What are my chances? Non-traditional work experience.

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Dear Lisa,

Here are some of my stats. I was wondering if you could tell me what my chances are of gaining admission to my target schools - Columbia, NYU, UNC, USC, Georgetown.

Male - 28 - Biracial
Undergrad - University of Florida
Major - Economics
GPA - 3.33
GMAT - 710 (Q 44/ V 40)

In terms of traditional work experience I was employed as a junior analyst for a year at a top 5 investment bank in an equity capital markets execution group and I also worked for two years in market research at a major telelvision network.

My question is how I should convey/package my non-traditional experience in my application -

Since 2001 I have been the principal songwriter, lead singer, and founder of a music group that has had songs licensed by Target and MTV. I have also been featured in The New Yorker, Time Out NY, NME, The Village Voice, Spin, Rolling Stone, V Magazine, The New York Times, San Francisco Bay Guardian, as well as many other publications. I have toured the US and Europe numerous times and I have had songs played on the BBC.

I have written and co-produced 2 albums so far (both are available in major retail outlets - amazon, itunes, virgin megastore, etc) and I am currently composing my third album and living off of royalties from my previous albums and from an advance from my current record label.

I am interested in pursuing an MBA because I want to get away from the creative side of the media/entertainment industry (no longevity!) and move towards the more strategic/marketing side. I feel that the music industry is currently immersed in a quagmire and I would like to take my experience as an artist and combine it with my knowledge and appreciation of quantitative, economic, and pragmatic principles. I would like to do a dual concentration in media/entertainment and entrepreneurship.

I stumbled across an article written by a Wharton faculty member that is doing research on the music industry. He is trying to apply new models in order to get major record labels past some of the hurdles that are currently impeding music sales. I am interested in doing similar research and I would like to work in a media consulting position post MBA.

I know that my GPA and undergrad university is not exactly up to Columbia/Wharton's standards, but I was wondering if my unique accomplishments will distinguish me from other applicants. I've heard that schools often try to assemble a diverse class.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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by Lisa Anderson » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:14 am
Dear letsfreakout,

Your music career will absolutely be interesting to these schools. It is obvious you have a passion and focus for what you want to do, so let that show through in your applications and interviews. You have solid academic numbers, so there will not be a question of whether you can do the work. If you put together a strong overall package and visit these schools to make personal connections, then I think you will be fine. There are a few other programs you might research that seem to have a good reputation on the business side in the entertainment/media industry. UCLA springs to mind, but I know there are some others. Leverage your background properly and you should have positive results.

Best of luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
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Stacy Blackman Consulting

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