Advice on schools

Question

Hi Guys,
I am thinking of places to submit my application.

I am definitely interested in Darden, Sloan and Owen
Also considering applying to Harvard, Stanford and Georgetown.

Just took the GMAT yesterday and scored 760, 50 Quant and 44 Verb.
I have 2 bachelors degrees.
BS in industrial engineering 2005 GPA 2.3 (didn't take school seriously)
BS in Math 2008 GPA 4.0
Lived abroad for 17 years growing up and speak 4 languages: English, Arabic, French and Spanish. I'm an American citizen though.

I have been a teacher for 3 years so I have no business experience but in my applications I have explained that I want to be a headmaster at a private school after getting some consulting experience.

Do you think I am a viable candidate or is the absence of business experience going to take me out of the running?
Thanks for your time!
MAtt

method · Answer

You're targeting consulting experience in what industry, education or business?

mattfrommorocco · Answer

business.

I know of 2 headmasters that are friend's of my family, who are wonderful men and great leaders. However they were both let go over the last 2 years. They lead the school's academics and discipline very well, but were not taking the school in the right business direction.

I also have 2 new colleague in our school administration who have been a HUGE asset to us. They are dynamite and they both worked in the private sector for a number of years before coming to work with us. I have talked to both of them at length and they have both suggested I work in business consulting for a few years if I really want to run a school someday.

method · Answer

Cool, I dig it. I think you're definitely a viable candidate, but your app is gonna be a bit like dynamite. Use it right, and you can move mountains. Use it wrong, and it'll blow up in your face. I would not sell business consulting as a stepping stone to headmaster as the centerpiece of your goals essays. Sell consulting on the value/interest of consulting.

For school selection, if you're serious about consulting I think you should change up your school list. Drop HBS, Stanford, and Sloan for Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, and Ross for starters.

For school selection, if you're serious about consulting I think you should change up your school list. Drop HBS, Stanford, and Sloan for Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, and Ross for starters.

mattfrommorocco · Answer

OK I will definitely look into that.

Do you mean that I shouldn't say I want to be a headmaster? Just talk about wanting to do consulting?

method · Answer

A lot of schools have essays on short and long-term career goals, and you could mention it in the long-term section. The problem is that its akin to applying to law school and saying you want to be an author one day. No matter how true it is, I think it actually creates a distraction in your application compared to a pure play that sells consulting all the way through or education all the way through.

Have you done any research on education pioneers or broad residency? Both of those programs put business managers into public education -- which is actually the path I'm pursuing. You can make a very linear goals statement by saying that you've been a teacher, now you see the value of business skills in education, you're committed to bringing those skills to underprivileged communities, and someday you'd like to run and expand your own school.

mattfrommorocco · Answer

OK that makes sense. Can you recommend anything for me to read on broad residency or pioneers in education?

mattfrommorocco · Answer

Wow I have been reading about the broad residency program and it looks awesome! Thanks so much for that!

method · Answer

My pleasure! You'll notice from both programs that they tend to populate the same types of organizations: progressive city departments of education (NYC, Chicago, DC), and high performing charter schools (Achievement First, KIPP, YES!). Looking at some of those charter school websites will help as well.

mattfrommorocco · Answer

So are you applying for Broad Residency immediately following B-school or are you planning on doing something else for a couple of years?

mattfrommorocco · Answer

And btw I am applying to Booth and Kellogg now. No Wharton though, my wife does not want to live there :-)

. I'm keeping Darden and Stanford because of their dual MBA/MEd programs and I'm keeping MIT because I love math and have always wanted to go there :-)

.

method · Answer

I'll be seeking an internship through Education Pioneers and then returning to Kansas City where our public education system is a hot mess. As of right now, Kansas City is not a city affiliated with Broad Residency, but in 3 years time that may change.

Glad you're looking into some dual MEd programs, that's excellent! Michigan offers one in addition to Stanford. I was considering a MEd too, but decided on a MPP with a focus on education policy as my double.

Both Chicago and Northwestern place very well into both EP and BR. If your wife is open to NYC, both Columbia and NYU place  extremely  well, and most of the flagship charter school brands have significant presences in NYC. Yale is another big pipeline school to EP, as well as Duke. All of the West Coast schools place well.

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