Stay at home mom's dilemma...

[hellokiwi]

Hello,

I am wondering it if is possible for me to pursue January 2011's deadline for USC Marshall.
MBA program has always been an option for me but now that my field is looking really dismal, I have decided to pursue it for good. However, I have been unemployed for a year and now I am just a stay at home mom to a 4month old. I can barely make time to study for the GMAT. I can manage a few hours before midnight and even so, I am often interrupted to bfeed the little one. I'm assuming my current GMAT scores to be around 600 based on the first practice test I've attempted awhile ago. I am hoping to improve my score at least a hundred points by November (giving myself 4 months to study). Do you think it is possible for me to meet all the requirements for the application? Also, I really cannot find anything interesting about myself given that I was never in any position that required leadership skills and now that I am a stay at home, even more so.

This post is depressing me further. Oh my...
I guess it is pretty obvious I have no confidence in this matter...

Thank you and sorry (>_<)

[Tani]

Hello Kiwi,

If you get your GMAT up to 700 that would be a tremendous help. What is your undergraduate degree? GPA? Where and how long have you worked. GMAT is only one (admittedly very visible) piece of the application process. Will you have strong recommendations from former employers? Have you done anything interesting in the community while home with your baby?

If you do decide to go for it you should seriously consider getting help from an admissions consultant, one who can help you see what you do have to offer and put your achievements in the best possible light.

You also need to have a clear picture of why you want to give two years of your life and $100,000+ to an MBA. Do you need it? Do you want it? How badly? Will it make a difference to your career and why? Actually, one good exercise would be to pull down the applications for a few top schools and take a look at the essay questions. If you can answer them clearly you will be able to articulate why you should get an MBA and what you want to do with it.

Lots of applicants these days are unemployed. Schools don't have a problem with that. They will, however, look for evidence that you have not been vegetating and that you have had a business career in sight all along

Try making a list of all your good attributes and all the great things you have done in your life - personality traits, work projects, volunteer work, awards, activities. Get all the good things about you down on a piece of paper. That will give you a picture of what you have to offer while building your confidence. You need confidence in yourself before you have confidence in this decision.