Hi,
I am planning to apply for a PhD in accounting for spring 2019, but I don't really know where my profile stands in comparison to an average PhD candidate, what schools I should be aiming for or how to best improve my profile to have a better chance in top schools, so I'd greatly appreciate any advice on the matter. Here's my profile.
Academics:
Undergraduate degree in Finance at Lindenwood University in Missouri with a 3.1 GPA .
MBA in Finance also at Lindenwood University with a 3.6 GPA
Overall I've taken a lot of accounting courses during my time there as I thought some extra accounting knowledge would prove useful in the future.
I am currently preparing to take a GMAT before the end of summer.
Courses:
Calculus I, Basic statistics and Statistics and Quantitative Analysis.
Finance: Corporate Finance, Managerial Finance, Entrepreneurial Finance, International Finance, Investments.
Management: Management Science, Management Policy, Management Information systems, Business policies and Strategies.
Accounting: Managerial Accounting, Advanced Cost management, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Accounting and Reporting
Econ: Introductory Micro- and Macroeconomics and two courses of Money and Banking.
Professional Experience:
4 years of audit at Big 4 Company. Was in charge of several top projects in the country. Had experience with SQL and Oracle as well as complex valuation models designed for either PP&E or Loan Portfolios. Was in line for promotion to assistant manager for the 5th year but had to quit the job for family reasons.
Research Interest:
I don't have a specific topic in mind just yet but am thinking something along the lines of relationship between Audit and Corporate Governance.
My concerns:
I understand that GPA from my undergrad program is low and my Master's GPA while a lot higher, is still not something to brag about, especially since it wasn't really a top tier school. I know I could have done a lot better but wasn't really interested in a future in academics at the time and as such did not give it my all. In that regard, will a high GMAT or GRE score be enough to offset my low GPA, and if so what score should I be aiming for? Also GMAT or GRE?
I have good relationship with some of the professors from the school and very good relationship with partners and other top level management at the firm. Also I have done a lot better in my professional career compared to my academics as I've received top performance grades every year and was also on track for double promotion. Given all that and that the school I was in is not really reputable, would it make more sense to get all my LoRs from the top level management at the firm instead?
Also some feedback on my math background would be nice as I have no idea if what I have is enough or whether or not I should be taking any additional courses.
Overall how do I stack up, what tier of schools should I be aiming for while improving my profile and any related advice or comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
