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hypermeganet
- Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:41 am
- Thanked: 2 times
GMAT: 680 (39Q, 44V)
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania
GPA: 3.83
Major: Natural Sciences (no calc classes as an undergrad though - plenty of other hard sciences where calc is needed; one grad-level stats class that I took pass/fail - passed at 99% but that's not on transcript).
WE: 3 years FT pre-college and 40 months FT post-bacc
Age: 27
Nationality: Caucasian.
So, I did not go to college right after high school due to extreme family circumstances that required me to assist in paying bills for 3 years at home. So I worked at a retail bank in customer service and made my way to supervisor. During undergrad I worked for a non-profit consulting group that assisted small businesses with financing, grant writing, cash flow analysis, etc.
Post grad Work experience: I ended up taking a job at this non-profit after graduation as a full time consulting while taking night classes at Wharton (corporate finance and financial accounting, made 'A' in both). I worked here for just over a year FT. I would say I had a leadership role, as I was in charge of coordinating one of our largest grant programs as well as a full client load. This required me to drive/fly travel all over Pennsylvania to visit with businesses and other consultants. I then took a job at a finance firm doing cash management/trade support work - I am still in this job now (and by enrollment time I will have been in the job for 2.5 years). I would put the firm's "prestige" level at very high in the world of finance.
Extracurriculars: I'm not sure I had a ton of these. I needed to work 20-30 hours a week as an undergrad. I was a member of the school's Environmental Group and we did a lot of "greening" efforts locally. That took up what free time I had.
Now, I just took the GMAT today and my Q score was abominable. Why? Not to sound like I'm looking for a scapegoat, but they were literally JACKHAMMERING the building to fix a flood for about the last half of my AW section and about 75% of my Q section. The woman at the center told me that they were done for the day during my break and apologized profusely. She said I could petition Pearson for a free exam...fat lot that will do me when most of my apps are due this week for R2.
Anyway, how should I phrase my optional essay to explain this lower Q score? I'm not a math genius by any means but I was certainly testing in the 70-75% on practices, not 53%, and my 97% verbal score has to count for something. Do I mention the testing conditions and offer to retake post-deadline? Do schools allow this? Or do I focus on the fact that I took plenty of science classes that were math heavy, as well as 2 MBA-level Wharton classes - in addition to undergrad Wharton classes -, and that I made As in all of them? I'm certainly confident I have the math ability to do the finance math required (as evidenced by my A in corporate finance at Wharton).
Schools on my list for R2: McCombs, USC, Rice, SMU
R3 schools: UCLA, NYU?
Cost is a concern, so Rice and SMU are on the list - I'm hoping for a scholly if I get in and I think Texas schools provide some of the best COL-to-salary in the country. I've already been admitted to WUSTL-Olin based on my GRE application.
Thanks in advance!
Undergrad: University of Pennsylvania
GPA: 3.83
Major: Natural Sciences (no calc classes as an undergrad though - plenty of other hard sciences where calc is needed; one grad-level stats class that I took pass/fail - passed at 99% but that's not on transcript).
WE: 3 years FT pre-college and 40 months FT post-bacc
Age: 27
Nationality: Caucasian.
So, I did not go to college right after high school due to extreme family circumstances that required me to assist in paying bills for 3 years at home. So I worked at a retail bank in customer service and made my way to supervisor. During undergrad I worked for a non-profit consulting group that assisted small businesses with financing, grant writing, cash flow analysis, etc.
Post grad Work experience: I ended up taking a job at this non-profit after graduation as a full time consulting while taking night classes at Wharton (corporate finance and financial accounting, made 'A' in both). I worked here for just over a year FT. I would say I had a leadership role, as I was in charge of coordinating one of our largest grant programs as well as a full client load. This required me to drive/fly travel all over Pennsylvania to visit with businesses and other consultants. I then took a job at a finance firm doing cash management/trade support work - I am still in this job now (and by enrollment time I will have been in the job for 2.5 years). I would put the firm's "prestige" level at very high in the world of finance.
Extracurriculars: I'm not sure I had a ton of these. I needed to work 20-30 hours a week as an undergrad. I was a member of the school's Environmental Group and we did a lot of "greening" efforts locally. That took up what free time I had.
Now, I just took the GMAT today and my Q score was abominable. Why? Not to sound like I'm looking for a scapegoat, but they were literally JACKHAMMERING the building to fix a flood for about the last half of my AW section and about 75% of my Q section. The woman at the center told me that they were done for the day during my break and apologized profusely. She said I could petition Pearson for a free exam...fat lot that will do me when most of my apps are due this week for R2.
Anyway, how should I phrase my optional essay to explain this lower Q score? I'm not a math genius by any means but I was certainly testing in the 70-75% on practices, not 53%, and my 97% verbal score has to count for something. Do I mention the testing conditions and offer to retake post-deadline? Do schools allow this? Or do I focus on the fact that I took plenty of science classes that were math heavy, as well as 2 MBA-level Wharton classes - in addition to undergrad Wharton classes -, and that I made As in all of them? I'm certainly confident I have the math ability to do the finance math required (as evidenced by my A in corporate finance at Wharton).
Schools on my list for R2: McCombs, USC, Rice, SMU
R3 schools: UCLA, NYU?
Cost is a concern, so Rice and SMU are on the list - I'm hoping for a scholly if I get in and I think Texas schools provide some of the best COL-to-salary in the country. I've already been admitted to WUSTL-Olin based on my GRE application.
Thanks in advance!
