Which direction would you choose?

[summerofsomething]

Hello good people. I'm looking for feedback as I dive into grad school research and applications--still early in the process so bear with me.

 

I work in business development for a media company, and my undergrad is in journalism from a private arts school. I could ultimately see myself running a large non-profit organization like Ford Foundation, NPR, Planned Parenthood etc, or possibly programs within the UN (aim high, right?). I have substantial volunteer experience on top of the media/arts background and participated in a Fulbright summer program (I've been out of school for a few years). 

 

I've looked into the backgrounds of people running these types of organizations and many seem to have law as their advanced degree. I don't think that's right for me, so I'm considering an MBA (social entrepreneurship focus) or MPA. Pending a good quant score on my GMAT/GRE, I have a 3.6 GPA so I'd like to apply to top schools like everyone else. Anyone with experience in these programs or similar goals who can weigh in? All opinions welcome. Thanks in advance!

[Sigaba]

 

Hello good people. I'm looking for feedback as I dive into grad school research and applications--still early in the process so bear with me.

 

I work in business development for a media company, and my undergrad is in journalism from a private arts school. I could ultimately see myself running a large non-profit organization like Ford Foundation, NPR, Planned Parenthood etc, or possibly programs within the UN (aim high, right?). I have substantial volunteer experience on top of the media/arts background and participated in a Fulbright summer program (I've been out of school for a few years). 

 

I've looked into the backgrounds of people running these types of organizations and many seem to have law as their advanced degree. I don't think that's right for me, so I'm considering an MBA (social entrepreneurship focus) or MPA. Pending a good quant score on my GMAT/GRE, I have a 3.6 GPA so I'd like to apply to top schools like everyone else. Anyone with experience in these programs or similar goals who can weigh in? All opinions welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

 

If your goal is to work outside of the Ivory Tower, I strongly recommend that you think long and hard about not patterning yourself after those who are the Powers That Be in the organizations where you see yourself ultimately working.

 

Based upon working in the private sector at three different vastly firms (a software R&D lab, an engineering consultancy, and a management firm) , it has been my observation that

• hiring decisions are increasingly driven by apples to apples comparisions,
• the initial rounds of the hiring process are tasked to HR types who are looking for round pegs to fill round holes,
• firms, both for profit and not for profit, have a 'just in time' approach to project work so they expect new hires to hit the ground running,
• companies are less willing to think about the ways different skill sets and experiences could ultimately help, and
• the bottom line matters to the Powers That Be in ways that do not necessarily make sense to others.

In my view, the sensibilities described above were taking root in the early 2000s and have really flourished since the global recession.

 

To be clear, I'm not saying that you should not forge your own path or that you cannot make it work down the line.  I am simply saying that there's an increasingly entrenched conventional wisdom that you may encounter once you hit the job market.

[Zorah]

Lots of people running nonprofits have law degrees because the legal field is over saturated with attorneys and people have to work somewhere. Get a MPA or MBA in nonprofit management. There is no need for a law degree.