studebake7 wrote:
Hi Paul,
I would be grateful if you could evaluate my profile and give me a honest and frank assessment of my chances.
Applying for : Fall 2007
GMAT score: 750, Q-50, V-41
Background: little more than 2 years of work experience, I will have 3 years if i join in fall 2007. I am working as a corporate lawyer at the leading law firm in India for a little more than 2 years. I have done my law from the best law school that India has to offer. During my time at the law firm, I have been doing primarily capital markets and securities law work. This involves mainly capital market offerings (both debt and equity) and advice.
Currently, I am heading teams at an operational level. This essentially means that while I am not the partner in charge of the transaction, however, the operations team is usually headed by me and the day to day work is handled by me. The partner only supervises the work or takes care if any big issues come along.
Our clients usually include the top notch investment banks like Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley. etc. or clue chip Indian companies. In terms of international experience, whilst I have not worked outside India, I have not worked outside India, but I have worked with leading international investment banks and have handled international capital market offerings on the New York Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, etc.
Undergraduate background: While my academic record at university was not exemplary, however, it can be considered above average. Also, what has to be taken into account is the fact that my law school is universally acknowledged to be the best in India and has a good international reputation and so, the academic standards are pretty high.
Extra curriculars: In terms of extra curriculars, i represented my college/university in acouple of sports. Plus I also won the Negotiations competition at law school. I also was part of the core teams which organised a couple of national level seminars on India's economic reforms in which a couple of Indian government ministers and leading Indian economists participated. I also did other stuff like representing my college in quizzing, etc.
Since joining work, I have been associated with a couple of Non profit organisations over the last 1 year which work for the aged. My involvement with the organisations has only been to the extent of helping them raise funds and spending time with teh old people.
Recos: I am taking one from my partner at work, the others from a middle management guy (Vice president) at Merrill Lynch's India office and the CEO of one of my clients (a small company with revenues of about 200 million USD).
I am looking to get into finance and get into investment banking. I am looking to apply to HBS, Wharton, Chicago, Columbia, Duke and NYU.
Could you evaluate my chances at all these places?Also, could you provide any further insight/tips?
I know this is a long post and thanks in advance for taking the pain to go through this.
Studebake7,
Your law background obviously helps you stand out from the Indian applicants that B-schools usually see, and your GMAT score probably overcomes any concerns they might have about you academically. Since law is your trump card I recommend playing it to the hilt (including educating them about the legal scence in India which they probably have no idea about), but in doing so also demonstrate the leadership and demonstrate that the law has enabled you to gain a real handle on your post-MBA goal: you know what you're getting into. Your community work sounds decent, again emphasize your leadership.
I think your odds at NYU, Duke, and Chicago are probably very good (assuming you put the time into your essays to maximize your assets). HBS, Wharton, and CBS will be a tougher haul, but if you can show them maturity, real savvy about post-MBA career track, and a sense that you are a "special" high-impact person (i.e., everything you touch shows your leadership, impact) then you have a chance at them, with HBS the toughest nut of the three. With HBS you really must be close to flawless.
Hope this helps,
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13 Oct 2006, 00:09
