Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Dec 1110:00 AM PST
-11:00 AM PST
Top MBA Admissions Consultant: We work with you to turn YOUR story and YOUR passions into YOUR success. Curious to learn more?
Dec 1101:00 PM EST
-03:00 PM EST
Looking to secure a coveted spot at a top business school? Our team of seasoned MBA admissions consultants, including top B schools alumni and industry leaders, is here to help turn your dreams into reality. Let’s kick-start your journey to success!
Dec 1210:00 AM EST
-10:30 AM EST
Did you know you can lock in a spot at an elite MBA program years in advance of attending? Learn everything about Deferred MBA programs and why they’re becoming a game-changer for students and professionals.
Dec 1208:00 PM PST
-09:00 PM PST
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!
Dec 1308:30 AM EST
-09:15 AM EST
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great, learn how you can present a strong MBA application, and connect with an Admissions Director to get your questions answered.
Dec 1408:00 AM PST
-11:30 AM PST
Join us for an exclusive Admit Weekend designed to help you navigate the exciting yet challenging process of choosing between multiple MBA offers and provide valuable guidance on financial aid, scholarship negotiation, visa processes, and more.
Dec 1511:00 AM EST
-11:30 AM EST
Meet Tuck at an informal student or staff-hosted coffee chat in a city near you!- Dec 16
08:00 AM PST
-11:59 PM PST
GMAT Club 12 Days of Christmas is a 4th Annual GMAT Club Winter Competition based on solving questions. This is the Winter GMAT competition on GMAT Club with an amazing opportunity to win over $40,000 worth of prizes! 
Dec 2109:00 PM IST
-10:00 PM IST
Dreaming of a successful post-MBA career? Explore the 2026 career pathways in consulting, tech, finance, and dive into the exciting opportunities and the potential ROI these industries offer, helping you make informed decisions and more.
Updated on: 07 Jul 2020, 06:47
Originally posted by LoveWildLife on 15 Feb 2020, 00:55.
Last edited by LoveWildLife on 07 Jul 2020, 06:47, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by LoveWildLife on 07 Jul 2020, 06:47, edited 1 time in total.
Kudos
Bookmarks
delete
18 Feb 2020, 10:34
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi gempony, thanks for reaching out to us.
Regarding your questions, yes I would aim to get closer to 730 for those target schools. And with your Psychology major background (fellow Psych major here!) I think having a strong showing on the Quant side is really important for you. So hopefully you can get that Q48 again and pair it with a high verbal too. I do think it's worth dedicating extra time til you're confidently practicing at your target score before taking the test again. So if that means delaying your retake to double down on your studying, that may be a good call. By the way, I'm not too worried about the non-Ivy league school factor. Plenty of our clients get in to top programs from non-Ivy league schools. What matters is whether you challenged yourself in college and how well you did, and your GPA tells me that you did quite well. I also love the grit you've shown in transitioning to an investment banking role without a traditional background - definitely emphasize that in your essays! As for what else to focus on in essays, it's hard to advise without knowing more about your story. You could check out our brainstorming guide (https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mb ... ming-guide) and our essay writing guide (https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mb ... ting-guide) or set up a free phone consultation with someone on our team to discuss further (link below in my signature).
Lastly, I see what you mean about the extracurriculars, those are fairly common activities. But having them is better than not having any. In the next few months, can you take on a bigger role in one of them? Plan a fundraising event? Do something extra? Never hurts to ask the organizations and see how else you might be able to help out.
If you're able to raise your GMAT, I think you've got a chance at the schools you've listed. Those are all top/selective programs though, so I would have a backup or two in mind as well.
One other question, from your dates, are you no longer employed at the investment bank? If so, that could present an additional challenge as you'd need to explain the work gap.
Hope that helps!
Kate
Regarding your questions, yes I would aim to get closer to 730 for those target schools. And with your Psychology major background (fellow Psych major here!) I think having a strong showing on the Quant side is really important for you. So hopefully you can get that Q48 again and pair it with a high verbal too. I do think it's worth dedicating extra time til you're confidently practicing at your target score before taking the test again. So if that means delaying your retake to double down on your studying, that may be a good call. By the way, I'm not too worried about the non-Ivy league school factor. Plenty of our clients get in to top programs from non-Ivy league schools. What matters is whether you challenged yourself in college and how well you did, and your GPA tells me that you did quite well. I also love the grit you've shown in transitioning to an investment banking role without a traditional background - definitely emphasize that in your essays! As for what else to focus on in essays, it's hard to advise without knowing more about your story. You could check out our brainstorming guide (https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mb ... ming-guide) and our essay writing guide (https://shop.mbamission.com/products/mb ... ting-guide) or set up a free phone consultation with someone on our team to discuss further (link below in my signature).
Lastly, I see what you mean about the extracurriculars, those are fairly common activities. But having them is better than not having any. In the next few months, can you take on a bigger role in one of them? Plan a fundraising event? Do something extra? Never hurts to ask the organizations and see how else you might be able to help out.
If you're able to raise your GMAT, I think you've got a chance at the schools you've listed. Those are all top/selective programs though, so I would have a backup or two in mind as well.
One other question, from your dates, are you no longer employed at the investment bank? If so, that could present an additional challenge as you'd need to explain the work gap.
Hope that helps!
Kate
gempony
Hi mbaMission,
Appreciate if you could give me some suggestions based on my background information below:
· Demographics (nationality, gender):
Hong Kong Chinese, Female
· Education (undergraduate institution, GPA, major - high school/entrance exams not needed):
Upper Iowa University, B.S. Psychology (GPA: 3.85)
· Other coursework or post-undergraduate education:
Nil
· GMAT or GRE (include section breakdown):
GMAT first attempt (Dec 2018): 630 (Verbal: 32, Quant: 44) (Score cancelled)
1st CAT (Jan 2020) : 700 (Quant: 48, Verbal: 38)
2nd CAT (Feb 2020): 700 (Quant: 44, Verbal: 41)
GMAT 2nd attempt: 19th Feb (will update)
· Work experience (highlight amount of work experience, industries, roles, promotions, special accomplishments, international exposure):
Company C: Assistant Vice President, Investment Banking April 2018 – Dec 2019
Company C: Senior Associate, Investment Banking October 2016- March 2018
Company C is a Hong Kong-based boutique investment bank that provides advisory services on initial public offering, corporate restructuring, valuation, underwriting, shares placement and distribution, and equity fundraising activities.
Responsibilities:
• Handle due diligence work and the preparation of marketing materials, research materials and transactional documents and other documentation incidental to the execution of transactions
• Liaising and dealing with clients, professional parties, regulators and other business and support unit
• Assist in the provision of advice on transactions regarding valuation, structuring, regulatory and business aspects of them
• Handle the execution of Equity Captial Market (ECM) related transactions, including underwriting, arranging roadshows and due diligence
• Build strong relationships with high net-worth investors and fund managers
• Prepare pitch books and assist in identifying and securing deals with new clients
• Collaborate closely with internal team members and external partners to ensure smooth execution and follow-through
Company B: Investment Banking Analyst March 2015 – September 2016
Company B is an investment bank that provides advisory services on initial public offering, corporate restructuring, valuation, underwriting, shares placement and distribution, and equity fundraising activities. Company B operates as a subsidiary of ABC-Bank Ltd.
Responsibilities:
• Conduct business, financial and regulatory due diligence
• Perform industry and company research, valuations, capital structure and financial analysis
• Support the origination and execution of corporate finance and equity capital markets transactions
• Prepare and present information memorandums / presentations for pitching external clients and reporting to internal committees
Company A: Institutional Sales Associate Jan 2014 – March 2015
Company A is one of the top 5 market research firms globally.
Responsibilities:
• Client service of buy-side subscribers of Company A proprietary research
• Prospecting, selling, and closing six-figure annual research subscriptions
• Contribute to the coordination of sales activities between US, UK and HK offices
• Travel on a monthly basis for face-to-face sales presentations and demo briefings in APAC region
• Achieve individual and team quota
· Extracurricular activities (highlight notable undergraduate and post-undergraduate ones):
Volunteer Tutor for unprivileged kids
Volunteer in Animal Shelter
· Post-MBA goals:
Switch my career from sell-side to buy-side, relocate to Singapore
· Target schools:
1) INSEAD
2) LBS
3) Kellogg
(Ranked according to my preference)
· Other information relevant to your profile:
Graduated from low-ranking non-ivy league school without finance or accounting related degrees but managed to break into finance. I proved my ability and got promoted twice within 4 years - analyst to senior associate, and then senior associate to AVP. I have my latest supervisor (head of the IBD department) and several clients who are top management (MD/ Head of China, etc) of the biggest Asia and US private equity funds, who are alumni of INSEAD/ Columbia MBA to write my recommendations as a testament of my character and strong work ethics.
