Admission Profile - 24/m

[EW]

Age: 24/M
Ethnicity: Caucasian
GPA - 3.3 Major - 3.6
GMAT: 690
School: Ohio State
Major: Finance

Work Experience-

4 years with world's leading semiconductor manufacturing company. 2 promotions. Assigned to a special project supporting carve-out financials for a divestiture (M&A)

Target Schools: State Schools - Michigan, UVA, UCLA, UT-Austin

Applying fall 2008 for fall 2009 admission

Question?

I feel like i am a VERY typical applicant. Should I be concerned with differentiation, or content with my "Average" status? Additionally, how can i quanitfy my success with my current employer. Some of the projects i've worked were quite complex and may be difficult to explain in an interview or even worse, come accross as ostentatious. Is it sufficient to simply provide the quantitative descriptions. Partnered with analysts in Ireland, Malaysia and China to find a more cost effective solution, resulting in $10Million in savings?

Additionally, I am the first in my family to obtain a college degree. Is that an asset or a liability?

Appreciate the advice

[MBAApply]

For the range of schools you mentioned, your profile shouldn't be an issue so long as you do a good job with the written application. There are plenty of folks like you at these schools - you don't need to be some superstar or blue chip candidate. In any case, it's not about being unique for the sake of being unique - it's also about fitting in. In your case, you can probably make a stronger case for why you'd be a great fit at these schools rather than trying to get into verbal gymnastics to show how "special" you are.

As for being first in your family to attend college, that can matter for undergrad admissions but not for graduate admissions, especially b-school.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com