GMAT 740 Profile Evaluation and Next Steps

Question

Hello,

I am new to the GMAT Club community and I was wondering whether I could get some tips and thoughts on my progress toward an M7 MBA:

Asian-American (Chinese, Korean, Japanese)
GMAT: 740
GPA: 3.59/4.0 from top 10 U.S. University (not known for engineering)
Major: Mechanical Engineering with Minor in Finance
Work Experience: Will start work at a Fortune 100 engineering company this year
Extracurriculars: Leadership position in engineering club, Intramural soccer, No volunteering experience
Post-MBA Career: Hedge fund or investment management fund
Miscellaneous: No finance experience

I am currently a senior in college, but I wanted some guidance for the next several years to build the strength of my candidacy for an M7 MBA program.

Please leave any and all feedback/criticism. Thank you in advance!

2118kool · Answer

Thank you. I have some time left until I will apply to MBA programs, but I was not sure whether I should retake the GMAT again (since I will be competing with other Asian/Indian candidates with higher GMAT scores) or focus on community service and building more finance related experiences.

I've been reading that 720 is sufficient and I feel like that is generally the case, but I just feel like a score of 760 is much more of a realistic number for someone with my profile to be competitive at an M7 program. It may be illogical, but I feel that my 740 is not sufficient and that I should have at least a 760.

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hey 2118kool, Here is some advice over the next few years on your quest for a top MBA! 1. Focus on the Quality of Your Work Product : build strong relationships with senior managers, come in early/leave late, and try and earn an early promotion if you are able. One of the major factors schools look at is effectiveness. Were you someone who came in and did what was expected of him/her or did you go above and beyond and really showed leadership and initiative? Also think about your impact on your superiors, as they will be the ones writing your recommendations. 2. Build a Story : If your post-MBA goal is to work at a hedge fund or as an investment manager, you are going to need prior finance knowledge. Buy-side recruiting out of an MBA is very difficult, even with relevant experience, and firms are looking for associates who can both generate and model ideas. Perhaps think about making the switch in a couple years to the finance department of your firm or looking for an entry-level (or rotational) role with a large financial firm or small investment shop. Keep in mind most people without buy-side experience must first do 2 years of investment banking to build the requisite skills. 3. Volunteer/Find a Passion : This is something a lot of people overlook or mis-interpret. Schools want you to be an interesting, well-rounded person with actionable interests. Volunteering for the sake of volunteering isnt recommended - find something you are passionate about (whether it be sports, children, underprivlidged youth) and discover ways you can make an impact in that particular community. That way, when you are going through MBA interviews, you can speak from the heart about your involvement and really show the interviee you are genuine. 4. Most Importantly : Have fun and don't sweat the small stuff! You're finishing college now and the next 3-5 years are going to be filled with a number of ups and downs, both personal and professional. You may even look back on your post and realize you want completely different things than you want now. Be open to new ideas and experiences and make decisions with your gut. Feel free to reach out at scott@personalmbacoach.com if you'd like to chat more about the business school process. We also provide support services for people in your shoes who are looking to apply in a few years. Regards,

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

A few thoughts for you to think through  2118kool :
 
  Not sure on the timing, but have you already tried the  deferred MBA  route?  
  It'll be important to understand the nature of your work at the Engineering company. The transition you seem to be seeking might come across as quite unrealistic and will need a huge amount of effort, not just say by doing a CFA or some such, but also in terms of your work profile.  
  You have 3-4 years ahead of you. I wouldn't break my head over GMAT if I were you yet - who knows how things may evolve in that time frame. Best to focus on what you have at hand for now and build a strong profile. If you are looking for more in-depth help on that, consider a detailed   Profile Building   intervention.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

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