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waddledode
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Joined: 02 Feb 2021
Last visit: 07 May 2021
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Chances for URM 2+2 Programs 02 Feb 2021, 11:20
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Hello! I’m a senior black undergrad seeking admission to these 2+2 programs. I’m applying soon, so I’m wondering if I could get some advice/feedback on my profile. Wharton is of particular interest to me because they have a joint MBA/ MA in international relations at the Lauder school.

School: HYP Ivy

GPA: 3.75

313 GRE: 162v, 151q

Major: Political Science/Middle East Studies (Arabic Minor)

Race: Black

Activities/Awards

President of my school’s refugee resettlement program— over 150 person organization that offers ESL tutoring to over 200 refugee children a year in my university’s city. We work with schools to create ESL curriculum and then send tutors with second language skills to tutor using the curriculum. We also do things like cultural festivals to make families feel at home

Israel-Palestinian Conflict Fellow— went on and help organize an annual joint trip to Israel and the West Bank between West Point cadets and Ivy League students. We met diplomats political leaders, religious leaders, and industry leaders to gain a more nuanced perspective of the Conflict

Critical Language Scholarship— full scholarship from US dept of state to study arabic in Jordan for 4 months

National Security Language Initiative: Full scholarship to study Arabic in Morocco for 3 months

Work Experience

Goldman Sachs IBD analyst— worked as a summer analyst and will be returning full time to a internationally focused asset backed funding desk (I also won a scholarship for excellence as a result of my performance as analyst)

Researcher at a think tank focused on Middle East, specifically the Syrian civil war

Worked in the endowments arm of a non profit focused on education

Arabic Teaching Assistant: teach a weekly class to undergrads in Arabic. Grade papers, etc.

Reason For MBA:

I really want to mix my passion for IR and Arabic with business. My role at GS showed how finance can be employed internationally for good effect, such as supporting low income borrowers in Latin America or supporting new infrastructure development. My experiences in finance and the Middle East have shaped my goal to eventually work in impact investing in the Middle East/ international sphere. Alternatively I’d love to work at a DFI like the IMF or the World Bank. I also like the idea of working at an endowment like Yale or Harvard, or working at a foundation like the Rockefeller or Carnegie.
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Chances for URM 2+2 Programs 04 Feb 2021, 14:20
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waddledode
Hello! I’m a senior black undergrad seeking admission to these 2+2 programs. I’m applying soon, so I’m wondering if I could get some advice/feedback on my profile. Wharton is of particular interest to me because they have a joint MBA/ MA in international relations at the Lauder school.

School: HYP Ivy

GPA: 3.75

313 GRE: 162v, 151q

Major: Political Science/Middle East Studies (Arabic Minor)

Race: Black

Activities/Awards

President of my school’s refugee resettlement program— over 150 person organization that offers ESL tutoring to over 200 refugee children a year in my university’s city. We work with schools to create ESL curriculum and then send tutors with second language skills to tutor using the curriculum. We also do things like cultural festivals to make families feel at home

Israel-Palestinian Conflict Fellow— went on and help organize an annual joint trip to Israel and the West Bank between West Point cadets and Ivy League students. We met diplomats political leaders, religious leaders, and industry leaders to gain a more nuanced perspective of the Conflict

Critical Language Scholarship— full scholarship from US dept of state to study arabic in Jordan for 4 months

National Security Language Initiative: Full scholarship to study Arabic in Morocco for 3 months

Work Experience

Goldman Sachs IBD analyst— worked as a summer analyst and will be returning full time to a internationally focused asset backed funding desk (I also won a scholarship for excellence as a result of my performance as analyst)

Researcher at a think tank focused on Middle East, specifically the Syrian civil war

Worked in the endowments arm of a non profit focused on education

Arabic Teaching Assistant: teach a weekly class to undergrads in Arabic. Grade papers, etc.

Reason For MBA:

I really want to mix my passion for IR and Arabic with business. My role at GS showed how finance can be employed internationally for good effect, such as supporting low income borrowers in Latin America or supporting new infrastructure development. My experiences in finance and the Middle East have shaped my goal to eventually work in impact investing in the Middle East/ international sphere. Alternatively I’d love to work at a DFI like the IMF or the World Bank. I also like the idea of working at an endowment like Yale or Harvard, or working at a foundation like the Rockefeller or Carnegie.
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Hi waddledode - I'm happy to provide my thoughts. Although you have a couple of things leaning against you, overall you seem like a very compelling candidate, and I would urge you to apply. I'm sure you know your GRE quant score is lower than Wharton and the other top school averages -- however your good grades and Wall Street job would seem to indicate you are up to the quantitative rigor required by these programs. The only other concern I see is that these programs tend to focus on bringing in candidates who otherwise might not apply for an MBA in the future. Your Goldman Sachs job after you graduate is much more mainstream and would indicate you are likely to apply for an MBA in a few years if you don't get in now.

Having said that, you mention quite a few very interesting experiences that I think will help you stand out among other candidates, including great leadership, extracurricular, and international experience. I think if you're able to paint a compelling picture of the unique career path you describe (though likely pick a first choice path and focus on that), and show how your GS experience is really just a piece of the puzzle in that broader path, and explain why an MBA from Wharton (or each school) is another particularly important piece of that puzzle for you, you will stand a very decent chance. I would be happy to discuss this further, dive deeper, or answer any other questions you may have via one of our free 30-minute consultations. If you are interested, please sign up here. In any case, best of luck to you, both in your applications and beyond!