Hjort, please evaluate my profile.
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14 Jul 2007, 18:55
My profile:
I am a 24 years old, female applicant for Fall-2008, full-time MBA program.
GMAT: 660 (Verbal: 32, Quant: 48)
AWA: 5.0
TOEFL (Internet based): 117/120
Work-experience:
• I have 2 years of work-ex in a one of the biggest and most reputed software companies in India. When I join B-school I will have approximately 3 years of experience.
• Am a core-member of a 3 person team completely responsible for the quality process impacting the entire line of business (35+ employees).
• Successfully led two senior team members for a period of two months.
• Tutored a group of 20 fresher’s and received an overall satisfaction index of 91%.
Extra-curricular activities:
• Initiated, organized and executed a fund raiser drive for the construction of a bigger rehabilitation center for destitute children of an organization and raised more than RS.110, 000 ($2750).
• Successfully planned and implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of organizing a Summer Camp for an orphanage with more than 70 kids.
• Part of a 3-member team that is responsible for the contents of ALP – An Adult Literacy Program initiative which will eventually be launched in the villages of our state in India.
• Am a trained classical singer for more than 16 years and have performed at various community events.
• Participated in multiple high altitude trekking expeditions to the Himalayas – the tallest mountain range in the world.
Schooling:
• Graduated from a top engineering college in my state in the field of Medical Electronics with 77.5 %. (We don’t follow GPA)
• In school, I was elected as the head of the student council.
• ‘Sports champion’ continuously for 8 years in a row, while in school.
I want to do MBA in General management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. My aim is to work for a chocolate industry like Lindt, Cadbury`s, Hershey`s for a solid 6 to 8 years, before I start a venture of my own.
Why do I want to do a MBA?
All my life, I have dreamt of starting a company of my own. But it is only since the last 2 years now that I have been willing to take concrete steps to make that dream a reality. I want to do a MBA to hone my skills (generic and specific skills) which will help me start a venture of my own.
I have three specific questions to ask you Hjort.
(1) I have decided to apply for 6 schools. And here is the break-up:
Dream: Chicago GSB, MIT Sloan
Competitive: NYU Stern, Virginia Darden
Sure-shot: Indiana Kelly, Boston university.
Having gone through my profile, do you think I must delete/add any B-schools from this list? Please advice.
(2) Considering my above profile, Medical electronics to Software engineer to GM-Entrepreneurship, is this kind of career-shift something that will make it difficult for me to get into a B-school of my choice? And if so, how should I handle that?
(3) As I am only 2 years out of college, I have not yet reached leadership position at work. But at times, I have led a small team as highlighted above. But in the Corporate Social Responsibility front, I have led and managed several times and have shown exemplary leadership strengths there. Will lesser leadership in the work environment, work against me during the admission process?
Thanks a lot for your time Hjort. Any other advice on this will be highly appreciated.