Unconventional work experience to top MBA? Is it possible?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

<p>First of all, I truly appreciate any time you spend looking over this and responding. I'm a semi-unconventional profile for B School - in the sense that I lack corporate/F500 work/elite fin or consulting work experience, so I'm desperately seeking constructive input.</p>

<p>GPA - 3.78 (magna cum laude), in double major, a science + one of the humanities
School - Elite, top 10
Testing- took the GRE, 165 V and Q (90-something percentile, equivalent to 750 GMAT)</p>

<p>Work experience:
1) research assistant at top B School (i.e., Kellogg/Booth/Haas/Sloan equivalent), ghost wrote (and credited for) several case studies used for seminar on inventory management for tech companies, TA for class on supply chain management - 1.5 years
2) worked for grad student I met at said B School (he founded a start up, hired me) - marketing/strategy. 1.5 years
3) Founded online commercial real estate consultancy with friend (13 months, up to present)</p>

<p>Extra curricular:
Mentorship for college bound at risk youth
intern analyst at (not name brand) geopolitical strategy think tank</p>

<p>Extras: have recommendation from the full, endowed prof at the top B School that employed me - VERY kind and enthusiastic letter.</p>

<p>I am considering: Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, MIT, Northwestern, UChicago, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke. I am an alum from one of those schools, and worked at the other.</p>

<p>I plan to do MBA/MA in international affairs or public policy.</p>

2

<p>Yes, definitely possible. They actually like unconventional profiles.</p>

<p>In terms of hardest to easiest to get in to:
HBS & Stanford GSB
Wharton & Sloan
Kellogg, Booth, CBS, Tuck
Fuqua</p>

<p>'Though in terms of opportunities, it’s more like:
HBS & Stanford GSB
Wharton, Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, CBS, Tuck
Fuqua</p>

3

<p>Dual degrees–MBA and MA? Do you plan to do these at the same time? Have you checked to see which of the MBA programs that interest you might offer this combination? You might find a joint program at Harvard–Kennedy School (public policy) and HBS. If your interest in IR is strong, look at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Many of the graduates of SAIS end up at the World Bank or the IMF. You could look at MBA programs that offer a global focus–for example, Duke Fuqua or Georgetown McDonough. Also look at the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tufts–it has joint programs with other universities that might allow you to purse studies in IR and business.</p>