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Volunteer Opportunities & Age

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Volunteer Opportunities & Age

by cbenk121 » Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:33 pm
Hi all,

Two questions:

1) So for the past year or so, I've wanted to get involved with a non-profit, but now with b-school looming this fall, I feel an urge to get my act together!

My question though is how might this perceived? Let's say I go in, get used to the org, then take on an initiative and find a way to reduce costs, or get more people to donate. Yay - but will this be read as "Oh he's just padding the old resume..."? Or are they glad to see any volunteering experience (though more would obviously be preferable)?

2) I spoke with a MBA counsellor the other day, and she said that people under 26 get a benefit in the application process. has anyone else heard this? I am currently 25, so this fall is my last chance to get the benefit.
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by bizschoolprep » Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:28 pm
cbenk121 wrote:Hi all,

Two questions:

1) So for the past year or so, I've wanted to get involved with a non-profit, but now with b-school looming this fall, I feel an urge to get my act together!

My question though is how might this perceived? Let's say I go in, get used to the org, then take on an initiative and find a way to reduce costs, or get more people to donate. Yay - but will this be read as "Oh he's just padding the old resume..."? Or are they glad to see any volunteering experience (though more would obviously be preferable)?

2) I spoke with a MBA counsellor the other day, and she said that people under 26 get a benefit in the application process. has anyone else heard this? I am currently 25, so this fall is my last chance to get the benefit.
Just one non profit activity near the admissions season with no earlier history is bound to create doubts. Having said that, anything is better than nothing. If you can show substantial contribution, even better. Try to compliment you "recent" non-profit act with previous out-of work acts to show a consistent involvement outside the work sphere.

People under 26 get the benefit and over 26 do not!? Sounds crazy. There is no rule/guideline like that. Don't use that consultant.

Good luck!
-BizSchoolPrep, MBA Admissions Consultant
www.bizschoolprep.com , Know what makes us different!
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by sawdle » Mon Feb 07, 2011 2:22 pm
The advice that I have received is to look at prior interests and involvements and build on that so it is not out of the blue. If you have a tech background find a way to utilize that skill, rather than getting involved with helping with the arts (forexample), etc...And I think it always helps to have volunteer work, not just when you are younger. When writing the essays you see that it helps to have things other than just work to write about!
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by mroper12 » Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:53 am
Hi cbenk121.

I agree with bizschoolprep. "Anything is better than nothing (in regards to pre-MBA volunteering)."

Therefore, if you have a desire to get involved with a nonprofit, go on & get started! You may gain personally & professionally from the experience in ways that may boost your immediate MBA application and/or in ways that are less tangible (but more dynamic) several years from now.

Thanks & good luck,

Maxwell Roper
Outreach Director
USA Leadership Corps (USALC)

USALC partners with pre-MBAs who are looking to build their consulting, entrepreneurship, and/or community-involvement resumes by leading part-time volunteer nonprofit strategy consulting projects. Visit our website to learn more (www usaLeadershipCorps org).
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by cbenk121 » Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:01 pm
mroper12 wrote:Hi cbenk121.

I agree with bizschoolprep. "Anything is better than nothing (in regards to pre-MBA volunteering)."

Therefore, if you have a desire to get involved with a nonprofit, go on & get started! You may gain personally & professionally from the experience in ways that may boost your immediate MBA application and/or in ways that are less tangible (but more dynamic) several years from now.

Thanks & good luck,

Maxwell Roper
Outreach Director
USA Leadership Corps (USALC)

USALC partners with pre-MBAs who are looking to build their consulting, entrepreneurship, and/or community-involvement resumes by leading part-time volunteer nonprofit strategy consulting projects. Visit our website to learn more (www usaLeadershipCorps org).
Thanks for all of your tips!

As for getting involved with something that related to my background, I agree to a point. In my case, I don't know. I'm interested in helping out the homeless. I came from a small town where there were no homeless. Then I moved to Chicago where I'm presented with it every day. I feel for them, especially on cold nights like tonight. But it's been a struggle for me to actually get out an volunteer - after all, I don't have any personal connection with them, my friends ignore them, and they're sometimes aggressive / smell bad. But that's exactly why I'd like to help them - they may have no personal connections, people ignore them, and they're in dire straits. I don't really care if homeless is not a sexy issue or not, just the main thing I'm interested in right now because it's all around me.

I don't know if I'm going to even apply this year - I want to go for entrepreneurship, and feel funny about going to MBA school without any serious entrepreneurship experience (such as working at a funded start-up); maybe next year!
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by Stacy Blackman » Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:31 pm
Hi cbenk121,

With regards to your non-profit interest, I would recommend you pursue this, but be prepared to discuss why you got involved and what you learned from the experience.

The remark the counselor made about the advantage of being under 26 years old is not true. There are advantages and disadvantages that both younger and older candidates will face.

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