Ask Clear Admit: Can I get into a top MBA program?

WSO is excited to have the experts from the Clear Admit team on board to answer applicant questions in the business school forum.

We encourage all of you to check out their great resources:

1) Clear Admit has been providing MBA admissions consulting services for over 10 years.

2) Clear Admit focuses its consulting services exclusively on the MBA admissions domain.

3) Clear Admit counselors are former admissions officers and MBA graduates from the top MBA programs.

4) Clear Admit has been featured in the WSJ, Economist, Forbes, BusinessWeek and more.

5) Clear Admit has a full library of popular e-books that have been applauded by applicants and admissions officers alike.

This thread will also be used by Clear Admit to answer any questions you have about their services. Can you get into that top MBA program? Drop your stats in here and see what the experts have to say!

Good luck to everyone applying to business school!
Patrick

 
Best Response

Thanks for the warm welcome to the WSO community Patrick!

We're thrilled to offer our expertise here. Feel free to post your questions about MBA admissions and we'll do our best to offer prompt replies.

As a means of background, my name is Graham Richmond and I am a former MBA admissions officer from the Wharton School. I also completed my MBA at Wharton. As such, I have seen the admissions process as an applicant, a student and an admissions officer. I have also counseled hundreds of successful applicants to Harvard Business School, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, MIT, Chicago, LBS, Columbia, NYU, INSEAD (and more) over the last 10 years.

For more information on my profile: http://clearadmit.com/graham

Best of luck to everyone who is contemplating the pursuit of an MBA from a top program!

Regards,

Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham, thank you for joining WSO and I believe your advice is extremely valuable to us - as a recent University graduate just joined work force, i'm eager to receive some bschool advice from you

Some stats about myself:

graduated from top 5 university in Canada, specialized in applied math and stats, has leadership experience CGPA: 3.9/4.0, CFA Level 1, GMAT(not yet taken but testing result at 770)

currently role: on a 2 year rotational program in wealth management(great senior leadership exposure, small project management, and client facing roles in some rotations) in top 5 Canadian Bank

has volunteer work

Purpose of getting into b-school is for a career change(consulting post bschool), and complement my quantitative background.

What are your suggestions in terms of improving my chance of getting into MBA business schools ">M7 ? Is this realistic for my background?

Thanks!

 
Flying Chen:
Hi Graham, thank you for joining WSO and I believe your advice is extremely valuable to us - as a recent University graduate just joined work force, i'm eager to receive some bschool advice from you

Some stats about myself:

graduated from top 5 university in Canada, specialized in applied math and stats, has leadership experience CGPA: 3.9/4.0, CFA Level 1, GMAT(not yet taken but testing result at 770)

currently role: on a 2 year rotational program in wealth management(great senior leadership exposure, small project management, and client facing roles in some rotations) in top 5 Canadian Bank

has volunteer work

Purpose of getting into b-school is for a career change(consulting post bschool), and complement my quantitative background.

What are your suggestions in terms of improving my chance of getting into MBA business schools ">M7 ? Is this realistic for my background?

Thanks!

Hi Flying Chen,

I'm a Senior Admissions Consultant at Clear Admit and happy to answer your question.

You do appear to have the raw ingredients to be competitive at M7 business schools. Per an earlier post of mine, you'll want to focus in the following areas to improve your candidacy: -Demonstrated success at work - promotions and compensation increases are the strongest indicators. Also, developing project management and people management skills and accomplishments. -GMAT - generally want to set a goal of at least your target schools' average gmat score with relatively even percentile weighting between verbal and quant sections. A 770 score will help differentiate you from the applicant pool.
-Extracurricular involvement - leadership positions or other consistent involvement. Ideally linked with the extracurricular activities you were involved with during college. -Research and refine your career goals. In addition to a short-term career goal of management consulting, you'll want to think about a long-term career goal as well (10-15 years post-MBA).

Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi guys,

Firstly, thanks for starting this discussion. It has been hugely helpful to read your responses to others' questions. I would be very grateful if you could offer any advice on my own profile and specific concerns I have about my application. I'm planning on applying next year and will most likely use a consultant given that I am terrible at writing cover letters and application essays. Below are my stats (as they will be at the time of my application):

Demographics: - Male, 30, international applicant (small, developed country)

Education - Undergrad: BS (engineering), 3.7/4, one of the top universities in my home country. Handful of interesting projects & publications. - Grad: MS (engineering), 3.7/4, top US university. Handful of publications and various teaching & research positions.

Work experience - 3 yrs at boutique management consultancy. Promoted once, faster than normal. Worked on various projects which got a considerable amount of press... not sure if this helps in any way? (Concerned people will have never heard of this company. Also got an offer from one of MBB not sure if this helps or how/whether to bring it up?) - 2 yrs at global tech company in their strategy team (but not in the head office). Promoted once. Worked on a few high profile initiatives within the company

ECs/Other - Nothing substantial since college

Target schools - HBS/GSB/Wharton/MIT/Oxford

Motivations for pursuing MBA (further than the requisite networking opportunity, life experience etc) 1) More international and global perspective on business - most of my work in both jobs related to my local market only 2) To see different problem solving approaches - even now the majority of people I interact with are consultants or ex-consultants.

After completing my MBA I'd like to either return to my company, or another tech company in a similar but more senior role. Alternatively (or concurrently) I'd like to take a go at starting something myself :)

My key concerns are: 1) Realize there isn't that much detail above but is my 'story' plausible / likely to be effective? That's genuinely what I think but at the end of the day, 2 years is a long time and motivations can change so happy to say whatever I need to to get in ;)

2a) I have no impressive or substantial ECs - do I still have a shot at a top program? I've never started a not-for-profit nor do I chair half a dozen committees. But (I like to think) I'm not a one-dimensional boring hack - I do play a few different sports socially... but don't think this counts for much (used to play for my college team but do not play competitively anymore). I also volunteer but have done nothing substantial or regular (i.e. soup kitchen a few time, various charity runs, donate old clothes to orphanage every time I go overseas on vacation, mentored a disadvantaged high school student in college but that was a long time ago...). I also serve as an informal adviser to a handful of friends who are starting their own businesses... I don't get paid but love talking business strategy and brainstorming ideas with them which they then go and attempt to execute. So a random collection of interests but not much save-the-world type stuff...

2b) I have no impressive awards... problem?

3) I'm not sure if my leadership examples are strong enough. I have been solely responsible for leading several projects at my corporate where I have engaged people from other parts of the business to perform work for me, but I do not have any full-time direct reports... is that OK?

4) I suck at standardized tests... but guess I just have to suck it up and study a lot :(

Cheers!

 

biggles15 –

Thanks for the post and for your patience in waiting for a response. I’m happy to hear that you plan on applying in the next cycle since that actually gives you some time to address some aspects of your profile, but before I get to that, we need to talk about GMAT and I’m actually going to start with your last comment first . . .

Before you really start considering target schools, you need to have a gmat score. It obviously needs to be a pretty phenomenal one given the schools that you’ve mentioned. It’s not as if the GMAT is the end all, be all of an application, but given that you’re concerned about your performance, it’s important to know just what kind of score you’re working with before you start aspiring to the schools you’ve mentioned. I recommend making the investment in getting some GMAT prep assistance to help ensure that you are maximizing your potential. Once you have a score (hopefully somewhat soon), you’ll have a better idea as to what programs can be categorized as stretch/target/safety for you. You need to have a range of programs in the mix, especially given your age/experience. It’s not going to get easier for you as time goes by, so this is likely the year to make it happen if you want to do a traditional, full-time MBA program.

A few comments about your other concerns . . . ECs. This is another benefit of having a bit of time to do some work and at least you have something to start with as opposed to individuals who don’t really have any EC to reference at all. Pick a few of the things that you’ve been involved with and MAKE them regular, more substantial, more cohesive.

Leadership . . . so you might not have a leadership role as it’s often traditionally defined where you have people reporting to you, you’re guiding their work/development, etc., but I do see that you’ve been successful in getting people to follow your vision, positively impacting your company, etc. I think there’s potential to work with what you have, and again, you have time to be proactive in pursuing additional opportunities between now and the application deadlines.

Your goals generally sound reasonable and build upon your prior experiences.

All in all, though, I’m not seeing much of the special sauce that’s required to get into an ultracompetitive MBA program. What about you is game changing? With HBS, how can show that you’re a born leader? Do you have the necessary pedigree? With GSB, how do your goals convey a grand vision for impacting your industry and world?

My first piece of advice was to get a great GMAT, but a great score is only one part of the equation. Make a plan for the next six months that deals with GMAT, your ECs, and leadership/work. Then execute perfectly! Shameless plug, but since you mentioned that you are likely to use a consultant, I’m pretty confident that I can help you with that execution and with making the most of your experiences.

I hope that helps and best wishes to you on your applications.

Regards, Jon

Jon Fuller Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC 215.568.2590
 

Hi Graham,

Thank you in advance for your advice.

My background is not as impressive as many others, but I wish to know my chance of getting into decent MBA programs (probably not MBA business schools ">M7, but Yale, Stern, etc) and how I could increase my chance of being admitted.

Academic - Graduate from HKU - GPA 3.42/4 (second honor upper) - Major in accounting & finance and minor in French

Career - Consultant in IBM (1.5 years), one promotion - Data analyst in Bloomberg (just started one week ago)

GMAT - First take 730. Considering whether to retake

ECA - Back in university, volunteer to provide consulting services to local SMEs.

As I said, I wish to know my chance of getting into decent MBA programs. Or if I can't land on good MBA programs, what kind of master of finance/accounting programs will be within my reach.

Thank you very much again!

 

jackiez -

Thanks for your post. There are definitely a few things for you to consider to increase your competitiveness.

I'm guessing that you intend to apply to MBA programs in this upcoming cycle, so my first suggestion is that you wait. The fact that you will only have ~3 years of work experience at the time of enrollment coupled with the timing of your new job will likely hurt you a bit in the process. While the substance of one's work is obviously most critical, it usually takes 4 - 6 years for someone to have accumulated enough experiences to really be a competitive applicant. Also, if you were to apply in R1, I imagine that it'd be challenging for you to point to much impact, accomplishment, etc. at Bloomberg. That could still be true by R2. Your new supervisors might also have trouble being effective recommenders for you, too, given your limited tenure in your new job. The other complicating issue is that you just started a new job, and that impacts the "why now" question that you're trying to answer through your application.

If you do apply this year, I'd recommend you expand your school horizons a bit further, too. MBA business schools ">M7 have a well-deserved reputation for being hard to gain admission, but Yale, NYU, Tuck, Haas, etc., aren't what I would call "easier". NYU has been more selective than Wharton recently, and it's also more selective than Columbia, Booth, and Kellogg. Similar stories for the other schools, too. That's not to say that you shouldn't apply to some of these schools - I'm just trying to make sure you're clear on the challenge in front of you.

Regards, Jon

jackiez:

Hi Graham,

Thank you in advance for your advice.

My background is not as impressive as many others, but I wish to know my chance of getting into decent MBA programs (probably not MBA business schools ">M7, but Yale, Stern, etc) and how I could increase my chance of being admitted.

Academic
- Graduate from HKU
- GPA 3.42/4 (second honor upper)
- Major in accounting & finance and minor in French

Career
- Consultant in IBM (1.5 years), one promotion
- Data analyst in Bloomberg (just started one week ago)

GMAT
- First take 730. Considering whether to retake

ECA
- Back in university, volunteer to provide consulting services to local SMEs.

As I said, I wish to know my chance of getting into decent MBA programs. Or if I can't land on good MBA programs, what kind of master of finance/accounting programs will be within my reach.

Thank you very much again!

Jon Fuller Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC 215.568.2590
 

What has your experience been with applicants from F500 rotational programs (GE FMP etc)?

  1. Do you consider them in direct competition with those applicants coming from financial services (IB, PE etc)?

  2. Do you see additional experience past the normal 2 years of these programs as vital to admission?

  3. Have you noticed a particular trend with those admitted to M7 schools from F500? (ex: higher GMAT, international experience, business development roles)

Thanks!

 

BeeGees,

Thanks for your questions!

My thoughts are as follows:

1) The folks coming from F500 rotational programs are NOT typically in competition with the I-Banking/PE crowd. While it likely goes without saying, this is a major advantage for the rotational crowd.

2) This depends on several factors - like which school you are targeting (even within the M7) and what you have actually accomplished in your two years. I've worked with folks who've managed several rotations (both domestic and international) in just a short period of time and those candidates can often make a compelling case to head right to b-school. Another factor to consider is your post-MBA plan. If you are returning to your current employer, you may have a better case at the two year mark than if you are a career changer who needs some additional experience to facilitate a jump.

3) The main trend I have seen over the years is that people from great rotations (J&J, Amex, GE) usually do quite well in the process - largely because they have a diversity of experience and can often present slightly less common career plans. I would not say that this group has trended towards scoring more highly on the GMAT or having international experience (although neither of these traits hurt). I will say that one of the key differentiators tends to be caliber of experience (exposure to senior leadership, client-facing roles, leading small projects, etc.) - whereas many in IB or consulting often feel more cookie-cutter. It's also often the case that this group has better/more developed outside activities and interests (presumably due to slightly less insane work hours when stacked up against the finance or consulting worlds).

Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] if you'd like to take a deeper dive on your specific profile. Clear Admit offers a free initial phone assessment with one of our counselors to anyone who reaches out to us.

Best of luck and thanks again for the great questions!

Regards,

Graham

theBEEGEES:
What has your experience been with applicants from F500 rotational programs (GE FMP etc)?
  1. Do you consider them in direct competition with those applicants coming from financial services (IB, PE etc)?

  2. Do you see additional experience past the normal 2 years of these programs as vital to admission?

  3. Have you noticed a particular trend with those admitted to M7 schools from F500? (ex: higher GMAT, international experience, business development roles)

Thanks!

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Ravenous,

Thanks for your question.

While each of the three schools on your list assess candidates in a slightly different fashion, there are a few things you can do to help your chances across the board as an older applicant:

1) Make it clear that you have a lot to add to classroom discussion (diversity of experience, etc.) without sounding like an 'old dog who cannot learn new tricks'.

2) Convince your admissions reader or interviewer that you are likely to be VERY active as a student (beyond showing up for class and going through the recruiting process). Showcase your capacity to lead specific activities/clubs/conferences on campus.

3) Hit things out of the park on the numbers front (GMAT, GPA).

4) Express a career plan that your target schools' career services office can get on board with. In other words, if you are a 30-year old IT Consultant with no exposure to Wall Street (beyond a hobby of investing in stocks or having taken a CFA exam), don't pin your goals around joining an investment bank or PE fund. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter at your post-MBA target firm and ask yourself if that firm would be interested in your CURRENT profile. If the answer is 'no' revisit your goals.

There are many other things you could do, but this list should provide a good start! Feel free to reach out to Clear Admit directly if you'd like to learn more about your services.

Best of luck,

Graham

Ravenous:
What is the best thing that older applicants (28-30) with otherwise very strong profiles can do to increase their odds at H / S / W? Thanks!
Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham,

Thanks for joining us on WSO.

Stats:

Employer: F100 Tech Company Financial Analyst, has promotions, ( 5 Years )

Undergrad: 3.6/4.0 BS. Finance Large State School, Leadership Experience, Alumni Board

GMAT: Not Taken

Extra: Dual Citizenship, CFA L1, local awards in a sport,

Question:

What MBA programs are best for candidates interested in corporate development, treasury, strategy, for a F500? Do MBA programs value a candidate more or less if they want to go the non-traditional finance route of going into a F500 rather than consulting / IB?

Does the CFA carry any weight? If so, can it compensate for a low GMAT?

How much does volunteer work factor in? Does everyone need SOME volunteer work?

 

Hi YellowRanger,

Thanks for your question. My thoughts are as follows:

1) If your goals are presented well in your materials/interviews, the top schools will actually value the non-traditional element. As long as your goals come across as being feasible/logical given past experience (shouldn't be a problem for you) and as long as the school feels like they can help you land the post you are targeting (check out the employment reports of your target schools to see if F500s are hiring in the role(s) you seek at your target schools) - you should be fine.

2) Your general stats (GPA, years of exp., etc.) look competitive. The GMAT will be important - since it will be used to 'benchmark' your GPA/the caliber of your undergraduate degree (and since you are likely to be in a fairly competitive portion of the applicant pool).

3) The CFA is viewed as a professional (NOT academic) credential. It will not help compensate for a low GMAT (the GMAT is viewed as a measure of academic aptitude). [Note: this is a great question - and a subject that so many applicants fail to fully grasp when it comes to admissions strategy.]

4) The schools care about outside interests/activities - e.g. what you do when you are not at work (or not in class as an undergraduate). As such, it doesn't actually matter that much if you are serving meals in a soup kitchen or playing drums in a jazz quartet with your spare time. They key is to show consistent, passionate involvement outside of your professional life. There are MANY ways to do this.

Feel free to reach out directly by sending your resume to [email protected] if you'd like a more in-depth assessment with one of our counselors.

Best of luck,

Graham

YellowRanger:
Hi Graham,

Thanks for joining us on WSO.

Stats:

Employer: F100 Tech Company Financial Analyst, has promotions, ( 5 Years )

Undergrad: 3.6/4.0 BS. Finance Large State School, Leadership Experience, Alumni Board

GMAT: Not Taken

Extra: Dual Citizenship, CFA L1, local awards in a sport,

Question:

What MBA programs are best for candidates interested in corporate development, treasury, strategy, for a F500? Do MBA programs value a candidate more or less if they want to go the non-traditional finance route of going into a F500 rather than consulting / IB?

Does the CFA carry any weight? If so, can it compensate for a low GMAT?

How much does volunteer work factor in? Does everyone need SOME volunteer work?

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Thanks for you help Graham! Solid advice.

graham_richmond:
Hi YellowRanger,

Thanks for your question. My thoughts are as follows:

1) If your goals are presented well in your materials/interviews, the top schools will actually value the non-traditional element. As long as your goals come across as being feasible/logical given past experience (shouldn't be a problem for you) and as long as the school feels like they can help you land the post you are targeting (check out the employment reports of your target schools to see if F500s are hiring in the role(s) you seek at your target schools) - you should be fine.

2) Your general stats (GPA, years of exp., etc.) look competitive. The GMAT will be important - since it will be used to 'benchmark' your GPA/the caliber of your undergraduate degree (and since you are likely to be in a fairly competitive portion of the applicant pool).

3) The CFA is viewed as a professional (NOT academic) credential. It will not help compensate for a low GMAT (the GMAT is viewed as a measure of academic aptitude). [Note: this is a great question - and a subject that so many applicants fail to fully grasp when it comes to admissions strategy.]

4) The schools care about outside interests/activities - e.g. what you do when you are not at work (or not in class as an undergraduate). As such, it doesn't actually matter that much if you are serving meals in a soup kitchen or playing drums in a jazz quartet with your spare time. They key is to show consistent, passionate involvement outside of your professional life. There are MANY ways to do this.

Feel free to reach out directly by sending your resume to [email protected] if you'd like a more in-depth assessment with one of our counselors.

Best of luck,

Graham

YellowRanger:
Hi Graham,

Thanks for joining us on WSO.

Stats:

Employer: F100 Tech Company Financial Analyst, has promotions, ( 5 Years )

Undergrad: 3.6/4.0 BS. Finance Large State School, Leadership Experience, Alumni Board

GMAT: Not Taken

Extra: Dual Citizenship, CFA L1, local awards in a sport,

Question:

What MBA programs are best for candidates interested in corporate development, treasury, strategy, for a F500? Do MBA programs value a candidate more or less if they want to go the non-traditional finance route of going into a F500 rather than consulting / IB?

Does the CFA carry any weight? If so, can it compensate for a low GMAT?

How much does volunteer work factor in? Does everyone need SOME volunteer work?

 

What can someone going into the middle office at a large/renowned firm do to compete against FO applicants at the M7, whether it be on the job (obviously look for leadership opportunities) or off the job?

Thanks!

 

Dear Inspiredude,

Thanks for your question. A few thoughts:

1) While front office roles are typically viewed as more glamorous/prestigious/harder to get, they are also far more plentiful in the applicant pool for top-tier schools. As such, one benefit of your middle office role is that it will be less common.

2) As to how you compete with the front office types, there are many ways. On the work front, the key will be to showcase leadership experience, projects you've initiated, creative solutions you've devised, etc. You should also be sure to "own" your career path - and showcase a passion for what you've done (as opposed to more of an "I wish I was front office" mentality. Academically, you should strive knock the cover off the ball when it comes to the GMAT. It would also help to have a great ugrad GPA from a reputable/top-tier undergraduate institution.

3) Of course many candidates in the pool from all kinds of posts/industries bring strong experience and numbers to the admissions process - so the key to you success will likely come down to some of the intangibles like your personal background, outside interests, travels, community involvement, etc. - and how these elements are represented in your essays, recommendations, data forms, resume and interview.

Best of luck,

Graham

inspireddude:
What can someone going into the middle office at a large/renowned firm do to compete against FO applicants at the M7, whether it be on the job (obviously look for leadership opportunities) or off the job?

Thanks!

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Dear GoWithTheFlow,

Thanks for your post!

My thoughts are as follows:

1) Your overall GPA of 3.4 is in the ballpark for top schools, albeit a bit below the average at the top-end of the M7.

2) Your GPA in Econ (presumably your major) is worrisome - not because the adcoms typically focus on GPA in major (in fact most of them don't even ask) but because they do examine transcripts and comb them for evidence of quantitative skill/exposure to MBA 'foundation' subjects (like economics, accounting, statistics, calculus). If you have some low marks in these areas it might be a bit of a red flag - even if your job is highly quantitative (since work experience does not really count in their measurement of your academic aptitude).

3) Your GMAT score of 640 is well below the average for M7 schools and is currently a liability in your file. This result will also color the perception of your undergraduate institution and could ultimately lead to a 'discounting' of your GPA (depending on which Big 10 program you attended and how the adcom feels about that school).

4) I would need to know a lot more about your role in IT Sales to offer insight. Do you work for a well known firm? Have you moved up in the ranks? Trained others? Made major contributions to the bottom line?

Assuming you are a white male (e.g. part of an over-represented portion of the applicant pool), I would say the odds at the M7 are stacked against you with your current GMAT result. How many times have you taken the test? What were the percentile results for math and verbal? Are you planning to take it again? Pushing through the 700 mark could do wonders for your case.

