Profile Evaluation

You run your own business. Will that appeal to them or not?

I hope so These are my (rough) thoughts:

I am a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual. I file as a sole-proprietor, but technically I am a statutory employee. My appeal to admissions will be that I get the best of both worlds with this set up: entrepreneurship with enough corporate structure to develop substantial leadership skills. As a sole-proprietor, I have learned to run a business, meaning, with no base-salary, I hire/fire/manage my own employees with my own business revenue, manage and acquire my own clients, etc. I also started my business in a city in which I had no natural market and minimal industry experience. Within the corporate setting, I have developed leadership skills by working with directors, partners, execs to mentor and recruit young advisors. By the time I apply to bschool, I will also be managing my own team of advisors as well.

What do you want to do with your MBA? What are your goals?

I love the impact that I can have on the lives of my clients as a financial planner. However, it is relatively localized impact, meaning I help my clients and their families, but I don't have the ability to help a larger community or populations - at very least my, scope is limited. My dream is to start an impact investment firm, charitable giving foundation (venture philanthropy). I want to invest in companies/people (ideally small companies) that are looking to make a positive change (social progress, scientific progress, etc.) I see this as a way to expand on the skills I have been developing over the past 8 years and expand my scope of positive impact - if you will.

Why Stanford?

Not necessarily in order of importance:
- Focus on entrepreneurship
- They send a high(er) percentage of graduates into venture capital than almost any other school - this would be essential considering my goals. I'm guessing I need industry experience before heading out to start my own firm
- They have great opportunities to develop leadership skills (I found at least one extensive fellowship)
- Location: great place to develop relationships since I am looking to invest in start-ups and companies looking to make social/scientific impact.
- Smaller student-body - I grew up in a small town, went to college in a small town at a small school: I like that environment. I enjoy knowing the people in my cohort and building relationships with professors.
- This is a bit more esoteric and not something I would put in my "why stanford" essay necessarily - I like the focus "who is applicant" versus "what has the applicant achieved." Coming from a small town and modest means, I used to think my goal was to make a lot of money. Now, I obviously want to make enough to take care of my family and give back to the community, but my motives have changed (see above). I don't want to be in a hyper-cut throat environment where the end goal is to be a CEO of a major company. Obviously, that is not a 100% accurate depiction of other top schools or their student-bodies! However, the sense that I get in my research is: Stanford has a more cooperative atmosphere than other top schools.

Obviously getting that GMAT score is the base - and for Stanford especially the higher the better (we are talking 740+).

Yup, yup! No surprise here!

Again, with no GMAT score yet, there is only so much advice you can offer. But those are the answers to your questions!