Family Business applicant looking for admissions strategy advice

Question

I am a 28-year-old white southern male from Georgia looking for some admissions strategy advice. I attended the University of Virginia, where I studied Economics and English (3.5 GPA). After that, I did a year of community development work before returning to Georgia to help run the family business (car dealership with a several locations). Since my return, I have been involved with every facet of the company - marketing, operations, negotiations with suppliers, incentive structures, training, hiring, etc. - and have helped grow revenue from $50m to $100m over the past 5 years. I haven't taken the GMAT yet, but my two GMATPrep practice test scores are 760 and 700, so I'm expecting something in that range. I am going to study for two more weeks then take the test.

Since my background is unusual for top MBA programs, I am looking for advice on how to present myself. My goals are a little fluid at this point, which I know is not ideal for an application. I also am interested in getting a good consulting or tech job on the west coast (my fiance is from the west and wants to return) and starting a company once I have better and more diverse experience. I'd love to work for an NGO or non-profit, but aside from my year of service work with a non-profit, nothing on my profile points to this. Working with an outdoor company like Patagonia would be great, too. However, given the perks (money, responsibility), there is a chance I will return to the family business with the goal of diversifying and expanding the company, either after business school or after a stint at a consulting company.

Anyone have any advice for me? Thanks!

P.S. Also looking for good schools that would be likely to bite given my profile and likely to provide good outcomes given my goals.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

Thanks for sharing your profile. To be candid you seem to have a strong background having attended a great school and performed well while gaining some great experience working in your family business and really making impact, with those number seeming really high for a dealership business. Your career goals are all over the place and until you sort those out there really is no strategy to speak of. A strategy will need to be based off of your development goals and you have not yet been able to commit to those. Think through what YOU truly want to do in the ST and LT and pick something for the sake for the application process then I can better guide your strategy and school selection.

whitman · Answer

Thanks for the response. In the short term, my goal is to find a consulting job in Seattle or Denver. Long term goal is entrepreneurship in Seattle.

whitman · Answer

Unfortunately, after getting a 760 and 700 on the two GMATPrep tests, I have received a 630 and 660 on the first two Veritas practice tests, so I might need to either wait until R3 or wait a year. I do not want to go unless it's to a top ~15 or UW.

bryantmichaels · Answer

My experience has shown that the Veritas practice tests are more difficult than the real GMAT.

whitman · Answer

I took the actual GMAT today and got a 750, FYI, so yes, either I for whatever reason sucked at the Veritas tests or they are significantly harder.

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

Congrats that's a great score and I agree the VERITAS tests tend to be a bit tougher for many in comparison to others

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

Congrats that's a great score and I agree the VERITAS tests tend to be a bit tougher for many in comparison to others

Family Business applicant looking for admissions strategy advice

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