Of course, there are many other aspects to your profile that I would need to know to really pin down your odds with the top-tier MBA programs (perhaps you grew up in Indonesia and speak 4 languages, etc.). Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] if you'd like to have a chat with one of our counselors about your chances.

Best of luck,

Graham

go.with.the.flow:
Hey Graham quick question on my chances for a M7?

Stats:

3.4 CGPA with 2.9 GPA in Econ (Big 10) Current Position: IT Sales GMAT: 640

I know my stats aren't t impressive, how can I improve my chances? Thanks in advance mate.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham - thanks for joining.

Some background info:

  • CPA at BB PE's arm (here about 2 years, 3 1/2 years total work experience, no big 4)
  • 3.6 double major in Finance and Accounting from CUNY
  • some volunteer work
  • have yet to take GMAT
  • kinda all over the place in terms of what I would like to do post MBA, I'm interested in ER but also MM PE because of my current job

All that said, do I have any chance at NYU or Columbia? If not, would you recommend Rutgers or Pace, or NYU part-time?

Thanks

 
Macro1:
Hi Graham - thanks for joining.

Some background info:

  • CPA at BB PE's arm (here about 2 years, 3 1/2 years total work experience, no big 4)
  • 3.6 double major in Finance and Accounting from CUNY
  • some volunteer work
  • have yet to take GMAT
  • kinda all over the place in terms of what I would like to do post MBA, I'm interested in ER but also MM PE because of my current job

All that said, do I have any chance at NYU or Columbia? If not, would you recommend Rutgers or Pace, or NYU part-time?

Thanks

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Kevin, posted earlier...tell me what you think

jwalsh16:
Hey Graham quick question on my chances for a M7 (esp Harvard, Booth, Sloan, and Tuck)

Stats:

3.86 GPA from U of Maryland Current Position: M&A Advisory PWC GMAT: 730

Extras - Former CEO of fairly successful start-up and Founder of non-profit focusing on education and serve on Exec Board of other Non-profit

 
jwalsh16:
Kevin, posted earlier...tell me what you think
jwalsh16:
Hey Graham quick question on my chances for a M7 (esp Harvard, Booth, Sloan, and Tuck)

Stats:

3.86 GPA from U of Maryland Current Position: M&A Advisory PWC GMAT: 730

Extras - Former CEO of fairly successful start-up and Founder of non-profit focusing on education and serve on Exec Board of other Non-profit

Hi Jwalsh, thanks for your inquiry. You certainly have the raw numbers and a distinctive non-professional profile that would make you competitive at top schools. But of course not all M7 schools are equally hard or easy to get into - for most applicants, HBS and Sloan are tougher to get into than Booth and Tuck. Whether or not you are ultimately successful will depend on how you position stories and "market" your background. For example, can you be more specific about how "fairly successful" your start-up was? What were some quantifiable impacts that your non-profit has achieved? How do these partipications and your M&A job relate to your future goals? You don't necessarily have to tie all your major experiences into one neat package that tells a singular story, but it can be effective if done credibly.

Lastly, while your GMAT is strong, it is not strong enough to distinguish you from other accomplished applicants to the very top schools. In other words, your GMAT is strong enough to be a non-factor in your application, but it's not strong enough to be a positive factor. Is 730 the best you can do, or have you left some points on the table? If it's realistically close to the best you can do, then I do not suggest focusing more on the test, and you should move on to strenghten your profile in other ways. However, if you feel that you have left points on the table (e.g., that a 750+ is a possibility), given that we are still months away from the R1 deadlines, you may want to consider giving the GMAT another shot. When someone scores a 750+, schools start to look for excuses to admit that person :) It does make a difference on the margin.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Ty,

Thanks for your question.

On the whole I would say that Oxford/Said has a fairly competitive admissions process. Is it as hard to get into as INSEAD or LBS? Not quite, but the program's small class size means that they don't need the applicant volume of an INSEAD to be highly selective. Of course, the real answer to this question depends heavily on your profile, since some populations are less represented in the pool than others.

Here are some basic stats on the school's class of admitted students:

Class size: 248 GMAT average: 690 Work Exp: 6 years Avg. Age: 29

Read our insider's guide to the school as well: http://clearadmit.shop.studylink.com/product.cfm?productid=72

Best of luck!

Graham

blastoise:
how haard is it to get into oxford

ty

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Just curious, I don't have an application question in particular and I don't plan on applying -

How do the MBA applicants of today compare with the applicants from 10 years ago? Specifically, what was the avg GPA/GMAT back then versus today? How about work exp? I am sure there is difference since MBA admissions seem to get more competitive over time, but I want to hear your perspective.

Also, have the criteria for admissions evolved as well? Do adcoms look for a different type of class profile then they did 10 years ago?

No need to get too specific and don't feel obligated to answer. Like I said, I am just curious. Thanks.

Man made money, money never made the man
 
RE Capital Markets:
Just curious, I don't have an application question in particular and I don't plan on applying -

How do the MBA applicants of today compare with the applicants from 10 years ago? Specifically, what was the avg GPA/GMAT back then versus today? How about work exp? I am sure there is difference since MBA admissions seem to get more competitive over time, but I want to hear your perspective.

Also, have the criteria for admissions evolved as well? Do adcoms look for a different type of class profile then they did 10 years ago?

No need to get too specific and don't feel obligated to answer. Like I said, I am just curious. Thanks.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Graham,

Thanks for taking the tme.

BA Economics - Top 25 USA School- 3.4 MSC Finance - UK Based Top 5 school

2 years at a bank, (founded and sold startup on the side) 1 year equity research 2 years in current venture captial role

What is the min GMAT for M7?

 
bryan521:
Graham,

Thanks for taking the tme.

BA Economics - Top 25 USA School- 3.4 MSC Finance - UK Based Top 5 school

2 years at a bank, (founded and sold startup on the side) 1 year equity research 2 years in current venture captial role

What is the min GMAT for M7?

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Graham,

Thanks for thoughts.

Had a question on how a masters in finance taken right after undergrad affects a profile. Is this viewed as a positive or negative? Would there be more emphasis placed on undergrad grades or MSF grades separate schools?

Also - GMAT 700 GPA 3.6 - worth taking the GMAT again?

Thanks.

 
KennyPowers:
Graham,

Thanks for thoughts.

Had a question on how a masters in finance taken right after undergrad affects a profile. Is this viewed as a positive or negative? Would there be more emphasis placed on undergrad grades or MSF grades separate schools?

Also - GMAT 700 GPA 3.6 - worth taking the GMAT again?

Thanks.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Can you point me to the profiles of your consultants?

- Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered. - The harder you work, the luckier you become. - I believe in the "Golden Rule": the man with the gold rules.
 

Ske7ch,

Thanks for your question. You can see the profiles of our consultants here:

http://www.clearadmit.com/mgmt.html

As you will see, we are a small team of full-time admissions consultants. We work with a select group of applicants each season and have been getting folks into top schools for over 10 years.

You can read more about our firm on the site's press page in case you are curious what independent sources like Forbes, WSJ, Economist, BusinessWeek and the Washington Post think about our expertise:

http://www.clearadmit.com/news.html

Thanks again for your question!

Regards,

Graham

Ske7ch:
Can you point me to the profiles of your consultants?
Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham,

thanks for taking the time.

What do you think are my chances of getting into HBS or GSB? These are the only two bschools where I think that the time spent would be more beneficial for my career than to keep working.

Stats: Age: 25 BSc and MSc at two very well known European universities. GPA in the top 10-20% area GMAT 740-760 (haven't taken it yet but test GMAT scores were 750 and 770) Work exp. at the time of my application: 2 years at a highly known strategy consultancy but not MBB Extra curricular: Nothing since I started working, lots of sports in high school (national team level, smaller things during university - tutoring, active in university societies,...) Lots of international experience in Europe, Asia and the US (university exchange, internships,...)

Does it help that my employer would pay for the MBA if I promise commit myself to keep working there afterwards for at least two years?

 
atleastimnotabanker:
Hi Graham,

thanks for taking the time.

What do you think are my chances of getting into HBS or GSB? These are the only two bschools where I think that the time spent would be more beneficial for my career than to keep working.

Stats: Age: 25 BSc and MSc at two very well known European universities. GPA in the top 10-20% area GMAT 740-760 (haven't taken it yet but test GMAT scores were 750 and 770) Work exp. at the time of my application: 2 years at a highly known strategy consultancy but not MBB Extra curricular: Nothing since I started working, lots of sports in high school (national team level, smaller things during university - tutoring, active in university societies,...) Lots of international experience in Europe, Asia and the US (university exchange, internships,...)

Does it help that my employer would pay for the MBA if I promise commit myself to keep working there afterwards for at least two years?

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham,

Was wondering on what your thoughts are on a trader applying to a top MBA program (H/S/W)? Does the admission committee deem traders unfavorable? Lastly, from your experience do many traders apply to MBA programs?

Thanks

 
wsj:
Hi Graham,

Was wondering on what your thoughts are on a trader applying to a top MBA program (H/S/W)? Does the admission committee deem traders unfavorable? Lastly, from your experience do many traders apply to MBA programs?

Thanks

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Graham,

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions.

Would an extremely strong GMAT make up for a weak GPA? If so - how strong of a GMAT would be needed to cancel out a 2.8 GPA? Assuming slightly over 2 years of finance work experience and a few years of volunteer work.

 
mettawp:
Graham,

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions.

Would an extremely strong GMAT make up for a weak GPA? If so - how strong of a GMAT would be needed to cancel out a 2.8 GPA? Assuming slightly over 2 years of finance work experience and a few years of volunteer work.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Graham,

Stats:

Undergrad GPA - 3.3 in Finance from a large state school in Texas. GMAT - aiming for 700ish Work Experience - Financial Analyst at a fortune 5 oil company for the past 14 months, On top of my daily responsibilities I led a group of analysts on a year-long project. I am now about to start my second rotation in a BO/MO risk role supporting our NGL traders.

Will have a few EC's under my belt before MBA (United Nations Association member, volunteer at the public school district I was in as a child, member of Toastmasters International)

I want to start my MBA in the Fall of 2014. I will have around 3.5 years of experience by that time (will probably have completed 3 rotations by then).

I think M7 is a long shot but I'm interested in the next tier of schools (Duke, McCombs, Ross, NYU, etc.). I am looking to get into IB/PE after MBA at the associate level.

What schools do you think are realistic and how do you think I can better my application?

Thanks for doing this!

 

Hi Kevin,

I posted this earlier. Can you please comment on my chances...

Thanks for doing this.

pacman007:
Hey Graham,

Stats:

Undergrad GPA - 3.3 in Finance from a large state school in Texas. GMAT - aiming for 700ish Work Experience - Financial Analyst at a fortune 5 oil company for the past 14 months, On top of my daily responsibilities I led a group of analysts on a year-long project. I am now about to start my second rotation in a BO/MO risk role supporting our NGL traders.

Will have a few EC's under my belt before MBA (United Nations Association member, volunteer at the public school district I was in as a child, member of Toastmasters International)

I want to start my MBA in the Fall of 2014. I will have around 3.5 years of experience by that time (will probably have completed 3 rotations by then).

I think M7 is a long shot but I'm interested in the next tier of schools (Duke, McCombs, Ross, NYU, etc.). I am looking to get into IB/PE after MBA at the associate level.

What schools do you think are realistic and how do you think I can better my application?

Thanks for doing this!

 
pacman007:
Hey Graham,

Stats:

Undergrad GPA - 3.3 in Finance from a large state school in Texas. GMAT - aiming for 700ish Work Experience - Financial Analyst at a fortune 5 oil company for the past 14 months, On top of my daily responsibilities I led a group of analysts on a year-long project. I am now about to start my second rotation in a BO/MO risk role supporting our NGL traders.

Will have a few EC's under my belt before MBA (United Nations Association member, volunteer at the public school district I was in as a child, member of Toastmasters International)

I want to start my MBA in the Fall of 2014. I will have around 3.5 years of experience by that time (will probably have completed 3 rotations by then).

I think M7 is a long shot but I'm interested in the next tier of schools (Duke, McCombs, Ross, NYU, etc.). I am looking to get into IB/PE after MBA at the associate level.

What schools do you think are realistic and how do you think I can better my application?

Thanks for doing this!

Kevin or Graham, what is your opinion on this profile?

Thanks.

 
pacman007:
pacman007:
Hey Graham,

Stats:

Undergrad GPA - 3.3 in Finance from a large state school in Texas. GMAT - aiming for 700ish Work Experience - Financial Analyst at a fortune 5 oil company for the past 14 months, On top of my daily responsibilities I led a group of analysts on a year-long project. I am now about to start my second rotation in a BO/MO risk role supporting our NGL traders.

Will have a few EC's under my belt before MBA (United Nations Association member, volunteer at the public school district I was in as a child, member of Toastmasters International)

I want to start my MBA in the Fall of 2014. I will have around 3.5 years of experience by that time (will probably have completed 3 rotations by then).

I think M7 is a long shot but I'm interested in the next tier of schools (Duke, McCombs, Ross, NYU, etc.). I am looking to get into IB/PE after MBA at the associate level.

What schools do you think are realistic and how do you think I can better my application?

Thanks for doing this!

Kevin or Graham, what is your opinion on this profile?

Thanks.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 
pacman007:
Hey Graham,

Stats:

Undergrad GPA - 3.3 in Finance from a large state school in Texas. GMAT - aiming for 700ish Work Experience - Financial Analyst at a fortune 5 oil company for the past 14 months, On top of my daily responsibilities I led a group of analysts on a year-long project. I am now about to start my second rotation in a BO/MO risk role supporting our NGL traders.

Will have a few EC's under my belt before MBA (United Nations Association member, volunteer at the public school district I was in as a child, member of Toastmasters International)

I want to start my MBA in the Fall of 2014. I will have around 3.5 years of experience by that time (will probably have completed 3 rotations by then).

I think M7 is a long shot but I'm interested in the next tier of schools (Duke, McCombs, Ross, NYU, etc.). I am looking to get into IB/PE after MBA at the associate level.

What schools do you think are realistic and how do you think I can better my application?

Thanks for doing this!

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham, really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Shooting for M7 schools.

Undergrad GPA: 3.28 overall 3.6 upper level. B.S. Chemical Engineering top 20 engineering school

GMAT: 690 first time, going to retake to boost quant (aiming for 720+)

Extracurriculars: VP of student AIChE chapter, founding Treasurer of Entrepreneurship Society.

Work Experience: Internships in chemical process engineering and refining. Currently working as a deepwater drilling engineer in the GoM responsible for coordination of operations on the rig. Will have 3-4 years at matriculation.

I plan on applying in about 2.5-3 years (age 25-26) I realize that my essays and letters of recommendation will be very important, any other tips to improve my chances?

Thanks.

Rise early, work hard, strike oil.
 

Hi Kevin, posted earlier and wondered if you'd give me your thoughts.

Thanks!

ChEM3:
Hi Graham, really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Shooting for M7 schools.

Undergrad GPA: 3.28 overall 3.6 upper level. B.S. Chemical Engineering top 15 engineering school

GMAT: 690 first time, going to retake to boost quant (aiming for 720+)

Extracurriculars: VP of student AIChE chapter, founding Treasurer of Entrepreneurship Society. Member of industry professional associations post graduation but no leadership positions yet (hard when you're offshore half the month)

Work Experience: Internships in chemical process engineering and refining. Currently working as a deepwater drilling engineer in the GoM responsible for coordination of operations on the rig. Will have 3-4 years at matriculation.

I plan on applying in about 2.5-3 years (age 25-26) I realize that my essays and letters of recommendation will be very important, any other tips to improve my chances?

Thanks.

Rise early, work hard, strike oil.
 

Gonna try this one again, for either Graham or Kevin:

ChEM3:
Hi Kevin, posted earlier and wondered if you'd give me your thoughts.

Thanks!

ChEM3:
Hi Graham, really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Shooting for M7 schools.

Undergrad GPA: 3.28 overall 3.6 upper level. B.S. Chemical Engineering top 15 engineering school

GMAT: 690 first time, going to retake to boost quant (aiming for 720+)

Extracurriculars: VP of student AIChE chapter, founding Treasurer of Entrepreneurship Society. Member of industry professional associations post graduation but no leadership positions yet (hard when you're offshore half the month)

Work Experience: Internships in chemical process engineering and refining. Currently working as a deepwater drilling engineer in the GoM responsible for coordination of operations on the rig. Will have 3-4 years at matriculation.

I plan on applying in about 2.5-3 years (age 25-26) I realize that my essays and letters of recommendation will be very important, any other tips to improve my chances?

Thanks.

Rise early, work hard, strike oil.
 

Hi Graham,

First of all thanks for taking the time. I'm planning on applying to B school for fall 2013. Below are my summary stats. I’m planning to apply to (HBS/Columbia/Wharton/Stanford) would appreciate if you could tell me my chances on getting in as well as other schools where I might be a good fit. Your help is much appreciated. I am a Puerto Rican male bilingual (Spanish)

Academic: Middle Tier Boston Business Undergrad (Think BU/BC/Bentey/Babson) GPA: 3.2 Finance GPA: 3.8 (had very strong upward trend after initial issues) Co-founder and treasurer of Puerto Rican Student Association in college Passed all CFA exam levels (I,II, & III) in a row by the age of 23 GMAT will take next month: I expect 690-740

Work experience (US Caribbean): 1.5 years as Special Assistant to Government Pension Fund Administrator and Chief Investment Officer While it was undergoing restructuring efforts and merging the administration with other local pension plans. (When I left I was offered the position of Director of the investments division (i.e. Deputy Administrator) but turned it down in order to be an analyst in a Private Equity Firm a job that was not as prestigious but it was where I saw myself in the future given my long term goals.

1.5 years analyst in Small Cap US Caribbean Private Equity Firm ($125 AUM) (The firm has been investing for over 20 years; very reputable in the region top quartile performance) Good experience and will have excellent recommendation from the head partner, job function has evolved in to a more senior role. I have a lot of responsibilities and have had opportunities to lead (manage) projects and deals on my own; I will also be supervising some more junior people that are to come in in a couple of months.

Extracurricular activities all on-going: 3 years as Director at my brother’s Company’s Board just two directors me and my brother We have weekly Sunday meetings; company is expected to break the $10 million in sales this year Company has had very strong growth over 35% per year (100% bootstrapped no private capital); recently recognized by the Governor who issued a press conference honoring my brother

7 months as Member of the board/committee of a yearly fundraising wine and food festival for scholarships in my old high school, this past year net income from the festival totaled 65K

All help is greatly appreciated! Thank you for joining WSO, it is very hard for us in the Caribbean to get good solid advice relating to MBA applications.

Best

SL

 

Kevin,

Thanks for taking the time, could you please help me out with my profile eval see below, thanks!!

suchislife:
Hi Graham,

First of all thanks for taking the time. I'm planning on applying to B school for fall 2013. Below are my summary stats. I’m planning to apply to (HBS/Columbia/Wharton/Stanford) would appreciate if you could tell me my chances on getting in as well as other schools where I might be a good fit. Your help is much appreciated. I am a Puerto Rican male bilingual (Spanish)

Academic: Middle Tier Boston Business Undergrad (Think BU/BC/Bentey/Babson) GPA: 3.2 Finance GPA: 3.8 (had very strong upward trend after initial issues) Co-founder and treasurer of Puerto Rican Student Association in college Passed all CFA exam levels (I,II, & III) in a row by the age of 23 GMAT will take next month: I expect 690-740

Work experience (US Caribbean): 1.5 years as Special Assistant to Government Pension Fund Administrator and Chief Investment Officer While it was undergoing restructuring efforts and merging the administration with other local pension plans. (When I left I was offered the position of Director of the investments division (i.e. Deputy Administrator) but turned it down in order to be an analyst in a Private Equity Firm a job that was not as prestigious but it was where I saw myself in the future given my long term goals.

1.5 years analyst in Small Cap US Caribbean Private Equity Firm ($125 AUM) (The firm has been investing for over 20 years; very reputable in the region top quartile performance) Good experience and will have excellent recommendation from the head partner, job function has evolved in to a more senior role. I have a lot of responsibilities and have had opportunities to lead (manage) projects and deals on my own; I will also be supervising some more junior people that are to come in in a couple of months.

Extracurricular activities all on-going: 3 years as Director at my brother’s Company’s Board just two directors me and my brother We have weekly Sunday meetings; company is expected to break the $10 million in sales this year Company has had very strong growth over 35% per year (100% bootstrapped no private capital); recently recognized by the Governor who issued a press conference honoring my brother

7 months as Member of the board/committee of a yearly fundraising wine and food festival for scholarships in my old high school, this past year net income from the festival totaled 65K

All help is greatly appreciated! Thank you for joining WSO, it is very hard for us in the Caribbean to get good solid advice relating to MBA applications.

Best

SL

 
suchislife:
Kevin,

Thanks for taking the time, could you please help me out with my profile eval see below, thanks!!

suchislife:
Hi Graham,

First of all thanks for taking the time. I'm planning on applying to B school for fall 2013. Below are my summary stats. I’m planning to apply to (HBS/Columbia/Wharton/Stanford) would appreciate if you could tell me my chances on getting in as well as other schools where I might be a good fit. Your help is much appreciated. I am a Puerto Rican male bilingual (Spanish)

Academic: Middle Tier Boston Business Undergrad (Think BU/BC/Bentey/Babson) GPA: 3.2 Finance GPA: 3.8 (had very strong upward trend after initial issues) Co-founder and treasurer of Puerto Rican Student Association in college Passed all CFA exam levels (I,II, & III) in a row by the age of 23 GMAT will take next month: I expect 690-740

Work experience (US Caribbean): 1.5 years as Special Assistant to Government Pension Fund Administrator and Chief Investment Officer While it was undergoing restructuring efforts and merging the administration with other local pension plans. (When I left I was offered the position of Director of the investments division (i.e. Deputy Administrator) but turned it down in order to be an analyst in a Private Equity Firm a job that was not as prestigious but it was where I saw myself in the future given my long term goals.

