eled34 wrote:
Hi all,
I am a R2 hopeful for Kellogg/Booth. I was rejected at HBS/Columbia/Wharton w/o interviews and am expecting the same for Stanford.
I'm a white US male with a 720 GMAT, 3.8 GPA from a state school, two years investment banking at 2nd/3rd tier bank with early Associate promotion. Thought my differentiator would be that I quit IB to travel for a year, have been to 50+ countries (lots of crazy stories traveling from Siberia to Antarctica, couchsurfing, hitchhiking, etc), and have run 4 marathons and tried/failed an Ironman, but so far that's been wrong hah. Got 1 great rec from my old boss, 1 mediocre one that I basically had to write from a mentor. Post-MBA goal was to switch to consulting and eventually start a travel-related company/org.
Have been unemployed since July 2019 (when I left IB to travel) and am now interviewing primarily for FP&A jobs assuming I don't get into Kellogg/Booth. Assuming I get turned down at Kellogg/Booth, do you think I should dive back into GMAT studies and aim for a 750/760+? I burnt 7 months during COVID increasing my GMAT from 510 to 720 so am pretty deflated but, as the saying goes, if you're going through hell, keep going. Would also run at least 5-6 more marathons (will have done one on every continent) and will do another Ironman before applying next time - no idea if that moves the needle.
Cheers and thanks
Hi
eled34,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts/experience and sorry to hear about your rejections.
Truthfully, a 720 GMAT is low for a white male applying to an M7 and most competitors will have higher scores.
Personal MBA Coach can help you maximize your score through our
customized tutoring services with tutors who have scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT / GRE and are graduates of MIT, Harvard, and UPenn.
Looking at the big picture, all aspects of your application should tie together. This includes your essays, resumes, extracurriculars and LORs. It sounds like your second recommendation was quite weak which may have been a red flag.
Being unemployed for such a long period of time is also a red flag. Should you not get into Kellogg and Booth, I recommend securing a new full-time position before applying in the fall.
We also offer
early MBA planning to help you make all the right decisions in the time leading up to your applications. This is a great way to strengthen your profile, build a target school list, and go forward with a strategic plan to improve your candidacy.
Do not hesitate to reach out to
scott@personalmbacoach.com to learn more about how we can help!
Best of luck,
Personal MBA Coach
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