Profile Evaluation please

[gorilla19]

Hey Alex - your feedback would be greatly appreciated

I just took the GMAT and I am currently questioning whether or not the schools I am applying to are appropriate.

GMAT: 740 = 49Q (88%) 41V (92%)

GPA: Overall was 3.1 but I jumped around a lot in Fresh and Soph years - Junior and Senior years had multiple dean's lists as well as GPA of about 3.6-3.7 and my major GPA was 3.4 (Accounting) - I plan on including an essay clarifying this in my application

Undergrad: BSBA from Wash U. (#12 overall) - major in accounting with side focus in finance

Work Experience - 3 years at matriculation in public accounting. I work for a midsize to large public accounting firm in NYC with about 700 employees. I have already earned my CPA license and my supervisors have requested that I be promoted to senior level a year ahead of normal schedule which is very out of the ordinary. I have been given responsibilities that are beyond my position at the firm and I plan on having those highlighted in my essays as well as recommendations.

Leadership is strong among peers and on my engagements.

I will have 2 very strong recommendations and could add a third from a peer who works with me everyday but is at the same level as me.

Extracurriculars - Somewhat weak in my opinion here, mostly due to the fact that my 3 years I have been mostly studying for CPA exams and GMAT. In college I was deeply involved in the Special Olympics in St. Louis. I also now play in a NYC organized volleyball league for professionals.

Reason for MBA: I have realized that a career in public accounting is not for me. I would like to make a switch to financial services, particularly investment management. I am confident in my potential based on my leadership abilities, diligence, and work ethic and hope to express this in my essays and hopefully interviews.

I plan on applying to: Harvard (reach), NYU Stern, Columbia, Chicago GSB, Michigan, and possibly Yale, MIT, Cornell, or Wharton (another reach)

Thanks for your time.

[gorilla19]

In addition, which of the schools listed above do you think would be the best fit for me in terms of someone looking to focus less on accounting and more on finance and investment management. Thanks.

[MBAApply]

Schools to focus on: Columbia, Chicago, NYU, Cornell, Yale

Reach: Wharton

These schools will likely be your best fit given your career goals and overall candidacy. Schools like MIT, Harvard and Michigan can still get you to the same place, but there will be relatively less like-minded people interested in the same career as you.

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

[gorilla19]

Thanks a bunch. Do you think that I should also choose a "safety school" or do you think that with these choices I should be ok?

[MBAApply]

That's really up to you -- only choose a safety school that you'd be happy to go to if it was the only school you were admitted to. There are times when applicants apply to safety schools they would never end up going to, but apply anyhow because of some psychological thing where they feel they need to get in somewhere to feel better about themselves (or just the anxiety/uncertainty makes them go for things they would never end up taking if given the chance).

The thing is, beyond the top16 schools it becomes much harder to break into Wall Street type jobs such as investment management (Wall Street is more pedigree driven than other industries). The only schools that come to mind are CMU, Rochester and Wisconsin.

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