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Profile Evaluation

by mamattg » Thu Mar 31, 2016 6:18 am
Hello!

I'm looking for a profile review :

Male : 27, caucasian
Master in management in France (Top 6 business school), 3.5 GPA (I think, we don't have an official GPA calculation in France, this is a rough calculation...). Strong involvement in associations during this time.

GMAT : 700 (Q47, V38) (in November 2014, tried again more recently and got 660 : Q49, V32)

Work experience : 3 years in asset management in London (now portfolio manager, responsible for 1 junior + 2 interns)

Qualification : CFA Charterholder since October 2015 (all level passed on the first attempt)

Looking to apply to the top 5 - 7 in the US


Thank you very much in advance for your help!
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by mcbMcK » Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:25 am
A few reflections on your profile mamattg:
  1. Your professional experience sounds pretty impressive at first. It will be important to understand if your employer is also a global brand for instance. Portfolio management is in many ways, already a post-MBA role. So it will also be critical to understand your goals story. Defined well, this can be a big asset.
  2. The academic arc could be on the average front, especially when it comes to the top schools. The GPA and GMAT together may put you up at the average (not at the backfoot really). If there is energy left, a re-take at GMAT may help - but only if you have the confidence of improving. Else, your time can be spent on better stuff.
  3. For a fuller assessment, it will also be interesting to see if you've done stuff outside of the workplace. Overall though, it is not a cakewalk but worth a shot after pondering on some of the things mentioned here.
Cheers,
MG (Manish Gupta)|The MBA Crystal Ball Team

Website: https://www.mbacrystalball.com
Email: mcb at mbacrystalball dot com
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by VantagePointMBA » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:59 pm
Hi there, I agree that your work experience seems quite impressive given your age and could be a significant differentiating factor in your application. The size of your portfolio, the level of responsibility you have, and the impact/contributions you've made to your firm will all play into making your work experience truly stand out. On the other hand, your GMAT is below average for the schools you're targeting, and I would recommend that you consider re-taking it, particularly given how early it is in the application season. It's not that this weakness in your candidacy couldn't be overcome with compelling work experience, crystal clear and ambitious post-MBA goals, and strong ECs, but why not increase your chances if you think that you still have upside in your score (particularly the quant). Overall, based on the information you provided, you appear to be a competitive candidate for your target schools and a well thought-out application and story-telling strategy will take you far.

Happy to chat further if you'd like. Best of luck!

-Melody
Vantage Point MBA Admissions Consulting

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by mamattg » Mon Apr 11, 2016 9:45 am
Hello both,

Thank you very much for your answers!

I'm aware that my score unfortunately is below average...
I've already tried three times the Gmat (700 in November 2014, 640 in March 2016 and 660 in March). I got a higher quant, higher AWA (5.5) and higher IR (7) but my Verbal did collapse to 32... The thing is I got less time now to prepare the Gmat than I got in 2014...I could maybe try a fourth time, but I doubt I'll be able to have more than 700.
Maybe I can mitigate my low quant score on my first attempt with the fact that I passed the CFA which is a heavily quant exam?

Thank you once again for your help
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by VantagePointMBA » Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:26 pm
Fair enough, given your history, retaking the GMAT a fourth time probably won't result in a significantly higher score. Your best strategy will be to address your GMAT score in the optional essay - citing your CFA, work experience, and hopefully some coursework where you earned high grades, as evidence of your quantitative abilities. I would also urge you to have your recommenders address your analytical skills in their letters.

Best,
Melody
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by mcbMcK » Tue Apr 12, 2016 12:02 am
Sure, like I said, if you aren't confident, focus on the other parts of the application.

One other advice would be to also hedge your bets some since you are aware of a potential handicap - meaning, apply to some lower schools too to maximize chances.

Cheers,
MG (Manish Gupta)|The MBA Crystal Ball Team

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Email: mcb at mbacrystalball dot com
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