Eval for 3.95/720 with investment banking and private equity

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Hey all,

I'm currently a first year private equity associate (will be "promoted" to second year in July) looking at admissions to top business schools. Here's my profile:

-3.95 GPA in Finance from strong state school (think UVA, Michigan, Berkeley, Texas, UNC etc.)
-720 GMAT (47Q, 42V)
-Two years investment banking at one of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley or JP Morgan (with work on high-profile M&A deals and IPOs)
-Two years (at time of enrollment) as a private equity associate at a medium-sized private equity firm
-Letters of rec from top school alumni from senior bankers and investment professionals at both places I've worked
-A couple of decent, not great leadership roles in various clubs on campus (executive board and various committees)
-Spend some time working at a non profit on the weekends
-Various awards and scholarships for academic achievements during college

Thanks!

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by BankHaven » Wed May 21, 2014 10:18 am
Just to add some more color, the main thing I'm wondering is how to differentiate myself amongst the masses of IBD/PE candidates that apply every year. I know my GPA is in the right range, but I'm worried that my GMAT (especially the quant) is low, especially for the bucket I'm competing for. I want to continue working in private equity and everything I've seen suggests that it's easiest to go back out of Harvard, Stanford and Wharton and even then it's an uphill battle. Any suggestions for what to emphasize in apps to show how I'm not just a finance drone?

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by Jon@Admissionado » Thu May 29, 2014 12:12 am
Duuuuuuuude, that is one sweet GPA, and the GMAt is great to boot! (no you don't need anything higher).

And BTW, what's wrong with being a finance drone? Top schools love GS and MS finance drones!
Okay that was mean.. :) But you know what I mean. It's not good to come across as a "Drone" but your kind of standard BB profile is one of the ones that B-schools love most, so why apologize for it?
Instead:
1. Show how within this pool how you have excelled beyond your peers
2. Show diversity that will give you breadth outside the pool - it could be stories, adventures, volunteer work, extra currics, hobbies, politics, entrepreneurship, or all of the above.

Stick to H/S/W Round 1. If you like Columbia, Sten and Chicago all make sense too. And that's that!

Kick some ass on those essays and all will be good,
Best,
JF
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