Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2014
Posts: 162
Location: United States (PA)
Concentration: General Management, Finance
GMAT 1: 730 Q48 V41
GPA: 3.93
WE:Corporate Finance (Energy and Utilities)
Please evaluate my profile-CFA L3 Candidate w/3.93 GPA
[#permalink]
01 May 2014, 07:30
1) Work experience: I'm a business valuation analyst - I value private companies in the gift and estate tax filing context and, on occasion, for sales and mergers. I write detailed narrative reports describing methodology. I expect a promotion sometime this summer to Senior Analyst. I've developed several models in Excel that have improved the efficiency of our valuation process through the use of macros. These models are used daily now throughout the company.
2) GMAT: Took it cold as an undergrad and got a 640. Will retake again in the summer after my Level 3 CFA exam and target 700+.
3) College info: Top 20 regional university in the northeast US, GPA: 3.93, Major: Finance, Graduated: 2010.
4) Significant college and post-college extra-curricular activities or community service: I participate in various adult soccer leagues, take recovery meetings into hospitals and institutions aimed at those suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, regularly run in 5k, 10k, half marathons, and "challenge-type" races, and also assist my fiancee in selling girl scout cookies for her troop. I was on the executive board of my fraternity in college for two years.
5) Professional education: I am a CFA Level 3 candidate and will be sitting for the exam this June - finished Levels 1 and 2 in the first attempt.
6) Target schools: the best full-time programs I can realistically (or maybe optimistically) hope for. I would love to apply to the likes of Stern, Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Johnson, or Booth.
7) When I'll be applying: R2 2014/2015 (this fall/winter).
8) Post-MBA goal: I'm interested in consulting or investment management in the greater NYC area.
Additional Information: I finished undergrad at 24 after transferring and taking a two year hiatus. I'm sure this gap will be questioned and I'm curious what your thoughts are on how much I should disclose and if the true story would help or hinder my chances. I suffered from chronic alcoholism and drug addiction and was arrested on more than a few occasions for various offenses (my record is completely clean now). During my lowest point, I was homeless living out of a trash bag 2,000 miles from home on death's doorstep with no real hope or plans for my future. I've since recovered and been sober for six years and regularly participate in recovery programs outside of work. I speak frequently at meetings, bring meetings/discussions into rehabs and detox centers, and try to remain as active as possible in the program. These activities take up a lot of my time outside of work and make it difficult to participate in other networking and professional organizations that would impress on a resume - but they're necessary for my recovery. I include this more because I'm curious as to whether or not I should include it - will the two year gap (6 years to graduate) be questioned or even noticed?
Thanks!