Profile Evaluation for Tier 1 and Tier 2 B-School Programs

[haseeb234]

Hi all,

So I recently took the GMAT and got a 680 (47 Q, 36 V, 6 IA) and I'm looking to aggressively pursue B-school apps this year or postpone until next year to get my GMAT score in the 720+ range.

Undergrad GPA: 3.4 from top undergrad business program

Work experience: 2+ years of investment banking, 2+ years in corporate strategy

Side experience: A lot of collaboration with start-ups in the ed-tech sphere and related industries

Community service: A great deal of work and development on various grassroots efforts in religious institution building focusing on community service, mentorship and development. Held various leadership positions in undergrad and now.

My ideal would be to get into Wharton or Stanford, but in understanding the reality of my scores, I wanted to get some advice on where people think I would stand. I think I can get two solid recommendations from Wharton alumni. Let me know what you think. Appreciate the help in advance!

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

It sounds like you have a solid profile overall, with some good quantitative/finance experience, strong community and extracurricular experiences, and the start-up experiences. The GMAT could be higher certainly. Of course, even top programs admit plenty of 680 GMATs, it's a respectable score... but your chances would be higher with another 20-40 points too. Your essays can make an impact here too; they could help you stand out, help someone reading your application really root for you if you do a great job describing what about you is unique, what you'll bring to the program, where you'll go from there, etc. For Wharton, I'd say it would be a challenge, but not impossible. So I guess it's a decision of going for it, or holding off. Good luck to you!!