**Sorry for length – it’s complicated**. Located in the southeast US, I am URM who overcame multiple life obstacles to eventually obtain an UG degree and eventually land a buy side role within investment research as an Equity Research Associate. Also, I have mentored 7 at-risk youth over the past 7 years. Post MBA goal: return to Asset Management in an Analyst role. Long-term: start my own fund and launch a foundation for at-risk youth.

All of our Analysts have MBAs, and the majority of analyst recruiting is via this route.

Impact at current firm: Assisted with investment research and analysis, and modeling across 7 sectors (~$2bn of the portfolio). Despite not being an Analyst, individually sourced and pitched 4 recommendations, 3 of which were included in the portfolio (~60mn)

Extracurriculars: At prior firm: At-risk youth mentoring, On leadership committee of young professional group (2k members), on leadership committee fundraising event (400 participants). Current firm: At-risk youth mentoring.

Background: My mom was incarnated for drug trafficking during middle/high school. So, I had to work since my sophomore year in HS to help support myself. Junior year girlified committed a pregnancy fraud against me (eventually admitted child wasn't mine), so I had to begin to work full-time from my junior year. I graduated but enrolled at local community college so that i could continue to work full time. Eventually she admitted to the lie, and i was able to move on, continue with school and transfer to a 4year Undergrad that's a top 100 US school (Finance/Econ double major. 3.3 gpa). I continued to work until the beginning of my Senior year. I eventually graduated but given limited Finance roles in southeast, i started in wealth management, then Risk Management, before ultimately obtaining my CFA (passed all three on first attempt). I wanted to go to business school in 2018/2019 to pivot to asset management, but i was able to secure a highly competitive position at a $5-$10bn fund. Now I am at the "natural" break between Associate and Analyst. Given my WE, is this a 750 GMAT or bust? Or is an MBA impossible? Also, I had a C in Calculus. Should I complete an Extension Calculus coarse to ease that concern or would a strong GMAT suffice?