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financechick
Joined: 15 Aug 2018
Last visit: 29 Jun 2020
Posts: 3
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 3
Location: United States (DC)
Schools: Cnsrtm-Yale '22 (II) CBS '22 (D) HBS '22 (D) Wharton '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Johnson '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Tuck '22 (I) Stern '22 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41
GPA: 3.57
WE:Asset Management (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
Schools: Cnsrtm-Yale '22 (II) CBS '22 (D) HBS '22 (D) Wharton '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Johnson '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Tuck '22 (I) Stern '22 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41
Posts: 3
Kudos:
5
15 Aug 2018, 10:14
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Hi, and thanks in advance for providing this service!
Basic Stats:
-3.57 GPA (Econ-Politics double major, graduated in three years)
-660 GMAT (will likely retake, 40V/41Q)
-Female, mixed-race (Hispanic, black, and white), 24 years old
Work experience:
-2.5 years exp as an analyst at a rating agency, w promotion after 1.5 years
-1 year exp as an analyst for an endowment, mainly handling data presentation for due diligence and asset allocation/portfolio monitoring purposes
-Volunteer exp since undergrad ~2hr/week teaching an algebra course for GED prep
-Passed CFA Level 1 (will take Level 2 in June 2019 and ideally complete the charter before matriculation)
-learning to code in spare time
-strong recs from alumna of top schools
I'm planning on applying in 2019 for 2020 admission. Target schools as high as possible, of course! Ideally in the T20. Would love to hear your thoughts on retaking GMAT, whether CFA matters to anyone, and anything else I can do over the next 12 months to increase my odds!
Basic Stats:
-3.57 GPA (Econ-Politics double major, graduated in three years)
-660 GMAT (will likely retake, 40V/41Q)
-Female, mixed-race (Hispanic, black, and white), 24 years old
Work experience:
-2.5 years exp as an analyst at a rating agency, w promotion after 1.5 years
-1 year exp as an analyst for an endowment, mainly handling data presentation for due diligence and asset allocation/portfolio monitoring purposes
-Volunteer exp since undergrad ~2hr/week teaching an algebra course for GED prep
-Passed CFA Level 1 (will take Level 2 in June 2019 and ideally complete the charter before matriculation)
-learning to code in spare time
-strong recs from alumna of top schools
I'm planning on applying in 2019 for 2020 admission. Target schools as high as possible, of course! Ideally in the T20. Would love to hear your thoughts on retaking GMAT, whether CFA matters to anyone, and anything else I can do over the next 12 months to increase my odds!
16 Aug 2018, 14:04
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Bookmarks
Hi financechick,
Thank you for your post. To quickly answer a couple of your main questions right off the bat -- I do think you should re-attempt the GMAT, the CFA definitely matters (and helps!), and I will elaborate further (below) regarding other steps you can take to enhance your candidacy between now and next year.
If you can boost your GMAT score, you will put yourself in position to better test the upper bounds of the top 20. 700+ would be a nice target, and you have time on your side to really pour yourself into it for a couple of months. A strong score will create a lot of opportunities for you with great programs.
The CFA can be a strong signal of your quantitative and analytical capabilities and developing expertise in your industry. If your Quant score remains on the low side, then it will help serve as a mitigant to that. Passing Level I is a nice accomplishment already. Continuing to progress will only help!
Beyond the GMAT and CFA, three main areas for you to focus on over the next year are as follows:
1. Leadership, Involvement, Impact
Consider additional opportunities for leadership, involvement, and impact. I often categorize these in four buckets: (1) at work, professional in nature, but beyond your core job responsibilities (e.g., raising your hand to lead an extra project or initiative); (2) at work and non-professional nature (e.g., getting involved in social impact, social responsibility, or community service initiatives within your organization); (3) outside of work and non-professional nature (often volunteering); (4) other creative, entrepreneurial, or passion-driven pursuits. Don't feel like you need to all of these things (I am simply laying out the options.) But consider how you might expand or deepen your involvement. Deeper engagement (and leadership) in a couple of things that are meaningful to you is more compelling than scattered and sporadic involvement in a many, many things.
2. Career Goals and Story Development
You don't need to reach definitive conclusions right now for what you might hope to do post-MBA and beyond, but I'd encourage you to start the process. If you have some ideas of what you might to do, consider who you know or can reach out to for a cup of coffee or phone conversation. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the direction in which you hope to take your career, and it will ultimately make for stronger and more specific short- and long-term career goals in your future essays and applications. Your goals, why MBA, and career vision will need to be well-thought-out and super-specific. You can read more about "how specific" and what kind of questions to ask yourself here: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process
3. School Research and Engagement
As with career goals, it's never too early to begin to research programs that align with your interests and preferences. As you get to know them better, you'll start to build an understanding of what path you want to take when you get there and whether the "culture" and "community" of the school feels right for you. If you'd like to get an early feel for this, you can look for single- or multi-school MBA events this summer and fall. (There are many, especially if you're in a major city. Are you in NYC?) If you have friends or acquaintances at any programs, try to chat or grab coffee with them. If you don't, you can reach out to Student Ambassadors at programs you're interested in.
