Chances at Top 20 Schools - 3.3 GPA and 3 years working

Question

I want to start preparing for the GMAT now and give myself about 6 months to study for it. However, I don't think it is worth pursuing an MBA at all if it's not in the top 20 or so schools. I'd like to get an idea of what my chances are to get in. Some basic stats;

Personal: 26 year old white male.
Undergrad: Math major, 3.3 GPA (3.6 in Math) from a respected (not great) public university.
Grad: MS in Statistics, 3.6 GPA from Virginia (I also TAed for a business statistics course).
GMAT: Not taken yet, but from previous standardized tests and with time to prepare I think I could hit 730+ (aiming for 780-800 math and 680-700 verbal). 
Work experience: 3 years in Big Data analytical consulting (mostly statistical modeling, reporting, making presentations, and a little client travel).
Goals: Management consulting at a major firm (i.e. BCG, McKinsey, etc...)

I'm basically considering good programs in the Northeast, so;

Stretch: HBS, Wharton, MIT
Reasonable: Columbia, Yale, NYU, Cornell
Safety: Georgetown

I'm worried that my GPA is a little on the low side, although I hope it helps that I majored and did well in math. Are these b-schools realistic for me?

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hey there - the short answer is (assuming you do well on the GMAT), yes, you're set for a top 20 run. Now, I'd need a lot more information down the road to figure out which programs might be good fits and what your chances are, etc. But your question seems to be, "is going down this path a waste of my time?" and the answer to that is no. You've got the bones you need, it appears, to absolutely play at this table.

Bhavik

Bhavik

jz4analytics · Answer

Thanks for the response, and yes, I am basically asking if it's worth it. It is a huge time commitment and, for me, would be a waste if I didn't get into Georgetown or higher.

I already have an MS so I'd have to justify getting another degree at this point. I find the management consulting world fascinating, but they seem to heavily target top-MBAs.

CriticalSquare · Answer

Consulting is definitely a brand game and yeah, with a strong GMAT, you'd definitely be set for a run north of Georgetown. So now it really just comes down to that one key part that's missing - that test score! Good luck with prep and let us know when you crush it!

Bhavik

Bhavik

jz4analytics · Answer

Thanks. I just took my first full practice test. It was the free one from VeritasPrep. Since I haven't really studied for the GMAT yet, I'd consider this my "baseline." The score was;

Overall - 690
Quant - 46, 71%
Verbal - 39, 88%

One thing I noticed is that I had too little time on the quant section, and too much time on the verbal. I finished the verbal with 15 minutes left, but had to guess on the last few quant questions. This was similar to my experience on the GRE, which I took a few years ago. I scored a 740 on the math section, but didn't finish the last few questions. I definitely have to pace my self better on the math.

I've decided to go ahead and do Magoosh's six month study plan. Does anyone have experience with Magoosh? Is the program good? Or should I pick a different plan? Since I'm not applying until next year, I have until the summer to study for the GMAT.

Chances at Top 20 Schools - 3.3 GPA and 3 years working

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