Candidate:

Ms. Tech For Good

About Me:

I work for the largest SOE bank in the country to oversee the subsidiaries’ (Corporate Venture Capital arm and insurance) financial & strategy performance. Experienced in strategic planning and PMO at the largest bank in Southeast Asia and as a consultant in one of the Big 4 firms. I’d like to switch my career to VC’s investment team.

Schools:

Target School: Harvard

Considering: Berkeley Haas, Columbia

See More Profiles For: Harvard

Application Status: Open

Details:

Undergrad School: The University of Texas at Austin

Undergrad Major: Accounting

GPA: 3.4

GMAT: 700

Age: 31, Ethnicity: Asian or Indian

Other Degree/Certification: VC University ONLINE (Venture Finance)

School Name: VC University (A joint initiative of Startup@BerkeleyLaw, NVCA and Venture Forward)

Extracurriculars: Volunteer work by teaching underserved kids and building a house for underserved people. Worship leader (vocal) and class manager for the kids' church. Learning golf and Korean language (3rd language).

Work History:

Title: Subsidiaries Management

Industry: Banking & Finance

Company: Global

Length of Employment: 2 yrs, 10 mos

Title: Consultant

Industry: Consulting

Company: Top Firm

Length of Employment: 2 yrs, 6 mos

Big Life Wins:

1. Co-founded an online fashion store that sells handwoven clothing with a mission to empower handwoven textile workers in the rural area
2. Prepared US tax returns for low-income individuals and families and allocated $5,000 of tax preparation fees

Post MBA Goal:

Short-term: working as the investment team for one of the top global venture capital firms in Southeast Asia to learn how to do fundraising, how to value, grow and exit startup investments.
Long-term: launch the largest impact investing fund in Southeast Asia.

Odds:

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The Experts Rate The Odds At: 10%

See what the industry experts have to say:

mbaMission Odds Assessment: 10%

Hello Ms. Tech for Good, this is Michael from mbaMission.
While I would like more details in terms of your specific work experience, from what you have written, you have solid work experience in consulting and strategic planning. And while your goal of working in VC will be a challenge – since those roles are often hard to find – I think the admission teams will feel that given your past experience, you could be hired in that role post-MBA. If possible, show that you have a network in this field as well.
Your GPA is solid, and while your GMAT of 700 is good, it is below the average of Harvard, Haas and CBS. To help compensate for that, definitely highlight the quant courses …

Hello Ms. Tech for Good, this is Michael from mbaMission.
While I would like more details in terms of your specific work experience, from what you have written, you have solid work experience in consulting and strategic planning. And while your goal of working in VC will be a challenge – since those roles are often hard to find – I think the admission teams will feel that given your past experience, you could be hired in that role post-MBA. If possible, show that you have a network in this field as well.
Your GPA is solid, and while your GMAT of 700 is good, it is below the average of Harvard, Haas and CBS. To help compensate for that, definitely highlight the quant courses you did well in during college, as well as emphasize your quant skills at work. I have worked with many applicants who have written effective Optional Essays detailing their strong analytical and quant skills/experiences, as a way to compensate for a lower GMAT. So be sure to spend time on that essay as well.
I do think that your extracurriculars can help differentiate you, from your time volunteering for kids and at church, as well as preparing tax returns for those in need. And your entrepreneur experience can boost your profile too so definitely mention that.

Additionally, it is always a good idea to consider applying to one or two other schools to increase your chances of MBA admission, in addition to the list of schools you mentioned, as they are all quite competitive, especially during this time. As for Harvard, I see your odds of admission there to be around 10%, so around the average of the program’s estimated acceptance rate. Best of luck to you!

3 years ago Read the full review