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Hi,

Thanks so much for any insight! I am wondering about my chances at schools such as Booth, Kellogg or Ross.

Age: 27

GMAT: 730 (45V 45Q) - a little concerned with the low Q here (74th %ile when I took it, probably worse now)

Undergrad: 3.4 GPA from a well-known liberal arts college - double major in Economics (slightly above 3.0 gpa - low) and Mandarin (3.8 gpa) - graduated May, 2007. I also have a short alt. transcript w/ As in Calculus and Statistics from NYU SCPS.

Work Exp: Approx 4 years financial compliance, first at two large asset management firms, currently at a top PE firm (think blackstone, kkr, carlyle). Originally was focusing on the worst/most unimpressive areas such as code of ethics (employee personal trading, compliance certifications); now working on legal/compliance aspects of due diligence process for deal teams, regulatory filings for IPOs/secondaries, information barrier/business selection, anti-money laundering, etc. Should be able to get excellent recs from manager and other senior members of team.

ECs: 2.5 years of steady involvement with a well-known NY-based charity group, became team leader at the end of 2011 and currently leading and new (and surprisingly successful) project to teach English to recent Chinese immigrants in NY looking to prepare for the US citizenship exam. light involvement with alumni association.

Personal: International background (grew up between Japan and the US). Fluent in Japanese. Conversant in Mandarin (was one of my college majors as well as my family background on father's side)

Why B-School: transition into equity research or asset management. Would like to be a portfolio manager in the long term, focusing on Asian Technology stocks. My greatest concern in my profile is whether making this kind of transition is realistic (I assume that if not, the adcom wouldn't admit me based on unrealistic professional goals).

Note: I applied to schools the schools listed above two years ago (2010-2011 application) and didnt get in any. Straight dings from CBS/Kellogg. Was WL'd for Booth from R1 until end of August, and Ross from R2 until end of August. One question: I've read that reapplicants are generally at a disadvantage; would it be better to wait an additional year to apply (thereby making me a "new" applicant again the eyes of my schools, which consider reapplicants only from the past two years) if I were able to continue on an upward career trajectory and otherwise continue to strengthen my profile?

Thanks!