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kharrill
Admissions Expert
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - 02/26/2004 : 05:56:11
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Hi,
I have a few Questions regarding my chanes to get admission to one of the top finance mba programs like Columbia, Chicago. LBS and NYU.
Hi Dennis ... This is Kent, responding for Dave while he's on vacation this week. Thanks for your questions!
Firt, something about my background.
I'm a german citizen, I studied Economics in Germany and received a grade equivalent to a GPA of 4-3,75 at one of germans best universities, before studying, I did my military service for one year and completed a 3-years apprenticeship at a german commercial bank, where I received the best possible grade. During my studies, I worked for at a large commercial bank in Germany (summing up to 1,5 years) in the risk management and investment banking departments. As an extracurricular activity, I am an active member of a german political party. During my studies, I participated in a Research Conference and published an article in the conference publication. I am currently working as a consultant specialised on credit risk management (quantitative), where I lead a small team of consultants and developers. I took the GMAT a week ago and scored a 710 (I didn't got the AWA-Score by now).
Your academic achievements sound great for the programs you're targeting (assuming that the quantitative part of your GMAT is as high or higher than the verbal).
Now, my questions:
Beside the grade in economics, I finished the study in much less time than the average students at my university, how can I bring this point out in my application ? Should I use the optional essay?
It could vary by school, depending on the essays next year. You could mention this in the "main" essay, or the optional essay could also explain this.
Does military service count as work experience?
Certainly ... and will help in providing additional leadership opportunities for you to detail in your essays.
Does the apprenticeship count as work expeirence?
In most cases, yes. Internships in the US are usually not counted as full-time work experience, but apprenticeships are generally considered full-time, post-undergrad professional experiences.
Is a research publication a plus in the application? How can I state this point in the application?
It's a plus, but not something too important to have it stand alone in an essay. From the little I know about your paper, I would just include it on your CV unless it was a major publication for a well-known journal.
What is the best strategy to distinguish my application from those of the other consultants?
Again, not knowing too much about your job or company, the best ways to distinguish yourself from other consultants is describing your client management, project management, client list, etc. ... anything that can demonstrate your leadership experiences and management potential.
Can you make a guess about my chances to be admitted to the programs I like to attend?
From what I see so far, you seem to be a strong candidate for the four schools that you list!
Sorry for the long text and thanks in advance for your answers,
Dennis
No problem, Dennis ... let us know if we can help further.
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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jianghaoism
Underclassman
1 Posts |
Posted - 02/29/2004 : 14:52:00
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Hi! I think you've got a very informative service here, and appreciate all the information that you've posted regularly. I'm deeply appreciative for the knowledge I've gained in this forum alone!
I am currently a final year (3rd year) student in Political Science at the National University of Singapore. My university is a premier Singaporean university, and consistently ranked one of the top 5 in Asia.
I plan to apply for an MBA programme in the States within the next three to four years, and am keen to work towards a succesful application in a good business school.
The plus points/problems that I anticipate, however, are:
- My academic grades (B- average) are of average standard amongst my peers, but fall exceedingly short of the minimum/average GPA requirements stated by many business schools.
- I am graduating from a 3-year degree programme.
- I recently took GMAT, and achieved a score of 710.
- I have been very actively involved in extra-curricular activities in university, having been elected into the presidential/chairperson positions in almost all of my student union/club activities. (My heavy involvement can be said to be the reason for my less than exciting grades)
- I plan to work for the next 2 to 3 years, in a multinational corporation, before applying for an MBA programme.
With this in mind, I have been looking through admissions requirements and prerequisites of MBA programmes in top 30 business schools, but have had trouble gauging my potential application standing.
Would you think that I stand a chance of being offered a position in schools like McCombs, Olin, Carnegie Mellon and Rotman (Toronto)?
Would you suggest that I take additional certificate/diploma courses in private educational institutes to boost my academic credibility before applying to MBA programmes?
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Many Thanks,
Joshua |
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dj
Underclassman
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2004 : 12:03:07
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Hi
I wish to apply for the Stern langone part time MBA program for fall 2003.I have done my masters in Management information systems & have a work experience of abt 3 years.My Gpa in masters was 3.7.I beleive they require a good gmat score but thts where i lack.I have a gmat fo 530.Please advice if it is sensible to apply with this gmat or should i retake the gmat.
Thanks |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2004 : 13:49:28
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Hi Joshua and thanks for your inquiry.
