Trading to Top MBA Chances
Hi all,
I've traded options for a Prop Trading market making firm for just over three years, but I just can't stand working nights any longer. Looking at going to a top mba program and possibly transitioning into Asset Management at buy side value fund, or maybe a global macro hedge fund. What do you guys think my chances are? Any thoughts?
3.7 GPA, Finance, from a Public Ivy
700-750 GMAT, based on practice tests
Leadership role in a charity, pretty solid
CFA charterholder
Schools I'd want to go to:
Stanford
Chicago
Columbia
Berkeley
I hate to be a bearer of bad news, but b-schools in general hate traders. From the information you have provided thus far and knowing nothing else about you, i would say that you are a ding at all the schools mentioned. Your numbers are fine, but unless you can tell a very interesting story about yourself, demonstrate clear leadership and teamwork as a trader, and great reasons for wanting to go to b-school, it will be an uphill battle. I also recommend you talk about somethin non-finance related for career goals, such as consulting. The reason being that for buyside you will have to compete with people with much better experience than you, and during the admissions process, you are being compared to others with similar career goals.
700-750 is a very broad range. Harder to assess until you've actually taken the exam. A 700 is an automatic ding at those schools for a male trader. A 750 on the other hand, puts you solidly in the game. I think 770+ is what you should ideally shoot for if you want to get into wharton/columbia/booth.
Just ignore Brady/LastCall's babble. You have a shot, but you need a compelling story. For more expert advice, I defer to Alex Chu or Betsy.
To counteract that bias, you need to have major GMAT and GPA numbers, strong extracurriculars that show you have a heart + interests outside of raping and pillaging the land in the name of filthy lucre, and demonstrable instances of leadership (which can be hard in the context of a trading floor).
Study really hard for the GMAT. Stanford will be a reach for you, but Booth has no problem with quantitative finance types at all and will take you if your stats are there. If you are interested in Columbia, go visit the school two or three times (seriously) and apply ED. The bane of their existence is the trend where people view them as the safety within the M7 and don't apply with the intent of matriculating unless all else fails. If you can show them that you would actually attend if admitted, you'll find yourself admitted. If you're located in NYC, try incorporating the "I want to stay in New York for my MBA" angle in your essays. Haas ought to take you based on numbers alone, your GPA and work experience are very in line with their program and if your GMAT is high, that is an added plus.
Long story short, you need to know each school's idiosyncrasies and how to exploit them. It's rarely the best candidate on paper that gets admitted; it's the schemers who understand how to play the game.
Thanks guys. I got a 710 on the GMAT..... do you think I need to retake? 49Q 83% and 39V 88%. If I can pump my verbal score up some more, should be able to raise that score. Not a lot of time before the deadline though and I need to work on my essays.
I'm going to focus on Chicago, Columbia, and Duke for round 2. I am somewhat worried that I'm not doing ED for Columbia... I guess there is next year maybe.
Plenty of traders at Booth. GMAT has to be at 740-750 range though. Q is fine. I'd work on that V.
Your profile looks on the money for CBS and Booth. Berkeley can possibly be considered a back up - but don't treat any school as back up. Stanford is a coin toss since its class is so small.
To add, 710 is great. I wouldn't retake it if I were you.
Does wharton discriminate against traders? I've heard Booth, MIT, and Columbia are the most trader-friendly.
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