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20 Oct 2016, 23:35
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi everyone, first off thanks for having this forum available to get some advice. I am a nontraditional applicant who submitted a few apps last year and was dinged all around, except for being waitlisted at Fuqua. I got feedback saying they found nothing wrong with my app and it was strong, but others just submitted a more compelling case. I reapplied this year ED and was straight dinged, not even waitlisted. I thought my nontraditional background is hampering me but several consultants I've spoken to over the phone have said they feel I'm a strong applicant. I wanted to see what people thought of my profile and whether I'd be competitive at the schools I'm considering for round 2. Let me know, thanks!
Quick Profile/Stats:
Biology/Music Major
Undergrad/Grad: Both Ivy League schools (UG: 2.9 / Grad: 3.5 GPA)
HBX CORe: Top 10% (Graduated with honors)
GMAT: 710
Work Experience:
I was a senior researcher in a hospital for 4 years, led two independent projects, published 4 papers, managed interns, etc. Left that job in 2015 and since then have been working as a professor at a university teaching Biology classes (both lecture and lab). I want to apply my science background with an MBA to work in biotech as a product manager.
Extracurriculars/Leadership:
--Train martial arts for the last 6 years, been teaching as a head instructor of my own class for 2 years. Run a class of ~30 students and coach individual and group classes.
--Touring musician for the past 7 years as part of a professional funk band (hence the low undergrad GPA). Currently play 4-6 times a month on weekends. Have played over 600 shows, performed in 12 states, and have 2 albums on iTunes.
--Worked as a sexual abuse counselor in college for 2 years, held weekly office hours
--Alumni admissions interviewer for my undergraduate university
Target Schools:
Columbia
NYU
UNC Kenan-Flagler
Michigan Ross
Georgetown
UVA??
Thoughts?
Quick Profile/Stats:
Biology/Music Major
Undergrad/Grad: Both Ivy League schools (UG: 2.9 / Grad: 3.5 GPA)
HBX CORe: Top 10% (Graduated with honors)
GMAT: 710
Work Experience:
I was a senior researcher in a hospital for 4 years, led two independent projects, published 4 papers, managed interns, etc. Left that job in 2015 and since then have been working as a professor at a university teaching Biology classes (both lecture and lab). I want to apply my science background with an MBA to work in biotech as a product manager.
Extracurriculars/Leadership:
--Train martial arts for the last 6 years, been teaching as a head instructor of my own class for 2 years. Run a class of ~30 students and coach individual and group classes.
--Touring musician for the past 7 years as part of a professional funk band (hence the low undergrad GPA). Currently play 4-6 times a month on weekends. Have played over 600 shows, performed in 12 states, and have 2 albums on iTunes.
--Worked as a sexual abuse counselor in college for 2 years, held weekly office hours
--Alumni admissions interviewer for my undergraduate university
Target Schools:
Columbia
NYU
UNC Kenan-Flagler
Michigan Ross
Georgetown
UVA??
Thoughts?
22 Oct 2016, 04:47
Kudos
Bookmarks
ProfFunk
Hi everyone, first off thanks for having this forum available to get some advice. I am a nontraditional applicant who submitted a few apps last year and was dinged all around, except for being waitlisted at Fuqua. I got feedback saying they found nothing wrong with my app and it was strong, but others just submitted a more compelling case. I reapplied this year ED and was straight dinged, not even waitlisted. I thought my nontraditional background is hampering me but several consultants I've spoken to over the phone have said they feel I'm a strong applicant. I wanted to see what people thought of my profile and whether I'd be competitive at the schools I'm considering for round 2. Let me know, thanks!
Quick Profile/Stats:
Biology/Music Major
Undergrad/Grad: Both Ivy League schools (UG: 2.9 / Grad: 3.5 GPA)
HBX CORe: Top 10% (Graduated with honors)
GMAT: 710
Work Experience:
I was a senior researcher in a hospital for 4 years, led two independent projects, published 4 papers, managed interns, etc. Left that job in 2015 and since then have been working as a professor at a university teaching Biology classes (both lecture and lab). I want to apply my science background with an MBA to work in biotech as a product manager.
Extracurriculars/Leadership:
--Train martial arts for the last 6 years, been teaching as a head instructor of my own class for 2 years. Run a class of ~30 students and coach individual and group classes.
--Touring musician for the past 7 years as part of a professional funk band (hence the low undergrad GPA). Currently play 4-6 times a month on weekends. Have played over 600 shows, performed in 12 states, and have 2 albums on iTunes.
--Worked as a sexual abuse counselor in college for 2 years, held weekly office hours
--Alumni admissions interviewer for my undergraduate university
Target Schools:
Columbia
NYU
UNC Kenan-Flagler
Michigan Ross
Georgetown
UVA??
Thoughts?
Quick Profile/Stats:
Biology/Music Major
Undergrad/Grad: Both Ivy League schools (UG: 2.9 / Grad: 3.5 GPA)
HBX CORe: Top 10% (Graduated with honors)
GMAT: 710
Work Experience:
I was a senior researcher in a hospital for 4 years, led two independent projects, published 4 papers, managed interns, etc. Left that job in 2015 and since then have been working as a professor at a university teaching Biology classes (both lecture and lab). I want to apply my science background with an MBA to work in biotech as a product manager.
Extracurriculars/Leadership:
--Train martial arts for the last 6 years, been teaching as a head instructor of my own class for 2 years. Run a class of ~30 students and coach individual and group classes.
--Touring musician for the past 7 years as part of a professional funk band (hence the low undergrad GPA). Currently play 4-6 times a month on weekends. Have played over 600 shows, performed in 12 states, and have 2 albums on iTunes.
--Worked as a sexual abuse counselor in college for 2 years, held weekly office hours
--Alumni admissions interviewer for my undergraduate university
Target Schools:
Columbia
NYU
UNC Kenan-Flagler
Michigan Ross
Georgetown
UVA??
Thoughts?
Hey there,
Well a few thoughts. Of course any notions about why you got in or not without actually seeing your application is pure conjecture. But there are a few things that may have caused it. And I do not believe it to be your non-traditional background which is au contraire
a strength of yours.So first a question:
What are your goals? How does your career past translate into an MBA? Why do you want it? This key aspect is where many candidates fail, and the demands here are especially complex for non-traiditional candidates.
And another:
What did you improve since last year on your way to reaching your goals? I ask myself rhetorically: What happened that led now to the direct reject? PResumaly the Adcom was hoping for some improvement in one aspect or another, but didn't see it. What might it have been? Did you apply with the same GMAT?
Anyhow, potential possible problems:
- Too focused on the med sides of things and not on leadership/business
- If you are applying to Top 10 schools your GMAT is below average
- Your GPA is very problematic for Top 10 schools. To put things in perspective, HBS has a class of 1000 and accepted 1-2 people with a GMAT of below 3.0. Unless you are Dr. Magic, it won't happen.
Overall though for your target schools this time around, I think you should be able to get an admit at one if not several of them. For Schools out of Top for the most part, if you can tell the right story it is possible that they look over big weaknesses. And there IS a ton of potential in the uniqueness of your profile, if you can just make sure that it translates into a clear plan with a clear narrative.
Again, I wish I could get more into detail, but without seeing all your actual apps this far, it will be tough.
Best,
Jon
