blossomy wrote:
I am trying to narrow down my list of schools and would like help. I'm planning to apply to 6 schools Round 1 and that’s IT. (l.e., no Round 2.) Concerned that because of the low GPA, GMAT split, age, and lack of brand name work experience, my chances at the H/S/W set are too low to bother with. I don’t want to use up my precious 6 slots for schools at which I don’t really have a shot. Schools I’m currently considering are
Harvard
Stanford
Wharton
Berkeley
NYU Stern
Chicago Booth
Yale
Michigan Ross
Given the profile below, which two would YOU drop? Is the list of potential schools unrealistic overall?
Age: will be 32 at time of enrollment
Sex: Female
Race: Asian-American
GPA: 2.6, public ivy, economics and English double major (unfocused, took lots of hard/weeder classes, no upward trend but last year was good)
Grad GPA: 3.67, top 5 public policy master’s, curriculum included quant classes/electives with good performance
GMAT: 740, 45 Q (68th percentile), 47 V (99th percentile)
Work exp: 2 years of AmeriCorps after college (full time volunteer work; project leader 2nd year), [then master’s 2 years], a year of a few different temporary positions, 4 years as analyst in health services research at a large nonprofit on the East Coast – one level change from I to II after 2.5 years, but not title change
Career plans: start with consulting, plan to open own consulting firm one day offering combined management, research, and policy expertise
Extracurriculars: worked a few different p/t jobs in college, maybe 10-12 hrs a week, not much during professional life, student leadership association during grad school
Other: foreign language
Thanks!
I would drop Stanford and Harvard. I think you are aiming a little high. Perhaps add Cornell Johnson and Duke.
Best,
Linda