1.5 years analyst in Small Cap US Caribbean Private Equity Firm ($125 AUM) (The firm has been investing for over 20 years; very reputable in the region top quartile performance) Good experience and will have excellent recommendation from the head partner, job function has evolved in to a more senior role. I have a lot of responsibilities and have had opportunities to lead (manage) projects and deals on my own; I will also be supervising some more junior people that are to come in in a couple of months.

Extracurricular activities all on-going: 3 years as Director at my brother’s Company’s Board just two directors me and my brother We have weekly Sunday meetings; company is expected to break the $10 million in sales this year Company has had very strong growth over 35% per year (100% bootstrapped no private capital); recently recognized by the Governor who issued a press conference honoring my brother

7 months as Member of the board/committee of a yearly fundraising wine and food festival for scholarships in my old high school, this past year net income from the festival totaled 65K

All help is greatly appreciated! Thank you for joining WSO, it is very hard for us in the Caribbean to get good solid advice relating to MBA applications.

Best

SL

Hi SL, thanks for your inquiry. As long as you get a competitive GMAT score, the only thing that would be a red flag on your profile is your overall GPA. But, this is mitigated by your upward trajectory and your strong finance GPA. Although many schools do ask you to list your GPA by year and therefore the upward trajectory should be clear, I would still suggest that you point this out explicitly in the optional essay or additional information section of each application, especially if there were understandable issues early in your college career that caused your mediocre academic start.

While your professional record is strong overall, keep in mind that many top schools are veering away from the "pure finance" applicants, and instead prefer finance applicants who can demonstrate that they have impacted their companies and/or clients/portfolio companies in more strategic ways beyond just finance (e.g., a private equity professional who has been involved in the operations of a portfolio company). So, make sure you demonstrate this kind of accomplishments if you have any.

Of the schools you listed, your best chances would be Columbia in early decision, as Columbia likes to accept a large number of applicants in the early decision round to improve their yield. However, Columbia also tends to favor early decision applicants with above-average GMAT scores, so whether you score in the lower or upper end of your expected GMAT range definitely would impact the strength of your profile. The next school on your list would be Wharton, followed by Stanford and HBS being the hardest ones. Given your strong finance background, other schools you may want to consider include Chicago and NYU.

Hope this helps! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for a more in depth analysis of your profile.

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi, I had a quick question. I plan on attending a one year Master of Accounting program right after undergrad, then going into banking post-grad. For MBA admissions, do my MAcc grades matter, or is it just undergrad GPA and GMAT?

Thanks

 

Thanks Graham.

Applied this year and didn't have such good results (Dings at H/S, WL at Kellogg).

I think my stats are competitive...

GMAT: 770 (48V, 49Q) GPA: 3.8 in Econ from top LAC (think NESCAC) WE: Almost 2 years MBB, top quarter of class (so I would assume recs were strong) Leadership: Captain of varsity sport in college, led a club and a student govt. committee

Probably going to re-apply in the fall...what can I do between now and then to get more competitive (other than get a year older)? I'm on track for a promotion this summer and likely going abroad for my next project.

Also thinking about expanding my list a bit to ensure I get in somewhere...of the following list, which school do you think is most like Stanford and/or Kellogg, in terms of the type of people and overall vibe? (anyone else can comment here as well)

Tuck, Darden, Ross, Yale

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 

What are the most impressive extracurricular activities one can partake in to stand out? Are there certain activities people think are more beneficial in the eyes of adcoms than they actually are? Thanks.

 

Hi Graham,

I was wondering how political experience is typically viewed by B-School admissions. I am going to work for a MBB consulting firm starting in January, but plan to work for an election campaign from May-November (Democratic, if it matters). My questions are: 1. Will this be viewed favorably by an admissions committee, or seen as a random add-on/EC? 2. What sort of experiences should I seek out for maximum impact? I assume that leadership experience is a must, but would (say) a role in overall campaign strategy be viewed more favorably than field organizing?

Stats: Semi-target liberal arts school, 3.9 GPA with quantitative double major, expect ~740 on GMAT

Thanks!

 

Hi Graham or Kevin, thanks for taking the time to do this. Would love an answer to this question:

anonymouse393:
Hi Graham,

I was wondering how political experience is typically viewed by B-School admissions. I am going to work for a MBB consulting firm starting in January, but plan to work for an election campaign from May-November (Democratic, if it matters). My questions are: 1. Will this be viewed favorably by an admissions committee, or seen as a random add-on/EC? 2. What sort of experiences should I seek out for maximum impact? I assume that leadership experience is a must, but would (say) a role in overall campaign strategy be viewed more favorably than field organizing?

Stats: Semi-target liberal arts school, 3.9 GPA with quantitative double major, expect ~740 on GMAT

Thanks!

 

Going to try this one last time... again, thanks for your insight.

anonymouse393:
Hi Graham or Kevin, thanks for taking the time to do this. Would love an answer to this question:
anonymouse393:
Hi Graham,

I was wondering how political experience is typically viewed by B-School admissions. I am going to work for a MBB consulting firm starting in January, but plan to work for an election campaign from May-November (Democratic, if it matters). My questions are: 1. Will this be viewed favorably by an admissions committee, or seen as a random add-on/EC? 2. What sort of experiences should I seek out for maximum impact? I assume that leadership experience is a must, but would (say) a role in overall campaign strategy be viewed more favorably than field organizing?

Stats: Semi-target liberal arts school, 3.9 GPA with quantitative double major, expect ~740 on GMAT

Thanks!

 

Hi Graham, I have been working for four years at one of the big players in physical commodity trading (Glencore,Trafigura, etc). I was involved in a Graduate Programme, working in different areas such as Operations, Risk Analysis and Deals Desk. Do you think that my experience in this field makes me a viable candidate for an MBA in an Ivy League university? Thanks !

 

Thanks for doing this Graham, the answers so far have been great!

"You stop being an asshole when it sucks to be you." -IlliniProgrammer "Your grammar made me wish I'd been aborted." -happypantsmcgee
 

Hey great thread.

Just wondering about my potential strength as an applicant.

From small peripheral european country non-traditional background for university entry in my country 2.1 from top university in my country manager in Big 4 TAS (Started in my home country moved to London) Extra currics include marathon running CFA qualified

This is hypothetical and I have not sat GMAT yet.

 

I am 2.1 Master's Degree holder (Financial Economics) (Valedictorian) from South Africa/Nigeria (Dual-citizen) (+2 Bachelors degrees), with a CFA, 720 GMAT, 3.5 GPA equivalent and 5 years IB experience at global firms with International experience, speak 4 languages and entrepreneurial experience with solid extracurriculars.

I'm keen on European schools such as IE, INSEAD, Said, Judge and LBS.

Which one is a good "fit" for me?

I wonder which ones are generous on scholarships for Africans? Not sure if the extra year and USD 80,000 is worth spending at Stanford, Columbia or Wharton. If they are more keen on sponsoring Africans than European schools I might consider applying in the US.

- Ostende Mihi Pecuniam -
 

So I think my strong points are

  • Solid Education: 2 Bachelors degrees (Actuarial Sci & Investment Management)+ Masters( financial economics)

  • Entrepreneurial: Started a business tutoring MBA candidates's (at an South African business school) statistics, financial maths, accounting, economics, etc..

  • Philanthropic: I'm a volunteer maths teacher at a school in an underprivileged neighbourhood and I provide free financial services to small businesses

  • Travelled: I've worked on deals and lived in over 10 African countries

  • Adaptive : Speak 4 languages

- Ostende Mihi Pecuniam -
 

Hi Graham. Thanks a lot for doing this.

Target: HBS. The JD/MBA program to be specific. I've already been accepted to Harvard Law.

My stats:- Graduated summa/magna from an Ivy. GPA/Major: 4.0/Econ. LSAT: 178 (Expected) GMAT: 770+

WE: 2 years; BB IBD Analyst. Recs: Was top-bucket, so probably strong. ECs: Mentor severely under-achieving high school kids. I had a 2.3 GPA in high school, so this ties together quite well with my overall story. However, I do not have ANY other post-college ECs. Had leadership positions in a couple of clubs in college though.

Goal: Land a post-MBA PE position.

Thanks again.

Calling Ron Paul an isolationist is like calling your neighbor a hermit because he doesn't come over to your property and break your windows.
 

What are my chances? And how much more value do you think a HBS degree is going to add, if I already have a HLS degree?

Leonidas:
Hi Graham. Thanks a lot for doing this.

Target: HBS. The JD/MBA program to be specific. I've already been accepted to Harvard Law.

My stats:- Graduated summa/magna from an Ivy. GPA/Major: 4.0/Econ. LSAT: 178 (Expected) GMAT: 770+

WE: 2 years; BB IBD Analyst. Recs: Was top-bucket, so probably strong. ECs: Mentor severely under-achieving high school kids. I had a 2.3 GPA in high school, so this ties together quite well with my overall story. However, I do not have ANY other post-college ECs. Had leadership positions in a couple of clubs in college though.

Goal: Land a post-MBA PE position.

Thanks again.

Calling Ron Paul an isolationist is like calling your neighbor a hermit because he doesn't come over to your property and break your windows.
 
Leonidas:
What are my chances? And how much more value do you think a HBS degree is going to add, if I already have a HLS degree?
Leonidas:
Hi Graham. Thanks a lot for doing this.

Target: HBS. The JD/MBA program to be specific. I've already been accepted to Harvard Law.

My stats:- Graduated summa/magna from an Ivy. GPA/Major: 4.0/Econ. LSAT: 178 (Expected) GMAT: 770+

WE: 2 years; BB IBD Analyst. Recs: Was top-bucket, so probably strong. ECs: Mentor severely under-achieving high school kids. I had a 2.3 GPA in high school, so this ties together quite well with my overall story. However, I do not have ANY other post-college ECs. Had leadership positions in a couple of clubs in college though.

Goal: Land a post-MBA PE position.

Thanks again.

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham, How much work experience do you suggest a PhD in biology from a target school w/CFA L1 should get before applying? Is one year sufficient? I don't know if the graduate degree cuts you some slack in that area. Do grad schools like science PhDs (for diversity reasons or whatever)? Thanks!

 

Hello Kevin, Could you please tell me what you think of my chances (profile below) Thanks!

Amphipathic:
Hi Graham, How much work experience do you suggest a PhD in biology from a target school w/CFA L1 should get before applying? Is one year sufficient? I don't know if the graduate degree cuts you some slack in that area. Do grad schools like science PhDs (for diversity reasons or whatever)? Thanks!
 
Amphipathic:
Hello Kevin, Could you please tell me what you think of my chances (profile below) Thanks!
Amphipathic:
Hi Graham, How much work experience do you suggest a PhD in biology from a target school w/CFA L1 should get before applying? Is one year sufficient? I don't know if the graduate degree cuts you some slack in that area. Do grad schools like science PhDs (for diversity reasons or whatever)? Thanks!

Hi Amphipathic, thanks for your inquiry. Unfortunately, MBA adcoms will not "cut you some slack" in terms of work experience just because you have a PhD. An MBA is a professional degree meant for the working world, not a scholarly pursuit meant purely for academia (it would be a different story if you were pursuing, say, a PhD from a business school). So, at the end of the day, an MBA adcom wants to evaluate your potential for professional success outside academia. Of course if, like some PhD students, you have been doing some really amazing professional things either as part of or in addition to your PhD work, the adcoms will weigh these things in your favor, especially if these things show that you have succeeded and will continue to succeed in the non-academic realm. So, having a science PhD and relevant experiences could help with the diversity card, but it only will help if you can show how the PhD experience is relevant to your business school studies.

Hope this helps. Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed evaluation of your profile. Good luck!

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello everyone!

My name is Kevin Chen; I am a Senior Admissions Counselor at Clear Admit. Now that the craziness of round two applications has subsided somewhat, I will be here to answer your questions on business school admissions.

In terms of my background, I graduated from Princeton University as an undergrad and obtained master's degrees from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. I also have worked as a consultant at McKinsey, as a reporter/editor at Reuters and as a marketing executive at the NBA. Since joining Clear Admit five years ago, I have combined my consulting, marketing and editing expertise with Clear Admit's in-house admissions office knowledge to help hundreds of domestic US and international applicants get into top business schools such as Stanford, Harvard and Wharton. For a full description of my profile, please click here: http://www.clearadmit.com/mgmt.html.

I look forward to hearing from you, and best of luck with your applications!

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham, I have been working for four years at one of the big players in physical commodity trading (Glencore,Trafigura, etc). I was involved in a Graduate Programme, working in different areas such as Operations, Risk Analysis and Deals Desk. Do you think that my experience in this field makes me a viable candidate for an MBA in an Ivy League university? I am asking this questions because there are few people in this field with an MBA degree. Thanks !

 

Hi Kevin

I posted earlier as well:

I am 2.1 Master's Degree holder (Financial Economics) (Valedictorian) from South Africa/Nigeria (Dual-citizen) (+2 Bachelors degrees), with a CFA, 720 GMAT, 3.5 GPA equivalent and 5 years IB experience at global firms with International experience, speak 4 languages and entrepreneurial experience with solid extracurriculars.

I'm keen on European schools such as IE, INSEAD, Said, Judge and LBS and perhaps Columbia.

Which one is a good "fit" for me?

I wonder which ones are generous on scholarships for Africans? Not sure if the extra year and USD 80,000 is worth spending at Columbia. If they are more keen on sponsoring Africans than European schools I might consider applying in the US.

So I think my strong points are

  • Solid Education: 2 Bachelors degrees (Actuarial Sci & Investment Management)+ Masters( financial economics)

  • Entrepreneurial: Started a business tutoring MBA candidates's (at an South African business school) statistics, financial maths, accounting, economics, etc..

  • Philanthropic: I'm a volunteer maths teacher at a school in an underprivileged neighbourhood and I provide free financial services to small businesses

  • Travelled: I've worked on deals and lived in over 10 African countries

  • Adaptive : Speak 4 languages

- Ostende Mihi Pecuniam -
 
PanAfricanBanker:
Hi Kevin

I posted earlier as well:

I am 2.1 Master's Degree holder (Financial Economics) (Valedictorian) from South Africa/Nigeria (Dual-citizen) (+2 Bachelors degrees), with a CFA, 720 GMAT, 3.5 GPA equivalent and 5 years IB experience at global firms with International experience, speak 4 languages and entrepreneurial experience with solid extracurriculars.

I'm keen on European schools such as IE, INSEAD, Said, Judge and LBS and perhaps Columbia.

Which one is a good "fit" for me?

I wonder which ones are generous on scholarships for Africans? Not sure if the extra year and USD 80,000 is worth spending at Columbia. If they are more keen on sponsoring Africans than European schools I might consider applying in the US.

So I think my strong points are

  • Solid Education: 2 Bachelors degrees (Actuarial Sci & Investment Management)+ Masters( financial economics)

  • Entrepreneurial: Started a business tutoring MBA candidates's (at an South African business school) statistics, financial maths, accounting, economics, etc..

  • Philanthropic: I'm a volunteer maths teacher at a school in an underprivileged neighbourhood and I provide free financial services to small businesses

  • Travelled: I've worked on deals and lived in over 10 African countries

  • Adaptive : Speak 4 languages

Hi PanAfricanBanker, thanks for your inquiry. It is difficult for me to suggest which schools are a good "fit" for you without knowing more about your personal and professional goals for getting an MBA. On the other hand, being an African applicant certainly will work to your advantage in applying to any of the target schools on your list, as African students are severely under-represented in virtually all MBA programs, and MBA adcoms are especially attracted to your background as an African applicant with strong stats, rigorous work experiences and wide international exposure. In terms of Columbia, if you prefer a shorter MBA, you may want to consider their January program, which allows you to start school in January 2013 and get your degree by Fall 2014 (same end date as one-year European programs that begin in Fall 2013).

Hope this helps! Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed evaluation of your profile.

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Kevin,

By the time of my application, I will have had 1.5 years of M&A experience at a solid middle-market firm, as well as 3 years of M&A and PE experience at a boutique with a fund. I received a 3.5 GPA in finance from a top 50 undergraduate school and have a 680 GMAT. I took the GMAT without any prep and am confident that I could score in the 720-740 range. Will I be competitive at Tuck/Sloan/Yale SOM with my current profile? If I were to score higher on the GMAT would that make me a competitive candidate?

Thanks

 
craigmcdermott:
Kevin,

By the time of my application, I will have had 1.5 years of M&A experience at a solid middle-market firm, as well as 3 years of M&A and PE experience at a boutique with a fund. I received a 3.5 GPA in finance from a top 50 undergraduate school and have a 680 GMAT. I took the GMAT without any prep and am confident that I could score in the 720-740 range. Will I be competitive at Tuck/Sloan/Yale SOM with my current profile? If I were to score higher on the GMAT would that make me a competitive candidate?

Thanks

Hi Craig, thanks for your inquiry. Your overall profile should make you a competitive candidate at your target schools, although Sloan will be harder to get into than Tuck and Yale. On the other hand, your numbers (GPA and GMAT) are not high enough for schools to start looking for reasons to admit you - and your 680 GMAT actually will be a slight negative factor, though certaily not a deal breaker. Top MBA programs tend to treat a GMAT in the low 700s as a neutral factor - namely, that score is neither a plus nor a minus, and the adcom simply moves on to evauate the rest of the applicant's profile without any pre-determined preference for rejecting or admitting the applicant. A GMAT in the high 600s tends to be a slight negative factor; the adcoms will still give the applicant a fair look, but the applicant will need to deliver something more special in the application to warrant admission. A GMAT in the mid to high 700s, on the other hand, will incentivize the adcoms to start giving the applicant a special look and inteprete the rest of his/her profile with a more positive slant. These thresholds vary somewhat depending on the applicant's demographic group, but the general concept applies. So, if you got a 680 without any preparation, I definitely would suggest that you do some prep work and see if you can move your GMAT from a slight negative to a neutral or even positive factor.

Hope this helps! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for a more detailed assessment of your profile.

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Macro1,

At a base level you do have a chance at NYU and/or CBS. Given that you have ample time before the NYU R1 deadline and CBS ED deadline you have time to improve your profile. The GMAT will be of particular importance, in part because CBS tends to be quite focused on this number and because, despite your strong GPA, the adcom will likely not view CUNY as competitively as the programs from which other applicants will have received their education.

At this stage in the process it is certainly okay to be considering both ER and MM PE. However, a successful application to this programs will require you to present a well-defined interest and path so I suggest conducting informational interviews this spring to begin to narrow down your interests.

I am glad to hear you've taken on some volunteer work. I recommend ensuring you are using this time to lead an effort, not simply volunteer your time.

With that in mind, it is always wise to apply to a few schools that both excite you and are reasonable targets.

Best of luck! Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello RE Capital Markets,

We have seen changes over the last decade. To begin with the average GMAT has risen. At top schools 10 years ago the average GMAT was moving just above 700; today, it is often a solid 20-30 points higher. We've also seen an increase in the number of women attending and the average matriculating student is more likely to have had some international work experience.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Bryan,

Overall, your background seems quite sound. With that in mind, I wouldn't want you to apply with less than a 730. Of course, the answer depends upon how solidly above the average you'd like to be. Given that time is still on your side, and the outcome of the GMAT is still within your control, aiming higher would put you more solidly above the average. Of course, a number of other factors will impact the outcome, ranging from the significance of your accomplishments at work to the magnitude of your start-up success.

Keep in mind that the GMAT will have the new Integrated Reasoning section beginning June 5th so you'll want to plan your GMAT studies accordingly.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello KennyPowers,

Unless you performed poorly, the MSF won't be viewed as a negative. Though, you will have to articulate why you need a 2nd graduate education. Keep in mind that the adcom will expect you to have performed better in for graduate program than in your undergraduate program given that your pursuit of this education was ostensible in keeping with a keen interest.

Assuming you have reason to believe you can score at least a 720, and that you're aiming for a top school, I do suggest retaking the GMAT.

If there are other factors you feel would influence your candidacy, I suggest you reach out to us for a more nuanced view of strong next steps by sending your resume to [email protected].

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Graham or Kevin,

I have a math/econ double from a top public (UVA/Berkeley/Michigan) with a 3.6 GPA with a Ph.D. in a hard science from HYP. GREs are 770Q/700A/730V. About two years work experience as a postdoc, one in research, two in a consulting shop (Deloitte/Accenture/Booz) with heavy government focus. Distinguishers: I have published about 20 scientific papers, have led successful pitches for about $85MM worth of government contracts for my clients, top bucket in consulting, and invented a new model for fraud detection.

Problem is that I left the consulting gig on not ideal terms (started a new client who loved my work but three months in I left for a much higher paying position; I don't think my ex-employer was happy). I can probably get another manager to write me a rec from that gig, but i am considering leaving it out.

My odds and my strategy?

Thanks.

 
fermion:
Graham or Kevin,

I have a math/econ double from a top public (UVA/Berkeley/Michigan) with a 3.6 GPA with a Ph.D. in a hard science from HYP. GREs are 770Q/700A/730V. About two years work experience as a postdoc, one in research, two in a consulting shop (Deloitte/Accenture/Booz) with heavy government focus. Distinguishers: I have published about 20 scientific papers, have led successful pitches for about $85MM worth of government contracts for my clients, top bucket in consulting, and invented a new model for fraud detection.

Problem is that I left the consulting gig on not ideal terms (started a new client who loved my work but three months in I left for a much higher paying position; I don't think my ex-employer was happy). I can probably get another manager to write me a rec from that gig, but i am considering leaving it out.

My odds and my strategy?

Thanks.

Hi fermion, thanks for your inquiry. When you say your "odds", what are your target schools? You are well qualified for any top MBA academically and intellectually, but keep in mind that MBA adcoms are more interested in your professional rather than your academic accomplishments. This means you will get more mileage out of the government contracts you secured for clients than your paper publishing.

Also, what is the new position for which you left consulting? As that position presumably is your current/most recent job, the adcoms will be most interested in your level of success at that position, especially if you left a well-known consulting firm to take up that position. In terms of recommendation letters, it would be ideal if you could get letters from your current direct supervisor as well as from a former manager at your consulting firm. Some adcoms may not believe you if you claim that you can't get a letter from, say, Deloitte, because you left that firm on bad terms given you left in the middle of an engagement. The assumption is that well-known consulting firms like Deloitte are very used to their consultants leaving at any time for another job, and therefore these firms don't typically hold a grudge against someone who left unless that person was a poor performer to begin with.

