Candidate:

Mr. Lost Trader

About Me:

Pretty typical ivy league/STEM background. 5 year trading experience at Optiver US and looking to transition into PE. Never really had a career path or a clear goal in mind. Over the past few years, personal interests in trading and the overall compensation really became my only career priority. Trying to use MBA as an opportunity to reset.

Schools:

Target School: Stanford GSB

See More Profiles For: Stanford GSB

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: Brown Univeristy

Undergrad Major: Statistics

GPA: 3.93

GMAT: 760

Age: 27, Ethnicity: Asian or Indian

Extracurriculars: Alumni interviewer for the admission office

Work History:

Title: Derivative Trader

Industry: Banking & Finance

Company: Top Firm

Length of Employment: 5 yrs

Big Life Wins:

Survived as a prop trader in one of the prestigious firms in the industry and am responsible for 10% of the daily volume in several products. This year’s comp will be around 800k. Strong track record and PnL, so it’s relatively easy for me to transition to VP/Director level positions at an investment bank as an alternative.

Post MBA Goal:

Getting into a fundamental investing/Asset management role at a global fund.

Odds:

Join in! Click here to assess the odds of Mr. Lost Trader

The Experts Rate The Odds At: 8%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 10%

Hi Mr. Lost Trader,
This is Debbie Choy, GSB alum and Senior Consultant at mbaMission. Congrats on surviving as a prop trader in these tumultuous times! I think your niche in trading helps you stand out from other finance candidates. You also have a strong academic track record. That said, be sure to clearly explain how an MBA fits in with your future career goals. For example, what specific skills / knowledge do you hope to gain at b-school that will help you achieve your future goals in asset management? Although many candidates do go to b-school to explore different options, the Admissions Committee (AdCom) is looking for applicants who have given more thought to their career path, and can articulate this clearly in their essays. …

Hi Mr. Lost Trader,
This is Debbie Choy, GSB alum and Senior Consultant at mbaMission. Congrats on surviving as a prop trader in these tumultuous times! I think your niche in trading helps you stand out from other finance candidates. You also have a strong academic track record. That said, be sure to clearly explain how an MBA fits in with your future career goals. For example, what specific skills / knowledge do you hope to gain at b-school that will help you achieve your future goals in asset management? Although many candidates do go to b-school to explore different options, the Admissions Committee (AdCom) is looking for applicants who have given more thought to their career path, and can articulate this clearly in their essays. Also be prepared to address why you are willing to forgo a lucrative salary / career in trading to attend school and switch careers. Separately, consider becoming more active in your local community. For example, are there any community organizations that you can become involved with? I think this could help round out your profile and demonstrate leadership / teamwork qualities. If you can do the above points, I think you would stand a solid shot at the GSB. Wishing you the best in your MBA journey!

4 years ago Read the full review
Stratus Admissions Counseling Odds Assessment: 5%

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. I’m confused because you say you feel lost but haven’t given any indication of what you really might want to do or WHY you even need an MBA. You’ve picked of course the most stretch of all the stretch schools, and I think you’d have a super hard time getting admitted because they are looking for people who want to change the world. I can’t sense any of that desire from your past or even what you might want to do that could benefit society. It might be there but from what you’ve written I don’t see it. You’ve got killer stats but that’s not enough at top schools. I suggest doing some deliberate introspection work to discover …

Hi, it’s Jennifer Jackson from Stratus Admissions. I’m confused because you say you feel lost but haven’t given any indication of what you really might want to do or WHY you even need an MBA. You’ve picked of course the most stretch of all the stretch schools, and I think you’d have a super hard time getting admitted because they are looking for people who want to change the world. I can’t sense any of that desire from your past or even what you might want to do that could benefit society. It might be there but from what you’ve written I don’t see it. You’ve got killer stats but that’s not enough at top schools. I suggest doing some deliberate introspection work to discover what you REALLY want to do and why the MBA is crucial for you to be able to do it. Good luck!

4 years ago Read the full review

The Community Currently Rates The Odds At: 14%

25% | 4 years ago
I think you have totally legitimate reasons to go back to school, and you’re clearly smart and can get done whatever is put in front of you. My humble feedback is to really do some introspection and formulate why it is you want to do PE. Maybe thing about the reasons why trading is no longer interesting and the reasons why PE is interesting.

I think you have totally legitimate reasons to go back to school, and you’re clearly smart and can get done whatever is put in front of you. My humble feedback is to really do some introspection and formulate why it is you want to do PE. Maybe thing about the reasons why trading is no longer interesting and the reasons why PE is interesting.
15% | 4 years ago
15% | 4 years ago

Hi there! Your academic stats/ test scores are super impressive & your career-to-date shows that you can handle super demanding environments. No school is going to doubt your ability to thrive in their program. Accordingly, your personal story will be under the spotlight when AdCom reviews your application. I'm no expert (translation: I'm a sleep-deprived applicant gunning for M7 schools out of her league), but I think that what you'll need to focus on is articulating *why* you need an MBA from Stanford, of all schools, and why you need it now. Given your impressive CV, it would be all too easy for AdCom to think you're apt to achieve your conservative career aspirations without an MBA. Also, from what I've heard, Stanford is really ...

Hi there! Your academic stats/ test scores are super impressive & your career-to-date shows that you can handle super demanding environments. No school is going to doubt your ability to thrive in their program. Accordingly, your personal story will be under the spotlight when AdCom reviews your application.

I’m no expert (translation: I’m a sleep-deprived applicant gunning for M7 schools out of her league), but I think that what you’ll need to focus on is articulating *why* you need an MBA from Stanford, of all schools, and why you need it now. Given your impressive CV, it would be all too easy for AdCom to think you’re apt to achieve your conservative career aspirations without an MBA.

Also, from what I’ve heard, Stanford is really keen on understanding what intrinsically motivates candidates – i.e., the school wants to know what your values are. Being “lost” isn’t a bad thing, but you’ll want to spin your lostness into a story of self-discovery that’s rife with honesty, humility and vulnerability. Somewhere in that story you’ll also want to weave in a “bigger purpose;” something that speaks to what your aspirations are regarding impact on society-at-large. Moreover, it would be a good idea to start thinking about what your general interests are. You work in a demanding industry that likely leaves you little time to volunteer or participate in extracurriculars; showing that you have a life outside of work and that you are worldly or well-rounded in some ways would be good for your candidacy.

Hope my two cents were helpful & best of luck to you!

Read the full review
5% | 4 years ago
50% | 4 years ago

GSB loves having the top exit salary among schools.

GSB loves having the top exit salary among schools.
10% | 4 years ago

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Candidate:

Mr. Lost Trader

About Me:

Schools:

Details:

Work History:

Big Life Wins:

Post MBA Goal:

Odds:

The Experts Rate The Odds At: 8%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 10%

Stratus Admissions Counseling Odds Assessment: 5%

The Community Currently Rates The Odds At: 14%

25% | 4 years ago

15% | 4 years ago

15% | 4 years ago

5% | 4 years ago

50% | 4 years ago

10% | 4 years ago

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