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Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 35
Own Kudos [?]: 18 [0]
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Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38
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MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 Dec 2008
Posts: 2457
Own Kudos [?]: 598 [0]
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 35
Own Kudos [?]: 18 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38
Send PM
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MBA Admissions Consultant
Joined: 26 Dec 2008
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Re: Kindly Evaluate Profile [#permalink]
My previous post may have been a bit blunt, but keep in mind that you're going to face the same kind of skepticism with adcoms (except they won't tell you to your face) - you may feel insulted by someone being skeptical of your motives, but keep in mind that there's been enough folks in the past who have tried a similar angle or narrative as yours that come across as completely calculated or manufactured.

And as I said before, you should really focus on schools like Haas, Duke, Darden, Michigan, Yale, Cornell, NYU and Yale. Those are the schools where you'll likely be more competitive at (regardless of your narrative).

It's also not about coming up with some unique story. It's about being an individual - you can still do that and still be a very conventional candidate - plenty of people get in that way each and every year. Put it this way - you can put 10 Indian engineers (or 10 investment bankers, or 10 mgmt consultants) with similar resumes (they work in engineering, they care for underprivileged children - maybe not to the same degree as you do, but it's not uncommon at all for Indian engineers to be involved in that - it's either child poverty or child literacy in India). Ask these 10 folks with similar resumes to describe themselves. Five will blend in. The other five will come across as individuals - even if they are talking about similar themes and examples. It's *how* you communicate, and not just the facts.

And yes, that means taking whatever emotion you had in your last post and putting it into your essays and interviews. That's what makes you human. That's what makes you compelling. That's what gets someone engaged in what you have to say.
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Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Posts: 35
Own Kudos [?]: 18 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Concentration: Technology, Entrepreneurship
GMAT 1: 690 Q46 V38
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38
Send PM
Re: Kindly Evaluate Profile [#permalink]
Hi Alex,

Thanks for your reply. Due to family and visa constraints I wont be able to apply for schools right way. These factors arent under my control and I hope to apply in about 2 years time.

Since I have about 2 years time, what are things I can probably do to increase my chances at a top 5 school. Based on my technology and non-profit goals what schools do you think would be a good fit for me

Thanks.
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MBA Admissions Consultant
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Re: Kindly Evaluate Profile [#permalink]
You're asking the wrong question to be honest.

You can't go into the process with the mentality of "how do I improve my candidacy?" because it's ass backwards.

Put it this way. A military officer in Afghanistan isn't going to ask "what kinds of missions will I need to do to improve my chances at HBS? What kind of commendations do I need?" A nationally ranked track athlete isn't going to ask "what kinds of competitions do I need to win to be competitive for b-school?" A consultant isn't going to ask "what kinds of projects do I need to work on to be more competitive?" and so forth.

Be exceptional. Work to your absolute potential - whatever that may be. And whether you are competitive or not for b-school is not for you to judge. So long as you're at your potential, that is what matters.

In other words, you shouldn't need b-school admissions to be the reason for what you do or who you are. Make the most of your talents (whatever they may be) and let the chips fall where they may.

If I said that Indian engineers don't have much success in the b-school applications process, would you change your citizenship for it? Would you just quit engineering altogether and then go herd sheep in Uzbekistan just for the sake of being different (even though it's not who you are)? Or maybe join a marching band because you heard that adcoms like artistic people (even though you aren't much of a musician or it isn't really who you are)? Whether you're the conventional Indian engineer or not - is not really as important as being true to whomever you are - being able to work towards your potential in whatever endeavor, job, project, etc. that you would be doing irrespective of your b-school plans. You can't go into the process trying to manufacture a competitive profile for b-school. You do so by being an accomplished person (in whatever capacity that is YOU).

And again, I've already mentioned the list of schools you are competitive for. By applying in 2 years' time, you will likely only be less competitive because of your age.
GMAT Club Bot
Re: Kindly Evaluate Profile [#permalink]

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