prospect...

[maolivie]

Hey Stacy,

I am going to be a senior in college, currently attending Stony Brook University as an economics major. Before SBU I was at NYU, I transferred here because NYU raised tuition last semester. And before NYU, I was at the Naval Academy Prep School, I was on my way going to USNA after high school, but decided not to because I was having second thoughts about serving in the military. I spent one semester at a CC where I had a 3.8 with honors. This semester was simply a transition phase between military school, and civilian school.

A little bit about me:
While at NYU I scored a job at UBS International in the wealth management department. I have been working here for about a year and a half, and by the time fall 2008 comes around it will be close to 3 years. I work MWF 9 - 5. I also work at my uncles restaurant Mondays after work from 5 - 10:30, and Saturday nights from 5 - 11:30. On top of this, I have been taking 15 credits a semester (16 at NYU) on Tuesdays and Thursdays...basically I have absolutely no time, but I need to work for experience and money for tuition. To take this a step further, I also created my own business online, it is an investing website for investor education where I wrote an e-book on trading signals that I sell (accuinvestor.com).
Right now my GPA is somewhere between a 3.0 and a 3.2, it varies because of transferring, and I'm not sure exactly what I will get this semester. My GPA at SBU is around a 3.0 so far because by the time I transferred here, I was only taking upper division credits, thus making life difficult especially on top of work.
I am planning on taking the GMAT in August and have been studying incessantly in hopes of getting a 680+. My ultimate goal is to get back into either NYU Stern, or Columbia.
I would like to pursue a career in trading or finance. I am very good at this and I hope my website/business will help standout before the admission counsel so that they can witness my knowledge and devotion/ambition to this field.
I can get 2 letters of recommendation from the executive director of the compliance department for UBS headquarters, and the other from a former 5 billion dollar mutual fund portfolio manager.

What are my chances, and what can I improve upon?

Thanks,
Mark

[maolivie]

anyone? do you need more information about me?
extracurriculars - lacrosse recruit at naval academy. I help out at the church and i'm flying down to New Orleans this summer to help the Katrina effort. I was my platoon commander at USNAprep.

[Stacy Blackman]

You sound like a great candidate and I am sure you will do well. Stay focused - quality is more important than quantity. Just keep doing what you are doing and make sure you do it well!

[maolivie]

thank you stacy

[maolivie]

Just out of curiosity, do schools consider the cumulative undergrad GPA, or the most recent semesters? My cumulative GPA is around a 3.3, but my last couple of semesters - since working full time on top of school - have been in the low 3.0's and high 2's.
I can see this being detrimental to my application, however, I am 21 with my own business that shows my desire for what I want to study, and I have been working part time at a top firm for the past 2 years, on top of another part time job, and finally on top of school. I am hoping to get mid to high 600's on the Gmat, and my ultimate goal is to go to stern.
Is there anything else you can advise of me besides focusing on the gmat?

Thank you soooo much!
Mark

[Stacy Blackman]

Cumulative is the GPA number but they will look at the entire transcript. If there is a reason behind a dip in your grades, they will certainly be open to an explanation.

[maolivie]

a month left in my preparation, and I am hitting a 640 - 670 on my practice CATS. Are these acceptable scores for NYU or Columbia based upon my credentials?


Thanks you!

[Stacy Blackman]

This range is below average for your target schools, but you have a lot of other things going for you. I would hope that your other assets would outweigh the score. It's definitely not horrible, and it's only one of many things that are considered.