Ask Clear Admit

Hi there,

thanks for spending time evaluating candidate profiles, it definitely goes a long way in helping us plan.

Before I begin, let me tell you that yes,I agree, my GMAT score is low. But it is what i ended up with after 4 attempts, although few months apart. I was surprised to see the last two attempts not produce a score over 700 as i was consistently scoring 750-760 on the GMATPreps at home. But , here is my profile.

GMAT: 660 [Q 48, V34] ( top score from 4 attempts )
Undergrad GPA (major in Computer Science ): 3.6 ( from a Indian University )
Masters' GPA (major in Computer Science ): 3.5 ( from tier 2 US University)
Work Experience : 6 years in Information Technology ( 4+ years in Financial services IT, good understanding of mortgage business)
Ethnicity : Asian (Indian)
GMAT: Male
Age: 28, 29 when i apply.

Extra Curriculars: Been Volunteering with Big Brothers , Big Sisters for 2 years.
A mentor for a young kid in that program.
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, help build homes for the needy.
Local CERT ( Community Emergency Response Team ) member for year and half.
Active member of my companies' diversity council, helped organize many events in the company.
Active in Various Charities, can get letters of support from those charities to explain my work.

Apart from my E.C activities, I can get some great recommendations from senior management at work. I definitely was vying for a score in the range of 730- 740 to begin with, but after sacrificing almost 2 yrs of my social life .. , i just have 660 to show up for. I cannot explain it myself , even after scoring so well at home.

With my MBA, I wish to enter Investment Banking industry , work in M&A which fascinates me a lot. My interests definitely are in Valuation and Equity Capital Markets, and i believe M&A is a proper path to achieve my goal.

My original goal was to aim for STERN, Cornell, Dartmouth, Ross, Columbia, but all of them seem a stretch now.

My question is with a 660 and with Indian IT label, what are my options with respect to good colleges with a Finance concentration that will help me achieve my goal.

thanks.

Hi madgrad,

Thanks for your post. You certainly seem to have a good grasp of your strengths as well as your weaker areas. You have obviously put a lot of thought into getting an MBA.

You have solid work experience, great grades in undergrad and in your Masters program, and a great roster of extracurricular activities! All of these will serve you well in your applications. However, you are correct in assuming that your GMAT score may be a bit low for your original school list. You may wish to consider programs such as Carnegie Melon, Wash U, and USC. These schools have solid finance programs while also being a little less competitive for admission.

In regard to your GMAT, I really don't think you should take it again unless you have identified the challenge(s) that are keeping you from hitting the 700 mark and honestly feel you can break 700. Generally adcoms prefer to see a candidate take the GMAT no more than 3 times, so taking it a 5th would really need to be your final time. Alternately, you could explore the options of building an alternate transcript and taking courses in accounting and statistics and earning A's in them. This will not only demonstrate your likeliness of success in the classroom, but will also show the adcom you are serious about attending bschool by taking foundation courses.

Best,

Stacey

Stacey,

I re-took GMAT yesterday and scored a 690 (Q46, V38) and i think I am done with it. I cannot spare anymore time on the test as my work life is getting really hectic.

So, with this score and my interests as i described above, can you suggest some colleges within reach for me please.

Also, as you specified before, I want to enroll in Statistics and Calculus classes in my local community college. Will the basic level classes do or would i need to take the advanced ones ?

Thanks for your time. Really appreciate your effort. Thanks.

Hi,

Congrats on taking the GMAT and improving your score!

In regard to bschools to consider, I think you should still consider strong finance programs at schools such Carnegie Mellon and Wash U, and you may also wish to apply to some reach programs such as Stern and Cornell. I always recommend to my clients to apply to a mix of programs to maximize your chance of success.

In regard to taking courses, you should enroll in a local university rather than a community college. Community college courses are often not viewed as being as challenging as those at universities. If you don't have a four year university near you, I suggest you look at taking online courses through a program such as Harvard or UCLA.

Best,

Stacey