GMAT 710 with two years of work experience n passCFA Level 3

[mahzaib.aziz]

Hi,

I am based in Pakistan and took the GMAT yesterday (20th October). I had the following score:

Total 710
Quant - 74th Percentile
English - 89th Percentile
IR - 6/12

Following are the key features of my profile:

- Bachelors in Finance with a 3.1 GPA from IBA Karachi (one of the top two business schools here)
- Passed all three levels of the CFA program on first attempt
- Have been working as a Client Relationship Manager, Corporate and Commercial Banking, Standard Chartered Bank (Total experience will be three years by Fall 2015)

There are other elements to my profile as well but the ones mentioned above stand out. I have also studied as per the local education standards here (not very high) up till high school, and am from one of the smaller towns of the country.

What schools should I aim for? Should I improve my GMAT? What are the realistic goals that I can set?

[mahzaib.aziz]

Also, does passing the CFA level III exam aid my MBA application in any way? Note: I am not a charterholder yet.

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Thanks for posting. It sounds like you have some solid work experience, and yes the CFA is a plus. A little hard to assess in too much depth without knowing more... leadership experience? Community involvement? Reasons for MBA/goals? etc. And as for schools, there are so many factors to consider... for more on choosing schools, check out our free download at: http://info.mbamission.com/Selecting-Yo ... ram-E-Book. As for GMAT, a 710 is pretty solid... but depends on where you want to apply and how much if anything you think you could improve. Keep us posted on q's and your progress!

[mahzaib.aziz]

Hey,

Thank you for your feedback.

I have been involved in some leadership positions during my undergrad period. I was the lead of a couple of conferences, each of which attracted more than 500 students and spanned for more than three days. Total budget of each conference toughed around USD 100K.

I have worked as a free lance consultant and helped establish a private limited company. This company's aim was to start up a medical college in one of the most underdeveloped and rural areas of Pakistan. I was involved in the establishment of the company's AOA, SOPs etc. The college has been approved by the local regulator and has been working for two years now.

At the bank, my work has largely been management of corporate accounts (end-to-end), so I am not sure whether I can categorize that as leadership experience.

I have worked as a volunteer at TCF, an education foundation, and have counselled children aged 14-17 on what to do once they are done with school. I have also initiated a similar committee (6 volunteers) at one of the rural areas of the country to motivate children to take up studies instead of working with their parents in farms, or doing day jobs.

I am thinking about Tier 1 schools (all will be reach schools I know but worth a shot) (Stern, Wharton, Insead), however I will also apply at a couple of Tier 2 schools in the States.

Your valuable feedback is awaited.

[mbamissionjenK]

Thanks for the additional insight; I like your experiences you've shared, those will all help strengthen your applications certainly.

So for top 5-10 schools your GMAT and GPA will be below the average; GPA probably the most-so. As you said they are reaches, but then again not impossible... you could give it a shot for a few of the top tier and a few tier 2 as mentioned. Some of the final decision may come down to your essays/recs/interviews as well. But your experiences sound like you'll have a lot to contribute to the class which is important.

Good luck to you! Keep us posted.