codipapo wrote:
Hi everyone, I'm planning to apply for my MBA in a year's time (R1 2020) to plug some holes in my profile and would appreciate any honest feedback on my target schools (given my inclination towards tech) and how to improve my profile further in the time I have before applying. Thank you!
Work Experience: (all in the Philippines, 4 years total by matriculation)
• 1 year at a local fintech wallet startup (similar to PayPal, Alipay, WeChat Pay) doing analytics - built the entire analytics and business intelligence capabilities of my vertical and helped source a sizeable investment
• 1+ years (will be 3 years by matriculation) at a global payments company (Visa, Mastercard) doing business planning and operations (more on ad hoc projects like partnership pitches, business/product proposals alongside some analytics work) and setting the overall country strategy
Extra Curriculars:
Postgrad:
I teach a management subject part-time at my alma mater
Undergrad:
Was president of my major's student organization and doubled our capital while organizing new projects related to corporate sustainability
Represented the school and won a few national competitions related to marketing and strategy
GMAT Score: 720 (V40/Q49); will retake just to see if I can score any higher
Undergrad school/major: Management Engineering major from a top 3 School in the Philippines
Undergrad GPA: 3.35 / 4.00
Race/nationality: Filipino (Asian)
Sex: Male
Age: 25 (27 by matriculation)
Goal post-MBA:
I've largely worked on analytics and ad hoc projects; I want to transition to a product manager role at a tech company where I can own, set the direction, and grow the product I handle in a more holistic manner.
Target schools:
Dream/Reach: Haas (Berkeley)
Target: Anderson (UCLA), Fuqua (Duke), Ross (Michigan), Stern (NYU), McCombs (Texas), Foster (Washington)
Hello
codipapoI suppose you will pursue FinTech specialization as well or some related to management ?
I do like your undegrad and graduate extra curriculum activities.
Engineering major is always helpful, meaning you do know math
Berkeley is great school
, great choice from your side, average GMAT of accepted students is 726, range is 690-750, 16% of students do come from Engineering major like you and average undergraduate GPA is 3.66.
UCLA is another West Coast gem, average GMAT is 719, undergraduate GPA range from 3.2 to 3.8 , 22% of students do come from Engineering major.
Fuqua GMAT Range of accepted students is 650-750.
Ross has average GMAT of 720, like you already scored
Stern, another of my favorites, has GMAT average of 716 and Median of 720, range would be 590-780, 25% of students do come from Financial Services ad prior industry.
McCombs has 702 average GMAT score ,average GPA 3.48, range of GPA is 3-3.9.
Foster has Average GMAT of 696 and average undergraduate GPA of 3.31, having 16% of Engineering undegrad majors in class.
All in all you have fair chance at all schools on your list.
I personally like Berkeley, UCLA, Stern and Foster a little bit more than others, due to location preference
It is my opinion that you dont need GMAT retake, but it is okay to try if you can manage all other aspects of your application on time.
Personal essay is going to be the most important.
Good Luck
close
25 May 2019, 07:41
