thecamel77 wrote:
Hi All,
Would appreciate any feedback and advice. Also maybe guidance as to what programs would be a good fit for me.
Ethnicity: 28 y/o white male, US citizen (29 at matriculation)
GPA: 3.3 Major in Econ (also did premed and the vast majority of my poor grades were those classes)
GMAT: 700 (Q45,V40)
Work Experience:
-Moved to a foreign country after completion of degree (and have stayed here since) and joined a special forces unit where I held leadership positions and served for 2 years.
- Afterwards worked in a startup in a marketing role with some biz dev experience (also worked a second part time job at another startup at nights and on weekends where I did QA work
- Transitioned to my dream job and got an analyst role at a Venture capital firm. I have been here for almost a year and by the time I apply to schools, I will either have 1.5 years experience (or 2.5 at time of matriculation) years handling dealflow, doing all the firms due diligence on new investments, marketing and representing our firm at events and conferences. I also have been an integral part of the firm raising its second fund.
Extracurriculars:
- I volunteer with younger guys looking to join good military units. I lead them in mental and physical preparation sessions and also act as a big brother, helping them to adjust to life in a new country and prepare for the crazy ride that is the military
- Also volunteer at a program that helps children with mental disabilities, basically just being a friend, playing games with them, etc
Goals:
My goal is to move back to the US and continue to work at a VC firm. The reason I believe the MBA is necessary is because an MBA from a top school will help me network and get a start back in the US while making inroads and opening doors in a very competitive industry. Beyond this, over my last year in a VC I have felt that there have been some gaps in my knowledge in Finance and Operations and I'm sure an MBA could help close some of those gaps.
Questions: Currently, my top choice is Columbia, but I am curious how much of a reach m7 is for me? I recognize my GMAT is slightly on the lower side but is the difference between a 700 and 720/730 that important (or that much of a deal breaker) to a program?
Hey camel77,
Thanks for posting! It looks like you are a former IDF guy, I actually worked with someone a couple years ago who was an American volunteer in the IDF, served 2 years in an elite unit and then transitioned to corporate banking in NY. You both had the same GMAT, his GPA was slightly higher. He fell short of the M7 but was able to get scholaship money at a few schools ranked 10-20.
With him, I think the main issue was the GMAT, and a 730+ would have made him much more competitive at places like Columbia and Wharton. If you're able to study for and re-take, I would highly recommend it, as 45 is a little on the low side for quant.
In terms of VC in Israel versus the US, VC abroad simply doesn't carry the weight of VC here in the states. While it's great experience, it won't automatically qualify you for a school like CBS or Wharton since it won't be viewed on the same level as an Accel or Anderson Horowitz. You're more likely to be viewed as an Israeli in finance rather than an American in VC, if that makes sense?
That being said, I would 100% work on getting the GMAT up and begin networking with the schools you are interested in. Americans in the IDF are a rare breed, and schools will love your military experience and ability to navigate uncertain environments.
Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at
scott@personalmbacoach.com to discuss more offline. I think you're a great candidate and would love to see if we can find a way to work together!
Regards,
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13 May 2019, 08:22
