Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

Upon graduation from college I worked at a law firm for a year (thought that was what I wanted to do) then moved to Europe and taught English for a year in Spain and the Czech Republic. After that, traveled for about 2 years through Africa, Asia and Europe. Since getting back I worked at KPMG in small non-profit division for 6 months and now have been at niche (we do due diligence for private equity portfolio firms) insurance brokerage for about 6 months. I want to go back to school to start a career in finance (which I have been trying, albeit unsuccessfully, for the last year and a half to do).


Basic Facts:
GMAT: 740 (49 quant, 41 verbal) AWA: 5.0
undergrad: UT Austin
major/minor: Philosophy/Business Administration
GPA: 2.8 (no real trend) but worked though 2 years of college
Age: 27
Race: Caucasian
Some extracurriculars - nothing exceptional.

Schools I am looking at:
(Long-shots)
UC Berkeley
Columbia (Early Decision)
Dartmouth
Yale

(realistic)
UVA
North Carolina

Am I wasting my time applying to the "long-shots" (I would probably define wasting my time as having less than a 20% chance of getting in). Obviously, I have already taken the GMAT so I will be able to apply at the ideal time and although I am not an incredible essay writer, I have plenty of friends who are and are willing to help.

Thank you

Hey Thom,
Thanks for your post. You have an interesting background. The biggest red flag is your lack of solid work experience. AdCom will question why you took so many different career paths and whether you will be committed to the MBA program. So you will need to successfully link your experiences with a common theme... and more importantly, figure out a way to incorporate these with your post-MBA goals.

IMHO - You have a great GMAT score which will offset your lower GPA. However, this year is going to be ultra competitive for MBA admissions, so you are facing an uphill battle. I think CBS and Tuck are going to be very tough (as they often prefer very traditional candidates). You may have a better shot at Haas and Yale. But all of those schools are going to be very tough. I would argue UVA will also be a stretch. Therefore, you might want to add a few lower ranked schools if you plan on getting your MBA next year.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply.

Even if I hired Veritas to help me with my apps you think that these "long-shots" wouldn't be worth applying to? I forgot to mention that I am about to finish a finance class at Berkeley with an A (and could get a rec from the professor if needed).

Hi Thom,

Haha.. I like how you put us/Veritas on the spot. Haha.. just kidding.

Well, let me put it this way.... I do believe that Veritas (or any top Admissions Consultant - to be fair) will significantly improve your chances of getting into your top choice schools. But at the end of the day, there is no guarantee.

Sorry to be vague


Good luck,

NP

Hi,

I wrote the post below a few month ago but only ended up applying to Chicago and UVA. I was recently rejected by both with no interview invitation. Would you say that not even being invited for an interview is a good indication that things wouldn't work out next year? Before this fall, when I plan to reapply, I will be promoted again and plan on making A's in 3 classes (Prob/Stat., International Finance and one yet to be determined) to help out my less than stellar GPA (2.75). I also plan to get involved more with a local community service group. Are re-applicants looked at as "last years rejects" or if I have made a lot of gain and put in a lot of effort in the interim, could it almost be a positive?

Other than reapplying to UVA (I think I'll skip out on Chicago) I plan on applying to UNC, Georgetown, Texas, Yale and Cornell. Do you think I stand a reasonable chance at these schools?

Thanks a ton,

Ryan

Hey Ryan,
I am sorry to hear about Chicago and UVA. As you know, its been quite a rough year for admission into top programs, so I hope you dont feel too discouraged. Sounds like you are already making progress to better position yourself next year.

I would strongly encourage you to get feedback from the schools you applied to. Some schools offer feedback on your applications and potential give you guidance on areas of weakness and/or ways to improve your candidacy next year. Esp with UVA. Let AdCom know that you are very interested in the program.

Regards,

N