Lastly, while your GRE score is strong, most adcoms still have a slight preference for the GMAT because it is easier for them to benchmark your GMAT score. So, if you are a naturally good test-taker and can spare the time, you may want to consider giving the GMAT a shot.

Hope this helps! Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed evaluation of your profile.

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello atleastimnotabanker,

Based on the background you've shared, including your expected GPA, it appears reasonable that you would apply to HBS and GSB. While I can't convince you of the value of other programs, I do think limiting yourself to these two schools would be a risky venture.

1) Your GPA appears strong, but not stellar by comparison. Note that you're talking about applying to schools where the top of the top are admitted, and you're stated GPA doesn't fall in this range.

2) I am also concerned about your extra-curriculars as you've labeled them. As you've pointed out, you have not involved yourself in any activity other than work since you graduated but it also seems as if the activities you were involved in lacked depth. You've been broadly involved with little to no leadership in any of them.

Your recommendations will play an important role in your candidacy since these adcoms will expect you to be performing at the top of your consulting class. In this regard, I'd expect your company's willingness to fund your education will contribute positively to the strength of your recommendations.

Feel free to email us at [email protected] if you'd like to discuss the specifics of your candidacy with one of our admissions advisors.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello wsj,

The adcoms at H/W/S don't inherently hold biases against traders! In fact, I know some traders who are attending these very schools right now. While it is not the case that "many" traders apply to business school, I find that those that do are typically looking to make a career change.

I've also found that one of the difficulties traders face in the admissions process is that their work doesn't always afford them opportunities to highlight leadership or management skills. So given that it's still early, assuming you plan to apply next year, consider how you can demonstrate these skills outside of work.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello mettawp,

While the adcom will review your GMAT and GPA together, as part of the review of your academic record, the GMAT won't "make up" 100% for a weak GPA. After all, the GMAT represents your performance over just a few hours while your GPA represents your performance over many years. That said, a strong GMAT coupled with other strengths in your application will enable the adcom to value what you do bring to the table which, in their entirety, can help the adcom look past a weak GPA.

If you want to discuss the specifics of your candidacy, such as just how "weak" your GPA actually is, or the particular subject areas in which your record is of concern, please feel free to email your resume to [email protected]. Don't forget to mention WSO!

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello pacman007

Your extra-curriculars sound intriguing. However, as you pointed out, you're not currently involved in any of these activities and if you maintain that trend through the 3.5 years you expect to work prior to attending school, this will be a weakness in your candidacy. So I would allocate some time to demonstrate your leadership in an activity that you are passionate about and that, hopefully, builds upon one of the activities in which you've previously been involved.

Generally speaking, you seem to be targeting schools in an appropriate "tier" but I suggest you tie your choice more closely to your post-MBA goals. Consider which schools can offer you the blend of academic, career, geographic, etc. criteria that will help you to advance along your chosen professional path. Ross and NYU, for instance offer very different possibilities. If you want to continue to build a career in the energy industry, for instance, you may not find that NY city offers you the best options.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Kevin or Graham,

As others have already mentioned, thanks again for your time, it is greatly appreciated it.

Graduated with a 3.0 from a UC (University of California, not Cal or UCLA) in Biotechnology Worked the past 5 years in biotech field (bench work), with two different companies and increasing responsibilities but more or less hit the glass ceiling in my field without a PhD.

Interested equity research (biotech focus) but also open to investments and consulting. Mainly interested in Wharton, Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth and maybe NYU (currently reside outside the city). In the process of studying GMAT and applying this year. Assuming I have a 700+ GMAT (I know big assumption) how much will my undergrad GPA hurt me? My plan was to apply regardless and hope for the best however if I was not accepted I had a few things I am hoping to boost my application and am curious on your thoughts:

  1. Start taking courses through NYU SCPS professional certificate programs. I know it is not degree granting but I am hoping it would show my interest/passion for investment/finances (I was going for the portfolio management certificate)

  2. Pass level 1 CFA. I was originally going to take this in June anyways with hopes of using it to break into ER but instead will take it in December. Again I know it is not huge but hoping as a non-traditional/biotech guy it will help distinguish me/show my interest.

  3. Try to break into consulting, I've heard it is much easier to go the consulting route and then ER rather then ER first. Also, I am pretty much over my job now so I wouldn't mind the change.

I am hoping I get in on the first round before taking any of the above steps but in case I need to reapply those were my options, what do you think, anything else I should add? To reiterate all of the steps above I was going to take anyways regardless of my admission status but am hoping they would boost my application.

 
TOB2020:
Kevin or Graham,

As others have already mentioned, thanks again for your time, it is greatly appreciated it.

Graduated with a 3.0 from a UC (University of California, not Cal or UCLA) in Biotechnology Worked the past 5 years in biotech field (bench work), with two different companies and increasing responsibilities but more or less hit the glass ceiling in my field without a PhD.

Interested equity research (biotech focus) but also open to investments and consulting. Mainly interested in Wharton, Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth and maybe NYU (currently reside outside the city). In the process of studying GMAT and applying this year. Assuming I have a 700+ GMAT (I know big assumption) how much will my undergrad GPA hurt me? My plan was to apply regardless and hope for the best however if I was not accepted I had a few things I am hoping to boost my application and am curious on your thoughts:

  1. Start taking courses through NYU SCPS professional certificate programs. I know it is not degree granting but I am hoping it would show my interest/passion for investment/finances (I was going for the portfolio management certificate)

  2. Pass level 1 CFA. I was originally going to take this in June anyways with hopes of using it to break into ER but instead will take it in December. Again I know it is not huge but hoping as a non-traditional/biotech guy it will help distinguish me/show my interest.

  3. Try to break into consulting, I've heard it is much easier to go the consulting route and then ER rather then ER first. Also, I am pretty much over my job now so I wouldn't mind the change.

I am hoping I get in on the first round before taking any of the above steps but in case I need to reapply those were my options, what do you think, anything else I should add? To reiterate all of the steps above I was going to take anyways regardless of my admission status but am hoping they would boost my application.

Hi TOB2020, thanks for your inquiry. Adcoms at top schools generally draw a mental dividing line for GPA around 3.0, so while your GPA is less than ideal, it is not a deal-breaker. It does, however, mean that you should try to score above average on the GMAT to compensate, as adcoms tend to consider the GPA and GMAT in conjunction - if one is below average, they like to see the other above average.

As for the steps you're considering, taking additional classes would help to mitigate the low GPA if you do well. In terms of CFA, as Graham may have mentioned in an earlier response, adcoms generally consider the CFA a professional designation, not an academic accomplishment. As for getting a job in consulting or ER, it would strenghten your profile because adcoms prefer applicants who already have made substantial progress in their post-MBA industries of choice. On the other hand, if you do get a new job, keep in mind that adcoms also like to see applicants stay at a new job, especially one in a totally new industry, for at least two years before leaving for b-school, so this may further delay your MBA plans.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Anonymouse393,

An admissions officer won't inherently find political experience favorable or unfavorable; their view of your experience will depend upon the broader context surrounding the experience. If, for instance, your political experience ends up as one of four or five random jobs you hold before you submit your application it would appear, well, random. If, on the other hand, it is a clear extension of an interest you've demonstrated throughout college or continue to demonstrate, in some fashion, while you're in management consulting, then I'd expect an admissions officer to value it. To take it one step further, in my experience working with clients holding politics experience, if your experience reflects your career ambitions, it will have greater relevancy - so long as you can relate it to the business school experience.

With regards to your second question, I envision an admissions officer valuing work in both campaign strategy and in field organizing. I suggest you pursue whichever role you feel you'd most enjoy as you're more likely to excel and you'd then be more likely to "extract" value for your application. You could also consider choosing to pursue one of these roles based on whichever you're less likely to have exposure to in consulting; the difficulty with this approach is that you may wind up having exposure to both broad strategy and group organizing at a consulting firm.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Graham,

Interesting question for you: How important can having a past alum / someone in with the ad com pull some strings for you as H/S/W? Say for an average candidate (3.5 GPA 700 Gmat in finance) who most likely wouldnt get in otherwise? I am sure you have ran into some stories or encounters with this across you b school consulting travels...

Thanks

 
Dunleavy89:
Hey Graham,

Interesting question for you: How important can having a past alum / someone in with the ad com pull some strings for you as H/S/W? Say for an average candidate (3.5 GPA 700 Gmat in finance) who most likely wouldnt get in otherwise? I am sure you have ran into some stories or encounters with this across you b school consulting travels...

Thanks

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Going to try posting again...

GMAT: 770 (48V, 49Q) GPA: 3.8 in Econ from top LAC (think NESCAC) WE: Currently almost 2 years MBB, top quarter of class, almost all consumer/retail experience Leadership: Captain of varsity sport in college, led a club and a student govt. committee Short term: keep going in consulting for a couple years (I'm sponsored) Long term: Intersection of sports, strategy and consumer/retail...would love to work in a team's front office, but realistically would be very happy with a strategy-type sr. management role at a sports-related consumer or retail company.

I was rejected from H/S and waitlisted at another M7, who basically wanted to know "why now?" since I am on the young side. Am thinking that waiting another year is a good idea, but probably going to re-apply in the fall...what can I do between now and then to get more competitive (other than get a year older)? I'm on track for a promotion this summer and likely going abroad for my next project.

Also thinking about expanding my list a bit to ensure I get in somewhere. Thinking maybe Sloan + either Darden, Tuck, Ross and Yale. Any other ideas (must have a collegial student body and the ability to help me get where I want to be)...thoughts?

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 
petergibbons:
Going to try posting again...

GMAT: 770 (48V, 49Q) GPA: 3.8 in Econ from top LAC (think NESCAC) WE: Currently almost 2 years MBB, top quarter of class, almost all consumer/retail experience Leadership: Captain of varsity sport in college, led a club and a student govt. committee Short term: keep going in consulting for a couple years (I'm sponsored) Long term: Intersection of sports, strategy and consumer/retail...would love to work in a team's front office, but realistically would be very happy with a strategy-type sr. management role at a sports-related consumer or retail company.

I was rejected from H/S and waitlisted at another M7, who basically wanted to know "why now?" since I am on the young side. Am thinking that waiting another year is a good idea, but probably going to re-apply in the fall...what can I do between now and then to get more competitive (other than get a year older)? I'm on track for a promotion this summer and likely going abroad for my next project.

Also thinking about expanding my list a bit to ensure I get in somewhere. Thinking maybe Sloan + either Darden, Tuck, Ross and Yale. Any other ideas (must have a collegial student body and the ability to help me get where I want to be)...thoughts?

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Dunleavy89,

A business school alum can have a positive impact on an applicant's application but the degree of impact is typically minimal. There are typically more alums than applicants in any one admissions cycle and since most applicants are admitted without knowing an alum, you can imagine the impact is minimal.

The most obvious manner in which an alum can impact your application would be if they were to write one of your recommendations. The value they bring to your application in influencing the outcome is that they are uniquely positioned to reflect on how your strengths would match those of the institution to which you are applying. That said, an alum would only be in a position to do this, of course, if they've worked with you closely. It would be detrimental to your candidacy if you were to choose a recommender primarily on the basis of his/her alum status, yet he/she couldn't write about you with specific knowledge. This would apply, for any applicant, "average" or not.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello petergibbons,

I think the list of schools you're currently investigating is a strong set of schools. I suggest you expand your research to schools which are team-oriented, given your desire for a collegial student body, such as Kellogg or Duke. Since it is mid-April, you should have ample time to conduct this research and still complete a full set of applications by R1.

As I reflect on the brief information you provided, I certainly hope you know there is nothing inherently wrong with what you bring to the table. A promotion may make your application stronger, but that is typically only the case if your promotion is accompanied by increased responsibility and leadership. I anticipate your likely work abroad will also enable you to build stronger cross-cultural team-based skills, which may reflect well in your essays or recommendations.

I would be reluctant to ascribe your results simply to the fact that you're a young applicant, since others with limited experience do get admitted. For that reason, I suggest you have an experienced eye review the finer details and nuances of your candidacy so that you can raise your level of awareness around what you did - or did not - portray in your applications this past year. These details would also enable you to consider specific approaches you could take to improve your candidacy. Feel free to email [email protected] for a free 1/2 hour consultation; be sure to mention WSO.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Leonidas,

Based on what you've written, it makes sense to submit an application. While there's no such thing as "a sure thing," on the basics, you're in the ballpark. Depending upon the questions in next year's application, you may have to address why you chose to attend HLS. I'd anticipate that an MBA would help you in your pursuit of a career in PE, given the skills that PE shops typically seek in their hires. Of course, it depends upon what you hope to be doing in PE. Given that you're at HLS, it makes sense to tap into the alum base to connect with the alums in PE to seek their perspectives. You might also reach out to your contacts from your BB IB work to seek their opinions - especially those of folks who have moved into PE.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Thanks Graham...I'm on the WL at Kellogg right now, so that definitely makes sense.

Plan is to re-apply at S and K, and either HBS or Sloan (Boston is really attractive for personal reasons, but not sure HBS is a great fit) and one more school.

Will definitely keep that offer in mind.

Thanks, Petergibbons

Life, liberty and the pursuit of Starwood Points
 
petergibbons:
Thanks Graham...I'm on the WL at Kellogg right now, so that definitely makes sense.

Plan is to re-apply at S and K, and either HBS or Sloan (Boston is really attractive for personal reasons, but not sure HBS is a great fit) and one more school.

Will definitely keep that offer in mind.

Thanks, Petergibbons

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Petergibbons,

Your reapplication ideas sound good; given that you're young, you're still in a position to apply to many hard-to-get -into schools, as opposed to older applicants who may have to take a more "risk-adverse" strategy.

You may find our Waitlist Guide useful for Kellogg: http://clearadmit.shop.studylink.com/product.cfm?productid=40. Or, one of our admissions advisors can offer you feedback specific to your application so you learn the strengths and weaknesses of your actual Kellogg application.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Kevin and Graham, thanks for the responses.

Quick Profile Age: pushing 30 very concerned about this GMAT: 760(1st attempt), 780 (2nd attempt) LSAT: low 170s Under GPA: 3.6 (BigTen, not Umich or Northwestern) Law School GPA: 3.5 (lower T14) Current position: associate @ Vault top 50 law firm, Cap Mkts. Group (4years), with international experience Previous experience: started my own company (mixed results) and operational role in a F500 company Ethnicity: Asian/Pacific Islander

My goal: I like being an attorney but I desire being a banker more. I find myself wanting to know more about the valuations and structuring the financial economics of a deal. However, my finance experience limited to passing CFA exams I & II and an undergraduate finance degree

My schools and why: NOT HBS, SBS because I am almost positive its shooting for the stars, especially given my age.

  • Wharton (stretch)
  • Columbia (would consider ED)
  • Tuck
  • Sloan
  • Oxford
  • Cambridge

Also what are your thoughts on pursuing an MFin? It seems like that degree is targeted for an even younger age group.

Thanks in advance

MishaSofi

 

Hi MishaSofi, thanks for your post. Quite frankly, the "pushing 30" part is not going to be a problem for most schools not named Stanford or Harvard. And, even for those two schools, we've seen plenty of applicants get in if they can submit applications that demonstrate impressive accomplishments and maturity.

As an older student, you will need to demonstrate more impressive accomplishments than a younger applicant to be competitive for admissions at top schools; that's the flat-out reality. Furthermore, it would not be a good idea to give the impression that you want to use business school as a career "reset button" to chart a completely new path. Instead, it would be important that you can present your post-MBA plans as something that would allow you to leverage the experiences and skills that you gained pre-MBA. For example, you may want to consider stating that, as an attorney, you've had extensive experience working in corporate finance from the legal side. Now, you want to further your corporate finance career by becoming more involved in the business/strategic side of the industry. You certainly don't need to choose this story if it really isn't what you want to do, but whatever story you do choose, again, make sure it is related to the experience and skill-sets that you already have accumulated.

The fact is, your impressive numbers (especially the GMAT) mean that adcoms will be looking for excuses to admit you; a 780 does not mean the same thing to an adcom as, say, a 740. Even adcoms at the very top schools are attracted to high numbers, regardless of whether or not the reason for the attraction is completely rational. So, now that the adcoms are pre-disposed towards accepting you, your goal is to present your profile so that you come across as a high achiever beyond the GMAT, with definitive future goals.

Hope this helps! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for a more in-depth analysis of your profile.

Best, Kevin

mishasofi:
Hi Kevin and Graham, thanks for the responses.

Quick Profile Age: pushing 30 very concerned about this GMAT: 760(1st attempt), 780 (2nd attempt) LSAT: low 170s Under GPA: 3.6 (BigTen, not Umich or Northwestern) Law School GPA: 3.5 (lower T14) Current position: associate @ Vault top 50 law firm, Cap Mkts. Group (4years), with international experience Previous experience: started my own company (mixed results) and operational role in a F500 company Ethnicity: Asian/Pacific Islander

My goal: I like being an attorney but I desire being a banker more. I find myself wanting to know more about the valuations and structuring the financial economics of a deal. However, my finance experience limited to passing CFA exams I & II and an undergraduate finance degree

My schools and why: NOT HBS, SBS because I am almost positive its shooting for the stars, especially given my age.

  • Wharton (stretch)
  • Columbia (would consider ED)
  • Tuck
  • Sloan
  • Oxford
  • Cambridge

Also what are your thoughts on pursuing an MFin? It seems like that degree is targeted for an even younger age group.

Thanks in advance

MishaSofi

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

it is true that it is extremely difficult to get into a top MBA program with no work experience. Almost all successful candidates have extensive experience. The average level of work experience ranges from 4-6 years.

 

Hi Graham

I am an undergraduate student (3rd year) major in Finance (Top 3 University in China) GPA:3.6/4 Rank:22/390 Toefl: 106 s24 r29 l 25 w28 GMAT:750
Summer intern experience in Top 4 commercial bank in China Some E/C but not very impressive Exchange student to Canada Queen‘s U for one term

I am quite interested in the 2+2 MBA program In HBS since I really have a strong desire in doing business after graduate...I wonder do you think it is possible for me to be accepted? if not...could you recommand some programs for me? Thanks for your kindness help......

 
ksdl:
Hi Graham

I am an undergraduate student (3rd year) major in Finance (Top 3 University in China) GPA:3.6/4 Rank:22/390 Toefl: 106 s24 r29 l 25 w28 GMAT:750
Summer intern experience in Top 4 commercial bank in China Some E/C but not very impressive Exchange student to Canada Queen‘s U for one term

I am quite interested in the 2+2 MBA program In HBS since I really have a strong desire in doing business after graduate...I wonder do you think it is possible for me to be accepted? if not...could you recommand some programs for me? Thanks for your kindness help......

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Guys,

GPA: 3.7/4.0 - Double Major Math and Comp Sci at a top 10 public school. Heavy courseload in statistics, operations research, and took a few graduate courses. Excellent programming skills.TAed a few undergrad courses as well. GMAT: haven't taken yet. No idea what to expect exactly Published some mathematical research with some mildly-prominent professors. 2 years of varsity athletics. Treasurer of fraternity. Extracurriculars weren't stellar beyond research.

Work: ~1.5 year quantitative research at a premier prop trading firm. Took the next 8 months off and did some traveling. Nothing highly productive, unfortunately. Current: VP with top BB IB risk, almost 2 years of experience. Quant-heavy job with much programming.

Recommendations should be excellent. One from a professor I took several classes and did research with. The other 2 from MDs in my group.

Do you think I have a shot for HWS, providing I can get a >720ish GMAT? I'm worried about my short work experience, and kinda dull extracurriculars.

Thanks

 
stardog:
Hey Guys,

GPA: 3.7/4.0 - Double Major Math and Comp Sci at a top 10 public school. Heavy courseload in statistics, operations research, and took a few graduate courses. Excellent programming skills.TAed a few undergrad courses as well. GMAT: haven't taken yet. No idea what to expect exactly Published some mathematical research with some mildly-prominent professors. 2 years of varsity athletics. Treasurer of fraternity. Extracurriculars weren't stellar beyond research.

Work: ~1.5 year quantitative research at a premier prop trading firm. Took the next 8 months off and did some traveling. Nothing highly productive, unfortunately. Current: VP with top BB IB risk, almost 2 years of experience. Quant-heavy job with much programming.

Recommendations should be excellent. One from a professor I took several classes and did research with. The other 2 from MDs in my group.

Do you think I have a shot for HWS, providing I can get a >720ish GMAT? I'm worried about my short work experience, and kinda dull extracurriculars.

Thanks

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Ksdl,

Your academics would put you in range of this program but I'd anticipate that other elements of your candidacy would ultimately be the deciding factor. So, your weak extra curricular activities are worrisome. Of course, if you've demonstrated extreme leadership in your internships, that might help.

Other programs you might consider would be Stanford (thought it would be similarly competitive): http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/mba/admission/college_seniors.html and Yale's Silver Scholar's Program: http://mba.yale.edu/MBA/admissions/apply/college_seniors.shtml.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Stardog,

Your work experience and (expected) academic record seem strong though I am more concerned about your seemingly limited leadership experience given that your work appears highly programming-oriented. While it might make sense to target a stretch school like HBS, Wharton or Stanford, I do suggest you expand the set of schools to which you will apply.

I'm sure one of our admissions advisors would be happy to discuss the specifics of your candidacy if you email your resume to [email protected] and mention WSO. For instance, there might be more leadership in your candidacy than you are suggesting, through your varsity athletics or fraternity experience. I suggest, too, that you reconsider using a professor as a recommender.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Graham et al, thanks for your time.

Age: 33 or 34 upon enrollment GPA: 3.1 overall, 3.92 last 45 hours (first stab at undergrad was bad, but 10 years ago, 2nd part was about 5) GMAT: did not take, GRE instead, 710v 800q on old scale, 167V 166 Q on new, equal to 750 GMAT

Experience: teaching for four years, two abroad, two in the US, two additional years working at the marketing dept for a Chinese state owned enterprise in Beijing. I have four years abroad in both S Korea and China, and can speak rudimentary Korea and business Chinese at a rather high level of fluency. Have taught Business English and leadership for four years. Can demonstrate working knowledge of Mandarin and show bi-lingual leadership experience (I'm basically the point man on any document/event involving English and have set up two retreats so far for training)

I think I'm definitely a non-traditional student, and I'm not looking to do investments or consulting, more interested in federal consulting/biz development. . I'm worried that my lack of hard quant experience and circuitious route through undergrad will hurt me. My top three choices are Kellogg, Ross and Darden, with UNC and Texas in the mix too. I think my language experience and timing will help, I didn't start learning Mandarin until 29, and think this will mitigate the "old dog/new tricks" stigma I might get. What do you think of my profile? I plan on taking a Calculus and maybe one other quant class, hoping that my 800Q will allow me to stand out a little bit from most GRE takers. Thanks in advance!

 
zilong:
Hello Graham et al, thanks for your time.

