PLEASE EVALUATE THANKS!

[mbawonder]

I was curious to hear my chances at getting into a Top-MBA program.

My stats are as follows:
GMAT-700 (Q42/66%; V44/97%)
GPA-3.5 ( economics degree form regional school)
3 years work experience Big4 accounting firm.
Also have a masters in accounting 3.6 GPA
CPA license

extracurriculars-Some leadership roles in college
since starting my job I have made it a priority to be involved and have been involved in all projects taken on by employer (community service, mentoring etc.)

Ok well first off, I was curious to hear your opinions on my low Quant. score. I am actually very good in math and just happen to think I was focusing so much on the verbal that I kind of put off brushing up as much as I should have on my math skills. Does the fact I have an economics degree, an accounting degree and a CPA offset any questions about my abilities when it comes to math?

I am confident I can score at least the 85% in math if I studied harder, however I have reservations about retaking the GMAT because I do not think I can replicate my performance on the verbal and thus my score may drop. I have actually heard from some people that my profile would be more useful because being a CPA the questions would most likely be about my verbal skills as opposed to my math skills. Is there any truth to this?

Also, does the fact I have a professional designation help my case at all?

My target schools are top 15 or bust. outside the top 15 i would consider yale, gtown, and tepper.

I would really like to attend NYU, Columbia, or Cornell.These are my real targets, and I would be happy attending any one of these programs. How do you think I stack up at these schools?

How about schools above them such as Chicago, Wharton, MIT, Haas, HBS, Stanford, Tuck? Do I have a legit shot at these schools or is it a pipe dream?

Also, will the fact that I attended a regional undergrad (read:not top-ranked) effect my chances at all?

Besides writing compelling essays and getting involved as much as possible, what else can I do to strengthen my profile?

Thank you in advance.

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear mbawonder,

I do not think your quant score is that low. Granted, it would have been better to be at the 70% or higher, but your current score is not going to cause concern or raise questions of your quantitative ability. Yes, your degree, work experience and CPA help to emphasize your quantitative abilities. In my opinion, you don't need to retake your GMAT. If you do retake it, remember that the only test that counts is your highest total score. So, if you score less than a 700, it will not be used in your evaluation anyway.

There is no truth to someone's verbal score being more important than their quant score because the person has a CPA. Likewise, a professional designation is not going to push your application to an admission on its own, but does further emphasize your quantitative acumen.

Since I do not have your completed applications, I cannot comment on how you will stack up for the schools you mention. I do think you have a good foundation to build a strong, competitive application at any top MBA program. The difference between being admitted and rejected will depend on how well you package your applications for your target schools.

Best of luck,
Lisa

[mbawonder]

Lisa,

Thanks for the input. i guess what I should have said was from the information I have provided how I stack up? (work experience, gpa, gmat etc.) are those up to par? if they are what else should i be working on to get into the aforementioned schools?
Thanks

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear mbawonder,

As I stated at the end of my previous post, you have the foundation for a competitive application. You have a competitive GPA, GMAT, work experience--but those things alone will not gain you admission. You need to present a compelling, strong application package to receive admission to any of those schools. Your essays, interview, and recommendations will have just as much, potentially more, impact on the admissions committees.

Best of luck,
Lisa