Ask MBA Prep School : Ask Admissions Consultants - Page 3

Hello Neeravks,

Thank you for writing to MBA Prep School. The key question in my mind is "how will you stand out from the competition?" As you probably already know, you are a member of one of the most competitive applicant pools in the MBA application arena. The issue is that a solid profile is not enough for top-ranked schools; you must find a way to stand out. You say that your profile has "changed a lot," but I am not sure how from what you've told me. The things that would improve your chances are as follows:

Major Promotions that signal leadership/management potential
International work experience
Sparkling Recommendation Letters that convince admissions officers that you are indeed exceptional and a top candidate for general management
Leadership Impact in a Community Service Organization
Tangible progress toward a career switch (e.g. an assignment that allowed you to demonstrate the capabilities needed in the career you aspire to)
Remarkable improvement in the execution of your MBA application (resume, essays, interview)
A higher GMAT score

Without improvement along these dimensions, I'm afraid the outcome for you is likely to be the same as what you experienced three years ago because you are now starting to fall outside of the sweet spot for these schools age-wise.

I hope my guidance is helpful.

With best wishes,
Tyler
_________________

Hi,

Thanks for your analysis.

I think do have certain things to portray which I have done to stand out. Maybe I couldnt explain myself much last time (exactly my problem for the essays )

For example : I had taken up a leadership role since a very young age and have been managing a big team and a module within a huge project for last 3.5 yrs. I have been managing a big team, from a remote location (in comparison to the project "nerve-centre") , have led team members from 6 different nationalities. My designation has changed since 2009 then and am now considered a Manager rather than a team-member.

Regarding my future goals, if I had it in my hand, I really would want to be open about it and allow the MBA experience to open new doors to me. T

But yes, I have no problems in mentioning or planning from now, that I would like to remain in the Technology Industry as a Consultant for the Banking Practice.

I don't think I am going to give GMAT again since I have already given 3 times and have exhausted all my energy for it. I would rather focus on improving my essays and overall story.

My main worry is
1) whether US b schools would accept a profile like coming from a competitive pool while also looking at my age.
2) Should I look at other programs and not necessarily top 20. Outside US? Europe/Asia?
3) Should I not show a tendency towards changing job function and say just wanna move up the ladder and do program management/project management?
4) Yes, my list last time my list was more towards 2 yr program, but given my age and my profile I am willing to look at others too.

Insead
Oxford
Judge
Cornell Accelerated
Emory Accelerated

What do you think about these?

Thanks again for replying last time. Appreciate it.

neeravks wrote:Hi,

My main worry is
1) whether US b schools would accept a profile like coming from a competitive pool while also looking at my age.
2) Should I look at other programs and not necessarily top 20. Outside US? Europe/Asia?
3) Should I not show a tendency towards changing job function and say just wanna move up the ladder and do program management/project management?
4) Yes, my list last time my list was more towards 2 yr program, but given my age and my profile I am willing to look at others too.

Insead
Oxford
Judge
Cornell Accelerated
Emory Accelerated

What do you think about these?

1) US business schools that are outside of the top 20 would certainly consider you now that you've succeed in achieving a manager title and have some people-leadership experience. This is a key element they look at when evaluating a candidate from the IT field.
2) My advice is to look at programs outside of the top-30s that have successfully opened doors for individuals with your profile and career goals -- those tend to be specialized programs with a focus on the technology. These programs don't hit the high ranks of the general management programs; however, they may still get you where you want to go. I don't have a list for you because I have not researched this niche extensively.
3) I think the admissions office will respond to the career goal of staying in the technology industry but moving into the management/marketing/strategy/business development occupations. That is what business schools are designed to prepare you for.

The schools you've listed do not leap to mind as schools that fit my advice in point #2. However, you can certainly look at their placements statistics and relationships with the kinds of firms you would like to work for and see if they fit the bill.

Best of luck to you!
_________________

Hello ,

Below is an excerpt of my profile.Please evaluate my profile and provide your valuable feedback/suggestions

Name:Gopal Panigrahy / 30 Y/ Male

Citizenship: INDIA

Qualification: B.E in Computer Science and Engineering- 78%/2004 (75% is the score for distinction in the university).Just adding this point, if it is noteworthy. The highest percentage attained in the CSE stream was 84% and I am ranked in the top 5.If required can get a recommendation letter from the university.

Query: I understand Adcoms use various merit methods to convert the percentage into CGPA/GPA for evaluation. So, I am not quite sure, on conversion, how the CGPA/GPA would look like. Please provide your comments on this.

Work Experience: 7 years 9 months of experience in Insurance/Accounting and Telecom software development industry.

Gist of my WE:

Overall International Exposure: 1.5 years at various locations such as Liverpool/London (UK), Dallas (TX) and Los Angeles (CA).

Current Exp:

Project Manager – SAP services at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for a European Telecom Client.

Duration: 1.5 Years

Managing a team of 20+ associates

I have contributed significantly towards the revenue growth by acquiring many multimillion dollar projects and by successfully executing them. In the last 3 quarters (Q2-Q4), the team size under SAP Services portfolio has doubled and revenue realization has stayed quite higher than the corporate set figures.

Prior Exp:

Business Development Lead at Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)
Duration: 4 Years
Software Engineer at Accenture Services Pvt Ltd
Duration: 2.2 Years

Awards & Recognitions:
1. Certificate of Appreciation (innovation - MCCA MMS project) - CSC India, 2010
2. Certificate of Appreciation (innovation - MCCA RFR project) - CSC India, 2010
3. Certificate of Appreciation (Delivery) - CSC India, 2010
4. Special Recognition Award - CSC United States (At Client Location, LosAngeles), 2008
5. High performance Delivered Award - Accenture (RSA Client), 2007
6. Instant Karma Award - Accenture, 2006
7. Super trooper Award - Accenture, 2006
8. JSE Achievers Award - Accenture, 2005

Query: Please provide your feedback on my WE.I would still like to invest a year to shape up my WE, if required. Basically I would like to do anything that can help me offset my low GMAT score.

GMAT Score:

GMAT 1: 470 (Q48,V11)
GMAT 2: 630(Q48, V28)
GMAT 3: 600(Q48, V24)
GMAT 4: 660(Q48, V34)

I do not wish to retake the test. I am done with it. It is not that I have given up, but I feel I am shelling out lot of my valuable time to attain the 700 mark. Although 700+ is a strong criteria for many good colleges,I would like to manage without that score.

Query: I am targeting for only 1 year MBA programs. Please advise on the colleges that I can apply in India and abroad. I understand that I need to be more specific on my question. But at this very moment, I am not able to figure out the best chances I have for the top 30 colleges.

Extracurricular Activity:

Member of a voluntary organization (in TCS) that works for various social causes. I mostly contribute towards educating homeless children and arranging funds from TCS – associates by demonstrating various social problems through articles in newsletters, cultural events etc.

Since a decade, I am working in one of the rural areas for various developments, such as facilitating a library, drinking water etc. There are many areas that I have worked and I can provide an elaborate list of my work. Well, I am not sure if any proof of such activities will be needed, but I can get a recommendation letter from the govt appointed committee.

Query: Please comment if such involvements can add value to my profile. I am ready to invest more number of years, if required, towards any other suggested extracurricular activities.

Why MBA? :

Short Term Goal (5 to 10 years): Business / IT consulting. To gain Industry exposure in the realm of setting up, reforming and executing various business models operative across different industry verticals.

Long term Goal (10 years +): Establishing a firm that would engage in various business consulting activities. Also, I have the aspiration to establish a network of non-profit consulting firm (driven by the above mentioned profit organization) that would engage in helping various small industries to establish (particularly in rural areas).I have not really got the framework on paper but I am working on it. The idea is to pool the knowledge and experience of many people like you and me into a single stream that can make few lives better. The motive is “To make one single place better to live”.

Query: In sum, this is what I have in me and this is what I want to do. I understand that I may not make into the top notch colleges because of a low GMAT score. But I would be happy if any decent college (that would mind accepting my profile) can help me to reach my goals.

Please comment/advise on the B schools that I can apply. Please, also, comment on my profile and suggest any improvements that can make my profile better.

I value your time .Thanks in advance

Cheers,
GKP

Hello gopalpanigrahy,

Thank you for writing to us. Let me try and answer your questions at a high level.

>>Query: I understand Adcoms use various merit methods to convert the percentage into CGPA/GPA for evaluation. So, I am not quite sure, on conversion, how the CGPA/GPA would look like. Please provide your comments on this.

The adcoms are experienced in grade translation. With Indian candidates they do tend to look closely at class rank so you should be sure that they understand that you are top 5 by stating that on the resume and perhaps in a short, optional answer elsewhere if that opportunity is provided.

>>Query: Please provide your feedback on my WE.I would still like to invest a year to shape up my WE, if required. Basically I would like to do anything that can help me offset my low GMAT score.

I don't think you need another year to shape up your work experience. At close to eight years, you have sufficient work experience for most MBA programs. The fact that you have transitioned from being a contributor to being a team leader/project manager is the most important point. To the extent that you can emphasize your success managing people and harnessing the teams energy to achieve objectives you will be in good standing in terms of your future management/leadership potential.

