GMAT Score & CFA

[christian_vito]

Hi, my name is Christian. I'm an industrial engineer with a 70% overall score from a prestigious institution in Argentina. I'm also involved in some extracurricular activities such as volunteer experience and the foundation of a NGO. That was just to make a quick review of my background.
The question is: what option would more strengthen my application to HBS/Stanford/Wharton?

1) An over-750 GMAT and CFA Level I passed

OR

2) An around-720 GMAT and CFA Level I and II passed??

In fact, what I'm trying to know is what counts more. A plus of 30/40 points more in GMAT or CFA Level II passed, so I can decide whether to take GMAT now or to continue improving my score and not to sit for CFA Level II.

Thanks!!

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear Christian,

There is not an easy answer as I don't know how the rest of your profile looks or the rest of the HBS/Stanford/Wharton applicant pool. Whether or not there will be significant value in increasing your GMAT from 720 to 750+ is debatable, but it could be valuable depending on how the rest of your application looks. The CFA will demonstrate a certain level of analytical/quantitative proficiency, but it does not replace the GMAT or your academic performance in coursework. The CFA is helpful though if you want to pursue a career in finance, as passing your levels indicates your commitment to actualizing those career goals. Thus you must assess your overall application package and determine what will potentially be more important for you.

Good luck,
Lisa