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Profile Eval

by Guest Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:21 am

I have posted on here before, so forgive me if info is repeated, my stats have changed quite a bit.

28, Female

Current work experience: 3 years in production/design for a fashion/beauty magazine, 1 promotion, currently manage 3 people. My job is not Quant related at all (the only numbers I work with are magazine page numbers!), not quite sure how to address this.

Extra curriculars: Advertising Women of New York, young executive member, serve on hospitality board; runner (3 half-marathons, training for a full); past volunteer work in psychiatric hospital doing art therapy.

Goals: Marketing, brand management. I'd love to stay in fashion/beauty, working for a company like L'oreal or Estee Lauder.

GMAT: 590 (Quant was low, like 50th percentile, Verbal was high though, 80th), retaking next month.

Undergrad: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design, from California State University, Channel Islands (newest state school, I was in 2nd graduating class), 3.85 GPA. Study abroad in London for 1 semester.

Target Schools:
Super reach: Michigan
Reach: UT-Austin, UNC-Chapel Hill
Safer bets: Notre Dame, University of Washington

My main question - do I stand a chance? If my GMAT doesn't go up much on my second attempt, is it worth it to still apply, or should I wait a year? Also, if I apply to round 1 for some schools, my current GMAT will be sent. If I retake the test after the 1st deadline and send those scores, will AdCom see it as a profile update, or will they put me in the 2nd round bucket?

Another side question - what are the benefits/drawbacks to a small program? I know Notre Dame class size is about 130, while UT is about 270 and Michigan is 430.

Thanks so much for any feedback!
MBA Mission
 
 

Re: Profile Eval

by MBA Mission Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:20 pm

Thanks for your inquiry.

The benefit of a small program is that you will likely get to know your entire class. At Harvard, with 900 students, your class is pretty much "unknowable", though your cohort would be "knowable". So, at small schools, Tuck, Darden, Haas, you have very tightly knit classes, who are very supportive of each other and tend to develop bonds that last (Tuck has the highest alumni giving rate by a huge margin). On the other hand, some of these schools can be a bit claustrophobic for some - who would prefer to have greater privacy. Also, with a smaller class comes a smaller alumni base and thus less of a reach into every nook and cranny in the world.

With respect to your profile, everything seems quite strong except for your GMAT. I would definitely give Notre Dame and Washington a shot. I think you could sneak into UT or UNC, but would consider them reaches, as their GMAT averages are so much higher. Can you take a quant course or two in the near term to prove your aptitude?

Yes, the schools should see your GMAT as an update.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

Website: www.mbamission.com
Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog
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Guest Wrote:I have posted on here before, so forgive me if info is repeated, my stats have changed quite a bit.

28, Female

Current work experience: 3 years in production/design for a fashion/beauty magazine, 1 promotion, currently manage 3 people. My job is not Quant related at all (the only numbers I work with are magazine page numbers!), not quite sure how to address this.

Extra curriculars: Advertising Women of New York, young executive member, serve on hospitality board; runner (3 half-marathons, training for a full); past volunteer work in psychiatric hospital doing art therapy.

Goals: Marketing, brand management. I'd love to stay in fashion/beauty, working for a company like L'oreal or Estee Lauder.

GMAT: 590 (Quant was low, like 50th percentile, Verbal was high though, 80th), retaking next month.

Undergrad: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design, from California State University, Channel Islands (newest state school, I was in 2nd graduating class), 3.85 GPA. Study abroad in London for 1 semester.

Target Schools:
Super reach: Michigan
Reach: UT-Austin, UNC-Chapel Hill
Safer bets: Notre Dame, University of Washington

My main question - do I stand a chance? If my GMAT doesn't go up much on my second attempt, is it worth it to still apply, or should I wait a year? Also, if I apply to round 1 for some schools, my current GMAT will be sent. If I retake the test after the 1st deadline and send those scores, will AdCom see it as a profile update, or will they put me in the 2nd round bucket?

Another side question - what are the benefits/drawbacks to a small program? I know Notre Dame class size is about 130, while UT is about 270 and Michigan is 430.

Thanks so much for any feedback!