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ComingToAmerica
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Joined: 03 Mar 2013
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Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 25 Mar 2013, 02:35
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Please evaluate my profile:

African (American) Male - was born and lived in Africa until college but a US citizen - underrepresented minority

GPA: 3.6 from Ivy (Columbia) - Magna Cum Laude - Distinction in Major - Dean's List many semesters + other awards - also, I had a bad freshman year (3.2 GPA) and upped my gpa every year (3.98 final semester) - Fulbright scholar

Double Major: Philosophy and Cultural Studies - Graduated #1 in my class for Cultural Studies amongst 100+ students

GMAT: 680 - Quant 48 - Verbal 35 (Did it three times but I just couldn't up my verbal score) - I am dyslexic (my reading is really affected when i'm under pressure) but for my writing courses in college I had a cumulative 3.85 gpa

WE: 3 years at a $2BN equity hedge fund - promoted twice - moved back to Africa to work with family business 6 months ago (energy consulting firm)

Goals after business school: Africa focused venture capital

Extra-curriculars:
In college - president and chairman of 2 cultural groups - philanthropy chair of my fraternity - soup kitchen volunteer for homeless
Since college: Toastmasters (Vice President) - mentor to young aspiring African college graduates - scuba diver (qualified scuba diving instructor) - events planner for college alumni events

Other: My father and brother attended HBS and my mother has a masters in international relations from Stanford.

I am considering applying to:

HBS
Stanford
Wharton
Columbia

Does anyone have a sense for my odds of getting in with a low GMAT? And does it help that I am a legacy at these schools?
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jumsumtak
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Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Schools: Duke '16 (M)
Schools: Duke '16 (M)
Posts: 1,092
Kudos: 594
Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 25 Mar 2013, 03:01
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this is my opinion and I'm no profile evaluation expert, so take it with a grain of salt:

You look a 'solid' candidate to me. The schools that you mentioned will blink at your GMAT, but, you should be able to overcome that with good essays. I think it's more or less a matter of execution and spinning a good story. No one is a shoe-in at schools like H/S/W because they are ultra-competitive, but you have more than a good chance at them.

Being a legacy definitely helps.
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ComingToAmerica
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Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 26 Mar 2013, 01:28
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jumsumtak
this is my opinion and I'm no profile evaluation expert, so take it with a grain of salt:

You look a 'solid' candidate to me. The schools that you mentioned will blink at your GMAT, but, you should be able to overcome that with good essays. I think it's more or less a matter of execution and spinning a good story. No one is a shoe-in at schools like H/S/W because they are ultra-competitive, but you have more than a good chance at them.

Being a legacy definitely helps.
Show more


Thanks a ton. I appreciate the feedback. Do you think I should apply to a couple of safety schools as well? And which would you suggest, given my career goals?
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jumsumtak
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Joined: 23 Mar 2011
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594
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Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy
Schools: Duke '16 (M)
Schools: Duke '16 (M)
Posts: 1,092
Kudos: 594
Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 26 Mar 2013, 02:05
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ComingToAmerica
jumsumtak
this is my opinion and I'm no profile evaluation expert, so take it with a grain of salt:

You look a 'solid' candidate to me. The schools that you mentioned will blink at your GMAT, but, you should be able to overcome that with good essays. I think it's more or less a matter of execution and spinning a good story. No one is a shoe-in at schools like H/S/W because they are ultra-competitive, but you have more than a good chance at them.

Being a legacy definitely helps.


Thanks a ton. I appreciate the feedback. Do you think I should apply to a couple of safety schools as well? And which would you suggest, given my career goals?
Show more

Considering you got a Stanford interview invite this year as well, I would not go a lot lower than the M7s. I think you have enough of a shot at these schools, and if you don't go through it will be more of an execution issue - which can be overcome in the next cycle.

I''d probably add Booth and Sloan to that list because you want to go into finance/entrepreneurship. Not saying that those are safeties for you (because they aren't for anybody), but again, you definitely have them in your reach.
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GeneralEducation
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Status:Assisting candidates to get admit in to top global business schools
Affiliations: MBA
Location: Bangalore
Schools:HEC, Paris
WE 1: 9 Years
Posts: 1,378
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Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 26 Mar 2013, 02:44
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Hi,

You can surely convert your chances from application to admission by submitting strong application essays and demonstrating leadership skills, professionalism and achievements at work place during final interviews. The only concern is your GMAT score for H/S/W & CBS. But as I said, you can always convert by skillfully writing essays. You can try your chances in b-schools by clicking to the link https://tinyurl.com/c6b6qcu

Let me know in case of other queries you might have. You can PM your number to have a discussion over your profile and selection of b-schools.

Cheers!!
Neha

ComingToAmerica
Please evaluate my profile:

African (American) Male - was born and lived in Africa until college but a US citizen - underrepresented minority

GPA: 3.6 from Ivy (Columbia) - Magna Cum Laude - Distinction in Major - Dean's List many semesters + other awards - also, I had a bad freshman year (3.2 GPA) and upped my gpa every year (3.98 final semester) - Fulbright scholar

Double Major: Philosophy and Cultural Studies - Graduated #1 in my class for Cultural Studies amongst 100+ students

GMAT: 680 - Quant 48 - Verbal 35 (Did it three times but I just couldn't up my verbal score) - I am dyslexic (my reading is really affected when i'm under pressure) but for my writing courses in college I had a cumulative 3.85 gpa

WE: 3 years at a $2BN equity hedge fund - promoted twice - moved back to Africa to work with family business 6 months ago (energy consulting firm)

Goals after business school: Africa focused venture capital

Extra-curriculars:
In college - president and chairman of 2 cultural groups - philanthropy chair of my fraternity - soup kitchen volunteer for homeless
Since college: Toastmasters (Vice President) - mentor to young aspiring African college graduates - scuba diver (qualified scuba diving instructor) - events planner for college alumni events

Other: My father and brother attended HBS and my mother has a masters in international relations from Stanford.

I am considering applying to:

HBS
Stanford
Wharton
Columbia

Does anyone have a sense for my odds of getting in with a low GMAT? And does it help that I am a legacy at these schools?
Show more
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ComingToAmerica
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Joined: 03 Mar 2013
Last visit: 03 May 2013
Posts: 9
Posts: 9
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Profile Evaluation - Low GMAT but legacy 26 Mar 2013, 03:35
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jumsumtak
ComingToAmerica
jumsumtak
this is my opinion and I'm no profile evaluation expert, so take it with a grain of salt:

You look a 'solid' candidate to me. The schools that you mentioned will blink at your GMAT, but, you should be able to overcome that with good essays. I think it's more or less a matter of execution and spinning a good story. No one is a shoe-in at schools like H/S/W because they are ultra-competitive, but you have more than a good chance at them.

Being a legacy definitely helps.


Thanks a ton. I appreciate the feedback. Do you think I should apply to a couple of safety schools as well? And which would you suggest, given my career goals?

Considering you got a Stanford interview invite this year as well, I would not go a lot lower than the M7s. I think you have enough of a shot at these schools, and if you don't go through it will be more of an execution issue - which can be overcome in the next cycle.

I''d probably add Booth and Sloan to that list because you want to go into finance/entrepreneurship. Not saying that those are safeties for you (because they aren't for anybody), but again, you definitely have them in your reach.
Show more

Thanks a lot. I guess you read my other posts. I only applied to Stanford Round 2 this year and I thought my interview went terribly. Fortunately, I got the call this morning from the dean of admissions, a whole day early and I got in. So I guess I dont need to plan for next year after all.