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Profile Evaluation

by jarome101 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:24 am
Hello and thank you for taking the time to look!

First my profile

25 Year old, Egyptian Male (US born citizen)
Undergrad school: Bryant University (Smithfield, RI)
Undergraduate items--- GPA 3.5 (last 2 years 3.8), very strong extracurricular activities, academic award for studies in Political Science (my minor), head of student run mutual fund (Inaugural year)
GMAT- 610 ---- plan on taking one final time within a month, don’t have the exact score break down but my Quant is lower (percentile wise) then verbal and my AWA is 5.5
W/E – >24 months in a financial management training program @ a fortune 100 company, financial services industry (non-investment related), gained management experience, applied leadership through several different projects
Other items--- Leader of a community outreach committee which strives to help bring change and assist in the local community, numerous projects can be listed


Schools I am looking focusing on: Yale, Cornell, Georgetown, Boston College

Questions: Please be honest as to how realistic any of these schools seem, also when choosing a recommender would it help if they went to any of the schools I am applying to as an undergrad?

Thanks in advance!
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by Lisa Anderson » Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:05 pm
Dear jarome101,

The best recommenders are those that have worked with you, ideally as your supervisor, and you are confident will be positive about your abilities. Choosing someone who attended the school for undergraduate studies will not be any extra benefit. However, if you have a former boss or co-worker that is an MBA graduate from the program, that can sometimes be helpful.

With your current GMAT, all of these schools will be a reach for you. If you are able to increase your GMAT, that will make you more competitive but Yale/Cornell will still be a reach without a 700+ GMAT. I think you have some interesting aspects to your background and should be able to demonstrate the skills/attributes the schools seek. However, you are early in your career and the quantitative skills must be strong to rise above the competition.

Best of luck,
Lisa
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by jarome101 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:49 pm
Thanks for the feedback, I will take the exam one more time but it will be my third and I do not want to have an excessive amount of tests on my score report. I know often times, you mention overcoming a low GPA with a strong GMAT score. Is the reverse possible, I mean a GPA is 4 years and my quant classes are all strong (unless you consider Chemistry a math course) but I think I would try and address it in my optional essay. Best case scenario however is my score does increase.
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by jarome101 » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:14 am
Are there any schools you would recommend as a safety, any of the following: Vanderbilt, Maryland, Indiana?

As I previously mentioned I am retaking the GMAT and going to try and get the score up but regardless, I am applying to UNC as well, Early des, I like for three reasons and I may have an outside shot (25-30%)
- I can interview before the application and shine there
- One optional essay question allows me to directly address a low GMAT and or GPA (which I only have the low GMAT)
-They admit a higher percent in ED vs. other rounds
- The stated GMAT 80% range is 580-700, even though the mean is appox 670, atleast I am in this large range

I would love your feedback and opinion, thanks!
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by Lisa Anderson » Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:55 am
Dear jarome101,

Best of luck on your application to UNC! I think Vanderbilt, Maryland and IU are reasonable choices, but not necessarily safety options. I do think they will find you interesting, so you probably have a good shot at those schools. You can always apply to a safety school in the second round after you know where you stand with these schools. So perhaps "roll the dice" and see what happens? That is what I would do, but you have to do what you feel most comfortable doing. :wink:

Good luck,
Lisa
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by jarome101 » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:42 am
Thanks Lisa,

You said I could apply to a safety school in R2 after I have a better idea of where I stand, will I have R1 decisions before R2?
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by Lisa Anderson » Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:22 pm
It is possible you will have a decision before the round 2 deadlines, but you cannot count on it. Many schools post a schedule of when you should receive your decision, so compare the dates. You might also consider applying to one safety option in the second round as an insurance policy.

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Lisa
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