Hi! I think you've got a very informative service here, and appreciate all the information that you've posted regularly. I'm deeply appreciative for the knowledge I've gained in this forum alone!
Thanks! The gratitude is never expected, but always appreciated!
I am currently a final year (3rd year) student in Political Science at the National University of Singapore. My university is a premier Singaporean university, and consistently ranked one of the top 5 in Asia.
I plan to apply for an MBA programme in the States within the next three to four years, and am keen to work towards a succesful application in a good business school.
The plus points/problems that I anticipate, however, are:
- My academic grades (B- average) are of average standard amongst my peers, but fall exceedingly short of the minimum/average GPA requirements stated by many business schools.
Your GPA can be mitigated in your application. It still may be a good idea to build an alternate transcript with a handful of classes. (If you take too many classes, you may be labeled a professional student/degree collector.)
- I am graduating from a 3-year degree programme.
This is not necessarily a problem. The top b-schools often quietly make exceptions, particularly for graduates from top programs such as NUS.
- I recently took GMAT, and achieved a score of 710.
- I have been very actively involved in extra-curricular activities in university, having been elected into the presidential/chairperson positions in almost all of my student union/club activities. (My heavy involvement can be said to be the reason for my less than exciting grades)
I wouldn’t spin it that way in your applications. The schools ideally want students who can succeed academically *and* be involved on the campus.
- I plan to work for the next 2 to 3 years, in a multinational corporation, before applying for an MBA programme.
Gaining some professional experience is certainly a good idea. It does not have to come from working for a large MNC though. If you find an opportunity for career development in a smaller company, you should give that opportunity full consideration. (I’m wearing my ‘admission hat’ here. Obviously, if you are not comfortable in small companies, ignore this advice.)
With this in mind, I have been looking through admissions requirements and prerequisites of MBA programmes in top 30 business schools, but have had trouble gauging my potential application standing.
Would you think that I stand a chance of being offered a position in schools like McCombs, Olin, Carnegie Mellon and Rotman (Toronto)?
With a good career progression, ‘wow’ factor, and application story you would be competitive at any business school.
Would you suggest that I take additional certificate/diploma courses in private educational institutes to boost my academic credibility before applying to MBA programmes?
See my comments earlier about the alternative transcripts.
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Many Thanks,
Joshua
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/01/2004 : 13:53:41
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Hi and thanks for your inquiry.
Hi
I wish to apply for the Stern langone part time MBA program for fall 2003.I have done my masters in Management information systems & have a work experience of abt 3 years.My Gpa in masters was 3.7.I beleive they require a good gmat score but thts where i lack.I have a gmat fo 530.Please advice if it is sensible to apply with this gmat or should i retake the gmat.
Thanks
The short answer is if you feel you can increase your score by a minimum of 30 points, retake the test. You can feel free to peruse our GMAT prep tips section at www.admissionsconsultants.com/gmat/.
The longer answer is that the admissions committees look at many factors in addition to the GMAT score. If you are strong enough in other areas of your candidacy, you have a good ‘wow’ factor in your application story and you submit a well-prepared application, you might be able to get in with your 530 GMAT, particularly considering your 3.7 GPA.
Don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you would like professional assistance with your Langone application.
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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amshriner
Underclassman
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 13:43:34
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David,
I appreciate you taking the time to respond to our questions, your insight in response to the other posts has been quite valuable. I, like others on this thread, am unsure of my position in the field of b-school applicants, and I'm hopeful you can assist me with some questions/issues. Let me begin by saying that I will be applying this fall to enter business school in the fall of '05.
First, the numbers:
I have a somewhat spotty record. Undergrad GPA of 2.55 in Political Science (1999 grad, non-ivy). As indicated by the number, I didn't bother to lift a finger as an undergrad. I have been considering b-school for quite a while, so I knew it was necessary to do something about establishing an academic record a little less, well, embarrasing. So, I earned a Masters of Science in MIS with a respectable 3.9 GPA a few years ago in a part-time program at a good school where I was lucky to be admitted.
I just took the GMAT and scored a 660. The interesting part is that I was 99th percentile verbal and 58th percentile quant, with 6.0 analytical writing. This accurately illustrates my skills along these lines. I will take the test again in a few weeks, and I expect to improve the quant section, but I doubt I will get more than a 700.