>>Query: Please comment if such involvements can add value to my profile. I am ready to invest more number of years, if required, towards any other suggested extracurricular activities.

A solid leadership achievement in the EC arena would strengthen your profile. Broad participation is appreciated; however, a story in which you take charge, lead others, and make an impact is key. That kind of accomplishment provides evidence of your leadership abilities.

>>Overall thoughts

>>Query: I am targeting for only 1 year MBA programs. Please advise on the colleges that I can apply in India and abroad. I understand that I need to be more specific on my question. But at this very moment, I am not able to figure out the best chances I have for the top 30 colleges.

Applicants with your profile fair better in schools ranked 15 - 40 with acceptance rates above 30%+. As you know, you are in a very competitive pool, which is why the effect of any red flags such as your GMAT score are amplified. I wish I could be more helpful in terms of naming those schools but my focus tends to be on the top 20 US schools and top 10 international schools. I did help a successful client with Kellogg's 1-year program last year. 1 year programs are unusual in the US and are more prevalent in Europe and Asia. My recommendation would be to pattern your school selection after work colleagues who have a similar profile to yours and who have applied to 1-year MBA programs and been accepted. Those acceptance letters are the best signal that a particular school will value your candidacy/profile. It goes without saying that those successful colleagues are in the best position to provide feedback on the quality of the programs they attended and how well the MBA positioned them to achieve their career aspirations.

I do see promise in your overall profile, so with high quality execution on the rest of your application you may be able to overcome the GMAT score. Please visit the MBA Prep School website to learn how to build an outstanding application.

Best of luck to you,
Tyler
_________________

Hello,


Thanks in advance for taking your time out to review my profile. Your response will be highly appreciated! Here is a brief resume:

Citizenship – Russian Federation
Nationality – mixed
Age - 23 years old
Gender - male

a) Work Experience: I left my company 2 months ago so that to get prepared for the forthcoming admission process and GMAT particularly. Is it going to be considered unwise decision or on the contrary may prove my desire for getting into a school?

Total work experience: 4 years by now (including 3 years during the studying)

It should be mentioned, that even though most of work experience was gained during my education, it was a full-time job requiring me to stay in the office for the whole day. I was the only student on my faculty, who received a personal permission from the dean not to attend the classes and to take all the written tests, exams and essays during exams and weekends.

1 year – working for a Russian company as a purchasing manager. The company sells electronics, manufactured in China – OEM. I entered the company as an assistant to the manager and within 3 months was promoted to manager. I mainly dealt with purchasing and logistics but was also responsible for the advertising and the maintenance of the web site. Around 3-4 months before I left the company I also became responsible for the sales through Internet and soon Internet shops turned out to be the main source of distribution.

1 year – working for a Russian company as a senior purchasing manager (team leader for purchasing). The company deals with conveyor part equipment, supplying it to Russian plants from European countries. When hiring me for this position, the company set a goal to diversify the supply channels and to find Asian analogues to European products. By the time I left the company almost 70% of all the products were purchased from Chinese manufacturers, relations with which were established by me. Besides, as a team leader, I substantially streamlined the process of handling the inquiries by developing a prototype of CRM and devising standard forms for inner commercial documents.

2 years – working for a Russian company (with branches in India and China) as a team leader for international trading. The company is one of Russian leaders for chemical trading. It also has a plant in Moscow, which has the biggest capacities in Russia for polymers recycling.
I was hired as a project manager and after 2 months was promoted to a team leader. By the time, I left the company, the team (7 people) had been named “The most efficient” one 8 times (out of 24 months). During the last 6 months, my team was having the highest rate of collected revenue and profit among all the other teams in the company.
Was awarded as “The best new employee in 2010”.

b) International Exposure: I’m afraid that the only cases I might mention here are dozens of business trips to South Korea, China and India and a few to Europe, all of which implied direct negotiations with local leading manufacturers. I’m not sure whether they could be accounted.

c) GMAT: 690 – 47Q (76%), 38V (83%)
1st attempt

d) Education:

1. Specialist (Russian analogue to bachelor which takes 5 years instead of 4)
Subject – Civil Law
University – one of Russian top Universities for Humanities
GPA – 3,53

2. Bachelor of Economics (International trade)
University – one of Russian top Universities for Economics
GPA – 4.0 (still studying and will graduate in January 2013)


e) Schools short listed:
- Wharton Business School
- Yale SOM
- MIT Sloan
- Chicago Booth
- Kellogg
- Harvard
- Stanford
- Duke

I am actually quite confused with my GMAT results which I’ve just obtained today as I was going to apply to the schools during the first stream in October and I’m afraid I might not manage to prepare the essays and get recommendations if I have to study for Integrated reasoning part and try to pass the test again.

So your opinion on the promises of my resume will be very valuable.

Is there a chance that the schools will seriously consider me with my background and even though I’m only 23 y.o.?

Hello Eugenio,

Eugenio wrote:Thanks in advance for taking your time out to review my profile. Your response will be highly appreciated! Here is a brief resume:

Citizenship – Russian Federation
Nationality – mixed
Age - 23 years old
Gender - male

Thank you for sharing your profile with MBA Prep School. I will evaluate your profile on a few different dimensions and use a rough rating scale of 1 - 4 with 1 being top quartile or best.

Academics: 2/4
You attended top universities in Russia, and I think this moves to a 1 out 4 when you finish the Bachelor of economics with perfect grades. It does raise a question about your academic focus; however, that you were working full-time while going to school. On the other hand, I think your solid academic performance while also holding down a full-time job will be viewed positively overall. In your application, I suggest you explain the necessity of working. Your full-time job may also explain why you don't have a great deal of leadership as a student, an assumption I am making because you didn't mention it and you were a full-time employee.

Work Experience: (2.5/4)
The positions you held as purchasing manager aren't typical for pre-MBAs. The bright spot on this dimension is that you seem to have accomplished a great deal and distinguished yourself as a top performer. The main reason I put you almost in 3rd quartile is that you have only 1 year of experience post graduation. In fact, it appears, you were still dividing time between studies and working. The other detractor is that you are now unemployed. I don't think it will be viewed positively that you've left your job to focus on MBA admissions, especially given that you were already combatting the issue of "limited" work experience. They will let some candidates in with your work experience profile but those spots are very hard to come by. You're probably best waiting a year and having a blue-chip work experience on your resume, all things being equal.

GMAT (1.5/4)
You are on the verge of a top quartile score here, especially relative to others from your region/demographic. I wouldn't postpone a first round application purely to retake the GMAT. Your score is solid enough. However, if you do wait a year, retaking and earning a higher score will make the GMAT a selling point of your candidacy.

Leadership Portfolio (2/4)
Looks like you've demonstrated your leadership potential on the job. I don't see evidence of student leadership or leadership outside of work; therefore, I score this as 2nd quartile for the top-tier business schools you have short-listed. Much of your competition will have a more extensive leadership experience-set than you have presented to me.

Overall (2/4)
All the schools you have listed are a reach. Perhaps, the fact that you are from an under-represented region, have solid academics, a unique story, and work experience while in school will be enough to get you in. However, I think applying next year with a stronger resume, more leadership experience, a completed degree in economics, and a higher GMAT score will seriously strengthen your candidacy.

We welcome you to visit our website, Eugenio. The videos and section of our eBook on strengthening your candidacy before you apply will be beneficial. And if you do apply this season, your execution of all of the elements of your application need to be first quartile to overcome some of the drawbacks I've pointed to. I am certain our application prep program will help you build an outstanding MBA application. I hope to see you around the MBA Prep School Virtual Campus.

Best of luck!
Tyler
_________________

Hello Everyone,

The new MBA application season is here. Are you wondering how to best use the time between now and the application deadlines?

Check out this free, professionally-produced video on Youtube that features MBA Prep School's 10 step application process, and let us know what you think:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUxhW9SIRQ[/youtube]

We have 35 more videos available when you set up a free account at https://mbaprepschool.com

Best of luck on your application prep! Let us know if we can help.

Tyler
_________________

Hi Tyler,
GMAT: 680 (Q50 V32), AWA (6.0)
Undergraduate Education : Mechanical Engineering, Top University in Asia
GPA: No given but roughly around 3-3.49 on a 5 scale.
Postgraduate Education : Mechanical Engineering, Top University in Asia, Gold Medalist
GPA: 4.95 on 5 scale

Nationality: Indian
Age: 28

Work Experience: 7 years at matriculation (hopefully applying for Fall 2013) in new product development
Current Work: GE Thailand. Involved in developing new products in the Water industry and government related projects in different sectors.

Job: I am a technical Lead at GE Water heading global team of experts.
Extra Curriculars: I was the captain of my university cricket team. I head several green initiatives in GE. I am business development officer in another NGO. I was on management committee of the school council. I play professional cricket as vice-captain in the Malaysian League.

Int'l Experience: Worked in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and United States.

Planning to work after MBA in product management preferrably in the Energy Sector and want to get an MBA from Top 20 US business school, LBS, and INSEAD.
Can you recommend 4 schools which I will have the best shot at?

mourinhogmat1 wrote:Hi Tyler,
GMAT: 680 (Q50 V32), AWA (6.0)
Undergraduate Education : Mechanical Engineering, Top University in Asia
GPA: No given but roughly around 3-3.49 on a 5 scale.
Postgraduate Education : Mechanical Engineering, Top University in Asia, Gold Medalist
GPA: 4.95 on 5 scale

Hello mourinhogmat1,

Thanks for writing to MBA Prep School. I am happy to offer a high level assessment.
GMAT: (2nd Quartlie) 680 is around the mediam for schools in the 10-20 rankings. Concern is V32 = 63%. Because you are from a heavily represented region the GMAT score needs to be 700+ for top 10 US schools to breath easier.
GPA: (2nd/3rd Quartile) tough to translate -- looks low to me but will be counterbalanced by top performance in ME post-graduate
Work Experience: (1st/2nd Quartile) GE is a well-respected company - the more management experience and team leadership experience you have as part of the job the stronger your profile becomes in this category.
Leadership Outside of Work (1st/2nd Quartile) Looks like you've been involved; however, the leadership achievements you can claim in these roles will be the true determinant
International Experience (1st/2nd Quartile): Looks good. If you had US as well it would be 1st quartile.

My instincts are that you would fair well at Ross, Duke, UNC, Darden with maybe Tuck and Chicago as a reach. INSEAD in Singapore may be interested. LBS? Not sure if your career history and career goals quite match LBS and you probably need to hit more 1st/2nd quartiles to be a real contender at LBS. Also look at US schools with solid energy sector relationships -- UT McCombs, for example, which is Top 20 in BusinessWeek rankings in 2010.
_________________

Age - 26 years
Indian Male
B.Com, Mumbai University - 82%
Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (All exams in the first attempt)

36 Months Internship as a part of the CA course in India (24 Months post B.Com degree) with Deloitte (Audit). Lead an engagement in the final 12 months.

39 Months (till the time I join Business School) - Deloitte, Strategy and Operations in India. Promoted to Senior Consultant. I received the highest annual rating at work. Will be able to get recommendations from a Partner and Senior Manager with whom I have worked directly on various engagements.

GMAT: 680 (Q49, V32) AWA - 5.5 - Retaking the GMAT and aiming for 720+

Schools that I plan to apply to -
• Wharton
• Columbia
• Darden
• Stern
• Ross
• Fuqua
• Anderson
• Johnson (Cornell)

Extracurriculars
• Member of the “Fun at Work” Team in office
• Volunteering (One day volunteering but as I was a lead, this involved months of work)
• Lead a team of 70 coworkers to volunteer at an orphanage. I was responsible for planning the overall program that involved painting walls, storytelling,etc
• Lead a team of 40 coworkers to collect close to 3000 books from others in the firm and then organize different activities (book reading sessions, importance of books for children, encourage students to organize book drives, etc. I was responsible for the overall program right from planning to execution. This was the first time something like this was done in the firm

I have been able to considerably overcome (90-95%) my stuttering after years of speech therapy and struggle. This is the most important achievement for me. I would mention this in my application. I do have a story around this.

Do you think I have a profile that is competent for the schools that I have mentioned above? Please provide feedback and suggestions. Thanks.

gmatprep2011,

My observations on your profile are that with a higher GMAT score you are indeed competitive for the programs you listed.

Wharton and Columbia are your reach schools. I feel your top-ranking at Deloitte amongst a talented peer group puts you in the running with these two. I am assuming 82% put you in the top 5% of your class at MU. Admission will hinge on sparkling recommendation letters and the power of your leadership stories. Your personal achievement about overcoming a speech impediment might appeal if told well. They will also be interested in your essays about your career goals and why you feel their program is a fit. It will be tough to stand out in a very competitive crowd but not impossible.

Darden, Stern, Ross, and Fuqua are a fairly good fit with your profile. I have a higher degree of confidence here for you. If I were in your shoes I would get Round 1 applications to as many of these four as possible and be sure to tailor each application so that lack of effort doesn't make it appear to these schools that they are your second choice. Back up the Round 1 apps with safer schools in R2 like Cornell.

Best of luck,
Tyler
_________________

Age: 25.5Y
Sex : M
Work Ex: 25months (36+months at Fall 2013 MBA Start) at Deloitte Consulting
Professional Role: Java Developer for first 18 months(involved in functional areas as well), identified as indispensable team member by Manager, Team Lead, Senior Manager, other seniors in terms of commitment, highly analytical skills and most importantly the innate charm(few of the ladies ineptly call me a rockstar) which makes my previous team miss me - be at work, or at professional outings.

Since past 6months, I have been involved in improvising Enterprise Value Delivery for projects, or in simpler terms - improvising processes in a SDLC lifecycle. This involves discussion with a panel of Managers, Senior Managers, at times Directors ;getting inputs(Read getting work done) from managers; heard & recognized for value adds (Read management tips) to seniors - aren't all these best leadership examples because they come out of substance and not by virtue of one's position in the firm.
Nationality: Indian
GMAT: 720 (Q50,V36, AWA/IR-awaited) in a week's prep
UnderGrad: BTech in ECE (GPA 6.43/10) from Factual Rank 7 college in India; admission criteria is getting in less than 1% of set of students double that of total appearing for GMAT in a year.
Target Schools(not necessarily in order) : ISB, HBS, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan

If my application deems fit to be read at these schools, then, most definitely, I have a very compelling story(above one is a very brief synopsis) to tell including my past failures, recent successes and a relentless quest to conceive my crystal clear vision for the next 10 years (including the 2 years at B school).
If not, please advise if I need to re-appear for the GMAT and thereby knock off the time for my R1 application process.

merlincow wrote:Age: 25.5Y
Sex : M
Work Ex: 25months (36+months at Fall 2013 MBA Start) at Deloitte Consulting
Professional Role: Java Developer for first 18 months(involved in functional areas as well), identified as indispensable team member by Manager, Team Lead, Senior Manager, other seniors in terms of commitment, highly analytical skills and most importantly the innate charm(few of the ladies ineptly call me a rockstar) which makes my previous team miss me - be at work, or at professional outings.

Hello Merlincow,

Your baseline qualifications look pretty good. I will say that I couldn't decode the consulting-speak in your current job description: "Improvising Enterprise Value Delivery for projects, or in simpler terms - improvising processes in a SDLC lifecycle." Mind you, I was a consultant for four years and have an MBA; so this is something you should work on.

If I am reading between the lines, it seems that you are a solid contributor to your team but have not yet emerged as a leader. The competitiveness of your leadership portfolio relative to other applicants is the most important element of an application to ISB, HBS, Stanford, Wharton, MIT Sloan.

Beyond that, success at the schools you have listed really depends on the things that are impossible to convey in a profile summary. You've hit upon them in the second to last line of your note to me:

"I have a very compelling story(above one is a very brief synopsis) to tell including my past failures, recent successes and a relentless quest to conceive my crystal clear vision for the next 10 years (including the 2 years at B school)."

It's clear from what you've written that you understand the application process and know that you are in a very competitive pool. To win in the competition, the points of difference in your story must be compelling indeed. You will also need "rock star" recommendation letters from mentors who are invested in your success.

I wrote a blog post on what it takes to be accepted to the top-ranked schools like Harvard Business School. I hope you benefit from reading it:
https://mbaprepschool.com/getting-into-h ... ss-school/

Best of luck to you,
Tyler
_________________

Are the schools in my list ideal for my intended career goals? Are there any other schools that i should consider?

Thanks!

strangebrew wrote:Hi Tyler,

I would really appreciate your feedback on my candidature. Thank you for taking time to review.

Background: Indian Male
Age: 29 (will be 30 at the time of matriculation)

Hello Strangebrew,

I would be happy to share a profile assessment. The numbers indicate what quartile I would "guess-timate" you will place in among applicants to top 20 international business schools. "1" means top quartile. Please allow that my ranking is more art than science.

Academics: [2] -- Graduating with distinction and the 3.6 at U of M are solid. The ranking of your schools and number of students reaching a top-20 b-school historically put you high in the 2nd quartile but not in the top quartile

Professional Experience [1/2] - Medical tech is an exciting area, and I think the schools will value experience as senior engineer in this field. To truly reach top quartile, however, what you've achieved will matter. You must also show the ad comm that you achieved these things by harnessing the energy of others as a leader.

Leadership/EC [2] I think the TT athletics and team captain experience will help but I am rating your leadership portfolio closer to the median. Your work with the employee group is good but not a major differentiator unless the accomplishments were sensational.

Career Goals -- I can't really rank this but the goals seem aligned with your professional experience and they are aimed at a growth area in the world of business. I think you are on the right track here.

INSEAD and LBS are your reach schools. I think you have a more solid shot at Oxford/Cambridge. ISB is tough to predict given the difficulties in differentiating yourself from a very competitive field. All of your schools are international; so I am assuming that are limited your search to outside the US. The international schools are the best fit given your age so it makes sense; however, I know that Duke has a good reputation in the health care industry and is worth considering.
_________________

Hey,

I would like to know your views on my full time MBA candidacy for top schools for 2013 start. Thank you for taking the time out to review my profile. Let me give you a brief on my resume so that you can have a better understanding of the same:

a) Work Experience 1: I work as the Principal Manager for Strategy and New Initiatives at a leading Indian micro-finance foundation catering to 5 million people all over India. My responsibilities at work are two pronged. The first aspect involves strategy creation on developing sustainable models for the conversion of agriculture to agribusiness and setting up linkages with banks for micro-finance funds to rural ventures. The models I develop are cover the complete value chain of the agribusiness model, including capacity building, supply chain management, sustainability, and growth. The second aspect involves project coordination, set up, and implementation for small ventures run by Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and small farmers

b) Work Experience 2: PE/M&A analyst at a leading Indian investment bank. Have gained ~2 years of work experience (front end investment banking). I have worked on various deals, some of them have been the biggest in their sectors in India and also been part of the bank\'s business development exercise. Was solely responsible for originating a see side mandate for an Indian sugar company ($20 mn)

b) International Exposure: Apart from my one year stint in the UK during my masters (A top British Uni), I don’t really have any international exposure. Having said that, I do work with a lot of mid-market and boutique investments banks in US and UK which might count as “international exposure”.

c) GMAT: I have a GMAT score of 650 (both sections close to 70 %ile)

d) Social Involvement: I have worked with C.O.R.P for one year teaching English in a municipal school in Mumbai

e) Investment banking background: Mid-market investment banks in India give a better profile and exposure to its analysts as compared to their peers in the US and Europe. I have worked on live deals and also been a part of the business development exercise of the bank which is rare in global banks or US banks where analysts have a limited role.

f) Education: BA (Economics) ~3.8 GPA and university Maths topper at Mumbai University, one of the oldest and prestigious arts and science college in India. (MSc) Masters in Finance and Economics from a top British b-school.

g) post MBA goals: I would like to leverage my investment banking and micro-finance experience to work with a social fund that caters to start-ups that cater to the population at the bottom of the social pyramid. I would also like to work with a boutique bank with strong focus on niche sectors like micro-finance, e-governance etc (since i have experience in these sectors). These goals seem inline with my career progression and hopefully will be something that the admission committee will be able to digest.

h) Schools short listed: - Cornell

- Tuck

- Wharton

- Chicago Booth

- Kellogg

- Tepper School

- INSEAD

- Duke

- Ross

- NYU


Please do let me know if my choice of schools is apt for my resume. Your thoughts will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for all your help and support.

Hoping to hear soon from you.

Hey,

I would like to know your views on my full time MBA candidacy for top schools for 2013 start. Thank you for taking the time out to review my profile. Let me give you a brief on my resume so that you can have a better understanding of the same:

a) Work Experience 1: I work as the Principal Manager for Strategy and New Initiatives at a leading Indian micro-finance foundation catering to 5 million people all over India. My responsibilities at work are two pronged. The first aspect involves strategy creation on developing sustainable models for the conversion of agriculture to agribusiness and setting up linkages with banks for micro-finance funds to rural ventures. The models I develop are cover the complete value chain of the agribusiness model, including capacity building, supply chain management, sustainability, and growth. The second aspect involves project coordination, set up, and implementation for small ventures run by Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and small farmers

b) Work Experience 2: PE/M&A analyst at a leading Indian investment bank. Have gained ~2 years of work experience (front end investment banking). I have worked on various deals, some of them have been the biggest in their sectors in India and also been part of the bank\'s business development exercise. Was solely responsible for originating a see side mandate for an Indian sugar company ($20 mn)

b) International Exposure: Apart from my one year stint in the UK during my masters (A top British Uni), I don’t really have any international exposure. Having said that, I do work with a lot of mid-market and boutique investments banks in US and UK which might count as “international exposure”.

c) GMAT: I have a GMAT score of 650 (both sections close to 70 %ile)

d) Social Involvement: I have worked with C.O.R.P for one year teaching English in a municipal school in Mumbai

e) Investment banking background: Mid-market investment banks in India give a better profile and exposure to its analysts as compared to their peers in the US and Europe. I have worked on live deals and also been a part of the business development exercise of the bank which is rare in global banks or US banks where analysts have a limited role.

f) Education: BA (Economics) ~3.8 GPA and university Maths topper at Mumbai University, one of the oldest and prestigious arts and science college in India. (MSc) Masters in Finance and Economics from a top British b-school.

g) post MBA goals: I would like to leverage my investment banking and micro-finance experience to work with a social fund that caters to start-ups that cater to the population at the bottom of the social pyramid. I would also like to work with a boutique bank with strong focus on niche sectors like micro-finance, e-governance etc (since i have experience in these sectors). These goals seem inline with my career progression and hopefully will be something that the admission committee will be able to digest.

h) Schools short listed: - Cornell

- Tuck

- Wharton

- Chicago Booth

- Kellogg

- Tepper School

- INSEAD

- Duke

- Ross

- NYU


Please do let me know if my choice of schools is apt for my resume. Your thoughts will be deeply appreciated. Thank you again for all your help and support.

Hoping to hear soon from you.

Hi Tyler,

I will appreciate your feedback on my profile and also if I have any chance of receiving scholarships. I am 23 years / male (started working at 20).

Present position - Applications Engineer/Consultant, Semiconductor (SC) Sales and Marketing (Among world's three largest SC companies).

I help my customers in diverse industries including defense, medical, energy metering segments to design their systems. Work day is similar to that of an entrepreneur handling customers in my region and deciding actions based on business priorities. Worked in three different states in US (one year program) in three different business units. Work involved participation in Sales oriented training courses and driving revenue for business units by delivering solutions to the technical challenges customers face while designing/releasing products to market. I have authored multiple articles published on company's webpage. One of the recent ones has led to more than $100k rev in North India, another has led to 1M$+ revenue in Russia/Europe and others have enabled our customers to use our chips. Working with top defense companies as part of my role and led multiple defense projects of high government value to execution. I am also responsible for increasing revenue through our distribution partners by taking regular reviews and driving their actions.

2) GMAT.

Total - 720, Verbal- 38, Quant-50, AWA 6.0, IR 7

3) College info

Among top 10 engineering colleges in India, Aggregate %age of eight semesters = 83%, Department Rank = 4/100
Major - Bachelors, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Institute Merit Scholarship received through all four years.
Ranked in the Top 0.1% Students of India achieving 100% in Mathematics.

Graduated in 2009, working for same company since then to present.

4) Extra-C activities

Founder of my college's first official alumni magazine. I was involved in every phase of the magazine starting from building a framework, connecting with alumni, compilation, editing, design, sponsorship, forming team of 30+ students, delegating tasks etc. The team was directly mentored by Director of our Institute. Junior teams have come up with three annual editions since it's start.

Involved with a non-profit association ($100 laptop, OLPC) for over couple of years - included two months internship in Boston Headquarters under direct supervision of Director of Computing at MIT Media Labs. Following internship, I helped out OLPC in a deployment at a school in a slum community in India.

Worked in a team of four on a project that reduces the vehicle idle time at intersections by automatic ignition control of vehicle and dynamically manipulating traffic light timings according to Vehicle density. It was one of the 15 projects selected for world finals in an international competition 2008 conducted in Paris by Microsoft. Under Patent Process.

Authored publications on various technology topics (six in all) in international conferences, journals, electronic design etc.

6) My initial aim is to research more about H/S/W/K/Sloan/INSEAD/LSB.

7) Post-MBA goal.

I will like to go into consulting. I have experienced consulting on a smaller level and really liked it; now i will like to work on work on a bigger level and move into a broader space than just semiconductors.

Hello,

Please evaluate my profile.

Nationality: Indian Female
Age: 28
GMAT: 670 (Quantitative: 49, Verbal: 33)

As I already took GMAT four times, I have decided not to take GMAT again.

Educational Background:
Bachelor of Engineering in Information Science from Visveswaraiah Technological University, Karnataka, India. – First Class with Distinction

Professional Background: Experience: 6.5 years (as of August-2012)

1) 2006 To 2010: Associate Consultant at Oracle, India

I worked on Supply Chain Management to solve the purchasing problems of Oracle customer, Alcoa. I had extensive contacts with customers located in Asia, Australia and US.

2) 2011 To Current: IT Consultant at Shell Asset Management Company (a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company), The Netherlands

I provide software solutions and services to customers located in Asia and Europe.
I don’t have any budget responsibility and don’t have any direct reports.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

From 2011 To Current: Coordinator of Amnesty International Group in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I coordinated fund raising in 2011 and 2012. I led many actions for women’s right in Saudi Arabia, Gays right in Turkey and Arms Trade Treaty. I coordinated Amnesty benefit concert in 2012.

Languages known: Tamil, English, Hindi, Kannada

International Exposure: Since 2011, I have been working in the Netherlands (20 months)

Reason for doing an MBA: Career Progress
After MBA, I like to work as Senior Consultant for an IT company such as Oracle or IBM located in Europe/Asia.

Area of interest: Technology/IT Consultancy

Target Schools: INSEAD, IMD, LBS, Oxford, Cambridge, HEC
I like to do my MBA in Europe. I already visited HEC, IE and RSM and am going to visit INSEAD, LBS and Oxford in September 2012.

My partner got into INSEAD and will be beginning his MBA in January-2013.

I request you to evaluate my profile and let me know the schools I have good chances at.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Amnesty