Handicapping Your MBA Odds: Ms. CPA, Ms. Museum, Mr. Consultant. Mr. Football, Mr. Boutique Consultant

Mr. Boutique Consultant

700 GMAT
3.69 GPA
Undergraduate degree in finance and economics from a state school
Work Experience includes slightly more than one year with a small boutique consulting firm (M&A, and Strategy Consulting); three years as an Analyst/ Project Leader with a Technology/ Financial Services firm (leader in its industry). Have passed my CFA Level II exam, but do not plan to take Level III until I am certain of my future role
Extracurricular involvement as a volunteer with at-risk youth teaching leadership skills and principles. Co-founded the club grappling team at my school; Co-founded the Finance and Economics club at my school; Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion. Lead, manage, and direct our company’s annual fitness challenge.
Goal: To leverage my MBA to a role in a venture capital or PE firm, or strategy consulting for one of the major consultants,
31-year-old white male

Odds of Success:

Virginia: 30% to 40%

Emory: 30% to 40%

Sandy’s Analysis: Hmmmmmm, not sure the jock-sniffing adcom bias noted in prior profile extends to your claim of being the “Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion” or if that means you are THE world champion (if so, I am impressed!) of if World Champion just means really, really good. Aside from that, this is pretty vanilla—a white guy, 3.69, 700 GMAT. A lot of what schools think may turn on what this means: “3 years as an Analyst/ Project Leader with a Technology/ Financial Services firm (leader in its industry)” and if firm is known to adcoms, has a history of sending kids to leading B schools etc.

I’m not even sure what it means. Do you sell or consult about the use of technology which performs financial functions? Anyway make that real clear in your application. If it is the case (mildly unclear from above) that you are NOW working with “a small boutique consulting firm (M&A, and Strategy Consulting).” well, a lot may turn on what schools think of that.

I think Booth may find this low-ish to “just OK” on all their metrics with nothing driving you in, ditto Kellogg. You may get lucky at Dartmouth if they find you totally their type, which could be, given your OK record, do-gooder strengths and state school virtues, plus Jiu Jisu hyper competence.

Darden and Emory are in line for guys like you.

Here is some tough love, retake the GMAT a couple of times, a 720 for a guy like you could really move the needle. I would not mention PE or VC as a goal. You are not on a glide path to that, and it sounds uninformed and, well, greedy.