Age: 33 or 34 upon enrollment GPA: 3.1 overall, 3.92 last 45 hours (first stab at undergrad was bad, but 10 years ago, 2nd part was about 5) GMAT: did not take, GRE instead, 710v 800q on old scale, 167V 166 Q on new, equal to 750 GMAT

Experience: teaching for four years, two abroad, two in the US, two additional years working at the marketing dept for a Chinese state owned enterprise in Beijing. I have four years abroad in both S Korea and China, and can speak rudimentary Korea and business Chinese at a rather high level of fluency. Have taught Business English and leadership for four years. Can demonstrate working knowledge of Mandarin and show bi-lingual leadership experience (I'm basically the point man on any document/event involving English and have set up two retreats so far for training)

I think I'm definitely a non-traditional student, and I'm not looking to do investments or consulting, more interested in federal consulting/biz development. . I'm worried that my lack of hard quant experience and circuitious route through undergrad will hurt me. My top three choices are Kellogg, Ross and Darden, with UNC and Texas in the mix too. I think my language experience and timing will help, I didn't start learning Mandarin until 29, and think this will mitigate the "old dog/new tricks" stigma I might get. What do you think of my profile? I plan on taking a Calculus and maybe one other quant class, hoping that my 800Q will allow me to stand out a little bit from most GRE takers. Thanks in advance!

Hello Zilong,

You certainly do have an unusual background for a business school applicant. While your 800 will help you I encourage you to take at least 2 quantitative classes, not just the calculus class you're currently enrolled in. And you will want to score top marks in all of these classes to show both your quantitative aptitude and your dedication to academics at this stage in your life. This is particularly important as an older applicant and as one who has a spotty undergrad record.

Articulating a well-reasoned case for your goals will be instrumental to your success, as well as highlighting not just the turning points of your work but your achievements along the way. Let me suggest that you consider Georgetown as well, given your interest in federal consulting, perhaps instead of one of the schools on your list which location-wise won't offer you easy access to DC-based firms. From what you've written it seems that Kellogg would be a stretch, but I don't expect I have all of the details of your candidacy, such as what other activities you're involved in outside of work. Feel free to email our office your resume via [email protected] to set up time to speak with one of our admissions advisors.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Clear Admit Publishes Free, Objective Overviews of 27 Leading MBA Programs for Business School Applicants

We are excited to announce the release of the Clear Admit “School Snapshots” series, a new publication line designed to give prospective applicants concise overviews of leading MBA programs – for free – as they begin the process of finding the right business school.

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"The Clear Admit School Snapshots deliver need-to-know information that’s easy to read and free of marketing spin," says Clear Admit Co-founder Graham Richmond. "They’re the perfect way for applicants to learn about a school before delving into deeper research."

The Snapshots series is the most recent addition to Clear Admit’s line of critically acclaimed publications, which also includes more extensive School Guides, Interview Guides, and School Selection Guides, as well as a Strategy Series providing step-by-step guidance through the application process. School Snapshots of more than two dozen top MBA programs are now available for free download in the Clear Admit Shop.

Here is a complete list of titles in the Clear Admit School Snapshot series: •Chicago Booth School of Business •Columbia Business School •Darden School of Business •Fuqua School of Business •Haas School of Business •Harvard Business School •IESE Business School •INSEAD •Indian School of Business •Judge Business School •Kellogg School of Management •Kenan-Flagler Business School •London Business School •MIT Sloan School of Management •McCombs School of Business •McDonough School of Business •NYU Stern School of Business •Ross School of Business •S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management •Saïd Business School •Stanford Graduate School of Business •Tepper School of Business •The Wharton School •Tuck School of Business •UCLA Anderson School of Management •USC Marshall School of Business •Yale School of Management

To download any of these guides for free, please go to:

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Good luck!

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

How to Get Into a Top MBA Program- Tip #1 Christina Mabley, the Director of MBA Admissions at McCombs School of Business, offers this advice to applicants who want to get into a top MBA program—specifically, the McCombs MBA program:

"Applications that stand out are ones that complete a good story. Everything in the application should provide a consistent story about why an MBA, why now and why specifically an MBA from McCombs. The application should tell us what you want to get out of the program and conversely, what you feel you will bring to the program."

How to Get Into a Top MBA Program- Tip #2

Admission reps from Columbia Business School say your interview is your chance to stand out:

''The interview is an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate how they present themselves. Applicants should be prepared to discuss their goals, their accomplishments, and their reason for seeking an MBA.''

How to Get Into a Top MBA Program- Tip #3 The Associate Director of Admissions at Ross School of Business offers this advice for getting into their top MBA program:

"Show us through the application, resume, and especially the essays, what is unique about yourself and why you're a good fit for our school. Be professional, know yourself, and research the school to which you're applying."

How to Get Into a Top MBA Program- Tip #4 Isser Gallogly, the Executive Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business, had this to say about getting into NYU Stern's top-ranked MBA program:

"At NYU Stern School of Business, our MBA admissions process is holistic and individualistic. Our Admissions Committee is focused on three key areas: 1) academic ability 2) professional potential and 3) personal characteristics, as well as "fit" with NYU Stern. Throughout the process we provide our applicants with continual communication and personalized attention. Ultimately, we want to ensure that each student who enrolls believes that Stern is the right fit for his or her personal and professional aspirations.

Many applicants think the Admissions Committee wants to hear what we write on our website, which is not what we are looking for. Ultimately, what makes candidates stand out is when they are self-aware, know what they want and speak from their heart in their application. Each person's story is unique and compelling, and each applicant should tell his or her story. When you read over 6,000 essays in an admissions season, the personalized stories are the ones that make you sit up in your chair."

Hope this help

Regards

NextPay is an innovative global Secure Online Processing company
 

Hey guys,

I'm graduating from undergrad this week and was wondering, based on my stats, what I could do to improve my chances over the next few years. I don't want my life to revolve around going to b-school, but I would like to know if you have any tips for things I should look into on the side. I would like to go to H/W/S or Haas/Anderson if I do not meet the H/W/S criteria, but was wondering where you feel I would be most competitive if I don't fit the bill for any of those.

My stats: - Starting with an elite buyside equity research firm (~$100 bil. AUM), would like to matriculate in 4 years - 730 GMAT (48 Q, 42 V), just took it - 3.65 GPA in Finance from unranked state school (Magna Cum Laude and Beta Gamma Sigma) - President of undergrad Finance club, Treasurer of Fraternity, several awards for leadership - 5 undergrad internships - 1 in IB M&A, 1 in IB public finance - Private Pilot - Starting professional prep. non-profit for highschool students

I know it's a little early to be thinking about this, but I'd love to hear your opinion on what I could do to improve my application. Thanks in advance for your help!

 
eriginal:
Hey guys,

I'm graduating from undergrad this week and was wondering, based on my stats, what I could do to improve my chances over the next few years. I don't want my life to revolve around going to b-school, but I would like to know if you have any tips for things I should look into on the side. I would like to go to H/W/S or Haas/Anderson if I do not meet the H/W/S criteria, but was wondering where you feel I would be most competitive if I don't fit the bill for any of those.

My stats: - Starting with an elite buyside equity research firm (~$100 bil. AUM), would like to matriculate in 4 years - 730 GMAT (48 Q, 42 V), just took it - 3.65 GPA in Finance from unranked state school (Magna Cum Laude and Beta Gamma Sigma) - President of undergrad Finance club, Treasurer of Fraternity, several awards for leadership - 5 undergrad internships - 1 in IB M&A, 1 in IB public finance - Private Pilot - Starting professional prep. non-profit for highschool students

I know it's a little early to be thinking about this, but I'd love to hear your opinion on what I could do to improve my application. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello eriginal and congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

While it might seem obvious I do think it is worth stating for the record, the most important thing you can do over the next 4 years is to focus on your professional accomplishments. Whether you choose to stay in equity research or move elsewhere after a few years, schools will be examining your trajectory and degree of success as compared to your peers. This work should also help you gain clarity and develop a vision for your future professional interests - something else you will be judged on in the application process.

While I appreciate that you've held leadership positions through school it is often valuable for you to demonstrate leadership outside of the workplace. Since you anticipate applying in roughly four years, the admission committees will be looking for more recent leadership successes. This isn't to say you should let your life revolve around this goal. In fact, I think it is the other way around. I think you should find something you care about and develop your leadership in this arena. This will breed success which should emerge in your applications. Finding time to do this outside of your equity research responsibilities will be difficult but depending upon what you do, your efforts here could very well be a differentiator.

There's no reason to assume at this stage that you won't be competitive at either the top schools you mentioned or at others you haven't mentioned. Assuming you maintain an increasingly successful trajectory that demonstrates leadership and vision I think the question will come down to details that relate to fit, the nature of the strengths you demonstrate and type of education you seek. As you begin to research schools you'll find that even H/W/S seek very different candidates.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Guys on the Clear Admit team,

Thanks for coming by to offer this quick and dirty consulting service. I'd definitely consider using your services when the time comes for applications (as you'll see below, I will need all the help I can get). If you can give me any indication of where I might be competitive, it would be very helpful. I dont think, however, that I would bother attending a non-top 10 school.

  • 2.3 GPA from a small and unheard of liberal arts school. No alumni in finance. No alumni in major MBA programs.
  • 1540 GRE. 800q 740v. I could take this again and definitely get higher. Should I bother? Do I NEED the GMAT?
  • 3.5 GPA at a 1-year MSF at a large public university.
  • 2 internships at brand name finance/consulting institutions
  • 1 year at Wells Fargo in Corporate Banking (basically pitching/executing syndicated debt)
  • 2 years at a very desirable coverage group at a bulge bracket (not UBS or BAML, lol)
  • Will be 25 by the time I finish up my 2 years in banking
  • Lots of finance extra-curriculars during the MSF program. I guess I need to start doing volunteer work as well, and can start that up soon.

Ideally I'd like to go to an MBA that doesnt rank or award GPAs. As you can see from my academic background, I dont care much for academia. I've also already taken many corporate finance MBA level classes during my MSF, including tons of case studies. I'd be attending purely for the network and brand name.

Array
 
Cries:
Guys on the Clear Admit team,

Thanks for coming by to offer this quick and dirty consulting service. I'd definitely consider using your services when the time comes for applications (as you'll see below, I will need all the help I can get). If you can give me any indication of where I might be competitive, it would be very helpful. I dont think, however, that I would bother attending a non-top 10 school.

  • 2.3 GPA from a small and unheard of liberal arts school. No alumni in finance. No alumni in major MBA programs.
  • 1540 GRE. 800q 740v. I could take this again and definitely get higher. Should I bother? Do I NEED the GMAT?
  • 3.5 GPA at a 1-year MSF at a large public university.
  • 2 internships at brand name finance/consulting institutions
  • 1 year at Wells Fargo in Corporate Banking (basically pitching/executing syndicated debt)
  • 2 years at a very desirable coverage group at a bulge bracket (not UBS or BAML, lol)
  • Will be 25 by the time I finish up my 2 years in banking
  • Lots of finance extra-curriculars during the MSF program. I guess I need to start doing volunteer work as well, and can start that up soon.

Ideally I'd like to go to an MBA that doesnt rank or award GPAs. As you can see from my academic background, I dont care much for academia. I've also already taken many corporate finance MBA level classes during my MSF, including tons of case studies. I'd be attending purely for the network and brand name.

Hello cries,

You'll be hard-pressed to find a Top 10 school that doesn't care about academics in the manner you've suggested. At the end of the day, you're applying to an academic institution and the admissions committee members as well as other institutional staff that have a say in the decision-making process, such as professors, care that you have the ability and commitment to perform well. The good news is that you've demonstrated an upward trajectory in your MSF degree and that all of these schools also care about your performance outside of the classroom.

I do think there is value in taking the GMAT. Beyond your GRE, it will demonstrate subtle straits such as how much you understand what is important to adcom members (they generally prefer the GMAT over GRE) and your ability at this stage to commit yourself to study, which is particularly important given your GPA.

I agree with you that you want to demonstrate success outside of work but it doesn't mean you have to do volunteer work. For instance, applicants who express an interest in entrepreneurial activities often start a venture on the side, which both showcases their leadership success as well as their genuine professional interest.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

I was wondering if you could please match me with some top business schools -- I have the following profile:

~3.3 GPA (Finance & International Business major) top 20 private school 760 GMAT (50 Q, 42 V) IBD Analyst at Top MM (really good industry group) Asian male

Also, what community service/"extracurriculars" do you think would most add to my application? I was considering the university alumni association as well as a couple commserv organizations that I am highly interested and personally vested in.

Thanks!

 
Bob Loblaw:
I was wondering if you could please match me with some top business schools -- I have the following profile:

~3.3 GPA (Finance & International Business major) top 20 private school 760 GMAT (50 Q, 42 V) IBD Analyst at Top MM (really good industry group) Asian male

Also, what community service/"extracurriculars" do you think would most add to my application? I was considering the university alumni association as well as a couple commserv organizations that I am highly interested and personally vested in.

Thanks!

Hello Bob,

I commend you for considering how to add to your application outside of the basics. I think your idea to do something that genuinely interests you will be the key to your success. So, if serving your university alum association excites you, you should pursue this interest. I strongly advise you to do something that requires leadership, not simply show up at events and volunteer your time.

Regarding your request for a match, the information you've shared isn't sufficient to guide you in this multi-faceted and nuanced decision. I suggest you email your résumé to [email protected] so you can schedule a conversation with one of our admissions advisors.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Thanks for all the good info so far.

I was wondering what my chances of getting into some more specific schools mainly in the Southeast (for personal reasons) based on my profile. Specifically I wanted to apply to Duke, UNC, Emory, UVA and Georgetown. I think out of all the program UNC would be my best fit but I like the other programs as well. Here is my background:

-3.95 GPA with 4.0 in finance and an honors student at a state school that is not well known but attended to play a dvision 1 baseball (which I played for three years) and because I received an academic scholarship -Operations role with a risk management component at regional bank (think Sun Trust, BB&T, USB) and manage a team of 20 people. -Expected 680-720 GMAT - I have coached a little league baseball team the last three years and have started an alumni association for the academic scholarship I received while in my under grad - Post MBA I would like to leverage my experiences to do IB

Thanks

 
Warren_Graham:
Thanks for all the good info so far.

I was wondering what my chances of getting into some more specific schools mainly in the Southeast (for personal reasons) based on my profile. Specifically I wanted to apply to Duke, UNC, Emory, UVA and Georgetown. I think out of all the program UNC would be my best fit but I like the other programs as well. Here is my background:

-3.95 GPA with 4.0 in finance and an honors student at a state school that is not well known but attended to play a dvision 1 baseball (which I played for three years) and because I received an academic scholarship -Operations role with a risk management component at regional bank (think Sun Trust, BB&T, USB) and manage a team of 20 people. -Expected 680-720 GMAT - I have coached a little league baseball team the last three years and have started an alumni association for the academic scholarship I received while in my under grad - Post MBA I would like to leverage my experiences to do IB

Thanks

Hello Warren,

I understand your interest in staying in the Southeast, and I won't sway you too much from that. But based on the little you've written I think you're underestimating where you might be able to be admitted. Now, this of course depends upon whether or not your GMAT falls in the upper or lower end of the range you anticipate. But if it falls in the 720 area your options will certainly be broader. Duke and UVA would be reasonable schools to apply to - and the others certainly seem safe enough. I simply suggest you conduct enough research to know if the other programs you've mentioned will really open the doors you want in IB. If not, I do think you can consider alternatives.

That said, even at the lower end of your GMAT range, given your academic background and leadership, I believe your list of target schools is reasonable.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello,

I am planning to apply to business school and was wondering what my odds might be and whether I should hold off for more work experience.

UG: Northwestern, Industrial Engineering GPA: 2.98, erratic, no uptrend/great excuse GMAT: 760 (q49, v45, awa5.5) Alternative Transcript: 4 A's in Grad Business classes at University of Chicago Work Experience: 3 years, 1 in boutique Consulting firm, 2 doing project management & strategic operations at a top HFT firm. Other: Volunteer as a tutor & serve on several Not for profit boards.

Leaning towards NYU Stern, Booth, Columbia, or maybe a school in the UK (LBS?).

A few questions:

  1. What would be appropriate reach, target and safety schools?

  2. Is there anything further I can do to address my GPA other than the optional Essay?

  3. What is your take on getting an MBA in the UK? Pros & Cons?

Any tips or thoughts on my chances would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

 
Ccs569:
Hello,

I am planning to apply to business school and was wondering what my odds might be and whether I should hold off for more work experience.

UG: Northwestern, Industrial Engineering GPA: 2.98, erratic, no uptrend/great excuse GMAT: 760 (q49, v45, awa5.5) Alternative Transcript: 4 A's in Grad Business classes at University of Chicago Work Experience: 3 years, 1 in boutique Consulting firm, 2 doing project management & strategic operations at a top HFT firm. Other: Volunteer as a tutor & serve on several Not for profit boards.

Leaning towards NYU Stern, Booth, Columbia, or maybe a school in the UK (LBS?).

A few questions:

  1. What would be appropriate reach, target and safety schools?

  2. Is there anything further I can do to address my GPA other than the optional Essay?

  3. What is your take on getting an MBA in the UK? Pros & Cons?

Any tips or thoughts on my chances would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!

Thanks for your inquiry. While your GPA isn't ideal, it isn't a deal-breaker, especially considering you went to a top school and studied in a difficult major - it certainly is better to have a 2.98 GPA as an industrial engineering major than in a less quantitative and rigorous major. The fact that you did well in business-related classes at Chicago also will help mitigate the negative impact - be sure to point out this alternative transcript in your optional essay.

In the optional essay, it will be important for you to acknowledge the mistakes you made in college that led to the low GPA, rather than make excuses. For example, if participating in too many extracurrciular activities contributed to your low GPA, you should state that you failed to manage your time properly and/or that you failed to prioritize your academics. On the other hand, you should not state, or even imply, that despite your low GPA, you don't regret joining those other activities because they allowed you to grow in other (non-academic) ways. Adcoms really frown upon the argument of "even though I didn't do well in classes, frankly, it was worth it because there were other more important things".

As long as you can address this issue, you should be a competitive applicant for all the schools on your list. You especially should consider applying to Columbia under the early decision program. Columbia tends to be attracted to applicants with high GMAT scores, and on the margin, early decision is easier to get into than regular decision.

As for LBS, the main issue to consider is your post-MBA goals. If your goal is to remain in Europe, then LBS would be a great choice. But if you want to return to the US, then purely from a professional standpoint, I would favor a comparable US school.

Hope this helps! Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed assessment of your profile.

Best, Kevin

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Kevin/Graham,

Thanks for taking the time. I'm applying this fall to MBA business schools ">M7 (H/S/W/MIT) with safety schools (Tepper/Johnson). My questions are: - How competitive is my profile for M7? esp without an elite undergrad or MC/IB experience? - Any thoughts on "best fit" schools based on my profile/goals?

My long-term goal is to launch and lead IPO-level tech startups. There are gaps in my education and experience (namely VC, corp dev, marketing) that I would like to close through an MBA and the post-MBA job. I believe corp-dev at a tech company would be a good fit post-MBA, but I'm also open to VC or MC as alternate paths.

Age: 27 Undergrad: 3.98 in Computer Engineering with Business Administration minor from a non-top public school (think Texas A&M) Graduate: 3.88 in Systems Engineering from a top-tier engineering Ivy school GMAT: Not taken yet. 750+ based on practice tests

WE: Worked 5 years in computational sciences and engineering at a Fortune 5 energy company. Two promotions with increasing responsibilities. International experience. Managed small teams (~5 people) and portfolio of engineering projects (valued at couple of millions). Launched an internal technical consulting group by pitching the idea to management and securing funding. Minimal external-facing role and no C-level exposure.

Founded a software startup with a strong charitable/educational arm that funds schools in impoverished countries. Received several awards/press.

As part of class project, consulted to a tech company that led to > $1M annual savings. For another class, led a startup team and pitched a business plan that finished in Top 3.

Extracurricular:
- Started a student group / project fund in college, and continue to contribute each year. - Multi-year leadership positions in Toastmasters International - Red Cross, startup advisory, photography, outdoors

Thanks!

J.N.
 

Hi J.N., thanks for your inquiry. Based on the information you provided, I believe you should be a very strong applicant for MBA business schools ">M7 schools, and Tepper/Johnson should be legitimate backup schools. You are in a somewhat unusual position of being an engineering/tech applicant who not only possesses the quantitative skills typical of applicants from this demographic group, but also features substantial managerial and entrepreneurial accomplishments - an area that is traditionally a knock against engineering/tech applicants.

Of course not all MBA business schools ">M7 schools are equally difficult to get into; Stanford and Harvard are going to be your hardest schools, even though your tech and entrepreneurial profile does make you a potential fit, especially with Stanford. The key will be how you tie all your various experiences and accomplishments to articulate a coherent message that resonates towards your future goals.

Good luck on your GMAT! Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed analysis of your candidacy.

Best, Kevin

justnorth:
Hey Kevin/Graham,

Thanks for taking the time. I'm applying this fall to MBA business schools ">M7 (H/S/W/MIT) with safety schools (Tepper/Johnson). My questions are: - How competitive is my profile for M7? esp without an elite undergrad or MC/IB experience? - Any thoughts on "best fit" schools based on my profile/goals?

My long-term goal is to launch and lead IPO-level tech startups. There are gaps in my education and experience (namely VC, corp dev, marketing) that I would like to close through an MBA and the post-MBA job. I believe corp-dev at a tech company would be a good fit post-MBA, but I'm also open to VC or MC as alternate paths.

