Hello,

I was hoping to get an honest assessment of my chances of being admitted to a top 10 MBA program. My target schools are Wharton, Booth, Columbia, Kellogg and Stern. My primary question is whether these schools are realistic or major stretches, as I only plan to commit to a full time program if it is a top tier program.

GMAT: 740 (48Q 44V)
Undergrad GPA: 3.9 from top 25 undergrad business school
Additional Education: Passed all three levels of CFA exam
Work Experience: 4 years in corporate finance (Treasury), 2 promotions, experience managing analysts, expect high quality reviews from current and previous supervisors
Extracurricular activities: Somewhat limited as much of my time outside of work has been devoted to studying for the CFA exams. I just started getting involved with volunteer work over the past year.

Overall, I think my GMAT and GPA will be positives but lack of extracurricular activities and less prestigious work experience (compared to banking or consulting) will be negatives. All feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Michael,

Thanks for writing in -- you seem to have a really solid grasp on where your strengths are and how the application process works.

I agree-- your GMAT and GPA are top-notch and will be strengths. While your work experience may be less "glamorous" than banking or consulting, it's up to you to show in your essays why your work experience translates well to your future goals and your reasons for seeking an MBA. Show your accomplishments, and make a compelling case that your career progression and goals make sense and fit together, and your industry and title become less relevant.

As for extracurriculars, I advise not to fake it if it's not there. It will be a weak spot on your application, but that just means you need to present your strengths in a way that will overcome that deficiency.

I think Wharton would be a near-reach for you, but you should be competitive at the other schools you listed.

Best of luck,

Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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