MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Posts: 2457
Given Kudos: 2
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: top 5 evaluation please alex!
[#permalink]
28 Feb 2010, 12:42
First, my suggestion is if you haven't already -- visit these two schools assuming you're currently based in the US. Visit them now before school gets out in April/May. You can spend your time getting feedback from people all you want, but nothing replaces the physical experience of visiting the schools and seeing for yourself whether you feel you can fit in - by talking to current students there and getting a feel for the place.
Obviously, your GMAT needs to improve. The chances of you getting into HBS or Wharton (or any top school for that matter) is pretty slim with a score like that. Shoot for a 700+ for your numbers (GPA/GMAT) to not be a concern. My hunch is that these schools are going to be a stretch (even with a 700+ score), and that schools outside of the top 8 are likely more your sweet spots (i.e. Chicago, Columbia, Kellogg, Sloan, Tuck are going to be stretches - schools you should apply to but not bank on getting in, and then schools like Haas, Darden, Michigan, Duke, etc. where you'll be sweet spots for - where you'll have a reasonable shot of getting into).
As for being Asian-American coming from manufacturing/operations - it's not really something that will make you unique. The thing is, a LOT of Asian-Americans that apply to b-school come from analytical backgrounds like yourself - from that perspective, you're not really different - and they're going to see you in that way. What can separate an Asian-American from the pack is excelling or achieving in something outside of 'math/science/analytics' at a competitive/professional level -- sports, arts (music/film/dance/writing/journalism), social/political activism, military/public service - you know, the kinds of things that many Asian parents steer their kids *away* from.