Meet Our Bloggers: Michelle, The Non-Traditional Applicant

May 01, 2013 :: Admissionado Team

Our second blogger, Michelle, proves that there’s more to a bschool class than a bunch of bankers and consultants. And should she play her cards right, her non-traditional background can get her across the finish line, waving her hands in the air as she does that victory lap.

Age: 25

Nationality: American

Field: Education and the social sector

Admissionado Consultant: Mark Lellouch

What do you want to study in bschool?
Social enterprise, general management

Pretend I’m the adcom. Yup, that’s me sitting at that giant mahogany table, reading your essays by candlelight. Why are you getting an MBA? Why do you want/need one?
I’m at a critical point in my career, and a MBA will provide an invaluable foundation for my progression. I’m looking to strengthen my strategic and analytical skills.

What are your biggest fears for the MBA application process? What challenges do you think you’re going to face?
In my profile, I’m concerned about my GPA, which is lower than desired.  In general, I’m concerned about balancing all of my commitments with the time necessary to craft a strong application.

What are you most excited for on this journey?
Between studying for the GMAT, school visits/research, essay writing, interviews, etc., this process has been and will continue to be a ton of hard work. I’m most excited about seeing the realization of that work — getting that acceptance call and knowing that it was all worth it.

What are your post MBA goals? Both in the short and long-term?
I’d like eventually take my business knowledge and bring it back to the social sector.

What is your biggest weakness?
I’m often reserved when I first meet new people.

Sweet. Now, what’s your greatest STRENGTH?
I’m highly driven and will do what it takes to get the job done.

What does your PERFECT day look like? Like, if you could do aaaanything in a 24-hour period without consequences, what would it be?
I would spend the day sitting on a beach, surrounded by friends and family, reading a good book, and then eating a great meal.

List your all-time favorite website to waste time on during the work day.
Beat the GMAT or  GMATClub. Since I started this crazy journey in pursuit of an MBA, I’ve become obsessed with these sites and reading posts on the forums.

What’s your best tactic for handling stress?
Listening to music

Who’s your business hero? Who do you look up to? And why?
Geoffrey Canada, the CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, a community-based education organization, which New York Times Magazine called “one of the biggest social experiments of our time.” I love the idea of taking a small idea and creating something completely innovative and surpassing all expectations.

So far, what has been the best resource for you for MBA-related info?
Chatting with current MBA students and recent alumni.

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Michelle will be kicking things off with Mark this week, so come back on May 15th to see how it all goes down.