Please evaluate: GMAT 690, consulting

[plkv]

Hi all,

My name is Alex. I am 27, white male from Eastern European country.

GMAT 690 (q50,v33, IR 8, AWA 5)
work exp: 3 years as an actuary at PWC, 2 years as consultant at A.T. Kearney in Eastern Europe.
GPA 3.6 (out of 4) from top 3 university in my country, majoring in applied math
Goal: short-term - Big 3 management consulting firm (financial services practice), mid-term - establish own strategic actuarial consulting company in my country (focus on insurance)
Black belt in Karate

I am applying to Booth, LBS, Stern, UCLA, Darden. What are my chances at these schools?

Thank you!

[MargaretStrother]

I don't have enough information to assess fit, particularly in areas like leadership, international exposure, campus visits or community engagement, plus I can't tell if you are applying now or considering applying in the fall, so I can't give you an overall "chances" guesstimate yet. However, your GMAT is below the median for these schools, so you have to assume there is a stretch component affecting your chances at the moment.

Top MBA programs assess applicants holistically -- your GMAT is one factor, but all of these other differentiating factors are vital as well. I don't have enough information to go on in your case, but speaking generally, if you haven't been involved in any community leadership and haven't visited the schools you are applying to, you might want to do that first. Consider applying in Round 1 in the fall, retaking the GMAT to get a more competitive score, and investing heavily in getting to know a small number of schools exceedingly well on a first-hand basis.

Good luck!
Margaret Strother

[plkv]

Hi Margaret,

Thank you for you reply.

Let me add a few things which might help you better evaluate my chances. Eventually, I would be grateful if you could provide an approx. % of my chances to be admitted in ROUND 2 to these schools.

1) I am first in my family to go to university
2) My university background is heavily math-related, a few achievements in math area as well
3) At PWC I received double promotion (rare case)
4) Assume that I have one very good example of leadership experience
5) Worked on one international project at A.T. Kearney
6) Visited campus of Stern (info session), visited a few events of LBS and Booth in my country (did to go to campus in London and Chicago).
7) I have already applied with my current GMAT score (690)

Thank you in advance!

Regards,
Alex

[MargaretStrother]

Hi Alex,
Thanks for your response. So having applied, you are looking for information to manage your own expectations as you wait for responses? Perfectly understandable -- this waiting period is really, really nerve-wracking.
In any case, it sounds like we'll know soon how effective this package was for the schools on your list. Hopefully you will send us a positive update in a few weeks; if not, at least you will have an idea of some areas you might want to work on as a reapplicant. Do keep us posted on this board, however -- I will be very interested to hear how this season works out for you!

Good luck,
Margaret Strother

[plkv]

Margaret,

Thank you. I will let you know when I will get the feedback from schools.

Regards,
Alex