Just Starting Out

[RC333]

Hi!

I was hoping you might be able to give me some guidance about getting an MBA and applying to business school. A little bit of my background:

Graduated from an Ivy with a 3.4 in the humanities
Have been working as a paralegal for the past 3.5 years, with increased responsibilities as I gained more skills
Several extracurricular leadership positions in college and volunteer work post-college

I recently started studying for the GMAT (I got a 590 on the first practice test, so I have a ways to go)

I had originally contemplated doing a joint JD-MBA program, but have been thinking more along the lines of consulting, particularly doing something with the government.

I know that my goals/ plans are a little underdeveloped now, but any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

[mbaMissionKate]

Hi there! Congrats on beginning the MBA journey! Good luck on the GMAT...definitely takes a lot of practice so keep it up!

If your interest lies in consulting, then an MBA is a great option. An MPP or even a joint MBA / MPP might be a good idea too if you're interested in the public sector. Give some thought to the transferable skills you've gained from your work as a paralegal. Definitely do some more research / thinking there so you can present a very logical / clear career path. You might want to check out some of these free resources:

What Can I Do With My MBA: http://info.mbamission.com/download-the ... hite-paper
Consulting Career Primer: http://info.mbacareercoaches.com/consul ... eer-primer

Otherwise, it sounds like you're on the right track. Your GPA is solid and that's great you've got increasing responsibilities. See if you can take on any leadership roles, either at work, or in extracurriculars. Also make sure (since you're a humanities major) that you can demonstrate quantitative skills....either through a high quant on GMAT, a supplemental pre-MBA course in Accounting or some other quant topic, or perhaps some additional analytical responsibilities you could take on at work?

Good luck! Feel free to reach out with additional questions if we can help along the way.

[RC333]

Hi Kate!

Thanks for all of the valuable information. I’ll be sure to review it and start working a more developed career plan.

Regarding a supplemental pre-MBA course, I had planned on taking some a course once I finished with the GMAT, as my only real quant class I took in college was statistics, and I really don’t remember much of it. Are there particular courses that are preferred to others?

Additionally, do admissions officers have preference to where the courses are taken? I’ve done some research on potential courses, and wanted to know if either of these programs would be acceptable:

http://graduateschool.edu/course_detail ... =ACCT1099E

https://www.coursera.org/specialization ... dations/38

[mbaMissionKate]

You're welcome! Generally courses that are good ones to take are Accounting, Statistics, maybe Calculus or some sort of Math for Management course, or maybe a FInance class. It's usually best to take a course where you get a grade and can provide a transcript if needed and I believe the first link you sent (GSA) will do that. Local community colleges often have this option too. If you're in the DC area (I think?) then you could check out UDC or Northern Virginia Community College (I took an Accounting course there many years back!). There are also some business schools like UCLA Extension that offer courses online, if you like that format. If you can't find an option that will provide a transcript / grade, then Coursera is a good option too.

Hope this helps and good luck!