The work experience:
Again, a little spotty. I'll have 5 years of experience by the time I submit my b-school apps. I have been with 3 firms over this period. I left the first after about 6 months (I was a financial analyst at a real estate company) to join a tech start-up as an analyst. After about a year I was promoted to Product Manager where I managed one of the firm's three products (software development, content research, no P&L responsibility). About 4 months later, my boss (the COO) quit, and a new person was hired. It was another month or so before I was fired for "performance reasons". The company was struggling financially and my new boss and I mixed like oil and vinegar. So I finished my masters the rest of that year.
Near the end of the school year, I joined another start-up tech company an have been with them nearly 2 years. I have been promoted twice and now I report directly to the CEO. My responsibilites include operations, partnership development and product development. They give me a long leash and allow me to get involved in all aspects of the business. Its funny, the same stuff that got me fired from one company gets me promoted and autonomy at another. Go figure. These guys know I'm looking at b-school and will provide me with killer recommendations.
Voulunteer work:
As a teenager, I earned the rank of Eagle Scout through the Boy Scouts. And, for about a year an a half, mostly while in grad school, I volunteered as an after school tutor for a public school in an inner-city DC neighborhood and helped a struggling kid work on his math skills and his PSAT studies (he's now a freshman at Grambling).
The questions:
So, I'm looking at some competitive schools, although I don't believe Harvard is on the horizon. UVA is my first choice (I am a virginia resident) and I'd like to 'shoot the moon' with another top school.
Given all this, can I make a compelling case in the top 10? How do I address being fired? Should I be really concerned about this? How will the termination reflect upon me? Also, the undergrad GPA-thing, is this going to be a problem, too? Have I done all I can to negate it as much as possible? Is the relative weakness of my quant GMAT score going to ding me heavily in the face of programs that prefer quantitative ability over verbal fluff? Also, my current salary is way above average for the top schools, is this a benefit?
I apologise for the length and would appreciate your insight and candor. Thank you. |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 14:01:59
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Hi and thanks for your inquiry.
David,
I appreciate you taking the time to respond to our questions, your insight in response to the other posts has been quite valuable. I, like others on this thread, am unsure of my position in the field of b-school applicants, and I'm hopeful you can assist me with some questions/issues. Let me begin by saying that I will be applying this fall to enter business school in the fall of '05.
First, the numbers:
I have a somewhat spotty record. Undergrad GPA of 2.55 in Political Science (1999 grad, non-ivy). As indicated by the number, I didn't bother to lift a finger as an undergrad. I have been considering b-school for quite a while, so I knew it was necessary to do something about establishing an academic record a little less, well, embarrasing. So, I earned a Masters of Science in MIS with a respectable 3.9 GPA a few years ago in a part-time program at a good school where I was lucky to be admitted.
Unfortunately, graduate programs often have much more grade inflation than undergraduate institutions. As a result, this will help mitigate your GPA concerns, but perhaps not as much as some people are led to believe.
I just took the GMAT and scored a 660. The interesting part is that I was 99th percentile verbal and 58th percentile quant, with 6.0 analytical writing. This accurately illustrates my skills along these lines. I will take the test again in a few weeks, and I expect to improve the quant section, but I doubt I will get more than a 700.
That quant score is going to hurt you. If you feel you can pull it up, definitely retake the exam. You can feel free to peruse our GMAT prep tips at www.admissionsconsultants.com/gmat/. Your grades in any stats and calculus classes, in particular, will be more closely scrutinized than most other applicants. As a result, if these grades are not good, you should strongly consider retaking them as part of an ‘alternate transcript’.
The work experience:
Again, a little spotty. I'll have 5 years of experience by the time I submit my b-school apps. I have been with 3 firms over this period. I left the first after about 6 months (I was a financial analyst at a real estate company) to join a tech start-up as an analyst. After about a year I was promoted to Product Manager where I managed one of the firm's three products (software development, content research, no P&L responsibility). About 4 months later, my boss (the COO) quit, and a new person was hired. It was another month or so before I was fired for "performance reasons". The company was struggling financially and my new boss and I mixed like oil and vinegar. So I finished my masters the rest of that year.
I’m not overly concerned about this oil and vinegar mix. Particularly if you have done better with your more recent employers and they will write you strong recommendations.
