Typical B-School Applicant

Question

I've recently started the application process for entry into an MBA program for fall 2016 and have noticed schools putting emphasis on "diversity". What I wanted to ask is what does a "typical" MBA candidate look like? I'm assuming most of them come from consulting/finance backgrounds and have undergraduate degrees in similar fields. From those of you who have attended MBA school could you post some examples of people that you thought were "diverse"? I'd like to believe that my background is very atypical for an MBA candidate and am trying to gauge how much I should use it for leverage. Of course that can also present additional challenges in the application process!

EDIT: Figured I should add a few details about myself.

I am white, domestic. Nothing atypical here.
I was a PhD Physics candidate but jumped ship (after receiving an M.S. and passing the PhD qualifying exams). Decent school by the way, not top 10.
I eventually jumped to an actuarial position where I flew through the preliminary exams (5 in a year). I could be credentialed by the end of the year if I chose to be.

jz4analytics · Answer

Diversity can mean many things. Some you can't control - ethnicity, nationality, sex - but some you can. The industry you're coming from and the industry you plan to go into might be more important than your college major (though I'm sure different schools weigh these differently). For example, right now admissions seems to be hard on finance types because there are more people coming from finance than there will be jobs in the next few years. If you're a finance guy being compared with other finance guys your chances are going to be tougher. Some schools, such as Stanford, Columbia, Duke, and Yale, are heavily pushing research into social enterprise and there are fewer applications going into that field. Others schools just seem to have a "type." At Dartmouth they are looking for team players, nice guys, who want to work in groups and help each other out. Chicago Booth attracts more academic types, people who work independently, make their own schedules, and have high GMAT scores.

dtse86 · Answer

From what I can tell, school admissions "classify" people based on a few categories: ethnicity, citizenship, employers, university history/degrees, and career interests. The adcom is looking for diversity across all of those and depending on the admissions officer, you can get grouped into a pool in any one of those areas.

A good gauge to see what a "typical" applicant or student at a school looks like, would be the class profile. Many times it'll show the college majors and professional background of students in their newest class. From what I've seen, there's a lot of people from consulting, finance, banking, accounting, and engineering applying to business school. If you're an actuary I'm sure there's a few actuaries that have applied and some that will be applying.

I think there are pro's and con's of being from a "typical" b-school background. Admissions like people from certain employers and backgrounds with "typical" career goals because it is a known variable. They know what to expect from the student and that their career goals are realistic (they are employable). The downside is that many people from the "typical" background are also highly qualified and ambitious and so if you get grouped in among them, it may be more difficult to stand out and impress the adcom.

Everyone's unique in their own way and you just have to make sure you aptly portray that to the adcom to help you stand out. It can be a hobby or a passion, or maybe even a unique travel experience. This is where the essays help people from a "generic" background. :gl

!

!

PolarCatastrophe · Answer

Wonderful responses. Thanks for taking your time to write them.

I think the main difficulty I'll be facing is how I can tie together my experiences. Obviously I did not start a Physics PhD to later move on to an MBA nor did I transition to actuarial with thoughts of an MBA in the future. Do I believe those past experiences have value? Of course. Can I realistically tie those to getting an MBA / future goals? Not as much. I'm very confident in my academic abilities (GMAT, GPA, etc), but I'm worried I'll get roasted for not knowing I wanted an MBA at the age of 11.

dtse86 · Answer

I don't think you need to worry about showing them that you've "planned" on getting an MBA this entire time. There are plenty other career switchers that are looking to use the MBA to change both their function  and  their industry.

I think you'll also find that other people with non-related advanced degrees are looking for an MBA. There's even a program at Cornell dedicated to those types of people (see Johnson's Accelerated MBA program aka 1-year MBA).

Just make sure your story is true and honest and that you can link some "relevant' experiences to the new career you're looking for. A good way to do that is to first do the research to determine what your new career requires by talking to a few people. It'll give you material to fill in the question "Why an MBA?" and show the adcom you're serious about this.

jz4analytics · Answer

I agree with dtse86 - MBA programs are good for career switchers. Yes, you  could  come from McKinsey and expect to go back there once the MBA is finished, but if every student had that profile the whole business school experience would be quite dull. I think it's more important to make an argument for your potential post-MBA career (they want you to be employable). As for what you've already done, it would be helpful if you could demonstrate leadership skills, community services, and the like. Although it's not directly related to "business," adcoms love people who played on sports teams - history shows that this is predictive of future success. Extracurriculars do matter.

On a side note, aiming for 10 or 11 schools is way too much. As I said earlier, every program has it's own "feel." Once you start doing some more research you'll realize that some fit better for you. Most schools want you to argue "Why  us ?" (rather than only "Why an MBA?"). Consider why one program excites you more than a different one with similar rank (Harvard and Stanford are very different experiences). Applying is costly and time consuming - put in the effort only if you can write that stellar essay.

PolarCatastrophe · Answer

I basically did a quick sort through schools that interested me with little knowledge of what their cultures were. I'm sure that my list will be skimmed down a few schools over the next month or so. Application cost doesn't bother me given the opportunities that could arise from $250. In the grand scheme of things that is money well spent. You are right about applications being time consuming hence the reason I've started the process so early. I don't think allotting 3 weeks per application is unrealistic as long as I've honed in on what my message should be.

I agree that each application should be tailored to the specific school and I'm glad to hear that there is a lot of emphasis on "What will you do with this MBA" rather than "What have you done beforehand". I realize the goal of these MBA programs is to put people in the field that will represent them in a good light.

jz4analytics · Answer

I think most everyone here will agree that more than 5 or 6 schools is too many. I've really gotten a feel for narrowing down schools after months of reading and reflecting. (One of my managers at work whom I asked advice from said he only applied to two MBA programs... that might be a little risky, but 3-5 seems to be the norm). Admissions wants to see genuine essays and convincing interviews (and you want to be happy there, too). I recently axed Chicago Booth from my list once I realized that the environment isn't what I want right now (though it's perfect for many).

Also keep in mind that most schools have three rounds of admission and the first two are, generally, equally competitive (though you might want to tackle HBS in the 1st round). You can always apply to your 2 or 3 choicest picks in R1, wait to see if you get into any, and then submit for the rest in R2 if you need a "backup."

Happy researching.

Typical B-School Applicant

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards