Profile Evaluation for Top 10 program: White Male, 720 GMAT

[ericwulf1]

Hi guys,

I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts and advice on my chances for acceptance into a top 10 b-school (I'm targeting Booth, Kellogg, Wharton, and Haas).

I recently took the GMAT and received a 720 (Q44, V45). While I am really happy with my overall score, I know that my quant score is on the low side.

I have approximately 3.5 years work experience: 2 years in the Peace Corps as a small enterprise development adviser, 8 months as a staff assistant at the International Monetary Fund, and 8 months as a lead analyst at a non-profit research institution in DC (focusing on the region where I was with Peace Corps).

I went to a top 25 school for undergrad and received a bachelor of arts, with a 3.64 GPA.

Cognizant of the fact that my quant background may look weak on an application, I also took an intermediate statistics course through the local community college last spring.

Any thoughts on my chances? Thanks!

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post. Based solely on the info you provided here (but of course keep in mind those essays, recommendations and interview can have a large impact, plus we haven't reviewed your resume in depth), it looks like you would have a solid profile even for the top schools you mentioned.

Peace corps experience always gets attention of the admissions committee, and if you can support it with quantitative and leadership/management experience, and explain in a compelling way WHY you want the MBA... then it is a real plus.

Your GMAT and undergrad are solid and taking the class more recently helps with any potential quant score concerns. Wharton and Haas specifically focus a lot on that quant score; for Haas it may mean you have to take an extra math course but not necessarily that you wouldn't get in.

Just be sure you focus a lot on those essays at this point, and that you can articulate your goals and your 'WHY' very well. Let us know if you'd like to speak further (we do a free 30 min consult) or post additional q's here if you'd like, and keep us posted, things are looking good!

[ericwulf1]

Hi Jen,

Thanks for the response. I always found it a little annoying how no one ever updates these things with the final results, so I wanted to drop back in to share the news with you and any future lurker who comes across the post.

Here's the final tally:

Booth: Dinged
Kellogg: Accepted (and probably matriculating)
Wharton: Dinged
Haas: Waitlisted
Fuqua: Accepted

I added Fuqua to the mix b/c I knew they had a strong partnership with Peace Corps. In fact, if I were to do it all over again, I would only apply to the schools that waived the application fee for former Teach for America/Americorps/Peace Corps folks (which both Kellogg and Duke do) b/c (1) it demonstrates from the very beginning that they value that kind of experience among candidates and (2) I would have saved a bunch of money!

Regards,
Eric

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi Eric,

CONGRATS on your acceptances to Kellogg and Fuqua! And thanks SO much for posting the update/your results, really appreciate and I agree, others will too! ;) Great point about the peace corps waiver thought too!

Both are amazing schools... good luck in the final decision. Wishing you all the best for a great b-school experience!!

Best,
Jen

[ericwulf1]

Thanks for your wishes, Jen. Hopefully a future applicant may find our exchange useful.

Eric

[mbamissionjenK]

Agreed, and you are most welcome!