Ask myEssayReview : Ask Admissions Consultants - Page 2

HI myEssayReview, Please evaluate my profile

Introduction
I am a 28 year old Indian male working in Canada for last 3 years in a top tier aerospace company. I intend to apply to top 15 schools for MBA in USA.

GMAT Score
650 (Q49, V30, AWA 6, IR 7)
690 (Q49, V34, AWA 5.5, IR 4)
Planning to retake and targeting 720+

Education
- UG GPA: 74.6% (top 10%)
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi, India
- Won many extra curricular awards
- Master's GPA: 3.53
- Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Thesis based), 2 publications.
- McGill University, Canada

Work Experience
3.5 Years in a top tier Aerospace Company (Employs 30,000+ people and has 100 sites across the world)
- Working as Lead Certification Analyst (certify interiors for business jets for their structural integrity), making sure that the products conform to the regulations and industry standards.
- Manage a team of 5 engineers (for 1 program) and indirectly a team of 10 engineers (for 2 programs)
- Promoted to the above post after only 10 months of experience, pay raises double the usual amount for the past 2 years.
- Led 2 teams of 3 engineers each to oversee update of important company directives, guidelines and manuals that dictate the manufacturing and quality standards of the company.

Strong International Exposure
- Lived, Studied, Worked and travelled to multiple countries
- Nominated (only engineer) to go to France and USA to represent the facility at intra-company conferences and international symposiums
- Worked in International teams and leading a team of Engineers (located in UK, USA, France and Germany) to develop next set of methodologies that will save the company a lot of money once implemented.

Extracurriculars
- Tutoring kids at risk subjects such as Maths, Science and English from grades 3 to 12 (been close to 10 months now, 4-6 hours per week, volunteer basis).
- Team member of company's soccer team
- Teach professional and technical English (related to Aerospace Industry, both written and spoken) to colleagues after work
- Learning French and Spanish over the weekends
- Member of tennis and squash teams of YMCA and play as a member of Montreal Squash League
- Teach colleagues from work tennis after work
- Leading a team of 15 volunteers since 2013-14 for a community heart and eye checkup camp , held once every year for 3 days. This is a free event for anyone who wants to participate.

Post-MBA Goal
I plan to transition from Engineering based role to a management / strategy role in retail/technology. I wish to leverage my experience of leading diverse teams and apply the vast knowledge, exposure and experience I have gained in managing different product portfolios in retail/technology.

Target Schools

- Columbia (Early Decision)
- Chicago Booth
- Stanford
- UCLA
- UC Berkeley
- Wharton
- Cornell
- NY Stern
- Kellogg
- Duke Fuqua (Early Decision)
- Michigan Ross
- CMU Tepper
- Yale SOM

All the above schools Round 1 or Round 2 , 2015, Full Time MBA

Questions
1. Do you think I have a decent shot at the school of my choice (listed above). It will be of immense help to me if you can categorize the schools above as
1) Not possible, forget about it!
2) Good Chance
3) Not at all easy but can be given a shot

2. Also please advise which schools I should target in Round 1 and in Round 2?.
3. Please also advise which other schools (not listed above) will help me achieve my career goals.

Hi ,

Thanks for providing a detailed account of your profile. I have gone through all the details and would like to schedule a half hour free consultation meeting with you wherein I can provide you my assessment of your candidacy as well as answer any questions that you might have for me.

You may email me at poonam@myessayreveiw.com to schedule the meeting.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Poonam
_________________

Hi MyEssayReview,

I'm finding it really difficult to figure out where I stand when it comes to applying to B-Schools for my MBA and since I do not have too many people around me for advice I'm really hoping that you would help me out by evaluating my profile. I'm most confused about selecting schools and also whether to concentrate on the applications or on retaking the GMAT. The following is my profile-

-28 y/o Indian Male (will turn 29 by the time I start in 2016)

-GMAT 710 (49Q, 39V)- I know its probably on the lower side for an Indian male applicant. Trying to figure out whether to concentrate on the apps or on retaking the gmat.

-Graduated in 2008 from a business school in UK with a degree in accounting and finance. Topped my degree in year one. Ended up with an upper 2.1 degree. (Non-Engineering education)

-planned on working in UK itself in order to get some international work ex but had to move back to India because of my fathers death (3 weeks after final term). Had to take care of family affairs (financial and emotional) so moved back.

-Have 7+ years of work experience.

