rgreene17 07-24-2006, 03:52 PM Okay - my quest for admission into an MBA program is heating up, and I'm getting very stressed out about it. Given the amount of information out there, I think my decision making process might be a little oversaturated at this point. Especially considering in the real world, there are no admissions counselors roaming the hallways of your company to help you decide where to go to school.
Here is where I'm thinking about applying (and probability of getting in):
Harvard, Penn (Dream Schools)
Columbia, Dartmouth (Reaches, but more realistic than the top two)
NYU, Duke, UVA, Yale (Should be competitive)
Here is a brief rundown of my background:
26 years old (will be 27 in the fall of 2007, when I expect to matriculate)
Undergrad: I graduated from Tufts University with an economics degree in 2002.
Leadership experience: I was president of my fraternity, co-captain of the men's varisty ice hockey team, and president of interfraternity council, peer mentor, (among other things).
However, my grades were low in college (I finished up with a 2.7 - but my junior and senior years probably came in closer to a 3.2).
Since graduation, I've worked about 4 years in equity research at an investment bank, and have since been promoted several times and am now a vice president and senior analyst. I got a 680 on the GMAT, but am thinking about taking it again. I also am a volunteer ice hockey coach, coaching 9-10 year olds, which I've been doing for the last three years.
I'm applying to business school for fall of 2007, and my scope is really the top 10 or 12 programs in the country (with an East Coast bias). Given my low grades, how realistic are my chances at some of the top programs. Should I even be wasting my time with the top-15 type programs?
Clear Admit 07-26-2006, 06:28 PM perhaps retaking the GMAT is not a bad idea, and enrolling in a class or two this fall to show you now have the motivation and aptitude to succeed in Business School. Hopefully your leadership and work experience are in your favour. You don't mention your goal focus, that will be important too. cheers, alex
rgreene17 07-27-2006, 02:01 PM Thanks Alex,
I'm retaking the GMAT, and have signed up for extensive tutoring, so I don't think that getting over the 700 mark should be that great of a challenge. I plan on taking the test again int he early fall (probably mid-september).
As far as my career goals and reason for going back to school, I beleive they are very concise and compelling, and I do not anticipate any problems articulating them in an interview or on an essay.
However, I'm not sure you fully answered my question. Essentially, I feel as though I have (or at least am in the process of developing) a fairly compelling case for a top-10 school, however, as I mentioned before, my grades are definitely low for the caliber of schools that I am applying to. I will not have time to build an alternative transcript before my applications are due, so there's little that I can do to change this. Basically, I have all of these data points that are consistent with the caliber of candidate a top-10 school is looking for (excellent undergrad school, excellent work experience, good GMATs, significant leadership, well-rounded extracirriculars), with a single outlier (basically, bad grades my sophmore year of college)
Because my time is limited, I want to focus my resources on the schools that I think I will be competitive at. Is list that I presented, in addition to what my expectations as to how competitve I will be, accurate?
I realize that you're not an adcom - but it's very difficult finding quality feedback. I appreciate all of your help.
Rob
Clear Admit 07-27-2006, 08:19 PM i think you are correct in the focus of schools, a range of schools within the top 10 - 12. I do think you can enroll in the fall in a class or two, get the grades by the end of the fall semester and apply in round 2. Unless you are from a highly competitive group of candidates (re: indian / male) applying in round 2 is fine. retaking the GMAT too is also good. I am not an adcom, but used to be, for several years.
cheers, alex
rgreene17 07-27-2006, 09:20 PM Alex,
Thanks for your help.
I do have one follow-up question: Would it be more advantageous to take a couple of classes in the fall, or to apply as early as possible? Although I definitely understand the logic of building an alternative transcript, would the benefit of applying in the first round/early decision outweigh the benefit of taking a couple of classes?
Thanks again for the help (and the bit of anxiety you have relieved)
-Rob
Clear Admit 07-28-2006, 02:40 PM unless you are from a highly competitive "group" of candidates (i.e. Indian, male) then i think round 2 + alternative transcript is better. of course you have the option of submitting a couple of round 1 apps. while taking coursework, and then the remainder in round 2 ?
cheers, alex
memo555 08-02-2006, 12:43 PM unless you are from a highly competitive "group" of candidates (i.e. Indian, male) then i think round 2 + alternative transcript is better. of course you have the option of submitting a couple of round 1 apps. while taking coursework, and then the remainder in round 2 ?
cheers, alex
Hi Alex,
I have the same issue but a slightly different question.
I am not from the highly competitive group of candidates but I do have a low GPA from a very good Engineering school with an Industrial Engineering degree.
I have not taken a course to have an alternative transcript but I have taken an Executive Ed course at one of the top 3 MBA schools. The leading professor has complimented on my performance in class. If I were to get a recommendation (probably not a full recommendation but maybe a short letter that says he was impressed with my participation in class), would that help "just" as well? I do understand that a one-week Exec Ed course is not as significant as a semester long class + transcript.
I could always take a math or marketing undergrad course at a local school and ace it, which would be a plus as well I'm sure. But between applications, deadlines, GMAT and work, time is an issue.
Thanks for the help, it's most definitely appreciated.
Clear Admit 08-02-2006, 02:48 PM you best bet is traditional credit coursework. exec ed. (even with a prof rec.) is not going to be as impressive in terms of your academic motivation and aptitude. cheers, alex
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