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What to do with time off after graduation?

post #1 of 18
1/27/10 at 3:32am
Thread Starter 
I'll be graduating in mid-May and taking up a job in July. Looking a few years ahead, business school might be an attractive or necessary option (exit opportunities may be limited).

My concern is that, despite the fact that my job is pretty good and my school is pretty prestigious (I'm also a very good standardized test taker and figure with some practice I can definitely score >720 on the GMAT), my shitty GPA (~2.7) will hold me back from getting into a good business school, even 2-4 years out of college. My top choices ATM would be Harvard, Wharton and Columbia.

So I'm wondering if anyone here can suggest anything *fruitful*, yet fun/interesting, I can do in the month I have off that will help boost my resume and make me that much more attractive to b-schools in a couple years' time. One thing is that I've never left North America/the Caribbean, so anything that I can do in Europe or Asia would get some extra points.
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post #2 of 18
1/27/10 at 3:59am
take it from me: travel, travel and travel.
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post #3 of 18
1/27/10 at 4:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by acidicboy View Post
take it from me: travel, travel and travel.
Take it from him. Or go build houses in Haiti.
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post #4 of 18
1/27/10 at 5:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by acidicboy View Post
take it from me: travel, travel and travel.

Well I'd like to. But what kind of stuff can I do that involves travelling that would also be an interesting experience (i.e. along the lines of teaching English abroad), that I can do in about a month?
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post #5 of 18
1/27/10 at 10:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftover_salmon View Post
I'll be graduating in mid-May and taking up a job in July. Looking a few years ahead, business school might be an attractive or necessary option (exit opportunities may be limited).

My concern is that, despite the fact that my job is pretty good and my school is pretty prestigious (I'm also a very good standardized test taker and figure with some practice I can definitely score >720 on the GMAT), my shitty GPA (~2.7) will hold me back from getting into a good business school, even 2-4 years out of college. My top choices ATM would be Harvard, Wharton and Columbia.

So I'm wondering if anyone here can suggest anything *fruitful*, yet fun/interesting, I can do in the month I have off that will help boost my resume and make me that much more attractive to b-schools in a couple years' time. One thing is that I've never left North America/the Caribbean, so anything that I can do in Europe or Asia would get some extra points.

A man can dream.
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post #6 of 18
1/27/10 at 10:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ConcernedParent View Post
A man can dream.

I don't think that's fair. From what I've heard, Very Good Undergrad School + Very Good GMAT + 2-4yrs of Good Work Experience = Top 10 MBA.
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post #7 of 18
1/27/10 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftover_salmon View Post
Well I'd like to. But what kind of stuff can I do that involves travelling that would also be an interesting experience (i.e. along the lines of teaching English abroad), that I can do in about a month?

Meet and entertain women!
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post #8 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftover_salmon View Post
I don't think that's fair. From what I've heard, Very Good Undergrad School + Very Good GMAT + 2-4yrs of Good Work Experience = Top 10 MBA.
They won't even process your application without at least a 3.0. Some schools are a 3.25. My suggestion is to prolong graduation and fix your GPA. But then again, MBAs are more about the certificate than the knowledge anyway.
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post #9 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:34pm
Hmmm, you have just over a month and it's kind of short notice. like your "teach english" idea, you could do something "community" orientated that will pad your resume later nicely like going to some rural country you also actually want to see and volunteering to build homes/roads, etc... You can learn some language, get to know a culture, see the sights, and look like a good guy all at once.
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post #10 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:38pm
Assuming can get a 720 GMAT why couldn't you get a 3.5 GPA.
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post #11 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:40pm
You're graduating in May? And going to work in July... I'd throw down about a grand on some good weed, maybe a little blow and take a road trip. Some poon along for the ride would have good points and bad points. Nothing wrong with picking up some strange along the way. And I am 100% serious. You are about to enter the adult zone. You will never again have 6 weeks with absolutely no responsibilities, no schedule, no dress code and no pressure. Go enjoy yourself.
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post #12 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by leftover_salmon View Post

So I'm wondering if anyone here can suggest anything *fruitful*, yet fun/interesting, I can do in the month I have off that will help boost my resume and make me that much more attractive to b-schools in a couple years' time. One thing is that I've never left North America/the Caribbean, so anything that I can do in Europe or Asia would get some extra points.

Definitely travel. It's a shame you have to do something to pad your resume...this is the last time in your life that you will be allowed to do absolutely guilt-free travel with nothing to lose. You should really just let go and go have some fun in some foreign countries.

But if you insist, an excellent choice would be to volunteer at a non-profit in a third world country, something in the microfinance sector for example.
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post #13 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroStyles View Post
Definitely travel. It's a shame you have to do something to pad your resume...this is the last time in your life that you will be allowed to do absolutely guilt-free travel with nothing to lose. You should really just let go and go have some fun in some foreign countries.

You couldn't have just done a
+1
?

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post #14 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakota rube View Post
You couldn't have just done a
+1
?


Old man still has a quicker trigger finger.
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post #15 of 18
1/27/10 at 11:52pm
^Well, in some aspects of the game, I'm sure my trigger is quite a bit slower than yours. A fact for which I will be eternally grateful.
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