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bigtree53
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New to MBA path, need help 07 Oct 2010, 12:16
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Thank you very much in advance for your help.

I have just recently (within the past few months) changed my career aspirations and have decided to pursue an MBA. I graduated from a top 20 university with a 3.2 and with good ECs in college (sports, work, leadership which included entrepeneurship, research, publication). I had for the longest time wanted to go to medical school and as such, my experiences in college were geared towards that. I even took the MCAT this past summer. I have been working at a top Cancer Hospital since August of 2009. I worked as a Physician Office Assistant for a year and have switched to a Research Study Assistant position within the last month. This new position will offer me some growth.

I want to go to a top 20 business school with the hope of later going into a consulting or financial management career. I have been trying to switch jobs now to reflect my future goals, but that is extremely difficult in this economy and with my lack of financial undergrad experience.

What should I do now to increase my chances of getting into a good Bschool? Should I volunteer somewhere? Take courses at a local college? How long should I stay in my hospital position and do I need I to be promoted before I should apply?

I could continue in my current job and market myself to Bschools as wanting to go into hospital administration, which I do not. I know that that is something that most people would advise against or frown on, but I know that I want to attend a Business School and I know that I want to go into a career that requires an MBA. If that is my best chance of getting in a Business School, then that is what I shall do. In any case, I greatly appreciate any advice.
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bakfed
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Status:Darden Class of 2013
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New to MBA path, need help 12 Oct 2010, 10:52
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hi there, keep in mind that there's no certain path, WE, or major that will get you into b-schools. Top business schools accept people from all over the spectrum. It really matters little what your title stands for, but the emphasis will be placed more on your qualities and leadership ability. Just because you work in a hospital doesn't mean your work experience is not better than that of MC or IB. It simply means that you can bring additional diversity into b-schools and contribute in the class discussions. So instead of thinking about "increasing chance to get into a good b-school", do what you love and do what you want to do, then worry about b-school admission later on in life. If you want to volunteer, volunteer at a place where you know you'll enjoy the work. One thing for sure though is to gain leadership ability. Think about where you can showcase your leadership skill at work or in the community. What do you care about in life? Voice your opinion and advocate for something of your liking. If you believe that a local park should not be converted to a shopping mall, do something about it and take actions. These are the type of leaderships that will get you a turn-of-heads. In terms of classes, take additional business classes at local colleges is a great idea, but only do it if you're interested in it. Having said that, b-schools do kind-of expect you to understand the basics of calculus, statistics, and macro/micro-economics. So if you haven't taken these courses, it might be good for you to take these courses. In terms of how long you should stay at your current position is to your discretion. Again, there's no magic formula that says 5-year-of-WE + x.xx GPA + xxx GMAT = Harvard (or whatever b-school to that matter). You should think about when you can put in the strongest application. I'm not sure how much I've helped in my post, but I hope it can get you thinking about some of the things.