Ask Stacy Blackman

Hi Stacy,

I am a Canadian Chartered Accountant (CA)-bound auditor with 3 years experience at Grant Thornton, with the professional designation to be awarded by the time of application. I have interned with the firm in the past and have specialized largely in the audits of start-up and smaller sized public companies in technology, natural resources and financial institution (funds, financing, securitization etc.) sectors. I will have been promoted twice by 2013, ahead of peers who have joined the firm at the same time as me, in recognition for my work evaluation ratings and internship experience at the firm, leading the aforementioned audit engagements for several clients listed on the Canadian and US stock exchanges.

Some work highlights:

- Extensive experience in working in smaller groups of teams in a project setting (typically 1-2 months long, 3 to 6 people on the team) with tight deadline and regulations
- Spearheaded some of the office's largest engagements as the in-charge auditor, dealing with complex accounting issues in different industries and dealing with drastic changes in cross-border regulations
- High work evaluation ratings from both periodic (i.e. annual) and project-specific reviews

Here is my academic profile:

Age: 24 (at application - 25 by matriculation), male

Undergraduate degree in mathematics from a top Canadian university
Master's degree in accounting from the same university (linked 5-year joint degree program)

GPA (undergrad): 3.93/4.00 (91%), with honours (equivalent to summa cum laude by US convention)
GPA (graduate): 3.90/4.00 (89%), with honours

GMAT: 740/97pct (50Q 41V 6AWA, all 92th percentile each)
*I slipped a little on the actual GMAT as my test scores consistently turned out around 760-770 (around 42-45 range for verbal), but to my understanding there is little implication due to such difference. If in your opinion such difference will matter, please let me know whether I should consider retaking the test.

Designations:
CA, external audit
CFA Level III student

Extracurricular involvement:

- Board member of the faculty's endowment fund for 2 years (Undergraduate student representative)
- University representative in several national competitions in corporate finance, venture capitalism and accounting, ranging between 1st and 3rd nationally
- Income tax return preparation volunteer for low income families in the past 5 years
- Walking tour guide of the city on a volunteer basis during the summer months

Target schools, in my opinion (from more stretch to reaching):

Wharton
Tuck
Booth
Kellogg
Columbia
Sloan
INSEAD

Also considering:

Yale
Haas
Stern
Ross
Fuqua

My biggest concern is whether I will be overshadowed by other "comparable professionals" in the financial services sector - i.e. the bankers and consultants, since there will certainly be a significant cohort of people applying to these schools from such backgrounds.

I plan on switching into either consulting or a corporate strategy role after obtaining my MBA.

Please advise on whether the above schools are reasonable targets from where I currently stand, and the kinds of improvement that in your opinion that I can focus on over the next year or so - I am also willing to delay for one additional year in application (i.e. applying at age 25 and matriculating at 26), if it will help increase my chances of being accepted.