Poets and Quants

Hello Eric, This is a tricky situation. As far as I know it’s a loss on the deposit front. But you want to tread carefully–you don’t want to tick off Columbia. I’ve not heard of Mary Miller or anyone on her team going around contacting other schools but policies can change at any point. As [...]

Hi John From a profile standpoint you are admissible based on the GMAT/GPA/CFA and PWC M&A advisory work profile. The non-profit exp is also a plus. Your candidacy will be won or lost based on the execution: how you brand yourself in your essays and the strength of your recommendations. If the essays are great [...]

Hi Jay, Yes you do have a shot at the schools you listed but execution will be key. The essays, the quality of experiences both professional and personal and the strengths of the recommendations will all serve to tip your application to the yes pile if executed correctly. The goal to go from accounting to [...]

Hello Anthony, Thanks for your question. Schools value diversity at all levels…so being a seasoned non-traditional applicants can be ok for some programs. Aim for a 700 plus for sure to become attractive especially for programs in the mid top range (14th-20th) or so. You will need to show leadership impact at both the Food [...]

Hi Mr. Confused, You are welcome! I do enjoy hearing from you guys so keep the questions coming. Most programs have an open policy regarding applicants with an MBA, at least on paper. While many of the programs say they don’t discriminate against applicants with an MBA, I suspect that many do not get admitted. [...]

Indian Banker, The other reason I recommend including the two UK schools is that you will have 3 years of experience which is about the minimum number they require. If you had less, it isn’t impossible but would be more challenging. So go for it and all the best. Chioma (chioma@expartus.com) EXPARTUS Helping You Gain [...]

Hi Indian Banker I think it is also reasonable to include Said and Judge. Both schools see a good size of their class go into Finance Sector (Said-34% and Judge 25%) and these numbers are not too far off from some of the US schools you are considering. The location where you wish to live [...]

Hi HR Consultant from India, You will need to convey your thought process for going from IT consulting to Biz analyst role in IB Technology group. This makes sense. What may be a bit confusing is the HR consulting role at the Behavioral Econ Consulting Company. What exactly did you do? Is it a leader [...]

Hi Indian Banker, Thank you for your question. I think you have a realistic list of schools. Wharton and Columbia will be the most competitive but given your profile both are also within range assuming you have stellar recommendations and strong essays to back up the solid academic profile. If you think you could raise [...]

Hi Greenhorn, You raise a really important question about the ROI of the MBA. This is a question so many applicants have to contend with. The short answer is that it is a personal decision that you have to make based on your particular situation. Check out P&Q’S assessment of the recent GMAC study of [...]

Hello Caleb (Excited to Switch Career), Thanks for sharing your question and quite frankly the way you write gave me a bit of an insight into who you are. Short answer: if you feel ready, apply round one this year. You come across as thoughtful, self-assured without arrogance, and interesting…B-schools like people who are comfortable [...]

Hi Sunshine, Thanks for your questions. You asked about INSEAD. It is probably one of the most international programs out there and it is near impossible to get admitted without evidence of some international work experience. See if you can work on a project outside India for several months or if your company doesn’t offer [...]

Hi Evelyn Better is a subjective word…it depends on your goals, where you want to work after graduation, the type of experience you are looking for in an MBA program, etc. Also whether you want to live in Philadelphia an urban city vs Boulder (foothills of the Rocky Mountains). Also how important is diversity and [...]

Hello USNA 08, Thanks for your question. You have an interesting background that many schools would be keen to have in their program. The 720 is solid. The 3.2 is a bit low but still competitive given Naval Academy (I’m assuming a traditionally tough major like Engineering….) As an officer, I’m sure you will have [...]

Hello SanketMali, Thanks for your question. Strength: Your manufacturing, project management experience will be viewed favorably by the admissions board. The academics is a plus as well since schools want smart individuals who can do the work and thrive. Industry and experience that is interesting/diverse is a plus: Mahindra Chakan is a leading auto company [...]

Hi Francisco, Think of the shopper who goes to a car dealership to buy a car and he’s expecting to get a car for 30K. The sales person shows him a car that is 50K. The shopper will likely have a negative reaction immediately to the sticker shock of the price tag, right? Well it’s [...]

Hi JMG, Thanks for your question. I don’t know enough about your work experience (where you worked prior to Citi, and also what exactly your role is at Citi). Schools value diversity so the Mexican background wouldn’t hurt. 690/8.5/10 is ok. Higher GMAT would be a plus but if the 690 is as good as [...]

Hi CSB Hopeful, I can imagine how frustrating it must be to get the decision of a denied admission after working so hard. If I were in your situation, I would not make an immediate decision right away regarding whether to apply again to Columbia or even business school. Take a few weeks off from [...]

Hi Bluesiege, Your concern is a legitimate one but I would look at the entire application not just one component. So Wahrton, Columbia, and Booth tend to like to see high scores in the GMAT. The 690 is a bit low.(Chicago may accept new score so retaking may not hurt). You could also bring this [...]

Hi Nishant, I can’t say exactly what your chances of admissions will be for the schools you have indicated. I think the long term goal will be viewed with some skepticism by the adcom. The asset management consulting to corp strategy makes sense but I suspect the adcom will see the jump from project management [...]