Profile Review: M/Asian/760 GMAT/Finance background

Question

Background
- Work experience: Sell-side equity research (4 years exp upon matriculation)
- Extra curriculars: Volunteer work (Non-profit junior board), music, brazilian jiu jitsu
- Undergrad school/major: Top 50/Finance
- Race/nationality: Asian American
- Sex: Male

Stats
- GMAT Score: 760 49Q / 44V
- Undergrad GPA: 3.75
MBA Info
- Goal of MBA: 1. MBB consulting 2. Investment Management 3. Corp fin or PM in tech 4. IB last resort
- Target schools: 1. Columbia 2. Booth, Haas, Kellogg

Nothing unique about my background aside from being slightly above the median metrics, but think my race, sex, and work background more than offset that. I'm confident in knowing and communicating why I want to pursue an MBA and will also be using an admission consultant throughout the process.

Really looking to get advice on 3 things:

1. What are my chances at M7, and is it worth it to reach for H/S? 
2. Will reapplying disadvantage me? I'm considering applying to 3 schools round 1 or 2 this year and then potentially reapply next year.
3. Any feedback on areas to highlight in my application to differentiate myself from others w/ similar background?

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

A few thoughts and considerations for you  Peetabread :
 
  The academic profile, given the GPA and GMAT, will provide a good push to your overall prospects. It would also be good to understand which of those ECs were in college and which are now. Can help understand the overall personality, fit and continuity of efforts, especially in academic settings. 
  The professional experience 'could' be good. However, it would be important to understand the brand of your employer - bulge bracket? something else? Also, you'd have to think about differentiators therein. I know the work for ER can be slightly standard but you'd have to think this through - did you do sector initiations for instance? Votes you got and some such. Those things will be the key to differentiate from other with ER background.  
  In the professional realm, it would also be good to think of your post-MBA plans better - why consulting? Think about how you'll defend that versus something like #2 or #4 which may be a lot more logical from a transition perspective. 
  For reasons mentioned  here , I am afraid we don't speculate on school specific chances. However, reapplication is always a tricky business and not something you should fundamentally plan for. If you expect some important changes to the profile in the year to come, might be better to hold off. If not, make this year the go-to year. The overall strategy should follow accordingly.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hey Peetabread, I'd say you have quite a strong background, don't knock yourself because you don't feel you are "unique." Your GPA and GMAT make you competitive for just about any school and you seem to have a clear grasp of what the process entails. Here are some of my thoughts: 1. Based on the information you've provided, you should be competitive within the M7. Obviously H/S/W can be very fickle and its often difficult to prescribe exact odds. Apart from Stanford, which tends to reward more "unique" backgrounds, I'd contend you have a chance of getting an interview at the other two. That being said, your story/essays/recommendations need to be stellar. What was your progression like at the sell-side shop you were at? If you were a star performer, it goes a long way compared to someone who was a middle of the road analyst. 2. No, reapplying will not disadvantage you. Based on the 4 years at matriculation, you are still young and could, if need be, withstand another cycle. Granted, there should be some aspect of your profile that has improved since the previous year such as a new GMAT, career progression/switch, new EC, etc. 3. In the case of someone like yourself who is very solid across the board, it's going to come down to showing admissions you have thought long and hard about how you will use an MBA to propel the next phase of your career. In this case, you'll have to connect equity research to management consulting. Is there a particular type of consulting you want to focus on? It may turn out your story makes better sense for something in finance - for example, many folks in your shoes find it easy to write about a transition to IB, since the skill sets overlap. Again, something to consider with your consultant as you begin crafting your story. Also, something a lot of folks overlook is networking with admissions teams and showing interest in the school. If you have the time, I would see when each school you are interested in is coming to your city for a fair or roadshow and make sure to attend. This way, when your name is being thrown around in committee, there could be 1-2 folks who stand up and can vouch for you having met you! Feel free to reach out at scott@personalmbacoach.com to see if we could potentially work together on your applications. You've got a real chance to be successful this year and have all the right things in place. Regards,

IvyGroupeCEO · Answer

Hi  Peetabread ,

Thanks for sharing your profile/background! Below are my thoughts on your questions:

1. You seem to be putting yourself in a good position for the M7 schools. While Harvard and Stanford are stretch schools for everyone, I do think it's worth a shot (after all, if you don't apply, the answer is already no). You've got the stats, and so it will really come down to how you convey your story/narrative in your applications.

2. Reapplying will not disadvantage you - the most important thing to demonstrate as a reapplicant is growth (for instance, showing how you have taken on more responsibility in your professional endeavors and extracurricular activities).

3. The best ways to differentiate yourself are 1) showing how you have had a demonstrable impact in your role, and 2) by being authentic. With respect to this latter point, admissions committees want to understand who you are as a person - what are your strengths? What are your perspectives/values and how have they been shaped? How you do see yourself contributing to your school as a student?

Feel free to reach out for a free 20-minute consultation if that would be helpful to explore how we can potentially work together on your applications - you can sign up  here . (FYI - I have a background in investment banking and buy-side equity research, and so understand finance applicants very well).

Best,
Shaifali

Profile Review: M/Asian/760 GMAT/Finance background

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards