Is my profile strong enough to offset multiple dings?
I think my profile is non-standard in the sense that most of it is either really good or really bad. Looking for some opinions on whether or not the goods outweigh the bads enough to get me into a top school.
Bad:
Non target state school
3.3 GPA STEM Major
Precisely zero EC since graduating college (this is what I'm most worried about)
Straight white male in finance
Good:
Work at top top tier buyside firm
Multiple promotions
No doubt I will get a 99% GMAT (760+)**
Recs from an MD and VP at my firm who are both quite fond of me. VP has a top (non HSW) MBA
Very strong interviewer
** I got a 98-99% SAT with no studying other than a practice test, and I'm prepared to study for & retake the GMAT as much as needed.
I know HSW isn't going to happen but do I have enough of a shot at MIT, Dartmouth, etc. to justify putting so much time into the GMAT and general application process? Objective of MBA is to get into consulting.
If by top tier buyside shop you mean kkr/bx/apo than youre a shoo in for hsw
Thanks - everyone I know personally from my firm that left for an MBA went to HBS, but they also had Ivy undergrads and charity involvement. One of them I talked to had a similar sentiment though; he thinks some of the non-HSW schools would let me in on the name of the firm alone, even if I don't crush the GMAT. So I suppose I'll be giving it a shot.
What is the role you are in at the buyside shop? I wouldn’t say you are a shoe in by any means for H/S, I know multiple people from the likes of KKR/BX/etc. who are straight white males with better undergrad (top Ivy, summa / magna) stats who have gotten rejected there in recent cycles.
For lower tier M7 schools, assuming you are in an investor role at the buyside shop I think you’ll have a good shot with the GMAT you mentioned.
You may have a shot at M7 but I do think HSW are probably out on your academics alone. I'm assuming you're not stupid, and so therefore you're not in an investing seat at this top buyside firm. Depending on what seat you're actually in will make a decent difference.
If you are actually in an investing seat...you're stupid for wanting to do 2 years at b school to then enter consulting, and you shouldn't get into B-school at all based on your questionable decision making.
You'll for sure get into an M7 if you can do decently on the GMAT and write ok essays. H/S will be a crapshoot, wouldn't be terribly surprised if you got in, also wouldn't be surprised if you got rejected with no interview. Both schools, especially Stanford, are just really selective and given your profile, you might not be one of the top handful of PE bucketed folks they're going to let in.
W will be a 50/50, you're right up the fairway in terms of finance guys they like, but white, low GPA, and nothing else special might make it tougher.
Booth/Kellogg/Colombia/MIT will all take you. Maybe not every one, but if you focus on 1/2 of them and show interest, you'll get in.
Honestly, if all you really care about in consulting recruiting, any of the M7 will be just fine. All top B schools are essentially factories for consulting firms, but I know Booth/Kellogg in particular send 30%+ of the class to consulting each year. I'm sure that stat is similar at Harvard.
Lastly, think about Geo and Fit. If you really want to be in NYC post grad, Colombia might be better than an a Kellogg. Really want to do tech related stuff? MIT will have a stronger brand presence than Booth. Outside of H/S, in my opinion Wharton through the Top 10 or so schools are all fairly similar. Each will have advantages in certain things, but with the exception of getting back MF/UMM PE/VC, most of the recruiting opportunities are similar.
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