Profile Evaluation and Target List Please

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Relevant Info:

GMAT: V45 (99%), Q40 (55%), 5.5 AWA, 690 Overall (88%)
GPA: 2.94 (BS Mechanical Engineering), Top 20 Institution (Big 10 school)
Graduated early (3.5 years), Co-op experience
Weak grades in high level math courses, higher GPA in final 4 semesters (>3.0) while working two jobs
Taking UCLA "math for managers" pre-MBA extension course online to bolster quant résumé

Work experience:
almost 5 years at time of application (next fall) and 5.5 years at matriculation
Government (federal worker) for the military
held leadership position (not technically a manager), progressed from GS-7 to GS-12 in 3 years

Extracurricular:
not much here, but now volunteering as a mentor for local youths (will require ~1-2 hrs per week)


I've only taken the GMAT once and really only studied for a total of 20-30 hours. I scored 720 and 740 on the two Prep tests I took, then really dropped the ball on quant. I'm going to take it again, and I'm confident I can replicate my verbal score and improve on the quant. I'm aiming for as high over 700 as I can get, but it would be worth it to me to retake just to get that leading 7.

Right now I have an entrepreneurial interest, but that could change. I am an excellent writer and my essays will be strong. I should have recommendations from high level government managers.

My "interest" list is as follows:

Georgetown McDonough
Maryland Smith
GWU Global
Wake Forest Babcock
Temple Fox

If I retake the GMAT and do much better I'd add:

UNC Kenan-Flagler
UVA Darden
Duke Fuqua

I'd like to attend a DC school full-time, but a part-time program is not out of the question if I can find a job there (which is likely). I'd prefer a full-time program for many reasons. I'm potentially interested in study abroad and having a degree with global connections, so the DC schools would give me those opportunities. I am stuck on Georgetown for some reason - I think it's the name recognition - and would probably struggle with the decision to quit my lucrative full-time career to attend a school like Temple or maybe even Wake.


Thoughts from the experts (and non-experts for that matter)?
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by Jon@Admissionado » Fri Nov 25, 2011 12:04 am
Hey there sir,
Actually even with your current GMAT, it seems like your profile is good enough to apply to your preferred list of:
UNC Kenan-Flagler
UVA Darden
Duke Fuqua

You could then add one or two schools from your other list (Georgetown maybe, plus another?) as backup schools.

Schools really do have a tendency to like the military candidates, especially if you have good leadership, often because you have leadership of a style and perhaps seriousness that others might get (plus sometimes, it makes for some great stories).

I mean retake your GMAT anyhow, to see how much higher you can get, but this score is a very good one too.
Last edited by Jon@Admissionado on Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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by Francisco D » Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:52 pm
PrecisionEssay wrote:Hey there sir,
Actually even with your current GMAt, it seems like your profile is good enough to apply to your preferred list of:
UNC Kenan-Flagler
UVA Darden
Duke Fuqua

You could then add one or two schools from your other list (Georgetown maybe, plus another?) as backup schools.

Schools really do have a tendency to like the military candidates, especially if you have good leadership, often because you have leadership of a style and perhaps seriousness that others might get (plus sometimes, it makes for some great stories).

I mean retake your GMAT anyhow, to see how much higher you can get, but this score is a very good one too.
Thanks for the reply, but I'm not a military candidate. Sorry if I wasn't clear, but I work *for* the government as a civil servant (federal employee). I am a civilian.

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by Jon@Admissionado » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:19 am
And how does that translate in terms of leadership opportunities for you?
and are you in the defense industry??

Whatever the case, with leadership experience and a 690, you can still aim at the schools I suggested with reasonable chances.
"Hands down the best MBA admissions consulting firm of all-time, and boy, what an incredible founder!" -- Raj Patil, Founder of Admissionado

Something for everyone:
https://admissionado.lpages.co/admissio ... nter-2018/
https://admissionado.lpages.co/50-essay ... ked-vol-4/
https://admissionado.lpages.co/case-studies-lp/
https://admissionado.com/mba/reviews/
https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Admis ... 700945.htm

Reach out, and let's gab. Our only requirement is that you don't prefer warm milk over cold milk. Everyone else, 100% welcome.
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Contact us via web form you lazy git: https://admissionado.com/contact/
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by Francisco D » Tue Dec 06, 2011 2:36 pm
PrecisionEssay wrote:And how does that translate in terms of leadership opportunities for you?
and are you in the defense industry??

Whatever the case, with leadership experience and a 690, you can still aim at the schools I suggested with reasonable chances.
I have served as a leader of a group of my peers (about 10-15) and have led multiple small "projects" at work that involved coordinating the efforts of those people, even though they weren't my direct reports.

I am in the defense industry, and not in what I'd call a "typical" role. I work very closely with military personnel, but I won't say exactly what I do for fear of losing anonymity.

So you still think I have a shot at that preferred list and would be a strong applicant at the others? Thanks for the followup.