profile evaluation

Question

Thank you for the service you provide. I would very much appreciate an evaluation.  Dartmouth  is my first choice. I'm also considering  UVA ,  Chicago ,  HBS ,  Duke , and maybe  NYU .

I don't mean to be crass by including salary figures, but they seem relevant to the evaluation.

White, Male, currently 27.5 yrs old (boring, I know)

 Undergrad / Work Experience: 

B.S.: Computer Science - solid state school in the western US
GPA: 3.65, ~3.85 in last 65 credits
GMAT: 710 (Q43, V45) AWA: 5.0 - low quant, but I promise you would cringe if you saw all the math and computer science classes I've got A's in.

Full-Time, professional work experience at matriculation in Fall 2008: 5 years, 8 months

I have a nontraditional undergraduate experience. IMO it is the most impressive piece of my profile, but I'm not the adcom. I fear the adcom will take a dim view of it.

When I was four classes into the computer science program at a well-known university I decided to try my hand at the real world. I took a semester off, (I had gone four semesters straight, so it was time for a break anyway) and picked up one of those scary looking, 600 page programming books on a brand new technology. I read it and did the tutorials for eight hours per day for the whole semester, and then applied at a joint venture between one of the world's largest consulting firms and the world's most ubiquitous software company. I aced the phone screen so they let me interview even though I had no degree and it was 2002 (remember how 2002 was like the Great Depression for IT people?). I thought they would laugh at me and escort me from the premises, but instead they offered me a job as a software consultant: X k per year, full benefits, 4 wks vacation (plus unlimited sick time), stock options, 401k matching... this was a real job offer. They told me they were overlooking the fact that I didn't have a degree because I had shown initiative, confidence, and good knowledge of this new technology, and therefore they would make no concessions for me to continue school. (I never met anyone else at the company who started without either a degree or years of experience.)

I took the job and worked my fingers to the bone for four years. I finally graduated in Dec 2006. By that time I had received two promotions at work, plus one implied promotion when they restructured the levels. I was at X+10 (not bad for my non-coastal market).

Also by the time I graduated I had been the team lead of a mission critical application, managing three people for a year: two off-shore people, one local, all with American computer science degrees. I estimated, designed, assigned, and reviewed programming tasks. I presented new functionality to users. I interfaced with other departments and all other teams on the enterprise-level system in question. I managed the maintenance of versions in production. My supervisor from that period will write me a stellar recommendation.

In January of this year I took a job as the lead architect of a new product at another company. I was hired at X+20. I currently manage 10 team members. I interviewed and made hiring decisions on five of them. I oversee the software architecture of the product. I plan and estimate future releases. I assign and balance team members' workloads. I interface with people in Business Analysis, QA, Build Management, Project Management, and Documentation. In general, my job is to make sure the project stays on course. My current boss has given me the highest rating possible this fall, and recommended me for a promotion despite my short time with the company and young age (relative to peers). My raise took me to X+30. The promotion will very likely occur next spring. My boss will work closely with me to give me a great recommendation.

My whole purpose for the B.S. in computer science and working as a developer has been to gain a foundation that will serve me after an MBA. I want to be in marketing to help chart the course of the company, and I think that my technical background will make me valuable in that arena. I think marketing experience will provide me with skills requisite to leading a company as CEO.

 Extra Curricular (chronologically starting with the most recent): 

Last month (2007): Was asked to lead missionary effort in my congregation over the next year. Lead efforts of three people. Much use of Espanol. ~10 hrs/wk
Two calendar years and counting: Leader of Boy Scout Troop. Much use of Espanol. 5-10 hrs/wk
One calendar year: Taught Bible study class to eight and nine year-olds. Much use of Espanol. ~5 hrs/wk
Two calendar years following freshman year: Served full-time as a missionary for my church in South America. Led three different teams of 15-20 missionaries. Learned Espanol fluently.
One semester: Walked to elementary school every weekday to teach phonics to an underprivileged fourth grader. ~15 hrs/wk
One semester (1998): Studied abroad in Israel and Egypt.

 Questions: 

0. Are the schools on my short list possible? Could you suggest others? Because of my IT background, I want to go to a school known to be solid in the fundamentals.
1. What do you think of my nontraditional undergraduate experience?
2. I want to apply to some of these schools in round 1, but they don't offer class visits until October. Should I wait for round 2 just to visit a class, or is it ok to just do an info session on campus?
3. Does your organization do consulting on an hourly basis, instead of as a package?
4. Any suggestions on my comments about why I want an MBA? Is it illogical?
5. Will you please not quote my post so that I can modify it only to remove sensitive data? 

Thanks in advance,
nontraditional

PaulBodine · Answer

nontraditional,

1. What do you think of my nontraditional undergraduate experience?

It's a good, impressive story, but it's not a deal-clincher, and your current leadership role is more valuable IMO. If you are counting on it as the story that will get you in, then I think you're overestimating its unusualness and power. That said, it clearly is a positive story. If you had never gotten the bachelor's it would not be a positive story, however. You gave it a happy ending.

2. I want to apply to some of these schools in round 1, but they don't offer class visits until October. Should I wait for round 2 just to visit a class, or is it ok to just do an info session on campus?

I would not wait. I would go visit and schmooze like a mad man. Talking to people is more valuable then sitting in a class IMO.

3. Does your organization do consulting on an hourly basis, instead of as a package?

We offer both hourly and flat fee, depending on your needs: https://www.accepted.com/services/Servic ... tegoryid=1

4. Any suggestions on my comments about why I want an MBA? Is it illogical?

It's not illogical. Linking marketing to CEO-hood makes sense. Many CEOs are former sales guys. But you will need to show them where the interest in marketing came from and what you've done to due-diligence that career goal.

5. Will you please not quote my post so that I can modify it only to remove sensitive data?

OK.

nontraditional · Answer

Thank you for taking the time.

I forgot to ask the most important question. Have I chosen schools in the right range? (Tuck, Chicago, HBS, UVA, Duke)

Are there any schools you would suggest I add/remove from my list judging in terms of whether I could get in?

Thanks again,
nontraditional

PaulBodine · Answer

nontraditional,

Sorry, I missed your first question. I think you're aiming too high with Dartmouth, Chicago, and HBS. Given your marketing goals consider Duke, Michigan, Texas, UCLA, and Indiana. 

Good luck,

nontraditional · Answer

Thank you, Paul. I think you just saved me a lot of time and heartache. The schools you suggested are all great schools.

Where would you say my profile falls short of Dartmouth and Chicago?

Is there something I could do this year to put myself in the running for next year?

Thanks again,

PaulBodine · Answer

nontraditional, 

I actually feel I've given you a fair amount of input already and would want to get on a consultant-customer basis to proceed any further.

Good luck,

profile evaluation

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards