hand ot titles that way banks do. You will have to combat this risk by ensuring that your recommenders talk about how your responsibilities and contributions have expanded in your time there.

On the other hand, your non-profit experience gives you a different perspective on the work world than that of most applicants. You will want to stress the leadership aspects of non-profit work. You will also want to highlight that your experience is in the increasingly critical health care space. As an "alternative" candidate, you want to stress those things that make you different, not try to pretend that you are the same as everyone else. Schools are looking for a broad spectrum of experiences, ideas and knowledge. Playing up your background and the insights it has given you to health care issues would be helpful.

Good luck,
Tani Wolff