JonAdmissionado wrote:
Roosterbooster wrote:
edit: I'll send you a PM instead.
Or maybe post here?
So all can share?
No problem. I'll edit the Identifiers and repost.
Application target date is fall 2015 with entry in fall 2016.
Target Schools:
Wharton, HBS, and Stanford are probably everyones top choices, but I want to get your feedback on realistic choices.
I scored a 720 on my diagnostic GMAT a few days ago. Given the content and the amount of lead time until the real thing, I think a 750+ is certainly realistic.
I will sit for the GMAT in the summer of 2015. This is a soft date that will change if I PT in the 780-800 range after working through the
OG and
MGMAT study materials.
A quick background:
Air Force Finance officer.
I graduated number 1 from my tech school. Basic Financial Managers Officer Course (BFMOC) Distingushed Graduate 1/14
Masters in International Relations from a small LAC. 3.9x GPA
BS in Economics from a state school. 3.1x.
Rough home life etc. I would prefer to avoid talking about this, but if its necessary I will address it. It is what it is.
The story covers the spectrum of domestic issues.
Selected for scholarship when I put in to compete during my third year of college. Couldn't afford to go otherwise and that would have been my last semester. 1 of 2 out of 74 chosen to receive full ride.
I speak 3 dialects of Persian. Study abroad to a central Asian country.
Spent some time in another Eurasian country as well.
I was the winner of:
2 Regional level music contests
Placed in 4th in a low tier national contest
Placed 4th in the big show as well.
I started a music teaching business which is currently going strong.
The cliff notes:
2Lt:
Budget Analyst and then acting comptroller (Upon Comptroller retirement) GS-12 position as a 2Lt
Distribution and execution formulation of $1xx mil Budget for all mission partners
Contracted support agreements with 1x partner nations ($1xx mil)
Executed finanical compliance inspection across 7-10 bases, and scores of tenants and Geographically separated units (Highest rating)
Conducted Commander Directed Investigation
Managed Civialian Pay for 3xx Civilian employees ($2x mil) (Found $3xx k in misused funds)
Conducted all Executive Finance Meetings (0-6+ principals)
1Lt:
Moved into Accounting Office at higher HQ
Oversight and certification of $5.x bn across Air Base Wing and all subsequent tenants
Currently implementing new primary accounting system across ABW. Huge task and the primary reason for the move.
Interal Control/Compliance director
Supervisory roles to 1x military and 1x Civ employees
Odds and Ends
I will put on Captain in the summer of 2016 prior to leaving active service. This means I will move one more time at some point.
I am currently teaching myself how to program with Python and R and am also teaching myself high level math.
I want to use the next 10 months to position myself for the best program that I can possibly get into.
In your experience, is H/S/W possible assuming the diagnostic from GMAC is a reliable indicator of future GMAT performance?
I plan to use a consultant for the application package prep as I get into next year sometime.
Well let me start off by saying two things. Firs of all that things look pretty good. I mean finance work, Captain in the Air Force, scholarship... That's a very very solid start.
The second thing is that for H/S/W it's more than GMAT. The GMAT is more of a "minimum requirement" and THEN your profile has to be unique and interesting (as well as concretely promising), and then your passion and ideas and vision have got to be in the application.
I hear more and more and more from the Adcoms that they are seeing sooo many applicants with amazing GMATs, and although it is for sure helpful, esp. in general to make your profile interesting for Top 10 schools, it's not yet enough. Also, with a less than 3.5 in your UG it will make things tougher (though not impossible) for H/S/W, as they do tend to get enough "perfect" candidates... buuuut, like I wrote, your base profile seems very good, and they do like military experience (Esp. if there's lots of leadership involved).
And I need more info from you - I don't know your age, gender, or nationality... I don't know WHICH schools you graduated from nor what your education timeline really looks like. I also have no clear view on your extra curricular activities, your volunteer work, your leadership experience or teamwork experience, all of which are very very important.