Profile Evaluation Please

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Profile Evaluation Please

by grdoyle » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:00 pm
Hi,

I am hoping for a profile evaluation. Will have 3 years of work experience by the time I am applying. Want to focus in gen mgmt or strategy.

Schools:
Columbia: Early admission as this is where I want to go
HBS, Chicago, Northwestern, UPenn, Tuck, MIT (R1 & 2 fall of 2009)

Stats:

750 GMAT (48 quant, 45 verbal)
3.4-3.5 GPA at top 50 U.S University (May of 2006)
Double major: econ & psychology, minor in poli sci

Work:

This I am a little concerned about as I have had 3 jobs since graduating - no gaps in work history and am highly recommended by all co-workers and supervisors
)
Right out of college small management consulting firm - due diligence and strategy (18 months). Worked with some of the biggest P.E firms in the world as well as midmarket, fortune 500, and mid market companies

Thought I wanted to go into finance so moved from Boston to NYC only to, due to the credit crunch, take a job in corporate advisory working with CFO and IROs of oil & gas companies (6 months). Job sounded pretty good, but felt the skills I was learning were only really good in sell-side research or within the same company.

Moved back to Boston to take a job with another management consulting firm working in corporate strategy, sourcing, and due diligence work. Good career progression, will be promoted next month. (8 months)

Community service:

Was active in college and over the last year or so. Work mostly with non-profits where I can apply my business knowledge as well as mentor youth.

Recommendations should be very solid all of my bosses have attended school I am interested in. Additionally, they have all held management positions or have been partners at the top 3 consulting firms. Few have been c-level at mid-market companies.

Other:

Chosen to be a Starting Bloc fellow, which is a non-profit that educates and trains students and young professionals in social sector and non-profit work.

Career goals:

A little non-traditional here, I would like to work in a Charter Management Organization through a post b-school fellowship, such as the Broad Residency. CMOs run charter schools and I am interested in applying my business education and consulting skills to that arena.

You have said before that job hopping is not nearly as bad as it used to be, is that true? Or will I have to realy explain myself.

Thanks for any input, please be as critical as possible.
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by Lisa Anderson » Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:27 am
Dear grdoyle,

Overall, I think you have a competitive profile for your target schools. I would caution you to rethink your school list a bit as you have 7 top 10 schools--no safety options and a sizable list. You might want to narrow down to 4 top 10 and then add one safety school (R2) to the mix as a backup plan. I think you have a good shot at a top 10, but it is always good to have alternatives.

I am not so concerned by your 6 month detour in New York. I think you have a reasonable story for why you took the job and then left. You should have over a year in your current role by the time you apply R1 this fall and close to two years in the company by the time you would start a program. The important thing is to have a solid answer for why you made the job changes you did. I do not think it is something you should bring attention to in an optional essay--just be prepared to explain it in your interviews. Lastly, be prepared to connect the dots from your past experience to the MBA to your future career goals.

Best of luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
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Stacy Blackman Consulting

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