Mr. Finance Manager

Hi Mr. Finance Manager,
It sounds like you have a lot on your plate! From being promoted (congrats!) to soccer! This is Debbie Choy from mbaMission. I think you have a lot of strengths in your profile – your professional track record looks very robust and it’s impressive that you’re leading a +$100M project. I like that you were juggling playing semi-pro sports while in college, although it looks like your undergrad GPA took a bit of a hit. Do consider explaining these circumstances in your optional essay, so AdCom can understand your side of the story. Your MSc Finance GPA is solid, which is good news. To be competitive at a top b-school like Stern, I advise aiming for a GMAT score that’s closer to their average (around 720). Don’t be afraid to retake the GMAT if you don’t get that score upon your first attempt. It’s quite common for candidates to take the GMAT more than once to get a score they need. If you find yourself hitting a ceiling (say at 660) after a few attempts, you can consider working with a private tutor who can help you get past that. Beyond the GMAT, it’s also important to explain fully why MBA. Specifically, as you already have a MSc Finance, which I imagine would already help you pivot into IB/PE, do explain in your essays what skills or knowledge you’re seeking to learn at Stern that you haven’t already learned at your MSc Finance. My estimate of your chances are based on a 660 GMAT score. But if you can bump up your score past 700, your chances will also improve. If you wish to discuss your profile in further detail, feel free to schedule a consultation with us. Wishing you the best in your MBA journey!

Hi Mr. Finance Manager, Melisa here from Stratus Admissions. Let’s start with your stats since you are still working towards taking your test. You may want to consider taking both a GRE and a GMAT to see which test shows your strengths. In 2019, 18% of Stern’s class took the GRE. And with the challenges in testing this year, I have seen an increase in GRE scores across my clients. While your university GPA is lower, the fact that you have a masters with a stronger GPA will help. In additional to explaining how soccer impacted your university GPA, you can point to your masters as a better indication of your academic aptitude. And the fact that it is in Finance helps show that you can handle the academic rigor of the program. It looks like you’ve been in your role as manager for awhile (congrats on the early promotion getting there) – you will want to show how you’ve had increasing responsibility as manager to highlight your growth professionally. For your goals, make sure you talk about how the skills gained in IB/PE will help you develop the energy sector back in Argentina. How will the skills you gain in US/Europe help you back home? If you continue to struggle with testing, you may want to open your school list a bit. There are great schools that can help you get into banking – McCombs (energy focus too), Cornell, Georgetown. Buen Suerte en tu examen! And reach out if I can answer any other questions for you.