Hello,
As the title suggest I'm wondering about my chances about getting accepted to Master in Finance programs here in Europe for September 2026 intake without GMAT FE. For some reason I'm complete failing at my mock exams even tho I've done comprehensive study program with mock 2 on monday giving 555 and now mock 3 today 535. Honestly it completely shocked me considering I've been doing the entire TTP-cource and always score between 75-85% correct on their medium/hard questions and when I do GMAT OG book it's more or less the same. Probably I'm sabotaging myself during the mock exams, which is why I'm now starting to consider my options without GMAT FE. My profile is as followed:
Education: Bachelor in Marketing and Sales from Denmark. Not high-ranked university
GPA: 3,4/4
Experience: Two Internships and one entrepreneurial ventureFirst Intership: Omnicom Group / Copenhagen
- 5 month internship in Paid Marketing consultant in Omnicom Group in Copenhagen Office.
- Analysed campaign performance metrics and ROI to optimize ad spend.
- Produced performance reports used in strategic decision-making.
- Worked with companies such as Suzuki and Chanel.
Second Internship: Kinda RED / Berlin- 9 month internship as a Finance and Expansion analyst intern in Berlin.
- Built break-even and payback models for retail locations to evaluate financial viability of new store openings.
- Translated operational and sales data into financial insight used for capital allocation decisions.
- Developed scenario analysys for rent, staffing and inventory cost structures to access profitability under different expansion assumotions.
- Prepared investment memorando and financial data packs to support management decision-making.
Entrepreneurial venture: Noer Invest / Copenhagen- This probably doesn't account for much, since no investments have been made yet, but still included it.
- Founded a real-estate investment company focusing on acquiring and improving residential properties in underserved areas of Denmark
- Built financial models to evaluate acquisition opportunities, including cash-flow projections and ROI.
- Conducted property valuation and sensivity analyses to access profitibality under different financing and market assumptions.
- Held discussions with banks regarding potential financing structures.
- Developed an ESG-orientated investment thesis, allocating a certain % of profits to support local community development.
Letter of Recommendations: One from Management Accounting Professor and one from Kinda Red CEOHonestly this section I think might be an advantage to me as I really developed close relationsship with both these people and basically know what they have written in their references.
Management Accounting Professor:- As far as I understand from my professor he basically says I'm one of the top-students he ever had, highlights my bachelor project specifically mentioning different aspects of it, says how well prepared and active I always were for classes, mentions my real-estate company and how I translated theoretic knowledge into practical knowledge and clearly states that he sees me fit for a career in Investment Banking, which is my goal.
Kinda RED CEO:-In this reference I know that he validate everything I have written under my experience for that internship. Furthermore I know he says I'm the best intern he ever had and also giving his experience with me could see me succeed in an Investment Banking role.
So that is more or less my CV and it's really annoying that GMAT is not going as planned as I myself thought that with a good GMAT I would be strong candidate for multiple of the following programs I want to apply to, so I want to hear how my chances realistically are without GMAT and if I should apply now without GMAT and then state I will take it later to give more time to prep.
Programs I want to apply to:Edhec- International Finance
ESSEC- Master In Finance
ESCP- Master in Finance (Probably for sure can forget about this one)
ESADE- Master in Finance
IE- Master in Finance
Skema- Master in Financial markets and investments
NOVA SBE- Master in International Finance
Vlerick- Master in Financial management