Your Odds Of Getting Into A Top School

Ms. Consultant

• 700 GMAT
• 3.6 GPA
• Undergraduate degree in political science from Ivy U.
• Work experience includes three years at a top consulting firm
• Extracurricular involvement as volunteer of a mentorship program for abused women, concert pianist, vice president of class, and manager of college house
• Goal: To work in corporate strategy for consumer products/retail with a focus on Asian markets
• Plan to apply for an MA/MBA dual program in 2012
• 24-year-old Asian female and U.S. permanent resident

Odds of Success:

Harvard: 30+%

Wharton: 50+%

MIT: 40% to 50+%

Columbia: 50+%

NYU:  60+%

Sandy’s Analysis: This also is a classic profile, viz. Ivy 3.6, 700 GMAT, and ‘top’ consulting experience– and beyond that what appear to be lots of extras.  And a classical pianist!!!  You are sort of a solid consulting kid, which is very solid indeed, with a couple of  pluses and minuses: more extracurrics than many top consultants, and probably a lower GMAT but one (700) good enough for most schools. A lot will depend on the level of support you get from your firm in terms of recommendations. That is a key issue. Big 3 consulting firm (McKinsey, BCG, and Bain) kids get dinged from H/S/W  when they get tepid support from the firm or blow the interview (that is sometimes legit—several consulting kids are weird), and sometimes just bad luck. Other reasons Big 3 consulting firm kids get dinged is just lackluster careers, or poor presentation of careers,  and  sub-par extras compared to their very talented peers.

Your goals are fine. So it is just a matter of execution and firm support and luck.  If you will have four years of consulting firm experience at matriculation, that is at the border. Five is really excessive and B-schools begin to believe you are being  pushed out. I am not sure what you mean by “MA/MBA” dual degree, what subject are you seeking an MA in???  Phew, I would rethink that one, given your story and goals.

“Goal: To work in corporate strategy for consumer products/retail with a focus on Asian markets.”

Jeepers,  just a little ol’ MBA will serve you fine for that goal, and save you thousands of dollars and a good deal of demented class time rubbing shoulders with some terminal MA types.

Handicapping Your MBA Odds–The Entire Series

Part I: Handicapping Your Shot At a Top Business School

Part II: Your Chances of Getting In

Part III: Your Chances of Getting In

Part IV: Handicapping Your Odds of Getting In

Part V: Can You Get Into HBS, Stanford or Wharton?

Part VI: Handicapping Your Dream School Odds

Part VII: Handicapping Your MBA Odds

Part VIII: Getting Through The Elite B-School Screen

Part IX: Handicapping Your B-School Chances

Part X: What Are Your Odds of Getting In?

Part XI: Breaking Through the Elite B-School Screen

Part XII: Handicapping Your B-School Odds

Part XIII: Predicting Your Odds of Getting In

Part XIV: Handicapping Your MBA Odds

Part XV: Assessing Your Odds of Getting In

Part XVI: Handicapping Your Odds of Getting In

Part XVII: What Are Your Odds of Getting In

Part XVIII: Assessing Your Odds of Getting In

Part XIX: Handicapping Your MBA Odds

Part XX: What Are Your Odds Of Getting In

Part XXI: Handicapping Your Odds of Acceptance

Part XXII: Handicapping Your Shot At A Top MBA

Part XXIII: Predicting Your Odds of Getting In

Part XXIV: Do You Have The Right Stuff To Get In

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