I’m applying for FT b-school programs for Fall '08: My basic stats: *CFA Charterholder *Will have 5yrs full-time experience at matriculation (corp finance/credit risk background) *3.8 GPA from lesser name state-school Top School Choices: Chicago, Wharton, Stanford (I am also applying to Kellogg, Columbia, and Harvard) I scored a 680 on the GMAT about 2 weeks ago. Should I retake??? Or am I sufficiently within striking distance if my essays and recs are solid? Many thanks, RG
In my best Braveheart sounding voice: you’re fuked.
FWIW, I’m probably going to apply for Fall '09 and my consultant told me that if my essay’s were good enough 680 would be fine. This is assuming extremely strong essays though…
i applied last year to chi but didn’t get in. reapplying. anyway, i have a 690 and in my feedback session with someone from the adcom, i was not to worry about.
Wharton and Chicago? Those are two Super Heavy Weights. Have you started up your own H-Fund that you subsequently sold for a FORTUNE to a big bank or broker? Or invented something really key? Willy
Is it easier/harder to get into full time programs vs part time/evening programs for the top B schools?
ryguy904 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m applying for FT b-school programs for Fall > '08: > > My basic stats: > *CFA Charterholder > *Will have 5yrs full-time experience at > matriculation (corp finance/credit risk > background) > *3.8 GPA from lesser name state-school > > Top School Choices: Chicago, Wharton, Stanford (I > am also applying to Kellogg, Columbia, and > Harvard) > > I scored a 680 on the GMAT about 2 weeks ago. > Should I retake??? Or am I sufficiently within > striking distance if my essays and recs are > solid? > > > Many thanks, > RG Where was your undergrad?
you should retake it. you will need at least 700 to make it into Harvard, Wharton or Stanford
is setting your goal at 700 too high or just right? i mean, some people are telling me that the GMAT is very hard and its conceited for me to think i can get 700. it seems however that most people at least on here have had no trouble getting very good marks which suggests to met hat if i work hard, i too can achieve it. i think i’ll take the gmat just to see this.
ryguy904 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m applying for FT b-school programs for Fall > '08: > > My basic stats: > *CFA Charterholder > *Will have 5yrs full-time experience at > matriculation (corp finance/credit risk > background) > *3.8 GPA from lesser name state-school > > Top School Choices: Chicago, Wharton, Stanford (I > am also applying to Kellogg, Columbia, and > Harvard) > > I scored a 680 on the GMAT about 2 weeks ago. > Should I retake??? Or am I sufficiently within > striking distance if my essays and recs are > solid? > > > Many thanks, > RG My recommendation is NOT to retake and spend that time working on your essays.
clos83 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Where was your undergrad? California State University, _______ And unfortunately, it’s not San Luis Obispo…
from what i’ve heard, the gmat isn’t equivalent to the lsat or the mcat as far as its relevancy to your application. its just one of many data points. i think the reason people say to shoot for 700 is because it guarantees that your score won’t be held against you. the other side of the coin is that there are plenty of people who get in despite low scores. at the end of the day you just need to do the best you can on your application, not just one part of it. like danteshek said, focus on your essays. if you have a 800 and crappy essays, other errors, unimpressive work exp, show a lack of drive/ambition, etc, you won’t get in.
altough schools never admitted, GMAT is a big chunck of the pie. other things being equal, the higher the score, the higher the chances of making it into one of those school.
GMAT is not THAT hard. its no walk in the park, but its an exam, just the same as all the rest. its about practice and being good on game day…
IMO, 680 is probably not within “striking distance” at Stanford. I’d recommend retaking if you can still devote adequate time and resources to the other aspects of your application.
Don’t worry about your undergrad namesake/pedigree - you made a choice a decade ago. You performed well, based on your GPA. Every school on your list will accept 680. Focus on your essays, and make sure your recommendations come from someone who can highlight your leadership ability/potential.
ryguy904 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m applying for FT b-school programs for Fall > '08: > > My basic stats: > *CFA Charterholder > *Will have 5yrs full-time experience at > matriculation (corp finance/credit risk > background) > *3.8 GPA from lesser name state-school > > Top School Choices: Chicago, Wharton, Stanford (I > am also applying to Kellogg, Columbia, and > Harvard) > > I scored a 680 on the GMAT about 2 weeks ago. > Should I retake??? Or am I sufficiently within > striking distance if my essays and recs are > solid? > > > Many thanks, > RG I went to Stanford. You are borderline, at best, with solid references and essays. Then again, everyone applying to the top schools have solid references and essays and most who are admitted have impeccable ones. Your GPA looks good, but being from a lesser-known school is not going to help. A 3.5 from Berkeley is probably going to look better than a 3.8 from Cal state, if you know what i mean. Plus you did not mention anything “special”, like spending 2 years in South Africa building aquaducts and teaching, or being a grandmaster in chese, or ran the boston marathon, or conquered mount everest. the working experience is good, but if that is about it, you basically don’t sound like an “interesting” person, MBA admission wise. I suggest you beef up your GMAT (720 will probably put you in better light) and CV. Otherwise, there’s always plenty of backup schools to apply.
All my friends who went to those schools had GMAT scores above 700. I recommend you retake it after a few months.
- the charter doesn’t count for a whole heck of a lot in terms of admissions. Some, yes. But everyone applying to school (esp the engineers) have plenty of certifications. However, the CFA will help you handle the classes once you are there. - 680 is lowish, but not impossible. I know a guy who got into Stanford with a sub 700. But he also had three Stanford alum writing him supplemental recs. The gmat is big, but it’s not everything. At my school last year, we accepted 17% overall, and only 25% of the >750ers. But I would recommend to get above your school’s median if you can. - lesser known undergrad–don’t worry too much about this. It’s all about what you did, not where you’re from. Some of the best kids in my class are from secondary state schools. - essays are big, as everyone has said already. It’s hard as heck to get into some of the top schools if you have a calendar based, (not projected based) job (it seems like some finance stuff is calender based, where a field like consulting is mostly project based). Your essays need to be really unique and compelling, not a recounting of how you really nailed that Jan-07 portfolio analysis. - uniqueness. you really need something unique to get into H/S/W. I’m talking about leading a trek through africa or captaining a submarine. Chi and Kellogg will be relatively easier. Good luck!
I’m really appreciative of the responses so far!!! Hopefully, I can get some more input, as I imagine I’m not the only one on the cusp. It seems curious that the average (and often median) GMAT reported for these schools is around 700/710. I’m no statistics genius, but wouldn’t that mean that there are many people (not necessarily 1/2, but let’s be conservative and say 30%) that are scoring below 710, probably in the 660-690 range? Again- - - many, many thanks.