Near the end of the school year, I joined another start-up tech company an have been with them nearly 2 years. I have been promoted twice and now I report directly to the CEO. My responsibilites include operations, partnership development and product development. They give me a long leash and allow me to get involved in all aspects of the business. Its funny, the same stuff that got me fired from one company gets me promoted and autonomy at another. Go figure. These guys know I'm looking at b-school and will provide me with killer recommendations.
As long as you avoid appearing negative towards your former employer, this can certainly be spun in an optimal manner for your story.
Voulunteer work:
As a teenager, I earned the rank of Eagle Scout through the Boy Scouts. And, for about a year an a half, mostly while in grad school, I volunteered as an after school tutor for a public school in an inner-city DC neighborhood and helped a struggling kid work on his math skills and his PSAT studies (he's now a freshman at Grambling).
I hope you have some more recent involvements.
The questions:
So, I'm looking at some competitive schools, although I don't believe Harvard is on the horizon. UVA is my first choice (I am a virginia resident) and I'd like to 'shoot the moon' with another top school.
It appears there may be some good ‘wow’ factors in your career progression. If there indeed are and you submit well-prepared applications, you should be very competitive at a top 15 school such as Darden.
Given all this, can I make a compelling case in the top 10? How do I address being fired? Should I be really concerned about this? How will the termination reflect upon me? Also, the undergrad GPA-thing, is this going to be a problem, too? Have I done all I can to negate it as much as possible? Is the relative weakness of my quant GMAT score going to ding me heavily in the face of programs that prefer quantitative ability over verbal fluff? Also, my current salary is way above average for the top schools, is this a benefit?
See my earlier comments.
I apologise for the length and would appreciate your insight and candor. Thank you.
No worries.
We do have a MBA consultant in Arlington and we do meet applicants in person when convenient. If you were tutoring someone in DC, I’m guessing it is safe to assume that you are in Northern VA near this consultant.
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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dev360
Underclassman
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2004 : 19:59:04
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Hello!
I have a question about admissions to the top 25 B-schools. I have a GMAT score of 650, GPA 3.3. But my quant score GMT is only 65 percentile. Do I stand a chance in the top 25 B-schools? I know other qualifications matter too, but wanted to know if this GMAT score is something they will even consider.
Thanks
Dave |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2004 : 20:25:39
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Hi Dave and thanks for your inquiry.
Hello!
I have a question about admissions to the top 25 B-schools. I have a GMAT score of 650, GPA 3.3. But my quant score GMT is only 65 percentile. Do I stand a chance in the top 25 B-schools? I know other qualifications matter too, but wanted to know if this GMAT score is something they will even consider.
Thanks
Dave
Good question. The short answer is yes, you can gain admission into a top b-school with a quant GMAT score percentile of 65. This is a negative in your candidacy, though, and you will have to work hard to mitigate it as most admissions officers believe the GMAT quant score in particular is a good predictor of success with the first-year MBA course curriculum.
The good news is that your overall GMAT score is fine - despite what you may read elsewher - and each year, even HBS and Stanford accept many applicants with GMAT scores south of 600. (Your academic qualifications, i.e. your GMAT score and transcripts, only account for 35% to 40% of the admissions decision at most schools.)
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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jbGT3
Underclassman
1 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2004 : 01:43:01
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I am very interested in the services you provide and am strongly considering enlisting them in a couple months, but wanted to run some basic questions by you first. I am looking to apply to the top few MBA programs starting this fall. I am not concerned about the academic side of things as I graduated from Duke with a 3.82, have a 720 GMAT, and was involved in the leadership of several campus organizations. My questions involve how you think the following may affect my ability to gain admittance to a top program:
1) I just graduated last year. I am in a financial services practice of a big 4 accounting firm. I have obtained an increasing degree of responsibility and think I can obtain solid recommendations, but how does a lack of leadership and what would be a mere two years experience affect my chances? My reason for wanting to pursue an MBA is that it is all but a prerequisite to have a top tier MBA to pursue the line of work that I ultimately want to be in and do not want to waste too much time in a place I do not see myself long term.
2) I would have to check yes on the box in the HBS application asking if the applicant has ever had an academic or disciplinary suspension, expulsion or probation. To keep it basic, my roomate and I were put on disciplinary probation for a party we had in our dorm room my sophomore year that got out of hand. Is that an automatic problem once I check that box?
3) For recommendations, how picky are the top schools about having their exact forms followed to the T, as compared with the person providing the rec writing one letter that answers the questions in a more general way and sending the same thing to each school. Basically, it seems like people would run into this considering how annoying it may be for someone who is doing you a favor to reformat what is essentially the same thing several times?
Sorry for the length of this, I just felt some of these questions had also not been addressed in the posts I have read so far. Thanks in advance for responding, and hopefully within a couple months we can talk further.
Thanks!
JB |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2004 : 14:28:58
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Hi JB and thanks for your inquiry.
I am very interested in the services you provide and am strongly considering enlisting them in a couple months, but wanted to run some basic questions by you first. I am looking to apply to the top few MBA programs starting this fall. I am not concerned about the academic side of things as I graduated from Duke with a 3.82, have a 720 GMAT, and was involved in the leadership of several campus organizations. My questions involve how you think the following may affect my ability to gain admittance to a top program:
You certainly appear to be on the right path as your academic qualifications seem pretty solid.
1) I just graduated last year. I am in a financial services practice of a big 4 accounting firm. I have obtained an increasing degree of responsibility and think I can obtain solid recommendations, but how does a lack of leadership and what would be a mere two years experience affect my chances? My reason for wanting to pursue an MBA is that it is all but a prerequisite to have a top tier MBA to pursue the line of work that I ultimately want to be in and do not want to waste too much time in a place I do not see myself long term.
I don’t want to say leadership is over rated, but there are many ways to demonstrate leadership and HBS (probably the most acclaimed ‘leadership’ b-school) admits a substantial number of Wall Street analysts and other applicants with few years of work experience and little supervisory experience. (Other b-schools behave similarly in their admission processes as well.)
2) I would have to check yes on the box in the HBS application asking if the applicant has ever had an academic or disciplinary suspension, expulsion or probation. To keep it basic, my roomate and I were put on disciplinary probation for a party we had in our dorm room my sophomore year that got out of hand. Is that an automatic problem once I check that box?
It needs to be explained, but there are certainly ways to spin the incident to show how you matured because of that probation and mitigate the concerns raised by that checked box.
3) For recommendations, how picky are the top schools about having their exact forms followed to the T, as compared with the person providing the rec writing one letter that answers the questions in a more general way and sending the same thing to each school. Basically, it seems like people would run into this considering how annoying it may be for someone who is doing you a favor to reformat what is essentially the same thing several times?
While it’s obviously always better if you can have customized letters of reference for each school – and there are many different ways to do this – the schools will be tolerant of the ‘generalized’ letter of refence.
Sorry for the length of this, I just felt some of these questions had also not been addressed in the posts I have read so far. Thanks in advance for responding, and hopefully within a couple months we can talk further.
No worries. We can actually begin helping you now by talking with you about your positioning and getting you to start thinking critically about school selection and your stories and themes. We have a special head start promotion if you are interested. (www.admissionsconsultants.com/mba/preadmissionsconsulting.asp)
Thanks!
JB
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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hannahsfo
Underclassman
2 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2004 : 22:51:46
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Hello,
I just received word that I am on Columbia's wait list. Is it advantageous to send additional information, ie additional letters of recommendation, support from current students?
Also, are thank you letters appropriate for an interview conducted with an admissions committee member?
Thanks in advance! |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2004 : 09:10:37
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Hi and thanks for your inquiry.
Hello,
I just received word that I am on Columbia's wait list. Is it advantageous to send additional information, ie additional letters of recommendation, support from current students?
I am glad you asked this question as I have been emailed many times over the past few weeks with similar waitlist questions and scenarios. There are definitely things you should do if you have been waitlisted. You will want to write the admissions committee a letter that:
1. reiterates your strong and sincere interest in their MBA program,
2. addresses the weakness or weaknesses in your candidacy that resulted in your waitlist, and
3. updates the admissions committees on any recent activities, workplace accomplishments, etc that were not included in your application.
An additional letter of reference is also *sometimes* called for in these situations. (Read: Don't bombard the admissions committees with lots of recommendations. You will appear very unorganized. You would have been dinged instead of waitlisted if you had too many holes in your story and a lot of reference material is normally redundant.)
While the chances of getting off a waitlist may not be very high, the good news is that many waitlisted applicants do not follow these steps. They often do either nothing or, worse yet, something destructive such as flooding the admissions committee with multiple phone calls.
Also, are thank you letters appropriate for an interview conducted with an admissions committee member?
