Ms. Healthcare Focused

Quite a bike ride accomplishment! I applaud you for your hard work for an important cause. You certainly have demonstrated that you are someone likely to be involved on campus during business school, and Kellogg will appreciate that. Kellogg should be well-suited for you with your interests in healthcare and your consulting perspective as well. I had a client last year with a healthcare focused career who surprised himself in choosing Kellogg over Columbia after extensive visits, and has found it to be a great fit with plenty of industry connections, for example. Academically you’ve proven you are ready for the program. I think your area of opportunity to improve your chances here is by focusing in on your post-MBA goals. Aim to be specific and intentional with both your short term (immediate post-MBA) and long term goals– what would it look like to hold that ‘larger role in strategic decisions’… what sort of roles and companies would you target after graduation? And as much as social impact is obviously a passion of yours too, to keep your story clear and convincing you may not want to throw that in as a completely different ‘maybe’ option, unless you weave it into healthcare (which of course makes a positive social impact in a different way) and your longer term vision… in any case time spent researching, brainstorming and planning for your goals essays and interview discussions now will only pay off. Good luck! – Jen Kedrowski, mbaMission

Hi Ms. Healthcare focused, this is Donna Bauman with Stratus Admissions, first of all congratulations on your stellar background. You don’t need me to tell you that your stats are impressive and that you have accomplished a lot in your 25 years. I think all the schools on your list make sense—however as a Kellogg alum I will share that Kellogg could be an ideal choice given your interest in both healthcare and social impact. Their Healthcare at Kellogg pathway (HCAK) would be something to research. My thinking about Yale is that since you already have a connection there with your Masters of Public Health you stand more to gain by branching out—same thought on McCombs with your undergrad already at UTAustin. I’d look to the cities with major healthcare centers—so that would be Boston—where you might as well look at Sloan in addition to HBS, Chicago—and add Booth to the list also, Research Triangle Park area in NC—consider adding Fuqua and UNC Kenan-Flagler. I think Wharton is also a great option and I would look at Michigan Ross as well. I think what it is going to come down to for you is fit—you have the kind of profile that most business schools would be interested in—so I would research where you will find the community that best supports you and feels like home. I’d be happy to share more about how you can do this research in a thoughtful way if you want to reach out for a consult.