Profile Evaluation

[valadienb414]

General: I’m a 28 year old white male. I was looking for an assessment on my chances of getting into a top 10 MBA program.

Education: I graduated with a degree in corporate finance and accounting from a top 20 business school GPA 3.6/4.0. I have a CPA and I’m a level 2 CFA candidate.
Work Experience (four years):
• Big 4 (mixed work experience) – One of three associates selected for a management leadership program intended to introduce potential future leaders to various cross-functions of the firm. I essentially participated in a two year rotational program across various service lines.
•Currently, I have a new job in transaction services specializing in implementation of derivative and hedging strategies. I was promoted in my position within the first six months of my start date.

[mbaMissionMichael]

Hi, thanks for your post!
The application process is truly holistic, and committees will look at your stats (GPA and GMAT/GRE), work experience, and extracurriculars.

Your GPA is strong, so that is a good start. The fact you are a CPA and a Level II CFA also shows your quantitative ability, so if you happen to not do as well on your GMAT/GRE, you should still be able to show you have the ability to succeed in the classroom. Your test score is still important though, and I suggest taking it up to 3-4 times. You have nothing to lose since schools will only look at your highest score. And even a slight increase can boost your profile.
It is hard to gauge your work experience without knowing your accomplishments and impact you have made there. However, having years of Big 4 experience myself, I know how impressive it is to be selected to a management leadership program. It is also nice to see you have recently been promoted. It will be important to explain why you want your MBA, and to also illustrate the skills you already have which are transferable. Be sure your story makes sense, and your goals are realistic and specific.

Regarding extracurriculars, hopefully you have been involved in some, and if so, make sure to really emphasize your leadership roles you have taken on.

From the limited information you provided, I would think you do have a chance at some top schools, but they are extremely competitive, and each school simply does not have the room to admit all the world's qualified applicants. For that reason, I suggest apply to several schools, including reach, target and safety. Hopefully they will see that you have a compelling story and are someone who will add value to the classroom and community.
If you would like to provide further detail and discuss your story, please sign up for a free consultation. It is never too early to get started.
Good luck!