Profile Review - Aerospace

Question

Hi,

I am looking to attend business school in the Fall of 2023. As such, I am looking to pre-emptively get an idea of the schools that I may have a shot at.
Based on this, I can better prepare myself for when the Fall 2022 round 1 application cycle rolls around.

Profile:

Nationality: Canadian, Male
Languages spoken: English and French
GMAT: 660 (44Q/36V)
GPA: 3.5/4.3 (3.9/4.3 in the last two years --> heaviest course load (in terms of quantity of courses and difficulty) in the last two years)
Education: Double undergrad in Theoretical Physics and Mechanical Engineering
Occupation: Aerospace Engineer
Industry: Aerospace and Defense (Top 3 - Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon etc.)
Work ex: 3-3.5 years

Extra-curriculars (just highlighting one for brevity):

Passion for finance and investing; this led me to being involved with the investment club at my uni.

I was then nominated to run the investment club and I therefore became the first non-business student to run it.

More than doubled attendance and organized networking events and presentations with professionals from varied fields in finance (IB, PE etc.). Gave stock pitches and generally explored my passion for finance and stock picking. This was a little intimidating for me because I was the only Engineering student standing and presenting in front of > 50 purely business/finance students talking about stocks and running our weekly meetings. On the flip side, I was able to get Engineering/quant heavy students excited about the world of finance and business, and I used my platform as President of the investment club to bridge the two 'Worlds' together with the aim of killing the 'engineers and scientists are awkward nerds who only like to hang out in a lab' stereotype.

Employment:
I joined my current job through being selected out of many students for a leadership development program (first of its kind at the time). I am in a very analytical and quantitatively heavy role but I am balancing that out by presenting frequently to executives, and chairing meetings for projects that I am responsible for. I am an extrovert by nature and thus I enjoy connecting with people and forging business relationships.

My managers are aware of my ambitions to grow within the company (I am aiming for executive leadership one day and have had 1-1 time with both the Chairman/CEO and President of my company), and my managers are actively preparing me for a management role in the future through giving me the lead in many key high visibility projects with many stakeholders and a significant financial impact to our division.

Summary:

My goal is to attend business school so that I can fulfill my passion and curiosity for business, get a formal business education to complement my quant-heavy undergrad, and bring those skills back to my company and add value upon completion of my MBA.

Based on my research, the number of applicants from fields such as mine tends to be low. Is this an advantage?

I am targeting schools such as Oxford Said, LBS, HEC Paris, McGill, Rotman, INSEAD, HBS, and MIT to name a few.

What are my chances?

PS: seeing as I have some time, I am considering another attempt at the GMAT so that I can boost my score to around the >=700 level.

Thanks!

Admissionado · Answer

SR71 : Thank you for reaching out! Q: Based on my research, the number of applicants from fields such as mine tends to be low. Is this an advantage? A: Yes, this is a huge advantage if you play your cards correctly. Coming from a low-represented industry can be an enormous asset in the application process. Q: What are my chances? With a 660, you are on the outside looking into almost all of these schools. If you can bump it up to at least a 700 (if not higher) you should be a candidate at several of these programs. The European and Canadian programs are definitely safer bets as the threshold to getting in is lower. When you are ready to apply, please drop us a line for a free consultation: https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/ Alternatively, we offer something called the Advanced Planning Program which is a great way to get in a few sessions with a consultant prior to application season. They can help you round out your profile while you still have ample time to do so. https://admissionado.com/mba/mba-advanc ... g-program/

SR71 · Answer

Update - after retaking the GMAT, I have achieved a score of 700 (Q48/V38).
Could you please provide feedback based on this updated score?

My targets are CBS, Wharton, LBS, and Rotman.

Also, do you have any suggestions of other schools to target?

Thanks!

Admissionado · Answer

SR71 : That's great - congrats on the score improvement! That's a solid list of schools now that you have the 700. Are you applying now? Columbia is going to be a little tricky as we're deep into the application window and rolling admissions starts to work against you. Still, you should apply. How critical is it that you attend next year, Fall 2023? If the answer is yes, then you may need to consider other (lower-ranked) programs to ensure you are accepted in R2. If the answer is "no" or that you only want to attend a program of a certain ranking/caliber, then we can think about other options similar to those you initially listed. Also, if you can give us a little more information about your criteria for a school, that would be helpful. Details such as geography, size of class, recruiting/academic focus, etc. would be helpful in assisting you. You can also reach out to us for a free consultation if you want to speak directly with one of our admissions experts. We are happy to help you put together a list and walk you through our new consulting services. https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

Profile Review - Aerospace

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