Please make some application recommendations for me...

Question

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject: Please make some recommendations for me! 

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I graduated Tufts in 03 with a BA in History. I received a 3.46 GPA overall and 3.66 in my major. I thought I would teach history and so I also got an MA in Education, graduating from that in 04 with a 3.54. I currently work for Fidelity Investments in brokerage. I want to get into equities research and passed CFA Level 1 in June. I took the GMAT back in the spring and score 650 42Q,38V. I just retook and was rather disappointed to do worse in quant but overall 680 39Q,44V. The overall score isn't bad, but of course I would have liked a higher score. I wonder if passing CFA Level 1 would demonstrate to b-school that I have the quantative skill to handle what I want to do? Went to a top undergrad, not a bad GPA, good career change story, and I certainly have need for an MBA. (Basically impossible to get into research with my current background) I was thinking about Yale, but their profile has gone up dramatically this last year. What schools do you think would be appropriate with my profile?

truthringer · Answer

Yes, the CFA will help, although a number of applicants looking to get into research will also have this designation. Consider highlighting some of the ways your non-traditional background might help you.

Take a look at some of these schools: Carnegie Mellon, University of Chicago, University of Rochester, Cornell, Emory.

Mark4124 · Answer

Wow... do you think I would have a chance at UChicago? Would that be a reach with my GMAT quant?

Mark4124 · Answer

And relative to my non-traditional background... I think that I can do a very good job of using that background to make a compelling case for an MBA. Well I am scared that some schools will not like my quant score, I did at one point last spring speak to MIT and they told me they get a million engineers every year, so there might also be some out there who would like the diversity of my app. But again, I think in terms of how I write myself up... I would stress the fact that I don't have the background to do what I want to do unless I get an MBA finance. Those who already have a quant type background and a CFA could may be looked upon as almost not needing an MBA. This is not the case for me. I think there are some schools though were my GMAT quant could hurt... UC Berkley for example throws write up on their website that they "are particularly interested in your GMAT quant score as an indication of your mathmatical ablities." At a school like that I think I would have some trouble. Overall 680 is decent though, and 3.5 GPA, 3.7 in major isn't bad. Passing the CFA Level 1 I would hope would blunt my low quant a bit. UChicago would be fantastic.

truthringer · Answer

yes, i think you could have a shot at chicago gsb. you're right you do have a natural reason to want to go get an MBA. But what I think you should spend far more time on and what is more interesting (the former is rather obvious) is how you've gotten where you gotten with a history/education background -- and why? You should be able to come up with a number of reasons why these aspects of your background could help you be a better researcher and a better classmate. Rather simply trying to compensate for the non-traditional background, show them why you have just as much to bring to the table as the next engineer or economics guy.

Please make some application recommendations for me...

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