Manager
Joined: 20 May 2012
Posts: 82
Detail: MBA admissions help
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Strategy
Schools: Northwestern (Kellogg) - Class of 2000
GPA: 3.9
Re: Profile Evaluation - Chances of top 10?
[#permalink]
05 Jun 2012, 05:58
hi there futurebostonMBA,
In my judgment, your chances into a top 10 are reasonable. bear in mind, however, i feel there is a lot of variance even among the top 10 with HBS, S and W being a fair degree harder to get into than the bottom of the top 10.
Your GPA and GMAT are ok. the GMAT feels a little low, but i don't know what kind of trajectory you were on (first year grades vs. final year grades), and I don't know the V / Q mix of your GMAT. But presuming those things are OK, your GPA is not bad. It'll be tough at HBS or S, but you might be on the border at a place like Columbia or Chicago.
Your biggest challenge is that you're very typical of the type of person who applies. This is both good and bad. good, in that you present very little career risk. Your career goals are at the right altitude and with a CPA and MBA, there's no doubt you'd get hired into fin svcs no problem (unless you lack basic comm skills, which doesn't appeaer to be the case). your intellect demonstrates you'd prbly be able to handle the courseload.
the challenge, however, is separating yourself from the hundreds of other CPAs who want to move more into general mgmt via an MBA. what sets you apart? it won't be your grades, so is it your team skills? leadership potential? ambition? very often, the adcom will fill slots with these candds, but they'll choose the best of the bunch. same background / credentials as you, but with better numbers and better undergrads.
like i said...you're a realistic shot into a top 10. a place like columbia or HBS you're on the border to low side. and be sure to address your real challenge, which is to find a way to differentiate yourself from your counterparts.
hope this helps,
-james young