Profile Eval: Non-Profit exp, 3.5 gpa, 680 gmat

[Usero Anonymo]

hello!

I'm new to beatthegmat, but from what I've seen so far, the interactions are very positive. Anyway, I wanted to gauge how competitive I might be as a candidate for some top programs. Right now, I'm looking at Stanford, Haas, Columbia.

So... my profile:

UNDERGRAD
3.5 GPA, PoliSci, UC San Diego, '04
Worked part-time.
Held multiple leadership positions in student org's.
Lots of concurrent community volunteer work
Did Summer Study Abroad program in Asia.

GMAT
First take: 680 - 83%V/77%Q
I may re-take, but just for this exercise, I'd like to evaluate my candidacy with the 680. =)

WORK EXP.
4 Yrs Non-profit Ethnic Arts Organization (in California)

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Endless list of volunteer work with the city, and with affiliates of my current non-profit employer.
After college, I did 1 YEAR volunteeer work in Asia which culminated in my co-founding of a non-profit organization. (i am still on the board for this organization)

EXTRA-CURRICS
Yoga
Photography - have exhibited in a few venues
Started my own do-it-myself arts & accessories company, with an online store.

My Goal is to start a social enterprise. And as far as essays go, I'm not too worried because I feel as though I have some pretty interesting stories to tell, and I have a lot of experience with grant writing, which calls for me to write a lot about my work's impact on communities, and future organizational goals.

Sorry for the long post. I just figure - the more info the better. THANKS!

usero

[bigeater1]

You sound like you have a very interesting background. Even with your below average GMAT score (very good score, but still below the averages of the target schools you listed), I think you sound like a great "fit" for Stanford and Haas. Your extensive, community-oriented background is a great lead-in to your goal of starting a Social Enterprise... and from what I know, their programs are perfect for that sort of thing.

Then again, I'm not an admissions consultant. =( Hopefully some of the consultants chime in, because I'm curious to see what they say.

Good luck with your applications!

[mbaMissionJessica]

Hi - I'll chime in since you asked!

I think your background is very interesting and will set you apart. You have solid academics, diverse extracurriculars that don't look scattershot but have some depth, some international (Asia) and entrepreneurial (both the non-profit and your online store) experience, and 4 years of work at one organization.

You don't state exactly what you do or how your responsibilities have grown, so I'm making an assumption that in 4 years at a non-profit (where people tend to take on whatever they can handle!) you can describe a 4 year history of increasing responsibility.

Your career goal sounds like a logical fit with your background. You'll want to show in your essays not just "interesting stories" (I"m sure you have those!) but how those stories demonstrate larger themes in your life - inititative, creativity, ability to find innovative solutions, etc - and how those skills that you have developed are transferable to the social enterprise you plan to start.

In terms of your academics, overall they're quite solid but with a slightly lower quantitative GMAT score and a PoliSci major, you may want to demonstrate to the Admissions Committees that you have the ability to excel in a rigorous quantitative environment. You can do this either my highlighting any quant classes you did well in in college, or describing any quantitative/analytical activities you do routinely at work, or by taking 1-2 quantitative classes outside of work (and doing well in them). Doing my last suggestion will demonstrate that you have the ability to do well in quantitative classes while also balancing a full workload and a busy life.

Haas and Columbia both seem like very reasonable choices for you. Stanford may be a bit of a stretch but if you write well and can place your stories in a broader context, I certainly think you should give it a shot.

Best of luck.

[Usero Anonymo]

Hi Jessica,

Thank you very much for your feedback. It was very helpful, and in fact, empowering. It's nice to hear (read) that I would, at the very least, be competitive at Haas and Columbia... and possibly even Stanford.

I have a couple of follow-up q's based on your advice... if you could indulge me... =)

As for my quant skills, I did about average in my undergrad quant classes (not particularly well or poorly), so I probably can't use that to any advantage...

1. I'm not sure if I would be able to to enroll in and finish quant classes before R1 apps are due. If I were to take classes in the Fall, would I be able to use them in my apps, even if I haven't yet received a grade for them?

2. What sort of quant responsibilities at work would suffice? I do basic accounting, heavy budgeting, and work on Excel.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your feedback.

[mbaMissionJessica]

I'm glad you found the advice helpful - I really do think you sound like an interesting candidate and someone the schools will enjoy learning about.

For quantitative classes, see what you can find online. If you're not able to find any classes (online or elsewhere) that finish before R1, don't take any unless they have find mid-terms or assignments due by then. Stating "I am doing well in Statistics at xx community college" is not as strong as "So far, across 6 weekly quizzes, assignments and a mid-term, I am getting a 3.8 in Statistics at..."

But I don't think the quant side is a glaring gap for you; more like a minor one since your Quant score and your quant grades aren't bad, they're fine. So in your case it may be sufficient simply to highlight the work experience - and yes, budgeting, budget analysis, accounting and analysis using excel are all good indicators of your quantitative ability.

You can use the optional essay as a very simple and straightforward discussion of your quantitative skills, along the lines of: "As someone in a creative field and with a poli sci major, I wanted to be sure that the Admissions Committee did not have any questions about my quantitative abilities." Then you can state that you "did well" (if you got at least a B) in several undergrad classes, repeat your 77% GMAT, and then expand on your ability to use quantitative techniques at work to drive your decision-making. The point isn't that you can crunch numbers and write formulas; it's that you can interpret and understand financial and quantitative information. Keep it to 150 words or less.

Good luck!

[Usero Anonymo]

Wow, very good information to have. It's great to know that my quant ability is not a glaring concern, but rather, a minor one that I should reassure the adcom of.

And could you give me some clarification on how specific we should be when discussing our future goals? For instance, I have an idea of what communities I would like to serve, and some possible ideas for the type of work I would like to do... but to be honest, I don't have all that much detail, yet. I mean, I definitely don't have a business plan mapped out.

Thanks again, Jessica, and welcome (you and the rest of mbaMission) to these boards. You are valuable contributors. =)

[bigeater1]

good question usero. i have entrepreneurial post-mba goals... and i'm wondering how specific i need to get with them also. of course, i'm assuming that the more details we have, the better. but at this point, i'm hoping a simple concept would suffice

[mbaMissionJessica]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Schools vary in how specific they want you to be, with Stanford, for example, asking only about the rather general "career aspirations" and Yale, on the other hand, asking for 150 words on your short term and 150 words on your long term goals. Clearly you need to be more detailed with schools like Yale than with Stanford.

I give my clients this advice: No one has ever had their MBA diploma revoked because they didn't do, five years after graduation, what they had said they were going to do in their admissions essay. But at the same time, the schools want to know that their applicants are not applying simply for the joy of learning or to escape a bad economy. They want to know that candidates have a compelling trajectory from past experience to present (why mba) to their future goals. So while you don't need to have a business plan, you do need to be able to discuss with some authority what you plan to do and how that school will help you.

We discuss this concept of Past + Present = Future Goals in more depth in our free Personal Statement Guide, which you can download here: https://www.mbamission.com/docs/mbamissi ... _guide.pdf

There are a few recent blog posts you may also find helpful:
https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2008/12/ ... bjectives/ - Contextualizing Academic Objectives, which explains how to tie your goals to the school's offerings;
https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/04/ ... nal-needs/ - Bringing Focus to Professional Needs, which guides you to how to discuss the school offerings in a more persuasive way, and https://www.mbamission.com/blog/2009/06/ ... ls-really/ - Back up Goals - really? which discusses a recent interview we did with six top admissions advisors about how career changers should address their specific issues.

I hope this helps!