Seeking a reality check- please evaluate

[bwlawrence]

Hello,

I am currently in the process of building my candidacy for a top 25 MBA program, and am seeking a reality check on my chances of getting in. My background.....

Education:
- Graduated from a small college in Colorado in 2005 with a BA in English-Communications (minored in Spanish), 3.3 GPA
- Spent six months studying in Barcelona, Spain (Universitat de Barcelona; all classes were taught in Spanish).
- Worked nearly full-time throughout college (except for freshman year and while abroad), and was very active in the outdoor sporting communty.
- Hold a FINRA Series 7 license and an MA Real Estate license.

Professional Experience: Approaching four years of post-undergrad work experience.
- Leasing/Sales Associate at a Boston real estate firm, where I was awarded Top Rental Producer of 2006.
- Client Services Associate for a team of financial advisers managing $500 million in assets at UBS Global Wealth Management.
- Performance Analyst/Senior Associate on a team at State Street that provides alternative investment monitoring, performance reporting, and portfolio consultation to large institutions. I’m currently the sole analyst working on the team’s first sovereign wealth fund client, a position in which I am responsible for all aspects of the monitoring and reporting processes on the client’s private equity real estate and infrastructure portfolios (roughly $5 billion in assets).
* I have tried to focus my career on investments, with the goal of one day obtaining a position within an alternative investment fund (hopefully post-MBA).

Other Considerations:
- Competed in the 1998 JCCA Jr. National Rock Climbing Championship.
- Award-winning travel photographer, including a Grand Prize from National Geographic.
- Have traveled extensively throughout Central America, East and West Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
- Have limited volunteering experience in the Boston area.

I am studying for the GMAT now, and am looking to expand my volunteering experience and somehow try to gain more leadership experience this summer (outdoor leadership program?). May take a statistics and accounting class this summer (didn't take in undergrad; boost GPA?). I am aiming to send out applications for round 1 in Oct/Nov (hopefully to some top 25 schools).

So I’m tying to gauge what my chances are for getting into a top 25 school, and also what steps I can take to strengthen my application. Any input would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you

[Linda Abraham]

Hello,

I am currently in the process of building my candidacy for a top 25 MBA program, and am seeking a reality check on my chances of getting in. My background.....

Education:
- Graduated from a small college in Colorado in 2005 with a BA in English-Communications (minored in Spanish), 3.3 GPA
- Spent six months studying in Barcelona, Spain (Universitat de Barcelona; all classes were taught in Spanish).
- Worked nearly full-time throughout college (except for freshman year and while abroad), and was very active in the outdoor sporting communty.
- Hold a FINRA Series 7 license and an MA Real Estate license.

Professional Experience: Approaching four years of post-undergrad work experience.
- Leasing/Sales Associate at a Boston real estate firm, where I was awarded Top Rental Producer of 2006.
- Client Services Associate for a team of financial advisers managing $500 million in assets at UBS Global Wealth Management.
- Performance Analyst/Senior Associate on a team at State Street that provides alternative investment monitoring, performance reporting, and portfolio consultation to large institutions. I’m currently the sole analyst working on the team’s first sovereign wealth fund client, a position in which I am responsible for all aspects of the monitoring and reporting processes on the client’s private equity real estate and infrastructure portfolios (roughly $5 billion in assets).
* I have tried to focus my career on investments, with the goal of one day obtaining a position within an alternative investment fund (hopefully post-MBA).

Other Considerations:
- Competed in the 1998 JCCA Jr. National Rock Climbing Championship.
- Award-winning travel photographer, including a Grand Prize from National Geographic.
- Have traveled extensively throughout Central America, East and West Europe, as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
- Have limited volunteering experience in the Boston area.

I am studying for the GMAT now, and am looking to expand my volunteering experience and somehow try to gain more leadership experience this summer (outdoor leadership program?). May take a statistics and accounting class this summer (didn't take in undergrad; boost GPA?). I am aiming to send out applications for round 1 in Oct/Nov (hopefully to some top 25 schools).

So I’m tying to gauge what my chances are for getting into a top 25 school, and also what steps I can take to strengthen my application. Any input would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you

A few thoughts: Your work experience looks good and shows excellent progression of responsibility. Your extracurricular activities are also strong. Certainly an Outdoor Leadership Training activity, especially if you are in a leadership role, can only help, but you may be able to able to show leadership or teamwork with rock climbing or a photography club too.

I think taking accounting and stats is an excellent idea. Your GPA is a tad low for the top schools, but more importantly you don't have a lot of quant grades, although you have passed the Series 7 and clearly have been doing quant work.

A lot will depend on your GMAT. Have you taken any practice tests? How have you been doing?

Best,
Linda

[bwlawrence]

Linda, thank you for your reply. In regards to the GMAT, I haven't really taken any serious practice tests yet, although I am in the final weeks of a Veritas prep class. I have been studying hard, and have a pretty good idea of where I need to focus my studying in the 2 weeks between the last day of class and the exam. I realize that my score on this exam will be critical, and will continue to dedicate whatever resources are needed to achieve at least a 650, hopefully more like 700. I've heard that taking the GMAT 2 or 3 times doesn't hurt ones application. Is this true?

In terms of the accounting and stats classes that I'm thinking about taking this summer, would it be more beneficial to shell out the extra cash to take those at Harvard, as opposed to taking them at a state school or community college?

Let's say I hit my minimum score of 650 on the GMAT, take the 2 classes, join the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) and enroll in their Outdoor Leadership program, get my LORs and apply 1st round. Do you think I will stand a chance of getting into a top 25 program? UCLA or Berkeley?

Thanks again. Your insight is much appreciated!

[Linda Abraham]

Linda, thank you for your reply. In regards to the GMAT, I haven't really taken any serious practice tests yet, although I am in the final weeks of a Veritas prep class. I have been studying hard, and have a pretty good idea of where I need to focus my studying in the 2 weeks between the last day of class and the exam. I realize that my score on this exam will be critical, and will continue to dedicate whatever resources are needed to achieve at least a 650, hopefully more like 700. I've heard that taking the GMAT 2 or 3 times doesn't hurt ones application. Is this true?

In terms of the accounting and stats classes that I'm thinking about taking this summer, would it be more beneficial to shell out the extra cash to take those at Harvard, as opposed to taking them at a state school or community college?

Let's say I hit my minimum score of 650 on the GMAT, take the 2 classes, join the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) and enroll in their Outdoor Leadership program, get my LORs and apply 1st round. Do you think I will stand a chance of getting into a top 25 program? UCLA or Berkeley?

Thanks again. Your insight is much appreciated!

Taking the GMAT 2 or 3 times doesn't hurt you, and the schools take the highest score generally.

If you hit the 650 and take the other steps, you would be competitive in the lower half of the top 25. UCLA and Berkeley would be stretch schools. The closer you get to 700 (or if you go over) the more competitive you would become higher in the rankings, including at programs like UCLA and Haas.

Best,
Linda