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MrMBA22
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Joined: 04 Jul 2021
Last visit: 29 Sep 2021
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Profile Evaluation Updated on: 12 Jul 2021, 14:53
Originally posted by MrMBA22 on 04 Jul 2021, 16:36.
Last edited by MrMBA22 on 12 Jul 2021, 14:53, edited 1 time in total.
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Nationality: Pakistani

Qualifications: BBA (3.25 CGPA)

Work Experience: Total around 8 years

Post-MBA goals: investment banking is probably most logical

Target schools: Harvard (maybe too ambitious?), Wharton, Booth, Columbia, NYU

Unique Points
-International education/work experience

-Launched a scholarship at my university in Pakistan

Some questions:
Can I apply in Round 2 to top schools (Harvard/Wharton/Booth) or will it be better to go for these in Round 1? I am thinking to target lower ranked in Round 1 and go for a moonshot in Round 2. What are your thoughts?

If I go with Round 1 and Round 2 strategy, how should I manage deposits? For example, if I get an admit, do I have to pay deposit and assume it to be a sunk cost in case I get a better admit in Round 2?

Any idea on which schools will be willing to give a full-ride or close to it to me?
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StratusMike
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Stratus Admissions Consultant
Joined: 09 Mar 2021
Last visit: 12 Nov 2021
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Posts: 68
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Profile Evaluation 07 Jul 2021, 10:28
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Hi MrMBA22, interesting background and I believe we have a consultation call scheduled, correct?

I'll address some elements here within the post as they're more strait-forward, and provide some additional resources/context for the less strait-forward questions/responses that will help us develop a more complete dialogue/response during our consultation. Very excited to meet you, but in the meantime please see notes in-line in blue.

MrMBA22
Nationality: Pakistani
Moved to Budapest, Hungary for MA in Economics

Age: 34 at matriculation

Qualifications: BBA (3.25 CGPA) from IBA Karachi, MA in Economics from Central European University (2.8 CGPA) in Hungary
Also, I am a CFA charterholder having completed all 3 levels of CFA. I don't know if that helps my app. I can see a theme around your commit to learning and the CFA helps demonstrate this.

And with regards to a full ride, which lower-ranked schools do you think might give me a full-ride or close to it? In prep for our dialogue, I'm sharing a blog article my colleague wrote (4 Strategies to Find Scholarships for MBA Programs). We can discuss this one live so you can hone in further in the coming weeks. For the 3rd point in the blog, it will be helpful to fully define your career aspirations.

Work Experience: Total around 8 years [current: 1 year experience, currently Valuation Control Supervisor at Citibank (Budapest, Hungary), Financial Services industry] Leading a team to conduct the valuation of complex derivatives (Swaps etc). Also, playing a role of a transformation consultant to streamline legacy processes.Your experience is very interesting. With 8 years currently (9 at time of matriculation), you're at the north end the typical FT MBA class profile at the schools you're targeting. I encourage you to review these two blog posts - Four Reasons to Consider Alternate MBAS and FT, PT or EMBA, Four Steps to Choosing your B-School Experience. Overall, however, with the international, leadership and impactful experience I'm excited about what you can bring to the MBA classroom.

4 years in sell-side research: Clients were top hedge funds in the US and UK. Conducting research on investment opportunities for these hedge funds. Launched a product. Shifted the research focus of the firm when Covid hit.

2 years at ExxonMobil: Financial reporting and analysis. Financial modeling of their divestiture of retail operations in Europe

6-months worked in corporate banking at Bank AlFalah back in Pakistan

Test Scores with breakup: Actual GRE 170Q 164V converts to 770 GMAT Fantastic score - congratulations!

Post-MBA goals: investment banking is probably most logical, entrepreneurship (not sure as could be far-fetched, although I did have a startup gig) This is a topic for discussion. We want this to be authentic to you, taking into account your personality, experiences and aspirations. Based on your car-share start-up experience and some undergrad experiences, I don't think entrepreneurship is far-fetched.

Target schools: Harvard (maybe too ambitious?), Wharton, Booth, Columbia, NYU

Unique Points
-International education/work experience
-Migration of work from Citi's London office to Budapest
-Provided clients (in the UK and US) with lucrative investment ideas
-Entrepreneurial experience (launched a car rental peer-to-peer startup focused on tourists but then the Covid hit so just discontinued)
-Diversity in work functions (Accounting, Investment Management, Control)
-Have experience of working in Blue-chip and small company
-Launched a scholarship at my university in Pakistan

Some questions:
So what do you think about my profile? Does it make sense to target these schools? Harvard/Wharton/Booth? Yes - based on what you submitted, I think you'd be a compelling applicant. Let's discuss the approach given your years of experience and your appetite for scholarship.

Can I apply in Round 2 to top schools (Harvard/Wharton/Booth) or will it be better to go for these in Round 1? I am thinking to target lower ranked in Round 1 and go for a moonshot in Round 2. What are your thoughts? Your chances of admission are better in R1, so I encourage you to apply to as many schools as possible in R1 (including the top programs you mentioned), but understand the approach you suggested seems less risky. It will be helpful to get a full list of schools and put together a balanced approach. As you think about timelines, here are the deadlines for MBA programs

If I go with Round 1 and Round 2 strategy, how should I manage deposits? For example, if I get an admit, do I have to pay deposit and assume it to be a sunk cost in case I get a better admit in Round 2? If you apply for early decision (for example, CBS), there's an early date for deposits if you get admitted. Yes, those would be sunk costs if your circumstances change. You can ask for extensions (although the school makes the decision), but the best case is to get as many applications done in the same round as possible - especially prioritizing your top schools in R1 instead of waiting for R2.

Any idea on which schools will be willing to give a full-ride or close to it to me?
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MrMBA22
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Joined: 04 Jul 2021
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Profile Evaluation 07 Jul 2021, 12:24
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StratusMike Thanks! Yeah! Call tomorrow.