Profile Evaluation - Summa Cum Laude/780 GMAT

Question

Hi all,

I've recently started to explore the possibility of attending business school. I graduated from a top-100 US University (not a blue-chip school but still well-respected in the Midwest) with a 3.9+ GPA in math and econ. I have a 780 GMAT and 178 LSAT.

Since graduating, I've been employed at a $300bn+ buy-side firm in a quantitative risk analysis role (I'd describe it as front-middle office).
My outside work involvement includes coaching a middle school basketball team, tutoring for a local non-profit organization that supports local refugee communities, and involvement as a chairperson for the regional chapter of my company's LGBT employee resource group.
I am also registered to take the third and final exam of the CFA program in June, and anticipate passing (standardized testing is kind of my "thing").

Looking to apply for next fall's cycle, I'd have just over 2 years of work experience at that point. What kind of schools would I be competitive for, assuming reasonable interview preparedness/competence? I'd like to go to a school that focuses on finance, particularly schools that place well in asset management/private equity.

Thanks!

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Thank you for your post and congrats on a great GMAT score! With just two years of experience in a front-middle office role, I would consider trying to work a little longer before applying. That said, depending on your full resume, my recommendation could change. Feel free to send me your resume for further analysis. scott@personalmbacoach.com Best, Scott

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

You have a really strong profile with your years of work experience being the only real potential issue here. I think you can take a shot at all of the top schools. Focus on highlighting your maturity and self-awareness to maximize your chances

ARINGO · Answer

Your profile is really strong and the only weakness I see is the work experience, 2 years is - as has already been mentioned - a bit short. So if you can, waiting another year would maximize your chances of admission. If you do not want to do that you could still be admitted due to the strength of your profile but you might want to address issues such as “why now?” and “why not later?” in your essays. If you find that challenging to do don’t hesitate to work with a professional admissions consultant as that may really help. With the right application, I don’t think any of the top schools are out of reach really, so where you should apply depends on your own preferences as well. But you could start your selection by looking at the following lists, for example: https://www.cnbc.com/2014/05/30/penn-har ... hools.html https://news.efinancialcareers.com/uk-en ... management Good luck!

tugbuck · Answer

Hi  Neeaall3 ,

Congratulations on the great score! That IS really something.

We appreciate and greatly respect what others have said about your profile, but in our opinion, you should give a try to some B-Schools. There are a lot of schools out there who will need a candidate like you! What matters is that you do not waste time with a good score like that, get into a good school and start making money when you graduate. We like being frank here!

What can help apart from a superb score? A great story and essays! That's where we can surely help you apart from selecting the tight schools to target.

Please feel free to get in touch with us to the mail address below. Don't forget to send your resume!

All the best..!

Admissionado · Answer

Dude, Basically with the combo of 780 + summa cum Laude + LGBT + community service excellent job you are good to go for top 15 schools. Your work experience is the one are where you will be a bit at a disadvantage, but basically now, just make an awesome story and fantastic recommendations and you should have a good serious shot at getting into top programs.

Best,
JF

CriticalSquare · Answer

Hey there,

Congrats on a killer GMAT and all of your accomplishments to date. You should truly reach for the stars here. Since you're starting early, consider HBS/GSB. If one stands out to you, focus on that being your reach school. Given your goals, other schools you should definitely put in the mix are Wharton, CBS, and Booth. If you haven't already, one thing you could do over the next couple months is visit your target schools and sit in on a class. Formally sign up for a tour, introduce yourself to the AdComm, and start networking with current students and alums.

If you'd like to talk further about school selection and fit, we'd love to chat. Feel free to sign up for a free consultation below. Best of luck!

Profile Evaluation - Summa Cum Laude/780 GMAT

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