Devon wrote:
So I think I posted a while ago about this but based on my recent activity I'd like some updated opinions. I'm just going to post my entire background, sorry if it's long!
26 year old male (will be 27 when I apply in Fall 2014). I'm currently an engineer and really want to get into private equity.
Prior to College-I've been doing volunteer work since around 12 years old, when I started participating in an org to get a skatepark built, which succeeded when I was I believe 19 or 20. I worked with the city engineer and one other person to design what was actually built. I was active with this org the entire time.
-I did a variety of volunteer work, from being an assistant to a Village Board member to helping the local historical society relocate a log cabin and volunteering at a local dance held for people with mental disabilities
College Information-Graduated from an average public university with a BS Civil Engineering and Economics in 2010
-3.0 GPA
-For a time was in the honors college and for the first 1-2 semesters was on the dean's honor roll
-Participated in a few non-political orgs but, aside from a regional engineering competition we did well in, not really to any meaningful extent
-Politically I was very active:
- We founded our own student anti-war organization that gained popularity extremely fast
- We organized a student contingent to a city-wide march that was bigger than the whole rest of the march
- Staged one of the largest rallies in the university's history, at which I spoke
- Held ongoing smaller events such as film showings and speakers
- Via a different student org, were able to influence our city to establish a sister-city relationship with a South-American city and organized trips to the city
- Worked closely with other student and non-student orgs to build coalitions around certain issues
After College Employment-Worked in a call center, which required FINRA licensing (obtained Series 6 and 63)
-Worked in technical support for a small local software company, at which I was the best employee and obtained all certifications possible in the given software
-Been working for the past almost two years as a mechanical engineer at a small (~20 person) manufacturing firm:
- Not in a leadership position but I have been very proactive in working on resolving business problems and taking initiative
- Have been placed as project lead on a few projects, and am attempting to get more leadership roles
- Working on improving our products to reduce manfacturing cost by 50%, which I believe will significantly improve our business prospects
- Hoping to have a significant impact on top-line growth of the business between now and when I apply for b-school
After College Other Stuff-Passed the CFA Level 1 exam
-I participated in an investment banking/private equity case competition, and made it to the finals. Planning on participating again this coming year.
-I took one high-level graduate finance course (received an A) and am planning on taking another in the Spring (and receiving another A, hopefully offsetting my 3.0 ugrad GPA)
-In a week I'm to be elected onto the board of directors of a non-profit organization that has about $1M in assets. I'd like to double our donor base in the next year.
-Myself and some friends have just started working on an ambitious project to start a non-profit gym in one of the lowest income sections of our city.
I haven't taken the GMAT but I'm aiming for 750.
1. Are two courses enough of an alternative transcript, especially if they're high level graduate courses in my target field?
2. I feel that my political organizing experience during ugrad helps explain my low GPA and also shows great leadership/organizational/teamwork skills, but I'm concerned how it would be viewed given its political nature. What do you guys think about that?
3. What do you think for HSW? For top 5 or 10?
4. What else could I do to improve my resume/application?
H/S/W -- forget it. You have a solid, middle-of-the-road profile, but you're up against too many folks with stronger resumes and pedigree than you who themselves have a hard enough time getting in.
Columbia, Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, Tuck, Haas -- stretch. You have enough of a shot that it's worth applying to 1-2 schools from this list. Again, it's not you - it's your competition.
Stern, Cornell, Yale, Duke, Darden, Ross, UCLA -- sweet spot. These are schools where you are more competitive for and where you'll likely end up. choose 3-4 from this list. If you're looking into finance, focus on Stern, Cornell, Yale.
Top 30 (USC, Texas, Tepper, Georgetown, etc) -- safety. Choose 1-2 from this list.
And this assumes that your GMAT is a 720+ (whether you get a 750 or not isn't going to impact your chances; it's about getting a score that is "good enough" -- a low score can keep you out, but a high score won't get you in).
And don't say you want to do private equity. Most adcoms will roll their eyes because whether it's true or not for you - they will assume it's just a pure money grab and nothing else. If you really want to do PE, you need to work in investment banking first for a few years.
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15 Oct 2013, 11:52
