Question

This is definitely a valid question that I've seen come up in BW discussions as well. As the OP alluded to, I think it applies to many career switchers. There's definitely a different types of career leaps though . . . for example, everything that I've read about PE/VC tells me that it's extremely difficult to get into regardless of what prior WE someone has. So while it's true that someone from a finance background may have a better shot, as an adcom I would probably expect that anyone with PE/VC as a goal better have a real clearly laid out and rational plan for achieving it. On the other hand, someone who's going into general management might have a easier time outlining how he or she might succeed.

Ultimately, I think it's a double edged sword, to be handled delicately. On one side, a unusual career jump, ex. journalist to investment banker, might bring up questions about post-MBA placement. On the flip side, being able to make an argument for trying to achieve your dreams while acknowledging its challenges can be a compelling reason why you should be at that particular school.

I think the future goals largely play into the so-called "applicant pool" concept. It isn't only what background you are applying from but also where you want to go. The plausibility of your goals and explanations are I think more important than the area per se'.

Every admissions person I've talked to is cognizant of the fact that a reasonable % of people they admit find out IB/MBB isnt what they really want to do after they are admitted - sometimes even after one whole year of recruiting and interning in that function. So then the question arises: why so much emphasis on goals? People have been known to change right?

This is my perspective. There are, I believe, 2 reasons they stress the goals:

(a) Clear definition of where you are going and how you want to get there indicate a great deal of lucidity in your thought process. You like a person who is raring to go out of the gate and isn't going to spend the first semester learning about post-modern influences in art (unless your goal is to become a gallery owner/book publisher).

(b) In the event that you find out that what you originally thought you wanted isn't what you wanted - you are more committed to finding out what you truly want before your tenure at the school ends. You're the kind of person who worries OK consulting/Banking isn't what I REALLY want so what should I do - general management maybe? Then you bring the same lucidity of thought/enthusiasm you brought to your original goals to your new goal and you're still good to succeed.

Take for example someone who is looking start their own project after graduation - if the only criterion was placement statistics then nearly every person who applied with a goal of beginning their own company would hit the dust.

I like this...