Yes. However, if this interview happened a long time ago, you may just draw attention to the fact you neglected to send a thank you note if they receive it now.
Thanks in advance!
Don't hesitate to contact me directly if you would like professional assistance with your waitlist correspondence. Our $195 fixed-fee rate is extremely competitive and our qualifications are unsurpassed.
Best of luck with your waitlists!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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AdmissionsConsultants
Admissions Expert
USA
2119 Posts |
Posted - 03/14/2004 : 10:10:25
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Hi John,
Unfortunately, when the board’s ISP reset their database, your previous post was overwritten. Fortunately, they gave me a copy and paste of your post which I have here as the basis for my response to you.
David--
First of all, I apologize for posting my previous message in the wrong section of the forum. I have tried to delete/edit the message, but have not been able to do so.
I am targeting 4-5 schools in the fall 2004 application season.
My background
BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, GPA: 3.95/4.0
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Harvard Medical School/MIT, GPA: 3.83/4.0
Current Job: postdoctoral fellow, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Haven't taken the GMAT yet. Aiming to take the test in May.
Your grades are certainly strong and I don’t expect there to be any doubts about your academic qualifications assuming your GMAT score is any where close to the mean for the schools you are targeting.
Relevant work experience:
I do not think my academic research will count much toward b-school work experience. However, I am proud that I initiated a tri-institute collaboration (John Hopkins/MIT/Harvard), and worked in a team of scientists with very different academic background. While in graduate school, I also enrolled in a conflict mediation course at JFK school of government, and worked with a team of 3 MBA students at Sloan (MIT) to advise an internet company on its product roll out strategy.
My current job is also a research position. However, I'm currently interning as a business development analyst. I work directly with the CEO of a biotech start-up. I am currently preparing an in depth analysis of the competitive landscape, identify opportunities for partnerships/collaborations, and help prioritize each of the company's major research thrusts. I also have significant clients contact in this role.
So in short, while my background is mostly in academia, I hope that I have demonstrated enough leadership (e.g. risk taking/motivation/initiative) to be a competitive candidate.
Your candidacy’s biggest concern will be appearing to be a professional student/degree collector. Depending on your post-MBA career goal, this experience may be perfect for justifying why you sincerely want an MBA.
Extracurricular activity: currently not much. Competed in track and field in college, currently practice yoga 6x a week and am a volunteer yoga teacher.
If you are currently working long hours, then this can be spun with the right tone and largely mitigated. I’m not convinced the lack of extracurriculars will be a deal breaker for you. Particularly if there are some ‘wow’ factor hidden gems in the information you shared above.
The schools that I'm targeting are Haas and Stanford (for their entrepreneurship bent), HBS (general management and strategic location in the biotech industry), Wharton, and Yale (mostly for their nonprofit management acclaim).
Can you help me assess whether I have a realistic chance of getting into these programs? What can I do to improve my candidacy?
I see no reason why you can’t be competitive at these schools if you submit well-prepared applications. I don’t know enough about you to competently opine on exactly what you need to do, but in addition to GMAT preparation, I’d encourage you to begin working on your admission story and consider some additional extracurricular involvement that ties back to that story.
Don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you would like to take advantage of our head start offer for Fall 04 applicants.
Sorry for the long post!
best,
John
Best of luck with your applications!
Sincerely,
David Petersam
DPetersam@admissionsconsultants.com
Admissions committee experience from the top b-schools
AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885 |
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desertprose
Underclassman
United Arab Emirates
2 Posts |
Posted - 03/16/2004 : 08:59:55
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Dear AdmissionsConsultants
I was hoping I could ask you some questions about entry into a top-10 b-school program.
I have recently graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Queens University in Kingston (Canada), but with a not-so-great GPA. I've recently written my GMAT and scored 740.
My GPA worries me as it is in the 2.6-2.8 range (don't know how to translate percentages). However I know that my GMAT score balances this out...
My work experience is my strong point I believe, as I was fortunate enough to land a job in business development (under the title of sales representative) for a specialty chemicals company... I am covering a large geographic region (Middle East entire) and handle issues ranging from manufacturing to logistics to finance to pricing to marketing and sales. Leadership is a default as I wind up being the focal point for our operations...
In a year or two I strongly believe I would need to enhance my skill-set with an MBA from a good school. Would the experience I mentioned beforehand offset my low GPA? How valuable is BD experience to an admissions comittee?
Thanks! |
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