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Final review before R1
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Donna@Stratus
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kevinab wrote:Hi,
Hi Kevinab, We certainly don't want anyone killing themselves over MBA applications. One thing to keep in mind is that this admissions process is not a reflection of your self worth - it is about do you have the pieces that fit into a particular school's puzzle that they are building...
You have in your favor that you are French! The pool of French citizens seeking US MBA programs is smaller than for some countries so give yourself points for that! Then the work experience and activities are solid too. I would focus on what you can control next... make sure you make the most of your campus visits and also find out about the extracurriculars and clubs where you would get involved. Use this as a chance to learn about the situation there and then in essays and interviews speak intelligently about how you can give back to the school. We have great expertise for HBS/Stanford/Wharton for R2 so if you want help with those applications now is the time to get it! You can learn how we can help from this link:https://stratusprep.com/free-consult/
Best wishes to you! And don't get stressed- look at this as a great adventure.
I am definetely starting to get nervous, after years of prep. Plan to apply at R1 to INSEAD, Columbia and NYU. R2 to HBS, Stanford, Booth and Wharton, maybe LBS.
Here is my profile:
- 28yo, french native
- undergrad BBA from a singular french-american BS (known for sending students to top MBA..., which is unusual in France). GPA 3.4
- Master in asset and risk management from a tier 2 french BS. GPA 3.3
- 1.5y of consulting at a small boutique (american express has an advisory offer for large corporation - basically zero reputation in this field, although managers came from tier 1 consulting firms such as McK or R. Berger). I was 22, in Paris, France.
- today: almost 5y in asset management/private banking in a tier 2 firm (Societe Generale, french bank). started as portfolio manager (1y), moved to quant analyst (1) and, for 2 years i am sell side equity investment analyst, in charge of 3 other analysts.
I passed the CAIA certification (analyst in alternative investment in 2015).
- GMAT: 720, Q48 (not v good), V41 (surprisingly). 94%
- Toefl: 104 (weak).
International experience:
- international professional experience: used to making trips in a dozen of European countries. Also work on daily business with 15 analysts in India, and business partners in 6 european countries. English is our daily language.
- worked in Luxembourg (1y) and France mainly. Study abroad 7 years ago in Monterrey, Mexico,
- internship in Mauritius (3 months)... about 10 years ago..
- have travelled in more than 30 countries (and not only in Europe as some often think
Extra activities:
- used to mentor teenagers in difficulties in an association (for 2 years),
- administrator of a small soccer club,
- will start teaching a finance course in a business school next academic year (in 3 weeks from now),
- main hobby is mountaineering: this year I did few trips: one in Nepal, in the Himalayas (on my own in winter... reached 4800mts), last one 6 weeks ago in Iran (with my father), I climbed the Damavand mount, highest volcano in Asia, at 5.671mts. This hobby gives me great content for essays.
- enormous quantity of diverse readings. mainly philosophy and literature. Pretty easy for me to quote and refer to philosophers, which is very positive when discussing with directors and executives.
- Also, i am about to make a quick campus tour, as I have been told that this is important in an application. So i'll visit NYU, Columbia, HBS and Booth before R1. INSEAD is no more than 2 hours away from my location.
When writing this i felt that it should be fine for the top 10. But i am so nervous.
My toefl score is very weak, i don't know if the V41 in my gmat offsets it.
Can you please reassure me or i'll kill myself.
don't worry, im not going to kill myself for real....
thanks for your reply!
I know that US MBA, even MBA at all, is not something usual in France. And it's true. Corporations are not especially looking for MBAs and if they do, salaries don't match US or UK level.
So being French is an advantage. That's so deterministic... and unfair for others... i won't complain.
thanks for your reply!
I know that US MBA, even MBA at all, is not something usual in France. And it's true. Corporations are not especially looking for MBAs and if they do, salaries don't match US or UK level.
So being French is an advantage. That's so deterministic... and unfair for others... i won't complain.
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99Colleges: MBA Admission
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Hi kevinab
You've a solid work experience and, more importantly, strong, varied extracurricular interests. You do have a shot at atleast few top-10s.
OK, now let me take a shot at your question on TOEFL and Verbal.
Admission committees don't look at test scores and GPAs in isolation. They juxtapose these stats with other factors such as rigor of the program you attended, reputation of the college, exposure to math and verbal in professional life and elsewhere, and so on. A strong test score no doubt never harms, but even a par or sub-par score is more than its weight if you've other headwinds in your favor.
