Mr. NFL Team Analyst

Hi Mr. NFL, this is Kristen from MBA Prep School! Your academic and GMAT stats are definitely in the ballpark for your target programs, and your current role is eye-catching and unique. The Admissions Committee may wonder why you left consulting to begin with and why your stint at that firm was relatively short, especially since you now plan to return to the industry. Since you made a career change after only a year and a half, make sure you illustrate your thought process on making this professional decision and the impact you had in shorter periods of time at each org. It will also be important to showcase you have done your research on how these programs will help you achieve your goal (I’m sure you are familiar with Sloan’s Sports Analytics conference, it makes it an obvious top choice for you)!

Hi, it’s Nisha from mbaMission. You’ve got a fascinating job in a coveted industry! I’ve spoken to more and more people lately who want to get their foot in the door in the business of sports, and you’re there. More importantly, it sounds like the impact you’ve made has been high. Your academics are solid, and I love how you’ve been paying it forward as a mentor.

You’re targeting a list of very competitive schools, so given that it is expected to be a tough year for admissions, I’d expand the list a bit – I recommend adding Michigan Ross and Duke Fuqua as well (terrific sports scenes!). In general, the way to maximize your chances at the schools you apply to are to: 1. fully communicate your professional and personal impact 2. get excellent recommendations that attest to your performance and potential, especially vs. peers. 2. Dig into the motivations behind your career goals (what do you hope to do in both the short AND long-term, and what type of impact do you ultimately hope to make in the sports/entertainment industry based on what you’ve experienced/observed so far?) and 4. make a strong case for why each program is a fit for you based on its culture and resources within and outside of the classroom. Best of luck!

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. You have a very interesting background and work experience that I think will stand out at all of these schools. Your stats are impressive too and I like how you’ve explained that ST goal post-MBA. I like to see that you’re paying it forward trying to help others land good jobs in the sports industry. Make sure in your essays that you’re very clear why your ST goal is what it is as well as your LT goal (which I don’t see here). What made you leave consulting before and why do you want to go back? Connect the dots for ad-coms by explaining what skills you’ve since gained in your NFL role that you want to take back to a larger(?) consulting firm and get a breadth of exposure to many different types of organizations. I think Sloan will be intrigued by the tech experience you’ve had within the context of a sports organization. Be sure to point out specific resources there that you can’t find anywhere else. I’d say you’ll have a better-than-average shot!