chengliu wrote:
Hey Paul, could you provide me with an rough evaluation?
Im 25
Graduated undergrad from SUNY Binghamton University w/ BS in Financial Economics. Low GPA of only 2.9 due to freshman year GPA.
completed my MS in accounting from CUNY Baruch college w/ GPA of 3.39
Aiming for at least a 710 GMAT score, participate in community events such as soup kitchen & big brother program.
Currently working in an Investment Bank as a financial controller
Im looking to apply to Columbia early decision, with the hopes of either running my family business after graduation or making a move into front office Banking.
Also thinking about NYU , Chicago.... any suggestions? thanks again.
Chengliu,
Going with early decision at Columbia would be a good idea if that's your number one choice. As you probably know, Columbia is the second-toughest school to get into after Stanford (only a 15% admit rate), so it's a tough nut to crack, but it doesn't hurt to try.
I don't think the GPA will hurt you too much if you get a 710 GMAT and explain the freshman year grades somewhere. Your odds at NYU and Chicago definitely look better. Given your goals, you might also want to consider UCLA, CMU, and Yale (among others).
Good luck!