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

eled34:

I am sorry to hear about the recent string of rejections. For what it's worth, it has been an exceptionally difficult year.

That being said, I don't think you are thinking about this the right way. The whole "I quit my banking gig to see the world" may have sent the wrong message. I don't know your personal financial situation, but it potentially sent a message of privilege and lack of focus. It's one thing to have done a gap year in school or maybe after 10+ years of experience. The schools you are targeting want to see deep professional and extracurricular achievements. Those are better indicators of potential success than the ability to go to 50 countries and run marathons.

If you are planning to apply again in the next application season, I strongly recommend you get back on the train and land a respectable job. Having done banking, you should be in a good position to sell your skills set and experience to a prospective employer.

You should also pick up a new extracurricular activity or community leadership endeavor to show you are back and ready to buckle down. Running more marathons or bumping your GMAT 30+ points is not going to move the needle, particularly since you're already in a great position with the latter.

You probably also need to refine your career goal. Consulting post-MBA, even in the short-term, is not a great differentiator as that is a very common career path. Plus, it seems like you came up with the travel company idea by virtue of all your post-banking travel. That might not have been the right cards to play if my thesis above is correct.

If you'd like to chat in more detail, please reach out to us at Admissionado for a free consultation.

https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

Best,
Admissionado

Appreciate the reply!

It’s a shame that travel and time off may seem to be indicative of privilege. I think that’s a fundamental problem with American culture and one that I’d love to attack in my career actually...

I recognize the good fortune I had in saving up to travel, but I also see many of my peers (who happen to be in the top b-school market) going from job to job with no end in sight, questioning the meaning and fulfillment of it all.

Apologies if that sounds bitter - I am obviously biased and frustrated. Ultimately, I’ll make my own luck. Much easier to point the arrow outward than inward - I can and will be better and hopefully a b-school will see that some day...

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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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