Quick Profile Evaluation

[jnthai]

Hello,

I was hoping you could help evaluate my chances at my target schools. Any feedback/advice is much appreciated!

GMAT: 710 (48Q/39V)
GPA: 3.91 from top 10 public university
Work Experience: 3 years in financial and economic consulting related to issues in commercial litigation. Specifically, my firm specializes in valuing intellectual property and works with a lot of high tech companies involved in patent infringement disputes.
Extracurriculars: Involved in undergrad business organization and student start-up. Post-grad: Mainly playing in multiple recreational basketball leagues and served as team captain.
Goal: Transition into an internal corporate finance role in the technology sector.
Age/Ethnicity: 25 year-old Asian American
Target schools: Columbia, NYU, UCLA

Again, any advice or feedback is welcome! Thank you so much in advance!

-Jason

[Eliot]

Hello Jason,

Thank you for your post!

It looks like you could be a competitive candidate although there are a few things you will want to keep in mind while building your applications.

First, consultants are generally perceived as being smart and hard-working, with strong communication and teamwork skills. They are also often credited as having a firm grasp of the big picture. That said, it will be important to quantify your successes to bolster this impression. The battles over intellectual property are relatively new and may not be readily accessible to the adcoms, so you'll want to be wary of industry jargon and stay focused on conveying your impact and accomplishments in terms anyone could understand. That said, you have potential to add an unusual perspective to classroom discussions. On the other hand, many consultants applying to business school lack direct management experience, and some do not have the strong quantitative skills that applicants from other industries possess. In order to counter this perception, you will need to highlight your management experience and quantitative acumen.

It looks like you have a feasible idea for your career goals; however, the more details you can develop, the better. Consider what firms you would target and why, as well as the impact that you hope to have. Being clear about your goals will help differentiate you in the admissions process as well as help you pinpoint why you need an MBA.

Your extracurricular activities seem fair-the adcom will like to see your social nature come through in the various rec leagues. Being a team captain also has potential to showcase your leadership; this aspect of your candidacy will likely be best presented in the application to NYU Stern, given their Personal Expression essay. You may want to try to join a community-oriented activity if possible, to show how you could give back to your community and, thereby, contribute as a b-school student.

Overall, be sure to emphasize your leadership and management experience, as well as assure the adcom of your quantitative skills. If you'd like to discuss your candidacy or school choices further, please contact us directly at https://www.clearadmit.com/services/free-consultation/.

[jnthai]

Thanks so much for your feedback!