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Hi Lisa,

Just wondering if you can give me some feedback on my profile.

I just scored 660/5 in the GMAT and I was wondering if retaking the exam is necessary for my target schools.

Target schools: Rotman (first choice), Ivey, Queen's, York

Undergrad: Canadian university, finance, GPA 3.5/last yr 3.8
work experience: 1 yr accountant in a top 5 utilities company, 2 yrs analyst in the banking industry.
currently enrolled in the CMA program, will obtain the designation before starting my MBA.
have completed CFA level 3 exam

Thanks in advance for your time

This thread is really good. Lisa, thanks for all your inputs. I am in a similar position with a very poor GPA and a high GMAT.
I have a 2.86 GPA from a top 10 engineering school in the US. I failed classes during my undergrad (junior year and senior year) and I took 5 years to complete my degree.
I have 7-8 yrs of work exp and I have a GMAT score of 740.

I am not sure what schools I should aim for. I would like to aim for the best that I can get into . Any suggestions please?

I was the topper in my final year in my batch comprising of 150 students. But my score is in terms of percentage and my college evaluates the GPA in terms of

(Marks obtained by the student) x (Grading Point ex. 10, 5 or 4 point scale)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Highest marks obtained by the topper)


Does this mean that I have a GPA score of 4.0. Do i need to mention in my transcripts that i stood first in my college.

Also since Marks obtained in the final year (B.E.) is shown in the degree certificate.Do i need to mention only my final semester marks.

Please suggest.

Hi Lisa,

Thanks a lot for your reply. Can you please let me know where I can find the notes on school selection that you mentioned.
I am aiming for Kelley - IU. Is this a decent shot for me?

Regards,
Diane

Hi Lisa,

I have a BA in Bus Econ from UCSB and a 3.6 GPA (graduated with honors). I graduated in 2008 and want to apply at then end of this year for the class of 2013. I am going to take the GMAT this year. I have been an Executive Recruiter for the past 3 years and have performed very well, especially with my current company.

I feel that my only lacking area would be extracurricular/non-work related. Given my profile, do you feel that I can compete for a top 5 business school? I have a keen interest in Stanford since I currently recruit for several start-ups and would love to join the Venture Capital world.

Any recommendations for ways to improve my application between now and when I apply?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Lisa Anderson wrote:

recruitergmat wrote:Hi Lisa,

I have a BA in Bus Econ from UCSB and a 3.6 GPA (graduated with honors). I graduated in 2008 and want to apply at then end of this year for the class of 2013. I am going to take the GMAT this year. I have been an Executive Recruiter for the past 3 years and have performed very well, especially with my current company.

I feel that my only lacking area would be extracurricular/non-work related. Given my profile, do you feel that I can compete for a top 5 business school? I have a keen interest in Stanford since I currently recruit for several start-ups and would love to join the Venture Capital world.

Any recommendations for ways to improve my application between now and when I apply?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Dear recruitergmat,

Aside from score in the 700s on your GMAT, I encourage you to find at least one community activity you can be significantly involved in ASAP. That way, you can show you have been active for over 6 months by the time you submit your applications. I also encourage you to pursue opportunities to gain leadership experience, both formal and informal, at the office. You want to have examples of leading teams and projects for your essays and interviews.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Thank you very much for your prompt reply and excellent advice. I am aspiring to create a nutritional education program for high school students.

If I follow your advice do you believe that I can target a top 5 school? What are your thoughts on my background as an Executive Recruiter?

I want to get a sense of what schools I can apply to.

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Daniel

Hi Lisa,

I really appreciate your feedback. I agree with you that my GMAT score is just one contributing factor to my entire application. My AWA score was out few days ago and it is 4.5. Together with a total score of 660, i was wondering if that would make a difference? Should I consider retaking the exam now? I know I might be a little picky and obsessed with the whole "retaking the exam thing". I just thought it might be a little easier to prepare if I rewrite the exam soon after the first trial only if rewriting it is necessary.

Thanks.

Lisa Anderson wrote:Dear keepmeposted,

You have the competitive building blocks, but it is how you put them together that will determine your decisions. Your essays, interview, recommendations and resume are critical components, so use them to your advantage in making a case for admission. With a strong, compelling application package, you should give yourself a good chance at those 4 schools.

Best,
Lisa

Hi Lisa!

Thanks for having this thread. I really appreciated reading your advice. I was wondering if you could give me advice because my background is a little different.

School
I will have my BS in Construction Management from a state university by June 2012. My current gpa is 3.06 because of some hardships and working two jobs at times. I hope to strengthing my gpa this winter and spring quarters.

Extracurriculars/Others
I used to be in student government at my community college and mentored 15 college students on their service learning projects. This will be my 7th year volunteering for Habit for Humanity (will continue volunteering). I also used to be an overnight supervisor for a youth shelter (co-managing 27 guests and 4 volunteers) for 8 months. I studied abroad in Japan and Brazil. I am currently member of USGBC for green building ratings. I will volunteer for a committee on improving building energy usages at my internship place.

Internships
1) Interned as a concierge for a local shopping center(before getting into my major)
2) Summer intern for a international general contractor (helped team on over 12 $1-3 million projects over the 3 months)
3) Currently part-time interning for a government agency (working on a challenging ~$30 million project that will help reduce Co2 emission and save the organization money)

Goal
To become a real estate developer and work in the real estate industry. I believe that an MBA will help me in my future career.

Future
I hope to get into the 2 years Master of Real Estate Program starting Fall 2012 at my state university (took 5 classes last year and had strong scores) and continue my internship. After that, I hope to work for two years before applying for MBA.I plan to study for my GMAT soon. With hardwork, I hope to get 700+ in the GMAT. My hope is to get into the University of Washington MBA program (same state school) or if I do well, I will apply to Harvard, MIT, Columbia, and UBC (in Canada). I am a female student and was born in another country but am now a US citizen. My experience is a little different and I hope you would be able to advice me on what I can do to strengthing my application when I am ready to apply. Do you also think that I have a chance right after graduating from my master program if I move up in my organziation (intern to a part-time job/full-time position)?

Thanks Lisa!