I understand my weak academic background could be a hurdle - and my latest GMAT/ CAT scores are not exceptionally good. I will make my 2nd GMAT attempt in 3 days. Please advise:
1) given my background, should I score at least 730 in GMAT? I m wondering if I should postpone the test to give myself more time to boost the score
2) which area should I emphasize more in my essay?
3) Is my extracurricular activity too typical - what else can I do within these 1-2 months to enhance my profile? Honestly and sadly, I really did not have much time to participate in extracurricular activities because of my hectic work schedule.
Appreciate if you could give me some suggestions based on my background information below:
· Demographics (nationality, gender):
Hong Kong Chinese, Female
· Education (undergraduate institution, GPA, major - high school/entrance exams not needed):
Upper Iowa University, B.S. Psychology (GPA: 3.85)
· Other coursework or post-undergraduate education:
Nil
· GMAT or GRE (include section breakdown):
GMAT first attempt (Dec 2018): 630 (Verbal: 32, Quant: 44) (Score cancelled)
1st CAT (Jan 2020) : 700 (Quant: 48, Verbal: 38)
2nd CAT (Feb 2020): 700 (Quant: 44, Verbal: 41)
GMAT 2nd attempt: 19th Feb (will update)
· Work experience (highlight amount of work experience, industries, roles, promotions, special accomplishments, international exposure):
Company C: Assistant Vice President, Investment Banking April 2018 – Dec 2019
Company C: Senior Associate, Investment Banking October 2016- March 2018
Company C is a Hong Kong-based boutique investment bank that provides advisory services on initial public offering, corporate restructuring, valuation, underwriting, shares placement and distribution, and equity fundraising activities.
Responsibilities:
• Handle due diligence work and the preparation of marketing materials, research materials and transactional documents and other documentation incidental to the execution of transactions
• Liaising and dealing with clients, professional parties, regulators and other business and support unit
• Assist in the provision of advice on transactions regarding valuation, structuring, regulatory and business aspects of them
• Handle the execution of Equity Captial Market (ECM) related transactions, including underwriting, arranging roadshows and due diligence
• Build strong relationships with high net-worth investors and fund managers
• Prepare pitch books and assist in identifying and securing deals with new clients
• Collaborate closely with internal team members and external partners to ensure smooth execution and follow-through
Company B: Investment Banking Analyst March 2015 – September 2016
Company B is an investment bank that provides advisory services on initial public offering, corporate restructuring, valuation, underwriting, shares placement and distribution, and equity fundraising activities. Company B operates as a subsidiary of ABC-Bank Ltd.
Responsibilities:
• Conduct business, financial and regulatory due diligence
• Perform industry and company research, valuations, capital structure and financial analysis
• Support the origination and execution of corporate finance and equity capital markets transactions
• Prepare and present information memorandums / presentations for pitching external clients and reporting to internal committees
Company A: Institutional Sales Associate Jan 2014 – March 2015
Company A is one of the top 5 market research firms globally.
Responsibilities:
• Client service of buy-side subscribers of Company A proprietary research
• Prospecting, selling, and closing six-figure annual research subscriptions
• Contribute to the coordination of sales activities between US, UK and HK offices
• Travel on a monthly basis for face-to-face sales presentations and demo briefings in APAC region
• Achieve individual and team quota
· Extracurricular activities (highlight notable undergraduate and post-undergraduate ones):
Volunteer Tutor for unprivileged kids
Volunteer in Animal Shelter
· Post-MBA goals:
Switch my career from sell-side to buy-side, relocate to Singapore
· Target schools:
1) INSEAD
2) LBS
3) Kellogg
(Ranked according to my preference)
· Other information relevant to your profile:
Graduated from low-ranking non-ivy league school without finance or accounting related degrees but managed to break into finance. I proved my ability and got promoted twice within 4 years - analyst to senior associate, and then senior associate to AVP. I have my latest supervisor (head of the IBD department) and several clients who are top management (MD/ Head of China, etc) of the biggest Asia and US private equity funds, who are alumni of INSEAD/ Columbia MBA to write my recommendations as a testament of my character and strong work ethics.
I understand my weak academic background could be a hurdle - and my latest GMAT/ CAT scores are not exceptionally good. I will make my 2nd GMAT attempt in 3 days. Please advise:
1) given my background, should I score at least 730 in GMAT? I m wondering if I should postpone the test to give myself more time to boost the score
2) which area should I emphasize more in my essay?
3) Is my extracurricular activity too typical - what else can I do within these 1-2 months to enhance my profile? Honestly and sadly, I really did not have much time to participate in extracurricular activities because of my hectic work schedule.
Moderator:
