Profile Evaluation - Attorney

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Profile Evaluation - Attorney

by exito.mio » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:34 pm
I'm considering applying for an MBA, matriculating in fall 2010. I would appreciate any input about the likelihood of my admission to a top 5 program - HBS, Wharton, Stanford, Kellogg, Chicago

28 years old (29 at time of application); male; Caucasian

EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate (1st Tier)
3.3 GPA

Masters in Accounting (top 5 nationally, but not ivy)
3.71 Cumulative GPA; academic scholarship recipient
Co-Founder and VP of a forensic auditing club

B.S. - Accounting (top 10 nationally, but not ivy)
3.72 Cumulative GPA

EXPERIENCE
Top NY Law Firm - Associate (1 year experience)
-Work on tax matters related to private equity, financial restructurings, derivatives, U.S. and foreign securities offerings, and fund investments in the U.S.

Start-up, LLC - CEO & Co-founder (1 year just before graduating and moving to NYC)
-Managed team of MBA students and advisory board members during early stages of start-up venture, including product development, business strategy, market analysis, and financial modeling
-Sold my ownership interest (before commercialization -- the company never officially launched) to accept an opportunity to work as an attorney in New York City

Start up, LLC #2 - President & Founder (1 year during school)
Worked nearly full time during first year of law school to grow web company and then sold it (for a significant sum for a college student but by most standards not a phenomenal amount of money) to a South American internet company

Fortune 50 Company - Accounting Analyst Intern (8 months)
-performed financial analysis and traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina to train new employees

OTHER
-Competed by special invitation in Global Moot Corp Business Competition at Univ. of Texas-Austin, several in-state business plan competitions and University business plan competition (recipients of awards for best written business plan, $35,000 cash, etc)
-Lived in Central America for two years
-Fluent in conversational Spanish and proficient in business Spanish
-Involved with various community service organizations, such as a third-world humanitarian aid project involving dental reconstructive surgeries (most recently chair of a non-profit welfare committee)

I am only an attorney because I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to work on Wall Street, so I took it over following through with a start-up, knowing that I would return to the business world after a couple years of working at a Wall Street law firm.

Assuming I can get 700+ on my GMAT, how do you think I stand? It's a lot of degrees (but I completed the first three in 6.5 years, so really, it's not all that bad), but my passion is with business (as you can tell from my resume) and leadership. I think an MBA can open up doors that might otherwise take me years to crack on my own.

Let me throw out one more hypothetical--can you tell me if my chances would be any greater if I scored 750+ on the GMAT, as opposed to the low 700s. Just curious. Thanks!

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by Lisa Anderson » Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:02 pm
Dear exito.mio,

To be competitive for the top 5, you will need to score in the 700s on the GMAT. However, I don't know that there will be much difference in your admission decision if you score a 710 versus a 750. With your high GPA in your accounting degree and your entrepreneurship experiences, I don't think there will be concern on your ability to succeed in the classroom. I do think the admissions committees will be concerned about why you want a MBA and what your overall career plan is. You will need to explicitly address your path from the MS in Accounting through law school through your professional experience to the MBA and your career goals.

Best of luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

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