Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

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.

Hello,

First, thank you for your positive comments!

Even with a significantly higher GMAT, gaining admission to the schools you mention would be a real hurdle given the combination of your background and your goals. It's difficult to switch into investment banking from another path, because so many people want to, it's even harder coming from an IT or engineering background (even though you have many relevant and applicable skills, the competition is also heavy), and even more so as an Indian (given Indians' over-representation in this group). Finally, in this economic climate, it's even tougher for anyone to get into finance from outside the industry. For these reasons plus the low GMAT, I consider the schools you list to be basically beyond reach.

On the plus side, your understanding of the mortgage industry is a possible stepping stone, something you can emphasize in your essays.

I suggest the following: research schools in the next tiers that are strong in finance, e.g., Univ. of Rochester/Simon. Also, learn as much as you can now as much as you can about your chosen industry, so you can make a compelling case. Finally, develop a plan B for your short-term career goals that will ultimately get you to where you want to go.

Best regards,
Cindy Tokumitsu
Senior Editor, Accepted.com

Cindy,

I re-took GMAT yesterday and scored 690 (Q46, V38) . Can you suggest schools within reach for me with my interests as i described before.

thank you for your time.