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Chance at a Top-10 School

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Chance at a Top-10 School

by DrSues02 » Mon May 31, 2010 7:46 pm
Could use opinions on whether I have a shot at a top-10 business school? I'm currently in sales but looking to get an MBA in finance.

White Male, 25

GMAT: 700

GPA: 3.99 from a private Division III university

Work Experience: 3 years in software sales at two different companies. #3 salesperson out of team of 150, promoted to sales manager and led team of 8-12 sales representatives. Switched companies for more potential and to learn enterprise sales ($1M+ deals).

Extracurriculars: Good in college but a little light since then. I started an investment blog that has a monthly readership of 1000+, and have been published on several financial news websites for stock writeups/analysis. Proven and verifiable stock trading record of beating the market over the past 15+ months.

I'm hoping to use my blog and trading background as a reason for going back to b-school for a degree in finance. Overall goal is to join a hedge fund or start my own.

Chances? Any hopes at getting a fellowship or other financial aid?

Thanks!
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by Stacey Oyler » Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:45 am
Hi,

Thanks for your post. You certainly have a solid profile. Your work experience to date is solid and it is clear you are good at your job. Your side activity of financial blogging is certainly interesting and unique and it will be a clear indication of your interest in finance. It will also likely provide you with an interesting essay topic or two.

You certainly are qualified for many bschool programs, you'll just want to do some research to determine which ones are the right fit for you. Obviously finance is a major factor, but what else matters to you? Location? Class size? I would consider these other factors as you research schools to determine the best fit for you.

Feel free to send your resume to us at [email protected] for a free detailed assessment of your profile as well as some help in identifying potential programs.

Best,

Stacey
Sign up for my MBA admissions course, featuring me and other Clear Admit experts, by visiting: https://www.udemy.com/business-school

Stacey Oyler
Clear Admit, LLC
[email protected]
215.568.2590

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by DrSues02 » Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:57 pm
Stacey,

Thanks for the reply - I received a 700 taking the test pretty much cold and plan on taking it again this summer. After a month or two of study, I'm confident I should be able to raise my score at least a little bit.

How high would I need to score to be considered for grants/scholarships? What about a school like Duke/UNC-CH?
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by Tani » Wed Jun 23, 2010 1:26 pm
A 700 GMAT without significant preparation is impressive. With a solid course you should be able to get that well up into the 99th %ile range.

I see many candidates who are interested in finance careers, but very few who have sales backgrounds. Business schools rely heavily on the interplay between students in the classroom to provide a strong, well-rounded education. Your sales background will give you a different perspective on the coursework than someone would have who has been working in a traditional finance position. Combining the people skills and real-world outlook of a sales career with your interest in finance shown by your blogging should make you a strong contributor.

I have found that students at Chapel Hill and UVA not only get an excellent education, but thoroughly enjoy the environment. The acceptance rates at those schools are somewhat higher than for comparable schools in part, I assume, because they are not in major metropolitan areas. Despite the location, their connections with East Coast firms are exceptional and they regularly place graduates in top companies.

Your background and scores make you an excellent candidate for those schools. Scholarships are always less predictable, depending to some extent on the economy and the number of applicants seeking financial aid. You should, however, be able to put together a strong and convincing application.

Tani Wolff
Tani Wolff
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