Ask Stacy Blackman

Hi Consultant


My profile:
Indian (Race and Passport) Female 24
Living in Singapore for over 10yrs now (well15 in total to be exact), family here as well

Gmat1: 700 (48Q 37 V) 6.0 AWA
Gmat2: 720 (49Q 38 V) 6.0 AWA (pathetic improvement I would say)
Excellent O & A lvls (Cambridge Uni based 10th and 12th) though we have grades instead of percentile. All distinctions/As

Uni: National Univ of Spore
NOT good uni gpa (just managed a honors, though my acad curriculum was easily among the toughest combi in university): Chemical/Biomolecular Engineering. I hear that US/Europe B-sch do have a fair sense of how competitive Spore Universities are and grade inflation is non existent here. Wondering if that will actually help mitigate my GPA. Its 3.46/5 which is ard 2.9/4 in US equiv by pure translation?

Was also part of University Scholars Program (USP), where 3% of each cohort of NUS is selected every yr for this prestigious interdisciplinary academic and immersion program (Sort of Honors Prog which I believe some Liberal Arts Sch have). I finished All the modules and related ECs etc But because my Final gpa, just missed the USP gpa cut off to receive a USP Grad cert, I am not considered a USP grad.. So I am allowed to call myself a participant not a grad). I can still receive an attested testomonial from USD admin abt my involvements and achievements in USP.

Since I joined bank after a biotech degree, i also decided to give CFA a shot. I cleared Lvl I but could not clear Lvl II as I had unexpectedly and extremely long hrs (14/15hrs a day) at work the weeks preceding the exam as my dept went through unusually high attrition ard mar/apr/may (I can prove it i guess but dont want this to be seen as a poor excuse). I intend to retake Lvl II in June '11. Additional the CFA is to mitigate my uni gpa

Work: 16mnths as of November, at a global Swiss Bank as Product Controller (Finance Division). Work with Traders/FA/Valuation Groups/MIddle Office etc to validate daily Profit & Loss statement of the trading desk and other P&L related tasks. Worked on products such as Options, Futures, Variance Swaps, Portfolio Swaps, Dividend Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Bonds etc
Currently leading a Lean & Six Sigma project for another team in the bank and aim to receive my Green Belt by the end of the project (SLA: Jan/Feb 2011)

But Post High Sch/College days internships add up to another 16mnths in various industries

ECs: have been involved in eclectic ones, such as fouding Youth Energy awareness society, committee of Inaugural Triple Helix edition in Spore, magazine editorial for USP, Red Cross, Cricket, International Student Ambassador, Chemical Engg Freshmen Welcome comm, etc throughout uni/high sch

Intl Expe: India on a social-biodiversity field trip to Lower Himalayas through USP
Jakarta, Bangkok, Brussels on a field trip/study mission for ASEAN and EU through USP


I am looking at Indian Sch Business (ISB), NUS, NTU, HKUST, IIMs from Asia
IESE, ESADE, IE, HEC Paris, Judge in Europe
Darden, Tepper, Cornell, Stern, KenanFlagler, Anderson in US

I am aware how low my work experience is at the moment so I am realistic abt my chances specially in US and Europe but would like feedback to help me shortlist sch across regions as well as Tier1/2/3

Also, longer term my goals are aligned towards business empowerment and entrepreneurship for Women, specially in less developed societies though short term would be to enter large corporates to gain comprehensive business knowledge and experience. So perhaps sch with women or entrepreneurship sort of focus might help me?


Your feedback is much appreciated =)