{"id":44449,"date":"2019-01-11T10:00:05","date_gmt":"2019-01-11T17:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/3-tips-for-non-traditional-mba-applicants\/"},"modified":"2019-01-11T10:00:05","modified_gmt":"2019-01-11T17:00:05","slug":"3-tips-for-non-traditional-mba-applicants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/3-tips-for-non-traditional-mba-applicants\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Tips for Non-Traditional MBA Applicants"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most MBA applicants come from traditional \u201cbusiness\u201d backgrounds, that is, accounting, management consulting, sales, or finance and investment banking. However, a lot also come from non-traditional backgrounds, including engineering, computer science, healthcare, and many others. <\/p>\n

These applicants are often nervous that their non-traditional background makes their candidacy less competitive. In the majority of cases, however, that’s just not true. <\/p>\n

If you’re a non-traditional applicant, here are some tips on how to spin your experience to help make it more competative.<\/p>\n

Recognize Your Skills Gaps<\/h3>\n

Coming from a non-traditional background when applying for an MBA program does mean that you\u2019ll probably have more fundamental business skills gaps that need to be filled through your MBA experience. There\u2019s nothing wrong with that, and as long as you briefly recognize these skills gaps in your essays and lay out your plans for using your target school\u2019s resources to fill them, then they shouldn’t be an  impediment to your competitiveness. Remember, just like any other skills gaps you write about in your essays, the resources you plan on utilizing to fill them should be unique to your target school\u2019s program. <\/p>\n

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Recommended Reading: <\/strong>Highlighting Soft Skills in MBA Essays<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Showcase Your Unique Experiences<\/h3>\n

As exciting as work in finance and management consulting can be, it\u2019s safe to say that biz school adcoms that read thousands of apps each year have probably heard about every conceivable situation and challenge that can occur in those industries. As a non-traditional applicant, you have the exciting opportunity to tell the adcoms a story they probably haven\u2019t heard before. Whether you\u2019ve drilled holes beneath the ocean floor on an oil rig hundreds of miles off the coast of Russia or started a malaria prevention non-profit in rural Zambia, you\u2019ve probably got interesting, unique<\/strong> stories to tell the adcoms about how you\u2019ve used leadership to overcome challenges in interesting situations. <\/p>\n

After all, an MBA is at its core a leadership training program. Yes, quantitative skills are important, but these programs trust that applicants are talented enough to catch themselves up on these fundamental skills. What is harder to teach are leadership instincts and an ability to thrive in diverse, uncertain situations. If your non-traditional work history shows that you can do that, then it doesn\u2019t really matter if you\u2019re a pro number cruncher.<\/p>\n

When describing your leadership experiences in your MBA essays, focus on the words and actions you used to motivate and inspire others to overcome unique challenges. The more dramatic and interesting the challenge is, the more the adcom\u2019s eyebrows will be raised, and the more likely it is that they\u2019ll remember your application. <\/p>\n

Share Your Unique Goals<\/h3>\n

You wouldn\u2019t believe how many applicants we\u2019ve worked with whose initial short-term and long-term goals were: Short Term – work at a Big 3 firm, Long-Term – start their own boutique consultancy. There\u2019s nothing wrong with wanting to work in management consulting, but making that goal feel authentic, unique, and interesting to an adcom that reads about those same exact goals from hundreds of other applicants every year is a big challenge. You\u2019re essentially a very determined fish in a school of hundreds of very determined fish.<\/p>\n

Just like your experiences, if you\u2019re a non-traditional MBA applicant, your short-term and long-term goals could also be something that adcoms may not have seen before. This can be a huge <\/strong>competitive boost if leveraged effectively in your admissions essays. <\/p>\n

When talking about your goals, make sure to describe them in your own words, not words you think a businessperson might use. Adcoms read terms like \u201cvalue added\u201d and \u201cefficiencies\u201d all the time. Instead, be personal and authentic. Why is your long-term goal creative, innovative, and addressing a unique problem that you\u2019ve identified? Why hasn\u2019t someone already started a company that brings digital education to the steppes of Mongolia and the rainforests of the Amazon? Why is your company going to do that in a way that seizes on a huge market opportunity? If you tell the adcoms something new, they\u2019ll definitely remember you over cookie-cutter Wall St. aspirant #55\/500.<\/p>\n

If you can make a convincing argument for why you need an MBA <\/a>to accomplish your goals, chances are it\u2019s not too important that you don\u2019t have typical business experience on your resume. Keep that in mind as you\u2019re crafting this season’s MBA applications. <\/p>\n

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