Dear
Vantage Point:
If you could please review my profile, it would be greatly appreciated!
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Home: Midwest, United States (one of the least populated states)—native English speaker
University/GPA/Major: Medium-sized liberal arts university located in the Midwest, USA.; GPA: 3.86; BA History; Magna Cum Laude
GMAT: 1st attempt-- 710 Q48 V39 IR6 AWA?
When to attend MBA school? 3 years from now—ie I don’t intend to start until Fall 2019 at the earliest, but most likely Fall 2020.
Work Experience:
Month-long internship in Japan at one of the largest intellectual property law firms in the country. Dealt with fortune 500 companies. Worked in trademarks, patents, copyrights, presented to design-team attorneys in an effort to provide a potential solution to a client’s problem. I have a well-written, and generously positive cv addendum piece written by the owner and founder of the firm. In it he described my role at the company, and my character traits—all very positive.
24-months at a very successful finance/banking company in my local town. It is a company that one of my relatives owns—thus I have had a very unique and positive experience there. I work on various projects, all of which are meant to simply add value to the firm. I have worked on finding a property for my company to move into. Thus, lots of experience in the city’s local real estate. I presented to management the pros and cons of the various properties I had in mind. Ultimately, we went with the property I was most in favor of. This deal was a multi-million dollar property. Up to date, this has been my proudest achievement at the office—and I intend to spotlight this well in my application.
At this trust company, I have also created and presented my thoughts on a 5-year capital plan. I suggested various ways in which the firm could retain more of its earnings. Moreover, I suggested ideas as to what these retained earnings could be invested in—one of these ideas was the very building we ended up purchasing. I have also dealt with fee structuring for clients; space-reconfiguration for employees at current office; and am working on composing a piece describing the benefits of the industry that my firm works in has to the state in which it is located.
I intend on continuing to work at this firm for an additional year—and then I will be moving to a larger city in the Midwest, and be getting a job there for approximately 2.5 years until I am ready to begin school.
Extra Facts:
• Attended a top-10 MBA school for a month during the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college. I took various classes at the school; and, the experience culminated with a group presentation to various business executives and professors. The presentation was on a valuation of a publically-traded company to various business leaders and professors.
• I am co-founder and co-manager of a start-up real estate investment company that owns a small 5-unit apartment in my local town. This is my largest passion.
• In my part-time, I am also working for an insurance-consulting business that works primarily provides insurance consulting for international clients.
• Took an introductory MBA-level Foundations in Economics course this past fall. Received an A.
• Sport Enthusiast; and avid reader
• Series 6 and 63 certified
Aspirations:
It is my hope to attend one of the top-10 MBA schools. Of course, at first blush, HBS and Stanford are my dream schools. I do really need some guidance, however, in that I am not certain how to best achieve acceptance into these schools.
Ultimately, I want to create a holding company that will hold my current real estate company (of which I own 50%) as well as an additional wholly-owned real estate subsidiary that further invests in other real estate properties outside of the properties I co-own with my partner.
Eventually, I want this holding company to evolve though, and no longer purely be a holding company that is predicated on real estate, but one that branches off into other industries. For example, maybe purchasing an existing company that I deem worthwhile and promising; or perhaps creating a brand new company with other investors. Moreover, I want much of my holding company's investments to be based in the small city that I currently live in--it's just the right size in that it is a booming town with lots of growth, but still leaves many opportunities for its residents to leave their own personal mark on it.
Questions:
How does my profile stack up for a top-10 MBA school? How about HBS and Stanford?
Are there any key components missing in my profile? I am not yet very community involved, and feel I ought to be for many more reasons than just that it would potentially augment my application.
Should I retake the GMAT? I have not yet asked this on the forum, and I understand that this question may better be asked elsewhere, but I am curious as to what an admissions individual would suggest after knowing more of ‘my story’
Thank you very much for your time--and I'm sorry for the length of this post!