Profile Evaluation
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26 Jan 2012, 19:47
Hello,
I am planning on applying to some US MBA schools this fall for entry next year. I need some help on setting reasonable/realistic targets. My profile is as follows,
- Will be 26 with 3 years of full time experience before entering school next Fall
Background
- Chinese Canadian, moved to Canada when I was 16, very fluent in both Chinese and English
- Solid understanding of Chinese culture, both parents are successful business people in China
Education
- Finished 2 undergrad degrees from 2 top Canadian universities in 5 years. One in statistics (GPA 3.6), one in finance (GPA 3.7)
- Finished 2 levels of CFA exams, expect to finish the last one before entering grad school
Work Experience
- After graduation started in a trading floor rotation program with a major Canadian bank in Toronto
- Rotated through structured products origination, interest rate derivatives sales, and foreign exchange sales
- Currently working as an Analyst in foreign exchange algorithmic trading, responsible for monitoring a trading portfolio for 10 currency pairs and researching about new trading strategies. There are also many other responsibilities tied to this role.
- Before graduation interned with an equity trading desk for another Canadian Bank and also as an Investment Banking analyst for a third Canadian Bank
Extracurricular
- During school I was a Council Chair for an independent student housing community where we operated 10 building for over 600 students. I was first there as a judicial committe member, then chair and finally council chair for the whole community. Regular duties include organizing council meetings, hire building managers, and approve building budgets and special funding requirements
- After graduation I am volunteering for Future Possibility for Kids where we work with kids from disadvantaged families to achieve community goals
GMAT
- Still studying, hoping to achieve 700+
Career Goal
- I would like to switch back to Investment Banking or make a transition into Investment Management
- Would focus on Emerging Markets opportunities, especially China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong
- Long term want to work in Asia
Could someone please advise which schools I have reasonable chance of getting into and which ones I can try and hope for the best. Some schools that I wish to get into and have clear focus on Finance are Columbia, Chicago, NYU, and Yale. Could someone comment on my chances for these schools and if I should bother spending time on application for Harvard and Stanford.
Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.