ratch3t21 wrote:
Hey Jon!
Was hoping to get your input on my profile. I'm a bit early, planning on applying next year, matriculating Fall 2016, 4 year WE upon entry.
School List: HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Tuck, Kellogg, Yale, Haas
Short term career goal: Management consulting at MBB (+Bridgespan) for 2-4 years post-MBA. I want to use my MBA to make a career transition from education to consulting and use consulting as chance to grow professionally/gain credibility before re-entering education.
Long term: Joining EdTech startup / CMO / NewSchools Venture Fund / Broad Center to focus on increased availability/access to high-quality Pre-K programs & potentially sports and nutrition to address childhood obesity
Post-Grad
* 740 GMAT (Q50, V40) 8 IR, 6 AWA. 3.38 GPA from USC ('12) in business (a bit low)
* Master of Arts in Education Policy & Administration (3.9 GPA, if that matters)
* 2 years of Teach For America (unique experience; male Pre-K teacher) - achieved >1.5 years of growth in my students who began the year below grade level - essentially making up the learning gap while heading up multiple parent engagement events at my school. Had to create my own assessment tools & tracker due to lack of such systems at Pre-K level.
* Currently Education Pioneers (EP) technology consultant for major school district. To me this was an ideal bridge to go from teaching to mgmt consulting.
Undergrad
* Held 5 internships in college with major sports organizations (NBA teams & sports agency + consulting firm) before joining TFA - might be interested in re-entering post-MBA (NBA/Nike/Gatorade) as it's an area I'm still very passionate about
* 6-month study abroad at ESADE, 2-month consulting think-tank at Peking University during college
* VP-level positions for 4 undergrad organizations. Member of 2 honor societies.
* Selected by USC to skip senior year high school & enroll early (Resident Honors Program) (1/18 selected).
* Extracurriculars: CrossFit, surfing, swimming, and yoga. Thinking about getting certified as a nutrition consultant.
Questions
1. How competitive am I for my selected programs? Any others I should consider? Major weaknesses?
2. Since I’m about a year out from applying, how should I structure the next 12 months as far as activities / essay writing?
3. Since I’m in a 10-month fellowship with EP now, does it matter if I stay on with the current client or switch to another charter school? That would make 3 employers in 4 years, but on the other hand I'm participating programs with pre-set durations (TFA - 2 yr & EP - 10mo.)
Thanks so much!!
Hey dude,
So I really like your profile! You have some awesome stuff, lots of really diverse things that don't always necessarily connect, but here it's a good thing. It gives you a breadth of character which soooo many applicants lack. You are one cool cat, and the AdComs will see that. The short of it is that I think that with great essays you are totally Top 10 material, and need not search any further.
The only real minor blemish is that your GPA is okay and not amazing. But on the other hand it aint bad either, so its not a big black stroke.
I think you have lots of great stuff between the sports internships, the teach for America, education consulting, international experience. Basically everything is there.
The only thing I would rethink is your goals. I mean you have dedicated yourself so throughly over the past years to Education and education consulting, why not continue that route? (even for MBB) I mean it makes you more unique and dedicated-seeming than your average joe who wants to go into general business consulting and comes from a good (but regular) business job.
What thinks you?