Profile Eval. Shot at M7?

Question

Hi there - Looking for some advice on what chances for business school. Thanks in advance.

Ethnicity: 28 y/o Asian male, LGBT first-generation type
GPA: 3.5 Double in Math/Econ at a state school. 3.5 MS in Econ.
GMAT: 760

Work Experience:

- Started as a quant analyst working in risk management for a large bank. Spent 3 years.
- Moved to another bank GS/MS as a quant in a similar role. Promoted to VP last year. Going on 3 years now. Still here.

Other Info:

- I've volunteered for a non-profit targeting LGBT youth over the past 1.5-2 years. I work in crisis support for vulnerable LGBT youth in NYC. Received some training to be able to volunteer here. 
- I'm an active member in a city-wide running group helping organize events over the last 3 years. I joined as a beginner runner. I recently ran the Boston Marathon after hitting the qualification time last year. 
- I'm a certified personal trainer.

What I want to do:

- I want to move away from being a quant. I want to move towards a career in management consulting.

Questions:

- I realize my "pedigree" (e.g., school + GPA) are a weakness here. I'll be 29 when I apply next year. Is there anything I can do to help my profile?
- When it comes to the letters, what is typically the guidance? I work with very smart people with PhDs from very good schools. But, I'm not sure how their opinion will be perceived by a b-school adcom.

Thank you!

MG4MBACrystalBall · Answer

A few thoughts for you to ponder on  junkie422 :
 
  I don't see the education arc as a big issue actually - the GMAT score and the GPA overall should help you through.  
  By GS/MS I am assuming you mean the bulge bracket banks with those abbreviations? Apart from moving a step up from a brand perspective, think about what else you can talk about to showcase impact. Being a quant can mean slightly repetitive bit. You'd have to think about motivation for moving into consulting as well as skills you may bring to the table - there are other, more logical transitions otherwise post-MBA. If you are really serious about consulting, that's one thing to act upon in case you decide to give yourself a year. 
  Read here on how to select the   right MBA recommenders  . If they are senior enough and can vouch for you, what's the issue?  
  The ECs arc looks decent. Ramp up the things there if possible on the LGBT front too.  
  In terms of timing,   MBA after 30   can be tricky. So, you might think of a selective play this year itself. If not, you may want to do   profile building   in a much more structured manner to really make it count.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers,

GeneralEducation · Answer

Hi  junkie422 ,

Firstly, congratulation on scoring GMAT of 760, which is above the average score of all M7 and other top schools. But that does not mean you are fully eligible to get admitted in M7 as it not just the number game. UG score below the average score of class and that means you need to bring a spike at someplace else in your application. 
You have got good work experience. It is important to not just reiterate the job profile that you have. It is imperative to showcase the achievements done so far and should definitely mention about claiming for VP position within 3 years of career. Your extracurricular activities look good, make sure to bring out your volunteer work for LGBT comes out effectively in your essays.
Considering the above-given profile details you have all the eligibility and chances for applying for M7 schools, but your transition to consulting would be trickier here but not possible. I would suggest you expand your option for B Schools and try to shortlist schools to fit your profile and helps you to achieve your post-MBA plans.

Better advice for you to consult an expert to evaluate your profile and understand your chances to target schools.

You also try our  Chances of B schools  tool to gauge your chances for schools that you should target.

TheJaffeAdvantage · Answer

Hello there:

I think you have a very good profile. Strong academics, good work experience, interesting extracurriculars.

A couple of quick points first - and then answers to your specific questions below:
1) Unfortunately there is no guarantee for the M7; however I do think that with the right application you have a very good chance of being admitted

2) Develop a tight explanation for your desired career transition. Many applicants to go to business school to make a transition into consulting; being able to clearly articulate your reasons is important. Reflect on your work over the past few years; did any of your projects contain a "consulting-like" component?? Did you work with consultants? If 5% of your job had components that made you realize your preference / potential for consulting it could help you build your story.

3) Think about leadership and impact. As an applicant with greater than average work experience, AdComs will have higher expectations for you.

4) Focus on your LGBT activities outside of work. Helping others based on personal experience is very compelling; these experiences will help differentiate you from the "finance demographic." Think about your motivations for the work you do and the impact you make through these activities.

In answer to your specific questions
1) I don't think education is an issue at all. Your GPA is only slightly below average and the high GMAT score more than makes up for this. Additionally, schools will appreciate the double major in economics and mathematics - two extremely quantitative subjects.

2) 29 is fine. It's a bit older than average (as I assume you will be 30 when you matriculate?) but only by two years. However, do not wait any longer. One of the reasons business schools do not like candidates with too much experience (and especially those moving into consulting) is that companies (especially banking, consulting) shy away from candidates with too much experience. After 2 - 3 years as a VP will you be willing to work long hours as an Associate? (Even though it is a career switch you will also be taking a more junior role that likely pays less). Try to show humility and humbleness throughout the application. You may also want to consider adding one or two European schools to the mix as the average age tends to be older at those schools.

3) The schools do not care who your recommenders are so long as they 1) know you well and 2) can provide good detail around your work experience. I would like to understand a bit more about your recommenders' profiles to advise you. As PhDs are they less "business minded?" I'm having a hard time trying to picture the profiles as they do work in a bank. However - let me provide some general advice. Should you think the recommenders may not be familiar with business school / used to writing business school applications / intellectual vs practical (or any other reason you think they may not be able to write good recs) think about how you can guide them.

Determine the skills you would like your recommenders to highlight. Think about projects you have worked on that you would like them to tell. Ask if you can have a conversation with them to discuss the recommendation. Provide a list of exampls of work you have done that they could draw from if they like. There are guides for MBA recommenders available which can provide information on writing a good MBA recommendation.

You have a good profile. You need to package it well and tell the right story. If you would like to chat in more detail, email me at [email protected] for a free consultation.

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hey junkie, Thanks for posting! While business schools do certainly look at your undergrad institution, it is a relatively unimportant data point in the grand scheme of your application. People choose schools at the age of 18-19 for a number of different reasons (money, fit, family circumstances). What matters most is your 99th percentile on the GMAT, which shows your aptitude and academic prowess. Secondly, you've gained recognition and the title of VP working for one of the most well-known banks in the world and have very active in the LGBT community. I'd say that combination alone would make you competitive at many top schools. Paired with a 760 GMAT you've now become a top-tier candidate. I think the most important part of your application will be the narrative which takes you from back office quant work to client-facing management consulting. You can draw leadership experience from your ECs which will be important for convincing schools you have the soft skills necessary to make the transition. In terms of your recommendations, I suggest you find people who know your work best (direct superiors) and perhaps 1-2 from your work in the LGBT community who can speak to your service work. Have a conversation with them and see if they would be comfortable giving you a recommendation and perhaps provide some notes on the topics you would like them to cover (if they've never written one before). Ideally, you would find one manager and one individual from the community to provide the recs, and make sure to give them enough advance notice. You have a real chance at a top-tier MBA. If you'd like to discuss your applications further don't hesitate to reach out at scott@personalmbacoach.com, I'd love to hear from you! Regards,

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