BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Need Profile Evaluation Please

Free advice from the world's top MBA consultants
This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:04 pm

Need Profile Evaluation Please

by aznboarder » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:53 pm
Hello,

I am applying for MBAs this year at Columbia, NYU, Berkeley, UCLA, and Duke. I have a few questions I hope an expert can help with.

Profile:
- I have a 720 GMAT (41 Verbal 93%, 49 Quant 90%, 6 AWA 96%).
- I have a 3.2 GPA from Berkeley Engineering
- I've worked for 4 years in the software industry as an engineer.
- I've volunteered for multiple years at a few non profit organizations

I applied for an MBA 3 years ago after one year of work experience, and I had interviews for Columbia and NYU; however, I didn't receive offers after my interviews. I _think_ my greatest weakness was probably the amount of work experience I had at the time.

In my first application, I wrote about my passion for finance and the desire to move away from engineering and see the bigger picture through finance. Since my application I've taken finance courses to learn more about the industry. I've done a lot of reflection and believe I have a solid story to tell for this application.

Questions:
1. It's been three years since my applications to Columbia and NYU. Is it a good idea to talk about my previous application in my essays?

2. Will the admissions officers have any recollection of my application? (I know they only keep materials for one year).

3. Is it a good idea to mention in my Columbia and NYU essays that I had interviews for their schools?

4. I have only been at my current job since March of this year, so I plan on asking my previous managers to write my recommendations. Do I need to explain this anywhere in my application?

5. I am planning on purchasing admissions consulting services from Kaplan. How much time does each essay normally take to review if I start with a rough draft?

6. Finally, can I get a quick review of my profile and an analysis of my chances of getting into the schools I chose? I understand it's a competitive year because of the economy.

Thank you so much for your help!!

Danny
Top
Source: — Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant |
User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:36 pm
Location: Washington, DC
Thanked: 28 times
Followed by:2 members

by Paxton Helms - Kaplan » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:01 am
Hi, Danny--

Thanks for your post and apologies for the delay in responding (I'm on a project in E. Africa for six weeks and it has taken me a few days to get settled in and be able to focus on Kaplan stuff). Let me take your questions one by one.
1. It's been three years since my applications to Columbia and NYU. Is it a good idea to talk about my previous application in my essays?
I don't think so. Unless you are re-applying (which I think you can only do the next year) I don't see the need to mention it. Part of me says "Yes, mention it in the 'supplemental' information section along with a comment about how glad you are that you didn't go to business school with one year of experience..." but then I think, after three years it's probably not appropriate.

2. Will the admissions officers have any recollection of my application? (I know they only keep materials for one year).
Unless there is something absolutely extraordinary or bizarre about you (I'm talking about, I don't know, putting a picture of an iguana on your application instead of a picture of yourself as a joke) then, there is effectively no chance that you will be remembered. I understand the concern and the discomfort but you're in the clear here.
3. Is it a good idea to mention in my Columbia and NYU essays that I had interviews for their schools?
No. This year's committee will make their own decision; this could come off as trying to muscle or pressure them. Your app needs (and it sounds like it will) stand on its own merits.

4. I have only been at my current job since March of this year, so I plan on asking my previous managers to write my recommendations. Do I need to explain this anywhere in my application?
I would go to my previous manager; but, I also wouldn't discount my current one. If you have done some kind of cool work and/or have done something really different from what you did in your previous job then I would go ahead and use your current mgr. I would especially recommend using your current mgr if you have an especially intense or closely collaborative relationship with that person.
5. I am planning on purchasing admissions consulting services from Kaplan. How much time does each essay normally take to review if I start with a rough draft?
It is just impossible to say because it depends on so many factors: how good your raw material is (i.e., I spent about three hours helping a guy spin a small incident into the center piece of his "what have you learned from a mistake" essay; on the other hand, another client had a really interesting ethical challenge and it took about ten minutes to go over it), how far along your thinking is (i.e., are you really clear on why you want to go business school? if you're not, it will take a while to get that essay right), if the essay is consistent with the rest of your application (i.e., don't be like my finance guy who said that he wanted to go into finance but was applying to Northwestern because they are strong in marketing), how well you write, and whether you intend to do your own copy editing.

To answer your question, though, I would say two hours minimum for a full set of essays.

6. Finally, can I get a quick review of my profile and an analysis of my chances of getting into the schools I chose? I understand it's a competitive year because of the economy.
Looks good to me. The only concern is probably the GPA but, then again, engineering is known to have lower GPAs than, say, English. Plus, if you have good work experience (and a very good GMAT, which you have) then you are probably in the clear. If you have some reason that you have a low GPA or have some indicator that it is better than it looks (i.e., class rank; engineering honor society; etc.) than that is ideal but obviously not everybody has that.

I hope this helps. I'm glad that you have chosen to work with Kaplan and am confident that it will be a very smart business decision.

Keep me in the loop--

Paxton
Keep me in the loop about your thinking and let me know if you have any more questions.

Paxton



Paxton Helms is an MBA admissions consultant for Kaplan Admissions Consulting. He earned his MBA from UCLA and specializes in helping clients that are applying to top twenty and "reach" programs. He can be reached directly at [email protected].

To begin working with Paxton immediately, follow this link and request him specifically: https://www.kaptest.com/GMAT/Admissions- ... lting.html
Top
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:04 pm

thanks!

by aznboarder » Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:23 pm
Hi Paxton,

Thank you so much for your responsel. I'm trying to get started on my essays so it's good to have an idea of what I should and shouldn't write about.

It's interesting that you suggest writing about how I'm glad I didn't go back to school after only one year of experience. I was planning to write about my previous application in my main essay. I wanted to talk about how the extra three years of work experience gave me a chance to give more definition to my career goals and figure out how an MBA fits into the grand plan. In your opinion, would it be appropriate for me to talk about my previous application in that manner?

Thank you!
Danny

P.S. I signed up for Kaplan, so I'm excited to start working with someone on my application!
Top
User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:36 pm
Location: Washington, DC
Thanked: 28 times
Followed by:2 members

by Paxton Helms - Kaplan » Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:59 am
That is a very good question and I'm kind of vacillating about how to answer it.

What I think you should say is something like, "I considered going to business school with only one year of work experience..." but I also feel very strongly that any deception (whether detected by the admissions committee or not) should be totally avoided.

So...perhaps you should say something like, "I wanted to go to business school..." or something like that.

My point is, the meaningful part of this for you is not that you applied; it's that you thought that it was the right thing for you to do but now see that it wasn't.

Is this making sense?

I'm glad you have signed on with Kaplan. Because of some other commitments I won't be working with you but my Director has already assured me that she'll assign one of our top folks to you.

Keep me in the loop and let me know if you have further questions--

Paxton
Keep me in the loop about your thinking and let me know if you have any more questions.

Paxton



Paxton Helms is an MBA admissions consultant for Kaplan Admissions Consulting. He earned his MBA from UCLA and specializes in helping clients that are applying to top twenty and "reach" programs. He can be reached directly at [email protected].

To begin working with Paxton immediately, follow this link and request him specifically: https://www.kaptest.com/GMAT/Admissions- ... lting.html
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1