@xinxin217
Hello and thanks for your post.
The application process is truly holistic, and committees will look at your stats (GPA and GMAT), work experience, and extracurriculars.

Your GPA and GMAT are strong, so that is a great start. And you do not have to, but if you haven’t already, I suggest taking it up to 3-4 times. You have nothing to lose since schools will only look at your highest score. And even a slight increase can boost your profile.
It is hard to gauge your work experience without knowing your accomplishments and impact you have made there. It sounds like you have two impressive future options to consider. However, choose either the autonomous driving company or the fintech start-up based on your own preference, as opposed to what would “look” better in the eyes of an admissions committee. It is much more important to show an MBA program that you made an impact and took on leadership roles in that role. It is also important to illustrate in your essays why, based on your experience, you need an MBA. So as long as you can show that you did well in your role, and that it now makes sense for you to get an MBA – and that you have clear, realistic, and specific post-MBA goals - it doesn’t matter which company you chose.
Also, the average years of work experience is closer to 5, so if you choose to apply with fewer years, make sure you demonstrate why now is the time. And because of your lighter experience, it’s even more important to show you have made an impact and demonstrated leadership there. Ideally this will be supported by a strong recommendation letters as well.
Regarding extracurriculars, make sure to really emphasize your leadership roles you have taken on.
If you continue to strengthen your profile, you do have a chance at top schools, but they are extremely competitive, and each school simply does not have the room to admit all the world's qualified applicants. For that reason, I suggest apply to several schools, including reach, target and safety. Hopefully they will see that you have a compelling story and are someone who will add value to the classroom and community.
If you would like to discuss your story or anything else in greater detail, please sign up for a free consultation. It is never too early to get started.
Good luck!


Hi All,
This is my first post and would appreciate a profile evaluation. Targeting R2 2019 or R1 2020.

Background and nationality: Chinese Male

Undergrad Information: Pomona College GPA: 3.6

GMAT: 750

Work experience: 2+ year working as software development engineer at Microsoft (Azure SQL Data Team) and about to transition to either a US-based autonomous driving company as software engineer (think of Cruise, Zoox) or a fintech start-up in Southeast Asia as AI engineer with a product management track. Question: which one is better from MBA admission perspective?

Extracurricular: started own student club on campus (100+ members) , college alumni interviewer, community involvement

Post MBA goals: Tech or VC

Thank you for your help![/quote]
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Hi Maeksense,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your profile. Congrats on a great GMAT!

I really like that you have international experience, which you will want to emphasize in your applications. You will also want to emphasize the type of work you do/have done in relation to your future career plans. As to your objective, I encourage you spend a bit of time fleshing out your need for an MBA and specifically your need for a Wharton MBA.

A challenge you will face is your "low GPA." You might want to consider coursework you can enroll in between now and application season to help boost your academics (think HBS's CORe and not so much Coursera/Edx). Also, be sure to address your GPA in an addendum come application season - not as a way to present yourself as a victim, but only present the facts.

As to your community work, you might want to spend some time there - not sure what "punctual volunteering work" means, nor do I know if this is something you are currently involved in, but see if you can increase the scope of your responsibilities, especially as they relate to your passions.

I am happy to continue the conversation over a profile evaluation call, so I can get a better idea of your experiences and guide your pre-MBA prep work. If interested, please reach out.

Good luck!


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Hi Megasnowglobe,

Thank you for your question. Can you share more details about your role as a research associate, and what your goals are? If you prefer a private discussion, please feel free to reach out (info@siaadmissions.com).
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