GMAT target score? : ISB

Hi, I have one month to my first GMAT attempt and I'm currently sitting at a diagnostic score of 730.

Profile summary:
25F

95% in both X and XII boards (CBSE)
BITS Pilani EEE (6.7 CGPA)

Risk Analyst at a Fortune 50 Fintech (total workex 2-3 years, been promoted once already).

Been club lead/volunteer at a couple places in college but don't have much to show in terms of extra curricular achievements. I hold a diploma in creative arts while I was in school but not sure if that would count.

I intend to stay in tech
(DS/PM profiles) post MBA as well.

Given my profile, what GMAT score should I be targeting if I want to join in the 2023-24 year? My only concern here are my UG grades.

Posted from my mobile device

Hello TimeKitten

A 730 or more will put you in a place where you will not be rejected because of your score.

If you have a 600, the GMAT score can be a major reason of rejection, but when you're at 720+ (more than the average score of the class), then you might get rejected due to other reasons (weak work experience or poor presentation of the same in essays, LOR and interviews, low diversity, poorly articulated or weak career goals).

Even with a 730 (your diagnostic score) you will have to work on the following-

1. Work ex - your essays, letters of recommendation and interview should bring out strong career progression and achievements and show measurable impact at work.
2. Diversity- either via extracurriculars or otherwise (since extracurricular seem weak) you have to prove how you will be a unique addition to the class and will be able to add value to the experience of your batch mates inside and outside the classroom.
3. Career goals- these must be clear and realistic. You check the second part (realistic) but need to work on articulating the first part (clarity)- what roles, what companies, long term vision and your personal motivation towards having this personal motivation, short term role that you want to work in to gain enough learning and experience to transition into your long term goal, how will the b school act as a stepping stone to help you land this short term role, is it a realistic goal from school's point of view (will it be able to help you get this role in the target companies), what new skills do you want to gain at ISB, what existing skills do you wish to build upon during the course, what courses and activities will you spend the most time in to achieve all of the above.

If you see I have spent the most time on the career goals part as that is where most candidates lack clarity.

If you do a stellar job on all of the three above, you could get in even with a lower score. On the other hand, if you do a not so good job on these three, you will not stand a good chance even with a 760.

You may want to read here on what factors work in a profile and here to add to your research on career goals.

Best
Varun Sharma
+918452954888 (WA)
MBAkarma.com
info@mbakarma.com

TimeKitten wrote:Hi, I have one month to my first GMAT attempt and I'm currently sitting at a diagnostic score of 730.

Profile summary:
25F

95% in both X and XII boards (CBSE)
BITS Pilani EEE (6.7 CGPA)

Risk Analyst at a Fortune 50 Fintech (total workex 2-3 years, been promoted once already).

Been club lead/volunteer at a couple places in college but don't have much to show in terms of extra curricular achievements. I hold a diploma in creative arts while I was in school but not sure if that would count.

I intend to stay in tech
(DS/PM profiles) post MBA as well.

Given my profile, what GMAT score should I be targeting if I want to join in the 2023-24 year? My only concern here are my UG grades.

Posted from my mobile device

With an impressive , all-round work resume, a 720-730+ score will suffice for admission.
Best of Luck.

more than 700 is always a plus Best of Luck!

MBAkarma thanks for your detailed response! I'm somewhat clear on what goals I am targeting post MBA, I'll definitely work on articulating it better.

For explaining work experience, I can't put a lot of it on an internet forum because of the extremely proprietary nature of my current job

You really did touch all the points I was hoping to hear, thanks a lot!

Posted from my mobile device

TimeKitten wrote:Hi, I have one month to my first GMAT attempt and I'm currently sitting at a diagnostic score of 730.

Profile summary:
25F

95% in both X and XII boards (CBSE)
BITS Pilani EEE (6.7 CGPA)

Risk Analyst at a Fortune 50 Fintech (total workex 2-3 years, been promoted once already).

Been club lead/volunteer at a couple places in college but don't have much to show in terms of extra curricular achievements. I hold a diploma in creative arts while I was in school but not sure if that would count.

I intend to stay in tech
(DS/PM profiles) post MBA as well.

Given my profile, what GMAT score should I be targeting if I want to join in the 2023-24 year? My only concern here are my UG grades.

Posted from my mobile device

TimeKitten hi, hope this finds you well. I think you meant to say that you want to join the 2024 intake.

A diagnostic score of 730 is undoubtedly a positive indication. If I am being honest, Adcom takes your low GPA into consideration (less than 7 will evoke some thought). But the good thing is that Bits Pilani is a very strong undergrad pedigree. A low GPA could potentially be one of the factors that put applicants from overrepresented pools on waitlists. Therefore, it's important not to underestimate the significance of a high GMAT score although it's not the sole determining factor.

In addition, make sure to highlight your career progression clearly in your essays, especially considering that your work experience may be on the lower side. Focus on incremental responsibilities, increased challenges in a diverse range of projects, successful outcomes, and stakeholder management over the past 2-3 years. It would be beneficial to showcase a unique "hook factor" in your profile.

Since you are interested in tech, deliberate why would you need a PGP/MBA coming from Fintech. This should also get you to think about reasons that truly motivate you to apply to a particular school. How is the B School positioned in a particular industry? Think about your goals that are aspirational but also inspirational at the same time. How can you utilize your skills and vision to solve a problem in the future?

Feel free to connect should you need guidance.

Best wishes

TimeKitten wrote:Hi, I have one month to my first GMAT attempt and I'm currently sitting at a diagnostic score of 730.

Profile summary:
25F

95% in both X and XII boards (CBSE)
BITS Pilani EEE (6.7 CGPA)

Risk Analyst at a Fortune 50 Fintech (total workex 2-3 years, been promoted once already).

Been club lead/volunteer at a couple places in college but don't have much to show in terms of extra curricular achievements. I hold a diploma in creative arts while I was in school but not sure if that would count.

I intend to stay in tech
(DS/PM profiles) post MBA as well.

Given my profile, what GMAT score should I be targeting if I want to join in the 2023-24 year? My only concern here are my UG grades.

Posted from my mobile device

Based on your profile, let's evaluate your chances for the Indian School of Business (ISB) PGP program and discuss the GMAT score you should aim for, considering your undergraduate grades.

- Your impressive 95% in both X and XII CBSE boards will reflect positively on your application. However, your 6.7 CGPA from BITS Pilani in EEE might be a concern in the competitive applicant pool. To offset this, focus on scoring as high as possible on your GMAT and consider explaining any challenges you faced during your undergraduate studies in the optional essay.
- With a diagnostic score of 730, you're already in a good position, as the average GMAT score for ISB is around 720. To improve your chances further, especially with your undergraduate grades, aim for a score of 730 or above. This will help showcase your academic potential and make your application more competitive. Remember - diagnostic scores don't always translate to final scores, so ensure you have some margin before you take the test (i.e. you are scoring consistently in the 750+ range).
- Your 2-3 years of experience as a Risk Analyst at a Fortune 50 Fintech company is a valuable addition to your profile. Your promotion indicates your ability to excel professionally. Be sure to emphasize your accomplishments, impact, and growth in your application.
- Although your extracurricular achievements may not be extensive, your involvement as a club lead/volunteer in college and your diploma in creative arts during school can still contribute positively to your profile. Use these experiences to demonstrate your interests, skills, and commitment to personal growth.
- On goals, your intention to stay in tech (DS/PM profiles) post-MBA is clear and aligns with your current work experience. In your application, discuss how an MBA from ISB will help you develop the skills and network necessary to achieve your goals. Be specific about the resources and opportunities at ISB that will support your professional growth. For example, be clear about the question on why you need an MBA at all given your background and future goals, and why you can't organically grow to those roles.

Hi there,

If you are able to pull off a score close to your diagnostic one, we think it should suffice. Please note that mean GMAT score of ISB's 2023 Class is 720 with the mid 80% range being 690-760. Overall, you have a competitive profile.

Positives:
1. Tier-1 undergrad college
2. Ability to show good career progression
3. # years of work ex.- Almost in the sweet spot of 3-5 years
4. Post MBA aspirations- achievable (story line can be built to show a clear path including how ISB would help achieve these goals)

Cons:
1. Undergrad CGPA- This can be countered by a GMAT score of 720+

Can't comment:
1. Work experience: Given the proprietary nature of your job, we don't have lot of information available on this forum and hence would not be able to evaluate the quality and how differentiable your experience is compared to other profiles

Hope this was helpful! Feel free to ping us in case of any questions.
We are a bunch of ISB alums who help potential ISB candidates with profile positioning, essays review and interview mocks.

With warm regards,
Team Fly