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Feedback on how competitive my b school app is....

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Feedback on how competitive my b school app is....

by thegentlegiant » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:51 am
Hi Everyone,

I am organizing my business school applications for Fall 2010 admissions. I am interested in obtaining any feedback on how competitive my application might be. First of all, I am applying to the following: Stanford, Pepperdine, Wharton, Columbia, NYU, Yale, MIT, HBS, and Fordham.

Here are my stats:
Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts/English from BU - Had a 3.6 gpa
Worked in family business where I managed the PR department for 3 years (was in college attending part time at night)
Took off for 2 years between junior college and resuming bachelor degree studies to work as a high fashion model in Europe
During my last 2 years of college - was a marketing director for a small company
GMAT Score: 680
2 years work experience from college graduation to enrollment - Worked in the construction industry as an executive assistant, now own my business - small consulting company - strategic planning consulting
I am looking to expand my overall general business knowledge, I would like to expand into other industries with the interest in taking the company global while gaining important contacts.
If you need anything else, let me know.
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by Graham » Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:08 am
Dear thegentlegiant,

Thanks for your post!

In terms of my assessment of your b-school admissions odds, I should first mention that your list of schools is absolutely all over the map. The profile that one needs for admission to Pepperdine and Fordham is dramatically different than what one might need to be competitive at HBS, Wharton or Stanford. With that in mind, I offer my thoughts below:

1) Academics
Your undergraduate background is a bit hard to follow. If my reading of your post is accurate, you started off in junior college (where?) while working for the family business full-time. You then took two years off to do modeling in Europe (this is certainly unique and will help you stand out if presented effectively), after which you resumed your studies - presumably at BU - continuing to work. While the junior college aspect and the gap in your education will requiring more explanation than a more traditional candidate, your final GPA of 3.6 is certainly solid. Of course, keep in mind that a 3.6 from junior college + BU will not be viewed in the same light as a 3.6 from Princeton or Amherst. Finally, the fact that you studied English will raise the pressure on your GMAT quant score - since the schools will be looking for evidence of your aptitude in this area.

2) GMAT
Your GMAT score is below average for all of the schools on your list except Pepperdine and Fordham. What was your quant. percentile on this exam? How many times have you taken the exam? You may want to aim to be closer to the average result at your top-tier target schools (more like 710+).

3) Work Experience
It sounds like you've had a number of experiences, ranging from modeling to family business, construction and strategy consulting. While the variety is intersting (and should make for plenty of stories to share in your essays), I am concerned that there could be a perceived lack of focus. Of course, without knowing more than what you've posted here, it's hard for me to help you develop a coherent theme. I should also add that the vast majority of your work experience has come pre-college, which will put the onus on you to showcase the leadership experiences you have had, etc. [Note: all of your roles sound fairly qualitative, which may increase the pressure on the GMAT quant. score.]

4) Goals
You mention a desire to expand your company, which could be an interesting angle to pursue. Who will run the company while you are in school? The last thing you want to do is give the schools the impression that you are likely to split time between running your company and participating in b-school, since the top programs really want students to be 100% involved.

5) XCs.
You made no mention of how you spend your non-working hours. This is an important element for most schools...

6) Personal Background
Where are you from? Are you male or female? Were you the first in your family to attend college? These are other questions, we'd need to know the answers to in order to fully assess your odds.

In summary, based on the information provided, my sense is that you are a bit of a stretch at the very top schools at the moment, but likely more competitive at Fordham and Pepperdine. Having said that, I don't have the full picture - and there could be steps you might take in the coming months to better your odds - so I encourage you to send your resume to [email protected] and speak with one of our counselors to get a free assessment.

Best of luck,

Graham
Graham Richmond
Clear Admit, LLC
[email protected]
215 568 2590

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