|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
wildlyexplicit
Joined: 04 Dec 2020
Last visit: 14 Nov 2022
Posts: 2
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States
Schools: Stanford '25
GMAT 1: 680 Q44 V39
GPA: 3.7
19 Mar 2021, 15:26
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi there! Looking to get some feedback on a few aspects of my application and hopefully get some guidance on how to best approach the rest of the year before I start dropping applications.
About Me:
Work:
- Former enlisted Veteran, 5 years in military intelligence conducting operations supporting Special Forces in Africa
- Will have three years of conducting machine learning applications research at a top research lab at time of application
Academics/Scores:
- Current third year undergraduate at Stanford University, also simultaneously pursuing a MS in Computer Science
- Graduate with Honors from the Defense Language Institute Arabic program
- 700 GMAT Q44/V41
- 3.7 GPA
Extras:
- Heavily involved in the Veteran/non-traditional student community (leadership positions, volunteering, advocacy, etc.)
- Host free weekly mentoring for Stanford transfer applicants
- Help facilitate/coordinate research opportunities for Veterans on campus
- Course Assistant for nationally recognized National Security Innovation class
Can provide more details if needed, but this is kind of the high level overview of what I'm working with.
Target Schools:
- Stanford GSB <-- top school choice, looking to apply to the dual MS/MBA program
- HBS
- Sloan
B School Motivation:
- Really like the idea of blending the unique leadership you get as an enlisted leader with the technical proficiency of an advanced STEM degree and the formal rigor of a top MBA program
- Really interested in the entrepreneurship space, like many others here, and feel like continuing to deepen the relationships I've built out here can help me have an outsized impact on helping keep active-duty folks safe, as well as provide opportunities for transitioning Veterans
- Want to help other enlisted Veterans qualify their experiences, as well. You rarely see former enlisted guys in advanced degree programs, much less at top schools. Want to show that it's possible and help spread the gospel of what we bring to the table that can really help contribute to other kinds of leadership you get at a B school
Concerns:
- My GMAT score. I've dumped a lot of time into the GMAT. My official practice test scores were in the 730-750 range, and I'm really disappointed that I didn't deliver on test day. GMAT prep is taking away my ability to contribute/dedicate time to the other things in my application that, I feel, actually make me a compelling applicant
- Unbalanced work history -- 5 years before I came to undergraduate, three years of work while in school -- plan on applying for MBA programs that start immediately after I finish my Masters in CS
I'm not completely unwilling to retake the GMAT, but I really do feel like my time is better spent elsewhere -- I understand that it can really qualify your ability to keep up with the academic rigor of a quant-heavy MBA program, but I am hoping that other things in my background might help address that more indirectly. That being said, I would really appreciate any thoughts or input!
About Me:
Work:
- Former enlisted Veteran, 5 years in military intelligence conducting operations supporting Special Forces in Africa
- Will have three years of conducting machine learning applications research at a top research lab at time of application
Academics/Scores:
- Current third year undergraduate at Stanford University, also simultaneously pursuing a MS in Computer Science
- Graduate with Honors from the Defense Language Institute Arabic program
- 700 GMAT Q44/V41
- 3.7 GPA
Extras:
- Heavily involved in the Veteran/non-traditional student community (leadership positions, volunteering, advocacy, etc.)
- Host free weekly mentoring for Stanford transfer applicants
- Help facilitate/coordinate research opportunities for Veterans on campus
- Course Assistant for nationally recognized National Security Innovation class
Can provide more details if needed, but this is kind of the high level overview of what I'm working with.
Target Schools:
- Stanford GSB <-- top school choice, looking to apply to the dual MS/MBA program
- HBS
- Sloan
B School Motivation:
- Really like the idea of blending the unique leadership you get as an enlisted leader with the technical proficiency of an advanced STEM degree and the formal rigor of a top MBA program
- Really interested in the entrepreneurship space, like many others here, and feel like continuing to deepen the relationships I've built out here can help me have an outsized impact on helping keep active-duty folks safe, as well as provide opportunities for transitioning Veterans
- Want to help other enlisted Veterans qualify their experiences, as well. You rarely see former enlisted guys in advanced degree programs, much less at top schools. Want to show that it's possible and help spread the gospel of what we bring to the table that can really help contribute to other kinds of leadership you get at a B school
Concerns:
- My GMAT score. I've dumped a lot of time into the GMAT. My official practice test scores were in the 730-750 range, and I'm really disappointed that I didn't deliver on test day. GMAT prep is taking away my ability to contribute/dedicate time to the other things in my application that, I feel, actually make me a compelling applicant
- Unbalanced work history -- 5 years before I came to undergraduate, three years of work while in school -- plan on applying for MBA programs that start immediately after I finish my Masters in CS
I'm not completely unwilling to retake the GMAT, but I really do feel like my time is better spent elsewhere -- I understand that it can really qualify your ability to keep up with the academic rigor of a quant-heavy MBA program, but I am hoping that other things in my background might help address that more indirectly. That being said, I would really appreciate any thoughts or input!
22 Mar 2021, 10:57
Kudos
Bookmarks
wildlyexplicit
Hi wildlyexplicit - thank you for reaching out, and thank you especially for your service! I'm happy to provide my thoughts - and for what it's worth, I'm a Stanford GSB alum and longtime entrepreneur.
My first reaction is that I really like your profile - you have a strong sense of purpose, and strong and differentiated experience that I think will help you stand out among a large pool of well qualified candidates. A higher GMAT score would of course help you, but I think your GPA from Stanford and masters work may help convince these schools that you have the academic rigor it takes. How are your grades in the current masters program? Have you considered trying the GRE or Executive Assessment to see if somehow you do better on one of those? Although they test similar things, for some reason it seems people sometimes are able to do better on one than the others, based on the test nuances. Maybe try a practice GRE to see if you do better.
When do you graduate from your masters program? It will be important for you to explain in your essays how your degrees all fit together and are all required to take you where you want to head, especially with your joint degree application at Stanford.
In terms of your work history, it is unusual but not unheard of to have had your work experience before your undergrad. Are you able to demonstrate leadership and specific accomplishments? Would you even consider a deferred program if these schools want to see more work experience before you begin?
I'm realizing I've had a lot of follow-up questions for you - so it may be easiest to talk directly and dive deeper via one of our free 30 minute consultations. If you are interested, you can sign up here. In any case, I hope this was helpful, and wish you the best of luck on this exciting journey!
