R1 Application Advice Needed

Question

Hello all, I am very grateful for everyone who has contributed in the past and was hopeful you could help me out.

I’m struggling to determine how to allocate my time between GMAT and Extracurriculars as I prepare for R1 applications. I scored a 710 (Q48, v39, IR6, AWA6) earlier this year and have a 3.9 GPA from a T25ish business UG.

I only have about 10 hours a week to dedicate to applications. Should I refocus on GMAT to drive it up or spend the extra time on boosting my extracurriculars, which are a little light (mentoring, foundation board member etc.)?

My post MBA goals are to return to my family’s middle-market ($4B AUM) PE fund, and, hopefully, one day manage it.

I’d appreciate advice on how best to use my time in the coming months to be competitive at H/S/W. Thank you in advance!

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Admissionado · Answer

Tunesyone :

One important question: do you feel that studying will directly improve your GMAT score? What if you just took the exam again with little studying? You would need to add 20-30 points for the impact to be felt. A 710 is a great score and you should be competitive for all three schools with it as is even though it's below the median.

But...to give you a vote here, I would say focus on extracurricular activities. As long as you know you can be productive and have an impact, I suspect that'll go a long way in improving your profile (from what I can tell.) H/S/W have their pick of the litter with GMAT scores, but you can really separate yourself with interesting and impactful extracurricular achievements.

Good luck!

Archit3110 · Answer

Well it would be difficult to advise on what you should do or not , question should be what do you think is important that would help in increasing chances of admit...
If you can self answer the question that would be the best thing to do.. work on your application more strategically ..
Wish you the best.

MBAandBeyond · Answer

Hi Tunesyone , Here are my two cents. You have a good GMAT score. You're admit will be determined by your overall profile; if other aspects of your profile are strong enough, 710 will work. I recommend that you concentrate on ECs. H/S/W is concerned with academics, but it also cares about qualities other than academics. You must have a diverse set of extracurricular activities at which you are good (but not necessarily a pro). So, focusing on boosting your ECs will help you to bring diversity to your application. If you’d like, we are happy to get on a call with you sometime this week to discuss your profile in length and further chances to the schools. Feel free to book a free session with us at your convenience. Let's here strategies from Fuqua & Columbia admits to crack Early Action Rounds Cheers! Neha Hadke Profile Analyst & Channel Manager, MBA and Beyond Testimonials Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com

MBAGuide · Answer

Hi  Tunesyone  , you certainly need to have more than just a good GMAT score to stay competitive at H/S/W. It is not very clear from the information you provided what your career trajectory has been like and, what would you add to the cohorts at these schools which house some of the most exceptional talent. If you are convinced that your ECs are weak then you should focus on this aspect for the rest of the time given you already have a decent GMAT score to work with.

You should also be careful not to come across as a privileged someone who has a family business conveniently lined up ahead of the MBA. Show that you are a self starter, tell what vision you have for your post MBA career path and convince the schools on how you would be a force for good for people around you.

Best wishes

Tunesyone · Answer

Admissionado  Thank you for that tip. I had a little GMAT hangover after my initial two-month studying push that got me to a 710. I've taken about 3 months off, but with a fresher mind, I may be able to push it up 20-30.

MBAandBeyond  great, thank you! I appreciate that guidance.

MBAGuide  yes, I completely agree. Family business candidates are at risk of coming off as privileged. I've spent that last 7 years of my career as the CEO of a venture-backed startup (not funded by family money), so I'm hopeful that the AdCom will see that in spite of my family being well-off, I act independently of that privilege and work on issues that matter to me.

Really, really grateful for your feedback. If there are any other perspectives, keep them coming!

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