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Profile eval- female, government/health management

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GabyGaby
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Profile eval- female, government/health management [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 01 Dec 2012, 12:01
Hi Mili,

I would really appreciate your comments of my profile.

PERSONAL INFO:
- Female from South East Asia
- Education: pharmacy school in my home country (GPA 7/10); master of public health in the US (GPA 3.5)
- Work experience: 6 years in public policy and healthcare management
- GMAT: 690 (49Q; 34V), AWA 5.5.

WORK EX: (highlights)
- Led the development of several government regulations in pharmaceutical system of my home country --> Deeply involved in the decision-making & policy-developing processes of the central healthcare system
- Effectively represented the gov authority in international negotiations with other countries (including the US)
- Improved efficiency of the organization through reforming key operation processes
- Reported directly to top leaders in the government department of health

DISADVANTAGES (self-assessment):
- Quite-intangible achievements
- Management experience: mostly projects other than persons
- mediocre GMAT 690 after... 4 times! ( ) ; average GPAs 3.5 from non-US undergrad and from non-Ivy grad schools
- Age: 31 - above the average in top schools

EXTRA CURRICULAR
- College: school's student government; president of the class (100 students)
- Throughout college and career: Participated and led several "mobile clinics" - providing free health exams and medicines to disadvantaged people in isolated villages

CAREER GOALS:
- post MBA: healthcare consulting firms; established NGOs in healthcare
- long-term: head a social venture in Asia to address health management issues in developing countries

TARGET SCHOOLS
HBS, Wharton, MIT, Haas, Yale, Duke...

QUESTIONS
1. Already took GMAT 4 times (550 -> 650 -> 660 -> 690, AWA 6, IR 7/8). Would the Adcoms (and You) think I'm crazy/immature if I retake the GMAT the 5th time to break 700 (strongly believe I can do so this time )
Or should I instead try to submit to 1-2 schools in R1 (it's pretty late already ) and count on luck in R2?

2. Are the above schools all long-shots to me?

Thanks so much for your time!

Originally posted by GabyGaby on 15 Sep 2012, 10:53.
Last edited by GabyGaby on 01 Dec 2012, 12:01, edited 1 time in total.
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mbaMissionMili
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Re: Profile eval- female, government/health management [#permalink] New post   16 Sep 2012, 11:12
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Hello,

You've got a really interesting and non-traditional profile that I think you can leverage as your strength. You've done a pretty good job breaking down your profile - academics are average, professional experience is very interesting/unique and I actually think it's very strong. Government work/policy-making is very much about multi-stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and consensus-building, so you'll have lots of stories to showcase these strengths. Project leadership is great, and often involves informal people leadership, so don't discount that experience. I think there are two big gaps in your profile: 1) lack of multi-dimensionality (you don't have a lot of post-college extracurricular or community activities, and the ones you do have are all healthcare-centric). You want the ad-com to see that you're more than just a healthcare rockstar :) and 2) Why bschool? One of the big questions I think you'll get given your experience level, deep subject matter expertise and career goals is : do you really need an MBA to achieve your goals. I think you're going to have to think hard about your story there and how an MBA fits in.

I think that if you can beef up your profile to show a little more balance (are you a runner? dancer? soccer coach? artist? something to show that there is more to you than just healthcare passion/expertise) and also showcase leadership outside of your professional work (think through your personal stories/experiences), then you might have a shot at your target programs with your current scores. Still, these are tough programs to get into, so I suggest adding some safeties to your list!

Regarding your GMAT: I'd suggest you don't retake it. Obviously you have to make the final call, but taking the GMAT more than 4x does seem somewhat excessive/stubborn. Plus a 690 is not so far from a 700 that a 5th test seems warranted. I know it's tough because obviously a 700+ score would improve your chances, but five tests is a lot...! I'd use the time to focus on putting together the strongest application you possibly can with the foundation you've already built.

I think you're well positioned if you can address the two concerns I mentioned. Best of luck!!

Mili


Mili Mittal
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GabyGaby
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Re: Profile eval- female, government/health management [#permalink] New post   17 Sep 2012, 10:43
Hi Mili,

Thanks very much for pointing out interesting suggestions for me. Can I have another follow-up question?

Outside my profession in healthcare and government, my biggest hobby is in fashion, styling and modeling. And it seems I'm not so bad at that - some pictures that I modeled (for fun) were posted here and there in local magazines. I also love classical dancing (tango, waltz, etc.), have won first place in some competitions and used to teach dancing for college students.

But I thought I can only put those info in the "additional info" in my resume because they don't contribute or have any linkage to my professional experience and career goals. You don't think so?

Many thanks!
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mbaMissionMili
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Re: Profile eval- female, government/health management [#permalink] New post   18 Sep 2012, 22:23
Expert Reply
You are correct that they should go in "additional info" or "personal" section of your resume, but that doesn't mean they can't be used for essay topics and/or interview responses. Showing your multi-dimensionality is very important!

Good luck,
Mili


Mili Mittal
Senior Consultant
https://www.mbamission.com

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