Age: 27 Undergrad: 3.98 in Computer Engineering with Business Administration minor from a non-top public school (think Texas A&M) Graduate: 3.88 in Systems Engineering from a top-tier engineering Ivy school GMAT: Not taken yet. 750+ based on practice tests

WE: Worked 5 years in computational sciences and engineering at a Fortune 5 energy company. Two promotions with increasing responsibilities. International experience. Managed small teams (~5 people) and portfolio of engineering projects (valued at couple of millions). Launched an internal technical consulting group by pitching the idea to management and securing funding. Minimal external-facing role and no C-level exposure.

Founded a software startup with a strong charitable/educational arm that funds schools in impoverished countries. Received several awards/press.

As part of class project, consulted to a tech company that led to > $1M annual savings. For another class, led a startup team and pitched a business plan that finished in Top 3.

Extracurricular:
- Started a student group / project fund in college, and continue to contribute each year. - Multi-year leadership positions in Toastmasters International - Red Cross, startup advisory, photography, outdoors

Thanks!

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Kev and Graham,

Really appreciate your help for this. Just wondering what my chances are at H/S/W/MIT/Kellogg/Booth

  • Age: 26
  • Undergrad GPA: 3.6
  • Majored in Economics at UMich--Ann Arbor
  • GMAT: 700
  • Work experience: Deloitte summer internship during my junior year, 4 years with Deloitte after graduation.
  • First Generation (not sure if that matters though?).
 

Hi Mike, thanks for your inquiry. You have the fundamental ingredients to be a competitive applicant to top-10 schools. But, a lot of it will depend on details that you have not given. For example, what extracurricular/community service activities have you performed? What roles have you served at Deloitte - e.g., accounting or consulting (consulting is generally more favored by adcoms)? What ethnicity and nationality are you (the more underrepresented your ethnicity/nationality, the better your chances are)? Based on the limited information you gave, my hunch is that you will be competitive for schools like Kellogg and Booth, but H/S/W/MIT will be very difficult because those schools tend to look for applicants who are superstars in one or more application categories, rather than applicants who are above average across various categories but do not stand out as a superstar in any category. But again, I may be misreading your profile, as you have not provided certain information.

Hope this helps! Feel free to send your resume to [email protected] for a more detailed analysis.

Best, Kevin

mike25:
Hey Kev and Graham,

Really appreciate your help for this. Just wondering what my chances are at H/S/W/MIT/Kellogg/Booth

  • Age: 26
  • Undergrad GPA: 3.6
  • Majored in Economics at UMich--Ann Arbor
  • GMAT: 700
  • Work experience: Deloitte summer internship during my junior year, 4 years with Deloitte after graduation.
  • First Generation (not sure if that matters though?).
Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi,

I will be graduating this fall and am curious what my chances will be in a few years and what I can do now to improve them. My profile:

Age: 24 now, probably 26/27 when applying Undergraduate: double major physics and mathematics, GPA ~3.4 (this is a little hard to compare since I'm from Europe but according to my uni this is it, I would estimate top 25% in my class) Master: physics, GPA ~3.8 ECs: International exchange year, organization of three large events at uni (budget ~€300,000 each), tutoring, volunteer work at a large national organization, semi-professional mucisian, internship at a strategy consultant (non-MBB) Work: I'll be starting at MBB after graduation GMAT: not taken yet

I am looking to apply for an MBA in a few years, and wondering about 1). How competitive is my profile? 2). What schools would be realistic combined with what gmat scores? 3). What can I do the coming years to differentiate myself from all the other consultants applying?

Thank you so much for your insights!

 
lilyinwonderland:
Hi,

I will be graduating this fall and am curious what my chances will be in a few years and what I can do now to improve them. My profile:

Age: 24 now, probably 26/27 when applying Undergraduate: double major physics and mathematics, GPA ~3.4 (this is a little hard to compare since I'm from Europe but according to my uni this is it, I would estimate top 25% in my class) Master: physics, GPA ~3.8 ECs: International exchange year, organization of three large events at uni (budget ~€300,000 each), tutoring, volunteer work at a large national organization, semi-professional mucisian, internship at a strategy consultant (non-MBB) Work: I'll be starting at MBB after graduation GMAT: not taken yet

I am looking to apply for an MBA in a few years, and wondering about 1). How competitive is my profile? 2). What schools would be realistic combined with what gmat scores? 3). What can I do the coming years to differentiate myself from all the other consultants applying?

Thank you so much for your insights!

Hello lilyinwonderland,

It's great to see that you're strategizing about your MBA application process well in advance of both the GMAT and your actual application. We often work with candidates in advance of their application cycle and such folks really have a strong grasp of how high the admittance bar truly is!

Without knowing the quality of the academic institutions you've attended it is difficult to gauge the adcom's reaction but, without question, your undergrad and graduate GPAs will stand you in good stead. If you can round this out with a high gmat score (700+) your academic record will likely be competitive at many top U.S. and European schools. Certainly, your interest in physics will stand out, and how it relates to your professional path will be of interest to the adcom.

It seems as if you've been very active outside of the classroom; the adcom would expect your extra-curricular activities to continue to show more and more leadership, though not necessarily across such a broad range of activities. Of course, finding time to do so while working at top consulting firm will be difficult. Certainly, you could stand out against other applicants in this arena if you continue to excel. But excelling at work should be your priority. If you have an opportunity to work abroad I'd suggest this would help you too. But at this stage what you do depends upon your goals. If you plan, for instance, to specialize in a certain region, running off to another region won't match other aspects of your candidacy. So going forward, what you do to improve your candidacy can't be considered in a bubble, but rather as part of your larger professional plan and goals. Once you have those more solidified, I suggest you send your resume to [email protected] and speak to one of our admissions advisors to understand the specific things you should consider doing to improve the opportunities available to you.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Kevin/Graham,

My history is very non traditional...

Undergraduate: 3.6 from top ten undergraduate private b-school. Will be applying as a 31 year old senior in undergraduate.

GMAT: Not taken

Age: 31/32

WE: Army infantry combat vet, 7 years as a law enforcement officer with big name federal agency (non management). Completed undergraduate while employed. Various law enforcement and military leadership and operational experience.

Goals: Short term: Get into management consulting. Long term: Exit consulting to reenter the gov in a management role.

Which schools would i be competitive at? I really have no idea.... HBS/W/CBS/HAAS/Anderson would be my dream schools.

 
BLIZBAN:
Hey Kevin/Graham,

My history is very non traditional...

Undergraduate: 3.6 from top ten undergraduate private b-school. Will be applying as a 31 year old senior in undergraduate.

GMAT: Not taken

Age: 31/32

WE: Army infantry combat vet, 7 years as a law enforcement officer with big name federal agency (non management). Completed undergraduate while employed. Various law enforcement and military leadership and operational experience.

Goals: Short term: Get into management consulting. Long term: Exit consulting to reenter the gov in a management role.

Which schools would i be competitive at? I really have no idea.... HBS/W/CBS/HAAS/Anderson would be my dream schools.

Hello Blizban,

You are correct, your experience is non-traditional! But if you communicate it well, the schools will value the fact that you've managed the experience of educating yourself and pursuing your military interests at the same time!

With the little information you've provided it is hard to pinpoint which schools in particular would provide you with the strongest fit. Certainly a gmat score will help to narrow it down but examining other, more nuanced elements to your candidacy would be essential. It seems you would benefit from knowing, for instance, just how extensive your leadership is versus other military applicants. In addition to sending your résumé to [email protected] to discuss the particulars of your candidacy, I suggest you reach out to the many Vets that are on school campuses or are B-school alums. I know that many of my clients have found them helpful in making the transition.

In the meantime, since most schools provide a nice pathway into management consulting firms, I suggest you look at schools that typically admit more experienced applicants. Consider, for instance, Tuck, which isn't yet on your list.

I suggest you begin your research by reading our free school snapshots: http://clearadmit.shop.studylink.com/index.cfm?searchcat=8 You'll find demographic information on the schools in these guides as well as directly from many schools.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi, Do you mind adivising on my chances of getting into b-school (INSEAD- #1 choice, Kellogg, LBS, Haas, NYU)? My end goal is to break into management consulting at MBB.

-Female, Indo-Canadian, 27 -gmat score: have not taken yet, but assume 700+ -Undegrad & Masters- Accounting & Finance at a top CDN School w/ a 79% average (3.6 GPA)

-Work experience: -Big 4 (Audit)- internships from undergrad, double promotion to Senior Associate upon full-time hire, seconded to risk consulting, worked on IPO for major manuf. company -Fortune 500 (top ranked- think #1/#2) Corporate Strategy- worked on various initiatives (including a high-profile sustainability initiative that had tons of media attention), developed a strategy for a product linethat was incl. in our strategy playbook presented to the chairman, identified as an exceptional performer, presented at conferences and trade shows, nominated to meet the Chairman of the company, -Fortune 500 (same as above) Business Turnaround- recently promoted to role of "Strategy Leader" for failing business, will be reporting directly to M.D

ECs: -Part-time advisor at the Clinton Foundation (Climate Change Initiative) -Finance Program Development at an Adult Private College (program being approved by Ministry of Education) -Regional exec. at an international not for profit -Founder of an affinity network at the company I currently work for

Thank you!!!

 
ash123:
Hi, Do you mind adivising on my chances of getting into b-school (INSEAD- #1 choice, Kellogg, LBS, Haas, NYU)? My end goal is to break into management consulting at MBB.

-Female, Indo-Canadian, 27 -gmat score: have not taken yet, but assume 700+ -Undegrad & Masters- Accounting & Finance at a top CDN School w/ a 79% average (3.6 GPA)

-Work experience: -Big 4 (Audit)- internships from undergrad, double promotion to Senior Associate upon full-time hire, seconded to risk consulting, worked on IPO for major manuf. company -Fortune 500 (top ranked- think #1/#2) Corporate Strategy- worked on various initiatives (including a high-profile sustainability initiative that had tons of media attention), developed a strategy for a product linethat was incl. in our strategy playbook presented to the chairman, identified as an exceptional performer, presented at conferences and trade shows, nominated to meet the Chairman of the company, -Fortune 500 (same as above) Business Turnaround- recently promoted to role of "Strategy Leader" for failing business, will be reporting directly to M.D

ECs: -Part-time advisor at the Clinton Foundation (Climate Change Initiative) -Finance Program Development at an Adult Private College (program being approved by Ministry of Education) -Regional exec. at an international not for profit -Founder of an affinity network at the company I currently work for

Thank you!!!

Hello Ash,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The primary elements of your candidacy certainly seem to be in order (assuming your GMAT is successful) and I feel you're targeting an appropriate set of MBA programs. It seems to me that the strength of your candidacy at this stage will rest on your ingenuity in selecting and incorporating various elements of your experience (IPO work, sustainability initiative, etc.) with the specifications of each candidacy. This very nuanced work is time consuming so I advise you to work directly on your applications early, of course, without compromising your GMAT preparations. You might want to touch base with an admissions advisor to begin to tackle the strategic task of determining the best essay topics (please send your résumé to [email protected]). Some of the schools - such as your first choice - often look for significant international work experience so if you can expand your project work in this fashion, I do recommend it.

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Kevin,

I put these questions to Stacy Blackman earlier, but also thought Clear Admit might be able to help somewhat; I haven't seen anybody on these forums with circumstances remotely close to mine. Thank you!

I'm aiming for entry either in 2013 or 2014, and have a slightly unusual case that I was wondering if you could assess? (I'm thinking of hiring a consultant in any case, owing to my slightly strange career path!)

I graduated in 2009 from an Oxbridge college (I'm a UK citizen, white ethnicity) with what would translate to a major in History (which would work out at around a 3.6 GPA, I'm informed), and a one-year course in Management. However, my grades in some of these topics - especially Operations Management - would translate pretty poorly. Courses in Econ, Finance etc significantly better, but still not great. Since then, however, I've done some pretty quant work professionally, and am thinking of taking an external calculus course.

After graduating, I worked in a civil service role (essentially graduate level admin) at the House of Lords in UK Parliament for a year - mostly thanks to good money and stability in the depths of the recession. I then did a 5-month internship in sales and trading at a large French investment bank, followed by, for the past year, a combination of journalism and more quant-based analysis for an international energy intelligence group. I would have been doing this for 2-3 years by the time of entry.

My questions are, essentially, whether or not I would be able to spin all of this into a compelling story for adcoms, and whether or not I can compensate for some less-than-brilliant performances in a few management-related courses? I'd hope to get a 700 on GMAT/GRE after studying. The schools I'd be aiming for would be Emory Goizueta, UNC Kenan Flagler, Duke, UCLA.

Many thanks,

 
jt360:
Hi Kevin,

I put these questions to Stacy Blackman earlier, but also thought Clear Admit might be able to help somewhat; I haven't seen anybody on these forums with circumstances remotely close to mine. Thank you!

I'm aiming for entry either in 2013 or 2014, and have a slightly unusual case that I was wondering if you could assess? (I'm thinking of hiring a consultant in any case, owing to my slightly strange career path!)

I graduated in 2009 from an Oxbridge college (I'm a UK citizen, white ethnicity) with what would translate to a major in History (which would work out at around a 3.6 GPA, I'm informed), and a one-year course in Management. However, my grades in some of these topics - especially Operations Management - would translate pretty poorly. Courses in Econ, Finance etc significantly better, but still not great. Since then, however, I've done some pretty quant work professionally, and am thinking of taking an external calculus course.

After graduating, I worked in a civil service role (essentially graduate level admin) at the House of Lords in UK Parliament for a year - mostly thanks to good money and stability in the depths of the recession. I then did a 5-month internship in sales and trading at a large French investment bank, followed by, for the past year, a combination of journalism and more quant-based analysis for an international energy intelligence group. I would have been doing this for 2-3 years by the time of entry.

My questions are, essentially, whether or not I would be able to spin all of this into a compelling story for adcoms, and whether or not I can compensate for some less-than-brilliant performances in a few management-related courses? I'd hope to get a 700 on GMAT/GRE after studying. The schools I'd be aiming for would be Emory Goizueta, UNC Kenan Flagler, Duke, UCLA.

Many thanks,

Hello JT360,

Graham here, rather than Kevin. But we wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible.

While you didn't ask this, I highly recommend you take the GMAT over the GRE. It is still the standard at top business schools and given that part of your "job" in the application process is to demonstrate your fit with the MBA environment, I feel you should start by presenting a gmat score.

Also, while discerning one's tone in a quick write-up is a bit difficult it feels to me as if you are approaching this slightly too negatively. You are correct that your path differs from other more traditional paths but based on what you've written here I anticipate that you'll be able to present a highly-engaging application. And yes, you'll have to be strategic in what you choose to incorporate but I don't see it as negative as the "spun" you seem to suggest. I'd look forward to reading about your experiences thus far.

Assuming you score at or above the range you're targeting for the GMAT, I expect you'll have a strong candidacy. In fact, I suggest you revisit your list of target schools and despite your academic concerns, aim slightly higher. Of course, the devil is in the details (of your candidacy). You might consider working with an admissions advisor even a few years out to ensure you're making the right strategic moves at this stage in the process. (Feel free to send your resume to [email protected].)

Best, Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

I'm looking for advice on when to apply to an MBA program. I just started as a consultant with IBM. I am wondering if I sould apply to B-School so that I would enroll after 2 years there or 3? Also, how would it look if I switched to Deloitte S&O during that time? Would it be better to stay put?

 
hkavery:
I'm looking for advice on when to apply to an MBA program. I just started as a consultant with IBM. I am wondering if I sould apply to B-School so that I would enroll after 2 years there or 3? Also, how would it look if I switched to Deloitte S&O during that time? Would it be better to stay put?

Hello Hkavery,

I can offer you some general advice but it seems that you're missing much of the nuance involved in making such an important decision. Your candidacy is unlikely to rest upon whether or not you worked at IMB for two versus three years. So, generally speaking, working for two or three years at IBM could both be acceptable. Factors other than the number of years should drive your decision - and these factors would also influence the quality of your application. You'll want to consider the quality of your experience, the degree of the challenge you face throughout your tenure, the pace of advancement, exposure to international opportunities, etc. Likewise, it would also be acceptable to move to a new role at Deloitte. There is certainly no general rule that says you should, or should not, "stay put." Ultimately, you'll want to make these decisions thinking more about what is best for you professionally and, most likely, your decisions will also wind up being the best for your applications as well.

Best of luck in your new role! Graham

Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey Everyone,

I was hoping to get an unbiased view of my chances at a good to great MBA program. Right now I feel I have a lot of quirks in my profile and I'm not sure how they'll be viewed by adcoms at the programs for which I'm applying. I'm most worried about my work history. While I had big plans for myself after finishing my undergrad and interviews lined up at Goldman and Ford, family issues kept me in Albuquerque, where the closest thing to Wall St. is selling mutual funds to retirees. Seeking to find a challenge and a use for my finance degree other than quickbooks, I ended up working at a start-up that did well at first but eventually fizzled out with the market in 2009. I'm now at fortune 500 medical distribution company working as a financial analyst.

Here's my stats: +30 years old +720 GMAT +Finance/Marketing undergrad- 3.2gpa +7 years working experience +Extra-curriculars: worked as a volunteer at a hospice for 2 years, organized sports +Am planning to spend a lot of time working on essays.

I can envision myself with 2 career paths, and have targeted schools I think will get me in the door to these professions. I would love to get in at boutique VC firm in the Eurozone/Latin America focusing on tech or green tech. I want to apply to IE and IESE. Both programs are located in Europe, provide me an opportunity to perfect my Spanish, and are top programs that aren't as competitive as other top programs. Also, both (IE in particular) stress their commitment to entrepreneurship, which I hope will mean they are more understanding when I explain the risk I took working for the startup out of school. I feel like my experience at the startup could be what I bring to the class.

In college I had an internship in the US Senate I really enjoyed, working on upcoming trade legislation, and could see combining geopolitics with banking in a career at the World Bank, IFC, or a similar organization. My thinking is that Georgetown would be a logical choice here. Situated in DC I would hope for lots of opportunities for networking with people from those institutions, and the school itself is still a top-25 program.

Given my background, which of these 2 career paths would you consider more realistic? Can I really expect to get into the schools I've listed? Even if I do, will my lack of experience kill my chances of pursuing my targeted career paths after graduation? Should I come clean to the admissions officers and just admit I'm looking at B-School as a boost to a better career path?

Thank you for any opinions you can provide.

 
DukeCityKid:
Hey Everyone,

I was hoping to get an unbiased view of my chances at a good to great MBA program. Right now I feel I have a lot of quirks in my profile and I'm not sure how they'll be viewed by adcoms at the programs for which I'm applying. I'm most worried about my work history. While I had big plans for myself after finishing my undergrad and interviews lined up at Goldman and Ford, family issues kept me in Albuquerque, where the closest thing to Wall St. is selling mutual funds to retirees. Seeking to find a challenge and a use for my finance degree other than quickbooks, I ended up working at a start-up that did well at first but eventually fizzled out with the market in 2009. I'm now at fortune 500 medical distribution company working as a financial analyst.

Here's my stats: +30 years old +720 GMAT +Finance/Marketing undergrad- 3.2gpa +7 years working experience +Extra-curriculars: worked as a volunteer at a hospice for 2 years, organized sports +Am planning to spend a lot of time working on essays.

I can envision myself with 2 career paths, and have targeted schools I think will get me in the door to these professions. I would love to get in at boutique VC firm in the Eurozone/Latin America focusing on tech or green tech. I want to apply to IE and IESE. Both programs are located in Europe, provide me an opportunity to perfect my Spanish, and are top programs that aren't as competitive as other top programs. Also, both (IE in particular) stress their commitment to entrepreneurship, which I hope will mean they are more understanding when I explain the risk I took working for the startup out of school. I feel like my experience at the startup could be what I bring to the class.

In college I had an internship in the US Senate I really enjoyed, working on upcoming trade legislation, and could see combining geopolitics with banking in a career at the World Bank, IFC, or a similar organization. My thinking is that Georgetown would be a logical choice here. Situated in DC I would hope for lots of opportunities for networking with people from those institutions, and the school itself is still a top-25 program.

Given my background, which of these 2 career paths would you consider more realistic? Can I really expect to get into the schools I've listed? Even if I do, will my lack of experience kill my chances of pursuing my targeted career paths after graduation? Should I come clean to the admissions officers and just admit I'm looking at B-School as a boost to a better career path?

Thank you for any opinions you can provide.

Hi DukeCityKid,

Thanks for your post and we apologize for the late reply.

Regarding your question on career paths, it is important to link your background, skills, interests with your future goals. Working at a VC firm in the Eurozone/Latin America focusing on tech or green tech seems a bit of stretch without a background in energy, European business, or i-banking/investing. I recommend further researching the World Bank, IFC, and other similar organizations to better understand their MBA recruiting efforts as I haven't heard of them being large MBA employers.

Defined and realistic career goals are an important part of the application. An admissions consultant can help with this process. Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Thanks for doing this. How do you look at people from Australia with first class honours in finance (I was required to write an academic thesis on risk management) from a non Australian G-8 university (I assume this is a GPA 4/4??) + 5 internships (all top big 4 accounting firms and 1 Australian bank) + 2 years work experience in a new boutique equities research firm (7 people) + CFA + a strong GMAT (I have not done this yet)? Also, how can I improve my candidacy from this position?

Thanks.

 
UnclePanda:
Thanks for doing this. How do you look at people from Australia with first class honours in finance (I was required to write an academic thesis on risk management) from a non Australian G-8 university (I assume this is a GPA 4/4??) + 5 internships (all top big 4 accounting firms and 1 Australian bank) + 2 years work experience in a new boutique equities research firm (7 people) + CFA + a strong GMAT (I have not done this yet)? Also, how can I improve my candidacy from this position?

Thanks.

Hi UnclePanda,

Thanks for your post.

Your academics overall appear strong assuming a 720+ gmat score once you complete the test.

Internships will not be as much of a focus as your full-time work experience and two years at an equities research firm is a great start. I recommend getting one more year of experience under your belt. Showing a promotion is the best way to improve your candidacy from this point.

Another key area of the application is your extracurricular involvement in college and since then. One way to improve your candidacy is to get involved in an extracurricular activity or two, especially if it is tied to a passion / interest of yours from the past.

I also recommend researching career goal options - the more these are refined, the better you will be able to describe them to the admissions committees, select the most appropriate schools to apply to, and make the most out of your MBA experience.

Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Posted this in another thread

As of my January 2012 submit:

  • 720 GMAT
  • 3.577 UC GPA
  • Graduated P.S, History from UCLA
  • 2 years of work experience as a Business Development Associate at a medical technology startup
  • Internship at an economic education non-profit
  • Interests in weight lifting
  • Gave a decent interview
  • Essays were well written, although perhaps a tad bland

Applied for FEMBA in their second round and was weight listed. Since then I've taken Accounting and Finance classes, but have not received any word (wait list oblivion).

I'm thinking of moving on for next year and applying for full-time at a number of schools including Anderson and higher. Again my biggest weakness will be 3 years of work experience by Fall 2013 rather than say the average 5. My hope is that at least with the full-time programs I'll be in their range of work experience.

 
NotPossibleCannotBeYouAreNot:
Posted this in another thread

As of my January 2012 submit:

  • 720 GMAT
  • 3.577 UC GPA
  • Graduated P.S, History from UCLA
  • 2 years of work experience as a Business Development Associate at a medical technology startup
  • Internship at an economic education non-profit
  • Interests in weight lifting
  • Gave a decent interview
  • Essays were well written, although perhaps a tad bland

Applied for FEMBA in their second round and was weight listed. Since then I've taken Accounting and Finance classes, but have not received any word (wait list oblivion).

I'm thinking of moving on for next year and applying for full-time at a number of schools including Anderson and higher. Again my biggest weakness will be 3 years of work experience by Fall 2013 rather than say the average 5. My hope is that at least with the full-time programs I'll be in their range of work experience.

Hello NotPossibleCannotBeYouAreNot,

Thanks for your post.

Your work experience does fall more in the range of the full-time or part-time MBA programs rather than EMBA. 80% of FEMBA's Class of 2014 students had 4-9 years of work experience, so you would fall well below in this important dimension.

Based on the stats you provided, your candidacy would be competitive at top full-time business schools. Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation. We can discuss further the differences between types of MBA programs and which would be the best fit.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi everyone,

I just started looking at MBA programs and I was wondering what you guys thought of my credentials.

3.4 GPA at a top 40 private university with a BS in Finance and a BA Political Science 1.5 years consulting in real estate software firm 3 months as a temp working for KPMG and JP Morgan Many extracurriculars during college

What type of school do you think I can get into? What can I do to improve my qualifications before applying to start in August 2013?

Thanks for the help!

 
baseballer95:
Hi everyone,

I just started looking at MBA programs and I was wondering what you guys thought of my credentials.

3.4 GPA at a top 40 private university with a BS in Finance and a BA Political Science 1.5 years consulting in real estate software firm 3 months as a temp working for KPMG and JP Morgan Many extracurriculars during college

What type of school do you think I can get into? What can I do to improve my qualifications before applying to start in August 2013?

Thanks for the help!

Hello baseballer95,

Thanks for your post.

You appear to have the raw ingredients to be a successful candidate at top business schools. Which specific schools will depend on the factors I mention below. Applying next year will put you on the bottom of the range for years of work experience, so it might even be optimal to wait to apply for 2014.

Ways to improve your candidacy over the next 1-2 years: -Demonstrated success at work - promotions and compensation increases are the strongest indicators. Also, developing project management and people management skills and accomplishments.
-GMAT - generally want to set a goal of at least your target schools' average gmat score with relatively even percentile weighting between verbal and quant sections -Extracurricular involvement - leadership positions or other consistent involvement. Ideally linked with the extracurricular activities you were involved with during college.
-Research and refine your career goals

Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham/Kevin,

GPA (expected): 3.7 Major: Industrial Engineering GMAT (expected): well over 700, possibly a near perfect quant score if I get faster.

Work experience: I did things backwards, I was enlisted in the military after high school and went to college afterwards. My plan is to go straight from my undergrad program to an MBA because of my age (will be 27 at matriculation).

I don't have much leadership experience, but I'm going to work very hard to improve that area of my resume in my two remaining years of undergrad. I am really looking to get involved and take a leadership role on-campus or with a non-profit this semester. I have also not yet done any internships but am thinking carefully about how to approach them. I am a white American male, but learned Arabic in the military and was thinking about trying to find a work abroad opportunity in the Middle East. In the military, I took a lot of small leadership roles but the opportunity for doing really impressive things was limited by my rank and seniority.

My long-term goal is not very well defined, but in the long run I picture myself having started a company where my interest and education in logistics and supply chains will applicable. I was motivated to major in Industrial Engineering because I have always been fascinated by big cargo ships, and imagine being involved in that industry would be fun. I want an MBA for the access to capital and networking potential that comes with it. I also feel like my undergrad education in industrial engineering is less global and that an MBA would improve my leadership and global thinking capabilities. I feel like an MBA would be a great compliment to my heavily quantitative undergrad education. I am not looking to go into finance, and imagine I would only go into consulting temporarily to get experience I could apply later as an entrepreneur.

My questions are:

1) Is my plan solid? 2) What schools can I be competitive for? I'd really like to think I have a shot at Harvard/Stanford/Wharton but I realize they may be out of reach with my work and leadership experience being... different.

Thank you both so much for your time. Just reading your responses to all of the other posters has been very helpful.

-CalChlor

 
CalChlor:
Hi Graham/Kevin,

GPA (expected): 3.7 Major: Industrial Engineering GMAT (expected): well over 700, possibly a near perfect quant score if I get faster.

Work experience: I did things backwards, I was enlisted in the military after high school and went to college afterwards. My plan is to go straight from my undergrad program to an MBA because of my age (will be 27 at matriculation).

I don't have much leadership experience, but I'm going to work very hard to improve that area of my resume in my two remaining years of undergrad. I am really looking to get involved and take a leadership role on-campus or with a non-profit this semester. I have also not yet done any internships but am thinking carefully about how to approach them. I am a white American male, but learned Arabic in the military and was thinking about trying to find a work abroad opportunity in the Middle East. In the military, I took a lot of small leadership roles but the opportunity for doing really impressive things was limited by my rank and seniority.

My long-term goal is not very well defined, but in the long run I picture myself having started a company where my interest and education in logistics and supply chains will applicable. I was motivated to major in Industrial Engineering because I have always been fascinated by big cargo ships, and imagine being involved in that industry would be fun. I want an MBA for the access to capital and networking potential that comes with it. I also feel like my undergrad education in industrial engineering is less global and that an MBA would improve my leadership and global thinking capabilities. I feel like an MBA would be a great compliment to my heavily quantitative undergrad education. I am not looking to go into finance, and imagine I would only go into consulting temporarily to get experience I could apply later as an entrepreneur.

My questions are:

1) Is my plan solid? 2) What schools can I be competitive for? I'd really like to think I have a shot at Harvard/Stanford/Wharton but I realize they may be out of reach with my work and leadership experience being... different.

Thank you both so much for your time. Just reading your responses to all of the other posters has been very helpful.

-CalChlor

Hi CalChlor,

Thanks for your post.

Returning to college after serving in the military and achieving a high GPA in a difficult major will be viewed positively by the admissions committee. The one big issue I see though is that 'work experience' is generally counted by the admissions committee as post-college work experience (i.e., work experience where a college degree was required). So, without details on your military experience it is hard to assess how those years would be viewed.

I attended Booth and their mean age of the most recent entering class was 28 for example, so I think that working for two years after graduating college would go further in strengthening your application than any concerns about being 'too old'.

I believe you have the raw ingredients so far to be competitive at HBS/Stanford/Wharton, but with important work left to do. Mainly, scoring 720+ on the GMAT, refining your career goals, graduating with your expected GPA or higher, developing strong leadership credentials, and completing two years of high-quality, post-college work experience.

Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hey guys, here's a quick profile

Age: 23 From: Netherlands Gender: Male Highest education: MSc in Finance from top Dutch finance school Masters GPA: 3.9/4 GMAT: 760 (first try) Experience: - financial analyst at a venture capitalist (4 months) responsible for building their financial and operational performance analysis models, was hired for this project specifically, hence the short stay there - Intern IB division (3 months) - Intern PE fund (3 months)

I'm considering all of the top programs, but am curious to hear how you feel about my chances of getting in, and whether something like the HBS 2+2 program might be worth it for me

Cheers!

 
CDorresteijn:
Hey guys, here's a quick profile

Age: 23 From: Netherlands Gender: Male Highest education: MSc in Finance from top Dutch finance school Masters GPA: 3.9/4 GMAT: 760 (first try) Experience: - financial analyst at a venture capitalist (4 months) responsible for building their financial and operational performance analysis models, was hired for this project specifically, hence the short stay there - Intern IB division (3 months) - Intern PE fund (3 months)

I'm considering all of the top programs, but am curious to hear how you feel about my chances of getting in, and whether something like the HBS 2+2 program might be worth it for me

Cheers!

Hello CDorresteijn,

Thanks for your post. And congrats on a great gmat score.

The HBS 2+2 program is actually only open to current college seniors (i.e., those graduating from college or university between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013).

I recommend you wait until you have at least two years of work experience before applying. Your strong academics paired with extracurricular involvement and two+ years of work experience will give you the raw ingredients to be competitive at top business schools.

Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham/Kevin! What are my chances at M7? Which of the following listed position should I take at this point to improve my chances?

Gender: Male Nationality: Korean (Brought up overseas, esp. in the US) Education: BA in Econ from a top 30 US school GPA: 3.8 Work Experience: 1 year, back at the start-up IM firm below (they sweetened the offer) (buyside equities analyst) 1 year at a local Korean brokerage (ER junior analyst) 1.5 years at an Asian start-up investment management firm (junior equities analyst)

Misc: mandatory military service for 2 years after college

Long Term Goal: Investment management in the US (Fidelity-type AM, or hedge fund), specializing in emerging markets / global markets.

Currently available options: 1) equity analyst at a bigger local AM firm w ~3bn AUM. (providing pair trading strategies in the Asian equity markets including China & Japan) - firm is well known locally but has no global recognition. 2) credit analyst at a global commercial bank 3) commodities sales junior position at a global investment bank.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hi yjj209,

Thanks for your post. I'm a Sr. Admission Counselor at Clear Admit and happy to respond to your questions.

Without your gmat score it is difficult to give a complete evaluation, but assuming your score is 720+ your overall academics will be above average for the applicant pool. As a business/econ undergrad however, you will need to work to differentiate in other areas as that is one of the most common undergraduate majors.

Regarding your work experience question - consistent career progression is the best aspect to show so if a promotion is possible in the next 12 months I recommend staying in your current role. Three companies in four years might label you as a 'company jumper' rather than someone who can show dedicated success in a firm.

Extracurricular activities are a critical aspect of your application as well. Leadership positions, community service, sports, and hobbies are all great to highlight.

Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham / Heidi, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Just starting to think about b-school so appreciate any insight.

How do the top schools view technology corporate development positions (Cisco/Oracle)? This is after spending two years in technology banking at a top BB and coming from a top public (Michigan/UVA). Seems like people from the tier 1 PE/HFs have a leg up on the admissions process so wondering if my decision to go corporate would hurt/help me.

Thanks!

 
cell phone bill:
Hi Graham / Heidi, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Just starting to think about b-school so appreciate any insight.

How do the top schools view technology corporate development positions (Cisco/Oracle)? This is after spending two years in technology banking at a top BB and coming from a top public (Michigan/UVA). Seems like people from the tier 1 PE/HFs have a leg up on the admissions process so wondering if my decision to go corporate would hurt/help me.

Thanks!

Hi cell phone bill,

Thanks for your post.

P/E firms tend to be strong feeders into top business schools. For example, 15% of HBS' Class of 2014 came from PE/VC firms. While Booth was at 8%. But as long as your move to a tech corporate development position is tied to your overall career goals and is viewed as positive career progression, then it would not hurt your application in any way. In fact, you will have a more differentiated profile since there are not as many applications from that job type.

Hope that helps! Please feel free to forward your resume to [email protected] for a detailed and free profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 
MisterStupid:
Age: 32

GRE 167/165 GMAT 750

3.3 GPA --Trinity University (regional liberal arts college ranked #1 by US News & WR)

Languages: English Spanish Czech Japanese Mandarin

History: Published Author (fiction novel) 5 years working at a construction sub-contracting firm (my dad's sole proprietorship) 1 year real estate agent 1 year teaching English in Japan 2 years teaching @ university in China

I realize that the work experience is a little spotty. Could I get into a decent MBA school? I realize I wouldn't get into wharton, but what about DUKE, Vanderbilt, or something of this sort?

Thanks for your post. You certainly have many differentiating features from your background which tied together with a strong gmat score could lead to competitive applications at Duke and others.

One key point to focus on will be tying together your experience to show strong career progression and what you gained from your less traditional path. You will then need to lead into a convincing story for 'why MBA?' and your career goals.

Extracurricular activities are an important part of the application as well, so be sure to highlight involvement in clubs, sports, community service, etc. It will also be important to 'check the box' on your quantitative abilities through an 80+% Quant score on the GMAT or a quantitative undergrad degree (e.g., math, economics). If those are not part of your profile, then focus particularly on highlighting analytical components in your work experience.

Hope that helps! Please reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Sr. Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi, I'm looking at apply to B-School and I am looking at the online option (I'm going career military, so this is my only option). I've been an officer in the Marine Corps for a little over 8 years, it'll be 9 come application time. I graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in Economics, 2.82 GPA, a C- in Calculus (freshman year goofing off) and a C in Econometrics. All in all, not a very impressive undergrad resume, because I didn't really apply myself. I've been a Supply and Logistics officer for 6 straight year, 2 combat tours (1 in Iraq and currently in Afghanistan) and one short deployment to Northern Norway, working with European forces and embarking/disembarking throughout the country. I know I can get some good recommendations and I have 4 personal awards that can attest to my character. I haven't taken the GMAT yet and I'm worried that I won't break 600. I most likely see myself getting a 550. Since I have to apply for an online program, I'm looking at UNC, Indiana, Temple, UF Hough, Syracuse Whitman, ASU, Northeastern, and Suffolk (safety).

My question is, should I even bother applying for an MBA at all with my current credentials, and if so, do I have a shot at UNC, Indiana, or Temple as my top 3? Do I even have a shot at the rest?

I know if you want to go into Finance, you should aim for a Top 15 school, but I'm looking for more of the Supply Chain/Management field. Due to my low GPA, would it be recommended that I pursue a graduate degree in another area first, i.e. International Relations, in an attempt to have a much higher Post Grad GPA than undergrad?

 
RomeoOne3USMC:
Hi, I'm looking at apply to B-School and I am looking at the online option (I'm going career military, so this is my only option). I've been an officer in the Marine Corps for a little over 8 years, it'll be 9 come application time. I graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in Economics, 2.82 GPA, a C- in Calculus (freshman year goofing off) and a C in Econometrics. All in all, not a very impressive undergrad resume, because I didn't really apply myself. I've been a Supply and Logistics officer for 6 straight year, 2 combat tours (1 in Iraq and currently in Afghanistan) and one short deployment to Northern Norway, working with European forces and embarking/disembarking throughout the country. I know I can get some good recommendations and I have 4 personal awards that can attest to my character. I haven't taken the GMAT yet and I'm worried that I won't break 600. I most likely see myself getting a 550. Since I have to apply for an online program, I'm looking at UNC, Indiana, Temple, UF Hough, Syracuse Whitman, ASU, Northeastern, and Suffolk (safety).

My question is, should I even bother applying for an MBA at all with my current credentials, and if so, do I have a shot at UNC, Indiana, or Temple as my top 3? Do I even have a shot at the rest?

I know if you want to go into Finance, you should aim for a Top 15 school, but I'm looking for more of the Supply Chain/Management field. Due to my low GPA, would it be recommended that I pursue a graduate degree in another area first, i.e. International Relations, in an attempt to have a much higher Post Grad GPA than undergrad?

Hi RomeoOne3USMC,

Thanks for your post.

First, to your question about whether you should pursue another graduate degree first. I recommend not pursuing this option as it will be a significant investment on your part and could be viewed as a lack of focus by the admissions committee regarding what you are looking to do in your career. One way to bolster your transcripts instead is to take 1-2 online quantitative courses (such as math, finance, economics) and get an A. UCLA offers excellent online courses. I think this would go a long way in bolstering your profile.

I do believe your profile would be competitive at the schools you mention, especially with taking 1-2 online courses. The admissions committee will value your strong military work experience. And your GMAT score should be within the acceptable range for those schools - for example, IU's online MBA average GMAT is 622 and Temple's is 549.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Age: 26 From: Cali, USA Gender: Male Highest education: Undergrad from Private Catholic College (Not a very impressive school) GPA: 3.9/4 GMAT: Not taken Experience: Before UG: United States Marine Corps - Infantry - Enlisted Corporal - Supervision of 5 marines underneath me. Multiple promotions, awards, and recognition for superior performance 2005 - 2010 (5 years) After UG: Intern MM IB division (3 months) 2012

I'm interested mainly in Claremont McKenna. I see that for 2013 they're projecting a GPA for 3.62 and GMAT of 720. Since my GPA is higher than their average, what do you feel is a good range I would be able to achieve on the GMAT is?

I think that we are all clinging to a great many piano tops...
 
ekimlacks:
Age: 26 From: Cali, USA Gender: Male Highest education: Undergrad from Private Catholic College (Not a very impressive school) GPA: 3.9/4 GMAT: Not taken Experience: Before UG: United States Marine Corps - Infantry - Enlisted Corporal - Supervision of 5 marines underneath me. Multiple promotions, awards, and recognition for superior performance 2005 - 2010 (5 years) After UG: Intern MM IB division (3 months) 2012

I'm interested mainly in Claremont McKenna. I see that for 2013 they're projecting a GPA for 3.62 and GMAT of 720. Since my GPA is higher than their average, what do you feel is a good range I would be able to achieve on the GMAT is?

Hi ekimlacks,

Thanks for your post.

Sorry to not be of more assistance, but I am not very familiar with Clarmont's MBA program. It does look like they only have a 4+1 MBA program, open to current Claremont undergrad students. If you are a current student there, then I would think your strong GPA should go a long way in the admissions process. I recommend reaching out the school admissions office for additional information about the program.

Best, Heidi

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Stats:

California male

Hispanic (Spanish/Portuguese)

2.7 GPA from top engineering school in California (finance major, started as aerospace)

upward GPA trend. Y1 2.1, Y2 2.5, Y3 3.0, Y4, 3.3 Y5 (expected) 3.5

720 GMAT (Q42, V45)

1 year work experience as a CFO & Co-Founder of small automobile import-export business (full-time during school)

3 month internship at a F100 in their Finance/Investment Management department

4 years part-time experience as assistant for a legal services firm (father's firm)

I am currently on track to enroll in a Masters program for next fall, but would like to see where I currently rank in terms of admission into a top-25 program. Thanks!

"Come at me, bro"- José de Palafox y Melci
 
lasampdoria:
Stats:

California male

Hispanic (Spanish/Portuguese)

2.7 GPA from top engineering school in California (finance major, started as aerospace)

upward GPA trend. Y1 2.1, Y2 2.5, Y3 3.0, Y4, 3.3 Y5 (expected) 3.5

720 GMAT (Q42, V45)

1 year work experience as a CFO & Co-Founder of small automobile import-export business (full-time during school)

3 month internship at a F100 in their Finance/Investment Management department

4 years part-time experience as assistant for a legal services firm (father's firm)

I am currently on track to enroll in a Masters program for next fall, but would like to see where I currently rank in terms of admission into a top-25 program. Thanks!

Hello lasampdoria,

Thanks for your post.

There are some top 25 MBA programs that have specific programs for college seniors to apply, such as HBS 2+2 and Yale Silver Scholars. Many schools, such as Stanford, MIT, and UCLA also encourage high potential college students to apply.

While your total GMAT score will definitely help your competitiveness, your Quant score could be a stumbling block - we recommend targeting 75%/80% (48/49) in order for the admissions committee to feel comfortable that you can handle the quantitative coursework. Also, the average GPA for most of these programs is going to be more around 3.5-3.7. While you have a strong GPA progression, I do think the overall GPA will also be a challenge as well as the admissions committees closely manage the average GPA and GMAT for their classes.

Your MBA application will likely be its strongest by building an 'alternative transcript' through a Masters program as you mention and then building 2-4 years of work experience with strong career progression. Also, one thing to keep in mind is that the MBA community and recruiting programs are certainly more targeted towards students in their late 20's, so I would also think you will get more out of the experience (and your investment) by waiting until you're at that stage.

Hope that helps!

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham, Thanks for taking time out and answering the questions. I am planning to apply to Stanford and HBS. I want to know your thoughts about chances for getting into these schools with a non-traditional background like mine.

I am an Indian female.

Education: chem engineering undergrad (topper in school) MS degree from a top program in US (GPA of 3.96) and rank 1 in program. PhD in material science from a top program in US

Work experience: 3 years of experience in health care field for a fortune 500 company in the role of developing new products

GMAT score: 700+

Have received awards and involved in extra curricular activities.

how realistic is to get into HBS or standford.

Thank you. I look forward to hear back from you.

 
ship:
Hi Graham, Thanks for taking time out and answering the questions. I am planning to apply to Stanford and HBS. I want to know your thoughts about chances for getting into these schools with a non-traditional background like mine.

I am an Indian female.

Education: chem engineering undergrad (topper in school) MS degree from a top program in US (GPA of 3.96) and rank 1 in program. PhD in material science from a top program in US

Work experience: 3 years of experience in health care field for a fortune 500 company in the role of developing new products

GMAT score: 700+

Have received awards and involved in extra curricular activities.

how realistic is to get into HBS or standford.

Thank you. I look forward to hear back from you.

Hi ship,

Thanks for your post. I can answer in Graham's place to ensure a timely response.

Your academics (school, GMAT) and work experience appear to be in line with HBS and Stanford's accepted classes.

Demonstrating leadership and impact will be critical for both schools. For example, being elected by peers into leadership positions consistently throughout your life.

Showing career progression will also be important. The schools are typically expecting applicants to have been promoted every 2 years or so.

The extent to which you can demonstrate both of these will be critical to your application's success.

One other dimension to consider is number of years since undergraduate. Dee Leopold (HBS Admissions Director) shared their stats on this dimension back in August on her blog: http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/Pages/from-the-admissions-director.as….

