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Fopak58
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TheIvyLeagueEdge
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GMAT 1: 740 Q47 V44
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VeritasPrepDozie
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I think you should wait for round one. You will have a lot more choices, I do think that it makes sense for you to get some community service on the board that connects the dots with your narrative, and I don't think it would hurt you to get at least 20 more points on the board with your GMAT score. White males are kind of part of an overrepresented group and so I think you would be in a different position with 730. Don't think of it as wasting time in your current job as much as lining things up to maximize your chances for success in round one. Given your goals I'm curious why you have not included Kellogg.

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Fopak58
Trying to decide if I should apply to B School during Round 3 of this year, or wait until next year and try to get into a stronger program. A big concern of mine is that i'm overestimating the strength of my profile, and will end up waiting a year to attend a school I could've gotten into during Round 3 of this year. Any advice, or considerations about things i'm overlooking/missing would be greatly appreciated!

Long story short, my personal situation has changed quite a bit since the start of this application season and I’m no longer concerned about staying close to my current location. Just got accepted to MSU (Broad) after applying in Round 2 (only school I applied to), but now that my options for school are more open I don’t want to commit myself to a program only known for SCM and I don’t think the program is worth attending if I pursue a different field.

Profile:

27 y/o White Male living in the Midwest
GMAT 710 (Q46/V41)
3.6 Undergrad GPA
5 years WE as a Test Engineer working in Product Development at a Fortune 700 company.
Part of my responsibilities includes maintaining/creating relational databases in Access and I have a decent familiarity with VBScript/SQL.

Interested in pursuing a career in data analytics at a tech company (Google/Microsoft/Intel/IBM/etc) after graduation.

Applying Round 3:

Considering application deadlines/requirements, as well as schools I would be interested in attending where I think I could get an admit in round 3 – the only B school I would apply to during Round 3 would be Kelley.

Pros: I Like the campus and atmosphere of IU, they also have a fairly strong analytics program and based on the hiring companies from their employment report they attract companies I would be interested in working at after graduation.

Cons: Might be able to attend a stronger program if I wait a year, or receive a much larger scholarship from Kelley if I apply in Round 1 of next year. Would have to apply as a readmit if I don't get in this year.

Round 1 Next Year:

Schools I’m interested in applying to next year if I decide to postpone applying until then:

Reach: Berkeley (Haas)
Slight Reach: Michigan (Ross) and UCLA (Anderson)
In Range: Cornell (Johnson) and UNC (Kenan-Flagler)
Safe: IU (Kelley) and Notre Dame (Mendoza)

Pros: Maybe gain admittance to a stronger program next year, and receive better scholarship offers to offset some of the financial burden of a FT MBA. Should be able to move into a senior position at my job around November of this year (hopefully a bit sooner to include in Round 1 applications). More time to round out the rest of my application with more volunteer experience etc.

Cons: Have to wait another ~18 months before starting my MBA, feels like a lot of wasted time as I’m looking to switch industries. Will be 29 when I start the program if I go this route.

Hi Fopak58,

You should apply in R1 cycle :) Don't look at this period as a waste. Instead, focus on improving your GMAT score by a few points, engage in leadership roles both at work as well as in social-sector activities and focus on strengthening your profile. Of course, you must write to Broad seeking if it would be possible for them to defer your application :) Quite frankly, the third round always gets a bit dicey and it is not recommended at this point.

Hope this helps!

All the best! :)