Profile evaluation request

[asiankida]

Hello

I am planning on applying to MBA programs for the 2010 year for the following
- NYU (part time Langone)
- Chicago/Booth
- UT McCombs
- Michigan/Ross

Am wondering if my profile has a chance in being considered for admission for these schools.

Profile:
GMAT score - 670, Verbal 40, Quant 42
Undergrad background - 3.0 from a small state school (The College of NJ) with a Finance major, History minor
I took the Level 3 CFA in June and am waiting for results next month
spent about a year and half in massage school after graduating from undergrad, but returned to work in corporate America.
5 years work experience as of next month, jumped around a couple of times and have been working in a private equity shop for 3.5 years now.

Extra-curricular: not much after undergrad, currently doing a virtual volunteership with an internet non-profit researching foundations for grants. I started with the non-profit a month ago. In college, I was a part of a ballroom dance club and was treasurer for one year.

I understand my GPA is low, but am wondering if I need to take the GMAT again to focus on bringing my quant score up?

in addition, I ended up spending 5 years in undergrad because I took too many classes that did not apply to my major. I also studied abroad in my fourth year in undergrad. Is this something that needs to be disclosed in the essays and interviews? Is this another drag on my prospects for admission?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate any feedback you have to provide to my questions.

J.

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hi, Jennison--

I'm afraid that your chances are probably pretty remote.

Those are really first-tier schools that you are talking about and, while your background is good, I don't think it's quite in that category. The GPA is low, the GMAT is on the low side (though not awful) for those schools, and the work experience though good might raise some red flags (massage school?). No single one of these things is going to derail you but taken all together it raises a pretty large collective red flag, if you know what I mean.

Of the programs that you mention, the part-time is probably going to be your best bet. You can continue working which may ease the way in, especially if you work for a solid and known PE outfit.

The CFA is good and the work experience is good but I don't think it's quite enough to get you into the schools that you're talking about.