TestMagic

2010hopeful · 2009 October 12th, 08:46 PM

Strategic Management Hopeful
MBA: Big 12 - Finance - 4.0 GPA
Undergrad: Ivy - Economics - 3.1 GPA (played varsity sport and GPA higher in major)
Work Experience: 3 Years at large media company (various positions), internships in finance areas, 2 years as a Finance Teaching Assistant
GMAT: 680 total / 42 verbal / 39 quant
Letters of Recommendation and statement of purpose are strong.
Research Interests: Firm Acquisition and Integration Strategies, exec decision making in creative industries

My quant score is low. Is it too low to get in somewhere? I am not focusing on top 10 programs. What other strategic management programs are strong in the 20-50 range?

oh34 · 2009 October 12th, 09:14 PM

Better to prepare for a question like, why SM with such strong finance background??? I got this kind of question when I applied to SM last year. How are you going to elaborate this point in your statement of purpose?
Where your LORs come from? Econ and Finance Prof??? You may want to know that the scope that each program takes is quite narrow. They don't know who the professors in different programs are unless they are very well known.
Your GMAT score is weak. 20 - 50 schools also look at the score and still the quant score...

clovus · 2009 October 13th, 01:25 AM

I have a pretty similar profile. The profs that are recommending me seem to think I will be competitve in the range of schools I am shooting for. Most of my schools are in the 30-70 range.

Most of the folks here seem to aim for the top 20, which as you know, require uber profiles. I assume you have taken a look at the average GMAT scores for the schools you are interested in. There are lots of good schools with average GMATs in the 690-650 range. And more than a few with averages near 600. Granted, with some of the 600 average schools, one would be hard pressed to ever place in a research school, but it does happen.

PhDCPA · 2009 October 13th, 01:27 AM

I don't think the 680 is the problem - it's the quant score. That's super, super low for finance. I think to be competitive outside the bottom tier you need to retake the GMAT and get that quant score up into the mid 40s at least.

clovus · 2009 October 13th, 02:16 AM

2010hopeful is interested in Strategic Management. I would agree that 39Q would be very low for finance or accounting for that matter.

I don't get the feeling that a Q39 would kill a management/OB/CB-marketing application.

PhDCPA · 2009 October 13th, 02:55 AM

Oh, whoops! Yeah, 39 is still low but definitely not as bad as it would be for finance or accounting.

Still, my advice still stands. Retake and try to get a higher quant score.

2009 October 12th, 08:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
2010hopeful I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	Profile Evaluation - Strategic Management Strategic Management Hopeful MBA: Big 12 - Finance - 4.0 GPA Undergrad: Ivy - Economics - 3.1 GPA (played varsity sport and GPA higher in major) Work Experience: 3 Years at large media company (various positions), internships in finance areas, 2 years as a Finance Teaching Assistant GMAT: 680 total / 42 verbal / 39 quant Letters of Recommendation and statement of purpose are strong. Research Interests: Firm Acquisition and Integration Strategies, exec decision making in creative industries My quant score is low. Is it too low to get in somewhere? I am not focusing on top 10 programs. What other strategic management programs are strong in the 20-50 range?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

2009 October 12th, 09:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
oh34 I JUST got here. Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 8	Better to prepare for a question like, why SM with such strong finance background??? I got this kind of question when I applied to SM last year. How are you going to elaborate this point in your statement of purpose? Where your LORs come from? Econ and Finance Prof??? You may want to know that the scope that each program takes is quite narrow. They don't know who the professors in different programs are unless they are very well known. Your GMAT score is weak. 20 - 50 schools also look at the score and still the quant score...

2009 October 13th, 01:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
clovus I JUST got here. Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 20	I have a pretty similar profile. The profs that are recommending me seem to think I will be competitve in the range of schools I am shooting for. Most of my schools are in the 30-70 range. Most of the folks here seem to aim for the top 20, which as you know, require uber profiles. I assume you have taken a look at the average GMAT scores for the schools you are interested in. There are lots of good schools with average GMATs in the 690-650 range. And more than a few with averages near 600. Granted, with some of the 600 average schools, one would be hard pressed to ever place in a research school, but it does happen.

2009 October 13th, 01:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
PhDCPA Within my grasp! Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 177	I don't think the 680 is the problem - it's the quant score. That's super, super low for finance. I think to be competitive outside the bottom tier you need to retake the GMAT and get that quant score up into the mid 40s at least.

2009 October 13th, 02:16 AM	#5 (permalink)
clovus I JUST got here. Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 20	2010hopeful is interested in Strategic Management. I would agree that 39Q would be very low for finance or accounting for that matter. I don't get the feeling that a Q39 would kill a management/OB/CB-marketing application.

2009 October 13th, 02:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
PhDCPA Within my grasp! Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 177	Oh, whoops! Yeah, 39 is still low but definitely not as bad as it would be for finance or accounting. Still, my advice still stands. Retake and try to get a higher quant score.

TestMagic

Free GMAT, GRE, SAT Test, TOEFL practice tests