Events & Promotions
|
|
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.
May 1410:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
MBA recommendation letters are one of the most misunderstood parts of the application process. Many applicants focus on choosing the most senior recommender — when what actually matters is specificity, credibility, and examples of impact.
May 1410:00 AM EDT
-10:30 AM EDT
Sia Admissions is hosting a free live session on MBA recommendation letters this Thursday, May 14 at 10 AM ET on YouTube.
May 1308:00 AM EDT
-09:00 AM EDT
Meet Tuck at an informal student or staff-hosted coffee chat in a city near you!
May 1310:00 AM EDT
-11:00 AM EDT
Applying to business school this year? Don’t miss Personal MBA Coach’s Top MBA Application Tips guide
May 1505:00 PM PDT
-06:00 PM PDT
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!- Jun 10
06:00 AM PDT
-06:15 PM PDT
Register for the GMAT Club Virtual MBA Spotlight Fair – the world’s premier event for serious MBA candidates. This is your chance to hear directly from Admissions Directors at nearly every Top 30 MBA program..
cgottuso
Joined: 28 Apr 2014
Last visit: 09 Oct 2020
Posts: 162
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 8
Location: United States (PA)
Concentration: General Management, Finance
Schools: Wharton Exec '21 (M)
GMAT 1: 730 Q48 V41
GPA: 3.93
WE:Corporate Finance (Energy)
29 Apr 2014, 13:37
Kudos
Bookmarks
Forgive me if this is not the appropriate way to do things around these parts, but I'm still familiarizing myself with the layout and culture of this joint!
Background:
Undergraduate: A Top 20 in REGIONAL program in the northeast
Major: Finance
GPA: 3.93
Professional education: will be sitting for CFA Level 3 in June
GMAT: Taken cold as an undergrad, I scored a 640 - plan to study hard after my CFA exam and retake in late August (or September 6 at the latest), targeting 700-ish. Coming from a background studying for the CFA exams for hundreds of hours, I have built up a fair amount of stamina and can realistically put in 25-30 hours studying every week outside of work.
Working now as a business valuation analyst (4 years) : value private companies in the gift and estate tax filing context and, on occasion, for sales and mergers. Write detailed narrative reports describing methodology. Expect a promotion sometime this summer to Senior Analyst. I've developed several models in Excel that have improved the efficiency of our valuation process through the use of macros. These models are used daily now throughout the company.
Service/Community involvement: I participate in various adult soccer leagues, take recovery meetings into hospitals and institutions aimed at those suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, regularly run in 5k, 10k, half marathons, and "challenge-type" races, and also assist my fiancee in selling girl scout cookies for her troop.
Nationality: super white guy living in the northeast US.
Target schools: the best I can realistically (or maybe optimistically) hope for. I would love to apply to the likes of Stern, Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Johnson, or Booth.
Additional Information: I finished undergrad at 24 after transferring and taking a two year hiatus. I'm sure this gap will be questioned and I'm curious what your thoughts are on how much I should disclose and if the true story would help or hinder my chances. I suffered from chronic alcoholism and drug addiction and was arrested on more than a few occasions for various offenses (my record is completely clean now). During my lowest point, I was homeless living out of a trash bag 2,000 miles from home on death's doorstep with no real hope or plans for my future. I've since recovered and been sober for six years and regularly participate in recovery programs outside of work. I speak frequently at meetings, bring meetings/discussions into rehabs and detox centers, and try to remain as active as possible in the program. These activities take up a lot of my time outside of work and make it difficult to participate in other networking and professional organizations that would impress on a resume - but they're necessary for my recovery.
I'm realistic - I understand I'm pretty ordinary, I don't have an impressive job, and my extracurriculars are seriously lacking. For those reasons, I'm curious if going out on a limb and discussing my alcoholism/drug addiction, homelessness, and hopelessness (and my recovery and how it's drastically changed my perspective and the way I approach life and its obstacles) in the application process would help to distinguish me from other ordinary white dudes in a good way or if it would be a foolish mistake. Moreover, I'm curious if you think I'm setting my sights too high or just right.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Background:
Undergraduate: A Top 20 in REGIONAL program in the northeast
Major: Finance
GPA: 3.93
Professional education: will be sitting for CFA Level 3 in June
GMAT: Taken cold as an undergrad, I scored a 640 - plan to study hard after my CFA exam and retake in late August (or September 6 at the latest), targeting 700-ish. Coming from a background studying for the CFA exams for hundreds of hours, I have built up a fair amount of stamina and can realistically put in 25-30 hours studying every week outside of work.
