Profile evaluation- Please analyze

[Guest]

I just took the GMAT today and wanted to know what my next step should be in the B-school process.

My background:

Undergraduate degree in Economics and Public Policy (with pre-med) from a top 25 university with a 3.1 GPA. (3.5 senior year, 3.5 major/minor GPA).

GMAT:
1st score: 660 (49q 31v)
2nd score: 700 (47q 38v)- (percentile: 79, 83, 90)

I just finished undergrad and am starting a job as an advisory associate for one of the big four. I will be working in the firm's energy practice (primarily renewable energy etc.). I also have experience working for a reputable entertainment company and working on capitol hill (with regards to renewable energy)

I understand my work experience has yet to play out with regards to my b-school application, and I won't be applying for at least another 3 years. But I am curious to how competitive I will be at many B-schools considering my academic record.

As an undergrad, I performed poorly in many quant courses (moslty c's), Calc, stats, accounting. I have created an alt. transcript by taking accounting and calc. courses at my university's extension program. (all b's or better). Should I continue to build an alternative transcript?

Also, since my GPA is below average, would help me to take the GMAT again? Though I got a 700, my score was only 90%. (I believe 700 is usually 92 or 93%). Also, is it important to show a high math score on the GMAT since I did poorly in quant courses during school? Do any schools take your best math and verbal score from different GMAT sittings?

Ive never really been the type to stress over grades and standardized tests. But I want make sure my academics are more than adequate for many of the top 15 schools. (As of now, I am planning on applying to University of Virginia, Michigan, UCLA, and Berkeley......Perhaps Northwestern, Duke, and NYU, but I am a big believer in public education, so I plan to mainly pursue the first four schools on my list )

I plan to pursue an MBA program in conjunction with an MPP. Please advise on my candidacy.........

[MBA Mission]

Thank you for your inquiry.

Your grades are a little bit lower than the average for top-schools, but you are doing the right thing by taking courses and developing an alternative transcript. Considering that you have a significant amount of time until you apply, you might take the GMAT again, if you think that you can improve significantly. Right now, to my knowledge, Tuck is the only school that accepts your highest scores on separate sections of different tests.

As a Manhattan GMAT recommended firm, we have published a few pieces on the MGMAT website. As you plan for the future, you may want to check out two pieces that we wrote on long term planning:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/long-term-planning.cfm
http://www.manhattangmat.com/long-term-planning-ii.cfm


Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

Website: www.mbamission.com
Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog
MBA Mission Insider’s Guides: www.mbamission.com/store.php

I just took the GMAT today and wanted to know what my next step should be in the B-school process.


My background:

Undergraduate degree in Economics and Public Policy (with pre-med) from a top 25 university with a 3.1 GPA. (3.5 senior year, 3.5 major/minor GPA).

GMAT:
1st score: 660 (49q 31v)
2nd score: 700 (47q 38v)- (percentile: 79, 83, 90)

I just finished undergrad and am starting a job as an advisory associate for one of the big four. I will be working in the firm's energy practice (primarily renewable energy etc.). I also have experience working for a reputable entertainment company and working on capitol hill (with regards to renewable energy)

I understand my work experience has yet to play out with regards to my b-school application, and I won't be applying for at least another 3 years. But I am curious to how competitive I will be at many B-schools considering my academic record.

As an undergrad, I performed poorly in many quant courses (moslty c's), Calc, stats, accounting. I have created an alt. transcript by taking accounting and calc. courses at my university's extension program. (all b's or better). Should I continue to build an alternative transcript?

Also, since my GPA is below average, would help me to take the GMAT again? Though I got a 700, my score was only 90%. (I believe 700 is usually 92 or 93%). Also, is it important to show a high math score on the GMAT since I did poorly in quant courses during school? Do any schools take your best math and verbal score from different GMAT sittings?

Ive never really been the type to stress over grades and standardized tests. But I want make sure my academics are more than adequate for many of the top 15 schools. (As of now, I am planning on applying to University of Virginia, Michigan, UCLA, and Berkeley......Perhaps Northwestern, Duke, and NYU, but I am a big believer in public education, so I plan to mainly pursue the first four schools on my list )

I plan to pursue an MBA program in conjunction with an MPP. Please advise on my candidacy.........

[Guest]

Can you elaborate on the topic of alternate transcripts? Does this mean taking classes for credit, but not towards a degree, in order to supplement my undergrad transcript? I haven't really heard of this concept, so I'm curious.