Aspiring Consultant
My pursuit for a prestigious MBA has begun and I wanted to receive feedback from individuals who have gone through this process. Below I have highlighted my current situation and where I would like to see myself:
Undergraduate: DeVry University Business Administration with a concentration in Finance Cumulative GPA: 3.43/4.0 Graduated: October 2011 Sigma Beta Delta Honors Society
- I am aware that DeVry does not compare in terms of pedigree with any of the other undergrad finance programs, but at the time I chose this school I didn't have any plans on pursuing a career in consulting, or a top tier MBA for that matter. Also, this was the only school that allowed me to work full time and go to school full time - which was a very large deciding factor.
Work Experience: I worked in Retail Sales for over 2 years where I received two promotions. After starting college, I was hired at a major broadcast media company within the Inbound Sales department. After 8 months, I was promoted to the position of an Operations Analyst. (This specific team did not exist in the company at the time and I was asked to pioneer it and establish roles.) Within this role I have been exposed to strategic planning, forecasting, reporting, process development, and process implementation.
I also became involved with NAMIC (National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications/www.namic.com) and now sit on the board as the National Liason Chair for my chapter. This not only gave me the opportunity to host networking events, but also events that gave back to the community. This past year I was selected to participate in a Leadership Development Seminar (which only accepts 40 applications out of hundreds industry-wide.) - Major accomplishment for myself
Currently, I am enrolled in a Manhattan gmat prep class and hope to achieve a score of 720+. After speaking with my mentor, (who is a graduate of Harvard (undergrad) and Columbia (B-School)) he has encouraged me to do very well on the GMAT to show that my GPA is not a full reflection of who I am (which is very true.) In addition to that, community service is a very large piece to the application process for B-Schools. As a result, I have a website is in the works that will provide free advice, tips, and ideas on how to become successful at a relatively young age - which I feel I can relate to.
From the Wall Street Oasis Community I ask for some feedback in regards to my current experience (I am currently 20 years old), my goals to be a consultant and work for (Bain/McKinsey), and any suggestions that you can provide that can solidify my chances at attending a top b-school (Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, or Stern)
You seem decently intelligent, did it never occur to you to drop out of a non-accredited university at some point? I hope you didn't go into debt for it?
I've never really heard of someone going from a non-accredited university to the kind of job that would net you good work experience for a top business school. Right now it sounds like you have a nice piece of paper, enrollment in a GMAT class, and a blog. Success in the GMAT does help, but concrete test scores are easier to work with.
Honestly, I'm not the most experienced, but my advice would be to try and get into a target undergrad school. I sincerely doubt the work you did at Devry will transfer, but I'd be ecstatic to be wrong.You're still young and probably more mature than most 18 year olds. If you aren't too far into debt, nothing wrong with starting at a good square one and seeing what happens from there.
Random question: What've you got against BCG?
@tedrd - There was a point where I considered switching schools but at that time I was too vested in my degree and it was not financially sound. I have considered pursuing a master's degree at a much better school that is accredited but when I expressed my pursuit of an MBA, I was strongly encouraged. Thus far, I have spoken with only top tier MBA grads from Wharton, HBS, and Columbia. They have all stated, with all things considered, by doing well on the GMAT, I would be a competitive candidate. Furthermore, my level of maturity or age has not been a factor in terms of my career progress, leadership roles, or anything of that nature.
@Angus: I don't have anything against BCG, I am actually looking to pursue a career at BCG.
Not to be a dick but if you're aiming for a 720 on the GMAT (e.g. 94th percentile) how on earth did you get a 3.4 at DeVry?
My GPA does not accurately reflect my academic aptitude. Due to my work schedule, my GPA took a nose-dive my final term at Devry. I had a full class load of over 27 credit hours split between 16 weeks which resulted in a less than average GPA. It is important to note that my college experience was not traditional in any respect. I held a full time position throughout my entire time at Devry which included working over 60 hours a week. I am not mentioning this to ask for slack, but I want to paint the entire picture for those looking to provide feedback.
I love the work ethic, hoping you succeed...
Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate the encouragement.
How the fuck does Devry let you take 27 credits lmao
Ah. I asked because you listed Bain/McKinsey as places you wanted to work.
Anyways. It seems to me that you'd have a decent shot at any of the top schools, if you can land a 700+ GMAT. I've been doing research on MBA admissions meself, and your profile seems like it would be described as "competitive".
@shorttheworld - DeVry does not typically allow that many credit hours. However, there was a position that I originally was pursuing which required a Bachelors degree and I was dead set on graduating by October. Originally my counselor said that was my target date, but due to miscommunication I had more classes left to take than what was originally communicated. As a result, I escalated my issue to the highest dean. They made me sign a waiver that I would not dispute any grades and that all work assignments were my responsibility. The work load was more than I bargained for and I ended up with a couple of C's and B's - which clearly had a monumental effect on my cumulative GPA.
@Angus - A recruiter recommended that I apply at BCG, he used to recruit for them and said that their philosophy and business model is an environment that would foster growth for someone like me. I'm glad to hear that.
A couple thoughts:
(1) I don't know what Devry's accreditation status is, but I'm pretty sure all of the top b-schools will require a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
(2) Not to be a dick, either, but the whole business about starting a website about how to be successful at a young age seems really self-aggrandizing, at best. (More palatable to adcoms might be starting a non-profit or doing some hands-on mentoring that gave the same advice to disadvantaged/at-risk kids or something...)
Hope it works out.
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