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mgg234
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MBAPrepSchoolChris
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MBA Prep School President & Co-Founder
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mgg234
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MBAPrepSchoolChris
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You're welcome. Hope it was helpful!

1) Management consulting in finance industry is a bit generic as a career goal. You don't need to be "save the world" (unless that's what you actually, really want to do) but, for example, if there are particular acute problems that you see in the finance industry AND consulting is a good vehicle to help impact/move the needle on those problems ... then you're heading in a better direction. Longer-term politics or non-profit is OK to include IF you can talk some logical extension/connection between your short-term goals and your stated long-term goals.

2) Good -- because that's one of the foundations of a competitive application at this level.

3) Without knowing more about your profile (e.g., your leadership experiences, extracurriculars beyond sport, etc. it's hard to give you definitive school advice. Your 750 GMAT helps, although it's a little offset by your 3.4 GPA for the level of schools you are aiming for.

In the materials you've shared, I don't see any huge "spike" that would make you competitive at HBS. That isn't to say you shouldn't apply, just you haven't communicated that "wow" factor often needed to succeed at H/S/W, especially if you're an "interchangeable" white, male, finance candidate!

Columbia and Kellogg are quite different schools -- be sure that you know WHY you're applying to those schools but yes, you should apply. My comment about needing to highlight your "spikes" is also true for Columbia and Kellogg. UCLA is a good school, especially as a "safety" -- the challenge is to communicate in your application and other activities related to your application that you're serious about their school.

Again the offer of a private one-on-one stands -- if you're interested, feel free to PM me.

Otherwise best wishes for success!

Cheers, Chris