Profile Evaluation

[mhbaranski03]

Hi,

I'm going to give you as much information as possible, but let me know if I miss anything.

I'm looking to get into the best possible program that I can, but I don't know what range I should shoot for. Ultimately, I would like to have a concentration in finance, so that would narrow down school choices.

I'm a 25 year-old white male, and I graduated from Canisius College (Jesuit College....nothing exciting) with undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Accounting Information Systems. Finished magna cum laude with a final GPA of 3.72. In college, I participated in some accounting/business oriented clubs and I held a leadership position (Treasurer) in a professional business honor society. We held community events, sponsored college activities, etc.

For the past three years I've been working with PricewaterhouseCoopers as an auditor. I've been working on Fortune 500 companies gaining a vast array of technical accounting expertise on some pretty tough topics (Derivatives, Goodwill, Joint Ventures, etc.). I've consistently led associates below me (ranging from 2-5 individuals) on work projects, receiving high performance ratings. I've been promoted to Senior Associate and continue to lead jobs and major portions of large audits. I deal extensively with Managers, Senior Managers, and Partners at the firm, and I also work to coordinate international packages from our foreign teams. I've led trainings for approximately 20 individuals on several occassions on technical accounting issues, "soft" skils, and internal firm knowledge. I'm also a licensed CPA in New York State.

My volunteering activities after college are pretty weak. Based on this evaluation goes, and how much volunteering will help, I will probably step it up as soon as possible. Better late than never.

My extra-curriculars include various sports activities, including olympic weightlifting for which I've competed in a number of local meets. I also regularly train and compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is a very intense martial art. I help teaching classes, including the kids class at our academy.

My GMAT scores are as follows (in attempt order):
1) 580 - Q 33, V 37
2) 610 - Q 35, V 38
3) 640 - Q 44, V 34

My Quant was my weakest, so I worked with a MGMAT tutor to bump it up on that third attempt (Robert Wilburn - very good). As you can see, I did bump it up, but my verbal suffered in the meantime. If I would've just kept the verbal up, I could've easily gotten a 670. I'm pretty burned out on the GMAT though, so I don't think that I have another try left in me, and I also can't guarantee that I can keep both of those scores up.

With all of that said, what range of schools should I shoot for? I'm okay with the fact that I won't break into the top 10, but is the top 20 a possibility for me (Cornell, NYU, Dartmouth, UNC, Carnegie Mellon)? I'm also considering applying to the University of Rochester (second tier) since it's close to my hometown - any thoughts on getting into that program? Should I really hit the volunteering hard? I understand that I will probably need to actually make a measurable impact in the time that I am there for it to make an actual difference.

I'm also willing to speak more directly with mbaMission if that would be more beneficial.

Thanks for your help.

[mbamission]

Hello,

Thank you for providing so much detail. That helps. Your GMAT score is going to be a challenge for you and I think you are correct in your assessment that you may not be able to break into the top 10. However, I recommend making a list of the schools that you are interested in and take a look at where you place versus the students they have admitted in terms of the GMAT and GPA. Assuming that you want to apply to schools where you would be competitive (as opposed to schools that are all reach schools), select some schools where you fall within the range of GMAT and GPA scores. Your GPA is strong so I am not worried about that. Of course, you should also make sure that the schools you apply to meet your needs in terms of finance resources, location, size and teaching methodology.

Assuming that you are not going to take the GMAT again, I would emphasize the quantitative nature of your work in the optional essays, which most schools have and I’d ask your recommenders to highlight that as well.

And lastly, your inclination to do more community activity is a good one. I suggest starting where you are and perhaps increasing your service to the martial arts community you belong to. I recommend working on a project in which you can have an impact in the next few months. You want to be able to write about how you have engaged a community or had an impact on an organization in your business school applications. I hope that helps!

Sincerely,

Akiba Smith-Francis

MBA Mission

646-485-8844

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