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08 Sep 2016, 13:43
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello! I'm preparing myself to apply for an MBA next year, and I would really appreciate your profile evaluation and some help on defining my targets (given my background, GPA, GMAT and post-MBA goals).
* South american, male, 29 yo
* GPA: 2.4 (sad) in business (local top business school)
* GMAT: did not take yet, but expecting 720+ (based on mock exams I took)
* Work Experience:
- 4 years / Structured Finance (Asset Backed Securities) in a middle-sized well-known local investment bank / promoted yearly / participated on several interesting deals, some of them as the the main responsible analyst (one of the deals was a ~USD 200M public offering)
- 1 year / Associate - Structured Finance in a very small boutique / resigned on March
- Just started as an Associate in a new small investment boutique (Structured Finance again)
* I'm going to take the CFA Level I exam in December (pretty confident that I will pass)
* Voluntary Work: responsible for the financial management in an NGO which helps refugees (started 1 week ago)
* My post-MBA goal: Investment Banking / US
From what I've read and given my profile, I'm trying to find out my best options from: Booth, Columbia, NYU, MIT, Yale, Tuck, Ross, Darden, UCLA Anderson, Duke.
I would really appreciate your insights!
* South american, male, 29 yo
* GPA: 2.4 (sad) in business (local top business school)
* GMAT: did not take yet, but expecting 720+ (based on mock exams I took)
* Work Experience:
- 4 years / Structured Finance (Asset Backed Securities) in a middle-sized well-known local investment bank / promoted yearly / participated on several interesting deals, some of them as the the main responsible analyst (one of the deals was a ~USD 200M public offering)
- 1 year / Associate - Structured Finance in a very small boutique / resigned on March
- Just started as an Associate in a new small investment boutique (Structured Finance again)
* I'm going to take the CFA Level I exam in December (pretty confident that I will pass)
* Voluntary Work: responsible for the financial management in an NGO which helps refugees (started 1 week ago)
* My post-MBA goal: Investment Banking / US
From what I've read and given my profile, I'm trying to find out my best options from: Booth, Columbia, NYU, MIT, Yale, Tuck, Ross, Darden, UCLA Anderson, Duke.
I would really appreciate your insights!
Kudos:
0
11 Sep 2016, 13:16
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hey there -
Love the breaking bad reference. Well played.
It sounds like you have a lot going on. A new job, prepping for the GMAT, preparing your essays, and studying for the CFA in December? The CFA will be great step for mitigating your GPA; even if it's just level 1. In general you probably know that the GPA is going to be your biggest issue to overcome. The easiest way to mitigate some of it is going to be to take online classes in quant classes and get an A in them. It’ll show to the adcom that you have the academic ability to handle the course load. Was there anything that drove the low GPA? Did you have a personal issue / did your GPA get better over time as you learned better time management perhaps? If so, you’re going to want to highlight that in your essays; at a minimum in the optional one.
The other issue that you need to address is your age. At 29 (30 at matriculation or 31 if you don't apply until next year) you’re at the high end of the range. Honestly, I'd shoot for round 2 of this year if I were you. After 29, they start to wonder why you aren't considering a part-time program etc (yes the age range is broader but often successful older candidates are coming from military, multiple degrees,etc - not just many years of work experience). You'll want to be crystal clear about why this makes sense for you "now" and why you aren't just staying in your successful career.
Hope this helps!
Love the breaking bad reference. Well played.
It sounds like you have a lot going on. A new job, prepping for the GMAT, preparing your essays, and studying for the CFA in December? The CFA will be great step for mitigating your GPA; even if it's just level 1. In general you probably know that the GPA is going to be your biggest issue to overcome. The easiest way to mitigate some of it is going to be to take online classes in quant classes and get an A in them. It’ll show to the adcom that you have the academic ability to handle the course load. Was there anything that drove the low GPA? Did you have a personal issue / did your GPA get better over time as you learned better time management perhaps? If so, you’re going to want to highlight that in your essays; at a minimum in the optional one.
The other issue that you need to address is your age. At 29 (30 at matriculation or 31 if you don't apply until next year) you’re at the high end of the range. Honestly, I'd shoot for round 2 of this year if I were you. After 29, they start to wonder why you aren't considering a part-time program etc (yes the age range is broader but often successful older candidates are coming from military, multiple degrees,etc - not just many years of work experience). You'll want to be crystal clear about why this makes sense for you "now" and why you aren't just staying in your successful career.
Hope this helps!
