Thank you for sharing your profile @Mariana Barrero ! Let's start with your strengths. Direct, relevant PE experience (sourcing, underwriting, monitoring across geographies), fewer applicants have true end-to-end PE exposure at 5 years. Operational / value-creation exposure (incubation of scale platform, underwriting JV), shows you’re not only financial but also operational, which buy-and-build funds prize. Multilingual + regional coverage (LatAm + Europe + Asia), global perspective for cross-border PE deals. Good academics (4.4/5.0) and strong TOEFL.

Potential concerns, GMAT FE 665 is a good score but below the averages at many top target schools (Columbia/Wharton/Booth/Harvard averages are commonly in the ~720-732 classic range), which can make you look less competitive on paper vs. cohorts heavy in consulting/IB backgrounds. Backup plan clarity, adcoms like to know the exact short-term role you target (for example, join mid-market PE in NY/Lon/Miami/... vs. start in principal roles at growth equity shop). Be explicit. Brand & scale, family office experience is good, but some adcoms may see family offices as different from buy-side firms unless you highlight deal sizes, lead roles, governance interactions, exits, and specific value creation outcomes.

Quantify your deal impact (must), for every major investment show: deal size, your role (% of sourcing/lead drafting), value-creation levers you implemented, revenue or any other improvement, exit multiple or current valuation uplift, and governance interactions (board, CEO). Convert qualitative tasks into measurable outcomes.

Craft the PE operator narrative, build a 3-part arc: (a) technical/transaction skills, (b) operational impact in portfolio companies, and (c) regional strategy to scale platforms (which connects to your long-term goal). This differentiates you from pure sponsors/IB backgrounds.

At least one recommender who can speak to deal ownership and board/CEO influence (like lead investor partner, CEO of portfolio company, or senior family-office principal). For each school, link a specific PE/operating resource (PE Club, Practicum, Value Creation Center, industry faculty, geographic alumni base) to how that school enables your short-term plan (mid-market PE) and long-term plan (lead regional platforms). Start strengthening signals of PE interest early: PE club conversations, alumni outreach at target schools (esp. LBS/Columbia/Booth/Wharton), and cold outreach to mid-market LatAm funds and boutiques in your intended geography.

Female candidates for PE are actively sought by many funds and schools note gender diversity, make sure to highlight leadership & impact as a female investor (mentoring, diversity initiatives). LatAm regional expertise is a differentiator, flag cross-border deals and language skills (Spanish + French + English) as a good asset for Europe/US schools recruiting LatAm deals.

We would love to learn more about your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, and personal journey so we can offer a more tailored assessment of your profile and evaluate your chances at your target schools more accurately. Feel free to book a profile evaluation session.

You can also register for our Upcoming ESSAY WORKSHOPS. Craft essays that shine: pick powerful stories, match your goals with each school, and showcase authentic leadership. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Cheers!
Shantanu Sharma
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond

Hi Mariana,

Your profile reflects an impressive blend of academic excellence and high-impact finance experience. A 4.4/5 GPA paired with your Private Equity background demonstrates both analytical strength and real-world leadership — an ideal foundation for your post-MBA goals in global PE.

Your target schools — Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, and MIT Sloan, among others — align perfectly with your trajectory. To maximize competitiveness, you might consider retaking the GMAT Focus to strengthen the quantitative signal and push into the 90th percentile range, especially given the elite applicant pool from finance.

Overall, you have a compelling, globally competitive profile that’s well-positioned for top-tier programs. We’d be glad to help refine your narrative, highlight leadership impact, and tailor your essays for each school’s culture and finance focus.

Feel free to reach out at contact@involve-consulting.com
or connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naikhemal/
.

Best,
Hemal
Rep, Involve Consulting
(HEC Paris)