Hi there,

I intend on applying to business school for fall '14 and am having trouble finding a school that will be a good fit for my background and future goals.

A little about me - I studied fine arts (music) in undergrad and ended up pursuing the admin/management side of the industry, spending 6 months interning in operations with a major symphony orchestra before landing my current job as an admissions and student services associate with a non-profit educational institution.

I am most interested in an MBA for two reasons:
1. My current career path is aimed towards an upper-level managerial position with an educational institution or performing arts organizations (general manager, dean of students, director of admissions are a few that come to mind), and I feel like an MBA will separate myself from the field and expedite this ascent.
2. I have always maintained a strong interest in finance and business, and would like to explore this area more seriously and keep the option open, possibly considering a complete career-path change altogether.

With that said, does anyone have recommendations of strong MBA programs that:
1. Look for unconventional candidates
2. Might allow me to pursue multiple concentrations such as finance and non-profit management (kind of a paradox, I know!).

College GPA = 3.6
Work Experience = Admissions/General Administration 1.5 years
Anticipated GMAT = 650 - 675

Thanks in advance!

Take a look at Shortcut to find the best US MBA www.find-mba.com/board/36065

The top ten schools with concentrations in both and a GMAT below 650 (needed to balance your low work experience) are these: http://business-schools.findthebest.com/compare/82-155-159-262-282-293-335-360-417-423/Louisiana-State-University-Baton-Rouge-Ourso-LA-vs-University-of-Utah-Eccles-UT-vs-St-Louis-University-Cook-MO-vs-DePaul-University-Kellstadt-IL-vs-Tulane-University-Freeman-LA-vs-University-of-North-Carolina-Charlotte-Belk-NC-vs-Texas-A-And-M-University-College-Station-Mays-TX-vs-Case-Western-Reserve-University-Weatherhead-OH-vs-University-of-Massachusetts-Boston-MA-vs-University-of-Massachusetts-Amherst-Isenberg-MA

Scroll all the way across the page for details.

Considering your age, I would focus on LSU, Cook and Tulane.

Another option would be to do dual degree MBA/MA programs that are offered jointly with schools of fine arts - Wisconsin offers probably one of the best programs in the country but I doubt your competitiveness there with only 1.5 years of work experience. There's a 3-year program at Illinois State that might be worth looking at.