Stacy,
Thank you very much for providing free advice to MBA hopefuls such as myself! I have read many of your evaluations of other students, and have been able to learn much about my own strengths, weaknesses, and areas of focus. As such, I hope that you will be able to provide me with some guidance on my MBA apsirations!
[b]Background: [/b]
Born in China, immigrated to the US @ age 4,
Raised in a low-income family.
Academic:
-4th Year @ UC Davis, majoring in Economics
-GPA: 3.85
-Phi Beta Kappa (Inducted as a Junior)
-Regent Scholar (highest scholarship awarded by Univ. of California)
-Enrolled to complete Economics Honor Thesis
-Participated in UC Davis Honors Program past 3 years
[b]GMAT[/b]
-I have yet to take an actual GMAT, as I intend to study (via Testmasters course & OG problems) during my senior year, then sit for the exam immediately after graduation.
-If there is any correlation at all, I scored a 1440 (720V, 720Q) on my SAT
[b]Work/Internship Experience[/b]
-PricewaterhouseCoopers, Tax Intern (6/2006 - Present)
*Note: I have just been extended a job offer effective after my graduation in 2007. I plan to possibly work @ PwC for 4-5 years (until I am promoted to manager) before I apply to b-schools
-UC Davis Honors Challenge, Peer Coordinator (6/2005-Present)
*Note: First peer coordinator @ campus honors program. As the PC, I organize the mentorship program for over 200 honors students, hold resume and public speaking events, and teach a graded, 2-unit course to help freshmen learn to maximize their educational experience at a research university. (I believe I am the only undergraduate student with a class)
-Sanli, Pastore & Hill, Finance Intern (Boutique Financial Valuation Firm) (10/2005- 1/2006)
-Morgan Stanley, Financial Intern (6/2005 - 9/2005)
*Note: This internship was not a standard internship offered by Morgan Stanley (I was a 2nd year), and thus I did not have as much of a learning experience as I would have liked
[b]Extracurriculars[/b]
Delta Sigma Pi (Business Fraternity) 10/2004-Present
-President (Current)
-Senior Vice President (2005)
-Vice President of Finance (2004)
-Currently nominated for National Collegian of the Year
-First ever- newly initiated member to receive Member of the Year
-First ever member to receive Member of the Year twice
I am very devoted and dedicated to this organization; I have gained much from this experience, and have really invested a lot of time and effort to promote and further reputation and public awareness of our organization. In many senses, I almost have treated this fraternity as a firm in which I have slowly moved up the ranks, or "promoted". I can draw a lot of learning experiences and as a result, have much to say about leadershipl, teamwork, motivating others, striving for a common goal, etc.
Sacramento Entrepeneurship Academy, Sacramento, CA (9/2004-5/2005)
-Developed business plan for a Soy Foods Distribution Company
-Presented to and consulted with various Angel Investors, local successful entrepreneurs, VC money managers.
-Youngest ever admitted into the Academy @ at 19.
My target school is Stanford (due to location), but receiving admission into any of the top 10 MBA-programs would be ideal.
I hope to receive an MBA to crack into Investment Banking. As a student of UC Davis, where we lack a business major, interest from any decently sized financial firm, not to mention bulge bracket investment banks, was hard to come by. I wish to enter into banking not for the money (although it is very good money), but rather to challenge myself and learn in a fast-paced, intense environment.
I suppose my real question is whether to continue my finance/accounting work experience and accept the offer from PwC, or to establish myself as a more unique candidate by something along the lines of non-profit work educating students in China, or perhaps joining the Peace Corps, etc.
I understand that the likes of Stanford and Harvard will have hundreds of applications who will all have stats like myself: 680-720+ GMATs (hopefully), 3.85 GPA with work experience in accounting, finance, etc, and that by taking that route, I will simply be a dime a dozen.
Do I stand a chance of differentiating myself from the rest of the very very qualified pack from what I currently have?
Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much,
Bo
Thank you very much for providing free advice to MBA hopefuls such as myself! I have read many of your evaluations of other students, and have been able to learn much about my own strengths, weaknesses, and areas of focus. As such, I hope that you will be able to provide me with some guidance on my MBA apsirations!
[b]Background: [/b]
Born in China, immigrated to the US @ age 4,
Raised in a low-income family.
Academic:
-4th Year @ UC Davis, majoring in Economics
-GPA: 3.85
-Phi Beta Kappa (Inducted as a Junior)
-Regent Scholar (highest scholarship awarded by Univ. of California)
-Enrolled to complete Economics Honor Thesis
-Participated in UC Davis Honors Program past 3 years
[b]GMAT[/b]
-I have yet to take an actual GMAT, as I intend to study (via Testmasters course & OG problems) during my senior year, then sit for the exam immediately after graduation.
-If there is any correlation at all, I scored a 1440 (720V, 720Q) on my SAT
[b]Work/Internship Experience[/b]
-PricewaterhouseCoopers, Tax Intern (6/2006 - Present)
*Note: I have just been extended a job offer effective after my graduation in 2007. I plan to possibly work @ PwC for 4-5 years (until I am promoted to manager) before I apply to b-schools
-UC Davis Honors Challenge, Peer Coordinator (6/2005-Present)
*Note: First peer coordinator @ campus honors program. As the PC, I organize the mentorship program for over 200 honors students, hold resume and public speaking events, and teach a graded, 2-unit course to help freshmen learn to maximize their educational experience at a research university. (I believe I am the only undergraduate student with a class)
-Sanli, Pastore & Hill, Finance Intern (Boutique Financial Valuation Firm) (10/2005- 1/2006)
-Morgan Stanley, Financial Intern (6/2005 - 9/2005)
*Note: This internship was not a standard internship offered by Morgan Stanley (I was a 2nd year), and thus I did not have as much of a learning experience as I would have liked
[b]Extracurriculars[/b]
Delta Sigma Pi (Business Fraternity) 10/2004-Present
-President (Current)
-Senior Vice President (2005)
-Vice President of Finance (2004)
-Currently nominated for National Collegian of the Year
-First ever- newly initiated member to receive Member of the Year
-First ever member to receive Member of the Year twice
I am very devoted and dedicated to this organization; I have gained much from this experience, and have really invested a lot of time and effort to promote and further reputation and public awareness of our organization. In many senses, I almost have treated this fraternity as a firm in which I have slowly moved up the ranks, or "promoted". I can draw a lot of learning experiences and as a result, have much to say about leadershipl, teamwork, motivating others, striving for a common goal, etc.
Sacramento Entrepeneurship Academy, Sacramento, CA (9/2004-5/2005)
-Developed business plan for a Soy Foods Distribution Company
-Presented to and consulted with various Angel Investors, local successful entrepreneurs, VC money managers.
-Youngest ever admitted into the Academy @ at 19.
My target school is Stanford (due to location), but receiving admission into any of the top 10 MBA-programs would be ideal.
I hope to receive an MBA to crack into Investment Banking. As a student of UC Davis, where we lack a business major, interest from any decently sized financial firm, not to mention bulge bracket investment banks, was hard to come by. I wish to enter into banking not for the money (although it is very good money), but rather to challenge myself and learn in a fast-paced, intense environment.
I suppose my real question is whether to continue my finance/accounting work experience and accept the offer from PwC, or to establish myself as a more unique candidate by something along the lines of non-profit work educating students in China, or perhaps joining the Peace Corps, etc.
I understand that the likes of Stanford and Harvard will have hundreds of applications who will all have stats like myself: 680-720+ GMATs (hopefully), 3.85 GPA with work experience in accounting, finance, etc, and that by taking that route, I will simply be a dime a dozen.
Do I stand a chance of differentiating myself from the rest of the very very qualified pack from what I currently have?
Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much,
Bo
