GMAT Bong and others ...

[maverick1983]

Hi GMAT Bong... How are you doing ?

So here comes the dreaded evaluate my chances question

here is my profile

I am interested in majoring in finance so am concentrating on the following schools

1. Harvard
2. Wharton
3. Columbia
4. Chicago GSB
5. MIT Sloan
6. Possibly Stern - safety ?
Here is my profile
About 3.5 years of experience when I matriculate ( Age 24)

GMAT : 770 , Quant - 51 , Verbal - 44

Nationality : Indian , Male

Working in technology at a top 5 hedge fund ( AUM : 15 billion ) in New York City. Working on a credit derivatives trading application : development / maintainence + basic finance - credit derivatives ( trying to augment that knowledge )
Previously was working at Merrill Lynch also in systems / IT

Certifications from Microsoft in programming

Member of Mensa , NY

BS in EE from IIT Kanpur , India's top engineering school.
GPA : 6.9 / 10
Increasing trend in GPA ...

Pursuing certificate in finance fromNYU's SCPS school
GPA : 4.0 / 4.0

Am also thinking of taking a 3 credit course in Corp Fin over the summer - basically want to get an A+ to impress Columbia's adcom

During school : interned 2 summers in an advanced computer science lab at Columbia university , NY
Published a research paper in Image Compression in two well known conferences in India

Extra Curriculars

In college
Elected reading room secretary for the dorm
Started a department level magazine which has grown since -
Part of organization team in Cultural and Technical festival

After College
Working with a leading nonprofit for educating underpriviged children in India ...elected publicity coordinator for year 2006 for the NYC / NJ chapter ...we are one of the largest chapters and our chapter alone has over 2000 members...most of them not very active though

Hobbies : Cycling , Swimming , astronomy , books , traveling

Planning to apply in Fall 2006 for 2007 - 2008 session

Do you see any potential weaknesses ? Basically what are my chances and what can I do to improve them?

Thanks for all your help

-Mav

[GMATbong]

>Certifications from Microsoft in programming
>Member of Mensa , NY

You probably want to skip these since you are applying to MBA school, not engineering school.

For Excurr, you probably need to start something, rather than working with some firms, this will increase your chances for those schools.

Also, You should refrain from saying much of your UG interns and UG ExCurr activities since its the recent WE that counts the most. How is the job progression with your current job at the hedge fund? This is the most determine factor, don't look back to College years.

[maverick1983]

thanks for the advice GMATBong .... i was thinking of mentioning undergrad activities in the undergrad experience essay ..plus have been out of school for less than two years so i guess it makes more of a difference for me ?
i have started a couple of new endeavours in extracurr but inside the org itself ...the job at the fund has progressed pretty well , am handling a pretty big system so that shouldnt be much of a problem

[chix475ntu]

undergrad experience essay - which school is asking for this specific essay or you just telling that you will include in the experience essay??

[maverick1983]

harvard

[GMATbong]

If you are out for less then two years, you could mention it a little bit but do try to stay clear away from it besides some of the younger schools like H and S. Most of the other schools do care more about WE than your UG.

[maverick1983]

thanks for that info GMATBong ... btw you are at wharton right ? Could we meet up offline ..I am planning to visit next month and would love to meet you if possible ...lemme know ..thanks

[GMATbong]

Let me know which date you will be around.

[maverick1983]

sure ... havent decided for sure ... sometime in april mid ..thanks for the help