Assuming you are able to show strong leadership roles, positive impact, demonstrate career progression, and prepare a high-quality application then I would view your background as competitive at HBS and Stanford. If you are viewing an MBA as a 'must-have' this year, I recommend applying to 4-5 schools.

Hope that helps! Please reach out at [email protected] for a free detailed profile evaluation.

Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham / Kevin / Heidi,

Thanks for your time.

I am planning to apply to Columbia and NYU and would like to hear your assessment of my chances of getting in.

Education: business / economics degree from a top engineering school. GPA: 3.6 - graduated "cum laude".

Work experience: 2 years of experience working at a BB in Technology Finance focusing on expense management initiatives. Although I'm still an analyst, I have had 1-2 contractors working for me for the last 18 months, have demonstrated significant leadership amongst my peers, and have effected tangible results with significant quantifiable savings to the bank and am amongst the very top of my analyst class.

gmat score: 710 (92/92%)

Have received some academic awards and completed a semester abroad in Maastricht, Netherlands studying economics.

I work 15 hour days so my extra-curricular activities have suffered as have opportunities to demonstrate leadership outside the workplace. I spend most of my free time biking / running, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. I love to motivate others to be active and have given cooking lessons informally on many occasions.

I've been interested in the energy industry for some time and would like to get into MBB energy consulting short term and use that experience to transition to the industry long term. Based upon my energy preference, should I be considering regional schools like UT? My thoughts are the better the school the easier it will be to get into a prestigious consulting firm and there are plenty of energy networking opportunities amongst alumni and in NYC.

Thanks for your time and help!

Kevin

 
asptrader88:
Hi Graham / Kevin / Heidi,

Thanks for your time.

I am planning to apply to Columbia and NYU and would like to hear your assessment of my chances of getting in.

Education: business / economics degree from a top engineering school. GPA: 3.6 - graduated "cum laude".

Work experience: 2 years of experience working at a BB in Technology Finance focusing on expense management initiatives. Although I'm still an analyst, I have had 1-2 contractors working for me for the last 18 months, have demonstrated significant leadership amongst my peers, and have effected tangible results with significant quantifiable savings to the bank and am amongst the very top of my analyst class.

gmat score: 710 (92/92%)

Have received some academic awards and completed a semester abroad in Maastricht, Netherlands studying economics.

I work 15 hour days so my extra-curricular activities have suffered as have opportunities to demonstrate leadership outside the workplace. I spend most of my free time biking / running, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. I love to motivate others to be active and have given cooking lessons informally on many occasions.

I've been interested in the energy industry for some time and would like to get into MBB energy consulting short term and use that experience to transition to the industry long term. Based upon my energy preference, should I be considering regional schools like UT? My thoughts are the better the school the easier it will be to get into a prestigious consulting firm and there are plenty of energy networking opportunities amongst alumni and in NYC.

Thanks for your time and help!

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your post.

Your overall application will be strengthened by waiting one year to apply and being able to show a promotion in your work experience. Career progression is one of the most important criteria the adcoms are looking for in your work experience, so a Sr. Analyst promotion would be helpful (and put you closer to the average years of work experience for the schools).

Also, you don't mention in your description, but extra-curricular involvement during college will also be an important dimension in the application decision.

Yes, the stronger the school, the greater your opportunities to secure a consulting position at McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Therefore, I suggest you broaden your school selection beyond NYC schools. Schools like Booth, Berkeley, Kellogg, Darden, Fuqua, and Ross all provide excellent recruiting opportunities with those three firms.

Hope that helps! Please reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hi Graham,

I was wondering if you could provide any comments on my background and profile as a candidate for H/W/Columbia.

Undergrad- Reputable large public university, Finance/Marketing major (Accounting Minor) - GPA 3.95

Credentials- CPA, also passed CFA level 1.

GMAT- 720

Post undergrad experience: 2 years Big 4 audit. Rated 1 (on 1-5 scale) and promoted 1 year early (2 years to senior associate vs 3 year firm standard), only early promotion out of over 100 in Associates office class to receive early promotion.

1 Year Big 4 Transaction Services (M&A)- Nothing exceptional here, some financial modeling experience and a variety of acquisitions worked on, mostly middle market financial due diligence.

Other experience: 10+ years in the Marine Corps on the Enlisted side, mostly within the reserves but accumulated 4 years of active duty time. 3 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Extremely rapid promotions here, made it to Sergeant in 3 years and Staff Sergeant (E-6) in 6 years. Will be a Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) in 11 years and at time of application. I currently have 230+ Marines reporting to me and hold a position typical of the next rank. Several individual awards and excellent performance evals.

Potential future positions prior to MBA: Senior Analyst level Financial Planning and Analysis at a very large public global Pharma Company. Minimum of 1 year in this position and up to 2 depending on MBA application timing.

My concerns- Age 31 (mostly due to overseas military time), not sure how this will be perceived especially at H. FP&A position- not sure how this will be viewed in comparison to role in Transaction services (possibly not relevant)

Post MBA aspiration- Equity Research, Healthcare.

Any thoughts?

 
marine13910:
Hi Graham,

I was wondering if you could provide any comments on my background and profile as a candidate for H/W/Columbia.

Undergrad- Reputable large public university, Finance/Marketing major (Accounting Minor) - GPA 3.95

Credentials- CPA, also passed CFA level 1.

GMAT- 720

Post undergrad experience: 2 years Big 4 audit. Rated 1 (on 1-5 scale) and promoted 1 year early (2 years to senior associate vs 3 year firm standard), only early promotion out of over 100 in Associates office class to receive early promotion.

1 Year Big 4 Transaction Services (M&A)- Nothing exceptional here, some financial modeling experience and a variety of acquisitions worked on, mostly middle market financial due diligence.

Other experience: 10+ years in the Marine Corps on the Enlisted side, mostly within the reserves but accumulated 4 years of active duty time. 3 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Extremely rapid promotions here, made it to Sergeant in 3 years and Staff Sergeant (E-6) in 6 years. Will be a Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) in 11 years and at time of application. I currently have 230+ Marines reporting to me and hold a position typical of the next rank. Several individual awards and excellent performance evals.

Potential future positions prior to MBA: Senior Analyst level Financial Planning and Analysis at a very large public global Pharma Company. Minimum of 1 year in this position and up to 2 depending on MBA application timing.

My concerns- Age 31 (mostly due to overseas military time), not sure how this will be perceived especially at H. FP&A position- not sure how this will be viewed in comparison to role in Transaction services (possibly not relevant)

Post MBA aspiration- Equity Research, Healthcare.

Any thoughts?

Hi marine13910,

Thanks for your post.

Your profile does appear to be competitive with H/W/C: -With a strong GMAT and very high undergraduate GPA, your academics are in solid shape. -Your rapid career progression, but in an accounting firm and the military, along with significant leadership experience will lead to a compelling work experience section -You don't mention extracurricular activities, but they will be an important piece of the evaluation as well.

As you mention, your age will be above the average for those schools. Dee Leopold, HBS' Admissions Director, shared details on this point in her blog in August: http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/Pages/from-the-admissions-director.as…. There were 17 students in the HBS Class of 2014 who were 10+ years out of undergrad. The good news is that I believe you would be competitive for one of those spots and also that W/C skew older a bit. You might also consider LBS as their average age is 29 (versus 27 for HBS and 28 for W/C) and they have a strong finance program as well.

Because you are a few years older than the average MBA student, you run the risk of being pigeonholed as an “older applicant.” The adcom may therefore be worry that your work experience across several industries indicates a lack of focus and that your long tenure in the military indicates a potential resistance to learning new skills. They may also be concerned that you would be less likely to be active outside the classroom, given that the majority of your classmates will be significantly younger than you. You will need to be careful to address these issues in your essays, emphasizing the continuity of your work experience, your openness to new ideas, as well as your enthusiasm about contributing to the school community.

Hope that helps! Please reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed evaluation.


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello Hedi,

First off thanks for the service you and the company are providing, it is really great! I had a couple questions about the best MBA path I can take. Let me list my stats first:

Education: Biochemistry B.S. at a Cal State school (non-target) (will obtain in a year and half)

GPA - 3.7

Work experience: I have work experience while and before college, the most relevant being in the casino industry working 4 years, a year and half of it in managing 80+ employees and being responsible for all the monetary assest of the company.

Gmat score: To be taken

I live in the California area and wish to stay here. From what I have read, going into the MBA programs at UCLA, USC, or US-Berkeley is a good way to get into the business here due to the heavy recruiting from the companies. UCLA being my top choice due to their record, along with the low cost for being a state school.

My question is what should be my path from getting my bachelors to applying to these schools for MBA? From speaking with the business school at UCLA, they do not require any work experience and also said due to my degree, I would have preference since the school likes to have a diverse group in the program. I am just not sure if the work experience I have would count as creditable work experience for an MBA (in both the eyes of the schools and potential companies/employers), or if schools/companies are looking for another kind of work experience. My goals are to be able to get into investment banking and eventually hedge funds, and being 28 years old I want to find the best and shortest path to that.

Some of the people on this site have said to get 2 years of work experience before applying to the MBA programs, I just don't know what type of work experience I can get that would relate to Investment banking with a science degree or if it is really needed. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 
Rankik:
Hello Hedi,

First off thanks for the service you and the company are providing, it is really great! I had a couple questions about the best MBA path I can take. Let me list my stats first:

Education: Biochemistry B.S. at a Cal State school (non-target) (will obtain in a year and half)

GPA - 3.7

Work experience: I have work experience while and before college, the most relevant being in the casino industry working 4 years, a year and half of it in managing 80+ employees and being responsible for all the monetary assest of the company.

Gmat score: To be taken

I live in the California area and wish to stay here. From what I have read, going into the MBA programs at UCLA, USC, or US-Berkeley is a good way to get into the business here due to the heavy recruiting from the companies. UCLA being my top choice due to their record, along with the low cost for being a state school.

My question is what should be my path from getting my bachelors to applying to these schools for MBA? From speaking with the business school at UCLA, they do not require any work experience and also said due to my degree, I would have preference since the school likes to have a diverse group in the program. I am just not sure if the work experience I have would count as creditable work experience for an MBA (in both the eyes of the schools and potential companies/employers), or if schools/companies are looking for another kind of work experience. My goals are to be able to get into investment banking and eventually hedge funds, and being 28 years old I want to find the best and shortest path to that.

Some of the people on this site have said to get 2 years of work experience before applying to the MBA programs, I just don't know what type of work experience I can get that would relate to Investment banking with a science degree or if it is really needed. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Hello Rankik,

Thanks for your post.

First to answer your question about work experience. When the schools post stats on years of work experience, it is defined as 'post-college' work experience (or work experience in jobs that require a college degree). So you would technically have 0 work experience applying to an MBA program right out of college.

That being said, when the school is evaluating your profile for potential acceptance to the class, your management experience will be a very positive aspect of your application and along with a strong GMAT score and extracurricular activities could make you a competitive applicant.

Therefore, I do suggest applying next year when you are getting ready to graduate as you will be 29 then I presume (and 30 upon matriculation). To strengthen your application in the meantime, I suggest finding a leadership role in an extracurricular activity, securing a strong internship, and studying for a high GMAT score.

Regarding internship and possible full-time work experience if the applications don't work out next year, I suggest thinking about financial analyst types of roles at casino companies (Harrah's, etc.). Investment banks like candidates with gaming backgrounds and a casino is more likely to 'take a risk' on a biochemistry major since you have industry experience. It would also help to take a couple finance courses in the meantime if you haven't yet.

Hope that helps. Please reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed evaluation.

Best, Heidi

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

What do you think of my profile? I'm interested in joint-degree programs (MBA/MPA-ID)

26 female hispanic economics and politics double major at top ten liberal arts school 3.6 GPA Expected GRE: 165Q 165V (what should I be shooting for?)

post grad: paid internship with non-profit microfinance organization- 6 mo microfinance fellowship through well-known non-profit microfinance organization- 6 mo Peace Corps: business advising (doing that right now)

undergrad: interned in India with a community development program (I worked with "income generation") 2 mo studied abroad in Rwanda (economic development), Switzerland (diplomacy) President of Model UN had to redesign the club after people ahead of me destroyed its reputation President of a service-abroad engineering organization in charge of extremely successful fundraisers, grant proposals, big projects works in a small village in Peru (13000 ft above sea level), went twice

I have a ton of other interesting tidbits of information about myself, too: build fully-rideable bamboo bicycles (2) hiked the Appalachian trail post-graduation lived abroad for most of my childhood been to over 25 different countries spanish (proficient), french (proficient), kinyarwanda (very basic)

I'm a little concerned about my work experience. It is REALLY hard to get a full-fledged job in ID...you either are an intern or an expert. I'm interested in private sector development

 
whd1749:
What do you think of my profile? I'm interested in joint-degree programs (MBA/MPA-ID)

26 female hispanic economics and politics double major at top ten liberal arts school 3.6 GPA Expected GRE: 165Q 165V (what should I be shooting for?)

post grad: paid internship with non-profit microfinance organization- 6 mo microfinance fellowship through well-known non-profit microfinance organization- 6 mo Peace Corps: business advising (doing that right now)

undergrad: interned in India with a community development program (I worked with "income generation") 2 mo studied abroad in Rwanda (economic development), Switzerland (diplomacy) President of Model UN had to redesign the club after people ahead of me destroyed its reputation President of a service-abroad engineering organization in charge of extremely successful fundraisers, grant proposals, big projects works in a small village in Peru (13000 ft above sea level), went twice

I have a ton of other interesting tidbits of information about myself, too: build fully-rideable bamboo bicycles (2) hiked the Appalachian trail post-graduation lived abroad for most of my childhood been to over 25 different countries spanish (proficient), french (proficient), kinyarwanda (very basic)

I'm a little concerned about my work experience. It is REALLY hard to get a full-fledged job in ID...you either are an intern or an expert. I'm interested in private sector development

Hello whd1749,

Thanks for your post.

Regarding the GRE, you can use this tool to 'convert' your score to a GMAT equivalency: https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about/mba/comparison_tool. A 165 V, 165 Q GRE score would be equivalent to a 730 GMAT score, which would be competitive at all of the top MBA programs.

You appear to have the academic credentials and extracurricular involvement top business schools are looking for, so I see a few aspects as being key to a strong MBA application: -Your work experience will be less conventional, so it will be important to show career progression through increased responsibility and challenges and also how you developed business relevant skills (leadership, teamwork, international work experience, analytics, communication skills).
-Convincingly explain why an MBA (versus just an MPA-ID) - right now none of your background conveys a strong business interest, so be sure to be clear on this point -Tie together your various interests and experiences into a cohesive, compelling, and personal story

Hope this helps. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed profile evaluation.

Best, Heidi


Heidi Granner Clear Admit, LLC [email protected] 215.568.2590

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Hello everyone,

Just began the process of b-school planning,searching, preparation, and decisions. Currently preparing for the GMATs (plan to take in a few months). Planning on scoring well over 700. Here are some background statistics:

  • Age: 26 Male

  • Degree: Civil Engineering from Top 15 Public University, Graduated in 2008

  • Licenses: Fundamentals of Engineering License (precursor to becoming a Professional Engineer); Certified Fraud Examiner.

  • GPA: 3.1 Cumulative/3.6 In-Major (I didn't prioritize my life until 1.5 years into college. Big regret, yet learning experience. My final 5 semesters i averaged a 3.8 GPA and received honors.)

  • Was Vice President of College Fraternity, Fraternity Chairman for Large University Charity.

  • Work Experience (at time of application):
    A) 3.5 yrs in small start-up construction companies (3 companies total @ MBB); leading eventually to the start of my own company or working for a start-up/venture capitalist.

I'm concerned about my GPA, work experience, and extra-curriculars. My GPA does not reflect who i am today and how I've grown. My work experience seems erratic and non-defined, but I had some bad luck with the recessions (companies closing, etc...). I'm currently involved in some outside associations, but do not have any leadership roles.

Focused on schools like Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, Booth, Kellogg. What do you think the odds are? Where do i need to be focusing my efforts over the next year prior to applying?

Many thanks for the help, and look forward to the response.

 
smp5000:
Hello everyone,

Just began the process of b-school planning,searching, preparation, and decisions. Currently preparing for the GMATs (plan to take in a few months). Planning on scoring well over 700. Here are some background statistics:

  • Age: 26 Male

  • Degree: Civil Engineering from Top 15 Public University, Graduated in 2008

  • Licenses: Fundamentals of Engineering License (precursor to becoming a Professional Engineer); Certified Fraud Examiner.

  • GPA: 3.1 Cumulative/3.6 In-Major (I didn't prioritize my life until 1.5 years into college. Big regret, yet learning experience. My final 5 semesters i averaged a 3.8 GPA and received honors.)

  • Was Vice President of College Fraternity, Fraternity Chairman for Large University Charity.

  • Work Experience (at time of application):
    A) 3.5 yrs in small start-up construction companies (3 companies total @ MBB); leading eventually to the start of my own company or working for a start-up/venture capitalist.

I'm concerned about my GPA, work experience, and extra-curriculars. My GPA does not reflect who i am today and how I've grown. My work experience seems erratic and non-defined, but I had some bad luck with the recessions (companies closing, etc...). I'm currently involved in some outside associations, but do not have any leadership roles.

Focused on schools like Wharton, Harvard, Stanford, Booth, Kellogg. What do you think the odds are? Where do i need to be focusing my efforts over the next year prior to applying?

Many thanks for the help, and look forward to the response.

Thanks for your inquiry; sounds like you've given a lot of thoughts to your application plans! First, adcoms do look at your academic trajectory over your college career, so it's a good thing that your GPA improved drastically in the later years. While adcoms may notice this trend on their own, be sure to point this out directly in all your applications - for most of the applications, it will be the optional essay where you should discuss this briefly. Furthermore, if you do score very well as expected on the GMAT, your GMAT will mitigate your lower GPA as well, as adcoms tend to look at the GPA and GMAT as a package deal. While not many adcoms will state this publicly, the fact is, all of them are attracted to extremely high GMAT scores (750 or above), and additional unofficial extra points are often given to those who hit this kind of score on their very first try.

So, again, while prepping for the GMAT doesn't sound exciting at all, it definitely is the most sure-fire way of boosting your candidacy, given that you're not planning to apply until next year. As for your work experience, I actually do see a consistent theme - real estate and construction. This may be an angle that you want to continue to pursue, as adcoms do value consistency in professional experiences and goals.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Best, Kevin Chen Clear Admit

Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

Kevin,

Fantastic information! I did not know some of the things you mentioned, and you certainly gave me a bit of confidence going forward. Thank you for that.

Could you address the following follow-up questions:

  • What is your overall assessment of my statistics to date? Do you think they are a good foundation for a top b-school?

  • Do top b-schools ding candidates for having specialized experience? In my case, Real Estate & Construction. Could this be used as a strength for me?

  • As far as extra-curricular activities go, I am currently a volunteer coach for a foundation that provides golf lessons and ultimately life mentoring to troubled inner city children (Golf is a passion of mine). I do not have a leadership role and am unsure if I will be able to attain prior to application time. Do you think I need to take part in additional EAs or start something of my own? I am suffering from the dreaded average-itis (male, white, so-so GPA from so-so school). How am i to STAND OUT on my applications? Do i need to get more involved or is my volunteer involvement sufficient to support in my essays?

  • If you were in my shoes, what things would you be doing over the next year prior to application? And at application time, what approach would you take to the application? What would be the strengths, weaknesses, etc...?

  • The b-schools I listed are, no doubt, top-notch. Am I shooting too high? Or, with some work, would i be able to attain a Top 10 or preferably M7 school? In my opinion, I personally know that I am mentally capable of this rigorous programs, and I feel that i would be a great asset to these programs. My challenge is to prove that to the adcoms. I have high standards for myself.

Any blunt criticisms of my past, and candid tips for the future are greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

Hey, thanks for doing this. My stats:

FLDP F250 - Rotations in Accounting, FP&A, and Treasury.

Undergrad = Semi Target Private (WUSTL/ND/Gtown/JHU) GPA = 3.4 Degree = Econ and Political Science GMAT = 710 (43/45)

Undergraduate Student Athlete. Have done an overseas rotation. Led the company Philanthropy committee for a year. Been involved with Boys and Girls Club as a mentor. Internship in a technical role with the DOJ during school (before switching to Economics). Dream school is Booth as I want to be in Chicago. And I want to make the switch to ER, if at all possible.

Any chance at Booth? Best schools i'm probably good for?

 
AllDay_028:
Hey, thanks for doing this. My stats:

FLDP F250 - Rotations in Accounting, FP&A, and Treasury.

Undergrad = Semi Target Private (WUSTL/ND/Gtown/JHU) GPA = 3.4 Degree = Econ and Political Science GMAT = 710 (43/45)

Undergraduate Student Athlete. Have done an overseas rotation. Led the company Philanthropy committee for a year. Been involved with Boys and Girls Club as a mentor. Internship in a technical role with the DOJ during school (before switching to Economics). Dream school is Booth as I want to be in Chicago. And I want to make the switch to ER, if at all possible.

Any chance at Booth? Best schools i'm probably good for?

Hi AllDay_028,

Thanks for your post.

Your academic, work experience, and extracurricular background does appear to be competitive for Booth, with a couple potential weaknesses: -Your total GMAT score is near the average for Booth, but the 80% Quant score is an important dimension as well. I'm not sure if the 43 or 45 is your Quant score, but either way you would be below 70% which is considered a 'red flag' (i.e., raises concerns about your ability to handle the quantitative aspects of the coursework). I suggest re-taking the GMAT with a focus in your preparation on the Quant section. -If you are currently in a rotation program, then I am assuming you have approximately two years of work experience. Applying next year will put you at four years of work experience by matriculation, slightly below the average for Booth. And if you are applying this year, then three years will be quite below the average. You will need to show strong positive career trajectory coming out of the rotational program - increases in responsibility, key accomplishments, project/people leadership.

Please reach out to [email protected] for a free detailed profile evaluation. Good luck!

Heidi

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

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_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

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Graham Richmond Co-founder & CEO Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

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Kevin Chen Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

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Vel praesentium nam commodi. Ea consectetur similique et vero.

_________________ Heidi Granner Senior Admissions Counselor Clear Admit, LLC www.clearadmit.com http://blog.clearadmit.com www.twitter.com/clearadmit www.facebook.com/clearadmit
 

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