Hey Alex, I need your opinion!
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16 May 2010, 16:13
Hey Alex, Lee here. It’s been a while since I posted on the forum – it’s good to be back. I took the GMAT in 2008 and I’m ready to apply for B-school next year, in 2011. As I get ready to prepare my application, I want to get your opinions on what programs I realistically have a shot at and how I should present my case. So, don’t be shy, show me some love and leave me a comment or three.
My statics:
GPA: 3.12/4.00
GMAT: 720 (quant and verbal both in the 40s, 1st attempt)
My background:
I was born in Shanghai and lived in the US since I was 11. After graduating from Virginia Tech with a BS in Consumer Studies in 2006, I worked as a researcher at research firm iSuppli for the past three years. I’m currently 25 years old, and through some growing pains, found that I would like to focus on entrepreneurship for my MBA.
At Virginia Tech, I joined the Corps of Cadets for a year. During that year, I lived in cadet dorms, woke up at 6am every day for physical training and morning formation, marched to football games, ran a bunch of miles, and crewed in the mud on Saturday nights. It was great training for someone who had little discipline throughout high school.
I left the Corps my sophomore year and joined a bunch of student organizations. My goal was to lead a student organization to glory (haha, it’s a funny way to say it, but it was exactly how I felt). Virginia Tech is not a very diverse school – over 85% of the student body was white. After I joined the Asian American Student Union, I started the first Asian American Heritage Month celebration. The event was my gem and the university devoted the entire month of May to Asian American culture awareness.
After my one year stunt with student organization, I decided to start my own business in what I really enjoy at the moment– partying. I went around to all the bars and nightclubs in town and pitched the managers the idea of allowing me to promote for their club on certain off nights. I really didn’t know what this party promotion venture would become, but I just wanted it to be great. I did this for a year, hosting sometimes 3 to 4 events a week. It was an exciting time and it paid my bills. Awesome!
After graduating college, I joined iSuppli in Los Angeles doing research and analysis work forecasting company revenues and segmenting market shares. It was really good experience and I had a blast. My recent project is with the European Commission. Waking up at 2am to do conference calls is hell, but knowing that I had a little to do with the shaping of Europe makes it all worthwhile.
I’ve been with iSuppli for 3 years and it’s time to make a move. B-School is my next stop and I want to get into the best school I can. I like Columbia, Chicago, and Northwestern, but I know those are really tough to get into.
Well, this concludes an episode of All About Lee. So my final questions are:
1. What schools should I apply to? Remember, I want to do entrepreneurship.
2. How should I present myself in the essays?
Thanks!!