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Evaluation & Advice please - THANK U

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Evaluation & Advice please - THANK U

by Hyunjoon » Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:28 pm
Hi Veritas,

Could you please review my package and provide feedbacks?
Thank you for your help in advance. My main concern is low GPA (which began to decline after I switched my major to Econ from Eng Lit.)
FYI. I am an international applicant from Korea (though I schooled in the US from Junior High to High school).

GPA:
Econ 3.1/4.3 (equiv to 2.9/4.0) or 80% percentile according to my school transcript.
Eng Lit.: 3.2/4.0 (two semesters of scholarship)

GMAT: 700 (math 49)

Working Exp: 5 full years in top-tier US & European investment banks (equity research and institutional sales) branches in Korea.
And 2 years of mandatory military service

Other activities: Senior fund raiser for Alumni (donated for my college's career center) and head of mentoring program for the school's career development center (for those focusing on banking industries). I can obtain an official recommendation letter from the head of the career center.

Age: 32 (Is this considered too old?)

Target Schools: Wharton, Kellogg, LBS and INSEAD

Planning on doing more outside-work activites (i.e., volunteer work) before I apply for 2010 enrollment.

Am I in good shape? If not, what can i do to improve?
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by HelenF » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:20 pm
32 isn't too old, but, like all applicants, you will need to make a compelling case as to why you need an MBA to reach your goals and why now is the right time for you to do it.

As you identified, your GPA is likely to be a cause for concern, especially if it declined after swiching to a more quantitative subject. Have you done anything in the way of professional qualifications or other exams since undergrad? If you have and have good results in them, then that will help to reduce concerns about you academic abilities and application.

It's difficult to tell from the brief information you give, but it sounds like your mentoring leadership is quite a substantial extra-curricular activity. If your fundraising is about active doing (rather than just handing over donations) then that could be too. When thinking about extra-curriculars, think also about anything you do at work that is outside the expectatiosn of your role. If there is a sudden upswing in activites in the lead up to your applications, schools will notice, so your time and energy may be better directed to other aspects of the application, rather than trying to pad that one.

As I'm sure you're aware, there are a lot of people with a similar professional background to you who will be applying. Your ability to articulate clear goals and reasons for an MBA at the particular school you're applying to will be vitaly important, as will expressing your achievements, your drivers and your personality through the essays, and the letters of recommendation.

Hope this is helpful

Helen
Helen Foster | Veritas Prep Admissions Consultant | www.VeritasPrep.com
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Thank you for you reply. This is very helpful. Just one more

by Hyunjoon » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:52 pm
Thank you Helen.

I was wondering if CFA (level 1 exam) and higher score on GMAT math (hopefully 50 or higher) would help demonstrate my academic (especially quantitative aspect) ability to get into MBA?
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by HelenF » Wed Apr 22, 2009 12:08 am
Your GMAT quant score isn't going to cause concern, especially coupled with the fact you have a very quantitative job, so I think you'cd get minimal benefit from trying to raise it. CFA would demonstrate your ability to use the quant skills you have in a context more akin to how you'll need to use them during an MBA and also demonstrate your ability to apply yourself to study and learning, so would be more useful.

Best

Helen
Helen Foster | Veritas Prep Admissions Consultant | www.VeritasPrep.com
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Thank you - my last question

by Hyunjoon » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:02 am
Sorry to bother you again and thank you so much for your help.

I took a close look at my college transcript and realized that,

I have minimum of B in Principal of accounting, Intermidiate accounting, Economics 101, Financial management, International Finance courses I completed.

It is in more advanced courses such as Mathematical Economics, Econometrics, and other non-quant related (economics history and agricultural economics) I received C and D grades.

Would admission committee look into such details and recognize my quant ability? (that my low GPA is coming from taking advanced courses which I was not fully prepared for).

And would my published research on stocks be helpful in demonstrating my quant ability?

Thank you again in advance.
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by HelenF » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:06 am
Don't feel you have to apologise for asking questions - that's what I'm here for!

As and Bs in the more basic quant courses is good, and the more As there are in that mix the better. Cs and Ds will be a cause for concern. In looking at your GPA, schools aren't just judging your quatitative ability, but also your ability and inclination to apply yourself to study over a period of time. Your non-quant courses are just as important in that regard, and doing CFA or some other study is about showing this sustained effort just as much as about demonstrting quatitative abilit (which your GMAT and job already do).

Given your grade mix, I'd also recommend thinking about using the optional essay in the applications to put your GPA in context. Eg if you were purposefully stretching yourself by switching majors and taking demanding courses, or if there were other factors which impacted the grades you got.

Best

Helen
Helen Foster | Veritas Prep Admissions Consultant | www.VeritasPrep.com
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