I graduated from a Top 30 university in the US with a BA in the Financial Economics. I also earned a Certificate of Management Studies from the University's business school (top20). While in school I was socially active. I was the president of our chinese student association, and the president of my fraternity. During that time I've kept my interest in classical guitar and continued to take lessons in my university's music school (top3). The result was a senior solo recital and a professionally produced album.
Right after college in 2009, I was lucky enough to be offered a job in one of the biggest Broker-Dealer firms in the country. So in the last 2 years I have been working in Manhattan, started from sales assistant and promoted to senior specialist/sales trader last year. It is a financially rewarding job but looking ahead, instead of trading other people's money I would like to management my own firm. Or start a fund of my own. While the goal is not possible in foreseeable future it is my dream which motivates me everyday. In order to move up the ladder I decided to apply for a MBA problem.
However my GPA undergraduate GPA is terrible, cumulative 2.8 is something I am not proud of. Earlier this week I took my first Gmat and scored 680. Another downfall of my qualification is that because my job has been very demanding, I have not done much outside of work in the past 2 years. My decision to apply for a MBA program was spontaneous(in Feb) so I am not very prepared. I'm looking to apply for NYU Stern, and my reach school is Columbia. It is still worth the effort to apply for both? Given my lack of undergraduate academic achievement and my not so stella Gmat score, I am really lacking confidence here.
What are my reasonable chances of getting admitted in this stage of the application process (r3). Can you please give me some advice on how I might be able to standout? I am also prepared for rejections, which will give me time to take my CFA exam this coming June (which will beef up my resume) and retake the Gmat, hopefully get into the 750 range. If thats the case will I have a better chance to get admitted to one of the top schools, specifically Columbia, Kellog, Yale, Duke, and Georgetown, if I apply early for the next academic year?
Right after college in 2009, I was lucky enough to be offered a job in one of the biggest Broker-Dealer firms in the country. So in the last 2 years I have been working in Manhattan, started from sales assistant and promoted to senior specialist/sales trader last year. It is a financially rewarding job but looking ahead, instead of trading other people's money I would like to management my own firm. Or start a fund of my own. While the goal is not possible in foreseeable future it is my dream which motivates me everyday. In order to move up the ladder I decided to apply for a MBA problem.
However my GPA undergraduate GPA is terrible, cumulative 2.8 is something I am not proud of. Earlier this week I took my first Gmat and scored 680. Another downfall of my qualification is that because my job has been very demanding, I have not done much outside of work in the past 2 years. My decision to apply for a MBA program was spontaneous(in Feb) so I am not very prepared. I'm looking to apply for NYU Stern, and my reach school is Columbia. It is still worth the effort to apply for both? Given my lack of undergraduate academic achievement and my not so stella Gmat score, I am really lacking confidence here.
What are my reasonable chances of getting admitted in this stage of the application process (r3). Can you please give me some advice on how I might be able to standout? I am also prepared for rejections, which will give me time to take my CFA exam this coming June (which will beef up my resume) and retake the Gmat, hopefully get into the 750 range. If thats the case will I have a better chance to get admitted to one of the top schools, specifically Columbia, Kellog, Yale, Duke, and Georgetown, if I apply early for the next academic year?