Also consider visiting schools if you can. If you're planning ahead (as you are), I find the spring of the year in which you're applying to be an opportune time to visit. Classes are in session, campus is in full swing, and you're not dealing with the swell of applicants who are trying to visit in the fall right as they're applying. You can read more about school specificity and school research and engagement here as well: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process
I hope this helps! I would be more than happy to elaborate. Please feel free to sign up for a Free Consultation at your convenience: https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html
Best Regards,
Greg
Thank you for your post. To quickly answer a couple of your main questions right off the bat -- I do think you should re-attempt the GMAT, the CFA definitely matters (and helps!), and I will elaborate further (below) regarding other steps you can take to enhance your candidacy between now and next year.
If you can boost your GMAT score, you will put yourself in position to better test the upper bounds of the top 20. 700+ would be a nice target, and you have time on your side to really pour yourself into it for a couple of months. A strong score will create a lot of opportunities for you with great programs.
The CFA can be a strong signal of your quantitative and analytical capabilities and developing expertise in your industry. If your Quant score remains on the low side, then it will help serve as a mitigant to that. Passing Level I is a nice accomplishment already. Continuing to progress will only help!
Beyond the GMAT and CFA, three main areas for you to focus on over the next year are as follows:
1. Leadership, Involvement, Impact
Consider additional opportunities for leadership, involvement, and impact. I often categorize these in four buckets: (1) at work, professional in nature, but beyond your core job responsibilities (e.g., raising your hand to lead an extra project or initiative); (2) at work and non-professional nature (e.g., getting involved in social impact, social responsibility, or community service initiatives within your organization); (3) outside of work and non-professional nature (often volunteering); (4) other creative, entrepreneurial, or passion-driven pursuits. Don't feel like you need to all of these things (I am simply laying out the options.) But consider how you might expand or deepen your involvement. Deeper engagement (and leadership) in a couple of things that are meaningful to you is more compelling than scattered and sporadic involvement in a many, many things.
2. Career Goals and Story Development
You don't need to reach definitive conclusions right now for what you might hope to do post-MBA and beyond, but I'd encourage you to start the process. If you have some ideas of what you might to do, consider who you know or can reach out to for a cup of coffee or phone conversation. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the direction in which you hope to take your career, and it will ultimately make for stronger and more specific short- and long-term career goals in your future essays and applications. Your goals, why MBA, and career vision will need to be well-thought-out and super-specific. You can read more about "how specific" and what kind of questions to ask yourself here: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process
3. School Research and Engagement
As with career goals, it's never too early to begin to research programs that align with your interests and preferences. As you get to know them better, you'll start to build an understanding of what path you want to take when you get there and whether the "culture" and "community" of the school feels right for you. If you'd like to get an early feel for this, you can look for single- or multi-school MBA events this summer and fall. (There are many, especially if you're in a major city. Are you in NYC?) If you have friends or acquaintances at any programs, try to chat or grab coffee with them. If you don't, you can reach out to Student Ambassadors at programs you're interested in.
Also consider visiting schools if you can. If you're planning ahead (as you are), I find the spring of the year in which you're applying to be an opportune time to visit. Classes are in session, campus is in full swing, and you're not dealing with the swell of applicants who are trying to visit in the fall right as they're applying. You can read more about school specificity and school research and engagement here as well: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process
I hope this helps! I would be more than happy to elaborate. Please feel free to sign up for a Free Consultation at your convenience: https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html
Best Regards,
Greg
financechick
Joined: 15 Aug 2018
Last visit: 29 Jun 2020
Posts: 3
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 3
Location: United States (DC)
Schools: Cnsrtm-Yale '22 (II) CBS '22 (D) HBS '22 (D) Wharton '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Johnson '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Tuck '22 (I) Stern '22 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41
GPA: 3.57
WE:Asset Management (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
Schools: Cnsrtm-Yale '22 (II) CBS '22 (D) HBS '22 (D) Wharton '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Johnson '22 (II) Cnsrtm-Tuck '22 (I) Stern '22 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V41
Posts: 3
Kudos:
5
19 Aug 2019, 08:35
Kudos
Bookmarks
Good news is, I retook GMAT and scored a 740! Bad news is I did not pass CFA L2 this year. I was also promoted at my current company this year. I'm ready to apply this year but I'm having a hard time deciding which schools to target. My stats are in line with top schools, but I feel like my work experience is on the weaker end of what the M7 are looking for. I'd love any guidance!
