Candidate:

Ms. Want To Make An Impact

About Me:

Senior consultant at a leading consulting firm in my country. List of my clients include large intergovernmental organizations (e.g., UN, USAID) and their funded NGOS, for which I have carried out capacity assessments and sustainable business plans. I have also worked with for-profit companies landing a 3M USD loan for a client.

Schools:

Target School: Berkeley Haas

Considering: Kellogg SOM, Yale, UCLA Anderson, Georgetown McDonough

See More Profiles For: Berkeley Haas

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: Tbilisi State University, Georgia (country)

Undergrad Major: Finance and Banking

GPA: 3.7

GMAT: 710

Age: 25, Ethnicity: White

Extracurriculars: Founded NGO 3 years ago, together with my sister and the university professor. Through this NGO, we have trained more than 50 students in rural areas as well as internally displaced people from my home-town. The trainings were mostly on leadership and social entrepreneurship. Together with the Peace Corps volunteers, led sessions on leadership and responsible citizenship for the group of 10 high-school female students at "Girls Leading Our World" camp.

Work History:

Title: Senior Consultant

Industry: Consulting

Company: Boutique Firm

Length of Employment: 4 yrs, 6 mos

Title: Cost-Benefit Analysis Intern

Industry: Nonprofit / B-Corp

Company: Major NGO/NPO

Length of Employment: 6 mos

Big Life Wins:

Promoted three times, from analyst to a senior consultant; Led large economic studies across the country based on which the Government is investing several million dollars to support identified sectors; Initiated and managed the first national business case competition as a pro-bono project at work which became an annual project.

Post MBA Goal:

Short-term goal – Social Impact Consulting or Strategy Management at a non-profit.

Long-term goal – Manage a leading non-profit in my country as many of them lack strategic managers (based on my vast experience working with them as a consultant).

Additional Candidate Commentary: I would like to hear your opinion regarding my post-MBA goals as it is less traditional (social impact) and how admissions committees react to such goals. Also, I am an international student from a small post-soviet country. I wonder if “too many” international students come to MBA with social aspirations and whether this puts me at a disadvantage.

Odds:

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The Experts Rate The Odds At: 25%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 25%

Hi Ms. Want To Make An Impact,
Your work through your NGO is impressive. This is Debbie Choy from mbaMission. I like that you are making a real impact with your actions. And in your day job, it looks like you are performing well too – with promotions and leading large projects to boot. To answer your question about your post-MBA goals, I think it makes sense to me. Many non-profit leaders have graduate degrees, whether they be an MBA, MPA (Masters in Public Administration), or another specialized degree. Business schools especially Haas are very welcoming to candidates coming from or interested in the nonprofit sector. That said, as you put your apps together, it’s important to explain why you are passionate about the nonprofit sector, …

Hi Ms. Want To Make An Impact,
Your work through your NGO is impressive. This is Debbie Choy from mbaMission. I like that you are making a real impact with your actions. And in your day job, it looks like you are performing well too – with promotions and leading large projects to boot. To answer your question about your post-MBA goals, I think it makes sense to me. Many non-profit leaders have graduate degrees, whether they be an MBA, MPA (Masters in Public Administration), or another specialized degree. Business schools especially Haas are very welcoming to candidates coming from or interested in the nonprofit sector. That said, as you put your apps together, it’s important to explain why you are passionate about the nonprofit sector, and in particular, what niche or problem you want to solve. Is it women’s empowerment? If so, why? Any personal stories that motivate you towards this cause? Further, do connect the dots for the reader to explain what specific skills / knowledge you are seeking at Haas. Why MBA? Given your experience, what will your Haas education teach you that you cannot learn on the job? If you can articulate this compellingly in your essays, that would be the key to your application success. If you would like to discuss your profile in more detail, feel free to schedule a 1:1 consultation with us. Wishing you the best in your MBA journey!

3 years ago Read the full review