Please help me focus my search

[srfish3]

First off, thank you in advance for your time and advice.

1) Brief description of your full-time work experience.

I have 5 years of work experience with a Big4 Public Accounting Firm in an IT Consulting role(major ERP implementations, Financial, operational and system audits for public companies, etc.) Recently, I've been working in a Business Development capacity for a boutique CFO services firm (6 months).

2) Your GMAT.

700

3) College info

Lehigh University, BS in Information Systems in 2004. GPA = 2.99
I started out in the Engineering program (low GPA freshman and sophmore year, then 3.3 GPA in business classes)

4) Significant college and post-college extra-curricular activities or community service, especially leadership experience.

I played soccer at Lehigh (Division 1) and played professionally for 6 years after college (while working part time w/ big4)

5) Important certifications

CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)

6) Your target programs.
7) Your post-MBA goal.


#6-7 are question marks for me at this point as I'm just beginning my search and I do not have a definable post-mba goal at this point. (I understand that this would weaken my profile, so I'm working on that).

I'd like to request some guidance as far as what 'tier' of school I should be focusing my efforts, and ultimately, applications. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to strengthen my candidacy (specifically the low undergrad GPA) or increase my chances for aid/scholarships. Also, my wife and I currently reside in Chicago, so booth and kellogg would obviously be great options (if my profile is strong enough) but I would like to cast the net as wide as possible.

Tuition costs are also going to be an issue. Can you offer any advice on how to research programs that offer scholarship potentialo or graduate assistant positions, etc?

I would appreciate any feedback as to how to better focus my efforts going forward.

Thanks again for your time.
SF

[Cindy Tokumitsu]

Hello,

The first thing you should consider is goals - without compelling goals, you will not be a viable applicant for MBA programs, especially more competitive ones. In fact, if you don't know what your goals are, you might consider waiting to apply until you do, because the program is so geared around your goals. For many programs, summer internship recruiters are on campus the fall that you start - and without knowing your goals, how would you know where to seek an internship? How will you know how to decide on electives? How will you know which professional clubs to join?

That said, I'd consider Kellogg and Chicago to be reaches - perhaps reasonable reaches. Your GPA is an issue, but your pro soccer playing is a differentiator, if you can weave it in with interesting and relevant anecdotes.

To address the low GPA, two things you could do are (a) improve the GMAT and (b) take a relevant course or two and earn an A.

One way to be eligible for funding is to apply to programs that are on-pars or safeties. You are more likely to receive funding offers from programs that really want to attract you. I don't have further advice on how to research this aspect.


Best regards,
Cindy Tokumitsu
Senior Editor, www.Accepted.com