Amnesty-ji,

From the follow-up post, the acknowledgement and the kudos, I also deduce that you are polite, grateful and professional in your (formal and informal) dealings.

More brownie points for you from my side.

Whatever line you choose, you'll make a good business leader.
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Super busy indeed, Winds81.

It's peak season. Our forum activity has gone down significantly as we've been focussing on pampering our small clientele family members who help us pay the bills, so we can get back here and continue giving free advice for the rest of the year.


Statistically, there'd be fewer Indian applicants with your specific background. But the initial diffferentiation can only be used as a stepping stone if the other key parameters (like GMAT) are also strong. If not, then the load on the rest of the components goes up significantly.

If the GMAT can't be fixed, it might be a good idea to include other schools that are more practical.

Check out some of the stories in the post (Desi girl power stories) just before this one, for a quick dose of inspiration.
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

MBA Crystal Ball interviews Georgetown MBA (McDonough) Admissions Director

The Georgetown MBA in Washington D.C. is a top ranking program with a diverse class profile. With an average GMAT score of 683, the student age range falls between 22 and 45. Over 30% of the students come from outside the U.S. For the current class the business school admissions team received over 1500 applications and enrolled only 250, making it one of the toughest programs in the world.

Sameer Kamat, founder of MBA Crystal Ball, caught up with Interim Assistant Dean and Director, Katelyn Rosa Stephenson to find out more about the program...Read More
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Management Consulting 101

Best strategy consulting firms

The best management consulting firms in the world (and in India) have more or less remained the same for several years. In this post, we list down the top 10 strategy consulting firms...Read More


Best consulting firms – Technology, Finance, HR

Management consultant Amit talks about firms that focus on a niche – like technology consulting, financial consulting, HR consulting and others...Read More
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Devarshi,

A high GMAT will help. You've got a First class which would be fine for most schools and may not be the primary cause of a ding (if at all that's the result). You'd still be competing with others who have stronger GPAs and GMATs and work experience.

So aim for that high GMAT, by all means. But do focus on the real world accomplishments that are better indicators of your managerial and leadership potential.
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Hi

I need your help in my profile evaluation.
GMAT Score – 710. Breakup was Quant - 49 and Verbal - 37. AWA - 5, IR - 6
I did my engineering in Mechanical (CGP – 3.6) – Passed out in 2010
Brief Work Experience (3 years by next fall)

Responsibilities – As an Associate Project Manager
• Preparation of Detailed Project Report for two hydro power projects
− Preparation of Hydrology report, Capacity Optimization, Project Scheduling, Technical Design, and Plant Economics
• Preparation of Pre-feasibility report for thermal projects in Africa
− Plot Plan, Land Requirements, Fuel Requirements, Water and Thermal Balance Diagram, and Project Scheduling

Responsibilities – As a Business Analyst

• Assisted Senior Management to develop strategic roadmap for international and domestic power business by developing market entry strategy for India and Nepal.
• Prepared Expression Of Interest for bidding on greenfield projects in India.
• Prepared RFP/RFQ for power projects in India, Nigeria and Bangladesh.

Educational Achievements
• I was awarded the merit certificate in my 10th examination by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for being among the top 0.1% of the students.
• I was awarded Gold Medal in Science Talent Search Examination in 2003.
Co – Curricular Activities
• Our team went to South Africa for BAJA competition in 2009. I was responsible for transmission and brake design together with the costing and budgeting of the project. We won 3rd Prize in Cost category and were adjudged 4th in feasibility of mass production and 7th in overall design report.
• Won 2nd Prize in Business plan competition at National level.
• Participated and Won in many competitions organized in the college at National level (Approx 8)
Extra – Curricular Activities
• Participated in a two day National Service Scheme camp in Tamil Nadu as a special police officer for the local body election and received appreciation and a certificate from the Superintendant of Police, Kanchipuram.
• Organized many National level cultural and technical fests in college and also served as the Board member of SAE collegiate club. (6 to 7)
• Was the Head boy of our School and in the process organized many events.
• Involved in social work via various NGO’s like Teach India, Tarumitra and Essar Foundation

Post MBA – I would like to work in consultancy services

Questions
I need scholarship as I do not want to put in a lot of money. I wont mind sacrificing ranks for scholarship. Any suggestions for schools?
_________________

First Attempt 710 - first-attempt-141273.html

GPA calculators for Percentage to GPA conversion: A How to guide

In India, the majority of the institutions use either percentage or grade as a method of assessment. A few premier institutions like IITs, NITs have their own grading system. Students applying to universities outside India would be familiar with the GPA scale.

