Profile Evaluation - Accounting

[TheAmazingSteve]

Due to feedback I received on these very forums I have decided to delay applying to accounting programs until next year. What follows is my current profile, some notes about what I am doing to improve it, and a request for advice.

 

Current profile:

GMAT: 740 (97th) Verbal 48 (99th) Quant 44 (66th)

UGPA: 3.2 from a flagship state school

MBA GPA: 3.9 from the same flagship state school

One good letter of recommendation, no research experience

3 years work experience (hedge fund accounting). I am now an Internal Audit manager (3 months experience).

 

What I am doing to improve:

I just completed my first quarter of calculus (A) night classes. Over the next three quarters I plan to take two more courses in calculus as well as one in linear algebra. I also plan to retake the GMAT. Without study prep for the GMAT I scored a 46 quant and 48 quant on consecutive practice tests this month. I am going to do self-study over the next three-four months before retaking in March/April. If necessary I will retake a second time in May before the format change in June. Every Friday of it is offered (typically about 25 Fridays a year), I attend an accounting research colloquium at OSU. Top researchers, including luminaries from NYU, Stanford, and UNC, presented this quarter.

 

Requests from you:

1. What else can I do to improve my profile? Is there any way for me to gain research experience (including scrubbing data, doing literature summaries) between night classes and work?

2. Assuming the following, am I competitive for a top ten school? How about top twenty?

3.9MBA GPA

3.2UGPA

2 Strong letters of recommendation

Strong, detailed, targeted SoP

A's in calculus I, II, and III and Linear Algebra nightwork

90th+/90th+ GMAT score

3 years work experience hedge fund accounting, 2 years work experience internal audit (wealth management)

No research experience

[TheAmazingSteve]

One thing I forgot: Thanks for taking the time to read over my post. If you can provide any sort of feedback it is appreciated.

 

Thanks again!

[TheAmazingSteve]

One thing I forgot: Thanks for taking the time to read over my post. If you can provide any sort of feedback it is appreciated. Thanks again!

 

Edit: So nice I thanked you twice.

[drxpac]

700+ GMAT Data Sufficiency Questions With Explanations : GMAT Math Questions and Intellectual Discussions

 

One good way to improve your quant score would be to click on my link, and click on the six resources in the op's signature. Number theory in particular is huge, and will help you do the problems better and faster. Read all six of his resources, then do his problem sets, then you should be good to go.

[TheWoodenStone]

do the professors at OSU let you do research assistant//teaching assistant work while you're an MBA? It's highly recommended at my MBA program that if you are planning on applying for a PhD, you meet with professors and spend at least one semester doing research. Maybe you can delay the calc and spend some time doing research while you still are on campus?

 

Best of luck

[TheAmazingSteve]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I graduated in June and am unable to help with research. I've come around to a PhD in the last year, which is part of why I delayed a year - so that I could be certain this is what I want to do. I would love to be able to assist on someone's research, or just observe the process, but it's extremely difficult with my schedule. Any suggestions are appreciated.