Profile evaluation, any chance at the top 20 programs?

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Hi,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply my post!! Your help is greatly appreciated!

Age: 23 Chinese male from Hong Kong, going to be 24 in sept 09

GPA: I graduated from one of the UC (University of California), with 3.33 overall gpa, major in econ and minor in accounting. I have been working part time since my sophomore year to support my daily expenses. Can I somehow make this a valid reason of why my gpa may not be as high as some of my peers or someone from similar background?

Gmat: aiming for 700, expecting somewhere 690

Activities: various club's officers and done overseas internship in London at one of the top financial institution, active in firm's events such as recruiting and currently serve as the vice chair of the recreational committee of the firm (to arrange annual activities for the firm).

Working Exp: A total of 2 yrs and 5 months in a mid-tier accounting firm (5-6th largest in the world) in the US and Asia. I worked one year in the US after graduation, and moved back to HK and have been working at the member firm of the same accounting firm network in HK until now. I am a US CPA and is currently waiting for the result of the level one CFA exam.

Goal: I am aiming for a career change at this current moment, from auditing to finance/portfolio management. Looking for opportunities in portfolio management in a large to mid-size private equity firm in Asia upon getting the MBA .

Do you think i will have a shot at some of the top-20 programs, such as UCLA, Cornell, Duke or other top-30 like USC? What other schools you think i will have a chance at?

Thanks so much for your time!!
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by Cindy Tokumitsu » Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:40 am
Hello,

Given all the factors you mention, including your industry and demographic groups and your numbers, I consider top-20 level programs to be reasonable reaches. In other words, with an outstanding application that really sets you apart somehow, you’d have a chance, though not a likely chance, at such schools. The challenge will be differentiating yourself – I believe your Asia-US experience will help in this regard, and you should provide insights in your application from this perspective. Doing so would also support your goals. It would make sense to apply to some schools in the next tier also. I suggest looking at Georgetown/McDonough and Emory (has a nice portfolio management concentration).

A challenge will be the goals – it’s a difficult area to enter given the current economic conditions, especially for career changers, however I’m thinking mainly of the US and it may be better in Asia. In any event, in your goals discussion, directly address how you plan to obtain this position and how/why you’ll be marketable to the desired firms. That will show maturity and preparedness, and give the adcoms more confidence that you’ll get hired.

Best regards,
Cindy Tokumitsu
Senior Editor, Accepted.com
www.Accepted.com