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devereaux110
04 Dec 2016, 08:35
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I'd appreciate a review of my profile with respect to my business school goals and targets. I'm thinking my profile and career path are rather uncommon and I'm hoping that works in my favor and that the positives are enough to overcome a low undergraduate GPA. Thanks!
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Work experience: 5 years as hydrogeologist and private sector environmental consultant. Worked primarily on brownfield redevelopment and other real estate development projects and wore many hats. Approximately 3 years as a city planner (current), overseeing tens of millions in real estate development in my community, crafting affordable housing policy, developing and implementing community plans, performing urban design, project management, dealing with legal contracts, zoning, etc.
Extra-curriculars: Musician for multiple professional sports teams, middle- and high-school school music education, involved in local sustainbility-focused groups, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Undergrad school/major: Geology & Geophysics, Physical Geography (Upper Big Ten)
Other education/coursework: Masters degree in Urban Planning; Real estate development specialization
Race/nationality: White/Hispanic, USA
GMAT Score: 710 (48Q/40V, 6 IR, waiting for AWA results)
Undergrad GPA: 2.3. Very turbulent period in my life, including young family member with cancer, and me having to take time away from school to donate bone marrow twice. Also had to delay graduation due to medical obligations and his eventual passing.
Graduate GPA: 4.0. Finished at top of graduate class and won prestigious awards for work, including some from American Planning Association. Served as TA for graduate students, teaching classes on research methods and data analysis/statistics. School facilitated paid consulting work with local community development organizations. Also organized a great study abroad trip to Havana, Cuba.
Goal of MBA: Transition into private sector real estate development, with preferred emphasis on brownfield redevelopment and affordable housing projects.
Target schools: Wisconsin, Emory, Kenan-Flagler, USC-Marshall.
Reach Schools: Cornell, Tuck
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Work experience: 5 years as hydrogeologist and private sector environmental consultant. Worked primarily on brownfield redevelopment and other real estate development projects and wore many hats. Approximately 3 years as a city planner (current), overseeing tens of millions in real estate development in my community, crafting affordable housing policy, developing and implementing community plans, performing urban design, project management, dealing with legal contracts, zoning, etc.
Extra-curriculars: Musician for multiple professional sports teams, middle- and high-school school music education, involved in local sustainbility-focused groups, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Undergrad school/major: Geology & Geophysics, Physical Geography (Upper Big Ten)
Other education/coursework: Masters degree in Urban Planning; Real estate development specialization
Race/nationality: White/Hispanic, USA
GMAT Score: 710 (48Q/40V, 6 IR, waiting for AWA results)
Undergrad GPA: 2.3. Very turbulent period in my life, including young family member with cancer, and me having to take time away from school to donate bone marrow twice. Also had to delay graduation due to medical obligations and his eventual passing.
Graduate GPA: 4.0. Finished at top of graduate class and won prestigious awards for work, including some from American Planning Association. Served as TA for graduate students, teaching classes on research methods and data analysis/statistics. School facilitated paid consulting work with local community development organizations. Also organized a great study abroad trip to Havana, Cuba.
Goal of MBA: Transition into private sector real estate development, with preferred emphasis on brownfield redevelopment and affordable housing projects.
Target schools: Wisconsin, Emory, Kenan-Flagler, USC-Marshall.
Reach Schools: Cornell, Tuck
05 Dec 2016, 19:12
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi there!
Yes, your profile and career path is rather unique! That should help you to stand out, but will also mean that you have your work ahead of you in terms of explaining your story, why you need an MBA now, and what you'll contribute to an MBA class. But overall, I think you're being realistic with your school choices -- I like that you have a range of schools and have picked ones that have a wider range of experience levels in their class and also have strong resources in real estate. I agree though that Tuck especially will be tough.
Your work experience sounds really strong though -- great to have broad exposure and overseeing high-profile projects with multiple stakeholders. Should make for some really interesting stories and examples in your essays! Your extracurriculars sounds great too!
Undergrad GPA is tough. The 4.0 grad GPA will help counteract that, as will the strong GMAT, but you still can't erase that, which I know is frustrating. Definitely plan to write an Optional Essay explaining those circumstances and show confidence that you can manage a difficult MBA program.
Good luck, and reach out if we can help with anything else!
Kate
Yes, your profile and career path is rather unique! That should help you to stand out, but will also mean that you have your work ahead of you in terms of explaining your story, why you need an MBA now, and what you'll contribute to an MBA class. But overall, I think you're being realistic with your school choices -- I like that you have a range of schools and have picked ones that have a wider range of experience levels in their class and also have strong resources in real estate. I agree though that Tuck especially will be tough.
Your work experience sounds really strong though -- great to have broad exposure and overseeing high-profile projects with multiple stakeholders. Should make for some really interesting stories and examples in your essays! Your extracurriculars sounds great too!
Undergrad GPA is tough. The 4.0 grad GPA will help counteract that, as will the strong GMAT, but you still can't erase that, which I know is frustrating. Definitely plan to write an Optional Essay explaining those circumstances and show confidence that you can manage a difficult MBA program.
Good luck, and reach out if we can help with anything else!
Kate
devereaux110
I'd appreciate a review of my profile with respect to my business school goals and targets. I'm thinking my profile and career path are rather uncommon and I'm hoping that works in my favor and that the positives are enough to overcome a low undergraduate GPA. Thanks!
