Please Evaluate - 760 GMAT/3.58 GPA

Launched April 26, 2006
This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:15 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Thanked: 8 times
Followed by:2 members
GMAT Score:760

Please Evaluate - 760 GMAT/3.58 GPA

by michaelfaulkner » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:59 pm
Stacy/Lisa, I've enjoyed reading your evaluations and think very highly of your comments. I appreciate your willingness to evaluate my profile.

Please note, if I apply to B-School this year, I will only have 2 years of full time work experience when I submit my application. In addition to evaluating my current chances at the schools below, could you please tell me if it would greatly improve my chances to work another year and apply instead in 2012 with 3 years of WE?


Here's my profile:
Target Schools: Northwestern, Columbia, NYU, Berkeley, Duke, Michigan (is this list realistic given my stats?)

Undergrad: 3.58 Overall GPA & 3.8 Major GPA from Purdue University (state school). I majored in Selling & Sales Management. During undergrad I was fairly involved with ECs, I had 2 internships (both with the company that I now work for), and I studied abroad.

GMAT Score: 760 (99%tile Q47, V47) - Note: I took the exam 5 times over 18 months. However, I never broke 700 until my last & final attempt. Also, I didn't quite break the 80th percentile in quant (I came close w/ a 77th percentile) but I am hoping that this will not be an issue or that my overall score will offset this...

Work Experience: 2 years as an 'Account & Project Manager' at a specialized heavy truck & equipment manufacturing brokerage company (think cranes, firetrucks, car haulers). As my title states, my work is split between sales & project management (think supply chain mgmt, procurement, and operations). My accomplishments include successfully managing two major $5M+ projects, exceeding my sales quota by 30% last year, and leading a business development team in which I personally established what is now a strong relationship with a huge manufacturing partner for us in China. I was also promoted after my first 9 months, resulting in a 25% base pay increase (and a big bonus).

Also, after college I began a startup company with a friend of mine. We have the USA rights to a General Electric manufactured lighting energy conservation unit. We're working directly with GE during the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase and have already have several major customers lined up for our prototype unit. We have yet to make a profit, but we've made some significant accomplishments since our launch.

Community Involvement: 1.) Treasurer (Board of Directors) for a fairly large senior citizen's advocacy group. I was directly involved with starting the organization; we've grown substantially since then. 2.) I lead a literacy class at the local jail, teaching 10-25 inmates during a 2-hour class every week 3.) I teach a weekly GED match class at a halfway house for women fresh out of prison who their children

Why an MBA? I'm still developing this a bit, but I want to focus on business strategy & entrepreneurship. I think that my experiences to date have provided me with a well rounded set of skills--I want to get an MBA to sharpen these skills in the most efficient manner possible. Here is my reasoning:

First, my dream is to launch & run my own business. I've experienced 'some' success starting my own business and starting a non-profit. However, these successes are primarily a result of trial and error. I'd like to go to BSchool to learn a more solid and methodological approach to building a business from the ground up.

Second, I'm really passionate about business strategy. I've been very passionate about the strategic developments I've been involved with at my work and I also love reading case studies and news articles about the behavior of other companies. I'm always intrigued to uncover why a company acted the way it did in a given situation.

Short-term post MBA I would like to get into management consulting or some sort of international business position. I like the idea of MC in the short term because it will provide me with a wealth of experience in a broad set of industries. I think this would an excellent stepping stone for my long term entrepreneurial goals. As far as international business, I have extensive experience traveling (19 countries traveled) & living abroad as well as some recent experience doing business in China. I absolutely loved these experiences and I think it would be amazing to work for a company that provides expertise in regards to importing/exporting or general practicalities while doing business in other countries.
Source: — Ask Stacy Blackman |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 3845
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pm
Location: Houston, TX
Thanked: 442 times
Followed by:148 members

by Lisa Anderson » Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:22 am
Dear Michael,

Generally speaking, you have a competitive profile for any MBA program you believe to be a good match for you and your career goals. Your GMAT/GPA is above average and you have built a successful track record both inside and outside the office. Your ultimate decisions will depend on the strength of the overall application package, so be sure to craft a strong set of essays, pick your recommenders wisely, and do well in your interviews. Whether or not to wait depends on if you feel you are ready. Gaining another year for quantity's sake will probably not strengthen your application, but if you will be taking on greater responsibility in the next year or have an opportunity to lead a project/team, then it would be worthwhile to wait. Also, by "this year" I'm not sure if you mean a late R3 app or you mean an app this fall in R1 or R2. There is something to be said for timing of the application as it is very difficult to gain admission in/after R3. While schools do admit exceptional applicants in the late rounds, it is fierce competition to stand out as one of those "exceptions" when the number of seats remaining is few. With regard to your target school list, my only thought is that you have some great schools, but they are all top 10 and thus no safety options. It is always prudent to have 1-2 reasonable to safety options in your mix as an insurance plan.

Best of luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

Learn more about me