Update to a Previous Thread - What do you guys think?

I posted over 2 years ago about a job opportunity I was considering and how it would impact my chances of getting into top MBA programs. Well, I ended up being offered the position nearly a year after that post (long story). Here's the previous post: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/start-up-positiongood-or-bad-for-…

I'm curious what you guys think my chances are for a top program given my career progression:

  • Graduated from Ohio State with majors in Finance and Accounting and a minor in Economics; GPA: 3.5
  • Woeked one year as an Analyst in a rotational program (corporate finance at a large retail bank) and then was promoted to Sr. Financial Analyst after I finished the program.
  • Worked a little over one year in the Sr. Financial Analyst role and then accepted the role of Financial Analyst/Revenue Analyst at the "start-up" I referenced in my previous post.
  • After a little less than a year I was promoted to FP&A Manager and hired a direct report (FP&A Analyst).
  • Based on my MGMAT practice test scores, I think 700-730 is a reasonable range for my score

In my current role I've had a lot of responsibility and constant exposure to the company's executives. I built out the framework for the forecasting and budgeting process, built the company's cash flow model, invoicing model, and lots more. I've worked on pricing, worked directly with big name clients, and I review and approve any and all deals the company enters into with clients.

Outside of work, I run an investment club that I founded 2 years ago. We've been successful and have been beating the market. Also, I was the president of a non-profit young professional group for about a year (late 2012 to early 2014). The organization is the young professional component of one of the most recognizable charities in the country. I helped grow the group from 15 to 45 members and established the group's leadership structure, signature events, etc.

Assuming I stay in my current role, what do you guys think my chances are of getting into a top MBA program? I'm thinking Booth, Ross, Kellogg, Wharton, CMU, HBS, or Duke.

 

Profile sounds good for all schools (I think the higher ranked schools will in general be more strict on GMAT). Come up with a good story for why MBA, why now, your goals and crush the GMAT. Duke, Ross, and CMU (and to a MUCH lesser extent Kellogg) won't be as GMAT anal as Booth, Wharton and HBS. If you get a 720, decent shot everywhere (small stretch for HBS and Wharton maybe, but doable).

 

Assuming you're not a URM, HBS isn't gonna happen. Medicore gpa from low ranked college and non prestige work experience in finance just isn't going to cut it especially with a below avg GMAT. Wharton is a big stretch too, but a 750+ GMAT will help there. Booth is a reasonable stretch if you can get 730+. The other schools are reasonable assuming a serviceable GMAT.

 
Frank Slaughtery:

Assuming you're not a URM, HBS isn't gonna happen. Medicore gpa from low ranked college and non prestige work experience in finance just isn't going to cut it especially with a below avg GMAT. Wharton is a big stretch too, but a 750+ GMAT will help there. Booth is a reasonable stretch if you can get 730+. The other schools are reasonable assuming a serviceable GMAT.

A 3.5 is a mediocre gpa now? Holy hell this site gets more absurd by the day

 
Best Response

1) I'd work the startup-cum-finance angle. A lot of startup is tech related, and a lot of finance is blue chip stuff, so having that blend is a bit different for b-schools. 2) GMAT should at mean or above, but I don't think it NEEDS to be 740 or 750+. Sure, higher is always better, but there becomes a point where it's obvious you have the intellectual ability, and then it comes to whether you have the social and professional fit. That is where your LORs and essays come in to play.

I'd say if you can get GMAT 720 and do well with your story (essays, LORs, and interview), you should be able to get into at least one MBA business schools ">M7. H/S/W are stretches, but you should be competitive at the rest. Your leadership experience stands out at your current position, and is a good wildcard for you. Best of luck.

Just curious, what are your career goals for post-MBA?

 
Blueapple:

1) I'd work the startup-cum-finance angle. A lot of startup is tech related, and a lot of finance is blue chip stuff, so having that blend is a bit different for b-schools.
2) GMAT should at mean or above, but I don't think it NEEDS to be 740 or 750+. Sure, higher is always better, but there becomes a point where it's obvious you have the intellectual ability, and then it comes to whether you have the social and professional fit. That is where your LORs and essays come in to play.

I'd say if you can get GMAT 720 and do well with your story (essays, LORs, and interview), you should be able to get into at least one MBA business schools ">M7. H/S/W are stretches, but you should be competitive at the rest. Your leadership experience stands out at your current position, and is a good wildcard for you. Best of luck.

Just curious, what are your career goals for post-MBA?

I think I'll be in a great position for LORs and essays...I think our entire executive team would go to bat for me and they're all graduates (undergrad) of one of the schools I mentioned I'm interested in attending.

As far as career goals...I'd like to continue to work at similar firms to where I'm at now: VC-backed, tech focus, fast-paced, etc. It's tough to chart out my career path from FP&A Manager to VP of Finance at a VC-backed firm until I have some sort of 3rd party certification (i.e. top tier MBA) saying "yeah, this guy knows his shit." Otherwise, I think I'll be stuck at the manager level until I'm 30+. I've outlasted 3 CFO's at our company in a little over than a year and I've kept the finance team afloat throughout the chaos so I know I can handle a VP role, but it's hard to convince someone to even hear me out at 25 with a degree from a "low ranked college" as Frank Slaughtery" put it (btw, we're not ranked that poorly in business...9 for finance, 10 for accounting, 20 overall; could be a lot worse).

 
Frank Slaughtery:

average gpa at hbs/stanford is 3.7 and 3.6 at booth/wharton/sloan. A 3.5 gpa in physics from princeton is also very different than a 3.5 in finance from ohio state.

This is one area where I'm not too worried. I know the general consensus around here is that GPA is the number that matters, but I think a 3.5 with two majors (finance, accounting) and a minor (economics) while enrolled in the university's honors program is not going to get me dinged anywhere. Sure, a 3.7 would be better, and maybe I'm way off base here, but I'm hoping I'm right...

 
Frank Slaughtery:

average gpa at hbs/stanford is 3.7 and 3.6 at booth/wharton/sloan. A 3.5 gpa in physics from princeton is also very different than a 3.5 in finance from ohio state.

This is one area where I'm not too worried. I know the general consensus around here is that GPA is the number that matters, but I think a 3.5 with two majors (finance, accounting) and a minor (economics) while enrolled in the university's honors program is not going to get me dinged anywhere. Sure, a 3.7 would be better, and maybe I'm way off base here, but I'm hoping I'm right...

 

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