Please Evaluate My Profile

[ginasuk]

Hello,

I am a 29 year old female (Asian American) looking to apply to NYU Stern Langone for Spring 2011 and Columbia EMBA for Jan 2011 start.

GMAT: 660 (43Q, 38V, waiting on official scores & AWA)
GPA: 3.4
Work Experience: 7 years, 1 year in tech consulting at Accenture, 6 years in Internet Media and Technology
Role: Product Manager (Internet Strategist) -- reporting to the Chief Content Officer, started up and managed new multi-million $ business lines and products for several major Internet media companies over the last 6 years. Several side projects with a small side website management business that I started with my husband.
Undergrad: Management Science Information Systems at Rutgers University
Leadership: President of Korean Business Association senior yr in college, was VP, and PR Director other years
Volunteer Experience: Started up and spearheaded a continuing technology donation program for Ziff Davis Media http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2145525,00.asp, spent 1 year on the Event Committee for ALS Society, spent 2 years in various volunteer projects with NY Cares
Other Extracurricular: 2 years of volleyball with city leagues, was a piano accompanist for college church for 2 years

Just took the GMAT and my score was not very high but with the middle 80% of NYU Langone being 620-730, and Columbia EMBA's middle 80% being 600-740, do you think that my overall package is good enough to be a strong candidate for these programs? I don't want to take the test again unless it looks like my overall package is not unique or strong enough.

[mbamission]

Hello,

Thank you for your inquiry and for providing so much detail. Based on the information provided, I do not think that you need to retake the test. It’s safely within the middle 80% for both schools, and if you don’t think that you can improve your score by 20+ points without a significant struggle, then I would encourage you to use your time to focus on the other aspects of the application. I think that you have a strong enough background academically, professionally and with your activities outside of work that you don’t need to be overly worried about the GMAT. That written, I understand that most people do not want to take standardized tests, but if you think that you can improve your score fairly easily, a higher score will certainly help you. My guess is that you wrote to us with your question because this is not the case, but I felt that it was important to write it.

Sincerely,

Akiba Smith-Francis

MBA Mission
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[ginasuk]

Thank you, Akiba. I think I'll at most be able to raise my score 20-40 points but it will take quite a bit of conditioning and about another month or two of studies (timing is my main issue). I definitely do not enjoy the idea of retaking the test but if I need to try to raise my score to make myself a far more desirable candidate, then I will do what it takes. But since it sounds like my profile is decent enough to apply, then I will take my chances for the spring semester applications-- if that doesn't go well, then I will certainly study again and retake the GMAT to make myself a stronger candidate.

Thanks for the advice, this is a great forum!