-working as head of the business development and strategy implementation division of a firm based out of New Delhi, with interests across hydropower, textiles and education and annual revenues of over US$125m. Have worked across all 3 sectors. Currently leading a team in implementing the expansion/diversification of the education vertical. The project is at an advanced stage of implementation and the financial rewards from the project have already started flowing in. The idea for diversification was my brainchild and thus I was made the team leader of the project. I'm also the youngest at the firm at a senior managerial role. I've held leadership roles across all the 3 verticals. I regularly deal/interact with clients from all over the world and frequently visit textile marketing events across the globe. The firm however would be a relatively unknown to most people on the admissions team (Well known in India though)

-short term goal is to make a transition to a top tier management consulting firm within the strategy division and work in new geographies in Western Europe or North America. Long term goal is to take up a senior management role at a fortune 500 firm. In my current role I'm coming up with and executing ideas that lead to improvement in business process and create value for the firm. I think a career in consulting will be a reasonable sell as my STG.

-Extra curricular: work with one of the most prominent environmental NGO in the country. Have been closely associated with environmental research over the last 5 years. Also, Having lost my father to blood cancer I started a cancer foundation in his name and have raised over INR 2.5m which in turn is being used to help underprivileged patients in their treatment. Also organize an annual blood donation camp. I have also redrafted and implemented the corporate social responsibility charter at the firm with a focus on sanitation for the poor and improving female financial literacy. Finally I've also worked for a member of parliament from 2009-2014 on devising a plan for development in the members parliamentary constituency with a population of over 2m residents.

Target Schools- INSEAD, LBS, Duke, Tuck, Darden, Cornell, Ross, Tepper, Emory, Olin, UNC, etc

Thanks

Hello team My essay review..
And HOWDIEEEE.. to anyone who reads this...!!

Now I have a very specific situation (thats what i think ) so i am submitting my info to which i would love to hear from anyone who has the adequate knowledge to address my concerns
Heres my BACKGROUND

10th grade=> 73%
12th grade => 74% (a science student)

Then i took an year off as i did not get into the a decent engineering college..Trust me here- i got into many colleges but all of them were Pretty much CRAP (sorry for the curse but i am being bluntly honest here)
In the mean time I assisted my father during the day and studied during night..I am not sure that experience will count for business schools nevertheless i am very proud that i did that as at an early age i got to understand as to how someone who runs an industry actually functions..
The Gap year proved fruitful as i got into GGSIPU Delhi plus i got a pretty good and a decorated college in the Capital city..
Engineering was Good in fact great ..

Aggregate=> 71%(B.Tech In Information tech)
Now to be honest with you guys i was working with my father during my engineering years as well ..I would literally pick up documents and do other chores for him (Yes He Paid Me too)

Here is the real problem why i wrote this piece =>
My age is 23 years and 330 days
I will be 24 next month..!!


I graduated in June 2015..
And from DAY 1 i have been working with my father in our Family business..
Initially i was hesitant to join him as i was an IT engineer and my family is into Footwear business. Then I started to love my job [Common we make shoes and other footwear's for a living. Who would not love that right ]
Now almost an year later i feel like i need to grow my business outreach..
Trust me when i say this - Work is Fine..But the glitch is => "i want to take my family Business to places" Actually i want that to be Awesome instead of just Fine (sorry for the choice of words )
Hence i need an MBA..
And to much of my surprise my father stands right by me in this decision..! In fact He told me that its a very mature move..!!

I know most of you might think its too early for an MBA
But honestly guys Waiting for another 2 or 3 years will not take my business anywhere .It will be in a stand still.

Plus i think i have the added advantage of working with my father in my initial GAP year where i assisted him if it counts.

So it goes without saying => I DON'T ONLY WANT AN MBA ; I NEED AN MBA..!!

secondly i am a bit confused about this work experience thing ..!!
Most of the business schools require 2 years of work experience in there applicants ..
What does 2 years mean?
till the program actually starts or till the time you fill out your application
If i apply in 2016 for fall 2017 admissions then by the time i actually start my school in September i will be having 2 years and 2 months of experience.. I guess that would do..???

WHAT ARE THE SCHOOLS I CAN TARGET ???

Top 20 can i get in ?
Okay Top30?
Top40?
i am flexible as long as it in the Top 40-45
Common Guys Help me get into top 40 at-least..!!!! I don't want to wait ..!!
I am into manufacturing shoes and other footwear so anything related to marketing and advertising would be Fabulous ..Plus i like Advertising.
Now if (only if) i wait another year( which probably would not do any good to my industry ) then will it increase my chances of getting admitted..

GMAT => Appearing this October..I think i can get a good score..i will try for 700 maybe ..I will Dig that (i have started preparing)

now to the most important part=>

Community services => I am an active part of an Organisation which rescues street dogs and treats them until they are healthy..I have been a part of this organisation from my engineering days ..the reason i do it it i honestly believe in the work we do..We organise dog shows too..

Positions held => "I am not given any designations actually .. I am responsible for marketing and supply ..Plus sometimes manufacturing too. Family business comes with several added responsibilities too
The Post MBA goals => " I WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO MY HOME COUNTRY THE DAY AFTER I GET AN MBA . Off course i would like to do an internship however..But apart from that i have one any only one vision that is to Do Justice to my family business and take it to a level it deserves"

ANYONE WHO READS THIS Please Feel free TO POST any suggestions You guys Have for me... It will be really helpful..

Also i know that chetan2u Vyshak and Abhishek009 are Mathematics Wizards/Gmat experts and not admission consultants .But given that they have been super awesome in replying to every query i post(or anyone posts) i would love to hear from you guys as to what should i do..!! Any Advice guys?

Love and respect to everyone
Stone Cold


P.S => i am posting on multiple forums a i am looking for any advices i can get

Hi,

I am writing to you after getting rejects from 3 schools (LBS, Columbia (both round 2) and INSEAD (Round 1))
I wonder whether I've been applying to a right mix of b-schools or not ?

Nationality : Indian
Age: 26
GMAT: 680 (84 %ile) (Q47 V35; 67% and 73% )
GPA. 3.7 - Bachelors of Business Administration ; IP university

Work Experiences:
Senior Consultant (Operations consulting) with a Big 4 (Associated for nearly 5 years ; 3 promotions)
Worked 1 year full-time and 1 year part-time with a not-for-profit in child education sector

Extra curricular : Have been involved in dramatics and been doing theater for almost 12 years

I want to transition to a strategy consulting role (preferably with M/B/B, pretty open to working with big 4s as well, but in a different geography)

I am particularly interested in US and Singapore b-schools. (Already applied and got a ding from LBS and INSEAD, only schools I would prefer in EU region)

I would like to know the right mix of schools I should be applying to ; schools where consulting experience is valued and I could be a competitive/ strong applicant. Appreciate your help !

Let me know if you need any additional info. Thanks

Hello

I am looking forward to apply in international MBA programs for fall 2017 session. Could you please give me insight which programs I should choose for a career in management consulting post MBA.
My Profile:
Nationality/Gender/Age - Indian/M/27
GMAT- 720 (50,38)
Academic qualification - BTech, IIT Roorkee
CGPA - 8.43/10
10th- 88%
12th- 88%

Work experience:
A total of 6.5 years experience in manufacturing an engineering sector.
Currently working as Senior Engineer in engineering department of the one of India's largest manufacturing company. This is a public sector company as well.
~6.5 years experience in thermal power plants set up, plants operations, manufacturing of various components and selection of their materials.
- Consultant to Design group for material selection
- Responsible for quality control of incoming material.
- Vendor development and material inspection.
- Review various metallurgical processes like steel making, forging, casting, weld repair, heat treatment.
- Part of material management team.
~ Done number of projects as a leader as well as member to enhance productivity or to save money for the company.
~Done a course on project management

International Exposure:
Did internship in Germany for 3 month during BTech
Worked with people from diverse nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.

Extra –Curricular activities/Achievements:
Published a research paper in an International journal of high impact factor
Won various awards in paper presentation contest during BTech
Received DAAD scholarship to pursue internship in Germany
Organized various events during college festivals.

Post MBA plans:
Work in management/strategy consulting


Kindly evaluate my profile and let me know which schools Should I target. I have shortlisted some colleges like Emory, Hass, Darden, Anderson, Tuck. Pls tell me what are the chances in these colleges and some practical colleges as well. I will also be applying for indian clgs like ISB and IIMs.



Look forward to hearing back
Thanks
Panbhl

Hello Expert,

GMAT - 710( QA 49 VA 36 IR - 7/8 AWA 6/6 )

Ethnicity- Indian
Male , 25 years old
Btech (Mechanical) - 2013 - 69% [ Under grad]
12th - 2009 -87%
10th (ICSE) - 2007 - 75%

Work Experience - 43 months as on Date will reach 48 months by August ( At the time of applying will have around 49-50 months work experience)

I am currently working as a business development executive at a startup and have worked with a government agency to design some training programs for their employees to effectively use social media for better E-Governance and have worked on building an android application along with successful launching of a online platform designed for certain companies. ( working for about 2 years here).Working alongside here , My father owns an advertising agency in which i play a role too because it is a family business and i need to look after when he is away and have helped create logos for the Government of Telangana. I am from Hyderabad , India and Telangana is the State. So i do not know how to leverage this work because in my own personal opinion I think it is great to have worked on a few government projects and design logos for it. The logo is evident on their websites and posters and all over the city . So i think i can give me some edge but any opinion regarding this will be considered. Prior to this i worked with Google for a year via a third party. I worked there as a business analyst.

EC

Sports - Swimming, basket ball , kabbadi , table tennis and badminton , Boxing .
Won the 1st Place in basketball at College (team event) .
Participated in multiple university and state level competitions . (table tennis)
Participated in a national level debate and Adjourned best speaker in a debate at a college level event.
Winner of an Extempore at a national level technical fest
Participated in multiple public speaking events and debates
The president of a Student Body in college for 2 years until the end of graduation undertaking lot of responsibilities and conducting multiple events
Organiser of the Sports Fest for 3 years along with a team under me and successfully organised multiple events. Along with Organizing as a sports player had to participate thus managing both organizing and playing.

I was the anchor for the Annual Day for 2 years and conducted the event in a splendid fashion
Class representative and event organiser for the college Fest for 4 years
Musical instruments learned - Keyboard , Guitar
Performed in the annual day and formed an own band during the college days and participated in college events.
learnt Classical singing for over 11 years and still learning
An active member of NSS during college and couple with the other activities i had , went on to form events to distribute food , books , clothes to the needy and have taught maths and physics to the needy .
Associated with an NGO as well , hope this help in application process


Academic Projects and Achievements

Always in the reckoning of the class - top 5%
95th percentile in CAT ( Management Exam in India) a neccesity to get in the reputed IIM’s ( Indian Institute of Management) and 90th percentile in XAT ( Management Exam for XLRI - Xavier School of Management)
Multiple projects in Robotics and designed various prototypes using basic principles of robotics and have done an internship in a PSU regarding steam engines

Final project in College related to Robotics – 6 degree Stewart Gough Platform
I have been to multiple industries such as steel pant , iron ore plant and a couple of thermodynamic industries to see the functioning of machines and an automobile industry as well to see the understanding of manufacture of components.
Softwares learned - CAD/CAM , Catia , Solid Works , Pro-E , Ansys (taught during academic rigour ) along with the normal C , C++ , Blue Java , MS office etc.




Q) Do you have a specific Company to work for? - I do not have a specific company to work for. My areas of interest are marketing and consulting . Of course every aspirant desires to be in the best of the best companies. Rather than working for a company would love to have company of my own down the line

Q) what do i want from my MBA? - I want my MBA to provide the knowledge n specific skills to run a business. It comes with experience i am sure but an MBA adds value and can make one think better in terms of the business. I would like to start a company of my own. My father has his own business and i want to diversify its services . A marketing related MBA would help me to make my company more reachable to cater to the needs of clients. At this stage my answer isn't clear and might be vague but i still haven't put a thought to it . Mostly like i wish MBA helps me better to run a business

Q) Mba full time/part time - I would want to do an MBA full time (2/1 year is fine) . I turned 25 last week so at the moment thinking i could use 2 years for an MBA unless a one year MBA suits me more. I am willing to relocate and looking for schools in India , US , UK , Singapore

Areas of Interest - Marketing / Consulting
Dream School – Kellog (Marketing)

What schools would you suggest to apply to based on this Profile assuming i still score a 710 in my retake . Targeting R1 this year , want to join a school in 2018

Other schools on my mind - Yale , Oxford , NUS , NTU , ISB . Also do i stand a chance at Harvard/ Stanford / Haas ( the elite ) if not what can i do to solidify my application for applying to these schools. I would like to apply to 6 schools One in India (ISB) , 3 In the United States , 1 in UK , 1 in Singapore , i haven't given much of a thought but any advice here would help

Target Score for Retake - 740 (QA 50 VA 40) , owing to my poor academics , i thought of giving the exam another shot and I represent a demography of very high scores

Regards,
HK


P.S - sorry for keeping it long , i might have missed out anything , feel free to ask something if it is missing

Hello,

I hope you are well.

Would you be able to spend some time evaluating my profile and recommending some top schools that I should focus on?

GPA: 3.5 (from a business school in Hong Kong; majored in Finance; graduated in 2012)
Citizenship: India but have been living in Hong Kong for ~9 years now
Work: 6 Years (by the time I enroll) of institutional business development for a top investment bank (MS/GS/JP)
GMAT: 710 (Q48/V38/IR3/AW5); this is my biggest worry.

Other points to note:
- Have shown a 'habit of leadership' throughout life (high school, university, and work); see below.
- School Captain
- Overall Student Life Award at university for leadership and community integration
- Officially recognized as one of the most promising juniors in Asia (elected to sit on multiple leadership committees)
- Became responsible to cover the largest institutional clients in Asia just after 2 years at work (based on performance); our coverage even got recognized with a "best client service" award by the client directly.
- Specially selected by our international CEO of our business to lead a project based out of Asia
- Have gone through exceptional circumstances back home to reach where I am (none of my parents are educated, extremely poor background but went to one of the best high schools in Delhi, Dad passed away at an early age)
- Worked part time during university to support myself
- Don't have exceptional community service but actively mentor students at my secondary school back home and juniors at university)
- Trained for and ran a marathon
- LGBTQ
Would appreciate your thoughts on (apologies, in advance, for the long list of questions):
1) I have taken the GMAT multiple times but I am unable to do better under time constraints (and historically, this has been the case too). Is there a way I could address this? I am confident that I have the intellectual horsepower (at least for business school) when time is not a constraint.
2) What would be the ideal short-term goal for me to highlight? I am afraid that my real goal is too...different from what my current background would permit. Should I stick to a goal in the investment management industry alone? I understand that AdComs think carefully about whether a candidate will be able to achieve their immediate goal.
3) Given the Indian citizenship (Hong Kong resident for 9 years) and a relatively low GMAT, should I even target the top 10 schools? Ideally, I would really like to make it to a top 10 US school - don't want to spend USD 250k(!!) anywhere else, really - but I am conscious of the competition from Indian male candidates.
4) Should I have one recommender from London and one from Hong Kong? Or do you think it would be better to have both from Hong Kong (since AdComs prefer to have people working close to you)?
5) Any 10 US-based school that you would recommend for someone who wants to return to Asia? I don't want to work in the US.

Thank you your thoughts, in advance!

Hello Swadpat18,

Thanks for providing your profile details.

You have strong profile in all areas- academic capacity, work experience, extra curricular activities, leadership roles etc. You have 710 + GMAT, and that is not low by any standards. You have held leadership roles since your school days, and you also have strong professional work experience.Your personal story also showcases your commitment, dedication and resilience.

Here are answers to your questions:

I have taken the GMAT multiple times but I am unable to do better under time constraints (and historically, this has been the case too). Is there a way I could address this? I am confident that I have the intellectual horsepower (at least for business school) when time is not a constraint.

Considering your issue with timing, you should not spend any more time in retaking GMAT . I would apply with your current score and start focusing on other parts of the application package- school selection (which would take significant amount of your time), brainstorming stories for essays, talking to alumni currents students , attending info sessions, and choosing recommenders etc.

2) What would be the ideal short-term goal for me to highlight? I am afraid that my real goal is too...different from what my current background would permit. Should I stick to a goal in the investment management industry alone? I understand that Ad Com think carefully about whether a candidate will be able to achieve their immediate goal.

It is up to you if you want to stay in the same industry or change industry. However, make sure you articulate your transferable skills that align with your post MBA goals . Also, explain how that particular school will help you achieve that goal. Whether you stay in the same industry or change industry/function, you story should make sense and convince the Ad Com.

3) Given the Indian citizenship (Hong Kong resident for 9 years) and a relatively low GMAT, should I even target the top 10 schools? Ideally, I would really like to make it to a top 10 US school - don't want to spend USD 250k(!!) anywhere else, really - but I am conscious of the competition from Indian male candidates.

I would advise you not to make your decision based on ranking only but focus on your fit with the school. If you will do your research , you will find that some of top 20 ( or even top 30) will be better fit for you.

4) Should I have one recommender from London and one from Hong Kong? Or do you think it would be better to have both from Hong Kong (since AdCom prefer to have people working close to you)?

It is ideal to take one recommendation from your current employer in Hong Kong and the other one from your previous employer in London.

I hope this helps ,

For more questions, you may email me at poonam@myessayreview.com

Good luck,
_________________

Hi myEssayReview,

I'm considering applying in round 1 this year for full-time MBA programs enrolling fall 2019 and would love to get a profile evaluation and general thoughts on my potential career path. Any evaluation or advice you could give me would be much appreciated. Also curious if I'd gain anything from waiting another year, getting some more experience in my current role and getting some more community involvement.

White male, 26 years old

Education:
"Southern Ivy" (Duke, Emory, Vandy, etc.), graduated in 2014, Mathematics and Economics BA, GPA: 3.25 (started out pre-med which did not go well. Started to do better when I switched to math and econ, but suffered family tragedy fall of senior year which hurt my grades and recruiting as well)

GMAT:
770 (50Q/46V/8IR/5AWA)

Work (all at private, family-owned diversified holding company with $20B+ revenue):
-1 year as a business analyst in the Operational Excellence department in the automotive division. Acted as a liaison between business operations and IT development for the development of enterprise mobile applications, completed heavily statistical analysis to complete the business cases for these applications as well as justify a multi-million dollar acquisition, created operational tools for field use and trained several GMs on their use.
-2 years as a manager in the Financial Planning and Analysis department in the same division. Promoted to manager 3 years ahead of schedule for being recognized as a top performer. Managed a contractor and intern. Currently in charge of budgets and forecasts for several smaller portfolio businesses and on the leadership team of these businesses to provide insights that drive strategic decision-making.
-2 years (at matriculation) as a senior analyst in an elite corporate strategy & development group at the holding company level responsible for portfolio management, M&A, diversification strategy. So far led primary due diligence for several minority investments as well as played an integral role developing a strategy for the Company's extension into the clean technology industry (renewable energy, food and agriculture, water conservation, etc.). Interface regularly with C-level leaders, board members and external parties (banks, PE firms, Consultants, VCs)

Extracurriculars:
-Pro Bono consultant at an eCommerce retail store, creating the business plan, social media marketing strategy, and pricing methodology
-Half marathon participant in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program. Raised $2000 for cancer research
-Finalist in my company's internal StartUp business plan event
-Mentor at Big Brothers/Big Sisters Atlanta

Post-MBA Goals:
Ultimately I want to become the CFO of a well-funded start-up in my current industries of expertise (Cleantech, Auto). To get there, I want to work in Finance at one of the external parties I regularly interface with (PE or VC if possible) unless the opportunity presents itself to be a finance leader at a start-up right out of my MBA. I think working in M&A at a particularly flexible, family-owned Strategic provides a different, interesting perspective.

Schools under consideration:
I have two routes I'm considering, since I actually really like my current job:
-Shoot for the stars (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Chicago) where I think the the value would justify leaving my current role and paying the tuition
-Go to the one year MBA at my local university (Emory, where I think I can get close to a full scholarship), continue working part-time or take 1 year off and come back to my current role.

Thanks in advance for your help!

please evaluate my profile and suggest me schools to match my goals
profile:
gender-male
industry-energy(PRIVATE-1 YEAR,PSU-6 years )
Education: Biju patnaik University Of Technology,Rourkela
Year-2011
CGPA-9.14
GMAT:740 (Q49,V41,IR 7,AWA 5)
Currently working as an operation manager in NTPC.Have experience in leading large scale project and day-to-day Operation
Extracurricular: self taught guitarist, cricket enthusiast
post MBA-consultancy/finance(want to change industry)
Please suggest colleges that can materialize my goal.Is it possible to change industry with a degree from Indian institute or one need to explore foreign university

Hello Ma'am,

Please evaluate my profile for Tier-1 and Tier-2 Canadian B-Schools

My current profile:

Age: 25
Sex: Male
Nationality: Indian
GMAT Score: not yet taken but am getting 580 on mocks
GPA: 6.62/10 [Transcript attached]
University: Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Degree/Specialization: B.Tech, Electronics & Communication
Work experience: 1 year 9 months (Full-time) 6 months (Freelancing) [Resume attached]
Designation: Content Writer
Industry: IT services and solutions
Preferred location for MBA: Canada

Current status:
I have taken a break from my full-time job to prepare for GMAT because I wasn't able to prepare alongside the job. So technically, I have been unemployed since Feb 2020.

But, on the flip side, I am currently helping my father to grow his YouTube channel, where he teaches physics in the Gujarati language to 11th and 12th-grade students. I am responsible for doing all the post-production work, from editing videos to doing SEO and CRO (which I learned from my work experience) and uploading videos.

Achievements @ Work:
My core responsibility at work was to create stories that would help the company get more business. For most of my time at work, I wrote high-quality blogs, articles, whitepapers, case studies, and web page content. I have also created business/vendor profiles on some of the most popular business listing websites (e.g., Clutch, G2Crowd, Think Mobile, Good Firms, etc.) for my company.

Leadership:
For once, despite being a content writer, I lead a team of website designers, HTML/CSS developers, and WordPress developers to create a website for a product company. Moreover, I did the on-page SEO of that website by myself, although it wasn't a part of my job profile.

Working on this project gave me an excellent opportunity to work cross-functionally with various teams who have different viewpoints and opinions. The main goal of the project was to redesign the website.

Extra-curriculars College:
I was a technical head in the Electronics and Communications Organization (a.k.a ECO). My responsibilities were to craft and judge technical events/competitions during annual fests at college.
I also brought the participation of almost 200-300 students every year for college fests by visiting various colleges across Gujarat.
I was also one of the instructors in a series of seminars conducted by the college on the topic of "Programming with Arduino."
I co-created a whole new laboratory session/subject/, which would help future students to learn Arduino and how to interface it with various sensors. As a part of it, I created a sensor board with an easy-to-use plug and play sensor modules and a technical user manual that guides students performing practicals.
I also co-founded a startup with my friend called Sivy Electronics. We sold various types of electronic sensors on Amazon and eBay. Plus, we took up projects from multiple clients to build highly-customized IoT (Internet of Things)-based automation products.

Extracurriculars (general):
I am also a singer. I love to sing karaoke songs in house parties, family parties/gatherings.
I have sung over a hundred songs on a karaoke singing platform called Starmaker.
I have also learned Indian classical music professionally for two years.

Post-MBA goals:
Go into technology consulting or consulting in general (haven't yet decided).

Reason to go into consulting - Want to explore various sectors (and find the one I love to work in), learn how the business operates in each of them, meet new people, get global exposure, develop an analytical mindset.

Long-term goals:
To set up my own business and settle in Canada/USA.

Finally, thank you very much for reading all the way through. I would highly appreciate it if you could tell me whether I am eligible for any of the top MBA programs in Canada, i.e., Rotman, Ivey, Schulich, HEC Montreal, McGill, etc. If not, then can you please suggest any other B-schools that I should target. Also, please let me know the GMAT I should target.

Hi,
I'm interested in doing an MBA. Kindly review my profile. Sharing a snapshot of the same below.

Bio: Indian, M, 24yo
Undergrad: Comp Sci from top 5 colleges in India(IIT)
Undergrad GPA: 5.6, It is on the lower side bur from a very prestigious college.
GRE: 329(Q166 V163)
Current Role: Project manager
Current Sector: Finance & Investments
Work experience: Worked in a MNC for 2 years where I worked abroad a project of 3 months duration. Got a promotion from a junior level to a Cloud lead. I worked with cross functional teams in India and US heavily- going to show teamwork and adaptability.
Post this, I Moved into an equity Research firm as a Project lead. Currently working as Project lead since 5 months. I currently lead multiple projects standing as a common ground between the investments team and the tech side.
Total work experience: 36 months by the time of Joining.
Short term goals: Move into an investment firm and work on Portfolio research in the equity markets(Sell side).
Long term goals: Move into a Private equity firm/Hedge fund in the buy side.

Extras:
Worked as a volunteer for differently abled
National level chess player
Lead departments in national level Fests.
Worked on an incognito startup(Failed)(Not sure if I should mention this)

Referees: Manager and colleague
Target Schools (R2): Any of the top 25 in US

Couple of questions:
1)Do you think I stand a better chance at top 15 colleges if I wait another year and then apply?
2)Do you think I should do a masters in the coming year and then later pursue a MBA?
3) Do ADCOM's consider an MBA post Masters positively?

Hi Rohit,

Thanks for reaching out.

Here is my feedback on your profile :

Academic Capacity:
You are an IIT graduate with a strong GRE. If your GPA is on a scale of 10, then it is low.

Work Experience (Career Growth): In your 2.5 years of professional experience, you have shown significant growth. You worked for two years at an MNC and got a promotion. After that, you moved to an Equity Research firm as a project lead and are now handling multiple projects.

Leadership & Accomplishments:
You have demonstrated leadership both at work and outside of work. Even if the startup failed, you should mention it. After all, you did learn something through that experience.

International Experience:
You also have three months of international experience which is good.

Extra-curricular/ Community Service:
Your ECs (national chess player) and engagement in community work is also good.

Here are the answers to your questions:

1)Do you think I stand a better chance at the top 15 colleges if I wait another year and then apply?

Yes, you do stand chance at the top 20 colleges if you apply next year. If you have great stories and you think you are ready, you can apply this year as well in Round 2.

2)Do you think I should do a master's in the coming year and then later pursue an MBA?

It’s all about your preparedness for management education at this point in time. If you are ready, you may not want to take the Masters's route.

3) Do ADCOM's consider an MBA post-Masters positively?

This is a tricky question. If you think you first need a Masters in Computer Science before pursuing an MBA, you can consider that. But I don't think the admission committee would prefer candidates with a Master's degree over candidates without a Masters's degree.


I hope it helped.

For more questions, you may email me at poonam@myessayreveiw.com

Best,

Poonam
_________________

Hi Poonam,
Thank you very much for your reply.
Also Can you please suggest me some schools I stand chance if I apply for 2021 fall R2?
And schools I stand a chance if I apply R1 for 2022 fall? (Making me have 4 years of work ex at the time of admission)
Thanks,
Rohit

Ask any questions to myEssayReview admissions consulting here in this chatroom.

Profile Evaluation for MBA 2022 Intake-
GMAT: 760
Duolingo: 145
Undergrad: 9.7 CGPA in Bachelor of Commerce(WES-> US Equivalent Undergrad).
University: Lovely Professional University, Punjab
12th Grade: 92%
Work Experience: 2.5 yrs as Finance Associate in Largest Infrastructure Company of India- Promoted Twice in the period currently leading a team and managing finance of Two National Projects in India under the direct control of PM Office.
3 MOnths as a Process analyst intern in Telecom Company.
EC's - Hosted many events in Undergrad, District level Hockey Player won prizes in Undergrad, Been a part of Charitable organization for the past 5 years.
Certifications: CFA Level 1, CPMP and Online MOOC's over Analytics and Data Science.
Post-MBA goals - Want to transit in Product Management in FMCG.
Hope for the Comments.
Also, Please let me know if pursuing MBA in India or in Abroad is correct for my profile.
which schools can I apply for?

indian, Female, 28
Target GMAT - 700+
Education - Bachelor in Engineering-8.7 , Diploma in Engineering-8, 10th-75%

Work experience - 6.5 Years
1. worked as Software Engineer at US based InsurTech fortune 500 company and at Healthcare and FMCG automation and technology company.
2. Co-Founder of handicraft social e-commerce startup, founded and registered in 2019.
I am from village where most women knows needle and thread art but not able to earn money because of lack of platform, technology and investment. We are helping these women earn money.
3. Partner at Import export and trading company
I am helping farmers sell their produces at price higher than MSP(minimum support price) by removing middleman layers.
4. CURRENT ROLE-Freelancer as Lead Software Engineer at LogiTech Startup

Why MBA?
I have gone had many corporate experiences and managed my startup over the years, but I learned everything in a try and error manner. Now I want to take a step back and use the MBA program to gain skills(management, strategy, marketing) in an academic setting.

Short Term Goal: To become a product manager in an AgriTech startup.
Long Term Goal: Social Entrepreneurship in AgriTech industry
Born in farmer’s family and being a tech person myself, I knew that in India and many other , farmers don’t have technology, data and advanced tools to make better decisions and ease the agriculture processes. My goal is to transform the agriculture industry through technology and improve farmer’s lives

Target Schools: M7, Haas, Yale, Duke Fuqua, Tuck, Ross, Said, Judge, NYU Stern, Insead, HEC Paris, ISB, Babson

Questions-
1. which college and program should i go for which will help me achieve my long-term goal(Entrepreneurship in AgriTech) ?
Any other colleges you want to suggest?
2. how can i highlight my strengths – Leadership, Community involvement and what do you find weakness in my profile? Suggestions you want to give to improve my profile/CV?
3. do you find my personal story strong and compelling enough?
4. I want to join AgriTech startup soon after my MBA and pursue my entrepreneurship career later down the line in AgriTech itself.
I am not sure if school will find ’join AgriTech soon after MBA suitable (because generally tech company comes into campus but not specifically tech company that works in agriculture sector) or Shall I still present this as my short term goal in my SOP? If so, how do I make sure it doesn’t look odd in the face of the AdComs.

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