Ask Vantage Point MBA : Ask Admissions Consultants

Applying to a top MBA program? You've come to the right spot. We guide and coach applicants to the top business schools in the world, and we don't mind saying that we're really good at this. Our team is comprised of former MBA admissions directors and top MBA graduates who are experienced admissions consultants. With that much expertise packed into one team, it's no surprise that our results speak for themselves: on average our clients' GMAT and GPA stats are slightly lower than the average for the top 10 programs, but their acceptance rate is over 3x higher than the average. How do we do it? We limit the number of clients we work with every year so that we can put all of our resources, expertise and time towards helping our clients achieve maximum success. We take a personalized approach as we know that in order to succeed in this highly competitive process, you must differentiate yourself and tell your story in a genuine, compelling and inspiring way.

In this forum, we invite you to ask questions and our team will be happy to opine and guide to the extent possible. We also invite you to request an initial consultation with us: https://vantagepointmba.com/free-consultation/

Here's a quick overview of our services: https://vantagepointmba.com/services/
And here is a link to some free tips and advice: https://vantagepointmba.com/tips-advice/

Ask away - we look forward to meeting you!
_________________

Hi!
Thanks for looking into my post!
I really need great advice.
I took GMAT last week and got 460 (Q:42 and V: 13 and IR:3).
And i have taken TOEFL today.
i got this score after rigorous 2.5 months hard work and risking my job side wise.
It is not possible for me to take Gmat again.
I really need admission in 2018 January intake in US.
However, i have strong profile:
CGPA: 8.25 ECE Engg. from reputed college in India
Work Ex: 4.5 in Capital market IT firm
Designation: Consultant and Team lead
Even worked onshore in one of the top 100 investment bank in Europe for 3 months each in last two successive years.
Hobby of painting, writing poems and beauty & fashion blogs.
I am interested in normal MBA program like general management, HR or luxury management.
Please suggest me possible colleges, any other MBA program and procedure?
I really need assistance.

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm sorry to hear about the outcome of your GMAT. Unfortunately, we really don't have experience working with applicants with GMAT scores below 600 (we focus on advising applicants to the top 20 programs in the US and Europe) so I'm afraid we can't be of much help to you. I know that some online MBA programs offer GMAT waivers, which could be a good option for you, but I would suggest doing some more research on those schools to see if they would be a good fit for your goals.

I'm sorry we couldn't help further! Best of luck to you!

Kindly,
Melody
_________________

Hello
I need to know what all schools I can expect a call from with a GMAT score of 740.
Rest of details are as under :
10th ...9.4/10
12.......87%
BTech IIT ....68%...
Work experince none. Graduated last year but didn’t join company as I had plans for other competitive exams. But this year I am thinking to give GMAT. My doubt is should I take a job and prepare along with it for cv points. Or should I solely prepare for GMAT and cat exam. And what will be my chances in both cases if I get little less marks with my job.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi there,

We focus primarily on the top MBA programs in the US and Europe (so I can only speak for those programs) and those programs typically look for at least 2 years of work experience prior to applying, with the top schools averaging 4-5 years. My advice to you would be to find employment and get some experience under your belt for the next few years and then look into applying.

We wish you all the best!

Kindly,
Melody
_________________

Hi
I am Rakshit Sharma
Profile
Age: 29
Gender: M
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
GMAT: 730, Q50 V38 IR8 AWA4
Education: B.Tech Civil Engg IIT Roorkee 2006-10 (GPA 7.51/10) and M.B.A Marketing & Operations M.D.I Gurgaon 2012-14 (GPA 6.96/10)
Work Experience: Total 6 years of experience.

Post B.Tech: 2 years of construction project management experience in Oil & Gas sector with a public sector undertaking (GAIL India Ltd.) 2012-14
Post M.B.A: 4 year with PepsiCo so far in Future Leadership Program as follows (2014-Current):

*2 years of sales & distribution experience as Area Head for the business driving large teams & responsible for delivering topline for the territory.
*2 years of experience in handing eCommerce channel for PepsiCo, responsible for driving account relationships with online Groceries in India (Amazon, Flipkart * other eGroceries) & delivering P&L objective metrics for the organization.

Working in the eCommerce role exposed me to the way digital is shaping businesses in every function. Met Indira Nooyi in India & her words of guidance to us was: Run eCommerce channel in PepsiCo like a Tech Company not like a CPG Org. Realized hands on that eComm is not just a platform for purchase but a medium now to transform GoToMarket channels (Online B2B, B2C, HoReCa) , Marketing strategies (Amazon Media Services), Communication modes (Amazon search competing with Google now) & a whole new experience to connect with consumers.

Academic:
1. Cohesive Leader Award, PepsiCo
2. Highest Growth Area Head, PepsiCo
3. Selected for ILEAP, Leadership Academy of PepsiCo Globally
4. Best Summer Project, MBA
5. Runners Up, PepsiCo Indra Nooyi Case Study, MBA
6. Runners Up, Deloitte National Case Study, MBA

Extra Curricular:
1. Placement Committee Member, MBA
2. Member, Summer Mentorship Program - Coaching students on summer internships interviews & skill sets
3. Organizer Sports News Letter - IIT Roorkee
4. Dance & Dramatics On Stage events

Post MBA Goals:
Short Term: Working in Strategy/Channel Development/Marketing roles in eCommerce/Tech sector, leveraging past experience in consumer goods & online channel along with driving businesses through digital integration learning at MBA

Long Term: General Manager roles in retail sector demonstrating leadership across multiple geographies & leveraging digital capabilities in driving business P&Ls and growths.

Queries:
I have following queries regarding the application:
1. Which schools should i target with the profile & score.
2. What are the possibilities one can explore in eCommerce space in terms of roles - Do people pursue Strategy/GoToMarket roles in tech ?
3. I wanted to write Product Manager roles in eComm but dont have a coding experience per se. How critical is that & would that impact the application ?
4. Is Indian GPA at IIT Roorkee 7.51/10 decent enough when converted to 4 scale GPA ?
5. To answer why another MBA, i really feel that my MBA 4 years back helped me gain experience in driving businesses traditionally. But in the span of 4 years, i saw quite massive drifts in the way digital is shaping businesses these days. And that's what i wish to seek ahead in my learning pursuit. (Crude form currently).

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out and sharing the details of your profile! I'm happy to provide some high level answers to your questions although most of these don't have a straight-forward answer and would likely require a more in-depth conversation. As with most things related to MBA application process, it's a bit subjective!

1. School selection is a pretty in-depth and personal process and so it's not something we can advise you on based on a few sentences and data points. However, I developed a great framework to help folks think through school selection and it think it would be great to get you started: How to Decide Where to Apply

2. MBA graduates pursue a wide variety of roles in e-Commerce (from finance to supply chain/operations to product management, etc.) so I would ask you what it is that you want to do in that industry?

3. The Product Manager role differs greatly from company-to-company so it depends. If you're interested in a specific company, I would suggest looking up the job description for the post-MBA role that interests you and reading through the prerequisites.

4. It depends on what school(s) you're targeting

I hope that helps give you a starting point in your research. Best of luck!

Kindly,
Melody
_________________

Hi ,

Could you please evaluate my profile for Michigan Ross?

GMAT: 700
3yrs Work Ex in one of the biggest oil and Gas companies in the world ( Lot of global exposure)
Gender :Female
Academic Background : Graduated with 3.45/5 GPA as a chemical engineer from one of the top engineering colleges of India

Founder of one of NGO chapters and a lot of other social initiatives

Thanks in advance!

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! We sold out early for round 1 this year and have been busy getting our clients through the deadlines. But I'm happy to be catching up today on some of the great questions in our forum. However, we actually are no longer providing straight profile reviews on this forum. We believe that your competitiveness at different schools relies on more than just a few stats or data points and so, a conversation is a much better way to provide that feedback and help you approach the application process. However, we'd LOVE to answer any specific questions or concerns you have about your profile or the MBA application process in general. So please feel free to respond with some more pointed questions!

Best,
Melody
_________________

Hi guys! I thought you might like our latest blog piece on how to avoid common application pitfalls. This is a summary of some of the issues we saw while conducting "ding analysis" this year for people who came to us asking for a review of what went wrong.

https://vantagepointmba.com/2019/03/26/ ... -pitfalls/
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Hey everyone! We wanted to share a great tool we developed to help MBA applicants such as yourselves compare the top programs side-by-side along key qualities such as average GMAT score, average years of work experience, % admitted, and a host of other stats. We've done the heavy lifting for you and compiled key data points that will help you understand how the top programs are different from one another and, ultimately, help you decide where you should apply.

https://vantagepointmba.com/2019/03/15/ ... -programs/
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Hi! I know everyone is busy and busy people have trouble finding time for that ever elusive "community citizen" aspect of the application process. So, we did a little hunting and found some ideas for how the busiest among you can get involved and show leadership (while also doing great things for the community!) Take a look here: https://vantagepointmba.com/2019/04/09/how-to-have-impressive-extracurriculars-when-youre-busy/
_________________

Hi,

Hope you are doing well !

Need your guidance, can you please comment on my below profile.

I took my GMAT on 8th April 2019 and have got a really low score of 610 (Q 46 and V 28, IR - 4). I was really shattered after seeing the results as I have put in lot of effort and have been scoring decently in my verbal attempts on e-gmat. I cancelled my score after seeing it.I wanted to get into the Masters in Finance program (full-time) in London Business School (LBS) this year (last date for the last round is 30th April 2019).

Age - I would be turning 35 years of age in June 2019

Work experience - I have an extensive work ex of ~ 12 years now (4 years in General Insurance industry and rest in the top ratings firm in India (Financial Research, moved to Derivatives ~ 4 years back). Currently I am working as a Manager there.

Education - Bachelors of Engineering from RGTU, Bhopal - 66.84%

CCAP (CRISIL Certified Analyst Program) - A 2 year study cum work program with NITIE, Mumbai as education partner.

I was working as Manager in my old insurance firm too in Mumbai but it was a small firm and in ~ 4 Years I had learned enough from it and wanted to move, as they would say, to big league. So took CCAP admisssion test, got in, and again started my career from scratch as an 'Associate' and after successful completion of the course was confirmed as 'Analyst' after 2 years.

I would have easily taken another attempt at GMAT if not for my age. I did met LBS's admission director in December 2018 and he said my story is interesting and asked me to send my CV to LBS adcom.

So my question is, taking into account my age, total work experience, and GMAT score what should be my next step?

For this year's admission, will I be able to get an interview call from LBS for full-time MiF this year ?

Many Thanks again for taking the time to go through my above predicament !

Saurabh

Hi Saurabh,

Thanks for sharing the details of your situation. Unfortunately, we don't advise on Masters in Finance programs as our expertise is in MBA program admission only. I'm sorry we can't provide more insight! We wish you all the best.

Kindly,
Melody
_________________

Hey! I'm actually trying to apply to some of the deferred programs (HBS 2+2, Stanford GSB Deferred, Columbia Deferred). Could you give me a quick profile review?

Work experience:

Internship at largest semiconductor fab in country in process engineering (Samsung)

Internship at medium sized supplier to semiconductor industry in R&D (JSR)

Extra curricular:

Vice President of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Usc (2 yrs)

Tutor for engineering classes

On campus research in photonics lab co-authored one published paper (fresh/soph year)

Research in materials engineering lab (junior/senior year)

Volunteering at neighborhood school in South Central to teach elementary kids math (Freshman year), stopped this because my schedule was killer in regards to research and tutoring obligations

Undergrad school/major: USC /Chemical Engineering (graduate May 2020)

Other education/coursework: On track to graduate with an M.S. in Materials Engineering (December 2020)

Race/nationality: Indian/American Citizen

Sex: M

Stats

GMAT Score (include breakdown!): 750 (50Q/42V)

Undergrad GPA: 3.69 (won't change too much, only have 3 classes left in undergrad)

MBA Info

Goal of MBA: I feel like engineering has a somewhat limited impact, particularly in the semiconductor and materials engineering world, where I'd like to become an exec one day. As we hit a wall in terms of advancing Moore's law, we're going to constantly need new materials, meaning new supply chains and I want to be in charge of developing and managing those operations. In the short term, I'd love to be a product manager for a biotech or semiconductor firm. I'm going to be prepared on the materials engineering side of it from internships and a presumable job in the industry next year, but I feel like I need an MBA to develop the skills necessary on the other end.

Target schools: Columbia Deferred, MIT Sloan Deferred, HBS 2+2,Chicago Booth Scholars, Stanford GSB Deferred, UVa Darden Future Years Scholars

kutagull wrote:Hey! I'm actually trying to apply to some of the deferred programs (HBS 2+2, Stanford GSB Deferred, Columbia Deferred). Could you give me a quick profile review?

Work experience:

Internship at largest semiconductor fab in country in process engineering (Samsung)

Internship at medium sized supplier to semiconductor industry in R&D (JSR)

Extra curricular:

Vice President of American Institute of Chemical Engineers Usc (2 yrs)

Tutor for engineering classes

On campus research in photonics lab co-authored one published paper (fresh/soph year)

Research in materials engineering lab (junior/senior year)

Volunteering at neighborhood school in South Central to teach elementary kids math (Freshman year), stopped this because my schedule was killer in regards to research and tutoring obligations

Undergrad school/major: USC /Chemical Engineering (graduate May 2020)

Other education/coursework: On track to graduate with an M.S. in Materials Engineering (December 2020)

Race/nationality: Indian/American Citizen

Sex: M

Stats

GMAT Score (include breakdown!): 750 (50Q/42V)

Undergrad GPA: 3.69 (won't change too much, only have 3 classes left in undergrad)

MBA Info

Goal of MBA: I feel like engineering has a somewhat limited impact, particularly in the semiconductor and materials engineering world, where I'd like to become an exec one day. As we hit a wall in terms of advancing Moore's law, we're going to constantly need new materials, meaning new supply chains and I want to be in charge of developing and managing those operations. In the short term, I'd love to be a product manager for a biotech or semiconductor firm. I'm going to be prepared on the materials engineering side of it from internships and a presumable job in the industry next year, but I feel like I need an MBA to develop the skills necessary on the other end.

Target schools: Columbia Deferred, MIT Sloan Deferred, HBS 2+2,Chicago Booth Scholars, Stanford GSB Deferred, UVa Darden Future Years Scholars

Hi kutagull! Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you're a strong applicant and we'd be happy to chat with you further about applying to deferred admissions programs. In order to schedule a call with us, could you please complete our consultation request form? From there, we'll be in touch shortly to get some time on the calendar.

Best,
Melody
_________________

Hi,

I am a 33-Year-old male from India. I am currently working as an entrepreneur helping small businesses in India grow their visibility in the Indian and Middle-east markets. I have a total of 7 years of experience, mostly in the BFSI sector including around 2 years at Standard Chartered where the idea of helping these businesses in India germinated. My current company has around 15 employees and is in existence since Aug'18.

I have an existing MBA from a premier institute in India and want to pursue a second one from a top university in US/UK/Europe. The reason is to get more international experience and increase my exposure to international markets.

My undergrad GPA is around 3.2 and GMAT score 720.

Just wanted to know whether I can be a competitive candidate for Top 20 colleges in US/UK/Europe, given my age and existing MBA?

I know you are a boutique consulting and probably work only for the Top Institutions. Just want to know my chances at these schools and whether I should retake GMAT?

Regards

anshuman203 wrote:Hi,

I am a 33-Year-old male from India. I am currently working as an entrepreneur helping small businesses in India grow their visibility in the Indian and Middle-east markets. I have a total of 7 years of experience, mostly in the BFSI sector including around 2 years at Standard Chartered where the idea of helping these businesses in India germinated. My current company has around 15 employees and is in existence since Aug'18.

I have an existing MBA from a premier institute in India and want to pursue a second one from a top university in US/UK/Europe. The reason is to get more international experience and increase my exposure to international markets.

My undergrad GPA is around 3.2 and GMAT score 720.

Just wanted to know whether I can be a competitive candidate for Top 20 colleges in US/UK/Europe, given my age and existing MBA?

I know you are a boutique consulting and probably work only for the Top Institutions. Just want to know my chances at these schools and whether I should retake GMAT?

Regards

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! And congrats on growing your company to 15 employees in less than a year - that's impressive! In general, I would say that your age and years of experience would put you outside the target for the top 15 programs in the US. If you're looking for international/global experience, I think the European programs are going to be much more aligned with your objectives. And they tend to be a bit more flexible with age/experience. Some of the 1-year programs like Oxford or Cambridge could be a great fit and would allow you to get back to your business faster, which I'm sure is a factor in your decision to pursue an MBA. In terms of chances, I think the UK/European programs will be your best bet. I don't think your GMAT score will be a hindrance to your chances there although if you feel like you left a lot on the table, a 20+ point improvement could always help move the needle. It ultimately depends on what your target programs are and how your stats compare. I hope that helps! Best of luck to you!

Kindly,
Melody
_________________

VantagePointMelody wrote:

anshuman203 wrote:Hi,

I am a 33-Year-old male from India. I am currently working as an entrepreneur helping small businesses in India grow their visibility in the Indian and Middle-east markets. I have a total of 7 years of experience, mostly in the BFSI sector including around 2 years at Standard Chartered where the idea of helping these businesses in India germinated. My current company has around 15 employees and is in existence since Aug'18.

I have an existing MBA from a premier institute in India and want to pursue a second one from a top university in US/UK/Europe. The reason is to get more international experience and increase my exposure to international markets.

My undergrad GPA is around 3.2 and GMAT score 720.

Just wanted to know whether I can be a competitive candidate for Top 20 colleges in US/UK/Europe, given my age and existing MBA?

I know you are a boutique consulting and probably work only for the Top Institutions. Just want to know my chances at these schools and whether I should retake GMAT?

Regards

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! And congrats on growing your company to 15 employees in less than a year - that's impressive! In general, I would say that your age and years of experience would put you outside the target for the top 15 programs in the US. If you're looking for international/global experience, I think the European programs are going to be much more aligned with your objectives. And they tend to be a bit more flexible with age/experience. Some of the 1-year programs like Oxford or Cambridge could be a great fit and would allow you to get back to your business faster, which I'm sure is a factor in your decision to pursue an MBA. In terms of chances, I think the UK/European programs will be your best bet. I don't think your GMAT score will be a hindrance to your chances there although if you feel like you left a lot on the table, a 20+ point improvement could always help move the needle. It ultimately depends on what your target programs are and how your stats compare. I hope that helps! Best of luck to you!

Kindly,
Melody

Thanks, Melody! That was helpful and makes a lot of sense,

Just one more question. How are the 1-year programs at Kellogg/Cornell and Columbia J-Term? Should I consider these programs as well?

Regards

Andysingh wrote:Hi!
Thanks for looking into my post!
I really need great advice.
I took GMAT last week and got 460 (Q:42 and V: 13 and IR:3).
And i have taken TOEFL today.
i got this score after rigorous 2.5 months hard work and risking my job side wise.
It is not possible for me to take Gmat again.
I really need admission in 2018 January intake in US.
However, i have strong profile:
CGPA: 8.25 ECE Engg. from reputed college in India
Work Ex: 4.5 in Capital market IT firm
Designation: Consultant and Team lead
Even worked onshore in one of the top 100 investment bank in Europe for 3 months each in last two successive years.
Hobby of painting, writing poems and beauty & fashion blogs.
I am interested in normal MBA program like general management, HR or luxury management.
Please suggest me possible colleges, any other MBA program and procedure?
I really need assistance.

Here is what you do.

Read in English. Go on Amazon and buy a bunch of books in English. Read books in English for a year, then retake the GMAT. It’s clear that you got crushed because of the language barrier. GMAT prep books won’t fix that. Go read. And don’t read Shakespeare or something with archaic grammar. Read modern texts about business subjects, that’s a two-for-one benefit.

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