Need Advice

Question

I'm desperately in need of advice. My GMAT score is 690 (91st Percentile) with Q48 (86th Percentile) and V36 (81st Percentile). I have three and a half years of experience in teaching finance in one of the leading universities of my country. I have consistently received high evaluations from my students. Moreoever, I have been directly involved in the stock market as a member of the stock exchange. My research work is limited to my masters thesis on mutual fund performance. However, I have worked as research assistant to two eminent economists in the country, and hopeful that I'll good letters of recommendations from them.

Would it be possible for me to leverage my teaching, industry experience, and RA job to get admission in a top B-School?
I am especially interested to know how the admission committee would evaluate my teaching performance.

Thanking you all in advance.

tkkoh · Answer

Teaching experience, sadly, is not the main thing that top school's ad comm look at. They are interested in getting in people with outstanding good research potential. Hence your research experience and LORs are more important. 

Having said that, you can use your teaching experience to emphasize your desire for an academic career and communication skills. Also, some schools - such as NYU - ask your evaluators to assess whether you are able to teach an MBA class. So your teaching experience will come in useful to assure them of your teaching capabilities. Talk about it in your SOP. But focus on your research experience first.

My 2 cents worth.

Squekyclean · Answer

Thanks a lot for the reply and the tips. Hope to incorporate your ideas in the application process.

robbie1981 · Answer

I think your working experience in university will be useful to boost your chances to be admitted in an inderect way. In fact, you would certainly know many professors who can write extremely strong letters of reccomendation, undercoring both your research and communication skill.

In sum, IMHO, you have good chances if you pay particular attention to your "competitive advantage", that's to say your LORs. 

Good luck!

Squekyclean · Answer

thanks robbie1981. it looks like LOR is going to be my trump card. hope i can manage good ones.

Need Advice

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards