Ask mbaMission

Male: 25 years old at the time of matriculation
GMAT: 720
GPA: 3.5
Undergrad: Baruch College, NY
Major: Finance
Minor: Economics

Indian American (born and raised in the United States)

Work Experience:

1) While in college, I worked as an intern in the Hedge Funds group (team of 6) of a large public pension fund based in NY - analyzed potential hedge fund investments as part of a $5 billion hedge fund allocation.

2) My first full time position was at a niche Hedge Fund consulting firm in NY - analyzed potential hedge fund investments for large institutional investors using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

3) Currently work for a premier investment management firm in NY as a hedge fund analyst. We run single strategy hedge funds as well as fund-of-funds.

EXTRACIRRICULARS

1) Professional singing - in 2008, I was selected among almost 10,000 singers to be on the televised Indian version of American Idol. I have been singing and training since I was 10. Since then, I regularly give concerts and stage shows around the country and have been invited to sing internationally as well.

2) I have run my own party entertainment business, incorporating my live singing but also hiring and subcontracting with other professionals (including DJs, photographers, videographers, etc).

3) I am actively involved with a charity which my parents founded 21 years ago, but have more or less handed over lead responsibilities to me. The charity feeds 3000 hungry kids every single day in New Delhi, India. I have taken an active role in operations functions as well as organizing various fundraising activities and events in the NY-NJ-CT-DC area.

Very passionate about asset management, and specifically hedge funds. Would like to go back to business school to polish corporate finance, valuation, and asset management skills so that I can work for a hedge fund upon graduation and some day evolve into a Portfolio Manager.

Target Schools: Harvard, Stanford, Cornell, Tuck, Yale, Wharton, Columbia

Would you please help me evaluate my profile and also help me highlight areas which you think I should emphasize in an application and also areas in which I could potentially improve my chances of admission?

Thanks very much!

Hello vbhalla1187, thanks for your questions.

You have a unique background!

My big question for you: Why do you need business school to work at a hedge fund? Given your current roles and work experience, wouldn't this be a natural progression for you? What specific skills, knowledge, experiences, etc. stand in your way? If you can identify those, then you can specifically address how an MBA puts you on that path.

In terms of what to highlight, I would play up the differentiating factors in your background (assuming that they answer the essay questions, of course). Your charity sounds promising, as does your singing career.

Best of luck!
Brian