Mr. Private Equity Analyst

Hi Mr. PE Analyst! Kate Richardson, Senior Admissions Consultant, here. As you’re likely aware, there will be quite a few PE applicants, especially to top schools like Wharton, so just being from that sector makes your odds pretty tough. In your profile, I think your family business experience and international exposure will be two positive differentiators. On the other side, I think your academic profile could be a challenge at Wharton — your undergrad GPA is below their 3.6 average, and your GRE is also below their 324 average. Obviously you can’t change the GPA, so I think it’s worth investing some time to increase your GRE. The fact that your GPA in your MSc is higher is great, but already having an MS brings an additional challenge in that you need to make a very strong case for why you need another advanced degree. With your interest in RE and NY/LA, I like Columbia, Stern, Cornell for you, and I would add UCLA to your list too. Good luck!

Hi Mr. PE Analyst, This is Donna Bauman at Stratus admissions and I have worked successfully with many PE Analysts. I had a PE client get accepted to Wharton with stats lower than yours. But that being said, there is no pure formula for your success. What I have found is it helps to have a very compelling story that is bigger than just you. What motivates you to look at NYC/LA? Why do you need a further degree after the MSc Finance? These are questions that you will need to answer convincingly to gain acceptance to your dream programs. The good news is that most people have a lot more time on their hands right now to think about what motivates them and what is really important to them. If you were to start working with a consultant now, you would have time to mine through some of your experiences and try to connect the dots to all you have done in the past and how this connects to needing a Wharton MBA to reach your goals. Your international experience as well as your RE experience could help you stand out at Wharton as well as other programs on your list. Anderson has a great RE program so I would look at this also if you are interested in investing in LA. I like Stern and CBS for you. I could see you potentially having a good shot at Cornell. Another school to consider for outstanding RE is UNC Kenan-Flagler. Best wishes to you as you consider your options. If you have the time to retake GRE it can’t hurt to keep trying to improve your score. I just saw today that the GRE is offering an at home test taking option given all the closures. Please reach out for a consult if you want to learn more about how we at Stratus can help you refine your profile and select the best way to present your story in the context of being more impactful for MBA applications.