Working now as a business valuation analyst (4 years) : value private companies in the gift and estate tax filing context and, on occasion, for sales and mergers. Write detailed narrative reports describing methodology. Expect a promotion sometime this summer to Senior Analyst. I've developed several models in Excel that have improved the efficiency of our valuation process through the use of macros. These models are used daily now throughout the company.
Service/Community involvement: I participate in various adult soccer leagues, take recovery meetings into hospitals and institutions aimed at those suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, regularly run in 5k, 10k, half marathons, and "challenge-type" races, and also assist my fiancee in selling girl scout cookies for her troop.
Nationality: super white guy living in the northeast US.
Target schools: the best I can realistically (or maybe optimistically) hope for. I would love to apply to the likes of Stern, Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, Johnson, or Booth.
Additional Information: I finished undergrad at 24 after transferring and taking a two year hiatus. I'm sure this gap will be questioned and I'm curious what your thoughts are on how much I should disclose and if the true story would help or hinder my chances. I suffered from chronic alcoholism and drug addiction and was arrested on more than a few occasions for various offenses (my record is completely clean now). During my lowest point, I was homeless living out of a trash bag 2,000 miles from home on death's doorstep with no real hope or plans for my future. I've since recovered and been sober for six years and regularly participate in recovery programs outside of work. I speak frequently at meetings, bring meetings/discussions into rehabs and detox centers, and try to remain as active as possible in the program. These activities take up a lot of my time outside of work and make it difficult to participate in other networking and professional organizations that would impress on a resume - but they're necessary for my recovery.
I'm realistic - I understand I'm pretty ordinary, I don't have an impressive job, and my extracurriculars are seriously lacking. For those reasons, I'm curious if going out on a limb and discussing my alcoholism/drug addiction, homelessness, and hopelessness (and my recovery and how it's drastically changed my perspective and the way I approach life and its obstacles) in the application process would help to distinguish me from other ordinary white dudes in a good way or if it would be a foolish mistake. Moreover, I'm curious if you think I'm setting my sights too high or just right.
Thanks in advance for your help!
jumsumtak
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Last visit: 14 Jun 2023
Posts: 1,092
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 479
Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Schools: Duke '16 (M)
29 Apr 2014, 15:17
Kudos
Bookmarks
Welcome to the forum.
Those schools might be a stretch considering your background. Also, although those experiences were important in shaping you, I would suggest not to elaborate them in your applications. The bar for those schools is really high, and you should really focus on presenting all the positives you can.
Finally, there may be schools outside of the ones you mentioned that can help you achieve your goals. It is important to widen your search. Also, you'd be better off asking this question in the 'Ask consultants' sub-forum. You'd get better response.
Good luck!
Those schools might be a stretch considering your background. Also, although those experiences were important in shaping you, I would suggest not to elaborate them in your applications. The bar for those schools is really high, and you should really focus on presenting all the positives you can.
Finally, there may be schools outside of the ones you mentioned that can help you achieve your goals. It is important to widen your search. Also, you'd be better off asking this question in the 'Ask consultants' sub-forum. You'd get better response.
Good luck!
29 Apr 2014, 15:38
Kudos
Bookmarks
You might have better luck asking here: /forum/ask-admission-consultants-124/
You have a really great GPA so if you can get a good GMAT score with it and present your work experience well, I think you might have a shot. Of your list, the more difficult ones to get into are Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, and Booth. Johnson and Stern are similar (considered peers) and will provide similar opportunities to reach your goals.
You have a really great GPA so if you can get a good GMAT score with it and present your work experience well, I think you might have a shot. Of your list, the more difficult ones to get into are Sloan, Columbia, Kellogg, and Booth. Johnson and Stern are similar (considered peers) and will provide similar opportunities to reach your goals.