Dee Leopold, the then Director, MBA Admissions, HBS wrote in the Director's blog post on 25 Aug 2014:
In your case, a strong Verbal score compensates for a weak TOEFL score. (I'm sure you'd have double-checked that you need TOEFL score.) Second, if your professional work involved speaking and writing in English, then that also forms the 'background' that Leopold refers to.
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I would also like to comment on school visits you plan to undertake. School visit doesn't give a direct advantage in the admission process. (Imagine, applicants are put to disadvantage because they can't travel such distances because they can't take time off from work or it's expensive. That won't be fair, right?) Having said that, school visit can give you an indirect edge by way of providing plenty of fodder to write on why the school is the best fit for you.
However, don't just show up on campus. Prepare well before the visit. Read everything you can about the school (from their website) especially with regard to your interests, and have questions/ clarifications ready. The main takeaway of the visit should be to get information on the school pertaining to your career, social, and other aspirations beyond what is available on the internet and brochures. In your essays, you should be able to go beyond beaten-to-death words such as world-class faculty and 50,000+ strong alumni network, which most use. This will stand you apart.
BTW, you beat me by around 100 m on the Himalayas.
You've a solid work experience and, more importantly, strong, varied extracurricular interests. You do have a shot at atleast few top-10s.
OK, now let me take a shot at your question on TOEFL and Verbal.
Admission committees don't look at test scores and GPAs in isolation. They juxtapose these stats with other factors such as rigor of the program you attended, reputation of the college, exposure to math and verbal in professional life and elsewhere, and so on. A strong test score no doubt never harms, but even a par or sub-par score is more than its weight if you've other headwinds in your favor.
Dee Leopold, the then Director, MBA Admissions, HBS wrote in the Director's blog post on 25 Aug 2014:
It's more or less a universal practice in evaluating test scores and GPAs in MBA admissions.Those are the numbers [referring to test scores], but the reasoning behind how we look at the scores is probably important for you to understand. We care less about the overall score than we do about the components. And we look at the subscores in the context of the candidate's profile.
For example, an engineer with top grades who's been doing highly quantitative work doesn't need a high GMAT/GRE-Q to convince us he/she is capable of doing the quantitative work at HBS. But an English major whose transcript shows no quantitative coursework and has not done anything quantitative professionally or in post-college academics would be helped by a strong GMAT/GRE quant score. The corollary is true too: candidates who don't have a background that demonstrates extensive practice in reading and writing may be helped by strong verbal subscores.
In your case, a strong Verbal score compensates for a weak TOEFL score. (I'm sure you'd have double-checked that you need TOEFL score.) Second, if your professional work involved speaking and writing in English, then that also forms the 'background' that Leopold refers to.
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I would also like to comment on school visits you plan to undertake. School visit doesn't give a direct advantage in the admission process. (Imagine, applicants are put to disadvantage because they can't travel such distances because they can't take time off from work or it's expensive. That won't be fair, right?) Having said that, school visit can give you an indirect edge by way of providing plenty of fodder to write on why the school is the best fit for you.
However, don't just show up on campus. Prepare well before the visit. Read everything you can about the school (from their website) especially with regard to your interests, and have questions/ clarifications ready. The main takeaway of the visit should be to get information on the school pertaining to your career, social, and other aspirations beyond what is available on the internet and brochures. In your essays, you should be able to go beyond beaten-to-death words such as world-class faculty and 50,000+ strong alumni network, which most use. This will stand you apart.
BTW, you beat me by around 100 m on the Himalayas.
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Hello kevinab,
A little anxiety is a good sign, as it shows how seriously you're taking this MBA application process, and are obviously committed to giving it your best. That said, keeping a cool head is important at this stage. I actually also have some french in my background and completed a study abroad at ESSEC in France during my MBA program. I found it to be a great experience both academically and culturally, and was lucky enough to be on the campus during the entrance interviews for "grand ecole".
With less than a month left to Round 1 deadlines for most of the top 10 schools, you can help yourself by methodically reviewing each component of your application and getting outside perspectives to ensure your story is compelling and that all the pieces connect together like a fishing net. Your background and GMAT scores seem pretty solid. As mentioned earlier, it's more about the totality of your academic, professional and extracurricular accomplishments that matter, as opposed to each part (e.g. TOEFL) in isolation. Spend some time reviewing and updating your application after receiving feedback. Great idea to split the applications between R1 and R2. Just don't procrastinate for the R2 schools bc most are due early-mid Jan 2017, with Stern's due in Nov 2016. Be sure to use your international experience as a key differentiator, especially if you have plans on working in international regions/markets post-MBA.
