Help Please (My MBA chances)

[sarman]

Could you please evaluate my profile and let me know my chances of making it into top MBA programs.

Academic and Professional qualification

"¢ CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Completed, 2007- 09-Awaiting Charter. - CFA Institute, USA
"¢ Certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) - GARP, USA
"¢ Master of Business Administration (MBA) - SCMHRD, Pune, India
"¢ Bachelor of Business Administration(BBA), - Manipal Institute of Management, Manipal, India

Work Experience (2.5 years)

Boutique private equity firm in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Senior Financial Analyst (1 month)

Financial Analyst (1.6 years)

"¢ Determines and facilitates investment proposals with analysis of financial statements and historical data, financial modeling, risk and return assessments and practices due diligence in report writing on trends and forecasts; collaborates with project finance, sales and accounts teams.
"¢ Improved monitoring process of changing trends by creating a reporting system to examine impact and discloses quarterly news flow to existing clients.
"¢ Leverages knowledge of investments in various sectors and market developments to update senior directors and obtain increased responsibility and recognition; handles all record-keeping.
"¢ Utilizes dynamic public speaking and presentation skills to communicate complex investment strategies, recommendations and analysis results to clients and executives.
"¢ Ensured success of Real Estate Joint Venture project by leading eight-member team through negotiations on terms and conditions, discussions on financial projections and coordination with offshore analysts.


Subsidiary of standard and poor (Equity research) Chennai, India
Senior Research Analyst, Alcoholic Beverages sector (9 months)

"¢ Offshore Associate for a Credit Suisse Analyst based in London covering alcoholic beverages sector.
"¢ Assist the sector analyst in initiating research reports, writing maintenance research reports, creating new financial models and updating the existing ones during results season and other company events for about 14 companies in the sector.
"¢ Secured superior's confidence with accurate updates on financial models from industry data, weekly news flows and compliance with strict delivery standards.

What are my chances of getting into the top 5 MBA programs in US or Europe especially Harvard or Stanford?
I expect to score at least 700 if not more. My BBA scores are 70% aggregate (India) and MBA is (3.5/5). I am particularly interested in Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, Columbia and Chicago (BSM).

1. Could you please suggest if any of the above mentioned schools discourage candidates with MBA?
2. How difficult is it to convince them if the candidates already have an MBA. My reasons are as follows:
"¢ Networking
"¢ Improve my access to all the jobs (IB, Top consulting, PE and Hedge funds etc) and regions
"¢ My first MBA was right out of college and it is not recognized widely.
3. What do you think about these reasons to do a second MBA?
4. Could you please suggest how I can strengthen my application further?
5. Considering my profile what is the GMAT score you think I should aim for?


Kindly suggest.

Kindly suggest

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hi and thanks for your question.

1. Could you please suggest if any of the above mentioned schools discourage candidates with MBA?

Well...this is hard to answer. But, my strong guess is that if you already have an MBA that would be a very high hurdle to overcome. The idea of doing another MBA, esp. for the reasons below, is not very good...

2. How difficult is it to convince them if the candidates already have an MBA. My reasons are as follows:
• Networking

This will persuade anyone. This is a huge advantage of having an MBA...but a really lousy reason to get a second one. This should not be in your application.

• Improve my access to all the jobs (IB, Top consulting, PE and Hedge funds etc) and regions
• My first MBA was right out of college and it is not recognized widely.

Again...this is not a very good reason to get an MBA. "Access to top jobs" is just not very persuasive.

3. What do you think about these reasons to do a second MBA?

As mentioned above, very weak. The best reasons to get an MBA are to improve technical skills, improve soft skills, transition into a new industry, etc.

4. Could you please suggest how I can strengthen my application further?

See above.

5. Considering my profile what is the GMAT score you think I should aim for?

This is really hard to say. You should try and get the highest score that you can, whatever it is, and then go from there.


I know I'm not being very encouraging but I don't really see how an MBA is a good fit for somebody that already has an MBA and a CFA. Perhaps other feel differently.

[sarman]

Thank you for your frank opinion

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hope it helps. Let me know how your thinking develops!

Paxton