prospective mba wrote:
Sex: Female
Race: Asian/American
Age: 25 (at matriculation)
Current Location: Chicago
GMAT prospects: 650-700 (will take w/in couple of months)
Undergrad: Health Administration at University of Illinois- Champaign Urbana
Undergrad GPA: cumulative 3.76, major: 3.89
Work Experience:
1 yr at Allstate Insurance, completed the 9 months training course within 5 months.
2 yrs at the University. became a program coordinator after being hired as a data analyst.
Community/Extracurricular:
Mentoring at Boys and Girls Club for 4+ months
Volunteering at Soup Kitchen monthly for 3+ months
Co-founded a small jewelry business and established a website
What is my chance at NYU Stern? Would you recommend anything else that might polish my application?
Thanks in advance!!
prospective MBA,
Your profile is solid but not especially unusual or impressive (based at least on what you gave me). If there's more leadership in your work and community life then meets the eye and if you can get that 700 GMAT (or thereabouts) then you have a modest chance at NYU Stern. Critical for you will be showing leadership/impact across your essays and reco letters and highlighting whatever is unusual about your profile or background, including for example personal obstacle overcome stories. You may have to get their attention through your essays, i.e., engaging, big on personality, dynamic etc. Make sure your recommenders are *real* enthusiastic and take the time to write detailed stories about you. Build a personal network at the school with students and alums, visit at least once, know their program back and front and show that in your essays. Since you're young you could also wait a year so you can give them a stronger app next year. See Accepted's
advice for young applicants.
Good luck,