Good luck!
A little anxiety is a good sign, as it shows how seriously you're taking this MBA application process, and are obviously committed to giving it your best. That said, keeping a cool head is important at this stage. I actually also have some french in my background and completed a study abroad at ESSEC in France during my MBA program. I found it to be a great experience both academically and culturally, and was lucky enough to be on the campus during the entrance interviews for "grand ecole".
With less than a month left to Round 1 deadlines for most of the top 10 schools, you can help yourself by methodically reviewing each component of your application and getting outside perspectives to ensure your story is compelling and that all the pieces connect together like a fishing net. Your background and GMAT scores seem pretty solid. As mentioned earlier, it's more about the totality of your academic, professional and extracurricular accomplishments that matter, as opposed to each part (e.g. TOEFL) in isolation. Spend some time reviewing and updating your application after receiving feedback. Great idea to split the applications between R1 and R2. Just don't procrastinate for the R2 schools bc most are due early-mid Jan 2017, with Stern's due in Nov 2016. Be sure to use your international experience as a key differentiator, especially if you have plans on working in international regions/markets post-MBA.
Good luck!
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Michelle@ARINGO
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It's not at all uncommon to be nervous at this stage, but overall, I would say your profile looks good, maybe with the exception of the TOEFL score.
It is kind of borderline, as INSEAD for example recommends applicants to have a score over 105 (see: https://www.insead.edu/ajax/node/7731), HBS wants applicants to have a score above 109 (see: https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/appli ... cants.aspx) and Booth has a recommendation of exactly 104 (see: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/p ... ernational) but then again there are some schools in your list that have lower requirements too (Columbia at 100, NYU at 100, Stanford at 100 and LBS at 100 as well), so your TOEFL score should be fine for those.
(Wharton does not specify a minimum TOEFL score but the average is 110)
That said, if I understood you correctly you do work in English on a day to day basis, which could kind of make up for the lower score in some cases (some schools are pretty strict about the minimum TOEFL scores, while others are not), so make sure to get that across in your applications and essays.
But other than that, I would say your chances are really good! If you'd like for someone to take a look at your application and essays at the last minute, you are welcome to sign up for a free consultation on our website: https://aringo.com/.
Good luck!
It is kind of borderline, as INSEAD for example recommends applicants to have a score over 105 (see: https://www.insead.edu/ajax/node/7731), HBS wants applicants to have a score above 109 (see: https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/appli ... cants.aspx) and Booth has a recommendation of exactly 104 (see: https://www.chicagobooth.edu/programs/p ... ernational) but then again there are some schools in your list that have lower requirements too (Columbia at 100, NYU at 100, Stanford at 100 and LBS at 100 as well), so your TOEFL score should be fine for those.
(Wharton does not specify a minimum TOEFL score but the average is 110)
That said, if I understood you correctly you do work in English on a day to day basis, which could kind of make up for the lower score in some cases (some schools are pretty strict about the minimum TOEFL scores, while others are not), so make sure to get that across in your applications and essays.
But other than that, I would say your chances are really good! If you'd like for someone to take a look at your application and essays at the last minute, you are welcome to sign up for a free consultation on our website: https://aringo.com/.
Good luck!
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Edison@VeritasPrep
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It is understandable to be stressed but do enjoy the process, as well. The application forces you to reflect and articulate, which also benefits your personal direction.
You have plenty of materials to make for a compelling application package. You would need to tie them in together and pick the right ones to highlight for each of the target school to best present your fit with them.
Regarding GMAT Verbal offsetting TOEFL, it would be best to check with each of the schools as they could have different takes on this.
Wish you all the best!
You have plenty of materials to make for a compelling application package. You would need to tie them in together and pick the right ones to highlight for each of the target school to best present your fit with them.
Regarding GMAT Verbal offsetting TOEFL, it would be best to check with each of the schools as they could have different takes on this.
Wish you all the best!
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Edison@VeritasPrep
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Congratulations! Glad to hear this update!kevinab wrote:thanks all for your comments.
when i wrote this topic, i used my previous toefl score.
i just got the new one, now at 110.
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Michelle@ARINGO
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That is indeed great news. Then there really is no need to worry, as long as your applications are up to par as well.kevinab wrote:thanks all for your comments.
when i wrote this topic, i used my previous toefl score.
i just got the new one, now at 110.
Well done for increasing the score!
