GMAT 700 from CEE region, please evaluate my profile :)

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Hi everyone,


I'm a 29 year old male from CEE (Central or Eastern Europe).
GMAT: 700 (Q49V36)
GPA: undergrad around 2.9 (conversion - I had to work two part-time (teaching English) jobs due to family circumstances)
master's around 3.2 (again it is my own conversion according to web research so I don't know how accurate it is, during my master's studies I worked full-time for the same reason)

both my undergrad and grad studies were in economics and international business
At matriculation I would have around 40 months of full-time experience (including the time I worked during my grad studies) I worked for a bigger European bank started in accounting, switched to financial markets dept. (not a front office job)

my extracurrics: played ice hockey most of my life (spent a year playing in the USA) I only stopped playing just before college, started coaching at the age of 17 and have been doing that since (international coaching experience as well) - I still do coach...

started boxing when I stopped playing hockey (in college) and have been active in that (several amateur and semi-professional bouts)

my target industry/function is IB, post-grad ideally in NYC and later move back to Europe and found an IB boutique here

my target schools: only Northeast (one mid-west) for several reasons
choices: Wharton, Columbia, MIT, Booth, NYU, Tuck, Johnson

So what do you think are my chances at these schools? Please give it to me straight ;) Also, given my profile, do you think I should perhaps work another year to get more experience(another promotion) and improve my GMAT? How significant would such a change be?

Thank you in advance for your time and feedback! It is much appreciated!

P.S. if I missed some info I should have provided, let me know ;)

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by MBAPrepAdvantage » Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:10 am
Wharton, Columbia, MIT and Booth will be more difficult with a less than stellar GPA and only an average GMAT for a candidate from Eastern and Central Europe. I think your chances at NYU Stern and Cornell are much better.

To diversify your chances, consider adding Michigan and perhaps Duke (if you do not mind venturing from the NE). If you had been reaching 730 scores on your practice exams, I would suggest you retake the GMAT. The higher your GMAT score, the more this will mitigate your lower grades. However, your family circumstances and athletic commitments will already mitigate to some extent your lower grades.

Best of luck,
Michael Cohan
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by rk66 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:13 am
First of all, thank you for your evaluation!

Given my career goals, wouldn't you think that Darden would be better than Ross or Fuqua? I'm not sure whether it's more/less difficult to get into Darden, it's just a thought based on my observation...

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by MBAPrepAdvantage » Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:45 am
Yes. Per https://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/MBA/ ... t-Reports/, 13% of 2013 Darden graduates obtained jobs in investment banking. But I would recommend you apply to as many of these schools as possible to diversify your admissions chances. Darden and Duke are roughly comparable in admissions selectivity.

Good luck,
Michael Cohan
MBAPrepAdvantage Founder & AIGAC Board Director
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www.mbaprepadvantage.com

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