Career Help - MBA? Etc.
Hello everyone,
I have been doing some research on this site and just joined because I was wondering if I could ask for some help with my career goals.
I went to college and my original plan was to do Army ROTC and just have a career in the military. Due to this goal I picked history has a major with a concentration in military history which I thought was interesting and pertinent to my career endeavors. However, by the time I completed my second year of ROTC I began to lose touch with my romanticized vision of the military, combined with the suicide of people I was friends with who were active duty military, and just the general feeling of all the "real" military people around me suffering from severe ptsd/depression. I decided that I did not want to spend years of my life and risk ending up like them - bitter, sad, and angry at the world. I have utmost respect for our military and lots of friends still in it, but I decided this path just wouldn't be for me. As such, I quit the program and basically panicked for my future and ended up hurrying up my graduation and finishing my history degree in 3 years, still finishing with a solid 3.55 gpa though.
Since graduating college I have been feeling the ramifications of my 'poor' degree choice, and have struggled to find jobs. I've worked a few different positions and currently landed a job in the insurance industry which I am thankful for. The only problem is that I want more for myself, I have high ambition, and I have been driven my whole life. I wont be happy just working a 9/5, I want a challenge. So far all my efforts to break into an industry that would make me fulfilled and proud of myself have gone without results. I have been researching for months and believe that Wall Street could present the ultimate challenge for me, and I am highly interested in the work I could be involved with. It genuinely seems interesting to me, and the idea of working with some of the best and brightest minds in a hardcore setting is appealing to me. (Yes I have more research to do though, I am aware)
So if you read this far here is my question I seek help on. I did not go to a top school. I went to Rutgers. However I did finish with a gpa within range for top mba programs, and completed it in 3 years. I was involved in some extracurriculars and held leadership positions in some. I have 'mediocre' work experience compared to most applicants but I have progressed every year for the past 3 years in terms of the sophistication of my work and leadership positions held in these jobs. If I bust my ass and ace GMAT/GRE is a top 20 MBA program a realistic goal for myself? I am aiming for 1. Columbia 2. NYU 3. Cornell 4. NYU part-time and keep working my insurance job.
I feel like getting an MBA may be my only ticket out of my current path and into something that will fulfill me and opportunities to do more technical work that interests me. Is an MBA from those schools a realistic goal? If I get in and land an internship is IBB achievable? Should I tamper my expectations? I believe in myself and I know that I can do it, but I am curious to hear what people who have already done it before think - and if you have any advice on how I can leverage my shaky background to stand a chance at making my dreams become a reality.
Thanks for reading my story.
Oh you have ambition you say,
Respect.
I wish you the best, but with your profile - except for NYU part time- you would need a 740 plus GMAT at least just to get a look in for those programs, unless you have some phenomenal Extracurriculars that you haven't told us about.
Okay thank you. I will do my best to score well on the GMAT and give it 100%. Do you have any recommendations of programs I would have a better shot with, in your opinion. Or do you think its not even worth it to go to a less than top 20 mba?
Doing part-time rarely helps you switch jobs significantly. Your story is pretty mind-boggling so maybe you need to get to the details that matter
Summary: -3.5 gpa/ finished college in 3 years if that is worth anything. -History degree...big problem -State college(but one of the better ones if you would say there is such a thing) -Ability to get a good GMAT/GRE but yet to be taken. -Decent leadership extra-curricular activities. -3 Years of work experience in insurance industry + leadership positions in work experience. - White Male
Goal: Leverage an MBA to change careers.
Question: What MBA programs should I aim for? What options do I have to make my goal of career change come to fruition?
Thanks
I found your original story to be fine. You're on the early end of work experience for an MBA. Most good candidates have 3-5 years. Rutgers is a good school and you have a 3.6 which is in range for all the main schools. You've had progress in your field as well.
My advice would be to get involved and build your volunteering and ECs. Your story shows adversity as wel. Start think of how you can craft it. Maybe get involved in wounded warriors to solidify the impact of suicide on your nascent military experience.
You need a very good GMAT though. Do that and have some uniqueness and you'll get into T15 programs. The top ones really look for blue chip people, but getting into a T15-T10 program is well within reach.
Keep it up man, you're in a good position.
-3.5 gpa/ finished college in 3 years if that is worth anything. Did that too... Can't count against you, but don't expect favors on it.
-History degree...big problem You're not on death row for it, and I know majors like this can still get top jobs. You should focus on "display your strength" and minimize time "covering your ass"
-State college(but one of the better ones if you would say there is such a thing) nonfactor. Rutgers doesn't help and doesn't hurt.
-Ability to get a good GMAT/GRE but yet to be taken. MBA schools get tons of these "able" people under 700. No proof means nothing.
-Decent leadership extra-curricular activities. -3 Years of work experience in insurance industry + leadership positions in work experience. I think that's good as long as you can spin it + prove it. You also need to compare that to the overall applicant level.
-Goal: Leverage an MBA to change careers. What career do you want? MBA seems but really doesn't give you too much time to decide.
-Question: What MBA programs should I aim for? What options do I have to make my goal of career change come to fruition? I strongly believe that everyone should aim for the best MBA, i.e. Harvard/Stanford/Wharton for start. Whether you actually go to those places is a different story. There's a lot of learning to be gained from that ambition. I applied to HBS 2+2 in my senior year. Rejected but great lesson though.
Please read my AMA from my profile too. What "options" do you mean in particular? any dimensions about it?
I agree that a t20-25 would be very doable.
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