Is a stellar career necessary to get into GS?

<p>It seems that a lot of people who are admitted to GS have had stellar careers and interesting lives. There are a lot of former performers, athletes and the like. Is this a requirement?</p>

<p>I've been an IT professional who has had a run-of-the-mill career. The dot.com bust got in the way of getting amazing positions. My heart not really being in it didn't help. Is it still possible to be admitted?</p>

<p>FWIW, my GPA is an odd mix of a 4.0 at community college, very high grades at a middle-tier school and decent grades at highly selective schools. My life story is also somewhat interesting and unique.</p>

<p>It’s definitely not a requirement to first have an epic career. Having leadership experience may make an applicant competitive, but you can have leadership experience through other means, such as volunteer work, being an officer in a school club, taking on a project at work, etc. You don’t need to have worked on Wall Street. </p>

<p>If you show that you had a good job with good grades and have a story to tell about your life, then you should have edge. Make sure you mention in your essay about why GS is good for you NOW and also your future, how it’ll help you achieve your long-term goals, and what are very specific parts about both the GS core and program you’re applying for that you find attractive. Your grades, recommendations and work experience matters, but your essay will be your time to shine and give all of those other documents more meaning.</p>