710 on GMAT. Too Late For 1st Rd.?

Question

I sat for the GMAT yesterday and am happy with a 710 (Q: 45 V: 41). I would like to attend school next fall, and I am wondering if I am too late to get my application in by the first round deadlines. I would like to apply to some of the elite schools (i.e. HBS, Chicago, Tuck, McCoombs, Darden, Columbia, etc.) and some near elite schools (BYU). I haven't started writing essays or getting LofR together (these should be fairly easy to obtain as I have a good relationship with the people who I will be asking), which I believe will be the hardest parts of the application. Do you think that I should wait until Rd 2 or shoot for Rd 1? Your quick responce would be much appreciated.

Hjort · Answer

It's still possible to apply for R1 but time is really of the essence. For many of the schools you mentioned the deadline is less than a month away. Considering that you still have the time consuming process of essay writing ahead of you, I would limit myself to a few carefully selected schools in R1 and wait until a later round for the others.

https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=19288

Hjort

chet719 · Answer

Hjort, thank you very much for the advice. I am also wondering about my chances at some of the ultra elite schools such as Harvard, Tuck, etc. My GMAT is right at the ave., my GPA is 3.82, and I am a Finacial Analyst at the Air Force Academy, directly responsible for a budget of 25 million dollars. My Quant score isn't quite as high as a lot of other applicants, and my underqraduate institution (Weber State University) isn't very well known. Do you think my quant score and my underqraduate school will hurt my chances at the ultra elite schools?

Hjort · Answer

You are in range for both GPA and GMAT for the ultra elites (e.g. Columbia) and for the elites (e.g. Dartmouth). Even if your GPA is given an institution based discount, it is still quite strong. 

How much work experience do you have?

The main unknown is how you would market yourself: how you write the essays, the specific content of your LORs, etc. 

Hjort

chet719 · Answer

I currently have 2 full years as a financial analyst at the Air Force Academy. I will have a 3rd year by the time school starts next fall. Do they count the time up until the time school starts? Also, I served a voluntary 2 year mission in England for my church. This experience provided quite a few leadership opportunities (example: managing missionary work in Plymouth county), as well as working in teams to accomplish community projects etc. If schools count that time as work experience then you could say I have 5 years. Let me know your thoughts.

Hjort · Answer

Hi,

Missionary work is an interesting case- one could view it as analogous in some ways to both intense volunteer activity and working for a nonprofit. It is certainly a valuable way of showing dedication to a cause and international experience. BYU considers missionary experience as a good means of demonstrating leadership skills:

"Full-time management work experience is strongly recommended but not required for admission to the MBA program; evidence of management and leadership skills is required. These skills are evidenced through completion of the MBA application (essay question responses, resume, letters of recommendations, etc.), work experience, LDS mission experience (if applicable), and an interview with a member of the admissions committee (interviews are conducted by invitation only, and are offered to applicants the admissions committee deems competitive for admission to the program after review of the completed application)."

Texas:
"What is full-time work experience?
Full-time work experience is calculated up until the time of enrollment (start of fall classes). This includes all full-time work that you have completed since receiving your bachelorâ€™s degree. This does not need to be business-based, and can include teaching, military service, government experience, programs like Peace Corps, etc. The average number of years of work experience for our admitted class is five years, but our minimum for admission consideration is two. If you have other SUBSTANTIAL experience and would like to be considered for admission, please submit an application and explain your experiences and circumstances fully in your essays."
https://mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/admissions/adm/faq.asp

richardj · Answer

Speaking as a native English Christian, I fail to see the benefits to someone's business school application of having done a 2 year LDS mission to England.

chet719 · Answer

Hjort, thank you very much for you time and advice. I may try to explain my voluntary work experience as working for a non-profit agency. I'm really hoping that schools will consider this time as work experience because it took two years of my life (albeit I wouldn't trade that experience for any other). 

Richard, how have you come to your conclusion? You failed to explain your reasoning. I'm interested in hearing what your premises are, please tell.

richardj · Answer

I mean that it is not a substitute for commercial business experience gained in a foreign country, which would be a positive. in a business school application. The life experience is clearly valid.

In my personal opinion  , the LDS missionary strategy is a classic example of the difficulties of American organisations in understanding the English culture/language/people. For instance, Plymouth is a city, the county is Devon. So I'm not sure that the cultural benefits are as great as just having had an ordinary job in this country working for an English employer, whether paid or unpaid. This is no reflection on LDS theology / sincerity etc. before anyone accuses me of that.

chet719 · Answer

Richard, I do sincerely apologize for my mistake. I am embarrassed that I said "Plymouth County" rather than "Devon County." I actually realized my blunder after you mentioned the fact to me. It has been about 8 years since I was in England and I had forgotten that it was actually Devon county. Given that, I disagree with you that my experience provided less of a benefit than working a regular job in your country does. I lived with English, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish people. I worked side by side with people of different cultures, views, religions, etc. I traveled much of the country and lived in 8 different towns/cities. I worked with people of all different income levels from the very poorest to the very richest. I would argue that my experience provided me with cultural experiences far greater than working for a regular company where one lives in the same city, and works with the same people, etc. I do not argue that my experience was one where I learned about British business etc. I also do not argue that I learned all there is to learn about the British culture in two short years.

Hjort · Answer

I am not so sure that whether it would be counted as a commercial experience is crucial. After all, many of your fellow applicants have experience in education and the military which are not commerical enterprises in the traditional sense but are clearly a form of valid work experience. 

I have heard from some missionaries that the missions in the "developed world" can actually be some the most challenging of all.

710 on GMAT. Too Late For 1st Rd.?

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