In this post, MBA Crystal Ball provides some perspectives on the GPA scale and its implications for an Indian student planning to study abroad...Read More
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

435 posts...Ayyo! seems like you really spent a lot of time on GMAT prep. 710 is a decent score. Well done!

And even after all those posts, I see that you haven't gone ballistic copying and pasting your profile on 20 different consultant threads. Talk about focus

Thanks for choosing our thread for posting this.


You'll probably lose the admissions officer here. There are too many tech terms that the MBA application reviewer may have no clue about.


You've got some nice stuff in here. But be careful that this section doesn't hijack your primary story, if you know what I mean.


'Consultancy services' is too vague. It could apply to any industry and any role.

You'll need to drill down further. Are you looking at strategy consulting? If so, ensure that you make that clear in the essays.

I'm afraid I can't randomly list down schools, as our school recommendation process is part of a bigger and more structured application strategy process (we call it the MBA MAP). It takes into consideration many more aspects.

You'd be a good candidate for the MBA MAP. Check it out and see if that would interest you.

It does help that your profile is a little hat-ke considering the Indian applicant pool. Though it always helps to have a higher GMAT score, it generally is never the primary differentiator for Indian applicants. Your experience will be slightly on the lower side. So I'd be keen to see how you'd highlight the quality of your contributions.
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Executive MBA vs MBA for Executives – The Big Indian Confusion

In India, mention ‘Executive MBA’ to an MBA aspirant and ask him how it differs from an ‘MBA for executives’. The odds are high that you’ll end up confusing your friend. And not without reason. Several popular post-graduate management courses offered by our IIM clan (Indian Institutes of Management) have the word executive in them.

So, we’ve got IIMA PGPX (Post Graduate Programme for Executives at IIM Ahmedabad), EPGP (Executive PGP in Management) offered by IIM Bangalore and IIM Indore, PGPex (Executive PGP at IIM Calcutta and IIM Shillong). But these courses, in the technical sense, are not the same as an Executive MBA.

The terms ‘MBA’ and ‘Executive MBA’ might be clear to folks outside India. But back home, the concept of an MBA aimed at experienced professionals (or ‘executives’) is relatively new. In this post, we try to address the difference between the traditional Indian MBA, the traditional executive MBA and the not so traditional new-kid-on-the-block – the MBA for executives in India...Read More
_________________

Sameer Kamat | Founder - MBA Crystal Ball | Author - Beyond The MBA Hype
Connect with me on Twitter @mba_cb | Email: info at mbacrystalball dot com

Have you checked out the MBA Mock Application Process? | Try this 20-minute Free GMAT Practice Test

Hi Sameer,

I wish to apply for IESE YTP, Harvard 2+2. Do you think this would be sufficient? I want those two programs only specifically because I don't think I would otherwise try for an MBA later.

Key Interests: 1. Venture into shipbuilding industry and thus leverage the experience to diversify into the manufacturing industry.
2. Use photography for social Change.


Xth : 92.8%, XIIth : 88.6%
GPA : 8.5/10 (Rank : 2/50, Ship Design, IIT, India's Best Engineering College)
Chose to pursue it even after being offered Computer Science for my love of manufacturing tangible products - have been always enthused by automobiles, aviation, railways and ships. Decided to pursue one for my life.
GMAT : 750+ (Yet to give, but confident, have given practice tests)

Internships : 2 Internships, each at Indian and Singaporean Shipyard respectively.

Extracurriculars :
1. Member of Debating Society, Won at a leading National Model United Nation Conference at school.
2. Sports - Athlete and part of intra college medal winning team for two consecutive years.
3. School - awarded Student of the Year for best extra-curriculars and academic performance for several years.
4. Photographer for a non-profit for 1 year. Doing photo essays to bring social change. Volunteered at NSS (social service) for last 3 years.

Do I stand any chance? I have several stories to tell about every thing, how each decision has been taken, what have I learnt from each experience. But how can I strengthen my extra-curriculars? And where do I lack? How can I make it stronger?

I have strong goals, I've stuck to what I've done and done it well. I have stories, and what each experience taught me, but I see around Founder of every kind of society and international exposure, which I believe I lack.

I still have lot of time to go for applications. Please respond and suggest.