NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 25 Apr 2024, 19:40 It is currently 25 Apr 2024, 19:40
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
avatar
phild08
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Own Kudos [?]: 2 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Other
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GPA: 3.25
Send PM
Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   20 Mar 2012, 13:58
I am considering applying to the Harvard 2+2 program and would greatly appreciate some honest opinions with regards to my chances of acceptance. Any sort of feedback/advice is welcome.

Undergraduate Education:
Virginia Tech (Top 15 engineering school)
B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry.
Current GPA:3.35, expect to graduate with 3.4+.
Math GPA (I heard this may be important): 3.55

GMAT:
I have yet to take the GMAT, but I took an official practice exam and scored a 700 (Q44,V41) without studying, hoping to bring it to at least 730 by improving my quant score.

EC's/College Involvment:
Fighting Gravity, L.L.C.(Co-founder/Part Owner/Performer)
-Competed in America's Got Talent Season 5, received 3rd place out of 100,000 acts. Performed in front of over 15 million people on live television.
-Toured with "America's Got Talent Live" for 5 weeks. Tour spanned 25 cities throughout the U.S.; performed in front of over 100,000 people in live venues.
-Guest performed on "Germany's Got Talent" in Vienna, Austria.
-Performed for the television show "Red or Black" in London.
-Performed with Far East Movement on the Much Music awards (2011) in Toronto, Canada.
-Helped manage business as well as headed several production projects (building props etc.) for large clients.

Currently working on start own nutrition company.

I am also a member of a social fraternity, have 30+ hours community service each year, active in intramural sports.

Letters of Rec's:
Letter's of rec should be pretty good, they will be from:
- a mentor of mine that now works for Cornell
-either the Vice President of Virginia Tech who doesn't know me very well or a chemical engineering professor who knows me very well. Any suggestions on which I should ask?

If you are still reading you get my up most respect, thanks.

Phil
User avatar
mbaMissionBrianE
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
Joined: 10 Jun 2011
Posts: 306
Own Kudos [?]: 44 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   25 Mar 2012, 10:48
Expert Reply
Hello phild08, thanks for your question.

Your 700 GMAT is solid, but top schools like HBS like to see at least 80% on both the quant and verbal sides, and your quant is at about 68%. It’s might not be a dealbreaker, per se, since you’re an engineer, but just pointing that out.

You’ve got interesting experiences on your record. Make sure to emphasize the experiences and stories that demonstrate your leadership abilities and potential.

Overall, also articulate your needs/rationale for wanting to go to business school. Can you communicate a logical career path that ties together what you’ve done, what you will do for 2 years after undergrad, and after business school? How does the 2+2 program fill those needs and accelerate your path?

Finally, when push comes to shove, I advise to go with the recommender who knows you best, regardless of title.

Best of luck,
Brian
avatar
phild08
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Own Kudos [?]: 2 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Other
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GPA: 3.25
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   25 Mar 2012, 11:32
mbaMissionBrianE wrote:
Hello phild08, thanks for your question.

Your 700 GMAT is solid, but top schools like HBS like to see at least 80% on both the quant and verbal sides, and your quant is at about 68%. It’s might not be a dealbreaker, per se, since you’re an engineer, but just pointing that out.

You’ve got interesting experiences on your record. Make sure to emphasize the experiences and stories that demonstrate your leadership abilities and potential.

Overall, also articulate your needs/rationale for wanting to go to business school. Can you communicate a logical career path that ties together what you’ve done, what you will do for 2 years after undergrad, and after business school? How does the 2+2 program fill those needs and accelerate your path?

Finally, when push comes to shove, I advise to go with the recommender who knows you best, regardless of title.

Best of luck,
Brian

Thanks so much for your feedback.

With regards to the GMAT, my test date is on June 1st. I am currently going through the MGMAT books (supplemented by the OG), and am working really hard to improve my quant score. My goal is around 49 for quant, which I think will make my GMAT score much more competitive.

Thanks again for the advice.
User avatar
mbaMissionBrianE
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
Joined: 10 Jun 2011
Posts: 306
Own Kudos [?]: 44 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   01 Apr 2012, 09:57
Expert Reply
No problem - good luck!

Best,
Brian
avatar
phild08
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Own Kudos [?]: 2 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Other
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GPA: 3.25
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   01 Jun 2012, 09:44
I have an update to my profile:

This last semester was by the far the hardest of my curriculum, and perhaps the hardest semester of any major in undergrad (5 junior and senior level chemical engineering courses). My overall GPA is the lowest it will be in all of college at 3.25 (next year will be much easier and my GPA will go up).

I also just finished taking the GMAT missed my goal by 10 points, scoring a 690 overall, with a 46/38 quant/verbal split. I feel as if i could have done much better on the GMAT (with the two most recent GMATPrep scores being 740 and 730) but freaked out at the beginning of the quant section.

If you guys could offer some wisdom on the following questions I would greatly appreciate it:
Is there even a point to me applying to Harvard with my updated academic profile?
Will my profile consider full consideration in spite of not having a 700+ GMAT score?
If I was able to retake the GMAT (but had to apply at a later round because of this) and improve my score to 730 would it increase my chances enough to be worth the cost of the test?

Any insight or encouragement I would greatly appreciate, pretty bummed and considering not even applying. Thanks for your time
User avatar
mbaMissionBrianE
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
Joined: 10 Jun 2011
Posts: 306
Own Kudos [?]: 44 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   03 Jun 2012, 06:48
Expert Reply
Hello phild08, thanks for your follow up.

The GMAT is just one aspect of your application, you will receive full consideration by any program. That said, if you are confident of getting your score to 730 – confident enough to justify the cost – then I would retake it.

In terms or your GPA, I wasn’t an engineering major, but I would advise to include that circumstance only if it is truly an exceptional or outlier reason for low marks. If there are other engineering majors who take the same courseload, then your justification carries less weight.

Sure, if you are passionate about Harvard, why not take the shot? 690 is not a bad score!

Best of luck,
Brian
avatar
phild08
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 18
Own Kudos [?]: 2 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Other
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GPA: 3.25
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   04 Jun 2012, 11:19
Thanks again for your advice. While I do think that I could get a 730-740 on a good day (this comes from my practice tests), I have decided not to retake and just spend the time really trying to perfect my application and let HBS see how unique of an applicant I am. This is mostly because there is nothing to say I will for sure do any better, and with me studying abroad for the summer I just wouldnt have enough time to study for the GMAT to make the money worth it.
User avatar
mbaMissionBrianE
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
Joined: 10 Jun 2011
Posts: 306
Own Kudos [?]: 44 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Would greatly appreciate your profile evaluations [#permalink] New post   20 Jun 2012, 13:46
Expert Reply
Sounds good - best of luck!
Brian
Moderator:
mbaMissionKate
mbaMission Admissions Consultant
1452 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions