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Hello everyone,

Thank you for reading this post. I am planning to apply for a Fall 2009 MBA (by the January deadline) to some top schools and am wondering if you could give me some feedback on my profile please. Here is a summary:

* I am from Mexico and will be 25 years old when classes start (although only for a couple of months).

* Undergrad degree in Economics from one of the top 5 programs in Latin America. 8 out of 10 grade average (some US b-schools apparently translate it to a 3.0 GPA) which in general might seem relatively low but its above average for that program (although I think this would not matter to admissions committees, but I'm not sure).

* 2 years of full time work experience (plus whatever I accrue in 2009 before enrollment), and previous 6 months part-time internship. First year in a start-up economics & politics think tank, and second year in a major multinational telecommunications and network gear North American company (supply chain management position).

* While previous work experience is short, it should be pretty close to the target profile for business schools, especially on the supply chain position (promotion within 4 months to a leadership role, 11 people working under me). Very good recommendations (from American supervisors and managers) that should point out high leadership potential and abilities.

* Just took the GMAT for the first time and got a 650.

The programs I intend to apply to, in order of preference and including "safe" schools, are:

1. NYU-Stern
2. Columbia
3. Northwestern-Kellogg
4. York-Schulich
5. Cornell-Johnson
6. CMU-Tepper
7. Boston U.
8. Boston College

Assuming that I put together fairly strong essays, what are my chances for these schools? Should I try and get a higher GMAT grade (got 680-710 in GMAT prep test, so an increase is feasible but not guaranteed)? Or in other words, how much would a 680-700 score really improve my outlook?

I have heard that due to cultural differences the GMAT might be biased towards U.S. candidates (per GMAC), and therefore non-native English speaking applicants' grades are not directly compared by the admissions staff (I know of some people who have gotten into HSB and Wharton with 580's and 600's). Is there any truth to this?

(My initial reluctance to re-taking the exam is because, due to time constraints and test availability, I would need to travel by plane to a different city, which would greatly bump up its cost in both time and money).

I greatly appreciate any guidance and opinions you can provide.

Just one man's opinion here...but I think your time and energy is much better spent on putting together great essays and polishing the application.

A 650 is certainly on the lower end for your target schools, but as you point out coming from a non-english speaking country makes the test more difficult. With the logistical obstacles you face re-taking the exam I think it is pretty hard to justify...

The main point here is that a 650 shouldn't exclude you automatically, so as long as your package is strong you should still have a (good) shot.

Best of luck!

One more question : What was the breakdown on your score (Q/V)?

appmentor-jon wrote:One more question : What was the breakdown on your score (Q/V)?

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yeah, it occurred to me that the breakdown might matter only after I had posted the question... unfortunately, it's a little on the lower side for Quant:

Q: 41 (61%)
V: 40 (89%)

On practice tests I would normally score a couple of points higher in Verbal than in Quant, but I think I may be able to bump it (Quant) up by 3 or 4 points if I retake the test. Could this significantly affect the admission's staff decision?