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Work experience: 5 years as hydrogeologist and private sector environmental consultant. Worked primarily on brownfield redevelopment and other real estate development projects and wore many hats. Approximately 3 years as a city planner (current), overseeing tens of millions in real estate development in my community, crafting affordable housing policy, developing and implementing community plans, performing urban design, project management, dealing with legal contracts, zoning, etc.
Extra-curriculars: Musician for multiple professional sports teams, middle- and high-school school music education, involved in local sustainbility-focused groups, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Undergrad school/major: Geology & Geophysics, Physical Geography (Upper Big Ten)
Other education/coursework: Masters degree in Urban Planning; Real estate development specialization
Race/nationality: White/Hispanic, USA
GMAT Score: 710 (48Q/40V, 6 IR, waiting for AWA results)
Undergrad GPA: 2.3. Very turbulent period in my life, including young family member with cancer, and me having to take time away from school to donate bone marrow twice. Also had to delay graduation due to medical obligations and his eventual passing.
Graduate GPA: 4.0. Finished at top of graduate class and won prestigious awards for work, including some from American Planning Association. Served as TA for graduate students, teaching classes on research methods and data analysis/statistics. School facilitated paid consulting work with local community development organizations. Also organized a great study abroad trip to Havana, Cuba.
Goal of MBA: Transition into private sector real estate development, with preferred emphasis on brownfield redevelopment and affordable housing projects.
Target schools: Wisconsin, Emory, Kenan-Flagler, USC-Marshall.
Reach Schools: Cornell, Tuck
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Work experience: 5 years as hydrogeologist and private sector environmental consultant. Worked primarily on brownfield redevelopment and other real estate development projects and wore many hats. Approximately 3 years as a city planner (current), overseeing tens of millions in real estate development in my community, crafting affordable housing policy, developing and implementing community plans, performing urban design, project management, dealing with legal contracts, zoning, etc.
Extra-curriculars: Musician for multiple professional sports teams, middle- and high-school school music education, involved in local sustainbility-focused groups, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Undergrad school/major: Geology & Geophysics, Physical Geography (Upper Big Ten)
Other education/coursework: Masters degree in Urban Planning; Real estate development specialization
Race/nationality: White/Hispanic, USA
GMAT Score: 710 (48Q/40V, 6 IR, waiting for AWA results)
Undergrad GPA: 2.3. Very turbulent period in my life, including young family member with cancer, and me having to take time away from school to donate bone marrow twice. Also had to delay graduation due to medical obligations and his eventual passing.
Graduate GPA: 4.0. Finished at top of graduate class and won prestigious awards for work, including some from American Planning Association. Served as TA for graduate students, teaching classes on research methods and data analysis/statistics. School facilitated paid consulting work with local community development organizations. Also organized a great study abroad trip to Havana, Cuba.
Goal of MBA: Transition into private sector real estate development, with preferred emphasis on brownfield redevelopment and affordable housing projects.
Target schools: Wisconsin, Emory, Kenan-Flagler, USC-Marshall.
Reach Schools: Cornell, Tuck
devereaux110
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V40
Posts: 27
06 Dec 2016, 00:12
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thank you, Kate! Your comments are quite affirming. I believe I have a great deal to offer any MBA program--particularly those with strong real estate concentrations--but I am very concerned that my skills, achievements, and experience (not to mention my graduate degree and awards) won't get a fair consideration due to my undergraduate GPA from 10 years ago being what it is. I'm sure ad-coms wouldn't do that, particularly given the circumstances, but I really don't want the undergrad GPA to be a non-starter.
Now I am facing the challenge of distilling my experiences and ambitions into mostly bite-sized pieces and I am certainly using the Optional Essay to discuss my circumstances and how they've contributed to making me who I am today, and try to allay any concern regarding my ability to handle the rigor of an MBA program. In my opinion, my biggest challenge in that regard is going to be maximum essay lengths.
I've attended MBA events at Wisconsin and the ad-coms know who I am and what I can contribute to their program so I feel better about my overall prospects there. I also met an ad-com for Kenan-Flagler and some alumni in Chicago, and that seemed like potentially a great fit, so that was encouraging. Still---the undergraduate GPA issue looms. Ad-coms from both schools emphasized doing well on the GMAT, and I think I did pretty well, but I can't help but ask myself if I did well enough. Right now I think my efforts would be better spent on the essays.
Now I am facing the challenge of distilling my experiences and ambitions into mostly bite-sized pieces and I am certainly using the Optional Essay to discuss my circumstances and how they've contributed to making me who I am today, and try to allay any concern regarding my ability to handle the rigor of an MBA program. In my opinion, my biggest challenge in that regard is going to be maximum essay lengths.
I've attended MBA events at Wisconsin and the ad-coms know who I am and what I can contribute to their program so I feel better about my overall prospects there. I also met an ad-com for Kenan-Flagler and some alumni in Chicago, and that seemed like potentially a great fit, so that was encouraging. Still---the undergraduate GPA issue looms. Ad-coms from both schools emphasized doing well on the GMAT, and I think I did pretty well, but I can't help but ask myself if I did well enough. Right now I think my efforts would be better spent on the essays.
